JACOBS STEPPED PAST BRANDON to meet James and Suren, who were laughing with one another as the door opened for them to exit.
“What’s all this?” Jacobs said, asking the question Brandon had not been able to form just yet.
James, with a grand smile across his face said, “I don’t know.”
Brandon shook his head, allowing his thoughts to purge the situation again. He stepped next to Jacobs and said, “Soldier?”
Suren responded immediately. “I was so scared, sir. But once we were about three-quarters of the way back, I saw how ridiculous it was. I mean they moved about as fast as, as…”
“Turtles?” Brandon said.
“Yeah. And I held them off with almost no effort. But I was scared out of my wits. It made no sense,” Suren said.
Brandon motioned toward Jacobs. “So what happened? Why are they hysterical?”
Jacobs stared at the two of them. He was in deep thought as though completing a difficult math problem in his head. Then he finally turned to answer Brandon. “Ever been scared by a sibling who jumped out from a dark hall?” In a moment, he threw his arms out with his hands wide and fingers spread, “Boo!”
Brandon jumped, then smiled and shook his head.
“See what I mean? Once you realized there was no real danger, you found it funny. Multiply that times ten, at least. Without the subliminal words to carry their deeper message forward, the emotional data switches over to logic more quickly, which levels you out again. In fact, it pushes you in the other direction.” He smiled about as wide as James and Suren. Finally, he said, “They’re harmless.” He shook his head. “All they can do is manipulate through the subliminal messages, but when we take that away, all they can do is say boo. Granted, they say it emotionally, which has a greater impact at first, but that’s only until we get used to it.”
“But I was scared,” James said. “I mean, out of my head scared.”
“Me too,” Suren said.
“But you didn’t want to kill anyone? Either of you?” James said.
“No,” they said simultaneously.
“Why would we want to do that?” Suren asked.
“That’s the message they pushed through,” Jacobs told them. “We read the subliminal message on the computer.”
“So they were only able to scare us,” James said again.
“This time. But they can only scare you from jumping out at you for the first few times. After that it doesn’t work. Once you’re ready for it…” Jacobs waited for someone else to answer the question, but no one did. Everyone in the room knew exactly what he was saying.
“Makes sense,” Brandon said. “So now we can talk with them?”
Jacobs looked pretty satisfied about the situation. “I think so. But let’s give them some time to think things over. They need to calm down. While they’re doing that, let’s see what information we can gather about our other growing situations.”
“I do feel out of the loop,” Brandon said.
James laughed.
Brandon turned on him. “What?”
Suren said, “Palmer’s still connected and we heard her give a yahoo. She said, ‘We got them on the run, now.’ It just struck us as funny.”
“Tell her we’re on our way,” Brandon told Suren instead of using his wrist unit.
“She heard you.”
After regrouping and updating themselves on all other activities, James lowered his head. “I’m sorry. I still haven’t helped much. That situation down there didn’t work out well at all, and so far it sounds as though Earth Central is about to clear the decks. If they take over Section 204, they’ll clean house and bring in all new management. We’ll all be gone.”
Jacobs agreed. “Regardless of the shared responsibility measures that Earth Central longed to put into effect once the human race spread itself thinner and thinner throughout the galaxy, it still rules with a firm hand. You should know that, being in your position. And the fact that your own military arm, your enforcers, forced their hand at the mother ship, I can see how EC might step in.”
“We need to help them,” James said.
“Help them how,” Brandon interjected. “Do you mean go up there and help them hold their position? That’s not going to happen. EC has every right. According to Captain Jan Hollis, who is heading the takeover of Section 204, they’ve got proof for Falsified Documentation, Avoidance of Appointed Duties,” he nodded toward James, “Relinquishment of Control to a lesser official, and she didn’t go on from there, but I understand there’s plenty more screw ups than that.”
“I had full authority to place Jason in charge.” James shook his head in despair. “I didn’t know he’d break down so easily. I really thought he could handle it. I believed it.”
