The Riss Accession: Book IV in the Riss Series
Author: C. Daems
Date: 2013-09-17 09:40:26+00:00
Keywords: Science Fiction & Fantasy; Space Opera; Adventure; Military; Alien Invasion; Science Fiction; Literature & Fiction; Fantasy; Military Science Fiction; Space
Description: With invading aliens determined to confine humans to their planets, one thing is certain: the Aliens' force is technologically superior to the SAS, and even with the new Riss technology the clans have developed under Nadya Reese's supervision, the SAS cannot defeat them alone. But forging an alliance between the SAS, UFN, and JPU will not be easy. It will require the empires to put aside their long history of border wars and mutual dislike. Worse, many in the SAS hate Riss-humans, especially Nadya. As a consequence, maintaining the Mutual Support Agreement between the Riss and the SAS is provi
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

THE RISS ACCESSION

Book IV in the Riss Series

By C. R. Daems

The Riss Accession

Copyright © 2013 by C. R. Daems

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from C. R. Daems.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Check out all my novels at:

http://www.crdaems.com
and
http://clemd.home.comcast.net/~clemd/JC/Index.html

CHAPTER ONE

Task force arrives at Fools Landing

CHAPTER TWO

Riss/SAS MSA Terminated

CHAPTER THREE

Emergency meeting with Plimson

CHAPTER FOUR

Resigning from the SAS Navy

CHAPTER FIVE

Reorganizing the Freeland fleet

CHAPTER SIX

Attempting to form an Alliance

CHAPTER SEVEN

JPU rejects Alliance

CHAPTER EIGHT

Alliance with UFN

CHAPTER NINE

Deployment to Dong

CHAPTER TEN

Dong invaded

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Aftermath

CHAPTER TWELVE

New Riss-human candidates

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Maat arrives on Dong

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Riss cruisers to Echo

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The battle at Lycos

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Nadya returns to Freeland

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Live free or die.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The JPU discovers Freeland

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Rethinking positions

CHAPTER TWENTY

Surprise visit to Eden

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It won't work

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Operation Discovery

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Returning heroes

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Developing an invasion strategy

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Preparations for War

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Operation Red

Novels by C.R. Daems & J.R. Tomlin

CHAPTER ONE

Task force arrives at Fools Landing

Captain Pavao and I sat in my office aboard the Mnemosyne. We had just finished a leisurely dinner of broiled steak, garlic mashed-potatoes, mixed vegetables, and a chocolate mousse for dessert. She relaxed in one of my two padded wingback chairs, looking content.

<She and Cethlion well matched. At peace.> Thalia, my ever present parasite, sent along with a sense of satisfaction.

<Like us.> I also felt content.

"Well, Nance, " I asked, "how are the repairs to the Eirene going?"

"We've done all we can for now. The remaining damage will have to be fixed at the Freeland maintenance facilities. The Aliens' Light cruisers didn't do that much damage, but their mother ship was a nasty bitch. We were only close for five seconds, yet her lasers wreaked havoc. If she’d had time to launch any missiles, I wouldn't be sitting here today.

"The same here." I nodded and took a sip from my glass of wine. I seldom drank alcohol, preferring kaffa, but Nance had chosen wine, and somehow it made me feel more in tune with her. Having her for a Riss-sister gave me someone to share my concerns with, someone who would give me feedback. My other Riss-human sisters—Alena, Jaelle, and Elissa—didn't have the experience or confidence. "Have you finished your inspection of the Aliens' mother ship?"

"As much as possible without tearing things apart. I suspect Admiral Wattson would prefer me to leave it for the inspection team he'll be sending." She snorted. "We should call that monster Medusa. Although this one only carried eight Light cruisers, it has the capacity for twelve; a level dedicated to manufacturing and repairing cruisers, missiles, and computers; and thirty-two missile tubes with an equal number of fifty and ninety-centimeter laser stations. The Medusa looks like a permanent station to ensure Fools Landing stays quarantined."

"They left a scout ship. I wonder if that was to maintain communications with the main force or just a precaution. In either case, they must have a home base or staging area; otherwise, the scout wouldn't know where to go. We’ve learned more about the Aliens, but what we've learned only raises more questions and concerns." I took a sip of wine and closed my eyes. "Nance, I'm grateful you decided to become a Riss-human."

"Me too. At the time, I felt you were giving me one of those I'm a genius or an idiot choices―depending on how it turns out―that you are always giving Admiral Plimson. And I know now how he feels when it turns out that he looks like a genius. Thank you, Nadya. Becoming a Riss-human is the best choice of my life. I can't imagine a life without Cethlion."

"Being a sister to the Riss is a precious gift. One that would never have happened if the need hadn't been great. Can you imagine what would've happened if Alena had been Captain of the Eirene? With our stealth ability and Duster missiles, it's difficult to keep in constant contact so one person can coordinate the overall action. I lost contact with you during our battle with the Medusa's cruisers. Consequently, Alena would have had to make independent decisions."

"Yes. In a time of peace, I believe she would make a good Captain, but she isn't ready for war. When the Medusa started spitting babies, I could feel Alena's indecision. Like many of the SAS captains today, she would be all right in a task force having overwhelming force. They aren't tacticians. Most never will be. It's what Admiral Wattson tries to teach our best and brightest at the War College. Even so, few graduate With Comment, and those are the only ones he considers qualified."

"So who is going to fight the Minerva, and the one after that? Only three Riss cruisers will be in service for some time to come, so we can't afford to lose one. They must be fought to their potential for everyone's benefit. The battle at Fools Landing is a prime example. Two Riss cruisers defeated eight of the Aliens’ Light cruisers and a… Medusa. At Zigzag, a Heavy, a Hunter, and three Light cruisers barely won against three of the Aliens' Light cruisers." I stopped and finished the wine in my glass and was tempted to fill it again. "Nance, the SAS has roughly ten billion citizens, but there are only three thousand Riss." I shut my eyes, seeing the dead bodies. "The Mnemosyne lost four and the Eirene two—that's the equivalent of killing twenty million humans." I couldn't help my harsh tone or the tears that I turned my head to hide.

"I know, Nadya. Yesterday that argument would have seemed academic. Today it doesn't."

When I opened my eyes, Nance had tears in hers as well.

"Cethlion told me we must look forward, not backward," Nance said so quietly I almost didn't hear her. "She's right. We must learn from each encounter and get smarter—and yes—find a captain to fight the Minerva to its potential."

<She and Cethlion see path forward. Like you.>

<I see only killing and destruction.>

<Then stop it.>

<How?>

<You Leader.>

<What about high-Riss.> Thalia's answer for just about anything I considered too hard or impossible. I'm high-Riss because she is, and nothing is impossible for the high-Riss.

<That too. Everyone help.>

* * *

<Leader, ships leaving the Wave.> Jaelle sent. I waited, knowing we were in stealth mode and couldn’t be detected; therefore, it didn't matter whether they were friendly or not.

<SAS signatures. One Heavy, one Hunter, and six Lights.>

An interesting configuration, an enhanced version of the one at the battle of Zigzag—three additional Lights. I shuddered at the thought of three extra lights against an additional five Alien Lights and a Medusa.

<Leader, weapons hot. Broadcasting SAS task force.>

<Battle stations, silent running. Send to Eirene.> Throughout the ship, lights began flashing red, SIDs vibrated, and Battle stations, silent running scrolled across the screens. I could feel the Mnemosyne coming alive. Although they were an SAS task force out of Freeland, there were too many hotheads on board who didn't know who was the enemy and who the allies.

<Put their hail on the Bridge and unit commanders' speakers.>

"... the Mnemosyne and Eirene. This is Rear Admiral Osborne of the Goshawk, commanding the SAS task force alpha one out of Freeland, sent to relieve the Mnemosyne and Eirene. This is Rear Admiral… "

<Aren't you going to let them know we're here?> Jaelle felt nervous, confused.

<Not while their weapon systems are hot and they are at battle stations. If we come out of stealth, someone overzealous or nervous or… may begin a shooting war.>

A few minutes later, the broadcast stopped, and shortly afterward, individual cruisers began taking their weapons offline—all but one. I continued to wait, wondering how military discipline could break down so fast when emotions took control.

"Sorry, Captain Reese. We weren't sure what to expect and were being cautious." There was a long pause. "Captain Reese, respond—" I could hear muffled talking in the background, then Osborne screamed, "MacLin, turn off your weapons now and put them under lockdown. I want a report on my desk within the hour explaining why you disobeyed a direct order. Osborne out."

<Radar: Activate sensors.>

<Radar active.>

<Helm: Half power on engines one, three, five, seven, and nine.>

< Half power on engines one, three, five, seven, and nine.>

<Comm: Send to Eirene, stay silent. Connect to the Goshawk.>

<Message sent. Connected to the Goshawk.> A long angular face appeared on the monitor.

"This is Captain Reese. Welcome to Fools Landing, Admiral Osborne."

"Thank you, Captain Reese. My task force has been given the responsibility of inspecting what's left of the Aliens' quarantine force and bringing anything of value back to Freeland." He paused, staring at me for a couple of heartbeats before continuing. "I'd like you to join me and my staff for dinner tonight, if you aren't otherwise occupied."

"Unless you have already toured a Riss cruiser, why don't you and your staff join me on the Mnemosyne?"

"I'd like that. You will need to keep your lights burning so my shuttle pilot can find you," he said, his broad lips breaking into a smile. "Will eighteen hundred hours be acceptable?"

"Yes. I look forward to seeing you, Admiral."

* * *

"There seem to be a lot of Scorpions around, Gunny," I said, surveying the bay.

"Admiral Plimson's order did state an unspecified number of bodyguards. Today it's ten."

I couldn't blame Terril after Captain Lavett's attempted mutiny. He had requested a meeting with me and came in an army assault shuttle with twenty Wasps aboard. The Admiral wasn't in an assault shuttle, but it could hold twenty if necessary. I had to admit I didn't show a lot of trust when the task force entered Fools Landing. Better safe than sorry.

"You’re right. Perhaps the Admiral will consider it an honor guard," I snorted as the broad shouldered Admiral exited the shuttle.

"Attention," Jaelle shouted. Osburne was young for a Rear Admiral. He had an athletic build, curly brown hair, and stood a little over one hundred eighty-five centimeters. Five officers followed him out of the shuttle.

"Permission for me and my staff to come aboard, Commander," he said while his eyes scanned the bay, stopping at me.

"Permission granted, Admiral," Jaelle said as I approached.

"Welcome aboard, Admiral Osburne. I'm Captain Reese."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. You're probably the most talked about officer in the SAS navy. I've brought several of my staff. I'd like you to meet my XO, Commander Babcock... Weapons officer, Commander Stilman... Striker Commander, Addison... Navigation officer, Commander Mercy... and the Wasp Commander, Colonel Huan."

"Welcome, gentlemen. If you will follow me, my staff is waiting on level three." On the way, heads swiveled as the group noticed the wider and taller hallways and larger steps as we made our way to level three.

"I noticed your bodyguard detail is rather large and very attentive," Osborne said as we walked.

"Following me has made them paranoid. Unfortunately for them, anyone trying to kill me has to kill them first, and that seems to happen rather often."

"So I've heard."

When we reached level three, I introduced my staff and motioned to a table where drinks and snacks were available.

"This is like being outdoors," Osborne said as we walked along. "If you brought me here blindfolded, I would've thought I was in a domed garden. I doubt any cruiser designer would ever consider devoting a level to a garden. But I have to admit it's beautiful. Is it open to everyone on the ship?"

"This is a Riss cruiser. The SAS personnel maintain normal military protocol, but otherwise everyone is treated as an equal, and we share the dining, workout, and recreational areas."

After two hours, I managed to drag the group down to the second level, where we toured each section, ending up at the Bridge. After we entered, Osborne turned to me frowning.

"Don't they acknowledge you when you enter?"

"Sir, the Riss are telepaths and speak in streaming vid. They knew I was coming long before we reached the entrance. They acknowledge me as you would a friend, since we are all equal."

"But you're the Captain!"

"My position is Captain of the Mnemosyne, but the Riss do not consider me any more important than the mechanic in Environment or Shuttle Maintenance."

"That would be chaos."

"On a human ship, yes, but not to the Riss. Each has a position, which they pursue for the good of the Riss. Each position is considered equally crucial to the Riss' success." The Admiral was silent as we made our way to the dining facility. They asked lots of questions during dinner. Afterward, Osborne stood.

"If Captain Reese has no objections, I'd like to talk with her alone, and I suggest that each of you get with your counterpart on the Mnemosyne for a one-on-one."

I nodded and led him to my office. "There's kaffa and wine on the sideboard, Admiral." I poured myself a cup of kaffa and sat. After a moment, he chose kaffa and sat opposite me.

"Well, Reese, thank you for the tour. Admiral Wattson sends his regards. He's walking on a knife's edge trying to hold the alliance between the SAS, Riss, and clans together. In addition, he has to contend with the seniority system, even though the War College, Camalus, has proven seniority doesn't guarantee the best tactical officers, and we are going to need our best fighting the Aliens." He studied me over his long, straight nose as he sipped his kaffa. "So he's forming task forces and promoting key individuals to Rear Admiral to lead them. That way, it avoids the kind of problem you've had at Freeland, where you were the station commander but had the least seniority. I'm a good example. He promoted me well ahead of time, but not so much that it will cause a morale problem, and it helps that I graduated Camalus With Comment.

"He's had me take my task force to Fools Landing to educate them on what we’re facing. For now, the task force leader’s main responsibility is to convince the men and women under them that we are fighting a superior force and will need alliances with the UFN, JPU, Riss, and the clans if we hope to win. Long term, he will have the task force leaders, UFN and JPU equivalents, and you as a strategic planning body."

"Me?"

<You Riss Leader. High-Riss.>

<You're high-Riss too.>

<Not Leader.> Image of a Riss with a ring through its nose being pulled along by me.

<You volunteered too.>

<Poor judgment. That why not Leader.> My tight muscles relaxed as her laugh washed through me.

"Admiral Wattson is impressed with what you have accomplished during your rather short career. He claims you would have graduated Camalus With Comment. That's a high compliment from him, and based on what I've heard, I agree. I could use your help educating my task force. Tonight was a perfect start."

"I think you should give your key officers a tour of the Aliens' mother ship, which Captain Pavao has named a Medusa."

"Where is Pavao?"

"In stealth mode. I’ll notify her to meet you and your task force at the Medusa tomorrow." After an hour of small talk about our careers, he and his staff returned to the Goshawk.

<Leader.> Jaelle welcomed as I entered the Bridge and sat.

<Comm: Tight-beam connection to the Eirene.>

<Connection made.> Pavao’s face appeared on the monitor.

"I see you entertained the Admiral on the Mnemosyne. What did you think?" She asked, grinning.

"I've offered you as a tour guide on the Medusa. Wattson appears to be trying to neutralize the alliance problem by appointing people he knows to lead task forces. He's promoting them to Rear Admiral to avoid the potential seniority problem. Osborne graduated Camalus With Comment"

"Smart man. Eventually, that should dampen emotions and provide better leaders."

"Yes, eventually. Nance, tell Colonel McTosh that you are to have a permanent security detail like mine," I said. Emotions were running high, and Pavao was not immune to the hostility. She hesitated for several seconds.

"… Yes, Leader," She said, acknowledging it was not a suggestion and cut the connection. I felt Osborne was sincere and someone I could work with, but it would take time for him to succeed in sorting out his task force.

<Comm: Issue Standby status, silent running.> Lights flashed blue throughout the ship then turned steady blue, and a status change message went out to every SID.

* * *

<Leader, priority connection from Captain Pavao.> Immediately, Pavao’s ashen face appeared.

"Nadya, there has been a shooting on the Eirene. A Captain MacLin shot r-Scylla. He claims she attacked him. She'll live, but a Scorpion on my security shot MacLin. They've transferred him to Regen on the Goshawk. Apparently, he'll live as well. The Admiral announced an inquiry into the shooting will take place—"

"Captain Pavao, declare Ship Alert and clear the Eirene. When the ship is clear, declare Battle Stations, silent running. We are leaving Fools Landing. I'll see you at the Freeland repair station." I cut the connection.

<Comm: Battle Station, silent running.> Lights flashed red throughout the ship, and SIDs lit with the emergency override.

<Nav: Post a vector to the Wave on the Helm's board.>

<Posted.>

<Helm: Engines two and six half speed. Execute vector.>

< Engines two and six half speed. Vector executed.>

I sat back, shaking in rage.

<Justified.> I felt no attempt to dampen my anger.

<When will it stop?>

<Never. Like Aliens. Must work around or leave.>

* * *

After we entered the Wave, I canceled Battle Stations and called a staff meeting since everyone would be nervous, not knowing what caused our sudden exit. When Jaelle closed the conference door behind me, I walked over to the side board, retrieved a cup of kaffa, and sat. I had calmed down but was still furious.

"A Captain shot a Riss while touring the Eirene. He claims the Riss attacked him," I said.

Shocked faces stared back at me.

"It would be far more likely an Alien boarded the Eirene and shot him than that a Riss would. A Scorpion on the security detail I ordered for Captain Pavao shot the Captain. The Riss and the captain will survive; however, I thought it best we leave before the situation escalated out of control."

"What will happen to the Scorpion—" Colonel Seng began, but I interrupted him.

"Not a damn thing," I snarled, "even if I have to go to Admiral Plimson."

That got me some shocked looks but then nods of approval.

"Admiral Wattson is doing his best to get the situation under control, but I fear the buildup is happening too fast. There are too many people on Freeland, and rumors filled with hate are rampant. It's causing a breakdown in discipline. And no, I don't know the answer or where it will end. Like you, many in the SAS are excellent people, and I'm proud to have served with them." I sat back, exhausted.

The meeting ended shortly afterward. Nothing could be done, and little could be said except the usual—we hope the Riss will recover soon... When everyone had gone, Terril waved my other guard out.

"What’s next… Nadya?"

"I don't know, Terril. I know things must change. Every time a Riss dies, it's the equivalent of over three million humans dying."

Terril looked at me in shock.

"There are ten billion humans in the SAS but only three thousand Riss. A ship like this contains the equivalent of six hundred sixty million humans, and how many of the SAS military would desert us in war or even see it as an opportunity to fire on us?"

"Too many."

CHAPTER TWO

Riss/SAS MSA Terminated

When we exited the Wave into Freeland space, we were immediately hailed by a Hunter, which had its weapons online.

"Unknown cruiser, you are in Freeland space and must submit to a security search. Any attempt to resist will result in your destruction."

<Comm: Connect me to the Hunter.>

<Connection refused.>

<Comm: Battle Stations, silent running.>

<Nav: Vector to space station.>

<Helm: Two second skip on Nav vector.> Red lights flashed, and SIDs buzzed with the status change as the people on the Bridge faded into ghosts and back again.

<Hunter fired missiles where we not.> r-Diona sent with a feeling of amusement.

<Riss joke.> Thalia sent an image of a group of Riss laughing at some clown with SAS written on his costume, running into walls, and tripping over things.

<Isn't funny.>

<Laugh or cry.>

<And crying depresses you.>

<Very much.>

* * *

As we ghosted our way towards Freeland, the airwaves were filled with chatter. Most of the communications came from Admiral Wattson as he tried to establish order from the resulting chaos. We docked in stealth mode, and ten minutes later the Eirene arrived.

<Comm: Get me a connection to Admiral Zann.>

<Connection established.> Zann's face appeared on the monitor shortly afterward.

"Admiral Zann, I am withdrawing all Riss to Freeland, and I'm enlisting your help in expediting their transfers."

"Why, Nadya?"

"I do not trust the SAS, and I’m terminating the Mutual Support Agreement, MSA, with the SAS immediately. We will abandon the Riss cruisers. They may do with them whatever they wish."

"What about the Riss' dream of going to the stars?"

"After the Aliens have confined the humans to their planets, the Riss will go to the stars."

"How?"

"Because the Riss… are Si'jin masters." I smiled at the analogy. "The Riss do not fight force with force and will be the Aliens' dybbuk."

"Yes, Leader. I will join you on Freeland."

"No. The Riss may need your connection to the SAS. Stay for now."

"I'll see to the transfers." Zann cut the connection. I left the Bridge for what would be the last time and made my way to the Scorpions’ area with Terril and another guard following. Seng was waiting when I arrived.

"What happened, Captain Reese?" he asked in a worried tone.

"The SAS refused us entry into Freeland space without a search and fired on us, although our weapons were offline and we have army and navy personnel aboard. I have recalled all Riss to Freeland." My eyes felt moist at the thought of leaving old friends. "I would appreciate it if you would use your shuttles to help transport the Riss to the planet. Afterward, you should contact your superiors since the Mnemosyne and Eirene are being abandoned."

"Abandoned?"

"Yes, my friend. I will always remember your support, my dear adopted sister and friend Terril, and the loyalty of the Scorpions. But I will not have your lives on my conscience." A tear slid down my cheek.

"I'll make sure they arrive safely. It’s been an honor serving with you, Captain Reese." He saluted and strode away, shouting orders.

With Terril tailing, I left to visit Byer. "Terril, it seems your duty is over." I didn't turn, unable to bear facing her.

"Not until I see you're safe on Freeland. The five Scorpions following me and I are hoping someone gives you a dirty look because we're in a bad mood."

I almost tripped when I looked over my shoulder and saw the fully armed Scorpions following Terril.

When I reached Commander Byer's area, he too was standing outside his office as if expecting me.

"Captain Reese, what's going on?"

"The Riss have terminated the MSA with the SAS and are going planet-side. Apparently, some in the SAS would kill navy and army personnel to kill Riss. That is unacceptable. I want to thank you for your support over the years. I will always think of you as a friend."

"It's been an honor, Captain Reese. Tell me when you are ready to leave. Ghosts will see you and the Riss safely to Freeland."

I turned and made my way in the direction of the Intel units, wanting to scream to the gods how so few could destroy so much.

When I reached the door, it was open, and Iglis stood waiting.

"The airwaves are alive with messages. Zann has recalled all the Riss from the cruisers, Wattson is trying to calm the fleet, and messages are flying between captains. Half the cruisers have their weapon systems online. It's chaos."

"That's what happens when discipline breaks down—emotions rule. This is no place for the Riss. We're leaving."

"You can't!"

"Do me a favor, Iglis. Send the following message to Admiral Plimson via the Comstat,

To: Admiral Plimson.

Sir, it is with deepest regret that I inform you that the Riss have terminated the MSA with the SAS for the multiple breaches of our agreement by SAS officers. The Riss can no longer trust them to fulfill their support of the Riss. I would do anything for you to repay your support of me and the Riss over the years, but I cannot risk the lives of the Riss, or the lives of the navy and army personnel serving alongside them. Too many want the Riss gone, so we will go.

Signed, Captain Nadya Reese.

"I’ll miss you, Iglis. I wish things could be otherwise. It's been a pleasure knowing you." I turned and headed for the shuttle area.

"I hope the Aliens come here soon," Terril said to no one in particular.

"Why?" I stopped to stare at her.

"Because then I'll be confined to the same planet as you. I certainly don't want to fly with any of those idiot captains," she said and nodded up towards the ceiling and space. "Besides, I believe the Riss will beat the Aliens’ quarantine before I'm too old to fly."

"You'll never be too old to fly with me."

The shuttle bay was alive with activity. I entered my shuttle and motioned Terril to sit beside me—for the last time. Looking out the window, I saw Ghosts everywhere. I hoped no one would try to interfere because Byer's pilots would react with deadly force, and I didn't want that.

When we reached the landing area at Rupea, it was a beehive of activity, with shuttles coming and going and Riss wandering off into the wilderness. Pavao stood next to Ni'Shay and Da'Maass. Her security guards, like mine, hadn't left.

"Terril, don't you need to leave?" Each word felt like a knife striking my heart.

"No one but Admiral Plimson and General Garret can relieve me of my responsibility. And I haven't heard from them." Her lip twitched, and I gave her a death-grip-hug. I released her when Ni'Shay spoke.

"Captain Reese, you have Freeland and, I think, the SAS in turmoil. Captain Pavao tells me you are coming to stay. For the elders, I say you and the Riss are welcome to stay as long as you wish. You and they are officially citizens of Freeland.

"Thank you, Elder Ni'Shay. I'm sorry to impose upon you as I'm afraid it may cause you trouble. But we have nowhere else to go."

"It doesn't matter. Without Riss' support, the SAS will cause us trouble whether you’re here or not. The elders decided we will abandon the factories and repair facilities."

"You can't. The SAS will retaliate. They have been looking for any excuse. If you stay and help, it might not be as bad since you’re valuable to the war effort."

"Yes, it will be bad, but it will be no different than if you hadn't negotiated a treaty. And we will have the satisfaction of knowing we may just help the Aliens quarantine them as they will quarantine us."

I hadn't thought about the impact to Freeland. I hadn't thought at all, was the truth of it.

<No choice. Necessary.>

<I thought only of the Riss.>

<No choice. You Leader. Cethlion sees our future. Decision correct.>

<How does she know?>

<Future not change. Therefore decision correct.>

My head spun with doubt, confusion, the overwhelming responsibility, the impact on friends and comrades-in-arms, and finally the loss of friends. Just then, Pavao walked up and put an arm around me.

"I understand why you are Leader and why no one wants the position." She gave a short laugh. "Cethlion says you will show the Riss the path to the stars, and your Riss-sisters will help you over the bumps."

CHAPTER THREE

Emergency meeting with Plimson

"Terril, I don't understand why you and those five Scorpions are still here. I hope you're not AWOL," I said, looking at her and the corporal standing against the wall behind me. The other four were sitting at another table, eating. They seemed to be taking the duty in shifts.

"Admiral Plimson and General Garret have not released me from my duty." A hologram sprang up from her SID, displaying the letter signed by them, assigning me a security guard. "It doesn't stipulate location, so until I'm officially released from my duty, I stay. Colonel Seng agrees."

"I'm thankful you're here and wish you could stay forever. I just don't want you to get in trouble," I said, wishing things were different.

"I'm here to keep you out of trouble." She smiled. "Besides, you're the only Si'jin master who can give me a decent workout."

"Well, since you're here, why don't you give us an update on what's happening upstairs." I nodded toward the other Riss-humans sitting around the table.

"Admiral Wattson blew his top. He’s had the Captain of the Hunter who challenged you relieved of command and put under arrest, pending an inquiry. It's probably a smart move since the army and Shark pilots are none too pleased the navy fired on a ship with their friends aboard. Admiral Osborne returned yesterday from Fools Landing, which by all accounts has escalated Wattson's really lousy mood to new heights. Admiral Plimson is due tomorrow, which has the fleet nervous. The grumbling and calls to destroy Freeland and the Riss have stopped. Everyone knows something bad is going to happen and is trying to stay below the radar."

"I imagine we'll be seeing Plimson and Wattson tomorrow," Pavao said, taking another lick of her fruity ice cream cone. "What have you got planned for them, Nadya? I'll bet it will cause a Medusa-sized headache."

Alena, Jaelle, and Elissa looked nervous, watching Pavao and me. She was relaxed and smiling.

<Content being Riss-sister.>

<Not being Leader.>

<That too.>

<I don't know what I'll do.>

<Think of something.>

"Nothing. I think the bigger question is ‘What are they planning for us and Freeland?’ The price may be high."

"You could change your mind," Elissa said, in a whisper.

"We owe Admiral Plimson a great deal, but we cannot partner with people we don't trust. And I don't trust the assembled captains and their crews."

"I’m looking forward to tomorrow," Terril said to no one in particular.

"Why?" Pavao asked, looking up at her.

