Dark Fate, Chapter 131 (Patreon)

Chapter 131 – Arrival

(Flag Bridge, CRN Mercurial, Quel’thalas System)

“Report.”

“Yes, sir,” Lieutenant Ferranti said, her breath a bit ragged, but otherwise recovered from the transition. “Stitch completed four minutes and fifty-seven seconds ago. We arrived at the L2 stitch point for the main planet Quel’thalas, as predicted. All ships accounted for, with all systems green.”

I nodded slowly as the nausea began to fade. It had taken three stitches to get to the capitol of the System Commonwealth from Ulora. Even with a drive that could cover twenty light-years in a blink of an eye, space was vast, and Quel’thalas was almost fifty light-years from Ulora, and sixty from Earth. “Very good. How’s the system look?”

“Busy, sir. Lots of traffic, going all over the place. Mostly civilian, by the IFF markers.” She brought up a map of the system. Fairly standard, for the most part. Nine planets total. Three rocky inner planets, with four gas giants in the outer system. The only outlier was the twin planets third out from the sun. The two Earth-like planets actually spun in a tight orbit of each other as they twirled around the star, forming a binary system. What was remarkable about them was that they were somehow not only roughly the same mass, with the secondary planet, Quel’danas being roughly three fourths the mass of Quel’thalas, but were in a stable orbit. Magic had to be involved.

Tearing my gaze away from the confounding display of astrophysics being turned on its head, I looked at the rest of what the plot had to show me. Every planet and moon in this system had some kind of settlement or station around it. Even the gas giants had mining stations set over the atmosphere. This was what a modern developed system under the System was supposed to look like, not like Ulora, which had been devastated by the Incux incursion.

A stream of civilian shipping and shuttles dashed to and fro, crossing the gulf between worlds. I saw some ships stitch out, heading to other parts of the Commonwealth. Everything I saw said that this was a healthy, thriving system, rich with opportunity, if one knew how to work the system.

There were also, naturally, quite a few naval vessels and defensive stations to ensure the capitol of the System Commonwealth did not fall. The ‘Home Fleet’, as Captain Presxalim had called it, numbered four hundred and eighty-six ships, and was further reinforced by the System Guard, comprising almost a hundred corvettes, and nearly a thousand system patrol craft, about the size of our Renegades. And every planet had fighter squadrons to help protect them, in addition to those on the navy’s ships.

“Sir, we’re being hailed. Ship identified as the CNV Talanas Windrunner. Classification: Super-Dreadnought.”

I recognized that name. Presxalim had said that it was the largest ship in the Home Fleet, easily twice the size of other super-dreadnoughts. It was named after a famous general, apparently, who had dedicated his life to defending the people of Quel’thalas, before the formation of the Commonwealth. Ever since, the Windrunners had been major players in the Commonwealth’s power structure. “The Windrunner, hmm? Well, I suppose it is a sign of respect that we get a call from their Home Fleet’s flagship. Put it through here.”

The screen in front of me came on, and a proud knelfi in a uniform that was far more decorated than Presxalim’s had been appeared. “I am Grand Admiral Giramar Windrunner, Supreme Commander of the Commonwealth Fleet. On behalf of the System Commonwealth, I welcome the representatives of the Kingdom of Ceres and the Ceres Royal Navy to Quel’thalas.”

I nodded my head respectfully. “I am Admiral Zayn Green of the Ceres Royal Navy, and ruler of the Kingdom of Ceres and all her territories. I thank you, Admiral, for your welcome. May this be the start of a friendship that benefits both our peoples.”

Admiral Windrunner nodded once, and his demeanor shifted. “Excellent. Now that the formal bit is out of the way, let me inform you that the records of your battles so far from the Neverending Duty and Light’s Hopehave caused quite the stir. However, the more… reactionary types have been silenced by the way you have proven yourselves through deeds, rather than just words. Repairing the Neverending Duty and aiding in the defense of Ulora, even when Incux reinforcements showed themselves? That won you more than a few friends, and more who are willing to wait and see how negotiations play out.”

I chuckled. “Well, I would be a liar if I said that I did not think something of the sort would happen when I set that course. However, just like Captain Presxalim had a reason that would stand up to pragmatic scrutiny for chasing the hiveship, while holding a more altruistic motive for his actions, I can say that it was more than mere pragmatism that drove me to act. Everything I know about the Incux says that they are a scourge, which must be wiped clean from the worlds they inhabit, or else they will desolate the entire galaxy.”

“True enough. It is always good when duty and righteousness walk hand in hand. And I did see the recording of that speech you gave to your people, with Presxalim. That definitely won you some respect in the Navy, if nowhere else.”

“I don’t doubt that Presxalim and his crew would have done everything in their power to take down the hiveship, even sacrificing themselves to destroy it. The fact that they did not have to does not change the resolve they set out on their chase with. That deserved to be honored, and as a warrior who had looked death itself in the face more times than I care to think about, I could not let it go unmarked, even if it hadn’t been politically advantageous to do so.”

