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“They crossed the hyperlimit and went FTL for Wormhole Three,” Rear Admiral Godfrey announced the moment Major General Robbins dropped into a chair across from his desk. “In just under eleven hours, they’ll transit to the Torrinos system, an eight-hour run.”
“Any danger of the wormhole fort stopping them?”
“No.” Godfrey shook his head. “Not unless the Regent gets word of Task Force Kruzenshtern’s destination and finds a way to give the fort’s commanding officer orders without going through the regular lines of communication. Even though Vigdis Mandus still wears a Guards uniform and holds the rank of Grand Admiral, she can’t plow her way through the Navy without raising a ruckus, and she knows it. None of the Council members enjoy the idea of Regents reaching deep down into their chains of command. Besides, she wasn’t overly popular as the Navy’s Supreme Commander because she spent too much time playing politics. So I doubt she has that many backchannels who’ll do her bidding without question.”
Robbins chuckled.
“Those elevated to the most senior ranks were rarely popular as three or four stars, Johannes. It comes with being politicians in uniform running roughshod over others in pursuit of promotions and power most of their careers.”
“Which is why you and I won’t go any higher.”
She smirked.
“You flatter me, however I can be as slippery and devious a politician as any flag officer.”
“But not in pursuit of personal gain. Otherwise, you’d be whispering sweet nothings in Vigdis’ shell-like ear before telling her the dastardly Navy is heading into the galaxy without her permission. That might be good for a third star and command of the Commission’s Wyvern Group.”
“Keep it up, and I’ll open an investigation into your private affairs. Perhaps your effusive praise is a cover for subversive activities.”
This time, Godfrey laughed.
“The only subversive activity I’m pursuing is the same as yours, which means if found out, we will surely hang together.”
“Then I shan’t investigate. How long do you think until someone realizes Task Force Kruzenshtern isn’t actually patrolling the Hegemony sphere?”
Godfrey shrugged.
“Who knows? They’ll be seen by the wormhole fort on the Torrinos end and one of the fueling stations, then they’ll vanish from the sensor grid when they go interstellar using the same route as the smuggler. Officially, they’ve not taken one of the wormholes leading out of Hegemony space, and if anyone asks, Commodore Watanabe is carrying out a stealth patrol to test new tactics. How did Colonel Torma’s people catch that smuggler, by the way?”
“Jan Keter? Torma received an anonymous tipoff. We figure whoever called it in did so out of good old-fashioned greed. Keter held a chunk of the inbound trade goods back from the folks who chartered his ship and looked for buyers on the darknet. They, in turn, probably found out and punished him in the worst way possible by ensuring we’d become involved.”
“Great things are born of minor errors committed by insignificant, greedy little people.”
Robbins cocked an eyebrow at Godfrey.
“Did you just make that up?”
“No. It was uttered by Lexa Mundie, an imperial historian circa eight hundred years ago. She commented on how the empire rose from the Commonwealth’s decaying corpse through a series of relatively small errors born from naked greed. You should look up her works. Some of what she wrote is germane to our current situation, in a slightly twisted, roundabout way, if you consider our dear Hegemony will eventually become a decaying corpse itself unless we change course.”
“Noted. Now, why am I here? Surely not for a discussion on long-dead historians.”
“Ah.” A smile crossed the intelligence officer’s face. “The Chief of Naval Operations wants to meet you in person.”
“Admiral Benes? Why?”
The smile became both mischievous and mysterious.
“Your sending Colonel Torma to me with his findings put in motion events certain senior people in the Guards Corps see as an answer to their prayers concerning the Hegemony’s future. That makes you a potential ally in rousing our people and especially our government from their torpor.”
She returned his smile. “Or a potential infiltrator seeking to bust the lot of you on behalf of Regent Mandus. One who merely used Crevan Torma as bait.”
“Doubtful. We had you vetted by our own assets shortly after Colonel Torma shared his findings with me. And if you prove a better dissembler than we thought, well... I’m sure you can figure out the rest yourself. It won’t be a story with a happy ending for your career.”
Robbins arched an eyebrow.
“Or my life? I thought we were friends as well as Academy classmates.”
“Some things transcend both. It depends on how close your lips end up against Vigdis Mandus’ ear.”
Robbins let out a humorless laugh.
“She’s not my type.”
“That’s what we concluded. Though I understand your own Chief Commissioner works hard at ingratiating himself with the Regent.”
“Perhaps, but we ‘manage’ Cameron Bucco, if you get my meaning.”
Godfrey snorted.
“There’s a lot of that going around these days. I daresay the three services manage their supreme commanders in the same fashion, seeing as how they spend more time playing politics than dealing with their commands.”
“Too big a span of control, too rigid a system, and never enough trustworthy people. The curse of every authoritarian regime. It would probably be a different story if they weren’t members of the Ruling Council.”
“No doubt..” Godfrey climbed to his feet. “Admiral Benes is expecting us.”
He led her through a warren of corridors to the glass and concrete HQ building’s other side. Navy personnel stepped out of their way with alacrity the moment they saw the stars on their collars.
A few nodded politely, and Godfrey greeted many by name, wishing them a good day. Robbins got her fair share of curious stares once people noticed the State Security Commission scales of justice on her insignia.
Admiral Benes’ aide jumped up the moment Godfrey led them into the corner office suite.
“Sirs.” He indicated the open door behind him. “Please enter. The CNO is waiting for you.”