"It's fun to watch masters dance," Terril grinned.

Pavao sat quietly for a while, then nodded. "The Admirals and the dybbuk. I think you're right, Gunny."

<I'm not.>

<Fun.> Image of a Riss sitting in a lounge chair, watching me and two admirals throwing things at each other.

* * *

As Pavao had predicted, the Bateleur hadn’t even stopped decelerating when Terril's SID beeped. When she turned it on, Bradshaw's face appeared.

"Yes?"

"Is the very attractive Captain Reese available, Gunny?"

"For you, I'm sure she is." Terril grinned and held out her SID towards me. "You must admit, Wattson and Plimson are sneaky."

I had to grin. Yes, I would never refuse a call, date, or invitation from Sean.

"Good morning, Sean. Wish you were here." For his sake, I hoped he wasn't on speaker with others listening.

"Me too. Admirals Plimson and Wattson would like to speak to you. They will send a shuttle for you or meet with you on Freeland if you prefer." He looked gorgeous, even with the worried frown. For a moment, I wished he and I could settle down on Freeland and raise a family. A wonderful dream.

"Freeland. There are others who need to be present."

"When? The Bateleur should be in orbit within the next three hours."

"At Admiral Plimson's convenience. I'm not busy," I said and couldn't help a laugh. Only a couple of weeks ago, I was juggling what seemed like a hundred projects. Today I sat eating breakfast with none. "Someone will pick them up at the normal landing pad. We can meet at the clan’s administration building, if that's acceptable."

"I'll get back to you, Nadya."

"Terril, can you get a hold of Ni'Shay?"

She nodded. A few minutes later she handed me her SID.

"Elder Ni'Shay, Admiral Plimson wants a meeting with me. I've suggested the administration building since I believe you and the elders should attend. Plimson will have questions for you, and I cannot make decisions for the clans."

"You do, dybbuk, but I understand we must figure it out for ourselves so that we own it." He chuckled. "Let me know the time, and we will arrange transportation for you and them."

* * *

The time was set for seventeen hundred hours that evening. I dressed in black slacks with a maroon long sleeved blouse I had purchased in Rupea the day after we arrived. We had each purchased a complete wardrobe, including winter clothing for time in the wilderness with the Riss. Ni'Shay was aboard the shuttle that arrived to pick us up.

"I'm looking forward to the meeting as are the other elders," Ni'Shay said as he exited the Shuttle and waved for us to enter. I had asked all the Riss-humans to attend.

"Yes, everyone seems to be, except me. Maybe I should stay here, and you can all go."

"Then it wouldn't be as interesting." He gave a slight bow as I entered the shuttle followed by Terril and the others. The ride was made in silence. When we entered the meeting room, Plimson, Wattson, Stenberg, Zann, and the elders were present. Except for the quiet, it didn't appear we had interrupted anything. The clan had provided snacks and drinks, and everyone had something to eat or drink. I went straight to Plimson. I know my eyes were misty, and I hated what I was about to say.

"I'm sorry, Admiral Plimson. I would gladly risk my life to support you and your cause, and the Riss would follow. But we have more to fear from the SAS than the Aliens. Your military has lost control of its discipline and are acting like thugs."

There was stunned silence.

Plimson surprised me by nodding. "I wish I could disagree, Nadya, but I can't. However, you and I are going to fix it because the alternative isn't acceptable. I'm shamelessly calling on whatever credits I have with you," he said.

Wattson hadn't said anything but was watching Plimson intently.

Pavao surprised me by handing me a cup of kaffa as I sat.

"What I'd love to do is give everyone in Freeland space a survey, asking on a scale of one to five whether they think they need the Riss and their technology, whether overwhelming force will suffice to win, and whether they trust the Riss to fight alongside them. Then make up a task force of twenty cruisers, crew them with the lowest scoring personnel, and send them to clean up Fools Hope."

"You don't think they could win with twenty cruisers, including Hunters and Heavies?" Wattson asked.

"Without the Riss, the current Riss technology, and people like Captain Gardner leading them? No. If anyone returned, it would be the few remaining because they couldn't stop the Medusa—the name Pavao has given the Aliens' mother ship—from leaving to get reinforcements." I took a sip of kaffa. "Take a look at the Mnemosyne and Eirene. Nance and I were next to the Medusa for five seconds—five—and it inflicted major damage. Humans can’t respond in that short a time. I doubt our automatic systems could have reacted that fast. And if you plan to slug it out with a Medusa, it has thirty-two missile tubes and thirty-two banks of fifty and ninety-centimeter lasers. And it wouldn’t surprise me if they couldn't reload within thirty to forty seconds."

Wattson nodded. "Admiral Osborne's assessment was pretty much the same, except he didn't realize the amount of damage the Riss cruisers took when they skipped next to the… Medusa."

"Plus the Medusa would be sitting dormant and could pick the best time to engage the task force. No, sir. I doubt but a few would return and not unscathed. And no, neither I nor the Riss would wish that on any of your officers. Not even MacLin who shot a defenseless Riss, Gardner who wouldn’t support us in trouble, or the Hunter captain who wanted to restrict our access to Freeland. But we do not want to fight alongside them."

"What's the answer then?" Stenberg asked, his voice filled with frustration.

<They know.>

<Afraid.>

<Worse than alternative?>

<See past. Not future.>

"The answer is simple if you are going to have any chance of repelling the Aliens."

"Then why haven't we seen it? Are we stupid?" Stenberg asked, his tone harsh.

Plimson looked to be ready to say something until I shook my head.

"No, sir. In peacetime, seniority means experience and is, therefore, a good thing. In war, peacetime experience is of little value. The leaders need tactical experience or, lacking that, tactical judgment like that learned at the War College and recognized by With Comment grades." I looked to Wattson, who gave a slight nod of agreement.

"If we promote those with tactical judgment over those with seniority, there will be mass revolt and chaos." Stenberg said.

"What do you plan to do with MacLin and the Hunter Captain?"

"Court Martial," Wattson said.

"Many in the fleet will perceive that as an unjust punishment, since many distrust or hate the Riss. Why not retire them? The Riss do not wish them punished. They just don't want to serve with them. So rather than promote the right officer over one with more seniority, either retire the senior officer or assign him or her to the Home fleet." I looked around the table and almost laughed watching the facial expressions change as they each considered the ramifications. "I would think the younger officers would be delighted, as it would open up opportunities for promotion and advancement. Others would realize they were in the military, and if they wanted to fight for the SAS, they had to conform or be moved out."

Stenberg frowned.

Wattson smiled.

And Plimson laughed. "I had expected one hell-of-a-headache from you, Reese. Of course, it's early, but I like what you're suggesting. Sending people home who aren't fit for war will not only save lives but improve our effectiveness and maybe improve morale if enough opportunities open up." Plimson turned to face the elders. "What about the clans?"

Ni'Shay nodded. "We elders of the clans have understood from the beginning we could never be part of the SAS. You would never trust us again, so we chose to align ourselves with the Riss, who held no malice towards us, and by extension the SAS. We will continue to support the Riss and honor their decision." He looked to each elder, who nodded in turn.

Plimson turned his attention back to me. "Alright, Reese, what do you need for a MSA agreement between the Riss and the SAS?"

"I won't sign a mutual support agreement—" I held up my hand before anyone could react verbally. "I will make an agreement between you and me. A personal commitment for military support and a sharing of all technology. Your word for the SAS military and mine for the Riss."

"Reese, you are the only leader who would commit their nation on someone's word. I agree, between you and me."

"Admiral Plimson, I respect and trust you. I believe you would do well as a Riss. We are each given a position based upon how we can best support the Riss nation. If conditions change, someone else may be given your position or you theirs. Today my position is Leader. Every month or two, when I feel it's too much or that I'm not the best person, I try to give it to someone else. The Riss have so far refused because, for now, they believe I'm the right person for this position. No ego is involved. Each Riss is only concerned with supporting the Riss, not her position, because they are all equal." I paused for a sip of kaffa. "I believe you are Riss-like in that you are only concerned with supporting the SAS and would take another position if you felt you were no longer the right person for the job. In fact, I'll wager you've tried to retire, and they were smart enough not to let you. I know you will do your best to support the Riss, and I will do my best to support the SAS."

"Agreed. "Now, Reese, what do you want in return?"

"The most important condition is restoring discipline."

"Agreed."

"I'm resigning my commission in the SAS. That will separate me from the navy, which has been a significant source of resentment towards the Riss-humans. Many will be happy that we are no longer in the SAS military. We will design new uniforms for the Riss-humans, which will reinforce our separation from the SAS."

"Agreed. Although I don't like it, I understand your logic."

"The Riss cruisers need repairs and, more importantly, upgrades designed to counter the Aliens’ tactics. I'd like that a top priority."

"Why are the Riss cruisers a priority? Your ships are already better equipped to fight the Aliens than the SAS. You proved that at Fools Landing," Wattson asked.

As usual, I suspected the question wasn't what he wanted the answer to. "How would you feel if the Aliens attacked Eden and killed twenty million?"

"Outraged, sick beyond words."

"Two Riss were killed on the Eirene and four on the Mnemosyne during the battle of Fools Landing. Given approximately ten billion inhabitants of the SAS and three thousand Riss, those six deaths were the equivalent of killing twenty million humans. That may seem a bit academic, so let's consider the navy. You have approximately three hundred ships with an average of five hundred per ship—one hundred fifty thousand in total. If we lose a Riss cruiser, we lose two hundred Riss. That is the equivalent to you losing twenty cruisers."

"Agreed. Yes, you... the Riss risk much supporting the SAS."

"That brings me to a more serious issue—captains. As a separate nation, I'm free to make anyone a Riss-human—"

"No!" Stenberg blurted.

Wattson frowned.

Plimson looked down in thought.

"I love my Riss-sisters, Alena, Jaelle, and Elissa. In peacetime, they would make good captains today. But they are not ready for war. Forcing them today would put the Riss cruiser and two hundred Riss at greater risk. Consider further: if Pavao or I are killed, you lose a Riss cruiser, a captain, and an XO who is a potential Riss captain. That would be like you losing one hundred twenty cruisers."

"One hundred twenty captains, not cruisers," Wattson corrected.

"No. If you lost one hundred twenty captains, you could promote one hundred twenty senior commanders. We have no one to promote; therefore, the comparison is more like you losing ships."

"What are you proposing? You and Pavao have said in the past that you can't make just anyone a Riss-human. Most are repulsed by the idea; many others couldn’t tolerate an intelligent being inside their head, and there is no point unless the person has combat experience," Wattson said, appearing to be probing.

"Very correct. I'd suggest a new Riss Project. We would solicit candidates from the SAS, JPU, UFN, and the clans—

"No! No! You can't trust the Raiders in Riss cruisers!" Stenberg shouted.

Wattson glared at me.

Plimson didn't react, seemingly still in thought.

"Originally, the Riss Project selected twenty eligible candidates and asked the Riss to select ten. The Riss selected six. The project leader insisted there had to be ten, so another four were selected. Three of those four couldn’t tolerate an intelligent life-form being in their head and were taken to Saipha and had the Riss removed. The fourth used the Riss' gifts to abuse other cadets and cheat on exams. The Riss took control and insisted on being removed. A better example involved me. On one of my ships, a Raider gained access in an attempt to kill me. He killed a Riss who was trying to protect me. Terril, what happened?"

"As Captain Reese ran towards the Raider, she stumbled and fell. When I went to her, I heard a strange voice saying she had taken control of the Captain. It was Thalia. When I asked why, she said revenge was not the Riss way. She wouldn't allow the Captain to gain control until the next morning."

"The lesson here is that while the Riss don't want control, they are capable of taking it against the human's will and won't allow a violation of their ethics. Can you imagine a Riss-human attempting to fire on an SAS or Riss ship, or even attempting to kill someone who isn't trying to kill him or her? No, I would trust any human a Riss had chosen as a host with my life."

"Are you saying you won't agree to mutual support if we say no?" Wattson asked.

"No, I'm saying I won't allow Alena, Jaelle, or Elissa to take a Riss cruiser into battle. So you will have only two. Worse, my three Riss sisters will have to act as XOs on Pavao and my ships until they gain sufficient war experience to command one on their own. That means if one of our ships is destroyed, only one Riss cruiser will be available to support you."

"Agreed," Plimson said to everyone's astonishment. "We are at war with a technically superior race. We have to use our best and brightest people as leaders and the most advanced technology we can create. Right now, that's the Riss cruisers." He stopped to take a sip of kaffa, then looked at each person in the room.

I was surprised to see Wattson nod when Plimson looked at him.

"Nadya, I agree to everything. If we can't get control of the military, we will lose to the Aliens and this decision is meaningless. Not only have you never disappointed me, you always make me look like a genius. However, that isn’t what is important. What is important is that your actions protected the security of the SAS. I trust your future actions will continue to prove valuable to the SAS."

Plimson stood and walked over to Terril. "I have some additional stipulations, Leader Reese. You and Pavao will continue to have mandatory security guards authorize anywhere you go. In addition, all other Riss-humans will have security when they may be at risk, like outside the ship or when non-ship personnel are on board. Gunny Terril will be responsible for that security and may create a special detail if she thinks it's necessary." He looked to me.

"Agreed."

"Elder Ni'Shay, I want one Riss cruiser in production at all times. We are going to need those ugly beasts, sooner rather than later."

"Agreed," Ni'Shay said, smiling.

"Admiral Plimson, I agree with Leader Reese," Wattson said. "I believe you are the right person for the position of Secretary of Defense. Although I agree with your decisions, I doubt either Stenberg or I would have had the courage to make the agreement you've made with Reese. I give you my full support."

"Mine too," Stenberg said.

<See. You thought of something.> I felt Thalia grinning.

* * *

When the Admirals left, I turned to Ni'Shay.

He was smiling. "You and Admiral Plimson are well suited. You are the right people for the positions you hold. We, the clans, are glad we decided to align ourselves with the Riss. You have our clan loyalty and full support."

"Ni'Shay, repairing the Mnemosyne and the Eirene are your top priority. I'd also like you to seek candidates for the Riss-human Project and to pre-screen them. We need battle experience, strong tactical skills, but without issues." I turned to Da'Maass. "Yes, Da'Maass, you've earned the right to be a candidate."

"Thank you, Leader." His cheeks looked ready to split with the size of the smile.

* * *

"Well Gunny, what do you think?" Pavao asked, looking across the aisle to where Terril sat.

"I'd say that was a perfect ten-knot performance. Captain... Leader Reese is never boring, although I was a little disappointed when Admiral Plimson left without a Reese-headache."

"Yes, that was quite a performance. You and Plimson are much alike. You're not afraid to take risks. What I’d like to know is whether I agree with your decisions because your words are the words of the Riss or because I think they were good decisions?"

"If you agree, it's because you like the decision. You're now a mixture of human and Riss, so you will have an opinion, but when I speak for the Riss, you will know it is for the good of the Riss and will want to help."

"Good. I'd hate the thought that I'd lost my ability to reason. I do agree the military has lost control of discipline and don't envy Wattson having to gain it back. However, I believe he is the right person for that responsibility. What next?"

"The five of us are going to develop the technology to counter the Aliens’ missile technology, their kamikaze tactics, and figure how to kill a Medusa without getting the hide stripped off us in the process."

CHAPTER FOUR

Resigning from the SAS Navy

"Leader Reese, this is Petra Ta'Lona. He will replace me as project manager if…"

"I understand, Da'Maass. Ta'Lona, I want your R&D folks to consider how we can stop, or at very least, distract missiles that turn off when they encounter chaff from our Duster missiles. And to think about an effective way of stopping Kamikaze pilots from ramming our ships."

He Laughed and looked at Da'Maass. "Our dybbuk really thinks we can do this?"

"Petra, she asks, and we deliver because she knows we can. She would tell us how, but she wants us to believe it's our creation."

<I do?>

<Not important. He believes.>

<Interesting.>

<Boring. Could help.>

<Not our position.>

<Not want hear.> Image of a Riss with her head buried in the sand.

While Thalia and I were having our little exchange, Ta'Lona bowed and exited the conference room.

"Well, Da'Maass, since at this moment, you are the only Riss-human candidate, I guess I should begin the introductory presentation."

"We can skip that and get to the good part."

"No, we can't skip this part or any other. The Riss are giving up their freedom while you are getting a precious gift. You have the battle experience and tactical ability we are looking for, but you must understand what being a Riss-human involves and prove yourself worthy."

"Yes, Leader Reese, forgive my eagerness. You're right, I'm thinking of myself and of flying those magical cruisers and destroying the Aliens with you. How could I not?"

"Yes, we are each lured into the Riss-human program for reasons other than the Riss, but if you qualify, you will find it should have been because of the Riss. Never mind. The Riss are parasites, who for the past several thousand years have used the Gorillai, an animal unique to planet Saipha, as their host. If you could see a Riss, it would look something like an old earth jellyfish." I activated my SID and transferred the image to the wall monitor.

Da'Maass stared intently at the image but said nothing.

"The Riss will leave its Gorillai host and attach…"

I spent the rest of the day talking about the Riss: their lives on Saipha, their system of positions, equality, and the position of Leader. To my surprise, he was attentive, and his questions showed the keen mind he had demonstrated as the project manager on the multiple Riss and SAS projects.

"You were right, Leader Reese. I saw only flying a Riss cruiser. I see the Riss... Gorillai, know they are smart, but fail to see them as individuals. You have nothing to fear. I’d never betray you or the clan, any more than you would betray the Riss."

"I know, Da'Maass. It’s difficult to understand now, but you must give the same loyalty to the Riss."

"What if they conflict?"

"Unless the clans rise against the Riss, I doubt they ever will. We may decide to go a different way. In either case, you can be separated from the Riss." I watched him nod understanding. "I’ll give you time to consider what you learned today. Within a few days, I’ll schedule you for a physical examination and seek Riss volunteers. I will notify you when the Riss are ready. If you think of any questions in the meantime, call me."

* * *

I found Doctor Dayton in her office.

"Good morning… Leader Reese. I'm glad you and the SAS reached an agreement. The loss of the Riss would have been a tragedy. What can I do for you?"

"I would prefer just Reese now that I'm no longer a naval officer, but I think the military should use the term 'Captain' to maintain the standard protocol everyone is accustomed to. Except for another Riss-human captain, no Riss or Riss-humans have titles." I met her eyes with a smile, still trying to negotiate between the Riss and military conventions. "Being called Reese wouldn’t confuse the senior officers on the ship, but it might confuse others."

"I understand."

"I'd like you to give Da'Maass a physical and give me your evaluation of his health. Any questions?"

"Yesterday, I might have had many. Today, none. Admiral Plimson talked to each of the commanders on the Riss cruisers and informed us he trusts your judgment. I think all of us would like to understand what’s going on when it involves us, but he made it clear it’s your decision."

"I'm putting out a call for Riss-human candidates."

To my surprise, Dayton nodded without a noticeable reaction.

"They need the right mental attitude, battle experience, and demonstrated tactical skill. A Riss should be able to fix most physical problems in an accepted candidate, but we should be aware of any beforehand."

"Admiral Plimson is a remarkable man. Most in his position would have executed, jailed, or confined you and the Riss to Freeland. In either case, they would have lost the Riss technology and two valuable allies—the Riss and the clans. He, on the other hand, has given you unrestricted approval. I’ll contact Da'Maass and let you know the results."

Next, I made my way to the Shark area and found Commander Byer in Shark bay S1.

"Good morning… Captain?"

"Yes, Captain would be best. Life is confusing enough."

"Captain Reese, I'm glad you and Admiral Plimson came to an agreement. My people weren't looking forward to leaving the Mnemosyne. You've spoiled us."

"I can't tell you how happy I am to have you back. You’re friends and people I can trust in good times and bad."

"Thank you. You should know that Plimson, on my recommendation, has increased the squadron to fifteen Ghosts."

"Commander, I’d like you to head up a team to include folks from the Eirene and the clans and determine ways to effectively engage the Aliens' kamikaze fighters. You should consider tactics as well as possible new technology on the Ghosts and the Riss cruisers. Contact Ta'Lona. He's the new project manager and tasked with working on a solution."

"Thank you. I hope I'll never again have to see the kind of losses they caused at Fools Landing."

"Me neither." I nodded my farewell and made my way to the Intel section.

Verifying my identity and authorization was pointless, so the guards just waved me through—they knew me from my workouts; I was their Gunny's friend; Iglis had authorized my access; and two of their fellow Scorpions followed me.

I found Iglis talking with a young petty officer. "Good morning, Commander," I said as I approached.

Her head jerked up, and she straightened almost to attention. "Captain Reese. I'm glad we didn't lose you." She smiled. "Admiral Butler has made a few changes. I'm no longer the station Intel officer."

I frowned. I had hoped my change in status hadn't impacted anyone’s life seriously.

"I'm now Admiral Butler's liaison, and all Freeland Intel goes through me."

Relieved, I offered her my hand, and her brief clasp was firm. "Congratulations. That was a smart move on his part. It's best we try to keep the Riss a separate nation, supporting the SAS with no direct or indirect ties. The Riss-humans have all resigned their commissions, and the units attached to the Riss cruisers don’t report to the Captain. They are assigned only to support the ship's mission as directed by Admiral Wattson."

"Clever and sneaky. As station Intel, I would be restricted to Freeland. Now I'm free to accompany the Riss and better able to keep him apprised of the overall situation." She grinned.

After her assurances she and I would continue to bend the rules, I left for the Scorpion area.

Terril met me as I entered. Probably she'd been warned by my security guards. "Captain Reese, you scared everyone. Being Riss certified and serving on a Riss cruiser—after Fools Landing—is the elite of the army's elite. And being on your guard duty the place to be. If I sold slots, I could retire in luxury within a year."

As she talked, Colonel Seng joined us. "Good afternoon, Captain. My people and I are glad you didn't desert us. We've become quite fond of you. Although no one would have blamed you, I believe we would have lost a vital ally, and it might have driven a wedge between the army and the navy and possibly between the Sharks and the ship personnel. After all, when they shoot at the Riss, they’re shooting as Sharks and Scorpions." His eyes sparkled, and his upper lip twitched a bit. "Admiral Plimson has made it crystal clear we do not report to you and are here only to support your mission—and we had better be under the protection of the space gods if we aren't helpful making his agreement with you succeed."

<I love Plimson.>

<Man to admire. Risks career.>

<Trusts Riss.>

<Trusts Leader.>

<We won't let him down.>

"I'd trust you and the Scorpions at my back anytime. And we won't disappoint Admiral Plimson. He's told me many times, ‘Admirals don't like to be disappointed’."

I left Seng laughing as I made my way back to my office. Stopping on the way to see how the repairs were proceeding, I was assured the Mnemosyne and Eirene would be operational in two weeks or fewer. At my office door, I motioned Terril to come in.

The corporal closed the door after us.

Terril fetched two cups of kaffa, handed me one, and flopped into one of the padded chairs.

"Well. " I took a sip of my kaffa. "What's the latest news?"

"Wattson replaced ten Captains and five XOs of the thirty ships currently assigned to Freeland. Most are being forced to retire. About half were replaced by commanders on station, and the other half came from Eden. He’s promoted four Captains to Admiral and put each in charge of a squadron composed of seven to eight cruisers. It seems to have had a positive impact on the fleet. A lot of people got promotions, as every retirement slot had a ripple effect that reached down to the lieutenants. People are beginning to understand and to expect serious consequences for not following orders and for poor performance."

Terrill grinned. "Overall, I think the focus is off the Riss and onto pleasing Wattson. He's conducting exercises seven days a week, and he’s taking notes."

* * *

I called for a meeting with the Riss-humans, Ta'Lona, and Da'Maass to discuss our new project.

"Ta'Lona is replacing Da'Maass as project manager while he’s a candidate for Riss-human. If Da'Maass is accepted, Ta'Lona will assume the responsibilities permanently. Ta'Lona, I've identified several Riss I'd like assigned to Project…"

"Invincible," Pavao said, smiling.

"Yes, Invincible. You and your teams must forget conventional ways to stop manned and unmanned missiles… Oh, and ninety centimeter lasers. Think about the impossible and then implement it. The Riss are adept at doing the impossible, and the clans built the Riss cruisers. The nastiest cruisers in space."

"Yes, dybbuk." He grinned. "We will find a way. Ni'Shay and the other elders want you wrapped in a cocoon. They say the Riss are our future."

"Pavao, I'd like us both to be actively involved."

"Sounds like fun. No better time to build the cruisers of the future than in a war when Aliens are trying to kill you. As you so elegantly pointed out, each Riss is the equivalent of over three million humans."

"Da'Maass, Doctor Dayton informs me you have no significant health issues, except maybe your liver is having to work overtime to keep up with the wine you force it to process. Twenty Riss volunteers are waiting at Rupea to talk with you. It will help you understand the Riss, whether you really want one to share your human vehicle, and whether one or more of them is interested in you as a host."

"I thought you could force... tell them to..."

"My words are the words of the Riss, but only when I feel they benefit the Riss nation. Forcing a Riss to accept a host wouldn't be in the Riss best interest."

"Nor mine, although I would do anything to fly one of your cruisers. You did help me begin to understand the potential… ramifications."

"Good. We’ll depart for Rupea as soon as I talk with the Riss-humans here."

Da'Maass stood and left the room.

"Pavao, if he's accepted, I'd like you to be his mentor during his transition, although I expect all of us to help."

"I think that is a good idea. Da'Maass already has a crush on you."

"How are your attached units doing? Any trouble?"

"Just the opposite. They are delighted to be back on the Eirene. They like the environment, level three, and the fact it's safer." She laughed. "And they feel special."

"The same on the Mnemosyne. Well, I'm off to take Da'Maass to his interview. It should be interesting."

"You think he'll be accepted?" Pavao asked.

"Oh, yes. The interesting part will be to see who decides to have him as a host."

* * *

Da'Maass was quiet on the ride to Rupea.

I doubted he was having second thoughts, but I hoped his orientation helped him understand the cost of flying those magical ships.

After an hour trek into the wilderness, we arrived at a semi-circle of Riss.

He stopped short for a few seconds, and his face paled. I think for the first time in his life he felt fear. He was facing a life changing decision. Then he smiled and walked to a boulder some six meters in front of the group and sat.

The question and answer session lasted over four hours.

I called a halt for the day. The Riss and Da'Maass needed a rest and time to consider what had been said. The discussions had been interesting. The Riss had been more philosophical than with Pavao or me, and Da'Maass had been brutally honest.

"Wow, that was interesting. I hadn’t realized what a bastard I was and how much my thinking has changed since the Treaty," he said as we sat in the Rupea Snow Top’s main dining room.

"Yes, we’re a product of our environment. The question is whether we’re capable of adapting when that environment changes. I’d imagine it would depend on how radical the change." For me the hardest part had been learning to deal with people, as I had tended to be a loner. The SAS system with its hierarchical structure was difficult. Conversely, the Riss system, where everyone is equal, I found easy.

Being a Riss-brother would be easy for Da'Maass—he understood clan. But his ideas of life and death were not the same as the Riss. Only time would tell. "I think I understand you better now. I knew the Riss were intelligent. What I didn't understand was they’re real people with distinct personalities and professional interests. Thalia enjoys life and is…"

"A mathematician."

"I can now understand that having another person in your… vehicle with you for life might not be something most people would want."

"What about you?"

"I could use a conscience." He shook his head with a wry smile.

