EIGHTEEN

GEARY spent the next twelve hours trying not to think about what the Dancers would do with the new offer from the ambassador.

It reminded him of the old joke that the way to turn rocks into gold required boiling them for half a day while watching the rocks and never once thinking of cows, because knowing you shouldn’t think of cows made it impossible not to.

Oddly enough, the call from Charban still startled him.

“They like it,” Charban said.

“The Dancers?”

“Yes. The Dancers like the proposal. They want to discuss a few items in it, the six-day deadline is gone, and they have accepted Boundless as an embassy for the Alliance which can remain orbiting in this star system indefinitely.”

Geary ticked off each item in his head. “That’s everything we were going for, isn’t it?”

“That is everything,” Charban said. “All else, technology transfer, trade agreements, what have you, is supposed to come later, flowing from the permanent diplomatic presence.”

Ambassador Rycerz’s call came moments later. Rycerz was beaming as she spoke to Geary. “Success!”

“So I understand,” Geary said.

“When will your ships depart?” Rycerz said. “I understand you’re eager to get home, but I would like Captain Matson to be able to put in a request for any resupply he needs before you go.”

“It’ll take a few days,” Geary said. “But we need to clarify one issue. Colonel Webb. I can probably get enough Marines to volunteer to stay on Boundless. Real volunteers, that is, not Marine ‘volunteers.’ If you still want Colonel Webb and his unit off your ship.”

“Colonel Webb.” Rycerz sighed. “Admiral, there’s something of which I believe you remain unaware. Something that happened during that time when it seemed Boundless would be attacked and possibly destroyed by General Julian’s battle cruisers. I called you where you were on Boundless’s bridge.”

“Yes,” Geary said, remembering. “You called from your office.”

“I wasn’t in my office.” Rycerz spread her hands. “I’d been waylaid by four of Colonel Webb’s soldiers and was being rapidly escorted to the shuttle you’d arrived on. The soldiers told me they’d been ordered to get me off Boundless safely if possible. Colonel Webb himself was going to stay on the bridge with you to make it appear I was definitely still aboard the ship, and the rest of his soldiers were either guarding my office to make it seem I was still there or running interference for me and my escort. None of them, except the four with me, expected to live.”

“I had no idea that had happened,” Geary said.

“I’m not surprised Colonel Webb didn’t inform you. He’s not the sort to brag.” Rycerz gazed steadily at Geary. “So, here were the officer and soldiers who had imprisoned me, now prepared to sacrifice themselves to try to get me to safety. It created a bit of emotional whiplash. But, in the aftermath, it also allowed me to understand that devotion to duty can lead otherwise good people astray sometimes.

“There has been a lot to repair in terms of working and professional relationships. But the colonel has done everything he can. And he and his soldiers demonstrated in the clearest possible way they were willing to die to protect me. It has also occurred to me that the same people who wanted us to fail also wanted the colonel to fail. Knowing he instead succeeded would twist the knife of our success in our opponents’ bellies, don’t you think?”

“That’s an interesting metaphor,” Geary said. “For my part, I do trust the colonel. Having erred, he’s going to work extra hard to avoid failing again. And his people did amazing work on Implacable, preventing further loss of life. Innocent life, that is.”

Rycerz pondered for a few seconds. “We’ll keep him and his unit, Admiral. I’ll let him know, and tell him that you recommended I do so.”

“Thank you,” Geary said.

The next step involved calling a fleet meeting, taking care to schedule it an hour in advance so no one would get worked up thinking another crisis had erupted.

But that hour delay, combined with the unofficial communications that were interwoven with the official fleet net, meant that by the time the meeting took place, Geary’s news was already widely known. “Is there anyone who hasn’t heard that we’ll be heading home?” he asked the commanding officers virtually seated at the virtually very long table. “All of us except Boundless, which is now officially not just a ship, but also an embassy of the Alliance, the first embassy of a human government to an alien species in all of history. And you all here helped make that happen, as well as establishing first contact with the Taon, and the Wooareek. Congratulations on earning yourselves another place in the history books.”

“What did we give up to the Dancers to win their acceptance?” Commander Sasorith asked, her concerns reflected on the faces of most of the captains of the other new ships.

“Not a thing,” Geary said. “They’ve agreed to keep talking, and they’ve agreed to the creation of a human border force that will control traffic between Dancer-controlled space and human-controlled space.”

“They’re not being given free access to human space?” Commander Hassan said anxiously.

“No,” Geary said. “No giveaways. But we have ensured the Alliance will continue to have a strong voice in whatever happens in the future between the Dancers and humanity. We have done what we needed to do.”

He paused, seeing the reassurance, but also the continued worries, on the faces of the captains of the new ships, and also some of those from the older ships in the fleet.

A lot had happened. The elephant that was Article 16 was still in the room, mentioned or not. He owed it to them to address that head-on.

