Jennifer Wells - Beyond the Stars - At Galaxy's Edge

“Captain Brook,” he said, “this committee has voted to deny your appeal.”

Brook opened her mouth, but she had somehow forgotten to breathe. After sucking in a quick breath, she said, “Mr. Divar, we are the Interstellar Emergency Service. We can’t operate without a ship.”

“That is true,” Divar said. “The IES will be forced to temporarily pause their activities. We will ensure that proper paperwork is delivered to the headquarters of the Meltian Republic Emergency Service here in Telahmir, at which point they will have the option to either absorb current IES employees into their main organization or furlough them.”

Brook maintained her composure even as Divar’s words wrenched open a hole in her gut. Sure, the operation hadn’t gone perfectly, but sacrificing the Spirit enabled her to ensure the safety of hundreds of lives‌—‌both those of the GST employees and of her own crew. And as her reward, this committee was taking her command. They were killing the IES, which she had brought to life and nurtured into an organization that did a tremendous amount of good for the Republic and the galaxy.

“Captain Brook, you may leave the chamber.”

“Thank you all for your consideration.” Brook relinquished the lectern and departed the committee’s chambers.

Outside, JP asked, “What happened?”

“Nothing good,” Brook said, but she stopped herself before she gave JP a full rundown of the committee’s verdict. The IES did not need a captain to complain about its problems‌—‌it needed one to come up with its solutions. Brook might not have those solutions in hand just yet, but all that meant was that she and JP had their work cut out for them. After all, she had given birth to the IES‌—‌she was not about to let it die.

“How long would it take to get the paperwork together to shut down the IES?” Brook asked.

“Two days, if one works efficiently,” JP said.

Brook nodded. “Then that’s how much time we have to find a way around this committee.”

JP’s eyes widened in comprehension. “I see.” Though the IES was never JP’s brainchild, he had been the Emergency Service administrator in charge of reviewing her petition to create it, so he was at least a midwife.

Brook clasped her hands behind her back and began to pace. They still had to figure out how to obtain a ship‌—‌there were just a few more variables in play now. Beyond the window-dominated wall opposite the committee chamber, Meltia’s star was visible, casting progressively longer shadows as it sank toward the horizon. Any other modern city would be swarmed by hovercars, but Telahmir’s pedestrian culture meant that only a handful flitted across the skyline. The tranquility of the capital’s airspace mocked the intensity of Brook’s thoughts.

JP said, “Their order to shut down the IES will list our lack of a vessel in its preamble as a justification. If we could prove that condition invalid‌—‌by acquiring a ship‌—‌we could petition the Emergency Service to contest the order, preventing it from taking effect.”

“Makes sense.” In truth, Brook hadn’t realized there was a possibility that the committee’s orders might take effect even if they were to find a ship. But that was why she had JP. “Anyway, I think we need to figure out why they denied us in the first place‌—‌I mean, we are a popular organization, right? Yet they all seemed to hate us. Except for... I need to talk to someone.”

Brook abruptly turned back toward the committee’s chambers and was about to push on the door when it swung open from the inside.

Representative Arriet’s eyes were fiery as she closed the door behind her, but Brook immediately got the sense that the representative’s anger was not directed at her.

“We have hundreds of ships,” Arriet said. “Hundreds of inactive vessels in orbit around Meltia, left over from the Order War. We’ve given them to agencies with a tenth of the distinction of the IES. We’ve sold the older ones as scrap metal. You should have gotten one.”

Brook blinked. “Yes. I agree. Why didn’t I?”

“I don’t know,” Arriet said. “Divar and the others‌—‌they were acting so strangely. Like they knew something I didn’t.”

Brook spread her arms. “We have nothing to hide. Is there any way you could figure out why they were so hostile?”

“Perhaps.” Arriet threw a glance back at the committee chamber. “But only if Divar doesn’t realize I’m helping you. He was very upset I did not vote with the majority. Meet one of my aides tomorrow at the center of Freedom Square, 7:00 Standard Time. Do not wear your uniform.”

“I’ll be there.” Brook glanced at JP.

“I will look into alternative‌—‌”

JP cut himself off as the committee’s door offered up its characteristic squeal‌—‌if that awful thing had any benefit, it was that nobody could sneak up on them through it.

An aide stood in the doorway. “Representative Arriet?”

Brook folded her arms and glared at Arriet. “I don’t care what you voted for‌—‌your committee killed my agency. So why don’t you go scurrying back to them, politician?” The resentment was not difficult to fake.

Arriet shot a haughty look back at Brook. “Well, then, I apologize for trying to help you. It’s quite clear you don’t deserve it.”

Representative Arriet turned and strode back into the committee chamber, the outmoded door screeching like the metaphorical cogs of bureaucracy itself.

“What in the galaxy is that?” Representative Arriet scrutinized Brook’s double breasted crimson leather jacket as the IES captain stepped into Arriet’s office. The aide who had met Brook at Freedom Square let himself out.

“Until recently, I lived on a starship,” Brook said. “Didn’t have anything but IES black. So we had to go shopping‌—‌and I was told this was high fashion on Meltia.”

“That it is,” Arriet said, “but my intention was for you to be inconspicuous. Did you see any other committee members on your way in?”

“No one at all,” Brook said. “Your aide brought me in through some back entrance. Are they looking for me?”

“They shouldn’t be, but we don’t want to give them ideas.” Arriet shook her head, pulling a personal screen from a compartment in her desk. “Especially now that I’ve found the source of your problems.”

Brook reached out to take the screen. It displayed a document with a block font heading that tightened the grip of her hands around the device: “THE IES: IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNACCOUNTABLE.” Below the title was the logo of the Telahmir Report, a major Meltian news agency.

“Why have I never seen this before?” Brook asked. JP kept tabs on news articles concerning the IES‌—‌surely this would have come to his attention.

“As far as I know, only a handful of copies were ever distributed‌—‌all of them to Divar and the other members of our subcommittee. I didn’t know about it myself until I sent my aides to do some digging‌—‌I suspect they did not send it to me because they knew I would see through it.”

Brook swiped past the table of contents to the main body of the text, skimming the first page. Every paragraph presented a new example of how the IES‌—‌and by extension, Brook‌—‌pursued their mission with reckless abandon, causing hundreds of civilian casualties in the process. The facts would be shocking if not for the fact that every single one of them was false.

“This is nonsense.” Brook felt her face heat as she tossed the screen onto Arriet’s desk, stabbing her finger at a particularly offending example. “Frinid isn’t even part of the Meltian Republic‌—‌the IES has never been there, much less burned down one of their cities. I can’t believe the Telahmir Report distributed this.”