* * *

The questioning went on for four days and was intense at times. Da'Maass never tried to avoid the difficult questions and was equally probing. I was notified the next day that three Riss were willing to host him, which surprised me. The Riss Snowy mountain trails with shadows from the setting sun was the most interested. Her position had been scouting and intelligence gathering. I notified her, Da'Maass, and Pavao to meet me on the Mnemosyne.

* * *

"Good day, Doctor Dayton. Are you ready for another Riss insertion?" I said as I entered her office. She sat at her desk, immersed in something on her medical tablet.

She laid the tablet on her desk. "That was very quick. I thought it would take months to find, test, and accept one. The criteria are very narrow, otherwise I might have applied," she said with a smile. "Oh, Da’Maass. That was the reason for the physical. I know members of the clans are eligible to apply, but isn't that dangerous?"

"No, not at all. If you were inside someone and could take complete control over that person at any time, would you allow them to do something against everything you believed in?"

"I see your point, although I doubt most of the fleet would. I guess I find it hard to accept ex-Raiders, which they would have to be to qualify, as ideal candidates. They were killers and worse."

"It's interesting. We endeavor to rehabilitate criminals rather than keep them incarcerated, but we never really trust or forgive them. The Riss don't hate, so they have nothing to forgive. As for trust, it's impossible to deceive a Riss who knows your thoughts and feelings."

I watched Dayton while she considered what I had said. When she nodded, I continued. "If the candidate is sincere, he or she will succeed. If not, the Riss will reject the candidate. Therefore, the clan candidates are no more dangerous than any other. You must realize that sometimes an SAS candidate would want to be a Riss-human for devious reasons."

Before she could answer, Jaelle came walking in with Da'Maass and Snowy mountain trails with shadows from the setting sun. Dayton stood staring at Da'Maass for a long time, then shook her head and waved for him to follow her.

"Well, Da'Maass, are you sure?" I asked. He looked a bit pale behind his bushy beard and mustache.

"I'm nervous. Becoming a Riss-human will change me forever in ways I can't begin to guess, and that's scary. But I think that's a good thing, so I'm ready."

"Up on the table," Dayton said as she adjusted the machine which would inscribe the Rh tattoo on his face. The procedure took almost an hour. She had just finished when Pavao knocked and opened the door.

"Pretty tattoo, Da'Maass. You look like a tagged Kodak Bear."

He said nothing, staring at the Riss sitting in the corner. After a slight pause, he stripped off his shirt, walked over to her, and sat.

When Da'Maass lost consciousness and slumped, I motioned to Pavao and Jaelle. "Let's go to my office. There’s nothing we can do here. Doctor Dayton knows the procedure and will monitor Da'Maass. I'd like to discuss our new Riss uniforms."

"Uniforms?" Pavao gave me a funny look. "Why?"

"I think it's in everyone's best interest that we appear the independent nation we are. That's not hard for the Riss as they aren't human, but we are. So we need to look like we belong to an independent navy. If we appear to still be part of the SAS, it's going to be difficult for Admiral Wattson to restore discipline."

When we reached my office, our security guards stayed in the corridor. I had kaffa prepared, and everyone got comfortable.

<How about fur uniform like Riss.>

"Thalia's opening suggestion is a fur uniform," I said, sipping my kaffa.

"I'd prefer something dark and simple and… non-furry," Pavao said.

Jaelle nodded agreement.

"I like the idea of a dark color and for our formal and work uniforms to be the same. The Riss are a simple, unpretentious race, and our dress should reflect that."

"Good idea," Pavao said. "What about rank?"

"We don't have rank. We're all equal."

"True, however, we must interface with the outside world, and they will need to know our positions. You are the Riss leader, some of us are captains, and others are XOs or training to be captains."

"I agree," Jaelle said tentatively. "It's simple when you consider the ten officer ranks in the SAS, and the fact most don't tell you what that person does."

We spent several hours discussing various options and finally decided the color would be dark gray. The uniform would consist of slacks, a long sleeved pullover top with a collar, and soft leather boots with rubber soles. The Riss-human's position would be designated by five-point silver stars on the right sleeve. One star indicating the equivalent of an XO; two stars, one next to the other, a captain; and three stars in a triangular shape the Leader position. On the right shoulder and on the light gray beret, a sunburst badge would be worn. The badge would have an outline of the Mnemosyne and two scrolls: on the top RISS NATION and on the bottom NAVY.

Afterward, Pavao returned to be with Da'Maass when he recovered.

Jaelle went off to Freeland to order the uniforms, and I decided to visit Terril for a workout.

CHAPTER FIVE

Reorganizing the Freeland fleet

The weeks flew by, and according to the feedback from Colonel Seng and Commander Byer, Admiral Wattson was working the assembled fleet hard. He had retired another three captains and was running exercises every other day. He continued to ignore us.

The Mnemosyne and the Eirene had been repaired, and our missiles replenished. Da'Maass appeared to be adapting well and had named his Riss, Adiona—goddess of safe return. He was itching for his first flight, but I’d decided to keep the Riss cruisers in dock to help Wattson keep the focus off the Riss. Pavao left Da'Maass on the Eirene with Alena while she, Commander Byer, and I made several trips to Freeland to check on the progress of the Invincible project. Zann was keeping track of the SAS projects.

Ta'Lona's R&D team had come up with two ideas. The first, a platform they dubbed Dummies, which produced a Light cruiser signature and was armed with fifty-centimeter lasers. The Aliens' missiles and manned fighters would be coming out of a cloud of chaff and looking for the Riss cruiser. The first thing they would see would be a Dummy, and hopefully, they’d be drawn in its direction. The defensive laser systems would destroy some, ECM would force others off course, and the manned fighters, with their attention on the Dummy, would be vulnerable from the rear. The ones that got through would be ramming a Dummy cruiser.

The fighter problem was complicated. The current solution was to provide two 3D optical displays—one forward and one rear—since the fighters could be seen with optics but not radar-like sensors. Not a perfect solution because the pilots now had three panels of information to monitor, but hopefully they would adapt over time.

Pavao, Byer, and I blessed the two solutions.

"Ta'Lona, you and your team have come up with reasonable solutions, and I'm authorizing production of twelve Dummy platforms and optical displays on six Ghosts. However, I want the R&D to continue. Besides, you still haven't solved the fifty and ninety-centimeter laser defense problem."

His mouth dropped open, and he turned a bit pale.

"Relax, Ta'Lona. You and your team did well in a short period of time. We're pleased. I just don't want you to stop looking for new and better solutions."

Ta'Lona smiled. "Thank you, Captain Reese. We will find the solution you see."

* * *

<Admiral Wattson.>

<Comm: connect.> Wattson's face appeared. He had dark circles under his eyes.

"Admiral Wattson, how may I help you?"

"Good morning, Captain Reese. Thank you for maintaining a low profile over the past several months. It has made my task of restoring discipline easier. Your decision to resign from the SAS proved beneficial. The Riss-humans and you in particular were a lightning rod on many levels: hosting a parasite, out of zone promotions, treatment of the clans, etc. And we, the senior officers of the SAS, contributed to the problem by hoping it would go away if we ignored it. I'm sure the problem hasn't been completely resolved, but I believe it’s under control, so I'd like to meet with you and Captain Pavao."

"At your convenience, Admiral."

"How about eighteen hundred hours on the Golden Eagle?"

"Yes, eighteen hundred hours," I said, and he cut the connection.

<Comm: Connection to Eirene.>

<Connected.>

"What's up, Reese?"

"Admiral Wattson is requesting our presence at eighteen hundred hours on the Golden Eagle. He looked tired. Don't forget the Ghost and Scorpion escort."

"Restoring discipline couldn't have been an easy job. The entire fleet on Freeland wanted you court marshaled, discharged, imprisoned, or shot―depending on who you asked." She snorted. "He probably told them you were dishonorably discharged and sent to the penal colony at Cyberus. I’ll meet you there; you're not safe to travel with." She was laughing when she cut the connection.

Jaelle was smiling.

Ignoring her, I activated Byer’s SID.

"Yes, Captain?" he answered immediately.

"Commander, Admiral Wattson has invited me to dinner at eighteen hundred hours."

"Your escort will be ready. By the way, the pilots are excited at the idea of a visual display. They love the Ghosts, but it's difficult acting in concert with their teammates when you can't see them. And it kind of reminds them of the old dog-fight days on earth."

"Thank your team for me. We're making progress. If we can somehow create a system that provides positional information, the Ghosts will truly be the fighters of the future."

* * *

I left early, as the Golden Eagle was an hour's flight away in a shuttle.

"Ma'am, we are being challenged by two Strikers," Lieutenant Lennon, my pilot, said over the loud speaker. "They say this is a restricted area, and we are to return to Freeland or be destroyed."

"Captain Pavao was right. You're not safe to travel with," Terril said. Her grip tightened on the seat rest.

"Inform them this is a Riss shuttle, and ask for their names, as Admiral Wattson will be interested." I waited, hoping they weren't going to cause an incident.

"Not necessary, ma'am. Commander Katlin in Ghost One has given them five seconds to disappear voluntarily. They are turning away."

"Thank the space gods those Ghosts are along." Terril loosened her white-fingered grip. The rest of the trip was uneventful.

When I exited, Lt. Commander Bradshaw stood waiting. "Greeting, Captain Reese. I like your new uniform. I've been informed Captain Pavao is only a few minutes out, if you would like to wait."

"Yes."

Bradshaw looked gorgeous as usual, and I wished I could see him on a regular basis. But I'd bet Wattson had him running night and day. "I guess the Admiral is keeping you busy."

"Yes. It's been educational watching him exert control over the assembled fleet. I knew you encountered a lot of prejudice being a Riss-human, but I hadn't realized the hate and viciousness that went with it. I'm sure the Admiral hasn't eliminated it, but I think he has it more or less under control. He's replaced thirteen Captains and five XOs, and sent twenty-one officers back to Eden for reassignment. Ten were reduced in grade." He hesitated for a moment while looking at his SID. "Captain Pavao and her escort just arrived in the next bay. We can collect them on the way to the Admiral's conference room. Work before dinner." He smiled and led me out of the bay.

"Commander Katlin has an interesting way of waving off intruders," Pavao said as she joined us. "Must be scary being threatened by a fighter you can't see. And to make it worse, Commander Millet, the leader of my escort, chimed in with, Escort one, this is Escort two. Leave one for me."

When we entered the conference room, it was crowded. Wattson stood, which caused all the others to rise. It was comical since the lowest ranking officer in the room was a Rear Admiral.

"Welcome. It's nice to see you. I'm afraid my duties precluded us getting together sooner, but I've heard you've been busy. I called this meeting to share statuses as allies." He paused to stare at Pavao and me. Smiling, he turned to face the group of officers. "I believe everyone knows Captain Reese, who speaks for the Riss, and Captain Pavao. I’d like to introduce my task force leaders. Admirals Osburne, Sakaata, Gebauer, Botos, Modero, Unger, and Quinerly," he said, pointing in each individual's direction as he said their name. "Please help yourself to drinks on the sidebar and be seated."

I met Sakaata at the sidebar as I collected my kaffa.

"Congratulations, Admiral Sakaata."

"Thank you, Reese. I'd like to catch up on what has been happening with you and reminisce about old times. The rumors about you run the gamut."

"I'd like that. And I'll give you a tour of the Mnemosyne." I headed to the empty seat between Wattson and Pavao. I was surprised to see Gebauer sitting across the table from me. He hated the Riss Project, the idea of someone hosting a parasite, and had made my life hell on the Peregrine.

"Reese, I know you and Admiral Gebauer had problems in—"

I held up my hand, interrupting him. "I served with Admiral Gebauer and found him a dedicated and courageous officer. So long as he doesn't object to me joining the fight, I would be proud to fight alongside him." At the battle of Tamerland, Gebauer had showed judgment and courage fighting the Raiders, who had an overwhelming advantage.

"That is very gracious of you, Reese, considering how I treated you on the Peregrine. Your Riss math saved us at Tamerland, and you’ve always done your duty in spite of everything. I would welcome you and the Riss as allies."

"Any other questions or comments before we begin?"

"Yes. Captain Reese, I notice you aren't wearing an SAS uniform, but you're wearing the rank of a Vice Admiral. I hope that doesn't mean you feel you outrank us," Modero said with a snort.

I stopped Wattson from responding. "Admiral Modero, I'm not wearing an SAS uniform because I'm no longer an SAS officer, not active, inactive, or retired. What I'm wearing is a Riss uniform designed for Riss-humans, because we can't run around naked like the Riss." I stopped to let the laughing and side comments stop. "The stars are not rank. The Riss have no rank. We have positions which are all equal. The stars are for your sake, so that you can tell each Riss-human's position. One star is someone in training to be a captain, the equivalent to your XO. Two stars designate a Riss Nation captain. And three stars indicate the position of Leader. And before you jump to the conclusion that the position of Leader is higher than anyone else, you must understand it's merely a position that someone has to fill. For now, the Riss have given the position to me. It's not a position I or any Riss want." I took a sip a kaffa and looked at Wattson.

"Thank you, Leader Reese. I'm sure it was a question on everyone's mind. It's a mind-warping concept that is hard for humans to imagine. All right, down to business. What's the status of the Riss cruisers?"

"The Mnemosyne and the Eirene are repaired and restocked. They are operationally ready. The Minerva could be operational within three to four weeks if we can resume flights. The fourth Riss cruiser could be operational within six month; however, at the present time we don’t have a Captain."

"What about the other Riss-humans: Alena, Elissa, and Jaelle?" Sakaata asked.

"In peacetime, Alena and Jaelle are ready now and Elissa in a year. But they aren't ready for war. They don't have the tactical experience to effectively fight a Riss cruiser."

"Many of our captains are the same, yet we send them to war. I thought the Riss were supposed to be allies," Botos said.

"That is true, but your captains fight in squadrons or task forces and have support. By the nature of our cruisers, we make independent decisions. At Fools Landing, either Captain Pavao or I would have been destroyed if she hadn't been an experienced Captain. Besides, if the Riss lose a cruiser, we will have lost one-fourth of our cruisers and almost seven percent of the Riss population. That is equivalent to the SAS losing twenty cruisers and ten thousand personnel. Would you commit that much to an inexperienced Captain?"

<I'm tired of this.>

<Not think. Confused.>

<These are their leaders.>

<Most not understand. Think overwhelming force.>

"Captain Reese is right. And if we did, we would be stupid," Sakaata said. "I've fought with her. She's neither a coward nor stupid."

"Enough. The Riss are allies, not SAS. They and only they must decide the operational readiness of their cruisers and personnel. The technology alone that they have provided and continue to provide makes them a valuable ally. And at Fools Landing, they accomplished what an SAS task force would have been unlikely to achieve." He looked around the room at each person until they nodded. "Let's get back to business. Admiral Zann, how are our SAS projects coming?"

"Slow but steady. Freeland is running twenty-four hours a day and building new facilities to increase their capacity. To date we’ve modified thirty Sharks, which have been distributed equally among the Hunters in each task force. Three a week are being modified. The new missile panels have been installed in twenty Lights and every Hunter, and the new missiles are available for about twenty percent of the upgraded cruisers. It will be another month before one hundred percent will be available for those currently equipped with the panels."

"What about Symath? I understand it can be used to make extremely accurate jumps," Unger said.

"Yes, it was critical to winning in Tamerland." Gebauer looked at me. "We skipped to within one kilometer of the Raiders’ cruiser and destroyed it.

"Yes, and for providing targeting information for missiles without sensors, which means they are harder to defend against and have a longer effective range. It was a decisive factor at the battle of Elbe," Sakaata added.

"The Riss has shared Symath with the SAS, but like navigational math, it requires extensive training. That is why Riss need to be assigned to each cruiser. They are the only instructors at the present time and would be critical in an engagement, until our Nav and Tac personnel become competent."

"Why aren’t Riss on all our cruisers then?" Modero asked.

Wattson barked, "Because our people don't seem to know friend from foe." He gestured towards Terril and the other Scorpion standing against the wall. "Reese and Pavao must have a security team with them night and day and Ghost escorts when they travel in shuttles. After the last incident, all Riss were recalled for their safety."

"What about now? I think discipline has been restored," Botos put in, frowning.

"You think so? On the way to this meeting, two Striker pilots accosted Leader Reese. If it weren't for her Ghost escort, the space gods only know what would have happened. Reese, those two pilots will be demoted and returned to Eden. And there will be an inquiry to determine whether their Commander was negligent." He paused and took several sips of kaffa. "It's officers like those who degrade our ability to wage war by threatening to drive our allies away. If it hadn't been for Admiral Plimson and Leader Reese's friendship, we would have lost the Riss, their technology, and Freeland's factories."

The room was silent when Wattson finished.

"Reese, you know me, and I hope you trust me. If you will provide Riss for my ships, I—"

"Yes, Admiral Sakaata, I do trust you and Admiral Wattson, yet I can’t ignore being accosted by those two Strikers. Maybe we are expecting too much. Maybe we humans are unable to get past our prejudices even for loyalty to the SAS, threat to home and loved ones, basic humanity, or risk to freedom and life."

<Maybe the answer is for me to resign as Leader.>

<That won't solve the problem, Nadya.> Strong negative feeling from Pavao.

<Cannot resign. Change future.> A feeling of certainty direct from Cethlion through Thalia.

<Can't resign. No one wants position.> An image of me in a pit with hundreds of snakes and many Riss looking down at me.

<Even if it solves the problem?>

<Run away never solve problem. Only make tired.>

"It sounds like you're prejudiced against humans." Quinerly crossed his arms and sneered.

"I have human Scorpions, Sharks, and Intel personnel on the Mnemosyne. I'd trust any one of them with my life without a second thought. And I'd risk my life to save any one of them." I sat staring at the table for some time. "I don't know of a solution, and I don't hear any attempt at one from you. Perhaps another day," I said, rising and heading for the door with Pavao and our security following.

Chaos exploded in the room as the door closed behind us.

<I think you upset a bunch of Admirals.> Pavao sent with a sense of amusement.

<They upset me first.> I said in my defense, feeling like a little girl sulking.

<What do you think they'll do?>

<Blame Riss. It's the easy solution.>

<What will you… we do?>

<What would you do, Nance?>

<Touché. I deserved that. Want to discuss it?>

<I'd like that. My office on the Mnemosyne.>

* * *

In my office, I poured a glass of wine, which I handed to Pavao, then poured myself a cup of kaffa. I wasn’t crazy about wine, and it didn't help me to think.

"Well, Nadya, what now?"

"Wattson will call, want a meeting, and blame the Riss for not cooperating," I said, feeling sorry for myself.

<Giving me headache.>

<I'm sharing.>

"He will expect you to solve the problem. In reality, he has little control. You hold all the cards."

"Would you put a couple of Riss on every cruiser?"

"The Riss may be the key to winning the war or at very least reducing the carnage."

"No or Yes. Which is it?"

"No. "

"The SAS are the key to winning this war. They must adapt if they are to lead. They must demonstrate to the JPU, UFN, Riss, and Freeland that they should lead." I smiled for the first time all day. "We will start a school for Tac and Nav personnel and certify those who show an interest and aptitude towards Symath. And include captains."

"They won't like it." Pavao smirked.

"That's the criteria to get a Riss. If you want one, prove it, " I said.

Pavao laughed.

We were discussing the Invincible project when my SID hummed.

"Nadya, Admiral Wattson on line two."

"Yes, Admiral Wattson," I said as soon as I saw him.

"Reese, I hope you're not thinking of reneging on your agreement with Admiral Plimson."

"No more than your officers."

"The meeting didn't go well. My officers don't know you and aren't sure what to expect. You have us confused."

"We are either accepted as allies and trust each other, or we are allies who don't trust each other. You and your people need to choose. I will abide by your decision and tailor our support of the SAS accordingly."

"I'll get back to you."

* * *

Two days later, Wattson requested a meeting on the Mnemosyne. I couldn't help but wonder if he was a bit nervous over the previous shuttle incident. Only Bradshaw accompanied him.

"Good morning, Admiral Wattson, Commander," I greeted them as they exited their shuttle. My only concession to his rank was that I met him when he arrived. This was a Riss ship, and we didn't have military pomp and ceremony.

"Good morning, Leader Reese."

"Reese, please. I'll give you a tour if you would like," I said. He had been on the Mnemosyne before, but then it hadn't been fully manned.

"I'd like that, but I'd like to have our meeting first, if that's all right with you."

"Afterward, then." I led him to my conference room and got him settled with kaffa.

He took a deep breath before speaking.

"I've had a day-long session with my task force leaders and posed your question to them—allies who trust each other or allies who don't. It shook them. They hadn't viewed the alliance from your perspective. Your two biggest protagonists were Sakaata and Gebauer. I expected Sakaata because you served as her XO, but Gebauer was a surprise. He admits the concept of a human with a parasite upsets him, but he said he would trust you in battle. He also made the point that the Riss technology, especially Symath, would be a huge advantage in war. Anyway, by the end of the meeting, there was unanimous agreement they wanted to be a trusted ally. And they would work to make sure their people understand that any action against you or the Riss would be considered an action against the SAS and would be punished accordingly." Wattson stopped to sip his kaffa and watch me. When I didn't respond, he continued. "Reese, you have to understand that is the best we can do. No one can guarantee some crazy person or paid troublemaker won't cause a problem."

"I understand, and I'm satisfied you’ve taken decisive action to restore discipline and gone out of your way to protect the Riss and the alliance. But prejudice is emotionally driven and can't be eliminated by logic, laws, or the threat of punishment." I held up my hand before he could respond. "Here is what I’m willing to do. We will set up a two-week school for navigation and weapons officers and captains to learn Symath and its applications."

"As I understand it, no one can learn Symath in a few weeks," he said, frowning.

"No, they can't. The two weeks are to identify those personnel who are interested in Symath and demonstrate an ability to master it."

"Why Captains?"

"What good is it if a navigation or weapons officer knows Symath and the captain doesn't believe it’s a viable option in battle?"

"I see your point."

"For those ships where there’s an interest and competent personnel, I will assign two Riss to continue the training and to support them during an engagement."

"You are hoping that will also reduce the overall risk, since the captain and Bridge personnel would support the Riss presence." He nodded. "In a sense, you want to certify people to host Riss on their ships."

"Yes. In addition to reducing the risk, it will preclude assigning Riss, who are in short supply, to ships that don't trust the Riss or their technology and will therefore be reluctant to use it."

We spent the next two hours discussing the details of the training. Wattson would enlist Sakaata and Gebauer to give their battle experiences using Symath and Osburne his taking on a Medusa without Symath.

When he left, I felt comfortable I was keeping my commitment to Plimson to support the SAS and had minimized the risk to the Riss as much as possible. It was probably a good agreement since neither Wattson nor I was completely happy—he wanted Riss on every ship while I wanted them on none.

* * *

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of activity. The training sessions were expanded to include XOs, and backup navigation and weapons officers, and were extended an additional two weeks. The results were as I had anticipated. About thirty percent didn't trust the Riss or Symath. Another thirty percent didn't have the aptitude to master Symath.

"Well, Reese, the results of the training present us with a new problem, actually several." Wattson had called a meeting with his task force leaders, Pavao, and me to discuss the results of the Symath training. "On those ships where anyone qualified, there were few where the Captain, XO, Nav, and Tac officers all qualified. To make it worse, in several cases, a backup Nav or Tac officer qualified but not the primary." He glared at me as if I had caused the problem and then sighed in resignation. "It would be comical if it weren't so serious. We make plans for war, but pretend peacetime prepares us. They send hundreds of senior officers to the War College, but only ten to fifteen percent would make good wartime leaders. Yet, the other eighty-five percent would be leading us in a war. Your training confirms the same is true of our Nav and Tac personnel." He stood, walked over to a sideboard, and poured himself a glass of wine.

"The logical conclusion is that we would lose any battle where we don't have an overwhelming force advantage," Quinerly said, frowning.

"What is so frustrating is that we have the technology to even the odds but lack the personnel to use it," Sakaata said. "I'd bet a task force of Symath qualified cruisers along with a couple of Riss on each ship and the new missiles would be the match for any Alien task force."

"We obviously can't have one task force with Symath qualified cruisers and the others without the technology," Botos said.

"So now that we understand the problem, how do we distribute our resources?" Wattson asked, back in instructor mode.

The discussions went on until almost dawn. In the end, the task force leaders moved people around so that each ship had a Symath qualified team—Captain, XO, Nav, and Tac—or none. Several backup Nav and Tac personnel were promoted to complete the teams. When it was finalized, twenty-three ships, three or four in each task force, had Symath crews. And I agreed to provide two Riss for each of those ships.

* * *

While the training was being conducted, Wattson assigned Sakaata's task force to conduct exercises with the Minerva, which gave Da'Maass an opportunity to qualify to captain a Riss cruiser. The first two exercises, he watched. The next two, he acted as XO to Pavao. On the subsequent exercises, he commanded the Minerva.

"Well, Damaass, how do you like the Minerva?" I had asked him to change the clan pronunciation, which emphasized the Da, to reduce the direct association with the clan. He was too ecstatic to care.

"I'm in love with her and Adiona. The ship feels alive, the crew a part of me, and Adiona an angel." He smiled ear to ear. "I feel like I've died and gone to where the gods live."

"Captain Sakaata's task force thinks you're a dybbuk." Pavao laughed. "She said something to the effect of, that damn captain seems to know what we are thinking."

The exercises had pitted a Riss cruiser against three of Sakaata's task force cruisers. It was impossible for them to win if we used stealth mode, so the exercises had required the Minerva to use at least four engines and keep the radar active. Her task force had won two of the last five, but not without significant losses. I had Alena, Jaelle, and Elissa taking turns at being Damaass's XO during the exercises.

"I think Lajos does know what they are thinking," Alena said, using Damaass's first name.

"To win, you must know your opponent, and yes, get into his mind. First, you must determine if he’s good or not. Once you know that, you know the probable reactions to your moves and his probable tactics. It's a game where the stakes are your life, but you cannot think of that—only of the game." He raised his glass and emptied almost half.

"Damaass is right. It is more than just experience. It's an ability to see your and your opponent's options and to anticipate what he will do. One should never depend upon overwhelming force or luck."

"No, you proved that at both Yamhill and Elbe… Nadya. The clan had overwhelming force, yet we lost to our dybbuk—she was in our minds." Damaass laughed and finished his wine but didn't reach to refill it.

"Damaass, your position is now Captain of the Minerva. Congratulations."

* * *

"I've just received word from Admiral Stenberg. He has contacted the leaders of the UFN and JPU, and they agreed to meet to discuss an alliance and strategy for dealing with the Aliens. The meeting is scheduled ten days from today at Hayjar in the Papak sector of the JPU. Stenberg suggested no nation bring more than two cruisers to the meeting. Although Hayjar is a small JPU military station, the JPU has agreed to keep its cruisers docked during the meeting." I nodded toward Pavao. "Nance, I'd like you to stay here and work with the others on tactics. I believe Sakaata will be the senior Admiral and in charge of the task forces. Maybe you can get the other task forces to participate. The exercises are much better than a simulator."

"Are you taking Damaass to the meeting?"

"No. The agreement is that only one representative and an advisor from each nation will be present for the initial conference. But Damaass is still controversial, so it’s better if he accompanies me to Hayjar, rather than stay here alone."

Pavao nodded agreement. I had also decided to leave Alena, feeling that the practice would be better than accompanying me. In reality, a Riss cruiser didn't require an XO.

CHAPTER SIX

Attempting to form an Alliance

The trip to Hayjar took six days. With nothing to do, I visited each of the sections several times.

"Well, Commander Iglis, how are your new responsibilities?" I asked as I entered the Intel unit and found her talking with Master Chief Drock.