“Well, it hardly matters. There’s nothing I can do short of break the law. If I lift a hand to help at this point it puts C-47 into the fray. We become an extension to Section 204.” Brandon shook his head. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“It’s not anyone’s fault that Section 204 is so screwed up.” James face became stern and serious. “Except maybe Garth’s.”
Jacobs tapped the table as James took a moment to contemplate the situation.
Everyone in the room, some standing, some sitting, some sipping at cups of jasp, knew that James needed the quiet. He took a deep breath. “C-47 is independent.”
“We don’t have the paperwork to prove it,” Palmer pointed out.
“Once the paperwork is issued it can’t be repealed without all parties being involved. So,” James said, “paperwork or not, this planet’s colonies are independent from the system. You can share goods and services, you can explore, you can even create a separate section to colonize another planet. And, you own your discovery.”
“All we have to do is pay taxes to EC,” Eldon said. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re not in any position…”
James smiled. “A small price to pay.”
“All well and good,” Brandon said, “but what’s any of this have to do with Section 204 of the International fucking Peace Force?”
“Join with us and Earth Central will have to back off,” James said.
“Not if they find you a threat,” Palmer said. “I don’t care how independent we all are, if we’ve taken up arms, and you have, then EC has a right and a duty to intercede.”
James leaned forward. “How can that ship be a threat to anyone at the moment. It’s in total chaos up there. Half their damned enforcers are down here for Christ’s sake.”
“If we join hands, what’s that mean in regards to who’s in charge. You and Garth suddenly become Kings?” Eldon said. “You sell off our discovery just as we’re beginning to understand how to communicate with them? You run our government?”
“He has a point,” Brandon said.
James looked at those who sat or stood around him and answered slowly. “We sign away all our rights to rank, order, and control to your government. We resign.” His head shook along with his hands as though he had just gotten a chill. “You own us, instead of the other way around.”
“In exchange for what?” Eldon said.
“You let me stay here,” James said.
Brandon had to get the suggestion straight, as though he’d heard it wrong. “You’re willing to give up everything?”
“I’ve got to believe that you’ll treat me fairly, in lieu of what I’ve already done. That you’ll see that I have talents and that you’ll let me use them. But I don’t need to be in charge. I don’t need to own your discovery,” James said. “That’s not what I want.”
“Good try,” Eldon said. Then he pointed out the real challenge. “If only you were truly in charge of Section 204. But you’re not.”
“Garth,” Brandon said again. “It comes back to him.”
James said, “I can sway him to sign if you can draw up the papers. If he signs over his rights as the superior entity, then C-47’s in charge of Section 204. Then you have the authority to do something about all of this, including Earth Central’s move on us and them.”
Palmer laughed out loud.
“What?” James said.
“We’re operating under martial law, which means that Brandon, here, will be King Shit.” She looked around. “I just find that funny.” When no one else laughed she said, “Fine, then I’m the only one.”
After a unanimous agreement, there was only one thing to do. Deliberation with the C-47 governmental body took only a few minutes. After all, they were gaining protection just as they’d wanted, plus wouldn’t be under the authority of the Section 204 staff. They knew they’d have complete control back once everything had been sorted out, even though they appeared to know that they were in over their heads. Since Oliver had always been the leader in the group and he was out of the way for the time being, the board moved quickly on Eldon’s suggestion.
James’ plan appeared to be on course until Garth was called in to resign his position.
“Why would I do that?” Garth said as he stared at James as though he’d kill him if he had the chance. They had been deliberating the finer points of the agreement and were stale-mated on the final one, his resignation.
“It’s okay,” James said. “Don’t sign.” He stared Garth down.
Brandon glanced over at Palmer who stood in the corner of the room with an ear bud cord hanging from her head.
Palmer yelled from across the room. “The news on this end is that Earth Central has issued verbals for Section 204 to stand down.” She listened for a moment then lifted her head. “They’ve refused, of course. Looks like you’re in for a removal from post anyway,” she said. “Earth Central’s only a few hours from your ship.”
