Jack Campbell - Guardian

“These aliens have helped us. Helped people,” Senator Unruh pointed out. “There is no evidence that they are hostile.”

“But look at them!” Wilkes insisted. “We’re supposed to take them to the most sacred spot in the galaxy? Those things ?”

“Judge them by their actions,” Geary urged.

“But you can’t tell us why they want to go to Old Earth! How did they even hear of this Kansas place?”

“I don’t know,” Rione conceded.

“Wait,” Senator Sakai said, as another babble of argument began. “Tell me this, Admiral Geary. You have seen the ships of these Dancers. Could they reach Old Earth on their own?”

“Of course,” Geary said, wondering as always what angle Sakai was pursuing. “They have the equivalent of our jump drives, which appear to have at least the same range as our equipment.”

“They would have been seen and stopped,” Costa said derisively.

“The Dancers have excellent stealth capability,” Geary replied. “Better than our own for objects as large as their ships. Even if they were detected, they could easily outmaneuver any human attempt at intercept. And we don’t know how long they’ve had spaceflight and jump drives and stealth capabilities for their spacecraft, which means we don’t know when they might have first gone to Old Earth.”

Sakai nodded slowly. “Then the Dancers could go anywhere in human space? On their own, they might already have explored human space?”

“Yes, Senator,” Geary agreed. “In my report, I speculate that they might have already penetrated human space at least as far as the outer edge of Alliance territory. They recognized the symbol of the Alliance.”

“Yet they ask our permission. They ask to be taken to Old Earth even though they could go without asking.” Sakai looked around, having made his point. “How can we learn what they want there? By taking them there.”

“And if they are secretly hostile?” Costa asked grimly. “Then what happens? Sol has no defenses. Our Home has been neutral and demilitarized for centuries.”

“We would escort the Dancer ships,” Sakai said. “That escort would defend the Dancers, and, if necessary, defend against the Dancers.”

“We can’t send a fleet of warships to Sol,” Suva objected. “That’s politically impossible. The uproar would toss all of us out of office and turn every human star system not in the Alliance against the Alliance.”

“What could we get away with?” Navarro asked, looking up and down the table. “Politically, what would be acceptable?”

Sakai addressed Geary again. “Admiral, did the Alliance ever send warships to Sol Star System before the war?”

Geary nodded. “Yes, Senator.” Increasingly, he had been able to put aside the loss of all he had known a century ago, to live in this time, but questions like Sakai’s drove home to him how long ago his life had once been, that he had lived in a time that was the distant past for the people around him. “Every ten years, the Alliance would send one warship for anniversary commemorations.”

“One warship?” Suva asked, eyeing Geary suspiciously.

“Yes, Senator. One. Of course, the fleet was much smaller then, but it was usually a capital ship to show due respect for Home. A battleship or battle cruiser.”

“A battle cruiser?” Navarro nodded, smiling. “ Dauntless is a battle cruiser, the flagship of your fleet, and a distinguished ship whose crew has acted heroically and with honor.”

Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to say something, so Geary nodded back. “I would not dispute that characterization of Dauntless or her crew.”

“Or, doubtless, her captain,” Costa sneered.

“A ship large enough,” Sakai added without acknowledging Costa’s jibe at Geary’s private relationship with Desjani, “to carry selected members of our government along on this journey, to ensure all feel adequately represented, and to conduct whatever negotiations the Dancers wish following their arrival at this place called Kansas.”

“A battle cruiser?” Costa asked, her eyes calculating. “And all… interests… would be represented? I might be willing to buy into that.”

“If Senator Costa goes,” Senator Suva said, “I will go as well. That is nonnegotiable.”

“I’m sure we’d all love to have you along,” Costa said with a nasty grin.

“We can agree on this?” Navarro said, as if not believing any agreement could be possible.

“Not just those two,” Senator Unruh insisted.

“Someone acceptable to all,” Navarro agreed. “I know that doesn’t include me. What about Senator Sakai? Would anyone object?”

No one did.

“So, we agree that Senators Sakai, Suva, and Costa will travel on the battle cruiser Dauntless as that Alliance warship escorts the six Dancer ships to Old Earth. The orders to Dauntless will be to escort and protect the Dancer ships, unless the Dancers unexpectedly act in a hostile manner, in which case Dauntless will protect Old Earth and the rest of Sol Star System. In addition, Admiral Geary will go along, as will Emissary Rione—”

“Her?” Suva demanded. “Why?”

“To talk to the Dancers,” Unruh said, sounding tired again. “What about the other? Charban?”

“The Dancers prefer to communicate with both of us,” Rione said.

Geary knew the Dancers actually preferred communicating with Charban, but since he wanted Rione along, he simply nodded as if in agreement.

“It is better to have two intermediaries,” Sakai noted. “One could become fatigued by constant demands. Both Rione and Charban should come.”

“But not as emissaries!” Suva insisted.

“No. There is no need of that when representatives of the grand council will be present. They will need a title. Ambassador? Speaker?”

“Envoy,” Navarro suggested.

“That is acceptable to me.”

Suva and Costa gave reluctant agreement as well, followed by the rest of the senators present.

Navarro smiled encouragingly at Geary. “That’s decided, then. Make your preparations for this journey. I envy you, I admit. There has been no luxury for journeys to Old Earth in recent decades despite the hypernet gate the Alliance constructed there decades ago. You, Dauntless , and her crew, deserve the chance to see the Home of our ancestors, and the chance to rest after your arduous mission outside human space and back through Syndic space. This trip to Old Earth should give you all a well-earned break from the blood and fire you have faced for far too long.”

After Geary and Rione had left the room and were facing Timbale and Desjani once more, Rione turned to Geary. “Do you believe in jinxes, Admiral?”

He made an uncertain gesture in reply. “I believe that sometimes they seem real. Why do you ask?”

“Because I wish that Senator Navarro had not made that last statement. It is never good to tempt fate.”

“I’ve been officially notified that I and my Marines are to remain attached to your fleet until further notice,” General Carabali said.

Geary’s smile told her how he felt about that. “I’m glad to hear it. General, I’ve already authorized every ship in the fleet to grant stand-down liberty and leave, letting as much of their crew as possible take as much leave as possible. You are authorized to apply that same policy to the Marine units attached to the fleet.”

“Thank you, Admiral, though I understand that policy will not include the Marine detachment aboard Dauntless ?”

“Unfortunately, no, it will not,” Geary said.

“They’ll have a special task to carry out, anyway. Old Earth is also Home for the Marines. The detachment will be responsible for a small ceremony marking that.”