"Captain Reese," Iglis said as she straightened slightly.

Drock already stood ramrod straight. He nodded.

"It's great; I get to see what is happening throughout the fleet. I feel like an Admiral."

"You probably would be, except Admiral Butler would have to take you off the Mnemosyne and put you on the Golden Eagle."

"The Captain's right, Commander. Even Commander Willis on the Eagle reports to you. Of course, then he wouldn’t know what was going on with the Riss, and he likes Captain Reese and you together as a team," Drock said with a smile. "Admiral Butler didn't get to be a Vice Admiral without being sneaky."

"I'm happy just the way things are," Iglis said, almost to herself. "Captain, what can I do for you?"

"Anything interesting happening that you can talk about?" I asked as we headed for her office.

"Most chatter is about Admiral Wattson and morale," Iglis said as she closed the door then hesitated, looking towards Terril, who was standing back against the wall. My other guard had stayed at the entrance to the unit.

"Ignore her. She doesn't listen."

After a minute, Iglis nodded. "Feelings are mixed, although I believe most of the feedback is positive. A lot of officers were promoted as a result of the… changes he's made. Of course, some don't like the fact he's forcing senior officers to retire or sending them back to Eden. It has put everyone on notice that Wattson won't tolerate any deviation from orders, and it's lessened the talk about the Riss. Although, Da'Maass commanding a Riss cruiser has been controversial. If you hadn’t resigned, I think it could have had major consequences. Now that the Riss are seen as a separate nation apart from the SAS, the impact is less." Iglis paused and looked away for a minute. "Even I had my doubts, and Butler has been particularly interested in him. I'm careful—"

"Iglis, don't hold anything back from Butler. We have nothing to hide. If we are to effectively support the SAS, we need experienced Captains. As leader of the Riss, I tell you no Riss-human or Riss will ever betray the SAS."

My next stop was Commander Byer, who I found in his office.

"Good morning, Captain Reese. Bored, or just needing the exercise?" He rose smiling as I entered and waved to a thermos sitting on a small table. "Kaffa?"

"Both," I said, pouring a cup and sitting. "I'm going to put the ship on Standby when we leave the wave and while we are in Hayjar. I don't want anyone to get nervous. It won't be because of any threat, just out of precaution. Everyone is rightfully jumpy with an Alien invasion and meeting with nations they have been at war with for generations. Besides, the Mnemosyne could be mistaken for an Alien ship. Alien invader, not just alien." I gave a short laugh, realizing the Riss were aliens.

"I'll make sure everyone is aware of your reasons. What do you think will happen at the meeting?"

"I think the JPU and UFN will want proof of the Aliens. I would."

"Fools Landing?"

"I think so." I nodded. The JPU knew something had happened at Baraz and Alborz but not specifically what. They would also want to see proof it wasn't the SAS or UFN.

"I agree," Byer nodded agreement. When I left, he was heading to call a meeting of his unit.

"It will be interesting to see what the JPU and UFN think of Riss-humans and the Riss as a nation," Terril said as we walked towards the army area.

"Yes, since they paid big credits for Riss hides, and offered even more for a Riss-human." I remembered the stories Zann told me about the early days on Saipha.

<Yes. Dark days.>

<And not too long ago, a Riss-human was worth a small fortune in the JPU.>

<The unusual, scarce always prized.>

<Still?>

<Always.>

Seng stood talking with Master Sergeant Villard, who had assumed Terril's responsibilities when she was on my detail.

"Good morning, Captain. Come to work out or on business?"

"A little of both. Wanted to let you know I will have the ship on Standby while in Hayjar. Not because of any threat but as a precaution because everyone will be nervous, what with the talk of Aliens and the history between the three nations."

"And the Riss."

"Yes, another Alien nation," I smiled at the irony. "I think I'll work out for a while. It will be several hours before we exit the Wave." I changed and spent a few hours teaching and working with Terril, then ate lunch before returning to the Bridge.

<Leader: Exiting Wave one hour.>

<Comm: Announce Standby, stealth mode.>

Lights flashed blue, and SIDs displayed the text, Attention. Condition Standby. Stealth mode. Exiting Wave fifty-eight minutes.

I sat wondering what surprises the upcoming meeting had in store.

* * *

The Golden Eagle had exited first as a precaution, in case someone managed to detect us exiting the Wave and thought it was the Aliens. We followed in the Eagle's wake, decelerating towards the agreed-upon meeting coordinates. Four cruisers were there when we arrived.

<Comm: Connect me to the Minerva.>

<Connected.>

Damaass's bushy, smiling face appeared. "Nadya. Feels strange calling you by your first name. What can I do for you?"

"Keep the Minerva in stealth mode and on Standby."

"Expecting trouble?"

"Being cautious. Everyone is nervous, and we are aliens, who were worth millions of credits not too long ago."

"Strange thought, being considered an alien." He paused, then smiled. "If we removed the Rh tattoo..."

"I used to hate the tattoo and wished I could get rid of it because of the fear and hate it caused. But now, I wouldn't. It identifies me as Riss, and it makes me proud."

<High-Riss.>

<Yes, high-Riss.>

"I understand. We're unique and special. Have fun at the meeting." Damaass broke the connection.

<Comm: Connect to the Eagle.>

<Connected.>

Shortly afterward, Captain Dannatt's face appeared. "Captain Reese, what can I do for you?"

"I’ll be leaving in a few minutes for the Eagle. I’d like to go to the meeting with Admiral Wattson. For now, I'd like to avoid coming out of stealth mode. It might provoke an unwanted response."

"I can see your point. It is ugly." He laughed. "For your information, the first meeting will be on the Eagle." He cut the connection.

I left the Bridge with two scorpions following. When we arrived at the Shuttle, Terril stood waiting with a smile on her face.

"Attractive, isn't it?" She turned her head so I could see the Rh Doctor Dayton had tattooed on her cheek. Dayton had done the same thing at Hephaestus for the students of my Peoples Dynamics class, to give them a firsthand experience at prejudice. The tattoo was real but shallow and could be removed in an hour. I entered and handed her a Riss uniform.

"Get changed." I knew the JPU and UFN weren't going to let a guard, armed or not, into the meeting. And I knew Terril wasn't going to let me go without her, so we decided she would attend as my advisor. She stood examining the uniform before changing.

"Not very stylish and no place for weapons," she said as she sat.

"Do you need weapons?" I grinned.

"Depends upon what the others bring to the party. Whether I do or not, it feels like I'm naked."

I could hear the two scorpions behind us snort. We were each lost in thought as we entered the Eagle's shuttle bay. Admiral Stenberg and his aide, Commander Olson, stood waiting as we exited.

"Welcome aboard the Eagle, Leader Reese," Stenberg said, looking hard at Terril. "Advisor?"

"Terril."

"Isn't she… Oh, I see. Commander Olson will take you to Admiral Wattson's conference room. Your Scorpion guards will be taken to the army area to wait until you're ready to leave. I need to stay and welcome the JPU and UFN delegation. They are en route and should be here within the next half hour."

"This way, please," Olson said as he led us out of the bay.

"Anything exciting been happening, Commander Olson?"

"No, Admiral Stenberg has been doing all the work, making arrangements for today's meeting and setting up the protocol. Except for your guards, all others will remain with their shuttles. Each delegation will have a live connection to their cruiser the entire time they are on board. Any leader may call for a break or adjournment at any time. The next meeting will be hosted by the UFN and the subsequent one by the JPU." He smiled. "I do have one bit of news for you. Admiral Wattson gave Commander Bradshaw the position of XO on the Eurasian."

I was delighted for Sean. He had earned the promotion, although I would have loved for him to be here. Still, that would have been a distraction neither he nor I could afford right now.

When we reached the conference room, two Scorpions stood guard in the hallway. Olson also stayed in the hallway when Terril and I entered.

"Well, Reese, who's your…" Wattson took a few steps towards Terril, then stopped. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I thought you might have brought Pavao." He gave a short laugh. "Who's in the other cruiser?"

"Damaass. I thought it better to bring him than leave him at Freeland."

"I see your reasoning, but he makes me nervous. This meeting is crucial to winning the war. Any—"

"Damaass is a Riss-human. As such, you can trust him to support the SAS. He is neither a hothead nor foolish, and he understands loyalty—better than most."

"Here." He handed me an SID. "You want a connection to Damaass?"

"Yes."

"Captain Dannatt, connect Leader Reese's Sid to the Minerva." He paused, staring at me. "It's connected."

"Yes, Leader?" Damaass's face appeared on the screen.

"The protocol requires each nation to have a live connection while they are on board the Eagle. If the connection is broken, you will declare Battle Stations on the Minerva and Mnemosyne and use your discretion on how best to support Admiral Wattson, SAS, and the Riss."

"Yes, Leader. I understand."

As I finished two men in Black uniforms entered. The one who entered first stood a good head taller than Wattson. He surveyed the room, stopping to examine each of us. His narrow face was a mask, but his eyes were not friendly. The man accompanying him was shorter and a little overweight. His stare seemed more of an evaluation than a challenge.

Immediately afterward, a man and a woman entered. The man resembled Wattson in height and build. He had a well-trimmed beard and gave us little more than a glance. The woman was tall, thin, and spent several seconds evaluating each person in the room.

Stenberg entered last and closed the door.

"On the side table, there are plaques with your names and SIDs—System Interface Devices—which we've connected to your cruiser. If you would please: collect them, verify your connection, and have a seat, I will do the introductions," Stenberg said, pointing to the table.

It took several minutes for everyone to get seated, check their connection, and stop their side discussions.

When they did, Stenberg stood. "Your host today is Admiral Wattson." He nodded in his direction. "He is the SAS Fleet Admiral, who will direct the SAS fleet against the Aliens. I'm his designated advisor. To his right is First Fleet Admiral Salazan, the head of the JPU Navy."

Salazan gave a sharp nod. His black hair, narrow clean-shaven face, and black uniform combined with his predatory eyes to give him an assassin-like appearance. His shoulder boards were black with five red six-point stars, and his sleeve held a five-centimeter red band. From his neck, a red cross hung from a black ribbon. In contrast, his advisor's uniform had no shoulder boards or ribbons, only a two-centimeter red band with two half-wreaths forming a circle with a sword in the middle pointing down toward the band. Both men had dark olive complexions.

"His advisor is Nelem. To his right are the UFN Imperial Fleet Admiral Zhu, and his advisor, Xun."

In contrast to Salazan, Zhu was a thin frail-looking man with thinning gray hair and a goatee. He wore a white uniform with yellow shoulder boards that had three gold star clusters and a gold wreath with a red star in the middle. On the sleeve was one four centimeter gold band with a red cruiser. Around his neck, a five-point star on a star cluster hung from a red ribbon with a gold border. His advisor was a tall thin woman whose only decoration was two red dragons on one collar.

"To the right of advisor Xun is Leader Reese, speaker for the Riss nation, and her advisor, Terril."

Terril and I had on dark gray uniforms. On my sleeve were three silver five-point stars in a triangle, and on the shoulder sat a sunburst with an outline of the Mnemosyne in the center with two scrolls saying Riss Nation and Navy. The only decoration on Terril's uniform was a red rectangle with a black scorpion patch on the sleeve.

It was interesting that Stenberg didn't mention the rank or position of the advisors. I suspect that except for Terril, he didn't know.

"If there are no objections, I would suggest Admiral Wattson begin by describing the SAS's encounters with the Aliens." Stenberg looked at each person and receiving no objections, nodded to Wattson.

"When we noticed that several solar systems were becoming black holes in a sense—ships going to them never returned, ships weren't leaving, and the Comstats were no longer operational—we suspected the problem was spreading like a disease. But the normal causes did not appear to fit what was happening. The only explanation left was that we were being invaded by some nation other than the four of us."

"Why?" Zhu asked.

"Because none of the logical explanations fitted. Disease wouldn't stop the use of the Comstat, or ships from coming and going. Likewise, raiders might destroy the Comstat and ships in the system to delay discovery, but they would leave, and sooner or later word would get out. And an invasion by the SAS, JPU, or UFN made no sense. The SAS wouldn't attack Fools Landing or Fools Hope if we wanted to expand into the JPU. Likewise, the JPU wouldn't attack Barak and Alborz if they planned to expand into the SAS. And the UFN wouldn't attack systems so far away from their space or want a war with the combined forces of SAS and JPU. Hence, we knew we were being invaded by a new enemy, one who was powerful enough to quarantine four systems." Wattson stopped and sipped his kaffa. When no one said anything, he continued. "Since they were quarantining systems in the SAS and the JPU, they didn't appear to have a star map of either nation, but must have been following ships. In an attempt to test our hypothesis, we sent one Riss Light and an SAS hunter to Kamboja to wait to see what happened. They found the next merchant ship had an Alien scout ship following. The Alien ship stayed several days collecting information. When we tried to contact the ship, it attempted to flee the system. We lost two fighters and sustained significant damage to two others trying to stop it. While the scout ship supported no missiles, it had fifty-centimeter lasers and a very accurate automatic defensive system. After it lost power, we sent a team to investigate. They found only robots."

"What do you mean, robots?" Salazan asked.

"Metal robots. There was no organic material in the robots or the ship."

"Robots ran the ship?"

"Yes. We concluded they were an advanced civilization, judging by their technology, which is far beyond anything the SAS could produce today or in the near future."

Everyone seemed to agree, judging by the whispered side conversations and looks on their faces.

"We then decided to test the capability of our ships against theirs. Again, we stationed ships at selective systems to await one of the Aliens' scout ships. When one arrived at Zigzag, we let it leave, anticipating the Aliens would return with a force to occupy the system. They did. They sent three Light cruisers—not to be confused with small. They are nasty ships with four missile tubes, which spit out missiles every thirty seconds and have ten fighters, which they use as manned missiles. We lost two Light cruisers. A third had significant damage, and a Hunter and a Heavy were also damaged during the engagement. Again they were manned only with robots."

"You're telling us robots in Light cruisers were a match for your task force?" Salazan sneered.

"Yes, I am, and it gets worse. We then decided to see the force they would send to occupy a solar system after it had been neutralized. So we sent two Riss cruisers in stealth mode to Fools Landing and an outdated Light cruiser as bait. We discovered a mother ship, which we've named a Medusa because it has the capacity to hold twelve of their Light cruisers, has thirty-six missile tubes, and an equal number of fifty and ninety centimeter lasers."

"How do you know this?" Zhu asked.

"Judging from your account of your poor showing at Zigzag, either the Riss are guessing or making excuses for running if there are Aliens at all. Probably, it's a small group from a system we are unaware," Salazan said with a snort.

I decided to say nothing since I couldn't disprove his contention without physical proof.

"Well then, Admiral Salazan, what happened to the task force you sent to Baraz?" Wattson asked. "Have they returned?"

Salazan’s face flashed anger, almost too fast to notice, before turning hard. "If a couple of those Light cruisers have inflicted the same damage on his task force as on yours, then my senior Captain is too embarrassed to return until he has repaired his ships. When he does, he will no longer be a senior Captain. We do not tolerate incompetence." He sneered in my direction.

<Nice man.>

<Thinks with ego.> Image of him standing in front of a mirror flexing his biceps.

"I would be interested in hearing Leader Reese's account of her encounter with the Aliens at Fools Landing," Zhu said after Xun whispered something to him.

"Our decoy brought a warning from the Aliens to continue on to Fools Landing or be destroyed. Instead, our decoy fired missiles at the Medusa and turned back towards the Wave. The Aliens released three cruisers to intercept it. When the Mnemosyne interceded, the Medusa sent three more. At that point, the Eirene interceded, and the Medusa responded by sending two after it. We destroyed them and afterward the Medusa with a hit-and-run skips," I said, directing my comments to Zhu.

Salazan pointed a finger at me. "You're a liar. A coward who ran from a few Light cruisers!"

His advisor's face never changed, but he had been evaluating me as I talked.

<A dangerous man.>

<Yes. Salazan Angry. Nelem emotionless.>

<Zhu, Xun?>

<Zhu curious. Xun like Terril.>

<Special forces?>

<Yes.>

Salazan shouted, "The Riss are just dumb animals! Their only value is their fur hides. And the infected humans are pretending for their benefit that the Riss are intelligent."

Stenberg looked to be about to say something when I put up my hand. A confrontation would solve nothing.

Wattson merely sat studying me—still the tactician evaluating his students, which in this case included everyone at the table.

Zhu said with a slight smile, "Sounds unbelievable and contradictory, Leader Reese. The SAS could barely handle three of the Aliens’ Light cruisers with three Lights, a Hunter, and a Heavy. Yet, with two cruisers you claim to have defeated eight and a… Medusa."

"As unbelievable as a robot being a host for an intelligent mind, Fleet Admiral?" I asked.

"Nonsense!" Salazan shouted.

Zhu sat quietly, eyes closed and expressionless like an ancient Buddhist monk. Strangely, no one seemed interested in disturbing him.

<Quiet mind.>

<A match for Wattson.>

It was a long time before Wattson spoke. "An intriguing thought, Leader Reese. Something only one with an intelligent parasite would deduce. If true, it would explain much, including the reason for a Medusa, and the reason you seek an alliance." He stroked his goatee. "I believe you. Captain Huang, commanding the Imperial, has been searching for your Riss cruisers ever since the SAS exited the Wave. If he doesn't find them soon, his hair will be as thin and gray as mine. Of course, Xun and perhaps others would like proof." He smiled.

"The Riss have ships here!" Salazan glared at me and turned to Nelem. "Find them!"

Nelem activated the SID he had been given and spoke into it for several minutes, then shook his head at Salazan.

Wattson interrupted before Salazan could respond. "You're right, Imperial Fleet Admiral Zhu. The story is hard to believe, but the proof, a destroyed Medusa, rests in the Fools Landing system."

Stenberg jumped to his feet before anyone could respond. "I suggest an hour's break before dinner is served. We set aside rooms for you to rest and refresh yourself." He went to the door and ushered in several Lieutenants, then introduced one to Salazan and Nelem, who left immediately.

Zhu ignored Stenberg and came over to me. "Leader Reese, my advisor informs me that she and your advisor have much in common."

"Imperial guard?"

"Yes, and her?"

"Elite commandos."

"How about Nelem?"

"Secret service."

"Yes, that is what Xun thought. And you?"

"I serve at the pleasure of the Riss," I said.

Zhu nodded and followed a red-headed lieutenant out the door with Xun following on full alert.

"She reminds me of Master Wei," Terril said, watching them leave.

I nodded. "It's interesting. No one brought an advisor."

* * *

Admiral Salazan seemed angry and distracted during dinner and said little.

Zhu, on the other hand, was interested in the Riss, the Riss-human project, and the Riss culture. He was a good listener, and I judged him perceptive by his questions.

Midway through dinner, SIDs began buzzing and the screens flashing red, indicating an urgent message.

"Yes," I said, looking at r-Asdis.

"Three Medusas exited the Wave," his voice box exclaimed.

"Inform Byer, Seng, and Iglis. Inform Damaass to maintain ship Standby and stealth mode."

"My senior captain informs me three unknown ships of war just entered the system. I have activated the single Heavy and six Light cruisers on Hayjar. We’ll show you the superiority of the JPU Navy."

"Reese?" Wattson said, looking at me.

"I doubt we can convince navy captains to surrender. They would think it cowardly—"

"Surrendering would be the coward’s way," Salazan sneered.

"But if anyone from this delegation is killed, it will preclude any chance of an alliance. The governments will not trust the survivors."

"What do you suggest, Leader Reese?" Zhu asked.

"Since we can't stop them from fighting, I think you and Admiral Wattson should direct your cruisers to support the JPU fleet in the upcoming battle. And the delegation should accompany me back to the Mnemosyne to witness the Aliens in action."

"The cowardly Riss aren't going to join us. Why would we want an alliance with cowards?" Salazan said loudly.

"The term coward means nothing to the Riss, Fleet Admiral Salazan. We will not participate today because it’s suicidal and will not change the outcome. Even if we could win eventually, which we can't, the scout ship sitting by the Wave entrance will return with reinforcements. You can't call for reinforcements, since by now, your Comstat has been destroyed."

"Nelem?" Salazan looked to his advisor.

After speaking on his SID, Nelem nodded. "Captain Abbassi confirms the Comcast is down."

"Nelem, we are returning to the Hammerhead,"

"No!" I said, looking at Wattson.

Terril stepped in front of me as Salazan took a step toward me.

Xun began to move toward Terril and me, but Zhu touched her arm, stopping her.

"Why, Leader Reese? Will you kidnap us?" Zhu's voice was quiet.

"If that will keep you from committing suicide, then yes. This alliance is the humans' only chance of repulsing the Aliens. And without you three, there will be no alliance."

"Captain Dannatt, cut all outgoing connections, now," Wattson said into his SID, then looked towards Saladan and Zhu. "Sorry, but I agree with Leader Reese. I will direct my two cruisers to support Fleet Admiral Salazan's plan of attack, but agree we should reconvene on the Mnemosyne. "

"I find wisdom in Leader Reese's proposal. If you agree, Fleet Admiral Salazan, I too will order my ships to follow your direction. If Leader Reese is right, we will live to fight again. If our combined forces prevail, then she must answer for kidnapping us."

Salazan stood silent for several minutes, glaring in my direction, then smiled. "I agree."

Wattson, Salazan, and Zhu spent the next two hours positioning the assembled ships and ensuring Dannatt and Huang understood that Captain Abbassi would be the senior Captain in the upcoming battle. While they worked out the strategy for the upcoming battle, I had Dannatt connect me to the Mnemosyne.

"r-Galene, contact Commanders Byer and Iglis and Colonel Seng to meet my shuttle. I'm bringing guests. Tell Colonel Seng to bring six Scorpions for guard duty for our guests and to call Ship Alert as a precaution. The ship will remain on Standby for now. And get me a connection to the Eirene."

"Connected."

"Yes, Leader. I see we have company. Glad I'm not on the Asp."

"Damaass, we are not staying for the party. I'm transferring the delegation to the Mnemosyne. We will stay only to watch, while slowly moving towards the Wave to Fools Landing. If we can locate the scout, we can consider destroying it before we leave. Brief your human units and remain in Standby. Right now, the priority is the safety of the delegation."

"Yes, Leader. I will let you know if I find the scout. If not, see you in Fools Landing." He cut the connection.

When they finished, we made our way to the shuttle bay, where Salazan and Zhu directed their shuttles and guards back to their ships. Everyone was quiet as we made our way towards the Mnemosyne.

"Is that the Mnemosyne? It's the ugliest cruiser I've ever seen," Salazan said, peering out the window. "It's a joke."

"Captain Huang would be very distressed to find you were only a hundred kilometers away from the Imperial," Zhu said, smiling.

<The man is unshakable.>

<Like Riss.> Image of Buddha, a Riss and Zhu sitting side-by-side, lotus style.

When we arrived, Byer and Seng were waiting with a detail of eight Scorpions.

"Commander Byer, Commander Iglis, Colonel Seng, our guests are Fleet Admirals Salazan and Zhu and their advisors Nelem and Xun. You know Admirals Wattson and Stenberg," I said, pointing to each in turn. "They are each to be assigned a Scorpion while they are here. Gunny Terril will provide the security on the Bridge. The Ship Alert is for security reasons, and we are in Standby rather than Battle Stations since we do not anticipate entering the upcoming battle. This delegation is far too important to risk." I waited for the three to nod.

When Seng glanced towards Wattson and Stenberg, I nodded yes—they too were guests of the Riss. At the moment, several Riss were in the bay, working on one of the shuttles and drawing the attention of the delegation.

"Given the circumstances, I'll dispense with a tour for now, and we will proceed directly to the Bridge." I led the way with Terril and another Scorpion directly behind me, and Terril on her SID arranging for additional Scorpions for the Bridge. As we walked, I heard Zhu speaking to Xun, loud enough to be heard.

"I understand why the Riss would be hunted like wild beasts. Because they don't look like us, we would have trouble imagining them being intelligent," Zhu said. "An inherent fault of humans."

"I understand why Leader Reese doesn't want to fight, with these beasts running the ship. Need humans to do the real work." Salazan sneered. "Look at them. They lived wild because they weren’t smart enough to build anything, and since they can't speak, how were we to know they had some limited intelligence?"

Because I ignored him, I think Wattson and Stenberg remained silent.

<And he thinks the Riss are stupid?>

<Agrees with self.>

When we entered the Bridge, we met a stunned silence.

"Please sit, and strap yourself in. The VTM in the center will keep you up to date on the activity. " I took the Captain's chair.

<Helm. Engines one and three. Half speed.>

<Half speed. Engines one and three.>

<All: Stealth mode.>

<Nav: Plot a vector to the Wave to Fools Landing.>

<one-one-eight by zero-five-seven.>

<Helm: execute vector.>

As I gave directions, the VTM and monitors came to life. The VTM showed three large, red bubbles for the Medusas with tags M1, M2, and M3. Then white bubbles tagged RM, RE, S1, S2, U1, U2, and J1 through J9. The Heavies' bubbles were slightly larger than the others.

As the hours passed, the two groups inched closer together, until there was only five light-seconds separation.

<Medusa broadcasting wide band message.>

<Comm: Display on your monitor, send to attached units’ monitors, and put it on the Bridge speakers.>

"People of Hayjar, the Supreme Council of the Gods placed Hayjar under permanent quarantine. We are here to enforce their decree. You will be allowed twelve hours to return to the space station and abandon your spaceships. At the end of that time, the space station and all spaceships will be destroyed. From now on, you are restricted to the surface of Hayjar and forbidden from flying any object. Violating these restrictions will have severe consequences."

The message continued to repeat every five minutes.

I heard Salazan snort and whisper something to Nelem.

Over the next two hours, the unified JPU, UFN, and SAS forces executed Salazan's plan, forming a crescent formation facing and partly enclosing the Medusas. An hour later, they began a unified attack. As the attack began, small dots began appearing on the VTM tagged M11, M12... M21, M22... M31 M32… until M1 through M3 had discharged eight Light cruisers each. For the next hour, the battle raged on.

Slowly, tagged bubbles disappeared, indicating they had been destroyed or, at very least, lost power. J4, M13, M15, M21 were the first to disappear. Salazan had a smile on his face, probably thinking the JPU cruisers were proving superior. Over the next half hour, he gave me frequent sneers as J5, M28, J6, M31, M37, S2, M17, M32, U2, M14 Disappeared. All eyes were glued to the VTM. The humans had lost five Lights and the Aliens nine, which was a decent performance, except the Aliens' cruisers outnumbered the humans twenty-four to thirteen, and the Medusa could have another twelve in reserve plus, there were three Medusas, which could pump out ninety-six missiles every thirty to forty-five seconds.

Another hour crawled by as more tags disappeared.

When U2, M11, J3, M26, M28, M34, J7, M35, M33, M27, and M25 disappeared, Salazan shouted,  "See? The JPU will triumph! "

Only minutes later, J1 disappeared.

"No!" Salazan screamed as his Heavy blinked out.

No one said anything as the carnage continued and the Medusa moved closer and within missile range. Over time, tags M38, M12, J2, U1, J8, M36, and finally S1 disappeared.

<Helm. Engines one, three, seven. Half speed.>

<Half speed. Engines one, three, seven.>

I sat, wanting to scream, to beat my fist against the chair, to cry.

<A waste of over four thousand men. For what?>

<Ego.>

"Terril, clear the Bridge. The grand demonstration of human superiority is over."

An hour later, Damaass sent a tight beam message to me.

"Located scout."

"Take no action. Meet us in Fools Landing."