“I know people,” Garth said. “Once I’m allowed to talk with Earth Central, this whole scenario will turn around and you will be on your ass,” he said to James. He waved a hand across the air between them. “These people can’t make it without our help. They need us, which means that they’ll sign over everything for our protection. You fucked up. You could have been in charge here. You still can if you let me go. I’ll smooth everything out up there and leave you alone.”
James made no effort to argue. He just smiled and sat quietly.
Before long, Garth couldn’t contain himself. “You know I’m right.”
“They’re already independent,” James said. “You never told me. So how do you expect me to believe that I was part of the deal? I wasn’t. Not when you promised me this post and not now.” He slapped the table. “You can’t stop lying, can you?”
“So,” Garth said, “that can be changed. I can fix all that.” He wasn’t giving in. He wanted control and Brandon could see it in his demeanor.
But he also saw something in James. Confidence. James had something up his sleeve, a final card to play. And it must have been a good one because when James leaned over the table he had an even larger smile on his face than when he left the elevator a few hours earlier. “I’m going to negotiate with Earth Central concerning the aliens. C-47 will have plenty of money and support once their findings are explained in full. What they have here is the most important discovery in history. They don’t even need Section 204. I could let Earth Central destroy it. You’d have nothing. The way I see it, Section 204 needs C-47.”
Garth fidgeted but stayed in the same position as though feigning self-control. “They still can’t govern themselves. I’ve talked long and hard with Oliver. Where is he, by the way? You can’t sign these papers without him.”
“All we need is a majority and we have that,” James said.
Jacobs said, “Oliver is under psychiatric surveillance and has been relieved of his post temporarily anyway.”
Garth gritted his teeth and was about to say something when James drove his point home. “We have statements from every one of your cohorts concerning your orders.” He pointed to Jacobs. “And he’s from Earth Central Intelligence and has documentation that will make it impossible for you to get out of this unless you know the Presidential Staff in full. Personally.” He shook his head slowly as though he enjoyed his next statement immensely. “We’ve got so much on you that you’ll never get out of prison, let alone be in charge of anyone or anything ever again.”
Garth’s shoulders slumped and his eyes darted from side to side. “I can’t go to prison,” he said. “Don’t do that. Please.”
“Under the laws of an independent colony, we can hold you as long as we wish and in any manner that we wish,” Eldon said.
James relaxed and turned slightly in his seat, allowing Eldon to go on.
“We don’t even have a prison to put you in,” Eldon said.
Brandon watched as Garth turned from manipulative tyrant into an agreeable servant. The transformation reminded him of what Jacobs had said, that Garth was crazy. As Garth signed the paperwork, Brandon couldn’t help but wonder what they would do with him once everything was settled, if it was settled, but knew that he’d have to be watched for a long time. He hoped that Jacobs would be involved. He was beginning to like the man.
“It’s done,” James said, but as he reached for the paperwork, Eldon stepped beside him and swiped it from the table.
“Step one,” Eldon said.
Brandon reached out.
Eldon reluctantly handed the paperwork over. “Only until the conflict subsides,” he said.
Brandon didn’t answer. He told the guards to remove Garth and take him back to his room.
Garth went quietly.
“You enjoyed that a bit too much,” Brandon said to James.
“He’s been beating me up for years. But it’s done. I feel redeemed.” James stood to go. “It’s not over, though. We’ve got to pass this information along to Earth Central.”
“Not so fast,” Palmer said. “I have a plan.”
“It’s about damned time,” Brandon said.
Palmer shot him a look that was both surprised and loving. She was back in form.
“We’re listening,” Eldon said once Garth was out of the room.
Palmer looked happy to take center stage. She pulled the ear bud from her ear and let it rest at the end of the cord over her shoulder. “First thing we do is rig the translator down there so that Eldon can continue his research. This time for real, and without disruption from the subliminal feedback. I figure Larry can wire us and the aliens remotely.”
