The inspection took nearly two days. While the true extent of the firepower of each ship was kept from the respective boarding parties, each captain was ultimately assured mat the opposite vessel was what it had been purported to be.
Finally, satisfied that the other was responding honestly, each captain ordered his boarding party to return.
Another full day passed, technicians from each ship carefully monitoring the other for the slightest movement or hint of aggression, while debriefing of the boarding parties took place.
Still another day passed as diplomatic discussions and agreements were conducted between the commanding officers of each ship. Then yet another as final preparations were made.
A week after they met in space, the Levant and Thunder Child finally turned toward Pallatin on a heading that would carry them into orbital insertion.
Commander Montero breathed a sigh of relief once they were safely, and without incident, under way. But somewhere deep in the back of his mind was just the slightest disappointment that the entire matter might have been settled at their first meeting, sending a resounding message to every one of the frontier worlds that to go against the Empire was a useless gesture. Fain had given him the authority, after all, to act as he saw best. Montero pushed the nagging thought out of his mind.
He had no way of knowing, of course, that the captain of the Thunder Child felt almost exactly the same conflicting mixture of relief—and regret—that he did.
Chapter Twenty
“Pallatin is not the same world it was,” said the man who had identified himself as Niles. “We ask only that you meet with us in Joint Dominion before deciding on a course of action that would, of necessity, be based on outdated information.”
Montero sat straight in his chair, as he had throughout this meeting, and nodded pensively. “I am willing to listen.” His demeanor was considerably different from that shown at the several briefings that had taken place in the four weeks since Adela had come out of cryosleep. In those lectures, he was merely dictating a list of facts to bored personnel as a simple act of shipboard protocol. Here, however, there was something at stake, not only for the sake of the successful completion of the mission, but it was clear to Adela that there was a certain amount of personal pride connected to the seriousness with which he conducted himself at this meeting with the Pallatin representatives. His lack of communication skills at briefings was more than counterbalanced by the adept nature in which he handled the diplomatic needs of his command.
Adela herself had little role to play during this session. Although she was nominally Emperor Javas’ official Imperial representative, it was Montero who had jurisdiction here—and the final decision as to their next course of action. Her opportunity to speak would come later, she knew, so she sat quietly, talcing in everything she could about the two men from the planet below them. They, along with Captain Thommas of the Thunder Child, had called for this informal meeting to take place once they’d established orbit around the planet. The three Pallatins sat at one end of the long conference table while Montero; Nelon, his First Officer; a representative of the Imperial Council of Academicians named Yuleeva; and Lieutenant Billy Woorunmarra sat with her at the other. Like her, the others remained silent unless asked by Montero for their input.
“What my esteemed counterpart is saying is quite true.” Representative Salera, Speaker of the Eastland Congress, smiled warmly, glancing in polite deference to the man sitting next to him at the table. “The Quake not only caused major damage to a large portion of the infrastructure west of Arroyo, but several of the shipyards were affected, some extensively. Notably, the facilities at Blankensport, Taw and South Passage remain closed to this day; others, including two Eastland yards closest to the epicenter, are still not operating at full capacity.”
Representative Niles nodded in agreement. “It has become necessary to cut back or delay delivery on several contracts. Other contracts have been withdrawn, with customers applying to suppliers on other worlds.” The Speaker of the Westland Congress shrugged, extending his palms outward on the tabletop. “You see, Commander Montero, so much has changed since you left Sol for Pallatin. While my world’s representatives originally refused all cooperation at the time your project was originally announced—openly denounced the Hundred Worlds, in fact—our circumstances have changed such that it is now a matter of extreme impracticality, rather than mere defiance, that makes honoring the requests made by the Emperor so many years ago a difficult task for us.”
“Am I to understand, then,” asked Montero simply, “that the Joint Dominion of Pallatin no longer opposes the Emperor of the Hundred Worlds?” His hands before him on the table, he leaned forward on his elbows and looked into the face of each of the men in turn.
Adela followed his gaze, attempting to read on their faces what wasn’t being said aloud. Captain Thommas remained impassive, as he had throughout the discussion; clearly his duty was to convey and escort the two official planetary representatives, leaving all matters of diplomacy to them, and he made no attempt to offer anything in response to Montero’s question. Speaker Niles, likewise, did not reply immediately, but turned instead to his counterpart. Salera, however, was visibly agitated by Montero’s blunt query. His large eyes widened, darting occasionally to his two companions, and he seemed to wrestle with a response. Adela noted that Montero missed none of it, and raised her respect for the Commander as he waited patiently for an answer. Salera opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated, then started to reply when Speaker Niles interrupted.
“While it is true that Speaker Salera and I represent the Joint Dominion, I think I speak for both of us when I say that we would prefer not to influence you with our own opinions at this time.”
Salera seemed at once unburdened by the remark, and the look of anxiety in his expressive eyes disappeared immediately. “I agree with Speaker Niles’ assessment of the situation.” He leaned back in his chair and addressed Montero directly. “It would be better, if you agree to accept our invitation to attend Joint Dominion, that you come with no biases caused by anything we might say.” He looked questioningly at his counterpart, an eyebrow raised as if to ask, “Was that satisfactory?”
Representative Niles nodded politely, looking unmistakably pleased at what the other man had said.
Montero smiled in understanding. “I concur. For my part, I am willing to keep an open mind in this.” He stood, signaling that the meeting had concluded, and added, “Captain Thommas, Speaker Salera, Speaker Niles; thank you for your time and your candid remarks concerning the status of Pallatin in relation to the rest of the Hundred Worlds. I await your formal invitation.” He smiled again, then bowed slightly.
They returned the formal gesture and left immediately. Montero spoke briefly to the academician before dismissing him, then said a few words to his officers, who followed him out of the room. They didn’t go far, however, and stood talking just outside the open door.
Adela paid little attention to them, her thoughts still on the discussion just concluded.
They were fascinating men.
It was obvious to Adela by the way they had spoken to one another that there was no love lost between the two representatives, but each radiated a strength and comradeship—even in those subject areas in which they clearly disagreed—that displayed a great sense of both pride and honor at what Pallatin had accomplished. If the rest of their people were as strong-willed as were these two, even in disagreement, then the mission to gain Pallatin’s support would not be as simple a matter as using force.