* * *

Two days into the Wave, Wattson asked for a meeting of the delegation. I contacted the Scorpion guards, and an hour later, we met in my conference room. I stood off to the side as people began to arrive.

Zhu and Xun were the first. He smiled and walked over to me.

"Being on the Mnemosyne is like being in another world. I never knew war could be so peaceful." He held up his hand to stop me responding.

I wasn't sure what I would've said. In a way, he was right. The Bridge with my Riss-sisters was a peaceful place even in war.

"Yes, the loss of so many was a terrible waste of human life, but unfortunately, necessary. Just as kidnapping us was necessary, if we are to form an alliance." Zhu shrugged. I could do nothing but nod. He was right.

"I thank you for allowing Xun and I to tour level three. We spent several hours there. It helped to quiet our minds after the loss of so many friends and comrades."

"The Riss are an outdoor race. To them, a cruiser is like being in a cage. Level three is a sanctuary."

"I find it interesting that you allow humans to use it."

"This is a Riss ship. We are all equal."

"An interesting concept. I would like to talk with you, if you can find time to satisfy an old man's curiosity," Zhu said just as Wattson and Stenberg arrived.

Xun had remained quiet but attentive.

As Zhu went to get something to drink, Wattson and Stenberg approached.

"Reese, I object to a guard on Stenberg and me. We are allies."

"Consider them an honor guard. They are there to help you find your way, provide quick access to me, and make the others feel they are not being discriminated against, making you and them equal. The SAS did not kidnap them. The Riss did. The SAS stayed to fight. The Riss didn't." I paused while they came to grips with my explanation. "You and I know Colonel Seng and Commander Byer will obey any order you give them. So if you wish to be in charge, tell Seng you don't want the guards." I turned, and fetched myself a kaffa, and sat.

<Minds have conflicting emotions.>

<Me or them?>

<Everyone. Except Zhu.>

Salazan and Nelem entered just as I sat. All the individual guards remained in the hallway, except for Terril and two Scorpions.

"Where are we being taken?" Salazan asked. He seemed more subdued today.

"We are on our way to Fools Landing and should arrive in two days. There, you may tour the Medusa and one of their Light cruisers, and I will answer any questions you have. After that, you are free to leave, and I will take you anywhere you want."

"Admiral Wattson, we have much to discuss. I am convinced the threat is real, and I'm interested in forming an alliance with the SAS, and JPU if they are interested. If not, then with the SAS and their Riss allies." Zhu said.

"I'm willing to discuss an alliance with the UFN and the SAS," Salazan said.

<Angry. Embarrassed.>

<Another Captain Gardner?>

<Possibly.>

* * *

For the next two days, the group met several times each day. Much time was spent discussing what we knew about the Aliens and the size of their forces as they found, quarantined, and occupied a system. When they moved on to trying to determine the most likely spread of the Aliens within the JPU, SAS, and UFN, I had Commander Iglis included in the discussions. Afterward, they attempted to extrapolate the size of the Aliens’ forces for each potentially vulnerable system, based upon its size and defensive strength. Hayjar had provided another information point, since it was the first military base attacked. They decided a scout had visited prior to the delegation’s arrival, and the force they encountered was the initial quarantine force.

"If you knew a scout ship was in system and where it was, why didn't you destroy it? It will have gathered valuable information about all our cruisers," Wattson asked, looking angry. "The Medusas may have assumed the scout would report the action. In that case, the Aliens still wouldn't have knowledge of our capability."

"Surprise is our best defense," I said, repressing a smile at everyone's open-mouth reaction. "Based on our performance at Hayjar, they will assume we will be easy to defeat. Had we destroyed all of their Light cruisers or taken out one of their Medusas, I would have destroyed the scout."

Salazan glared at me but said nothing.

Zhu nodded agreement.

"Perhaps you're right, Reese. Based upon what happened, it’s obvious they didn't need a third Medusa. That may well influence their future decisions to our benefit."

* * *

We arrived at Fools Landing the next day and spent three full days touring the Medusa and one of the Light cruisers that was too heavily damaged to be worth towing back to Freeland. The first day, I accompanied the group, since I had never been on a Medusa. Pavao had been the one to examine it while I ensured the cruisers were nonfunctional. The second and third days, I stayed on the Mnemosyne.

"Wattson and Stenberg weren't too happy you insisted on Scorpion guards for them," Terril said while she, Damaass, and I sat drinking kaffa in the privacy of my office.

"Riss ship, Riss rules," I said, grinning.

"Wattson could order Seng to take over the ship. He… and I would have to obey."

"As you should, Terril. At least we would be together."

"What do you mean?"

"Who would fly the Mnemosyne to a port?" I asked. Damaass roared with laughter.

"This is a Riss ship which requires knowledge of Symath. Who on board is capable of making Navigational computations? The Army? Shark pilots? Intel? And what would happen on Freeland with Wattson and Leader Reese gone?"

Damaass took a sip of kaffa. "Terrible stuff, this kaffa. What’s next, Leader?"

"I don't know. Salazan is a problem. He believes in overwhelming force, people following orders to the letter, and being supreme leader. Wattson is a skilled tactician, but his senior officers will limit his effectiveness if he can't control them. Zhu may be even better based on what I've observed. Of course, I don't know the extent of his control over his senior officers."

"That leaves you, dybbuk." Damaass actually looked serious.

I laughed.

Terril choked, spitting out the kaffa she had just sipped.

"Even if I were the right person, which I'm not, there is too much prejudice against the Riss. Too many consider the Riss aliens and not trustworthy. All I know is that the fate of the human race may well depend on who emerges as the leader." I had many concerns.

"What about the Riss? If they don't trust the Riss or the Riss doesn't trust them, then what?" Terril asked.

"That is a potential problem. Consider Damaass. Without Plimson's unconditional support, he wouldn't be a Riss-human. Neither Wattson nor Stenberg would have supported our agreement. Without that agreement, we wouldn't have a third functional Riss cruiser now or in the foreseeable future, and never a fourth. And what about Freeland and the clans, who are crucial to the war effort? They appear tied to the fate of the Riss."

"So over the next few days, the delegation will determine the fates of the humans, the Riss, and Freeland," Damaass said.

* * *

The delegation met early on the morning of the fourth day.

Stenberg called the meeting to order with a few taps on his glass of water. "You are the leaders of the four nations. You saw the Aliens in action, examined one of their Medusas, and heard what the SAS learned from our encounters with them. We do not have years for our governments to form committees to discuss the problem and come up with a mutually agreeable solution. By then, the Aliens will have star maps and have crippled one or more of us. And although they represent the people of our nations, they do not understand war. Therefore, any agreement would be political and unlikely to be a viable option. If there is a solution, it's here and now." He sat. He had accomplished his mission by getting the nations together, and now it was up to them.

Salazan spoke hurriedly. "It's simple. We need a leader who can develop a coherent strategy and direct its implementation." He looked from Wattson to Zhu, ignoring me. "As Admiral Stenberg has so elegantly pointed out, plans made by committee take too long and are unworkable. Someone has to be in charge."

"Admiral Salazan, would your nation or you put your military under the control of another nation's Admiral?" Zhu asked.

"Of course not!"

"Nor would any other nation." Zhu looked to me. "The Riss is aligned with the SAS, but I doubt Leader Reese would submit to Admiral Wattson controlling her nation. Support yes, control no. Why? Because only she knows how to effectively fight her ships."

"Admiral Zhu is correct. We must develop a strategy and agree to support each other in implementing it," Wattson said, his eyes meeting mine for a brief second.

"Someone must direct the strategy." Salazan's face was flushed with anger.

"I think our experience at Kamboja provided a good example on how we must work together. We sent a Riss and an SAS cruiser to intercept the Alien scout. Neither commander was in charge. They agreed on a tactic and worked to implement it. As usual, the scout didn't cooperate with the plan. Only their independent command permitted a successful capture of the scout ship, because they couldn't keep in touch with each other when the scout outran the SAS cruiser."

"That will require Commanders who trust each other to support the other and the agreed upon strategy. And that will require us to trust each other and to provide trustworthy commanders." Zhu looked to me. "Leader Riss."

"If you cannot control your senior commanders, the best plans in the universe will not matter. They will fail, and you will soon lose the trust of the other leaders."

"Can you trust your beasts?" Salazan asked.

"I am fortunate or cursed, depending upon your view of life, because my words are the words of every Riss."

"That’s ridiculous."

"To humans, yes. That would appear impossible. To the Riss, the fact that a leader doesn't speak for everyone appears ridiculous."

"Yes, truly a curse," Zhu said quietly. "Every greedy man's dream. Every humble man or woman's nightmare."

"I would suggest that rather than decide on a leader, we decide on a strategy and then decide how to implement it," Wattson said. Salazan reluctantly nodded after seeing Zhu and I nod agreement.

* * *

We included Iglis the next day and identified the most likely systems to be infiltrated based on the currently quarantined systems, the number of cruisers it had taken to quarantine it, and the probable size of the occupying force. After eight hours of work, we identified ten in the JPU, eight in the SAS, and only one in the UFN.

When we adjourned for the day, Zhu exited with me. "Leader Reese, you were quiet at our meeting." He nodded when I motioned for him to follow me.

I decided level three would be the best place to talk—visible yet private.

"The Riss are a small nation and can only play a supporting role in the overall strategy," I said, understanding Zhu’s remark was really a question—why?

"Small but critical. Your nation has developed the technology everyone will need in the upcoming confrontations; your people have the math we will need in an engagement, and you are the designated leader because you see past today." He smiled, stroking his goatee. "Salazan sees only his own status. Wattson is a good tactician but may not be able to totally trust his senior Captains."

"And you, Admiral Zhu?"

"My words may not be the words of my captains, but they are steeped in tradition and will obey me or bring dishonor to themselves and their families. And I am willing to listen to those who see past today. I would trust you and the Riss."

I left Zhu sitting lotus style with his eyes closed. As I took the steps down to level two, I couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right, but what?

<Three not agree on problem.> image of me surrounded by the three, each pointing in a different direction.

<I'm not sure I do.>

<Quit listening.> image of me with two huge ear plugs.

<How will that help?>

<Start thinking.> image of me standing alone with binoculars.

Thalia was right. I had stopped thinking and was waiting on the delegation to solve the problem. I needed to clear my head.

"Terril, are you up to a match?"

"Sure, but are you? You look tired."

"Well, do you think you can wake me up?" I said. The thought of Si'jin had me feeling better already. I changed and made my way to the workout area.

As always, it was nice to see army and navy people working together. As a result, the Si'jin class had nearly doubled in size, with one-third navy and Intel personnel. And the area had a fair amount of navy personnel exercising.

For the first hour, I took half the class and Terril the other half. Afterward, Terril and I prepared for our usual match, which by now everyone expected, so a large crowd had gathered to watch. I noticed Zhu and Xun standing off to the side.

"Seems ironic that your bodyguard is going to send you to the Regen unit, if you're lucky." Terril said as she readied herself.

"Seems ironic that I need a bodyguard who can't even take her charge in a fight," I said as I approached her. That got some laughs and snorts. Suddenly, Terril burst into me with a low sweep at my legs, which I countered by jumping up and executing a side kick to her head. She continued to spin, slamming her forearm into my kicking leg. I used the force of the blow to spin me and my other leg in a round-house kick to the back of her head, which never landed... Time seemed to stand still as we executed blow and counterblow in a continuous nonstop barrage. For no reason I could consciously determine, we stopped and bowed to loud and boisterous shouting. I saw Zhu and Xun give slight bows. Interestingly, Zhu reminded me somewhat of Wei. They walked off without saying anything.

CHAPTER SEVEN

JPU rejects Alliance

Salazan sat staring at Nelem, who looked back expressionless. They were in the cabin assigned to Salazan, with a nearly empty bottle of wine sitting on the table between them.

"Reese must go, " Salazan said, draining what was left in his glass and throwing it. He smiled as it smashed against the wall and shattered.  "Her lies are gaining her status she doesn’t deserve, and that will interfere with my being appointed the supreme commander of the Alliance. "

"That is true. She seems to have a great deal of influence with Wattson, and at very least, Zhu appears to like her. "

"She has Wattson under her thumb, and Zhu is old and slow. What kind of leaders would they make? I’m the only logical choice. "

"I agree, " Nelem said.  "But we are limited in our options while on her ship and under guard. And the guards are very attentive. "

"What do you know about her? "

"Quite a bit. We have been collecting information on the SAS Riss Project for years. Reese has been the most visible and therefore the easiest to track. She is a very controversial figure. Many hate her and the Riss project and have tried to get her thrown out of the navy. But the project leaders protect her for their own reasons. "

"So that they don’t look stupid having granted the Riss nation status. Some nation, a few thousand beasts pretending to be as intelligent as humans. They can’t even talk! "

"They are apparently telepathic. "

"Can we prove that? I see them making hand signs. Maybe that is why the SAS think they are telepathic. Yes, the Bridge was quiet, but was that because they are telepathic or because the computer was running the operation with a little help from Reese? "

"It’s possible. As you said, it is hard to prove without a scientific study of the Riss. "

"What about Reese’s advisor? "

"From what I’ve seen and overheard, Terril is her bodyguard. The scorpion on her sleeve identifies her as a member of their elite air commandos and apparently one of the best at Si’jin—a unique style of fighting.

"Not an advisor. A bodyguard, or a keeper? "

"I don’t have enough information to know. "

"What about Wattson? "

"He's their top tactician and head instructor at Camalus, the SAS War College. He has war experience against the JPU and did… quite well during his engagements. "

"That’s because I wasn’t there, " Salazan said with a snort.

"Yes, that was before your time. Judging from his participation so far, he does act more like an instructor than a leader. And afraid of Reese, since he allows her to assign a guard to monitor him. "

"Their navy? "

"They have somewhat around three hundred cruisers and keep them well maintained. They also continue to upgrade their fleet. Their latest is the Hunter class, which is smaller than a Heavy but has the same fighting capability. They are meant for war. "

"Aren’t all cruisers? "

"Yes and No. The SAS has been at peace for a long time, and their cruisers and captains are used more to support their colonies. The Hunters were created to track and engage the Raiders, who have been active over the past several years. "

"And Zhu? "

"Zhu is somewhat like Admiral Plimson. They have both been in power for over twenty years. They are respected and well liked. Zhu’s power comes mainly from the UFN’s strong sense of tradition—everyone has a role and is expected to act in a certain traditional way. Failure to do so brings dishonor to the person and his family. "

"Mindless sheep. What about their navy? "

"They have somewhat less than three hundred cruisers. They are slow to replace them, and replacements have remained relatively the same over the past two decades. However, their electronic systems have improved: missiles, ECM, and computer systems. "

"So, our four hundred cruiser fleet is the largest and most up-to-date. "

"Except for the Riss, possibly. "

"Nonsense, Nelem. They may be more stealth-like than ours, but does it look like a fighting ship? Level three is useless; the engines are small, and you notice they haven’t given us a tour. Our guards are careful to limit our access. Their ships are built for lazy, stupid beasts to hide from the enemy. We must somehow get rid of Reese if I am to gain control of the Alliance. "

* * *

Zhu and Xun sat side-by-side, lotus-style on level three, close to a small stream and several large boulders.

"This is a wonderful ship. War seems so far away. Even during the invasion of Hayjar, the silence on the Bridge created a sense of peace. "

"Yes, like in Shuzen, the best fighters are those who can quiet their minds. But if they are telepathic, are their minds quiet? "

"No, but the mere absence of sound has got to be less stressful. I’ll have to ask Reese. Being both Riss and human, she will know. What do you think of Reese and her advisor? " Zhu smiled.

"Her advisor is her bodyguard and friend. Both are masters in hand-to-hand combat. Reese has considerable control in not responding to Salazan's insults against her people, who she obviously loves. So, I’d say she has master level control and thinks before she acts. Terril has master level control but is more action oriented. "

"Yes, that is my assessment. But what makes her even more interesting is her tendency to see past today. Someone worth listening to. "

CHAPTER EIGHT

Alliance with UFN

The next morning, the delegation met again to continue planning our strategy, now that we had determined the anticipated Alien response at each site. It was obvious from the discussion the first hour that the strategy would be to weaken the Aliens using a model similar to that used at Zigzag.

"Although the UFN is in little danger for the foreseeable future, we are willing to help," Zhu said during one of the pauses. That sounded reasonable, but…

"I believe the UFN is as vulnerable as the JPU and SAS. If true, I don't think the current strategy is going to work," I said, finally realizing why I had felt something didn't feel right.

Salazan and Wattson stared at me.

Zhu smiled. "Interesting observation. Why, Leader Reese?"

"I and everyone else have concluded that we are being invaded by an Alien armada of hundreds if not thousands of spaceships. And they are discovering inhabitable systems by releasing a merchant ship and following it to another system."

"What we’ve discovered indicates that, " Wattson said.

"But the initial premise isn’t consistent with what is happening. If they had hundreds of Medusa-like ships, why send scouts to determine how many ships it would take to quarantine a given system? Why not just send ten or even a hundred Medusas? "

"But how would they find the next inhabitable system if they destroyed all the spaceships when they invaded? " Wattson asked in his instructor mode.

"Each of their scouts looks for inhabitable systems. When it finds one, it waits for a ship to leave, then follows it. Again, it waits for another ship to leave and then follows it. At some point, the scout returns to the home base with its findings. Then information collecting scouts are sent to those identified systems. That would be faster and easier. "

"What are you suggesting? "

"I believe the Aliens have been in our galaxy for a hundred or maybe hundreds of years— "

"Nonsense! " Salazan said.  "That Riss parasite has destroyed your brain. "

"Intriguing, Leader Reese. Continue, I’m interested, " Zhu said.

I felt like a student being tested by a master.  "It indicates caution and patience. They are being cautious, testing us just as we are attempting to test them, because they don’t have a thousand ships. They are patient, knowing it will take time because their history—probably tens of thousands of years long—tells them so. "

"You said they have been here only hundreds of years, " Salazan sneered.  "And if they had been around tens of thousands of years, they would have thousands of ships and weapons of unimaginable power. "

"That does appear contradictory, Reese, " Wattson said in that probing style of his.

"I think they are a part of a galaxy-traveling race, whose mission is to quarantine this galaxy. "

That generated stony silence.

"Of course, I’m guessing, but they would enter this galaxy knowing there was intelligent life here somewhere and which was the most likely area to support… organic life. They came with only a few spacecraft, probably several Medusas, a Central Base ship, and a manufacturing ship. Their task was first to create a duplicate task force to begin seeding the galaxy as part of the process of monitoring it for intelligent life. They may still be in the process of creating duplicates, or they may be one of the duplicates. In any case, having found a dangerous intelligent life form, they are now in the process of gearing up for their mission of quarantining us. "

"And, if you are correct, there might be a duplicate close to the UFN, or the scouts may have already located some of our inhabited planets. A very disturbing theory, " Zhu said, his eyes closed.

"Nonsense! " Salazan said.  "That Riss parasite has destroyed your brain. I can take no more from her. " His face twisted in anger while his finger pointed in my direction.  "She’s proven she’s a coward by running at Hayjar— "

"That saved our lives, " Watson interrupted.

"That does not change the fact that she is a coward and cannot be trusted. She claims to have destroyed a Medusa, but she ran from them like the coward she is. I’d bet she found a destroyed Medusa and then claimed to have been the one to destroy it. Was anyone there to see her destroy it? " He looked to Wattson and Stenberg.  "And this ship. The Riss didn’t build it. The SAS built it. " He stood and banged the table, causing Terril and Xun to rise.

"She and her beasts contribute nothing to the Alliance. If you want the support of the JPU, the Riss will not be part of the delegation. Call me when you’ve made up your minds. " He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room with Nelem trailing.

Stunned silence followed.

I decided I should say something.  "I have no problem leaving the discussions to the three empires. My presence is not worth the loss of the JPU, and the Riss will still be committed to the SAS, so nothing is lost. "

<And I don’t have to listen to Salazan.>

<Easy way out.>

<What choice do I have?>

<Think of something.>

<What?>

<You Leader.>

"Except your input, in which I for one am interested. " Zhu said, thankfully interrupting my exasperating exchange with Thalia.

"I think Reese is right. Even though she's not part of the discussion, there is no reason we can’t talk with her. " Wattson said.  "I too value her input. "

"I suggest we adjourn for today. I would like to think on what Leader Reese has said. Our strategy to combat our first conjecture would not be the same for the second. We may win or lose with either, but I’d like to give the Supreme Council of the Gods our best effort, " Zhu said.

Stenberg nodded agreement and rose, signaling the end to the meeting.

As he and Wattson exited the room, Zhu came walking towards me.  "You're an interesting person, Leader Reese. You speak for a nation of extremely intelligent Aliens, have developed cruisers with advanced technology, fight like an elite bodyguard, and see tomorrow. " He stared at me for what seemed like an eternity.  "I think your level three is the perfect place to consider what you said."

<No emotions.>

<I’d bet no one is his dybbuk.>

<Emotions not rule him.> Image of Zhu and Buddha sitting next to each other.

<The question is whether he is someone we can trust.>

<If supports his people.>

<I guess we think alike.>

I laughed.

"What’s so funny, Leader Reese? " Terril asked from behind me.

"The players. Salazan rules his forces with an iron fist, believes in overwhelming force, and thinks only of his self-interest. His forces will not deviate from the plan even when it isn’t working. Zhu’s loyalty is to the UFN, and he commands a force steeped in tradition. His forces will follow the orders of the person leading the force without question. Wattson’s loyalty is to the SAS, and he commands a force used to acting independently. While independence can produce creative solutions, it can cause commanders to ignore orders and jeopardize the overall strategy. And none of the current three nations’ military have extensive war experience. Yet, we are facing a nation that is loyal, dependable, and experienced in war. "

"Cheery thought. What do you say: you make me a Riss-human, gather the Riss, and let’s blow this galaxy. "

* * *

Later that evening, Wattson called a meeting of everyone except Salazan and Nelem.

"We need to address the JPU’s concerns and reach a decision, " Stenberg began without pleasantries. The idea behind these meetings was to form an Alliance of the three empires. And while I don’t agree with Admiral Salazan, the loss of the JPN would be significant. And as Leader Reese said, we aren’t losing the Riss as an ally."

"An Alliance is only meaningful if the parties agree on the threat, the need, and the strategy to remove the threat, " Zhu said.

Stenberg shrugged.  "I thought we all agreed there is a threat and on the need to join forces to fight it. "

"No, that’s not true, " Wattson said. We all agree the threat is real, but the strategy to fight the Alien threat will depend on whether we believe the Aliens just arrived or have been here for generations. " Wattson looked to Zhu.

"That is true, Admiral Wattson. I’m inclined to assume they have been here for generations since a strategy to combat the just arrived scenario won’t eliminate the threat if the been here for generations scenario is true. Whereas, a strategy to address the been here for generations threat will address the threat from the just arrived scenario. "

"I’m afraid I agree, and Admiral Salazan won’t, since Leader Reese suggested it. "

"Leader Reese, it’s my understanding that you are willing to share the Riss technology, including Symath, with anyone in the alliance. Is that true? "

"The Riss have shared all of their technology with the SAS, and they are free to share it with their allies. However, I will not put Riss on any ship that considers them dumb beasts, nor will the Riss participate in any engagement that the JPU is part of, as they have made it clear they do not trust us. "

Zhu laughed softly.  "Admiral Wattson, I do not object to a meeting with Admiral Salazan to discuss a possible alliance and will join you and the JPU if we can come to a mutual agreement. But I think Leader Reese has just made the good Admiral redundant. "

* * *

"Damaass, set a course for All Flags. The delegation needs to be taken to a system with a working Comstat so we can get them a ride home. We will be leaving within the hour. "

"Have they come to any conclusions? "

"Admiral Salazan has. He thinks I’m a coward, the Riss are dumb beasts, and our cruisers are worthless. " I smiled at the monitor. Damaass was choking on the wine he had been drinking while I talked.

"I guess that means he doesn’t get Riss for any of his ships and can’t expect a Riss cruiser to save his ass. "

"How did you guess? See you in All Flags. "

* * *

After a workout with Terril, I decided to visit level three for Thalia’s sake. She loved the feel of openness the area created. When I arrived, I saw Zhu and Xun sitting lotus style by a small stream. He motioned for me to join them.

"Good evening, Admiral Zhu, advisor Xun. " I said as I approached.

"Sit, please, " Zhu said.  "I understand we are heading for All Flags, where Admiral Salazan and I can contact our militaries for rides home. "

"Yes, it’s the closest SAS system from Fools Landing. We should arrive tomorrow. I’m sorry I can’t give you a lift home, but I need to get back to Freeland. "

"I imagine you’ve heard that Admiral Salazan will not be joining the alliance. "

"No, I hadn’t. I would imagine the sticking point was your unwillingness to let him be the supreme leader of the Alliance. "

"He used you as the reason, but you’re right. He had his heart set on being the Alliance commander. " Zhu studied me for a long while before speaking.  "I understand you are looking for Riss-human candidates? "

"Yes. The Riss aren’t suitable for war. They lack the necessary aggressiveness. Or maybe the truth is that I don’t want them to learn it. We have three other Riss-humans who will eventually qualify after they get a couple of years of war experience. But the need is now. So we are looking for captains who have war or demonstrable tactical experience, admire the Riss, and have no psychological issues. "

"That’s an impressive list of requirements. I understand the war experience, but I’m not sure I understand the rest. "

"How would you like to share your mind with someone else? " I asked.

Zhu was quiet for a long time.

Xun's eyes grew wide for a brief second.

"Yes, I understand now. Is it difficult? "

"No. The Riss are a precious gift. I would want to die if we were separated. "

"Interesting. How will my captains qualify for a Riss to be assigned to them? " He smiled.  "I noticed your comment about sharing Symath but not the Riss with the JPU. I would imagine therefore that Symath is useless without the Riss. "

"It takes years to learn Symath; therefore, a Riss tutor is necessary in the beginning and during engagements. Eventually, their presence wouldn’t be necessary. "

"And all the Riss technology requires Symath? "

"Most of it, " I said.

Zhu laughed.  "And the requirements for the UFN to qualify? "

"I have insisted a cruiser be Riss certified. That means the navigator, weapon’s officer, XO, and captain are Riss certified. This requirement applies to the SAS as well as the UFN. "

"What is required to be… Riss certified? "

"Successful completion of a class where the candidates are exposed to the Riss and Symath. Many fear, dislike, or are repulsed by the Riss, and an equal number are incapable of grasping the mathematics involved. The classes are designed to determine those who admire the Riss and are capable of learning the math. "

"That is reasonable. I think our first order of business, even as we develop a joint strategy, is to develop a plan for sharing the Riss technology… and Riss. I’ll contact Admiral Wattson for a meeting. "

* * *

Wattson contacted me several hours later, wanting to see me.

I suggested my office.

After he retrieved a cup of kaffa, he sat staring at me.  "We have a problem, " he began.  "We need to share our technology with the UFN, if they are to be an effective partner. But how? I would prefer not to bring his ships to Freeland, and I don’t want to establish a second Freeland on an SAS base because of the possibility of the Aliens finding it. Besides, I want you on Freeland, not elsewhere. "

"Are you going to direct the SAS strategy from Freeland? " I asked, realizing Wattson wanted me to figure out a solution.

<High-Commander.> A picture of Wattson sitting on a platform with a jeweled crown on his head.

I laughed, which caused Wattson to frown.