“I believe I misspoke a moment ago,” Geary said, looking along the lines of faces before him. “I said we did what we needed to do. That’s an important thing, to identify what needs to be done. But it’s not the only thing. Often, people of good intent can have different interpretations of what needs to be done, especially when the options we have are all challenging.”

He took a deep breath, steadying himself and his voice. “But what we need to do is not the only question we should ask ourselves. We also have to ask ourselves what we should do. No matter how clear the need may seem, we also must examine whether our actions are right. Whether we are doing what we think we have to do, or doing that which will honor us and our ancestors.

“These aren’t easy questions. I don’t think they’re meant to be in a universe that seems constructed to challenge us at every turn. But we have been given the will and the means to make our own decisions. And I continue to believe that we are called on to make choices that reflect what is right, even if those choices bring us no personal benefit, even if those choices exact a price from us.”

He paused again, wanting to get the next statement right. “I said at the time, and I say again now, that the responsibility for invoking Article 16 not long ago was mine. I have no doubt as to the rightness of that decision, and will bear whatever price it might demand. I firmly believe that the actions and decisions you all ultimately took were the right ones. And I will stand with you, to the end, if anyone should question your honor or your devotion to the Alliance.

“Thank you all. I often thank the living stars for having given me the opportunity to have commanded such individuals. It has honored me beyond measure. Now, let’s get ready to go home.”

The room was silent for several seconds, everyone gazing at him.

“Black Jack!” someone shouted.

Then everyone did.

Geary cast a despairing glance at Desjani, who shook her head at him. “Do not look at me. You keep doing these things.”

But when she looked along the table at the cheering captains she smiled.

---

THE movements of hundreds of ships also came down to decisions about individuals.

The remaining “special security forces” on the new ships had been gradually replaced by Marine detachments drawn from the Marines aboard the assault transports. In turn, the special security personnel had been gradually transferred to the same transports. Not confined as those from Implacable still were on Typhoon, but in normal berthing aboard Haboob and Tsunami. Geary hadn’t been able to determine that any from the other new ships had committed any crimes. They’d been overbearing at times, and weren’t exactly liked by the crews of the ships they’d left, but that wasn’t ground for charges. He intended getting them to the fleet’s home base at Varandal Star System and dumping them on the nearest unsuspecting ground forces commander to deal with longer term.

There were other individuals he’d be sorry to see go, however.

Lieutenant Iger, Lieutenant Jamenson, and even General Charban had been taking breaks from long hours, now that most communications with the Dancers were through Boundless, but Geary found both John Senn and Dr. Cresida in the work space with the Dancer transmitter.

“We’re used to being here,” Senn explained.

“It’s being here that I need to talk to you about,” Geary said. “Citizen Senn, your commitment to participating in this mission expired when Boundless reached embassy status. The fleet is going to be heading home. Do you want to be transferred back to Boundless, or stay on Dauntless and come home with us? Before you answer, I should add that Ambassador Rycerz would love to have you. She’s gained a new appreciation for what an historian can bring to the table.”

Senn grinned. “Good. It’s nice to be appreciated. But, uh, if it’s okay,” he said, obviously trying not to look at Dr. Cresida, “I’d like to stay on this ship and get back to our home. There are really old remains on worlds in the Alliance that I’d love to look at again, knowing what I now know about the Dancers and the Taon and the Wooareek. Maybe I can even get a doctorate now that I have to be taken as seriously as everyone else and not be dismissed as the weird guy yelling ‘It was aliens!’ ”

“You’ll never be like everyone else,” Dr. Cresida murmured, her eyes on her calculations.

“All right,” Geary told Senn. “How about you, Doctor? Do you want to return to Boundless? I’m told that Dr. Bron is staying, but Dr. Rajput wants to come back with us. I’m putting him on Daring, which has room for him.”

Dr. Cresida looked at Geary, her expression unrevealing. “No. Thank you. I’d also prefer to stay on this ship. There are ideas I’d like to pursue using resources available in the Alliance. Although . . .” She glanced at Senn. “I think before I do that I’ve earned a break from research work. Maybe I’ll go look over some ancient ruins. If there’s someone qualified to show me around.”

Senn smiled so broadly Geary was afraid his face would split. “That’d be great.”

“And, Admiral,” Cresida added, looking back at Geary, “since I do not know how much we’ll have cause to interact in the future, I want to be sure that I tell you that you were not at all what I expected.”

Somehow, that flat statement sounded like a very large compliment. Geary nodded to Cresida, keeping his expression solemn. “Thank you, Doctor. I try to always listen to good advice, even when it reminds me that sometimes even the best alternative isn’t necessarily a welcome one.”

“ ‘It is my business to know what other people do not know,’ ” Cresida said.

