“Yes, Madam President. In order to ensure the rapid approval of the agreement by the Taroan government, it may be necessary to expend more in bribes than previously budgeted.”
Iceni’s smile this time was wry. “Perhaps not. I’m finding that bribing elected officials can be significantly cheaper than bribing appointed bureaucrats. The bureaucrats have a much clearer understanding of their value. But extra payments are authorized if needed. We can’t afford to depend on Black Jack for defense of this star system.” Colonel Malin deserved an under-the-table bonus for suggesting the agreement in the first place, but he would probably refuse it. Whatever Malin’s motivations were, they didn’t include a desire for wealth.
The reply from Black Jack to her message came six hours later, about as fast as it could have arrived given that the Alliance fleet, which had reassembled into a single massive formation, now orbited nearly three light-hours from the planet on which Iceni was located. Black Jack didn’t look particularly triumphant. In fact, he looked about as overworked as Iceni felt. I don’t envy him being the most powerful person in human-occupied space. What do you do with that kind of power if you have a brain and a conscience? Tired or not, his uniform looked immaculate. He must have a very good assistant making certain he looks his best—
Assistant? Or someone a bit closer than that? There have been rumors…
“This is Admiral Geary,” Black Jack said. “I will leave negotiations on such matters to the two emissaries of the Alliance government who we have with us. They will be contacting you soon for that purpose. Of immediate concern, my auxiliaries are very low on raw materials. I would like your agreement for them to mine some of the asteroids in this star system for such materials so that we can begin to repair the battle damage suffered here.
“Please pass on to Kommodor Marphissa my personal appreciation for the efforts of her and her ships in working with us for the defense of this star system. They fought well. To the honor of our ancestors, Geary, out.”
Iceni spent a moment considering her reply.
“He needs the raw materials badly,” Togo said. Having arrived a few minutes earlier to deliver to Iceni an intercepted and decoded copy of the Taroan ambassador’s highly secret message to his government about the defense agreement, Togo had been standing silently nearby. Now he spoke diffidently. “Black Jack would not have asked otherwise. Not in a Syndicate star system.”
“We are no longer a Syndicate star system,” Iceni replied.
“In their minds, we are, Madam President.” It was impossible to tell from Togo’s expression, or his voice, what he thought of that. “We have also had time to analyze the damage apparent on the Alliance warships. They have seen serious combat and have plainly needed extensive repair. He needs these materials.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“A business transaction to our benefit, Madam President. We can bargain for profits that will enhance your stature and the security of your position.”
Iceni considered that, too. The idea is tempting. I have leverage to demand concessions and other things.
Tempting.
Like bait for a trap?
Does Black Jack really need those raw materials that badly? He’s going home, after all, and he has an immense amount of firepower. Even if those repair ships of his are riding empty, they could snag an asteroid in any star system they pass through without asking permission or offering payment.
He could do that here. He could take what he wants. He could simply say “you owe me this,” and we could not object.
Instead, Black Jack, with overwhelming force at his back, asks.
Oh, you cunning master of misdirection, you. You want me to take the bait. To see what I do when given the chance to weasel and bargain and act like the very model of a Syndicate CEO. That’s how he defeated us time and again, I suspect. Let us think we had the upper hand, then…
“We cannot afford to underestimate Black Jack,” Iceni said.
“Madam President?”
“He wants us to bargain with him when we think he is in a position of weakness. He wants to see if we go for his throat at the first opportunity. We look at him and think he is just a simple sailor, making a straightforward request. Could someone like that have destroyed the mobile forces of the Syndicate Worlds? And then he distracts me with praise for Kommodor Marphissa, a very clever bit of manipulation designed to make him appear open and aboveboard. Black Jack is actually setting out a snare so carefully concealed that it could easily have tripped us up.”
Surprise appeared on Togo’s face for a moment. “Forgive me. I did not appreciate how devious Black Jack can be.”
“But now we know. I’ll give him what he wants. Graciously. Without bargaining.” Iceni smiled grimly. “He’ll know that he’s dealing with someone smart enough to avoid his traps.”
“Yes, Madam President.” Togo raised a hand slightly. “We should ensure that whatever the Alliance does is coordinated with the space-resource-extraction authorities. That will enable us to monitor exactly what is done under the pretext of following standard procedures.”
“Excellent idea. You tell the extraction authorities that they’ll be hearing from the Alliance fleet soon and that they are to oblige the Alliance requests without hesitation.” She sent a cheerful reply to Black Jack, granting him permission to mine, then forwarded the last part of his message to Marphissa, along with her congratulations.
“The mining authorities have been notified, Madam President,” Togo reported.
“Good.” She gave him a questioning look. Her earlier suspicions of Togo had faded considerably as he had continued to show nothing but appropriate deference to her and gratifying obedience to her orders. I was rattled after the arrival of the enigmas, after everything that was happening. Easy enough to see dangers everywhere under such circumstances. “Black Jack is surely trying to collect information about what we are doing here and in nearby star systems. His ships must be pulling in everything they can from transmissions and news reports and other sources. We need to ensure that the picture Black Jack builds is one that favors us.”
Togo held very still, his eyes focused on some distant mental objective. “We need a method of sending him a narrative, telling him what he could otherwise learn but ensuring it does so in a way that we prefer,” he observed.
“If we just sent him such a package it would be too obvious. We need at least a veneer of its being impartial.”
“That would require a means of contacting the Alliance fleet officially without doing so… officially.”
“And it’s not like we have any friends on those warships of Black Jack’s,” Iceni grumbled.
Friends? On Black Jack’s ships?
Togo started to say something more. She silenced him with a gesture, trying to catch the elusive thought. Ah. That’s it. A matter involving a certain subordinate of Drakon’s and a certain subordinate of Black Jack’s. “Get General Drakon for me. I need to speak to him as soon as possible.”
I don’t like this, Drakon thought. “Are you all right with what I’m asking you to do?” he asked Colonel Rogero. Actually, Iceni asked me to ask Rogero, but it was my decision to make that request, and I refuse to hide behind anyone else when doing it.