"What’s so funny, Reese? This isn’t a laughing matter. "

"Thalia just called you high-Commander. Whenever I think a problem is too difficult and whine about it being impossible or difficult, she reminds me I’m high-Riss. Her way of saying, ‘Nothing is impossible or difficult for a high-Riss.’ "

After a few seconds, Wattson laughed.  "She's right. I’m whining. Like when you need reminding you’re high-Riss, I'm trying to avoid doing what I should. " He nodded.  "Thank Thalia. Zhu, you, and I need to get together and develop a solution. Let’s wait until we drop off Salazan. "

* * *

<Thirty minutes exit Wave.>

<Comm: announce exit, Battle station, stealth mode.>

The emergency override message went out over SIDs, and red lights flashed in the corridors. I was being cautious since no one could be sure where the Aliens would show up next and with what force. We detected nothing when we exited the Wave.

<Tight beam from Minerva.>

<Comm: Connect.>

Damaass's face appeared on the monitor. He was smiling.  "Are you here to join the party? "

"Aliens? "

"Yes. They have three cruisers in the system and the standard scout. They already destroyed the Comstat and a merchant that tried to leave, and they’ve given the residents four hours to clear the space station. What do you want to do, Nadya? "

"Leave. The people I’m carrying are too important to risk, playing hero. Let’s try Echo. Avoid the scout on the way out. "

"Yes, Leader. I'd like to join the party, but know you’re right. See you in Echo. "

<Nav: Plot a course to Echo.>

<Two days, seven hours, ten minutes. Wave vector on monitor.>

<Helm: execute.>

<Comm: Connect me to Byer, Seng, and Iglis.>

<Connected.>

My SIDs screen split, and their faces appeared.

"The Minerva has informed me that three Alien cruisers are in the system. I do not want to risk the lives of our guests, so we're leaving for Echo. Estimated time is two days. Status is returned to Standby. Maintain Ship Alert. " When no one had a question, I cut the connection.

"Terril, you hungry? "

"Yes, I’m losing weight following you around. "

"Let’s go eat then, " I said, exiting the Bridge and heading for the common dining bay.

The guards in front of sections and at the intersections appeared extra alert seeing their Gunny, nodding or giving me a quiet, ma’am. The dining bay was relatively full when we arrived. Wattson and Stenberg sat with Zhu and Xun. Salazan and Nelem sat together at another table.

When Salazan saw me, he smiled.  "Well, Leader Reese. I understand the Medusa killer is running from three Alien cruisers. Proves you didn’t kill that Medusa, and that you're the liar and coward I said you were— "

As the word coward left his mouth, personnel around the dining hall rose, and the volume of noise increased.

I raised my hands quickly, which had the desired effect.

Everyone froze, and the conversations stopped.

"Admiral Salazan is our guest and entitled to his opinion. But you know and I know, " I paused and tried to make eye contact with everyone,  "that you, the men and women and Riss on the Mnemosyne, Eirene, and Minerva, are the meanest, baddest fighting elite in the galaxy— " I had to wait for the cheering to stop.  "We have nothing to prove to anyone. " I continued walking up to the serving line as everyone began returning to their tables, laughing and joking.

Salazan looked pale and Nelem nervous for the first time.

<Hurt Salazan feeling.>

<I’ll bet I didn’t hurt his ego.>

<No. Very big, strong.> Image of a huge head on a tiny body.

"Nice speech, Leader, " Terril said, leaning close as we filled our plates.  "Although it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if you had said nothing. I think my orders say we are authorized to shoot anyone who doesn’t like you. "

Halfway through my stew, Wattson and Zhu approached. I waved them to sit.

"I understand we are heading for Echo, " Wattson said.

"We can’t arrange for transportation in All Flags. The Comstat is down, and Echo is the next closest system. "

Zhu smiled.  "Thank you, for your concern for Admiral Wattson and my life. Our deaths would have disastrous consequences. Not that I think we would be in danger on this ship. But… "

"That’s true. Plus, there was no reason to engage the Aliens here and now. " Wattson looked to Zhu.  "We have two days to Echo. I think you, Leader Reese, and I should see if we can work out how we are going to transfer the Riss technology to you, and perhaps determine if you have something we can use. " Wattson smiled.

Zhu nodded.

* * *

"Terril, what’ve Salazan and Nelem been doing? "

"Mostly staying in Salazan’s cabin since Nelem has discovered the Scorpions aren’t going to let him wander wherever he wants. "

"I’ll be glad to get him off the Mnemosyne. In a way, I’m glad he’s not joining the Alliance. I believe he would have been disruptive and not cooperative in implementing any strategy he didn’t come up with, but I feel sorry for his people. He still has to fight the Aliens since they aren’t going to ignore the JPU, and without Riss technology, his losses are going to be more severe. "

"Did you hear that Xun has offered to have a match with me? "

"No. When? What are the rules? "

"After your meeting with Zhu and Wattson tonight. No rules and no referee, just an agreement to stop if the other does. "

"I would imagine the entire ship will be there to watch. I think it’s Zhu’s idea. "

"Why? "

"Xun is like you. You may have liked to test Si’jin against Shuzen but would not have asked without checking with me. I think it’s Zhu’s first step towards an Alliance—a friendly contest, sharing her personal guard’s martial skills. Xun did not suggest it. "

"You’re right, of course, on both accounts. I would have loved to test myself against one of the UFN's elite guards. And she would never volunteer to demonstrate her skills. " Terril stood quietly thinking.  "That does change the contest a bit—a demonstration of skills. "

* * *

"My understanding of our Alliance is the SAS and UFN will share technology and information, although it may not be a fair trade, " Zhu said, sitting back with a cup of a hot liquid called Khai. He had poured me a cup, which I rather liked.

"Yes, we must trust each other or perhaps aid the Aliens in grounding humans forever. "

"Yes, that is why it is best Salazan chose to go it alone. The question is how. I know you are reluctant to use your current staging area. " He held up his hand.  "I don’t think it would be a good idea either: too far from the UFN, mixing different cultures, and straining your resources. "

"What are you suggesting, Admiral Zhu? "

"Trust. "

"I wish Plimson were here, " Wattson laughed.  "Our Secretary of Defense is a very wise man. Would you make a personal agreement with another nation on the leader of that nation's word alone? "

"That is courageous or foolish. "

"Well, Admiral Plimson committed a Mutual Support Agreement with the Riss on Leader Reese’s word—nothing is in writing. "

"And you wouldn’t have. Yes, I understand. They are very smart. "

"I don’t understand? "

"You think a written treaty, written by a committee with its hundred conditions, is more binding than a person’s word? "

"A valid point. " Wattson conceded.  "Well, Reese, Plimson isn’t here. "

<He’s joking.>

<High-Riss.>

<He’s high-Commander.>

<Not high-Riss.>

"I'll tell you what I think after the fight. "

"Excellent idea, " Zhu said, rising.

"What fight? "

"Terril and Xun. "

"What are you up to, Nadya? " Terril whispered as we walked toward the workout area. "

"As everyone keeps telling me, it’s exciting to watch masters dance. "

<I don’t have a clue.>

<Exciting.>

<What?>

<Watching masters dance.>

* * *

I forgot about what was to come when we resumed the meeting when I saw Terril and Xun enter the room. Terril wore the traditional Si’jin ankle-length pants, hip-length pullover shirt and soft-leather boots but no sash and not the usual black. She was dressed in a white silk material that seemed alive as she moved. On one arm, a tiger stretched along half the sleeve. On the other, an Eagle with talons reaching downward, and on one leg, a cobra coiled to strike.

Xun wore similar pants, shirt, and boots but was dressed entirely in black. Like Terril’s, the material was silk, and on each sleeve a long red-dragon. Terril’s hair was dark brown and short. Xun’s, by contrast, was long, black, and tied in a knot at the back of her head.

It was so quiet, if I had closed my eyes, I would have thought I was alone. The spectators, which must have included everyone not on duty, were lining the walls, providing a large open area in the center. When Terril and Xun reached the center of the area, they separated, gave a nod of their heads, and stood. They stood like statues as the minutes ticked by—five, ten…

Then Terril exploded into Xun, who barely seemed to move as she somehow avoided the attack and countered with lightning fast strikes, which Terril blocked. Even knowing what to look for, the strikes and counters came too fast to follow. I saw blows that scored, but knew they had been barely felt as the force was absorbed or substantially deflected. Suddenly, they stopped and bowed. It had been a magnificent performance by true masters.

"That was beautiful, Admiral Zhu. I’ve only seen one other as graceful and deadly as Xun: my idol, Master Wei, who holds the highest Si’jin rank. "

"Yes, Xun is exceptional. She is definitely the best of the red dragons—our elite guard. Your Terril is also an exceptional fighter to hold her own against Xun. "

"I’m surprised one of them wasn't killed. They weren’t wearing protective gear. " Wattson said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No, they are both masters of their art. They have learned to negate the force of the blows their opponent manages to land. Much like punching a rag hanging on a string. It moves but is undamaged, " Zhu said, while watching Xun exit the room.

"Well, Reese, are you ready to continue our discussion? " Wattson asked.

"Yes, as soon as Admiral Zhu and I collect our advisors, " I smiled. Zhu nodded.

* * *

"I loved your outfit, " I said to Terril when she joined me and my two Scorpion guards.

"It was a gift from Master Wei when he gave me my ninth knot. It's strictly for show, so I never thought I'd wear it, but I love looking at it. He said the design dated back to the original masters who developed the art. They wore it for formal events and contests. "

"What did you think of Xun? "

"Like fighting Wei or a ghost. We each scored several blows. None were significant enough to get an opening for a kill or disabling blow. But I think she chose not to take a killing blow. I knew I was vulnerable, and so did she. At very least, it would have ended the match. "

"That’s what I suspected, " I said.  "Xun and Zhu are like ying and yang—opposite but complete together. She has mastered the art of fighting; he has mastered the art of a mind at peace, much like when we prepare to fight. "

The rest of the walk to the conference room was made in silence. When I entered, Wattson, Stenberg, Zhu, and Xun were already sitting with drinks. I fetched a cup of kaffa and sat. I looked to Wattson, who nodded.

"I cannot make the final decision, since I’m committed to supporting the SAS; however, we cannot be allies in name only. We must agree to support and share information and technology. I became a Riss-human for selfish reasons with no thought about the Riss. I’ve found I was given a gift far greater than my initial reasons for agreeing to host a Riss. We must share now for selfish reasons—to protect ourselves from the Aliens. I would like to think this may be a gift, bringing two nations together as friends. " I looked to Wattson, then Zhu, who said nothing.  "We must establish a Freeland-like base in the UFN, not only to provide the UFN with the technology, but to provide adequate and timely support to whatever strategy we develop. "

<That’s it. I’m done.>

<Yes. They must own solution.>

* * *

By the time we reached Echo, Wattson and Zhu had worked out a framework for an overall strategy to combat the Alien threat and for a Freeland-like facility to be constructed on Dong, in the Song sector of the UFN. The specific details for implementing the strategy still needed to be worked out, but in general, the alliance would concentrate on destroying Medusas, rather than their Light cruisers, based on my theory that they were being cautious because they were still in the building up process and had limited mother ships. The longer ranged strategy was to find their main base, which would hopefully have few Medusas, and destroy it. I would be in charge of starting and overseeing the new facility on Dong, which already had a small manufacturing complex for repairing and upgrading UFN cruisers. Echo was selected to be the Alliance command center because it was halfway between Dong and Freeland. Wattson was happy with the Alliance but not with a Freeland-like facility in UFN territory or me having to spend time there. But Thalia’s high-Commander comment had made him realize it was one of those Plimson-like I’m a genius or a fool depending on how it turns out decisions, and his responsibility alone to make.

"I’ve always admired Admiral Plimson, but today, I realize what a truly remarkable man he is. Time after time, he has had to make risky decisions that could not only adversely impact his career but the SAS, and he never asked anyone else to share the responsibility. I hope I’m as insightful as he has always been. I think the deciding factor was that he has always trusted you, and you support the facility on Dong. "

<Great. Now I have responsibility for the success of the Alliance.>

<High-Riss.>

<He’s the high-Commander.>

<High-Riss higher.> Image of me sitting on a platform five steps higher than Wattson.

<Easy for you to say.>

<Very.>

* * *

We docked at the Echo station around noon. Wattson, Stenberg, and I stood in the exit bay as Salazan and Nelem arrived with their Scorpion guards a short time later.

"Well, Admiral Wattson, you will regret refusing the JPU support. " He grinned as he stood looking down at Wattson.

"Admiral Salazan, we did not reject your support. We just didn’t believe one empire should have exclusive command of the other empires’ navy. We remain committed to assisting the JPU in any way we can. "

"It’s you who will require assistance. And when you come to realize that, I and my forces will lead you to victory over the Aliens. But, do not bring the cowardly Riss. " He sneered in my direction.

Having nothing to say, I smiled.

This twisted his sneer into hate, and his face flushed. He turned and exited the ship.

Zhu and Xun appeared shortly afterward.  "Good day, " he said and gave a small bow.  "Admiral Wattson, Admiral Ba Li will escort a force of forty cruisers and will arrive here forty-five days from now. It would be good if you were here to greet him since Echo is in SAS territory. My staff and I will join you as soon as I ensure Leader Reese has what she needs to begin construction of the new facility. Leader Reese, I can expect you and your people to begin arriving within the next thirty days? "

"Yes, Admiral Zhu. I hope to arrive with the team who will be able to outline what we will need in facilities, manpower, and equipment. There is little need for the workers until that phase is underway. "

"Good, Xun has provided you with the codes you will need to enter Dong without creating unnecessary alarm. And I will ensure everyone is aware of your pending arrival. "

* * *

The trip back to Freeland took six days and was uneventful. Even the entry into Freeland went smoothly. I dropped off Wattson and Stenberg at Stenberg's Command ship, the Horned Owl, and proceeded to the docking station. Rather than tell the story ten times, I immediately called a meeting of the Riss-humans, the Elders, Ta'Lona, and the senior officers on the Riss cruisers. The meeting had over twenty people present when I arrived.

"Good afternoon. I apologize for the emergency meeting and not providing an agenda, but I have information that affects everyone and didn’t want to have to repeat the story multiple times." I walked over, fetched a cup of kaffa, and returned to the only empty seat. "First, the Alliance meeting at Hayjar. We arrived…"

It took over an hour to tell about the meetings, the encounter with the Medusas, and Aliens at All Flags as they had a lot of questions.

"You kidnapped the delegation?" Colonel McTosh asked, wide-eyed.

"She sure did, and assigned Scorpions to guard them, including Admirals Wattson and Stenberg," Colonel Seng said.

Pavao grinned. "I’ll bet they loved that."

"Riss ship, Riss rules." I smirked. "Now, for the proposed Alliance…" I spent another hour talking about the participants and the various discussions.

"So, the JPU isn’t going to participate. That will weaken our ability to fight the Aliens," Commander Clarkson, Pavao's Ghost commander, said, nervously chewing on his lip.

"I don’t think so. The Aliens aren’t going to leave the JPU alone because they aren't in the Alliance. They will just have to fight them without the Riss technology or the support of the SAS and UFN. Besides, I think Fleet Admiral Salazan would have been disruptive. He thought he should be the Alliance leader and in sole command. The sad part is that his losses will be greater than they would be if he had access to the Riss technology."

Pavao gave me the evil eye. "Alright, now for the good part, which I’ve noticed you’ve left for last."

"Yes, Admiral Wattson has agreed to create a Freeland-like facility in the UFN at Dong—"

The room erupted into chaos as everyone began talking, some jumping up from the table to talk to someone several chairs away. It took a long while for the conversations to stop and everyone to get reseated. Then the questions began.

"What does that mean?"

"How?"

"When?"

I waited for quiet before speaking. "That is really the main purpose of this meeting, and what we will have to work out over the next week. I envision a smaller version of the facilities here on Freeland to manufacture the weapons and provide the modifications we are currently delivering to the SAS fleet. In addition, I see a school to certify Riss qualified crews, and a program to evaluate potential Riss-human candidates."

"I’ll bet Wattson didn’t think that up on his own. I can just imagine the Plimson-sized headache that produced," Pavao said, shaking her head. "You’ve opened Pandora’s box. I hope we can close it afterward."

<She’s right.>

<No choice.>

<But what about after the war?>

<Maybe good.>

<Maybe bad.>

<Not cross bridge before get there.>

<What? No high-Riss answer?> I asked with an internal grin.

<Glad you remember.>

"I hope the elders will support setting up such a facility in the UFN," I said, looking towards Ni’Shay and the elders. I had volunteered them without asking, and they didn’t report to me.

Ni’Shay seemed to survey the elders with his eyes before turning back to me. "We are tied to the Riss. If you believe a base in the UFN is necessary, then we will help make it happen."

"Thank you. We might be able to defeat the Aliens without the Riss technology, but it would be costly. I’ll leave it to you to create a plan." I stood. "I’d like to see the officers of the Riss ships back on the Mnemosyne in four hours, and for the Riss-humans to return with me on my shuttle."

* * *

"Well Nadya, what’s the game plan?" Pavao asked as we got settled in the conference room and a steward laid out platters of a light lunch I’d ordered served.

"In order to make the UFN a viable ally, it's not only necessary to provide them with Riss technology, but also Riss to support it. The new facilities will require Riss to help the clans set up the new factories and afterward, to be involved in the manufacturing process. In addition, we need to begin the certification process."

"This Admiral Zhu has agreed to us certifying his people?" Pavao asked, looking towards Terril, who stood leaning against the wall.

Terril nodded in agreement. "A ten-knot performance."

"And I suppose you are going to accept UFN volunteers as candidates for the Riss-human program?"

"Yes, I wish I didn’t have to ask the Riss to give up their freedom, but…"

<Riss understand.>

<It’s not fair.> I objected.

<Not news.> Image of a line of Riss stretching into the distance.

"You know that’s not dangerous. We've a Raider captain, a particular nasty one I've been told, sitting among us. Does anyone of us distrust him?" I asked. Damaass looked nervously around the table, and then smiled when everyone shook their head in the negative.

"Pavao’s concern, and mine, is about after we defeat the Aliens. But as Thalia has so elegantly pointed out, we cannot solve the problem until we know what it is." I laughed and took a sip of kaffa.

"Nance, I'm going to take Damaass with me. He’s a point of contention here on Freeland, but he won’t be in the UFN. Besides, you’re the best person to speak for the Riss here."

"I guess I can’t refuse since Cethlion is giving me the standard high-Riss response we’ve all come to love." Pavao grinned.

"I’ll take Jaelle and leave Alena and Elissa to captain the…"

<Maat.>

<Who’s that?> I asked.

<Egyptian goddess of truth, balance, order, law, and justice.>

"The RNN Maat, and before you ask, Thalia informs me she's the Egyptian goddess of truth, balance, order, law, and justice. Speaking of the Maat, when will she be ready, and do we have any candidates?"

"Admiral Zann has given me five names. She says they should be arriving at Freeland over the next couple of weeks. What do you want… Oh, my responsibility." She grinned.

"Yes, you will need to set up an equivalent of Zann House to test and evaluate the candidates. Alena and Elissa can explain exactly what was involved."

* * *

After an hour break, the senior officers began arriving. I waited as they got settled.

"Gentlemen, I need you to put together a plan for deployment to Dong and the crewing of the new Riss cruiser, the Maat. The Mnemosyne and the Minerva will be deployed to Dong."

"You want to know about rotations, replacements, certifications…" Commander Byer asked to general nods.

"And your concerns and any potential problems you foresee. I believe the crews will be allowed planet-side time on Dong."

"That will help," Seng said. "Combat?"

"In the near future, I’d expect we won’t see much action, as we will be helping the UFN develop the infrastructure to implement the Riss technology within their fleet. And here on Freeland, we’ll be trying to put in place the structure to build the Riss Nation Navy. We must expect to lose cruisers, captains, Riss, and attached personnel, so we must have a way of replacing them. That assumes you want to remain attached to the Riss cruisers." I crossed my fingers.

<Not help.>

<Doesn’t hurt.>

"I think I speak for everyone here. I wouldn’t want to be anyplace else. " Byer said, scanning the people around the table.

"Agreed. "

"Yes. "

"Of course. "

Followed Byer’s comment.

"Thank you. "

CHAPTER NINE

Deployment to Dong

Two weeks later, Pavao and I met with Admiral Wattson and Stenberg on the Eurasian, which had arrived from Eden as a replacement for the Golden Eagle, lost at the battle of Hayjar. Wattson had included his current task force commanders.

I was just about to go over to Sakaata when Sean shouted,  "Attention, " as Wattson, Stenberg, and Zann entered the room.

"At ease, " Wattson said and took a seat at the head of the table as everyone found seats.  "I’ve already discussed it with my task force commanders. I’m sending six of the current seven task forces to Echo. Admiral Gebauer will be in charge. He and I discussed a tentative strategy, which he and Admiral Ba Li can begin to implement while waiting on Imperial Admiral Zhu and me to arrive. Eden has been recalling cruisers from around the three sectors and will be sending some to Freeland. I’m staying temporarily to organize the arriving cruisers. I plan to create another task force which will accompany me to Echo to fulfill our commitment of seven. "

Wattson stopped to take a sip of the kaffa that Gerald, his new aide, had set next to him.  "Admiral Sakaata’s task force will accompany Leader Reese to Dong and remain to support her. Since you two worked together before, I don’t think I need say more. Admiral Stenberg will be station commander, and Admiral Zann will continue to be in charge of upgrading the fleet. Whomever you appoint, Leader Reese, will be in charge of the Riss projects and security on Freeland. "

"I’m leaving Captain Pavao, whose new position is Leader in Freeland. I’m also leaving Alena to command the Maat, which will be operational within a few weeks. Elissa will be her XO. In addition to monitoring the Riss projects and Freeland security, Captain Pavao will be conducting the evaluation of the Riss candidates, who will be arriving within the next two weeks. She will also continue to certify Riss-qualified teams and assign Riss to those cruisers. If, for whatever reason, Captain Pavao is unavailable, Alena will be in charge. "

<How did I get to be a Leader?> Pavao sent.

<The same way I did. No one else wanted it.>

<Can’t blame them.> I felt a wry smile.

When Wattson nodded, I continued.  "The elders chose a total of one hundred engineers and designers to go to Dong, and I have chosen two hundred Riss. I and Captain Damaass will provide their transportation. We plan to leave in one week. "

"Excellent. Are there any questions? " Wattson asked, while scanning the room.

"Don’t take it as an accusation, Leader Reese, but will Riss cruisers be assigned to support the Medusa strategy? " Admiral Quinterly asked.

"I understand the question and the reasoning behind it. Thanks to you and Admiral Wattson, I believe we are trusted allies, and as such, my goal would be to have a Riss cruiser with every task force. " I shrugged.  "But I'm unable to because of production limitations and even more critical, the lack of captains. Today, Captain Pavao needs to be here on Freeland and I need to be on Dong. Consequently, Captain Damaass is the only captain available, and I know most of you would be uncomfortable with him in your task forces. "

"You trust him? " Modero asked in a neutral tone.

"With my life. He's Riss as much as Captain Pavao is, or me, or any other Riss-human. He would not only defend you with his life, but you couldn’t ask for a better tactician at your side. "

"I attest to the latter. The man is good, " Sakaata said with a shake of her head.  "It’s like he has a spy on your Bridge. "

"I trust your word, Leader Reese, but I would be afraid to trust everyone in my task force. I will attest to the fact that prejudice is hard to shake. "

"Let me assure everyone here that the Riss will support you in any way Admiral Wattson feels necessary, and that Captains Pavao and Damaass will be available if the need is more urgent than on Freeland and Dong. "

"I’m pleased with everyone here and finally feel we are a united force. I agree with Reese, right now the priority for the Riss is getting more of those ugly, " Wattson grinned,  "ships they call cruisers produced and manned with combat-ready captains. I too would like to see one with every task force. Pavao, see what you can do to speed up production. I’d rather have cruisers temporarily without captains, than captains without ships. "

* * *

Seven days later, we left for Dong, a nine day trip. I called a staff meeting the next morning and included Ta'Lona, who would be the project leader on Dong.

"Well, Ta'Lona, how are the Freelanders doing on level three? " I asked after everyone was settled.

"Everyone is enjoying the ship. It’s like being outdoors, and we haven’t encountered any hostility from the other humans on the ship. In fact, most have been friendly. Of course, we are a little apprehensive about Dong. "

"You have Commander Byer and Colonel Seng to thank for the atmosphere on the Mnemosyne. They are the best of the best as are their troops. " I nodded to them.

"I think we have the Riss to thank. This is a Riss ship, and everyone is equal is a contagious concept. It’s going to be hard for anyone assigned to a normal SAS cruiser after this. "

Byer said and Seng nodded agreement.

"Not to mention the accommodations, " Seng added.

"I'm hoping that Admiral Zhu will allow shore leave while we are on Dong. If he does, Commander Iglis, I want you to appoint a few people to work with whomever Zhu designates to learn the local taboos. Then I want you to conduct a mandatory seminar before anyone is allowed to go planet-side. "

"What about us? " Ta’Lona asked.

"I don’t want you to delay getting started, so I’ll allow a small team to look over the current facilities and determine what will need to be done to replicate your Freeland structure, until the seminar is ready. They know they need us, so they will be accommodating, but the fewer misunderstandings, the better it will be for everyone. "

"What about training? " Byer asked, obviously concerned about flying in Dong airspace.

"I’ll talk to Admiral Zhu. If it’s possible, I'd like joint exercises with their navy and commandos. "

"Wow! I would never have thought of that, " Byer said, shaking his head.

"We must trust each other if we are going to be an effective force. And trust takes time to develop. What better way than to work together? Besides, it will reduce the boredom. "

<What about us?>

<We’re high-Riss.>

<Not fair.>

<Your Mother’s mother told… >

I couldn't repress a laugh, which by now everyone knew was in response to Thalia.

"Normal work shifts for now. I’ll probably go to a modified ship alert after we arrive. We’re allies, but it would only take one fanatic to destroy what we are all working toward. "

* * *

I stayed after everyone had left, drinking kaffa and wondering what it would be like on Dong. Hopefully, we wouldn’t find hard-core prejudices against the Riss, Riss-humans, or clan.

"What do you think, Leader? " Terril said, breaking me out of my musing.  "About partnering with the UFN. "

"Come sit down, Terril. " I would have offered them all to sit, but I knew Terril wouldn’t allow everyone to relax, although the odds of something happening were close to zero.  "What did you think of Xun, as a person? "

"Yes. Their leaders are the key. Just as you set the tone for everyone on the Riss cruisers, Zhu and Xun will set the tone for those on Dong. " She sat quiet for a few minutes.  "I liked her. She's intense, but I think that has a lot to do with her training. It began when she was very young. But her choosing not to deliver an embarrassing blow when she could have, says a lot about her. She’s not driven by ego and content that I knew she could have. Like you with the clans, she will treat us honorably. "

"Yes, I believe the same is true about Zhu. He’s a very shrewd man who knows an Alliance is not only critical but in the UFN's long-term interest. Plus, I think he's fascinated with the Riss. "

"And you. " She laughed.  "Well what are we going to do for nine days? "

"I guess we could go see if you can reproduce Xun’s attack and develop a counter move. "

"Good idea, Master Reese, " she said, rising with a smile.

* * *

The nine days to Dong were boring, as Thalia kept reminding me. I held a short staff meeting to hear what was going on—nothing—walked around talking with the engineers and designers, taught Si’jin class, and worked out with Terril.

<Exiting Wave thirty minutes.>

<Comm: Notify ship exiting Wave. Battle stations. Weapons off. Sensors active. All engines half speed. Broadcast entry codes.>

Immediately, lights flashed and SIDs buzzed with notification of the status change.