Geary had recently sought distraction by rereading some very old stories. “ ‘The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,’ right?”

“Very good,” Cresida said. “There may be hope for you yet, Admiral.”

He also had to deal with the problem of Dr. Macadams. Ambassador Rycerz had informed Geary, with badly feigned regret, that somehow there weren’t adequate quarters aboard Boundless for the former lead scientist dealing with contacts with the Dancers. That and complaints about working relationships had led her to “reluctantly” request that Geary take Macadams back to Alliance space. That had required a pair of no-nonsense guards to escort a loudly protesting Macadams off Boundless and to temporary quarters aboard Typhoon.

Geary made a note to himself that he owed the commanding officer and crew of Typhoon for making them put up with Macadams during the upcoming journey.

He also had to check in with Captain Matson. “If you need anything before we go, just ask.”

“Thank you, Admiral,” Matson said, still slightly stiff in his dealings with Geary after recent events. “Captain Smythe has been very generous. Boundless is straining at the seams to hold all of the supplies and fuel cells we have aboard, and the Dancers are now discussing supplying us with fresh vegetables and fruit to augment those we can grow in our hydroponic spaces. We’ll be fine for a long time. That’s not to say we won’t be grateful whenever supply ships arrive with news from the Alliance.”

---

IT was almost time. Geary sat in his stateroom, gazing at the display over his desk that showed a wide region of space, the stars themselves oblivious to the shadings that defined those vast expanses claimed and occupied by various species. Most of what little was known about those other species was still due to the star chart provided by the Dancers. He looked at the stars controlled by the Taon, wishing he’d had another opportunity to speak with Lokaa. Far out beyond lay the stars where the Wooareek lived, likely able to conquer or wipe out humanity in short order, but apparently uninterested in anything but “peace to all” and eager to trade with humanity.

There were others out there, known only by the different colors shading the star chart, their names, their appearance, and everything else about them mysteries yet to be solved.

Sometimes he felt tired, overburdened by responsibilities, weary of decisions upon which lives rested. But then he saw something like this, something that spoke of all there was yet to know and discover and explore, and something deep inside him stirred with eagerness and enthusiasm to learn just one more thing.

Maybe that was what it was to be human. Or maybe all intelligent species shared that urge in one way or another.

Another thing yet to be discovered.

He was about to head for the bridge when Desjani stopped by.

“I thought I’d escort you to the bridge, Admiral,” she said, standing just inside the doorway.

“Thank you,” Geary said. “I guess everyone is eager to get going.”

“Get going, yes. It might not be so much fun when we get there. You do realize that when we reach home that whole Fortuna thing is going to hit the fan. Rich people aren’t supposed to die when they do stupid things.”

He shrugged. “We have records of everything. If anyone can figure out something we should have done better, should have done differently, they’re welcome to try. I’m not looking forward to the fallout from that, but what’s the worst that can happen? I’ve got a house on Glenlyon waiting for me if the Alliance decides I’m too much trouble.”

“Waiting for us, you mean.”

He studied her doubtfully. “You’d leave Dauntless?”

It was her turn to shrug it off. “It doesn’t matter how good I am at this job. Sooner or later they’re going to succeed in getting me replaced as commanding officer. I figure that will happen about three milliseconds after you retire.”

“Probably,” Geary agreed. “You didn’t mention that the Syndics are likely raising hell about their flotilla being destroyed, despite the evidence showing we had no alternative, and the Syndics we managed to save.”

“Many of whom, like the people from the Fortuna, are still temporarily insane,” Desjani pointed out. “And then there’s the big thing.”

Geary nodded again, trying to look unconcerned. “The Article 16 thing.”

“There’s a chance those orders were legitimate.”

“A very small chance,” Geary said. “And, even if that proves to be true, I don’t regret questioning them. I’ve said if we get back and the orders prove to be real, I’ll resign, and I will.”

She laughed. “After what you did here? After you stood against four battle cruisers, facing them down with nothing but your spirit and your stubbornness? When that gets around, Black Jack will be more untouchable than ever.”

“I am not Black Jack,” he said. How many times had he said that since being awakened from survival sleep?

“Yes and no,” she replied, surprising him. “One time when Rione and I were exchanging words—and don’t look at me like that, yes, sometimes we talked to each other—she said to me, ‘No, he’s not Black Jack, he’s who Black Jack should have been.’ I hated it when she said that because I always hated it when she said something I had to agree with. No, you’re not that ‘perfect hero’ the Alliance dreamed up to inspire us all. I realize that guy would’ve destroyed this fleet and the Alliance a hundred times over by now. You’re who he should have been. The living stars saved the Alliance by making you who we needed, not who we thought we needed. Argue that all you want. It won’t change any minds.”

He couldn’t help laughing. “I think I’ve learned better than to try arguing with you. Though I . . . never mind. I’ll never see him in the mirror.”