Robbins had never visited this part of Navy Headquarters, and her eyes were everywhere as she followed Godfrey into a wood-paneled room lit by broad windows on two of its four walls. The usual plaques, souvenirs, portraits, and naval art decorated the other two walls, while a stand of flags formed a backdrop behind an expansive glass and steel desk.
Benes stood when they entered and watched their approach with intelligent brown eyes deeply set in a craggy face framed by short, silver-shot hair and a well-groomed beard. A compact man, he seemed as broad in the shoulders as he was tall, although Robbins knew it couldn’t be so.
They halted a regulation three paces in front of the desk and saluted in unison. Benes returned the compliment with a formal nod since he wasn’t wearing a headdress.
“At ease and welcome, Ishani.” He glanced over their shoulders at the door where his aide stood. “We’ll be fine, Arturo. You can carry on with your duties. I’m not available to anyone other than the Supreme Commander or the Regent, short of an emergency.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the door closed behind the departing aide, Benes’ gaze settled on his visitors again. He gestured at chairs around a low table in one corner.
“We’ll be more comfortable there.”
Once they were seated, he studied Robbins in silence for what seemed like a long time. Unfazed, she returned the favor.
“What has Johannes told you so far?” Benes finally asked.
“That there are senior officers in the Guards Corps who seek a way of rousing the Hegemony from its torpor; that my peoples’ findings gave them a perfect excuse to deploy a task force beyond our sphere, and that you see me as an ally.”
He nodded once.
“Our first in the Commission.”
“And you’re considering me for membership in your group.”
“It isn’t so much a group as a network of like-minded individuals who fear the Hegemony will wither away if it keeps paying mere lip service to its founding principle, the reunification of human star systems under a single government. We can already see the effects of stagnation through the lack of technological innovation, the loss of our forebears’ pioneering spirit, and the increasing amount of corruption, as more and more activities our betters dislike are carried out illegally. Such as the expedition your people uncovered, and which resulted in us speaking this morning while Task Force Kruzenshtern is outbound with senior representatives of the three Guards Corps branches aboard.”
“So, what does this network call itself?”
A cold smile briefly lit up his face.
“Nothing. It grew organically over the past few years, starting with the previous Regent throttling innovation more than ever for fear our leaders might lose their absolute control over Hegemony affairs.”
“An illusory control at best, in my estimation, sir.” Robbins grimaced. “The Commission would need four times the people at least, and even then, the biggest threat to our future comes from within. Sadly, there’s nothing we can do about it because of the glass ceiling preventing my people from investigating our elites. They were probably behind the smuggler’s expedition to Hatshepsut and points in between, to begin with.”
“And many other outrages, no doubt.”
The smile returned, this time with a more predatory cast, and she returned it measure for measure.
“You’d be amazed how they keep each other and their minions in check with various bits of blackmail. But since they’re off-limits, the only thing we can do is watch, take notes, and wait for a slip-up. And before you ask, there are people within the Guards Corps vulnerable to said blackmail because, as some in the Commission whisper among themselves, they traded their immortal souls for power, wealth, and the pursuit of illicit pleasures.”
Godfrey nodded wisely. “They took a ticket to eternal damnation, as our friends in the Order of the Void Reborn would say. We know of some within the Navy. There are probably more.”
“Would you like a list of those we know about?”
Benes let out a bark of laughter.
“This is getting more interesting by the minute. Yes, please, do tell us. Johannes can share what we know about Commission members who, to use his expression, took the ticket. But let me discuss a few ground rules everyone within the network observes.”
She inclined her head by way of acknowledgment.
“First, none of us know everyone involved. We use the old cell system for security. I could meet a general from the Ground Forces and not know they are part of the network and vice versa. You are now part of a cell that includes Johannes and me. Don’t ask if there are others in this cell. Neither of us will answer. Second, you can form a cell within the Commission involving trusted personnel, such as your colonel in Repulse and his assigned Void Sister. However, mention the network as little as possible. In fact, it would be better if you said nothing more than you know kindred spirits with the same goal of securing the Hegemony’s future and seeing that the Oath of Reunification is implemented.”
“Understood. I assume I can form more than one cell so long as each isn’t aware of the others?”
“Yes. Third, we don’t mention the network nor give it code or cover names. Outsiders cannot perceive what is nameless. And four, we hold discussions in secure locations, covered by field dampeners, and never over any communications devices whatsoever. Your service is much too adept at intercepting everything and anything.”
“Sensible rules, sir. Would you like my services in case you need to vet someone? We can access resources beyond your reach, and my people never ask why any given individual is under scrutiny by the Commission’s senior leadership. They fear the tender mercies of our Void Sisters.”
“Johannes was hoping you’d make that offer. Yes, we accept with pleasure.” Benes sat back, indicating he’d said his piece. “From here on, communications will remain solely between you and him. It wouldn’t do if our betters found out one of the Wyvern Group’s leading generals was getting overly friendly with the Chief of Naval Operations.”
“Agreed, sir.” She imitated Benes when the latter stood.
“Johannes and I still have a few matters to discuss.” He held out his hand. “A pleasure meeting you, Ishani.”
“Likewise, sir.”
On her way back to Commission Headquarters, Robbins didn’t quite know how she should interpret the meeting with Vice Admiral Benes. But part of her felt strangely elated at the thought there were others concerned about the Hegemony’s future and eager to implement the Oath of Reunification sworn by its founder as he surveyed the ashes of humanity’s first interstellar empire.