<Sensors active.>

< Engines half speed.>

I sat back, hoping Admiral Zhu had notified everyone of the good aliens’ arrival.

<Will be Interesting to see the UFN culture.>

<Hope no bounty on Riss hides.>

<Clown.>

<Hope so.> Image with a Riss with fingers crossed.

<Exiting Wave. Entry codes broadcasted.>

The radar monitors immediately lit with multiple ships, and the VTM sprang to life, and tags began appearing: UL1, UL2, UH1… Within several minutes, more than sixty Light and Heavy cruisers had been identified. Close to the Wave exit, several cruisers' weapon systems went active shortly after we exited but quickly went off. Sakaata’s task force followed minutes later with no trouble.

<The Dynasty requesting a connection.>

<Comm: connect.>

Zhu’s face appeared on the monitor.  "Good day, Leader Reese. As you probably surmised, Dong is the staging area for Admiral Ba Li’s task force to Echo. Plus, I added three additional task forces to protect Dong as it is going to host the Riss upgrade facility. I would like to invite you and your staff to dinner, if you are not otherwise engaged. "

"We would be honored, Admiral Zhu. "

"Would twenty hundred hours be acceptable? And if I could impose, would one or more of your Riss join us? I wish my people to get to know the Riss as I have—as an extremely intelligent and gentle people. "

"We will see you at twenty hundred hours, Admiral. "

"Who? " Jaelle asked.

"Commanders Iglis, Byer, Colonel Seng, and r-Kharis. And get me a connection to the Condor. " I’d left Damaass off the list, as I felt one captain should remain on duty at all times—at least for now. The monitor soon lit with Sakaata’s face.

"Leader Reese, are you inviting me to dinner? " she grinned.

"No, Admiral Zhu is inviting us. If you would like to bring one or two guests, I don’t think he will mind. He’s asked for a Riss to attend. "

"I imagine you aren’t bringing Damaass. "

"No, old phobias die slowly. Nineteen hundred hours on the Dynasty. "

"If you don’t object, I’ll join you on the Mnemosyne for the trip to the Dynasty. With the amount of cruisers in the area, I think we should limit the number of shuttles in the air. Besides, I doubt Commander Byer is going to let you go without a Ghost escort. " She laughed.  "See you at eighteen hundred hours. "

* * *

Sakaata had been right; Byer was insistent that I have a Ghost escort, and of course, Terril insisted I have guards. The only concession I could get was that the Ghosts would have their systems active and Terril and two guards would go unarmed. I was glad they wouldn't compromise on the escorts. If someone made an unsuccessful attempt on my life, the consequences could be managed; however, if I were killed, the consequences could escalate out of control.

I wandered down to the shuttle bay with r-Adhis and found everyone in their dress uniforms, including Terril. Sakaata had just exited her shuttle.

"Good evening, Leader Reese, gentlemen, ladies. I see everyone except Leader Reese is dressed for a party. " She laughed.  "Leave it to the Riss to have their work and dress uniforms the same, with no medals or rank. "

"It makes it easier to dress for parties, " I said as I entered my shuttle. The trip to the Dynasty took three quarters of an hour. I almost tripped when I exited the shuttle. The bay had what I assumed was an honor guard of at least twenty men in dress uniforms, who snapped to attention as a bugle blew and an officer saluted.

"Welcome aboard the Dynasty, Leader Reese. " He then stepped to the side, and Admiral Zhu stepped forward.

"Welcome, Leader Reese. I’m afraid this isn’t a Riss ship, and we have traditions that must be adhered to. They establish our position in society. You rank very high as you represent a nation. " He gave a small bow.

"A very small nation. "

"But an important one. "

<Smart man.>

<Or crafty.>

<Sincere.>

"Imperial Fleet Admiral Zhu, I’d like to introduce you to the SAS task force leader, Admiral Sakaata… " I spent a few minutes introducing each of my party. Afterward, he led us to his conference room, which appeared to hold at least fifty people and all the seats were taken except those reserved for us. Each seat had a name written in UFN letters and SAS standard.

"I’d introduce you, but except for the Riss, who I understand have a perfect memory, you couldn’t possibly remember them all. I’ll let each person give their name when they speak. It will be easier. " Zhu waved to the empty places, and to my surprise, one seat was double sized for r-Kharis.  "Please sit. " He looked to Terril, who hesitated looking at Xun against the wall behind Zhu.  "Master Gunnery Sergeant Terril, you look more relaxed today without the tattoo. You're welcome to sit or stand, as you prefer. I will understand. Xun does not allow me to go anywhere without her. "

Terril smiled and stepped back against the wall behind me. Most of the food proved different than I had eaten but very tasty. I don’t know how they managed, but each officer appeared to get permission from Zhu to speak. It worked out well because everyone got to hear the question and answer, whereas much would have had to be repeated if there were side conversations.

"Leader Reese. " A small, middle-aged man bowed his head.  "I am red-Admiral Yang. I understand you will seek candidates from our people to be Riss-humans. No offense, but I think it will be difficult to get UFN citizens to… host a parasite. And why do you want them? No Offense intended, Leader Reese. " Yang bowed again.

It was a pleasant change. An SAS senior officer would most likely have said,  "Why would anyone want to have a parasite inside him? " But I guess in the end it was the same question.

"Red-Admiral Yang, that is an excellent question. I chose to host a Riss for my own very selfish reasons as I'm sure if you or your officers do, it will also be for selfish reasons—to save the UFN from the Aliens. But the Riss are an amazing race, and having one constantly with you is a precious gift. Although a Riss can be removed, no one who has become a Riss-human has asked to have her removed. "

I turned to Zhu.  "Admiral Zhu, I’m sure the officers you have assembled here on Dong are some of your best, and many would meet the criteria we are looking for certified crews and Riss-human candidates. "

"Yes, that is correct. "

"Red-Admiral Yang has asked a question everyone has on their mind and rightfully so. Parasites are normally considered a very bad thing, and no one here knows anything about the Riss. I would ask for a week delay so that we may expose them to the Riss. That should be long enough to determine those receptive to being teamed with a Riss to learn Symath and later entertain the idea of becoming a Riss-human. "

I turned to look at Yang.  "Red-Admiral Yang, in the end, both the human candidate and the Riss must be willing participants. "

"Yes, Leader Reese, " Zhu said,  "an excellent suggestion and well worth the delay. The Riss Symath will be a critical technology in our fight against the Aliens, and we must implement it as quickly as possible. "

The discussion went on for several hours, until Zhu stood—along with the entire dinner party.  "I neglected a tour of the Dynasty, not out of secrecy. Your engineers must examine our weapons system to make adjustments to your new missiles, and examining our technology might evoke new ideas. I thought to eat first and get acquainted. Now that my officers know yours, they will guide them on a tour and pair off to discuss their particular areas of interest. I would also like to speak with you… and your Gunny, alone. "

That seemed to be a queue for specific officers to seek out the Mnemosyne’s and guide them away.

I walked with Zhu to his office. It was impressive, not only five times the size of mine, but decorated like a combination of the Mnemosyne’s third level and the inside of a planet-side house.

"Would you like wine, or would you prefer kaffa or more tea? " He waved towards two comfortable chairs.

"I rather liked the tea served at dinner, if it isn’t too much trouble.

He nodded to Xun, who opened a side door in the back of the room and said something to someone. She and Terril had taken less comfortable chairs in the back.

"You understand that teaching us the Riss technology is potentially dangerous but necessary. Without you, I doubt Admiral Wattson would have consented to a Riss-facility in UFN space. I’m grateful. We both hope it leads to something good. How do you intend to expose my officers to the Riss in a week? "

"It might have to be two weeks, Admiral Zhu— "

"Zhu, please, and Reese if I may, in private, " he interrupted.

"I would like that. " I smiled.  "The Riss can’t make human sounds, and I suspect many of your people aren’t fluent in SAS standard. As you saw, the Riss use a voice box that translates hand signals into words. If you could assign a team to work with my Riss, we could update their boxes to generate the standard UFN dialect. "

"In a week "?

"The Riss have perfect memories, so it is mostly correlating the UFN words to the corresponding SAS words. Once we have a basic set, it will build quickly and can be updated daily. It's going to be necessary for those working to create the planet-side facility, and it will be the only way for your officers to see the Riss as intelligent individuals. "

I waited for Zhu to digest what I had said. He appeared to be a slow thinker, but I suspected he was considering the short and long range ramifications.

When he nodded, I continued.  "Talking with them will make them real. I’d like to put Riss on a few of your cruisers and conduct exercises designed to demonstrate the tactical and navigational advantages of Symath. Then select those officers who appear interested in the technology and are not afraid or repulsed by the Riss to attend a two-week Symath class… " I went on to explain what we had done to create Riss certified crews and my willingness to place Riss on those ships.

Zhu sat silent for several minutes with his eyes closed, barely breathing.  "Interesting. I find you more willing to support the UFN and the Alliance than I suspect the SAS would be. You are actually more concerned about the Riss than the sharing of technology. I could guarantee my officers will show the Riss respect and give them every curtesy, but that is not what you seek. "

"No. Most of my career, I was abused mentally and physically by officers and enlisted because they were afraid, repulsed, or they hated me. I want the Riss in an environment where the crew sees them as partners in the fight against the Aliens and as individuals and hopefully friends. You cannot order that. "

"You have no reason to trust me as you do your Admiral Plimson, but I give you my word to give you my complete and unconditional support to do what must be done to implement the Riss technology—and build ties that will last past our lifetimes.

<Long time.> An image with Zhu and a white goatee dragging along the ground.

<Very long.>

I managed not to smile, but Zhu managed to pick up some sign.

"A conversation with… Thalia? An intriguing concept. Two intelligent beings inside one body, Where does your loyalty belong? " Zhu asked.

The question stunned me.  "With the Riss, so long as an action does not violate my ethics, " I said. "My dreams are the dreams of the Riss, but the Riss would not ask me to abandon the SAS in a time of need. "

"So a UFN Riss-human would still be loyal to the UFN, although his or her dreams would be the Riss dreams? "

"Yes, they are good dreams, Zhu. The Riss do not want money, or power, or what others have. They merely want to be free to see the stars. "

* * *

Using the SAS dictionary currently on the voice-box, ten teams of UFN, Riss, and SAS personnel developed the appropriate UFN equivalents. Working night and day, a basic UFN language voice-box was up and running in six days. On the seventh day, the voice-box was used in conversations with senior officers and adjustments made where necessary.

"That is remarkable, " green-Admiral Husing said after a lengthy discussion with r-Kharis about Dusters, Demons, and Dragonflies. He looked to Zhu and me.  "I look at a Riss and understand they are intelligent, but my mind still sees them as… animals. Now that I can talk with a Riss and she has a name, she feels like a person. And after my conversation about weapons systems, I know she is an intelligent person. Leader Reese is correct. Our officers need to interact with the Riss if they are to understand them. "

"Yes, I had concerns about integrating the Riss technology within the UFN and thought it would take years integrating the Riss and Symath—and that a UFN Riss-human would be an impossibility. But the Riss are making it remarkably easy,  " Zhu said.  "What next, Leader Reese? "

"I would suggest some exercises where the Riss can demonstrate the applications of Symath. We should use your cruisers so that no one thinks our computers are doing the work. The demonstrations should include all captains, XOs, navigation, and weapons officers. "

* * *

It took two days to remove the sensing devices and warheads from one hundred missiles, arrange for ten cruisers to participate in the exercises, organize the two hundred observers into teams of ten, and plan the exercises. Each exercise was the same: a ship with Riss and observers would let a UFN ship skip in some random direction. The Riss would then compute a skip to within five kilometers of that ship. At the same time, the UFN navigator using the system computer would compute the same jump. The second exercise would have a UFN cruiser three light seconds away on a random course attempt to destroy any of the five dumb missiles that reached it.

On the morning of the third day, Damaass, Jaelle, and I―with two Riss each―conducted a two-hour pre-flight briefing with the ten officers who would be along as observers. We explained the exercises and the purpose. Most of the two hours was devoted to answering questions, which I let the Riss handle. We then boarded Red-dragon-2 (the Heavy assigned to task force two of the Red Dragon fleet) along with red-Admiral Yang. Afterward, I had each officer fill out a brief questionnaire designed to help me determine each officer’s feelings towards the Riss: What did you think of the demonstration? Do you think Symath would be useful in an engagement? What did you think of the Riss? Etc.

They were told by the Fleet Admiral to be honest. The results were to be used to evaluate the Riss, not them. Zhu and I reviewed the results each night. After some assignment changes to keep the fifty officers who appeared likely candidates for learning Symath and being Riss-certified, Zhu released thirty ships to Echo.

Two weeks later, we had certified four teams. I assigned two Riss to each cruiser, and Zhu sent off the remaining ten cruisers to Echo to meet his agreed-upon commitment of forty. The UFN now had five task forces on Echo, designated: Red-1, Red-2, Red-3, Yellow-1, and Yellow-2.

* * *

<Dynasty.>

<Comm: connect.>

Immediately, Zhu’s face appeared on the overhead monitor.

"What may I do for you, Admiral Zhu? "

"I want you to know I’m very pleased with the progress you and your people have made. We've sent off our designated commitment to Echo several weeks late, but Admiral Wattson should be pleased that we have four Riss-certified cruisers. And work on Dong is ahead of schedule. With the new voice boxes, communications between the UFN and SAS has been better than could be expected. As a result, we managed to make room in our present facilities to begin limited production while the new structures are being built and furnished. All in all, a remarkable start. And I have three Riss-human candidates. I would like to introduce them to you and make sure they meet your requirements. "

"At your convenience, Admiral Zhu. " I was somewhat surprised he had found any, although there wouldn’t have been the same feelings about the Riss as were prevalent in the SAS. The Riss concept had many years of publicity: some based on fact, but most on rumors and hearsay.

"If you are free, my office at seventeen hundred hours and dinner afterward. "

"I’d like that. Seventeen hundred hours, " I acknowledged and broke the connection.

"Are you coming? " I asked Terril, who seemed to be with me most of the time.

"Depends. What are we having for dinner? "

"Whatever Admiral Zhu fancies. "

"I'll ride over with you, but I’ve been invited to dine with Xun. She and I managed to trade off watching training sessions. The differences are startling in the beginning, but as the student progresses toward master, the similarities are amazing. It’s been interesting. I also get the feeling that Zhu has made it clear we are to be considered… trusted allies. "

"I agree. Zhu is already thinking about the future. The relationship with the SAS will be forged during these early years. "

"Interesting, while most of us are worried about today, you and he seem to be focused on tomorrow. Talking about today, I need to attend to your detail for tonight. I’ll see you at the shuttle, " Terril said and left, leaving two guards.

"Jaelle, what do you think of this assignment? " I asked when she finished her conversation with r-Kharis at the navigation console.

"It’s been interesting… and fun. The UFN personnel are very reserved and steeped in tradition, but they are nice to work with and very attentive. You know by the questions they ask that they are paying attention and are very smart. And it’s helped me. Demonstrating Symath has given me a better understanding of its potential in a battle. In a strange way, I’m looking forward to an engagement with the Aliens. I think this assignment has made me more eager to be a Riss captain. "

"I understand. If we must fight in a war, we must strive to be good at it, " I said, shaking my head at the sad reality.

* * *

I arrived at the shuttle just after sixteen hundred hours. Terril stood waiting with two new guards. I entered and waved Terril to sit beside me.

"How is the shore leave working out? " I asked. Zhu and I had discussed the possibility of limited interaction of clan personnel with the general population and slowly providing shore leave for the SAS personnel on station. We had started with the Mnemosyne and Minerva personnel first, as I thought they were better disciplined than Sakaata's task force. Not that Sakaata wouldn't rip the hide off anyone caught causing trouble, but the task force wasn’t as close-knit a group as the Riss-certified troops.

"The feedback has been excellent. The troops are enjoying an opportunity to visit a new place with new and interesting things to see. And no incidents have been reported. Of course, they know if they cause any trouble their shore leave will be canceled for the rest of their lives, and then they will have to answer to you. "

<They fear me?>

<Fear facing you.>

<Why?>

< Failed your trust in them.>

I saw Thalia’s point. If you didn’t trust someone or thought them dishonest or… they had nothing to lose by being dishonest or… However, if you trusted them, they did.

When I exited the shuttle, I received the same pomp and ceremony as before. Oh well,  "When in Rome― " wherever that was? As I was ushered into Zhu's office, he stood, and the three other officers braced to attention.

"At ease, gentlemen. Leader Reese, I would like you to meet red-Captain Sato of Red dragon five, " he said, gesturing to a man in his middle thirties.

He had an athletic, wiry frame, olive skin, and straight black hair. He was several centimeters taller than the other two men. He stiffened and gave a stiff bow from the waist.

"Captain Sato has several years’ experience fighting in border wars with the JPU and is second to the red-Commodore of task force five. " Zhu then nodded to the short, stocky man next to him.  "Yellow-Commodore Chung of Yellow Dragon one task force. "

Chung looked to be in his forties. He was the shortest of the men, and his long, black, thick hair framed a round stiff face. He too gave a stiff bow but not as low as Sato’s.

"Commodore Chung leads the yellow-one task force and fought in the JPU war and border skirmishes with the SAS. And this is blue-Admiral Zhang, " Zhu said with a slight smile,  "my younger brother, although I assure you he expects no special consideration. He has experience commanding in our early war with the SAS and in the later one with the JPU. I interviewed ten officers, and believe these men meet your initial criteria. I did not consider age since you did not stipulate it as a consideration. "

Zhang’s facial features did resemble his brother’s. They both had long mustaches and chin beards, although Zhu’s was pure white while Zhang’s still had strands of black. His bow was gentle and relaxed, and his eyes twinkled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. No, age is not a criterion. Tactical experience or demonstrated tactical ability and a willingness to consider becoming a Riss-human are the only requirements. Please relax, " I said. The seniority of the volunteers was intriguing, of course needing war experience did more or less rule out young officers.

Zhu waved them to their chairs.

"On one hand, most Riss do not wish to be hosted by a human, as it limits their freedom. On the other hand, most humans find it hard to have an intelligent being in their minds. Need drives us together, but for the few who choose to become Riss-humans, it's a life-changing experience none of us would give up. So volunteering means you have to choose to host a Riss, and a Riss has to choose to be hosted by you. If for whatever reason the pairing doesn't work, it is possible for the Riss to be removed. "

"What does the program encompass? " Chung asked.

"I will have you transferred to the Mnemosyne, where you will be given a physical, an indoctrination about the Riss and the process, and spend hours interacting with potential Riss candidates. If at that point a Riss is willing to be hosted by you, you will be tattooed, " I pointed to my cheek,  "and the Riss will be inserted. It will take several weeks for you and the Riss to get acclimated, and then you will become part of the Riss Nation Navy and learn to captain a Riss cruiser. "

"You say the Riss must choose. I thought you were their Leader. " Chung questioned.

"Each Riss is given a position, and all positions are equal. Every Riss on the ship will be equal to you. But because your position is captain, they will follow your decisions without question. I speak for all the Riss but not for each individual, although when I speak for the Riss each individual will follow without question. "

"Including the Riss-humans? " Sato asked.

"Yes. Riss-humans are Riss. As humans, you will have your own opinions, but you will, like the other Riss, know my words are made for the benefit of the Riss and, therefore, feel required to follow. "

"An intriguing concept—both a gift and curse, " Zhang said.

Chung and Sato gave him questioning looks.

"I assume the Riss parasite becomes a companion over time and has the ability to control you if it… she wishes. "

"Yes, but I leave that for your orientation. "

After a leisurely dinner where I learned a little about each officer, we returned to the Mnemosyne. There, I gave them a brief tour and assigned each some quarters and a security guard.

* * *

"I understand you have three UFN candidates for Riss-humans. I know Admiral Plimson has agreed you have the right, but…  " Sakaata said. She had invited me for dinner and had included her task force captains.

"Although many individuals will be apprehensive over the idea of someone from the UFN being a Riss-human. I doubt it's the Riss-human issue you are uncomfortable with; it’s the sharing of technology. I assure you that since the Riss will not allow any of us Riss-humans to act in a manner inconsistent with their ethics, none of us could kill a defenseless individual, much less massacre hundreds, " I said, surveying the table.

"I guess you’re right, Reese. But with the Riss technology, the next war between empires is going to be a nightmare, " Sakaata said to nodding heads.

Everyone looked shocked when I laughed.  "To a Riss or Riss-human, any conflict in which even one person dies is a nightmare. But since both sides will have equivalent technology, the result will be the same as today—many good people will die. Only the technology will be different. "

"True, " Sakaata conceded.

"I’ve heard that some of the Riss-attached units and clan people are being permitted planet-side leave, " a tall, good-looking man said. From his immaculate appearance, wavy red hair, and trendy pencil-thin mustache, I’d bet he was a lady’s man.

"Yes, right now it's a very limited experiment. If no problems result, I assume Admiral Zhu will extend it to the SAS ships on station. "

"Why allow the Riss and the clans— "

"Stop right there, Captain Sharpin. The Riss and the clan personnel are working on Dong, so it’s impossible to restrict contact with the general population. So the only people getting shore leave are SAS personnel, and that is on a limited basis. I understand everyone would like shore leave, but we are at war. If Admiral Zhu authorizes general planet-side access, no more than five percent of the task force will be allowed planet-side at any one time, and no personnel designated critical—like captains. "

His open-eyed look was priceless. The laughs around the table eased the tension.

Sakaata said,  "Admiral Wattson is keeping us aware of the situation in the SAS. He has stationed a cruiser in each system he feels potentially vulnerable and equipped them with portable Comstats linked directly to Echo. The joint task force is poised to respond to any Medusa entering a system. Incursions by cruisers only are being ignored for now. They are operating under the premise that the Aliens are being cautious because they have a limited number of Medusas. Your theory, I believe. " Sakaata paused, looking to me.

I nodded.

Sakaata said,  "They encountered one at Defiance, probably because it hosts a lot of for-hire mercenaries. The Medusa had eight Light cruisers. The joint task force lost one Heavy, six Lights… one a Riss certified Light, and had damage of one degree or another to the other eight cruisers. He said you were right about the cost to destroy a Medusa. He needs Riss cruisers as soon as you can release them. "

<Damn them.>

<Like humans. Kill to stop killing.>

<It’s senseless.>

<Road to hell paved with...>

<We’re helping.>

<Not self-defense this time.>

<No. The Aliens don’t want to kill us.>

"What, Nadya? " Sakaata sat staring at me, forehead wrinkled in concern. I must have been quiet for a long time.  "The loss of the Riss? "

"No, I weep for the Riss because we have become part of the insanity. "

"What insanity? " Captain Morley asked.  "We are defending ourselves against an invading force. "

"We were defending ourselves against the clans because they were killing and destroying our ships. The Aliens merely want to confine us. They make no attempt to kill or injure if we cease flying. Nor do they intend to rule us. The Riss do not consider that defending themselves. " I held up my hand before the room could be filled with retorts.  "I am not judging you. I’m telling you how the Riss feel. "

"They are cowards then— " Morley began. I stood and walked out of the room, with Terril and my escort on high alert. Fortunately, no one made any attempt to follow me.

CHAPTER TEN

Dong invaded

Over the next three days, I immersed myself in educating the three candidates in the Riss culture and what it would mean to be a Riss-human.

Sato seemed enthusiastic.

Chung seemed less interested each day.

Zhang was interested in every detail, as if he intended to write a book on the subject afterward.

<Maybe he’s a spy.>

<Sato sees glory. Chung afraid. Zhang evaluating.>

<Good or bad?>

<Riss determine. You sought self-interest.> Image of me staring at a wall with pictures of galaxies, college building, naval officer uniform.

<True. Oh wise one.>

I had found twenty Riss volunteers, which surprised me since it would mean giving up their freedom. Thalia pointed out that the Riss currently being hosted had found the experience exciting, and providing experienced captains for the Riss cruisers reduced the risk to the Riss on board and would eventually make the Riss independent. It still hurt to know my decision for the Riss had led us down this very steep path.

I was jerked out of my musing, as the emergency override on my SID brought it to life with r-Galene's image.

"Leader. Zhu wants conference with you, Sakaata. A Medusa just entered system, " her voice-box said.

"Tell him I'll be on the Bridge in a minute. Contact Damaass. Tell him what has happened and include him in the conference call. " I waved to the three men.  "If a Medusa entered the system, then it's very likely a scout came with it. Sato, what would you recommend the Riss cruisers do? " I said as we headed for the Bridge.

"The Riss cruisers are best equipped to take on the Medusa. You should lead the task forces on Dong and as soon as you are within skipping range, take out the Medusa. "

"Chung? "

"I agree with Captain Sato, except I would position the fleet for an attack before you attacked the Medusa. "

"Zhang? "

He remained quiet for so long I thought he hadn’t heard me. I was getting ready to ask again, when he spoke.

"The scout first I think. " His voice was soft and relaxed.

When we reached the Bridge, the monitors showed Zhu, Sakaata, Damaass, and what I thought was the green-Admiral Erdogan, who would be commanding the current three green task forces on Dong: Green-1, Green-2, and Green-3.

"Leader Reese, a Medusa has entered the system. Since you are the only one here who has fought one, what would you suggest? "

"Admiral Erdogan, do you have forces in place to engage the Medusa? "

"Yes, Leader Reese. I have three cruisers, and they are moving into position as we speak. "

"I’d suggest they turn off their weapon systems and pull back— "

"That would be cowardly. We do not run from battle, " he said, his voice harsh and the meaning clear—you ran from the battle at Hayjar.

"Go on, Leader Reese, " Zhu said, ending further comment.

"The Aliens will not fire on us unless we attack or refuse their order to leave our ships. I would like to delay an encounter until the Riss can find and destroy the scout. It will be watching the battle and will report on our success and tactics, and more than likely bring reinforcements. If we keep all the ships where they are with their weapons systems off, they may delay releasing their Light cruisers. In that case, we may be able to damage some when we attack the Medusa. "

"I approve. Admiral Erdogan. "

"Yes, sir. I will notify the fleet immediately. "

"Good. Any other thoughts, Leader Reese? "

"Admiral Sakaata, I'd suggest your Riss-certified cruisers attempt a skip-attack against any Alien cruisers that have not released their fighters. Each Light cruiser has ten fighters, which are little more than manned missiles. The fewer the better. "

"You’re not going to kill them all, Leader Reese? " She grinned.

"No. I thought I’d save a few for you to practice on. " I grinned back.  "Damaass, silent running, we have a scout to find before the party starts. Tight beam communications only. " I was about to cut the connection when Zhu spoke.

"Leader Reese, I would appreciate it if you would join me for dinner tomorrow night. " His image went blank. I shook my head until I realized it was his way of saying he was comfortable with the strategy and its probability of success.

For the benefit of the Riss-human candidates, I had Jaelle posting the essence of any Riss or Riss-human conversations to one of the unused monitors. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know what was going on. I wanted to be able to query them as part of my evaluation.

It took twelve hours to slide by the Medusa and approach the area near the Wave, where the scout would most likely be.

<Minerva>

"Peeping tom at: 52.021, 8h 21m 15s, 2.02 au," appeared on the overhead Comm monitor.

<Comm: Query Minerva: time to arrive one thousand kilometers from Peeper.>

"Twenty-five minutes, nine seconds," scrolled across the monitor.

<Nav: time to one thousand kilometers from scout?>

<twenty-eight minutes, twelve seconds.>

<Comm: send to Minerva; Ready in twenty-eight minutes.>

<Sent. Acknowledged.>

<Tac: Ready one bank Demons. Riss solution in twenty-eight minutes.>

<One bank Demons. Riss solution in twenty-eight minutes.>

<Comm: get Byer, Seng, Iglis.>

<Connected.>

Within seconds, their faces appeared on the Comm overhead monitor, in split frames.