“Shouldn’t researching the aliens be done after we’re clear?” Jacobs said.
“Knowledge about what we really have could be essential at the moment. Earth Central can’t be convinced of its importance unless we have some solid, undeniable evidence. And we’re going to get it. Next is for James to handle the negotiations with Earth Central just as he’s suggested. I want the governmental board sitting beside him, though, and Jacobs, who can hand over reports on Garth and his underhanded manipulations. We should have plenty to add to a report once you go through the statements we’ve received,” she said.
“That’s a lot of data,” Jacobs said.
Palmer smiled. “You can handle it.” She pursed her lips as though she was ready to explain her favorite part of the plan. “We’re going to protect Section 204.”
“Yes,” James said pulling his hand into a fist and pumping it. “I hoped you’d say that.”
Palmer shot him a glance.
“What?” he said. “Section 204 did nothing wrong. And if Earth Central attacks them some very good men will be hurt, maybe killed.” He looked around as though for approval, but didn’t get it. “I take it you two will be hand-carrying the agreement we just signed?”
“What about here?” Brandon said. “I can’t leave. Who would I hand the place over to?”
“You’re not going,” she said.
“But you said we,” Brandon said.
“We as in C-47.”
“I thought you said their landers couldn’t break atmosphere? And their ground fighters can’t for sure, they’re not designed for it,” Brandon said. “You can’t go alone.”
“There’s Garth’s lander,” Palmer said.
“What will we have if you get into trouble?” Brandon said.
“Understood,” Palmer said. “I’ll take some of the soldiers after you explain to them what’s happening and that you’re in charge,” she said. “They’ll take orders from you.” Before anyone could give a rebuttal, she went on. “I’ll take the pilots from here with me.” She looked around. “And for backup, you’ll send two of the fighters behind me. Not Stark, according to James here. It’ll be enough to hold Earth Central until we transfer digital copies of the paperwork to the EC mother ship and they have time to verify signatures and get to Hollis.”
“Sounds like you’ll be cutting it close,” Brandon said. “You really think Section 204’s enforcers will let you through? And even if they do, you know that EC could take days to go through verification of digital documents, and that’s with our cooperation. I don’t like it.”
“Me either,” Jacobs said. “Even after questioning and a short Q and A from me, we might pick the wrong fighter pilot to follow you.”
“My plan,” Palmer said. “It goes my way.”
“I should be able to find someone to take over here,” Brandon said. “Then I can go with you. You’ll need my firepower anyway.”
“You’re staying,” she said. “We’ve already established that.” She held out her hand to take the signed agreement.
“Even if you stop Earth Central. We’ll be caught between them and Section 204. Plus, we still have negotiations to handle between all parties,” James said. “It’ll be days before that can happen and you know it.”
“Maybe,” she said, “but it’ll go a bit faster if you go with me.”
“Oh, no. You can’t do that. You promised that I’d stay here.” James backed away from her. “If I go back, you’ll leave me there. They’ll need a strong leader and with Garth gone and Jason useless, who’ll they have? It’ll be part of the negotiations, I know it.” He shook his head and drew his arms close to his body. “Take someone else. I don’t care who.”
“Final negotiations will have to be done here,” she said. “On the planet that it affects. They’ve done it that way for hundreds of years. They’ll want to inspect the Mesoans, review governmental documents, and finalize a cooperative agreement concerning the discovery. You’ll be back, don’t worry about that,” she said.
James appeared worried, but relinquished. “Don’t cheat me,” he said.
“We’re not Garth,” Eldon said. “We wouldn’t know how to have a hidden agenda even if we wanted to.” He turned and nodded his approval for Palmer’s plan. “Let’s get to it. Time is bearing down quickly.”
Brandon nodded too. “Once I explain the situation, the soldiers will be more cooperative. They’re used to taking orders and won’t mind helping out as long as I have Garth’s signature. So, I’ll need a copy of that before you go.”
“Naturally,” Palmer said. “We make several copies and spread them as far and wide as we can.”