“Well said,” the Admiral nodded. “I know that you are likely going to be busy in the next few days and weeks, as the diplomats try to do their thing, but if you can find time, my aunt, President Windrunner, is hosting a party at the family estate three days from now, and she wished to invite you personally.”

A subtle way of asking me to attend a gathering with the person who was, according to Presxalim, the leader of the Commonwealth as a whole, and certainly the key power figure on Quel’thalas. “I can hardly say no to such an invitation,” I said with a smile. “Please inform the President that it would be my delight to attend her party. I will make sure to keep my schedule clear for it.” Though I doubted that any of the diplomats would actually schedule anything to compete with the party. Even if they were in rival factions, they had to know that an invitation from the President could not be easily cast aside, especially if it was offered first.

That, of course, was likely the reason why the Admiral had made the invitation, while being the first to contact us. There was no room for any other group to get in ahead of her, so the President could mark out the time and place without other considerations. In addition, the party being a few days from now allowed the stodgy parts to be handled, and for her to get a better read on us, and on what other factions might be approaching us. Which could alter her strategy for the meeting.

Clearly, this President knew how to navigate political waters. That was both useful, and potentially quite troublesome. Useful, in that I wasn’t going to be dealing with some idiot who thought of pomp and circumstance and their own sense of self-importance. Someone like that would have demanded that their party be on the first night, and would likely have pushed through a call themselves, to show how very important they were. This way was far more circumspect, which showed at least a semblance of decorum and strategy.

Which led to the potentially troublesome bit. An idiot was easy to either outmaneuver, or shut down. Especially when you were not going to stick around to deal with the fallout. A strategist, however, made plans, and that meant it was harder to work around them. More importantly, if they were the spiteful sort, they often had plans on how to make refusing them hurtin ways that an idiot simply couldn’t manage.

It would, at the very least, make for a very interesting night.

But Admiral Windrunner was continuing the conversation. “I understand from the transmissions that the Light’s Hope sent ahead that you would prefer having all your ships docked together, or at least in adjacent parking orbits, rather than separating out military and civilian areas. There is precedent for that, when dealing with official delegations, so there shouldn’t be any problems on that end.”

“I am glad to hear that, Admiral. Not that I distrust the Commonwealth, or its people, but my people have an old saying that it is better to keep the cookie jar out of reach, rather than just telling the children not to touch it. Cookies being a sweet pastry that are near-universally beloved by children, who often dislike their parents telling them not to overindulge.”

“Haha,” the Admiral laughed. “Yes, we have similar treats, and sayings, as well. Some things, we’ve found, are universal, and it seems that is true, even in places that are without the System.” A beep on his end caused him to look away from the camera briefly, but he was smiling as he looked back. “And it would seem that System Control has cleared a path for you to a parking orbit near Farstrider Station, with a docking port at the station itself for the diplomatic vessel, and there are shuttles ready to ferry crew to the military side of the station for shore leave. And clearance has been granted for diplomatic shuttles, with a small escort, to land at the Sunwell, the primary starport on Quel’thalas. Transmitting the information now.”

I checked my screen, and saw the various parking information, transit routes, and port procedures coming up on my screen. The parking orbits gave the Mercurial and Demon’s Roar coverage of Si Vis Pacem’s docking port, and the approaches. A good compromise, in my opinion. “Very good. My complements to your people, and to System Control for such quick work. From what my scanners show me, they certainly have enough on their plates as it is, so we won’t take up more of their time than is necessary.”

“It is only expected. This is the heart of the Commonwealth, after all. Things have actually slowed a bit, with a replacement fleet leaving to reinforce Ulora and the front lines against the Incucx. But I should let you get back to your ships. Until we meet again, Admiral.”

“Until we meet again.” As the connection cut off, and the screen turned back to a plot of the system, I looked over to my aide. “Lieutenant, ensure that the parking information and port procedures are sent to all ships. All captains are to work out a rotation for shore leave. But no more than one half of the crew off ship at any time, save for emergencies.”

“As you say, sir. What about the delegations to the surface? Will you leave now, or wait until after we reach orbit?”

“The brats over on the Si Vis Pacem will throw a fit if I shuttle down without them, and the Princess is there, as well. She’ll be the worst of the lot if we leave her out of this. No, we’ll hit orbit, and then I’ll make my way to the Si Vis Pacem, and go down with the rest of the diplomats. But do call down to the flight bay, and get Beast Squadron to arrange a flight to escort the shuttles down.”

“It will be done, Admiral. What about the CAP?”

“Friendly port levels. A pair from Angel Squadron, with another pair on standby. That ought to be enough to keep people from violating restricted space, without being too aggressive. We’re guests, after all. Wouldn’t want to make it look like we’re trying to claim ownership of anything.”

“As you say, sir.”