“That’s one reason why you’re him.”

“Fine.”

“And,” she added, “if you do resign, I’ll be right behind you. I liked that house on Glenlyon.”

“Yeah,” Geary said, smiling at the memories of their brief time together there. “Maybe even if the Article 16 stuff, and the Fortuna stuff, and all the other stuff, pans out okay, the Alliance will still want to put me out to pasture. What else can they ask me to do?”

“Did you actually say that?” she demanded. “Tell me you didn’t just wave a big red flag at fate that way.”

“Sorry,” Geary said.

“There are still those medal-happy, racial-purist jerks on the other side of Sol and Old Earth. What if the Alliance wants you to try to talk to them?” She paused, thinking. “Although there would be a simple solution to dealing with those guys.”

Geary closed his eyes. “Please don’t say we could just kill them all.”

“All right, I won’t say it. But it is the simple solution. And, quite frankly, the galaxy would be better off without people like that.”

He decided it was time to change the subject. “Regardless of what happens when we get back, I’m sure you’ll be happy to leave here.”

“Yes and no. There’s still so much we don’t know about the Dancers,” Desjani said. “One thing that I’d especially like to know is what those things were in the street.”

“During the night?” Geary said. “One of the biologists on Boundless has a theory about that, linked to the fact that we never saw any young Dancers. She thinks the Dancer young might go through a larval stage that is significantly different than their adult form.”

“Seriously? The Dancers warned us not to go out, meaning those were dangerous, whatever they are.” Desjani shuddered. “I guess when it comes to things to complain about in kids, stuff like their music and disrespect come in well below a monstrous larval stage.”

“It would help put young humans into perspective,” Geary agreed, standing up. “Let’s go to the bridge, Captain.”

As they walked, Geary wondered what had been happening in the Alliance, and at Unity Star System, in his absence. How had the debates and investigations in the Senate gone? Could those orders General Julian had brought possibly have been real?

He took his fleet command seat on the bridge, gazing at his display where the ships of the fleet were spread out in the immense box formation. Boundless was still close but had already begun to move away into a far but still closer orbit of the Dancer-occupied planet.

“I just realized something,” Desjani said.

“What’s that, Captain?”

“Even though Boundless is staying and Mistral is already back home, this is still the first time we’re coming back with more ships than we started out with. Congratulations, Admiral.”

He laughed. “That is a nice thing.”

“Admiral, you have an incoming call from Ambassador Rycerz.”

He accepted the call, seeing Rycerz seated at her desk in her office aboard Boundless. The ambassador was still beaming, riding the high from the unexpected breakthrough. “I wanted to say a last goodbye, Admiral. I guess we showed them, didn’t we?”

He knew she was referring to those who’d tried to set this mission up for failure. “We showed them. Good luck. I can’t even imagine all you still have to work out with the Dancers.”

“There’s still a lot to determine,” Rycerz said. “I didn’t totally write off your speculations that knowledge about other species is a form of currency among aliens. We’ll have to see about exploring that possibility now that our very basic goals have been achieved. The things we can learn! Our physical frontiers may be getting closed down by contacts with other species, but our frontiers of knowledge have grown enormously.”

“I was just thinking the same thing a short time ago,” Geary said. “A lot of people are particularly going to want some of the knowledge the Wooareek have.”

“And I have no doubt the Wooareek are smart enough not to give it to us. Can you imagine what would happen if technology like that was dumped in our lap?”

“The enigmas have a habit of dropping disruptive, double-edged technology in our lap,” Geary pointed out.

“If that isn’t a cautionary example, I don’t know what is.” Rycerz paused, her eyes looking somewhere only she could see. “If the Wooareek are truly ethical aliens, maybe humanity will end up learning something from them that is far more important than whatever technological secrets the Wooareek have.”

“That would be huge,” Geary agreed.

“In addition to the proposal for the mosaic force for humanity to start debating, your ships are carrying my report to the government back to the Alliance. I wanted to be sure you knew it fully endorses your actions. And I wanted to be sure you knew I am grateful for all the times you could have used your power to run roughshod over me, and didn’t. This really was a team effort. We’re going to face immense challenges in the future with the aliens we’ve already met and those we’ve yet to meet, but I think we’re off to a good start.” Ambassador Rycerz waved. “May you have a safe journey home, Admiral. I hope we meet again someday.”

“Thank you, Ambassador,” Geary said, smiling and waving back. “May the light of the living stars shine on you and the tasks ahead of you.”

The call ended, he looked around the bridge, seeing everyone watching him. Checking the display, he confirmed that the Dancer ships which would escort his fleet through the Dancer hypernet were waiting ahead of the fleet.

“All units in the Alliance fleet, this is Admiral Geary. Immediate execute, accelerate to point zero five light speed.”