Geary shook his own head. “What makes you so certain that I’ll know what’s right?”
“I told you. I’ve watched you. So has everyone else. Why do you think Kila and Caligo shifted from trying to discredit you to trying to kill you? Because they knew that after enough experience with you, this fleet wouldn’t allow you to be deposed.” Badaya laughed. “By my ancestors, if I tried to act against you now, my own crew would revolt. I’m not saying you couldn’t lose the loyalty you’ve acquired, but it would take some serious misjudgments, and as long as you listen to Tanya Desjani, you won’t have to worry about that.”
He hadn’t wanted Tanya brought up again even in passing. Time to get the subject back on track.
“Captain Badaya,” Geary said slowly, “I’ve been seriously considering options once we reach Alliance space, and something disquieting has occurred to me.” Badaya gave him a keen look but remained silent. Geary activated the star display on the table between them, setting it to display a vast reach of the Alliance and Syndic space as well. “It seems so easy, so certain. We return, I assume whatever authority is needed, and the politicians are put in their proper place.” Badaya nodded. “And yet I found that I kept thinking about the attack this fleet launched on the Syndic home star system.”
Badaya frowned this time. “I don’t understand the connection.”
Leaning closer to the star display, Geary indicated the representation of the Syndic home star system.
“Apparently a sure thing, but it was a trap. Why did I keep thinking of that when I thought about our return to Alliance space? I haven’t been sure, but I think I’m beginning to understand what’s bothering me.”
“If you’re thinking they’re similar,” Badaya objected, “they aren’t. This fleet outguns anything in Alliance space by a wide margin. The politicians couldn’t defeat it, even if they were insane enough to order it attacked.”
“It’s not that,” Geary said as he carefully chose his words to match those he’d gone over with Desjani and Duellos. “I think that it’s a question of not playing by the rules our enemies want us to follow.”
Badaya cocked his head, regarding Geary. “Meaning? You’ve been adamant about following rules, about abiding by the policies and beliefs of our ancestors.”
“Yes. Our rules.” Geary walked to the display and pointed randomly at Syndic star systems. “The Syndics want us to play by their rules. Things like bombarding civilians and killing prisoners. Because if we do that, it’s to the Syndic leaders’ advantage. Their own populace won’t revolt against their leaders as long as they’re scared of us.”
Badaya nodded. “I’ve seen the intelligence reports of what we’ve learned from being deep inside Syndic space. By matching Syndic atrocities, we worked against ourselves. I won’t deny that. What does that have to do with our return to Alliance space?”
“I’m wondering if our opponents in Alliance space want me to seize power.”
Badaya leaned back, his eyes narrowing in thought as he gazed at Geary. “Why would they want that?
They don’t even know you are with this fleet yet.”
“They don’t necessarily want me,” Geary explained, “but they must have known about Admiral Bloch and his ambitions.”
“I didn’t know you were aware of Bloch’s goals. You’ve obviously done your homework on this.”
Badaya rubbed his chin, looking away from Geary as he thought. “He thought winning at the Syndic home star system would give him the stature to try to seize power. Whether he could have actually had the backing within the fleet to do that is another question, but it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility. I believe our political leaders are corrupt, but I don’t think all of them are stupid, so some of them must have known of Bloch’s ambitions and the potential for him to achieve them. Yet they let Bloch lead this fleet anyway. I hadn’t put that together before.” He centered his gaze on Geary again. “Why?”
Geary tapped the table lightly to emphasize his words. “I’ve been doing some research. Historically, corruption is a problem in every form of government, but it’s far worse in dictatorships than it is in elected governments. That’s because dictatorships don’t have formal limits on the powers of officials and don’t have a free press or open government that exposes corruption.”
Badaya frowned again. “You wouldn’t be a dictator.”
“I wouldn’t be elected,” Geary pointed out. “No matter my intentions, I’d have to rule as a dictator. Now, what form of government would corrupt politicians favor the most?”
The frown deepened. “They want you to take over so they can operate their corruption freely? Why would they think you or even Admiral Bloch would allow that?”
“Because I’m not a politician.” Geary nodded toward the representation of Alliance space. “Whatever Bloch thought of his political skills, I think he was probably outclassed by those who have politics as a profession. A military officer in power could be manipulated by corrupt politicians, manipulated in ways that would enhance the power and the wealth of those politicians far more than could be managed in an open, democratic system.”
Badaya sat silent for a long time, then nodded as well. “I see your point. A fleet officer wouldn’t know how to play their games any more than the politicians could command a fleet action. The politicians want a puppet they could pull the strings on and hide behind, just like Kila wanted to use Caligo. Is that what helped you see this? It wouldn’t matter who the officer was who seized power. Hell, the politicians would probably be thrilled that it was you because of what they could get away with by claiming it was what Black Jack wanted.” He nodded again. “Playing by their rules. I see what you mean. They want a fleet officer to try being a politician because they can run rings around us with words that don’t mean what they seem to mean. But what do we do? Just let them keep running the Alliance into the ground?”
“There’s a middle ground.” He didn’t like saying this, let alone admitting it. But what he was about to say was true. “I have the potential to take over. I could really overthrow the government.” The words felt sour in Geary’s mouth as he spoke of something contrary to his oath and his beliefs. “The politicians know that. The decent ones, the ones who can be brought around, will know they have to listen to me.”
Badaya smiled. “They’ll be afraid not to do as you say, afraid enough for you to get things done. And the corrupt ones will cooperate with you because they’ll want to curry your favor for when you do take over.” He held up one hand, palm out, as Geary started to speak. “I understand you don’t want to give them that opportunity. But if they’re anything like we believe, it won’t even occur to them that you could resist the temptation.”
He hadn’t thought of that, but Badaya’s suggestion made sense. Geary nodded. “I remain a threat, someone they have to listen to, yet the strengths of the Alliance government, of our democratic principles and individual rights, also remain intact.”
“Clever.” Badaya’s smile grew. “You outthought them, didn’t you? Just like you’ve outthought the Syndics. I made the same mistake a lot of other people did, assuming that the politicians weren’t just as capable of manipulating us as they were of enriching themselves. Is that why you had that affair with Rione? To learn all you could about them?”
It took Geary a moment to calm himself enough to trust his response. Badaya was honorable enough by today’s standards, and a decent officer, but to call him undiplomatic was an understatement. “I learned a number of important things from Co-President Rione,” he finally said, a true statement Badaya could interpret any way he wanted. “But,” he added while fixing Badaya with a sharp look, “Rione can be trusted.”