Catcalls and hoots answered, and Kruger grinned broadly. “That’s about what my reaction was, friends. Out here on the frontier we learned a long time ago that the confees never have and never will follow through on any pledge to protect our borders. We’ve had to do it ourselves…you have had to do it, taking this carrier into battle and defeating our enemies with your bravery, your skill, and your ship that refused to die!” He paused again, surveying the crew. “So I say to you, as I have already said to the confees: this carrier, and all the carriers of the Free Republic Navy, shall remain on duty to guard our borders for as long as they need to be guarded. All of our borders, and against whoever might threaten them. The Landreich is a sovereign nation, and we protect our own!”
With that he turned and entered the shuttle, and the ramp closed behind him to a wave of cheers louder and more sustained than before.
Bondarevsky didn’t cheer. He knew all too well what this open break with the Terran Confederation could mean. If the Peace Commission was determined to make an issue out of the matter, it could mean a new war, a war of human against human, with Ragark still waiting beyond the frontier to take advantage of any opening.
But much as he hated the prospect, much as he hoped sanity might prevail so that such a conflict could be averted, Jason Bondarevsky was ready to serve his new people as doggedly as he had ever served the old.
The Landreich’s enemies might remain poised to strike the Republic down, but they would find Mjollnir, and the Black Cats, and Jason Bondarevsky, all waiting to defend her.
Until the crisis was over, Cincinnatus would not return to the plow.
Jason turned to walk away.
“Jason?”
“Hell of a thanks,” Jason growled, shaking his head.
Geoff smiled.
“I take it you’re staying here.”
“Yes sir, this is home now. And you, sir?”
“I’m going back like I said.”
“Why?”
“That’s where the fight is now.”
“Won’t you get arrested?”
“Hell, I resigned my commission and was following orders out here. They can’t hold me on that.”
“I’m curious though, what exactly is this Strategic Readiness Agency?”
Tolwyn smiled.
“A bit of what we talked about before. Did you ever really wonder why I was out here?”
“Yes, sir, frankly I did and still do.”
“First-hand look at the situation and also to get out of the way for awhile while certain things clicked into place. Now they’re in place.”
“I don’t get it, sir. Go back to get kicked in the teeth for all you’ve done?”
Geoff shook his head and chuckled softly. The sound of the laugh was cold and Jason looked at him curiously.
“Ever peel an onion?”
Jason shook his head at the curious question.
“Layer after layer after layer. Jason, what happened here was just a layer of the game. I’ve been in the service over thirty years. I was there at the very beginning of the war. And I can tell you that what some people thought was the end at Kilrah was just one act in the drama.”
“Well, I sure wished it had been the ending.”
“No you don’t,” and the way he said it caught Jason by surprise. “Who is the enemy? Kilrah? Or is there something else?”
“Sir?”
Again Geoff smiled. “Never mind Jason, never mind. But as to the layers of onions. What happened here was but the game within the game. I realized that long ago, a game within a game within a game,” and his voice drifted off for a moment.
“Jason, there are other plans to face the layers. I saw this coming years ago, that what thought might be the ending was but a prelude to something vaster and darker. I’ve made my preparations and now I must return to see them through.”
There was something in Geoff’s tone that was troubling but he couldn’t quite figure what it was. As he looked into the Admiral’s eyes he saw an almost detached look, a gaze he had seen before in the eyes of pilots who had flown one mission too many, or an assault marine who had jumped once too often.
“I’d like you with me, Jason. You might have to lose a bit of that boyish idealism that I thought years of combat would have washed away. But I think you have the stuff for it. It’ll be tough, you’ll need stomach and the willingness to fight a shadow enemy, the thing behind the mask.”
Jason was silent and suddenly not sure.
Geoff rested his hand on Jason’s shoulder and again, for the briefest instant there was the old look again, reminding him so much of the Admiral who had risked all to save his life after the raid on Kilrah, or in that moment of victory in the defense of Earth when all believed that Geoff Tolwyn would be remembered as the greatest hero of the Kilrathi War.
Geoff looked into his eyes and there ever so slowly shook his head.
“Maybe not,” he whispered, “maybe not, Jason. Stay here.”
“Yes, sir, I think they need me.”
“They do. Jason, there might come a day when you might question what I am doing,” and for a moment Jason thought that something inside of the Admiral was breaking and then the hard distant look returned.
“Jason, just remember what I was and what I believed in-perhaps then you can help others to understand. Take care, son, and good hunting.”
Jason drew back and as Geoff started to turn away he came to attention and saluted. Geoff smiled, his visage sad and filled with an infinite weariness.
“Take care, Admiral, take care,” Jason whispered, suddenly filled with the knowledge that never again would he see the Admiral Tolwyn he had so loyally served.
Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn nodded, and turning disappeared into the crowd.