"In just under twenty-eight minutes, the Mnemosyne and the Minerva will be launching a missile attack on the Aliens' scout. I don’t anticipate needing Ghosts or Scorpions, but you should be on alert. We cannot let the scout leave the area. Afterward, we will be launching an attack on the Medusa. I will let you know the time of the attack. "

"The Ghosts will be ready, " Byer said.

"And the Scorpions, " Seng added.

<Minerva holding at designated position.>

<Comm: send attack in three minutes from receipt.>

<Sent. Acknowledged.>

<Tac: Riss solution, six Demons in three minutes.>

<Riss solution, six Demons in three minutes.>

With nothing to do, I sat watching the VTM as we slid closer to the scout and the overhead monitor displayed the time remaining to launch. As the count hit zero, I felt a slight shudder.

<Six Demons fired.>

And seconds later.

<Scout destroyed.>

Not much wonder. Twelve missiles coming from two different directions from only one thousand kilometers would be too quick for even a computer to respond. Overkill, but necessary. The scout was potentially more dangerous than the Medusa if it got away.

<Eight light cruisers emerged from Medusa. Two towards us. Six towards Dong.>

I turned to the three candidates.  "Gentlemen, what do you suggest? Sato? "

"As soon as we are in skipping distance, we should attack the Medusa. " he said with an air of excitement.

<Very heroic.>

<Guess he thinks we’ll win and won’t have to skip away afterwards.>

"Chung? "

"We are a long way from the Medusa and approaching cruisers. We are invisible to the approaching cruisers, so I would take them out, then contact the fleet to start an attack. When the Medusa is distracted, attack it. "

<They aren’t cowards.>

<True. But do we need heroes?>

"Zhang? "

"From what you’ve said, the Medusa is a very nasty ship. One you would not want to stay near for long. So, I would suggest ignoring the cruisers so we can get close enough to allow a reasonable exit skip if necessary. The fleet will need to know the result of your attack before they can decide what to do. As will you, " he said as if talking to himself about an interesting problem. He was very much like his brother.

<Comm: connect to Minerva.>

<Connected.>

Damaass's face appeared on the monitor.  "That wasn’t very exciting. Like target practice with a target an arm’s length. " The rogue smiled.

"Well, the next target shoots back, and you will be only an arm’s length away, " I said.

"That will be exciting, Leader. "

"Damaass, ignore the Light cruisers coming our way. We will make a slow, stealthy approach to within a three-second skip of the Medusa. The Minerva will approach from the port side, the Mnemosyne from the starboard. Skip to twenty-five kilometers from the Medusa. I'm hoping that will reduce the laser damage Pavao and I know they can dish out from only one kilometer away, and it won’t reduce the effectiveness of our missile attack. Fire all twelve and then take a one-second skip. We’ll evaluate our next move after we determine our and the Medusa’s condition. "

"r-Melete says four hours and ten minutes with two engines at half speed. "

"I’ll contact you then. " I cut the connection.

* * *

Sato and Chung were a bit agitated when I took them off to the dining bay. Even more so when they saw the number already there.

I was pleased to see the relaxed atmosphere.

Zhang was first to speak after we sat down with our food.  "My brother was right. War on a Riss cruiser is peaceful. Even here, where everyone seems relaxed, but more so on the Bridge where there is no external noise. "

"A Riss ship is like your fighting art of Shuzen: no resistance. We are neither heroes nor cowards, we are just Riss. "

"The art of Shuzen has much to teach. " Zhang said and began eating.

Well into our meal, my SID buzzed.

When I switched it on, Jaelle's face appeared.  "Leader, r-Asdis reports two Alien cruisers approaching at five hundred and thirty gravities. One is five thousand kilometers off to our port and the other nine thousand to our starboard. "

"Thank you, Jaelle. Make sure you and the others get time off to eat and refresh themselves. " I turned to Terril.  "That includes you and my detail. "

"Yes, ma’am. " Terril waved the two Scorpions off but stayed.

After a refreshing shower and change, I returned to the Bridge.

<Leader, the two alien cruisers are returning from the destroyed Scout's area. Each has their ten fighters searching the area in front of them. R-Asdis estimates they are five minutes and twenty seconds from reaching us at our current speed.>

I took the Captain's chair and sat watching the VTM. The fighters weaved back and forth in what looked like an organized search pattern across some unseen grid. The odds of finding us were small, but if they did, it would alert the Medusa and would be ugly, especially for the Ghosts.

<Comm. Connection to the Minerva.>

<Connected.>

Damaass appeared, smiling. "Leader. Fight, or play dead?" Damaass looked calm, like we were debating which restaurant we should eat at.

"I thought we should run," I said with a straight face.

I was rewarded with an open-mouthed stare. I noticed Sato looked angry.

Chung looked pale.

Zhang was expressionless.

Damaass laughed. "Dummies?"

"Yes. Cut your engines and release a Dummy on vector two-seven-zero by two-six-zero."

As I cut the connection, Damaass was laughing.

<Helm: Stop all engines except one for essential power.>

<Stop all engines, except one at one-tenth power.>

<ECM. One Dummy at zero-nine-five by zero-six-five.>

< One Dummy at zero-nine-five by zero-six-five.>

I sat back and watched the VTM as the Minerva’s and Mnemosyne's Dummies streaked away in what would appear an attempt to avoid the oncoming cruisers and their fighters. The Mnemosyne's Dummy vector was to the starboard side of the cruiser closest to it, and the Minerva's Dummy vector was to the port side of the cruiser closest to it. Thus, the bait would draw the cruisers and their fighters to the outside of our positions. Within seconds, the fighters took the bait, and soon the cruisers followed.

That was the result I had hoped for, but what I didn't expect was the deadliness of the Dummy. It took out two fighters with its fifty-centimeter lasers. Two rammed it, and another three were close enough that the resulting explosion caused them to fail. The results were similar with Minerva's Dummy. When the dust cleared, only seven fighters remained. The cruisers collected the fighters and headed in the direction of Dong. I waited ten minutes before contacting Damaass.

"That was spectacular," Damaass said as he appeared on the monitor. "I think I can hear the cheering all the way from the Ghosts' area."

"Yes, Freeland did it again. We owe the clans much," I acknowledged. "Now that we are rested, it's time to visit the Medusa. Contact me via tight beam when you are in position for a three-second skip."

<Nav: Vector to the Medusa.>

<Helm: start engines four and eight. Half speed. Execute vector on your board.>

* * *

On passive sensors, it was difficult to determine exactly what was happening to the main force closer to Dong, but it was obvious the fight was still going on. I idly wondered if the Medusa had additional cruisers it was keeping in reserve. It knew the scout had been destroyed. Would the Medusa stay and fight or attempt to return to its home base with the information it was collecting?

<Incoming from Damaass.>

"Minerva in position," scrolled across the monitor.

<Comm: send to Minerva: three second skip to twenty-five kilometers off Medusa’s port side.>

<Nav: Vector to twenty-five kilometers off Medusa's starboard side.>

<Tac: Twelve demons on reentry.>

<Comm: send to Minerva: skip in thirty seconds from receipt.>

<Helm: Three second skip to vector on your board in… ten, nine... three, two, one, skip.>

The Bridge personnel briefly faded into ghosts and then reappeared. The Mnemosyne shuddered twice as two banks of missiles exploded towards the Medusa, and we faded in and out almost instantly.

<Nineteen explosions.>

<Medusa still operational.>

I had mixed emotions as I watched the results scroll across the screen. Three Riss wounded, one dead. It was far better than last time, but one dead Riss was one too many. One of the Ghost bays had been briefly opened to space and two Ghosts had sustained minor damage. A bank of lasers was destroyed. One engine had to be taken off line. Level three took several hits, but they would be easily fixed when time permitted.

The Aliens had fired sixteen missiles, too late. They might be hoping the missile sensors would find targets. I decided to do nothing. Our stealth coating should preclude any missiles finding us except by accident, whereas active ECM may give the Medusa a good location to target.

<Comm: connect to Minerva.>

<Connected.>

Damaass's face appeared, thoughtfully looking back.

"Damaass, damage report." I crossed my fingers mentally.

"Not bad. Several wounded, no deaths. Lots of minor damage, but we are fully operational."

"How do you feel about intuition? "

"Better than luck. "

"Tell me when you're in a position for a two second skip. When you are, we will each launch a Duster to detonate one kilometer from the Medusa, then skip to within two kilometers, unload, and execute a final two-second exit skip. I’m hoping the Dusters will deflect the laser beams enough to degrade their effectiveness. "

"Interesting idea. I’ll let you know when I’m in position. "

Ten minutes passed as the Mnemosyne maneuvered into position.

<Tac: compute vector and distance for duster.>

<Helm: prepare to skip on release of Duster.>

I sat back hoping I wasn’t wrong. That close, the Aliens’ thirty- and fifty-centimeter lasers were deadly, as we had learned at Fools Landing. I opened my SID and punched in Byer’s code.

He answered immediately.

"Commander Byer, prepare your squadron. We’re making another run. If we can disable the Medusa, I want your squadron in position to clean up anything still functional. There may be cruisers still docked. "

"Yes, ma’am. "

<What's all this ma’am stuff?>

<Shorter than Leader Reese.>

<Minerva in position.>

<Comm: send to Minerva, release Duster in thirty seconds from receipt. Skip on release.>

<Tac: Release Duster in twenty-six... nine, eight, seven... two, one, fire.>

In less than a heartbeat after the Duster left the tube, the Bridge personnel turned translucent for two seconds. The Mnemosyne shuddered as twelve Demons exploded from the ship, and everyone again faded into ghosts and back again.

<Medusa lost power.>

<Comm: send Minerva release Ghosts.>

I hit my SID connect to Byer. "Byer, release your Ghosts. The Medusa has lost power."

"Ghosts exiting now."

My eyes went reflexively towards the VTM, but of course there was nothing to see. The Medusa had lost power, and the Ghosts were invisible to our sensors. We could do nothing but await Byer's report. The damage monitor showed only minor injuries and no equipment failure. Time seemed to go into slow motion; the minutes dragged by.

My SID lit with Byer's smiling face. "Captain Reese, Commander Katlin reports four Alien cruisers on the Medusa destroyed. They were apparently being held in reserve. Ghosts destroyed them in their launch bays."

"Send my congratulations," I said and activated Seng's SID.

"Seng, Send two boarding parties to the Medusa. The power is down, but let's make sure it doesn't come back on again."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, and a minute later, "Shuttles on their way."

<Comm: Connect to Minerva.>

<Connected.>

Damaass appeared.

"Damaass, drop two shuttles of Scorpions. I want to make sure the beast is dead."

"Done. Your intuition was good, dybbuk." He smiled. "Our damage on this run was much less than the first one. Light damage here and there, and a few minor injuries. Are we going to join the battle on Dong?"

"No. They need the practice. Our responsibility is to ensure that the Medusa and everything in it is dead."

"Why do you think one of those two cruisers didn't continue going and return to the home base after they discovered the scout dead?" Damaass asked.

"Poor judgment, orders, tradition, or they thought they were winning. Many would think leaving a battle was cowardly."

Damaass laughed. "Before becoming a Riss-human and knowing Adiona, I would have thought that. Now, my guardian angel would have me considering the greater good."

* * *

<Sakaata.>

<Comm: Connect.>

Several seconds later, Sakaata's face appeared on the overhead monitor.  "Reese, you had us worried. Your entire area of space looked dead. Obviously the Medusa lost power, but since we can't see your cruisers, we didn't know if you were alive or dead. I was particularly concerned when I noticed two explosions and then two alien cruisers joined us right afterward."

"They managed to find, engage, and destroy two Dummies. If we had engaged their cruisers, the Medusa would have been alerted to our presence. It's dead along with four cruisers it had in reserve. We've been waiting to see if you let any leave your party."

"Makes sense now that I hear what happened. Fighting with three nations is tricky. It would be convenient if someone were in charge, like the Gardners of SAS want, but that isn't practicable, as you've just demonstrated."

"How did things go for you and your task force?"

While he formulated an answer, I wondered why the Medusa had elected to keep four cruisers in reserve. Did the commander misjudge the number of ships in the system, or did it have something to do with who commanded the Medusa? And was each Medusa commanded by the same individual? Damn, the concept of a robot-host gave me a Medusa-sized headache.

<Riss not have to leave Gorillai.>

That shocked me into silence. I knew the Riss didn't want to leave their normal host... Oh. If the Riss could transfer a copy... Interesting. The Aliens could be a very small group of organic material.

<But you would miss all the fun.>

<True.> Image of Thalia in a sound-proofed room with no windows while many little Thalias were involved in hundreds of activities.

Sakaata's voice brought me back to the present. "We had the overwhelming force by three to one, but between a faster reload capability, an ECM equivalent to an SAS Heavy, and those damn fighters with their kamikaze tactics, it's like fighting Hunters. In total, four Lights and a Heavy were destroyed, three additional Lights are non-operational, and most ships have light to moderate damage. It would have been worse if my Riss-certified ships hadn't destroyed two Alien cruisers before they discharged their fighters. In my task force, I lost an unmodified Light, another is barely operational, and have moderate damage to another Light and my command ship, the Condor. What about you?"

<Not mention number killed.>

<Easier talk ships killed.>

"Better than last time. Have to; we don't have copies to throw away."

* * *

We arrived back in Dong air space early the next morning. I had chosen to return at half speed with our radar active, knowing many in the various task forces would be rightfully nervous and that the Riss cruisers looked more alien than the Aliens' cruisers. On the way back, I held a meeting with the senior personnel on the Mnemosyne and Minerva.

When I entered the room, Jaelle called "Attention," and everyone rose. Most were smiling.

"At ease." I said, and to my surprise everyone started clapping.

"To Captain Reese," Damaass said, raising his glass. "The leader of the meanest, baddest fighting elite in the galaxy." As he finished, everyone cheered. My face must have turned scarlet because it felt on fire.

<You could stop that.>

<What?>

<Blushing.>

<Could grow hair on face. Not show then.>

"Yes. It is my privilege to serve with the elite of the services. Not only comrades-in-arms, but friends." I sat. "Who would like to start the debriefing?"

"My pilots went wild over the Dummies. They sucked the Aliens' fighters to them like a black hole. It was very satisfying after the carnage at Fools Landing." Byer said.

"I agree," Commander Clarkson said, nodding. "What I love about the Riss ships is that you have us tied into the VTM, so we are more aware of what is happening."

"I agree," Seng said. "Usually, the army has to learn everything second and third hand and after the fact. Here, I feel like we are part of the team."

"You are," I said, trying to catch everyone's eyes. "Any idea why we managed to catch four cruisers on the Medusa?"

"Surprise, I think," Iglis said.  "The party I sent over after the Scorpions informed me it was clear that they were preparing to launch them. It will take time to understand the exact reasons. Maybe repairs, or fuel, or... "

"Was anything active when the Scorpions arrived?"

"No, there seems to be a domino effect. Once they determine they have lost the fight, everything begins shutting down. I would guess it's an effort to destroy any useful information before the enemy can get to it," Seng said.

I sat back content. I was on a Riss ship, operated by Riss, and even the humans seemed to be somewhat Riss-like.

<Everyone have Rh tattoo.>

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Aftermath

We had only been in orbit around Dong for a few minutes when the Dynasty sent a message reminding me of my dinner invitation with Zhu. Sakaata called shortly afterward, also wanting to meet for dinner. She sounded aggravated when I told her I couldn't because of Zhu's invitation. Instead, we arranged a morning meeting prior to the joint debriefing Zhu had scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

<Wants Riss exclusive SAS.>

<SAS isn't sure what they want. I wonder about the UFN.>

<All human.> Images of my past superiors flashed before me.

<Yes, oh wise one. One day, one person at a time.>

I spent the rest of the morning with Sato, Chung, and Zhang at their first meeting with the twenty Riss volunteers. It went about how I would have guessed.

Sato's questions were concerned with how the Riss companion would help him and ensuring he would be in charge. He loved the idea every Riss would agree with his decisions.

Chung appeared concerned with losing control to the Riss.

Zhang appeared interested in the Riss as a people.

I knew I didn't want heroes, like Sato. The Riss didn't need to prove themselves or to die for someone's idea of glory. I didn't blame Sato. He was raised in a culture which tended to see one as a hero or a coward, with nothing in between. Chung wouldn't survive. He saw the Riss as parasites rather than intelligent beings. Like Egon, one of the original ten Riss-humans, he would go insane, and the Riss would have to be removed for his own safety. Unfortunately, he wouldn't resign from the program because that would mean he would lose face. Zhang met all of the qualifications—a tactical thinker who saw the Riss as people and good allies. But he kept his thoughts to himself, so it was impossible to know his motivation. I would have to leave that to the Riss to determine. I called a stop around lunch time. Better to keep the sessions short. The candidates and the Riss needed time to consider what had been said and organize their thoughts for the next meeting.

* * *

"What do you think Zhu wants?" Terril asked during our shuttle ride to the Dynasty.

"I have no idea, although I suspect Fleet Admirals don't invite anyone to dinner to chat about their day."

"Should be interesting then."

"For you." I said as the shuttle touched down. I rose and exited the shuttle to another formal welcoming.

Afterward, Zhu stepped forward. "Welcome, Leader Reese. I'm afraid your performance yesterday requires a very formal reception," he said, indicating for me to walk with him. "I hope you don't mind meeting with me alone. I have no secrets from the SAS, but I would like an opportunity for us to get better acquainted."

"I'd like that," I replied. I doubted I would ever truly know Zhu. He was not one to wear his emotions on his sleeve or to say anything without giving it careful thought, which made it difficult to know exactly what he was thinking, unlike people like Admiral Salazan. He led me to a small room with a table set for two. Only Terril and Xun entered the room.

When we sat, a woman entered in a military uniform I thought the equivalent of a sergeant. "Leader Reese, what would you like to drink with your dinner? We have a variety of wines, liquors, kaffas, and teas."

I looked to Zhu. "Admiral Zhu, being a Riss-human has limited my socializing. The concept has been very controversial in the SAS, and I've found it best to limit my civilian exposure."

"Yes, I can understand that. People like things they understand. That is why tradition is so comfortable. It makes it easy to understand the rules. The Riss-human concept would not be easy to comprehend and would brand you an outsider. Do you drink wine?" He asked.

"On occasion. Mostly I drink kaffa, but I did like your tea."

"Lee, bring Leader Reese several wines and teas to taste," he said to the woman and continued before I could reply. "Leaders must socialize, so maybe I can help you to know your choices."

"Thank you, Admiral Zhu."

"Zhu, please."

"Zhu."

"We owe the Aliens for yesterday's invasion. It was an excellent demonstration on many levels. It provided real experience against the Aliens' Light cruisers and fighters, practical application of the Riss technology, and the ability of the Riss. I'm afraid Admiral Salazan would not have been happy to witness the Riss destroying a Medusa." A small smile touched his lips. He looked up and nodded.

When he did, Lee placed three small glasses of wine and three cups of tea on the table in front of me, bowed and stepped back.

"They are for you to sample. If you find something you like, I can put a name to it. Take your time."

When he nodded, Lee placed a glass of wine in front of him.

"Yesterday also emphasized the need to disseminate the Riss technology as quickly as possible. We will not have Riss cruisers at every battle, and it would be unfair for the Riss to have sole responsibility for disabling Medusas."

"I agree. I also think we need to disseminate the tactics we are developing." I said, thinking about Sato's and Chung's proposed approaches and what I had learned in our two encounters with a Medusa.

"What do you mean?"

"We are developing new technology in response to our encounters as well as learning what works and what doesn't. On our first encounter with a Medusa at Fools Landing..." I went on to explain the encounter and the damage, the development of the Dummies, and our encounter yesterday. "Perhaps a tactical school at Echo," I said, thinking out loud, "where encounters with Medusas are incorporated into live exercises."

Zhu sat quiet for a while.

I took a small sip of each wine in front of me. One tasted very tart, another acetic, and one sweet and smooth with a pleasant smell. I pulled the latter one closer to me, not wanting to interrupt Zhu. Then I tasted each tea. One tasted burnt, one earthy. The third had a mild pleasant flavor, and I pulled it closer to me.

"Plum wine and Oolong tea," he said.

I thought he had disregarded my earlier remarks, until he continued.

"An ongoing war college. Admiral Wattson will like that idea. If you will give me a detailed report, I will deliver it to him. That brings me to the reason for this dinner." He paused to take a drink of his wine, while Lee placed a full glass of Plum wine next to me and cleared away the other glasses and cups.

"What if you had been killed in the engagement with the Medusa?"

"People die in war. The Riss would pick another person to take the position of leader."

"Yes, our positions can all be filled, but would the future be the same? Would Stenberg have agreed to your proposal to put a Riss technology center on Dong as Wattson did? Would another Riss Leader have made Damaass a Riss-human? Would Admiral Erdogan have listened to your advice and waited to attack the Medusa?" His gaze seemed far away as he talked.

"I understand your concerns, but..." I shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"Too bad we can't make copies like the Aliens." He laughed softly.

* * *

I left Jaelle to monitor the Riss-human candidates’ session with the Riss and went off to my meeting with Sakaata.

When I exited the shuttle, a young lieutenant met me. "Welcome aboard the Condor, ma'am. Admiral Sakaata has asked me to escort you to her conference room. If you'll follow me," he said after saluting.

I nodded, and we exited the shuttle bay with Terril and two scorpions following.

<He nervous.>

<Because I'm a Riss-human?>

<Not sure.>

At the conference room, he knocked once, then opened the door.

"Leader Reese and security," he announced. Sakaata stood as I entered and held out her hand.

Your uniforms are tricky." She smiled. "One never knows whether you are dressed formally or down for the occasion."

"It's formal if they're clean," I quipped, although that may be too close to the truth.

"There is kaffa on the sideboard," she said, nodded to the back of the room. "I would prefer if you didn't walk out of a meeting when someone says something controversial. It doesn't help to solve the problem. I'm not saying Morley was justified in saying what he said, but walking out just throws fuel on the fire."

I said nothing as I retrieved a cup of kaffa and returned to sit opposite her. When I didn't respond, she continued.

"Captain Newmon was killed during the battle of Dong when the Seahawk was destroyed. Morley feels strongly that had Riss been on board, he could have saved his longtime friend. He blames you and your anti-human attitude, and I'm afraid there are those who agree with him." She took a sip of her kaffa while glaring at me. "You have a commitment to Plimson to make this alliance work."

<Does this make sense?>

<Easy give you problem.>

Before I could respond, Sakaata continued, her voice harsh. "Having secret meetings with the UFN is causing concerns among my officers. Pretty soon, someone is going to make an attempt on your life."

"Rear Admiral Sakaata, if someone is failing Admiral Plimson it's you, with your failure to control your people. It's not my responsibility to help you do your job. The Riss are not shooting at humans. The Riss are not calling humans cowards. The Riss are following Admiral Wattson's commitment to the UFN to share technology. I'm not a member of the SAS military and have no obligation to discuss my actions with you," I said without emotion, took a sip of kaffa, and continued. "When I was your XO, you treated me fairly. You treated the Riss-humans and Riss on your ship fairly. But you are resorting to the same narrow-minded behavior that affects so many in the SAS: you have a problem, so it's the Riss' fault."

Sakaata sat open mouthed, her face flushed with anger. She glared at me for a long time. I waited to hear her response, which would determine our future relationship.

<Conflicting emotions.>

<Me too. I like Sakaata.>

Sakaata sat with her eyes closed for a long time. When she opened them, she looked to Terril and gave a small smile.

"I think your security team is debating whether to shoot me or not."

"Their orders are rather vague as to what constitutes a threat."

"You're right. The Riss aren't shooting at humans or calling them names and never take offense. And yes, an alliance with the UFN does make me and everyone else nervous and suspicious. And I guess, if I had Thalia inside me, she would remind me I'm a Rear Admiral and it's my responsibility like she reminds you you're high-Riss."

"Every time I whine."

"Are we still friends?"

"I may not always agree with you, but I'll always consider you a friend."

* * *

"That was exciting, although I imagine the paperwork for shooting a rear admiral would take days to fill out," Terril said as we sat in my shuttle on the way to the Dynasty. "I will give her credit. I doubt many senior officers could recover from that ten-knot attack."

"Sakaata is a good officer and deserves the rank. She's frustrated at not being able to diffuse the rabid prejudice and uncomfortable at giving what she considers secrets to a previously hostile nation."

"Aren't you? What happens after the Aliens are destroyed?"

"If I'm right and the Aliens have multiple bases, we may have to be friends for many lifetimes."

"Cheery thought," Terril said as the shuttle settled into one of the Dynasty's shuttle bays.

I exited to the normal bugle call to attention and two rows of soldiers. Doubly embarrassing since Sakaata was greeted in a more traditional welcome when her shuttle arrived minutes later.

Zhu did wait for Sakaata to join us before proceeding to his conference room. The conference room appeared filled with the same officers as before.

<Yes. Same.>

<Glad you're paying attention.>

<Nothing else to do.> Image of a Riss in a straitjacket.

"What would you like, ma'am?" a young sergeant asked.

"Oolong tea," I replied, thankful to Zhu for yesterday's tasting session.

"The invasion of Dong by the Aliens provided us an excellent prototype of the strengths and weaknesses of three nations fighting a common enemy. I'd like each commander to share his or her experience and thoughts. This was our first combined battle, but it will not be our last. We must get smarter each time if we are to prevail against our Alien invader," Zhu said and sat.

There seemed to be some predefined order which everyone understood as each took his turn speaking and asking questions.

<Zhu directing turns.>

<How?>

<With eyes and slight nods.>

<That's discipline.>

<More tradition.>

Sakaata was next to last to talk. Her session lasted for two hours because of the questions.

My session was also long because the Riss cruisers had been so far from the main battle.

When I finished, Zhu spoke. "Very interesting and well done considering we had no prior plan on how to operate jointly. And an excellent demonstration of the Riss technology in action. I'd like green-Admiral Erdogan, Admiral Sakaata, and Leader Reese to work together with their senior personnel to use what we've learned to formulate a plan for the next time our three nations encounter the Aliens. And how our forces can utilize the Riss technology."

* * *

For the next five days, I split my time between monitoring the candidates' sessions with the Riss and meeting with Sakaata, Erdogan, and their key staff, discussing the lessons learned from the invasion. The mornings were spent with the Riss candidates.

Sato was excited. He loved the idea that his word would be obeyed unconditionally, but forgot or ignored that the mechanic is equal to the captain part.

Chung was obviously scared but reluctant to withdraw for fear of losing face.

Zhang seemed more interested in the Riss than the position.

The afternoons with Sakaata and Erdogan were enjoyable. We were each interested in reducing the loss of personnel when we engaged the Aliens, and no one seemed interested in being "in charge." When we encountered the enemy, the parties would decide on an initial strategy and then each nation would implement its part. We did establish communication protocol and seniority within each nation's task forces. I also agreed to certify one or more of Erdogan's cruisers.

* * *

It was late when I returned from our strategy meeting, but I decided to see how Iglis was doing and headed for the Intel section, punching in Iglis's SID number while I walked.

"Yes, Captain?" she look tired.

"Are you available for a chat?"

"Yes. Do you want me to come to your office?"

"No, put the kaffa on. I'm on my way," I said and clicked off after she nodded.

"Good evening, ma'am," the senior guard at the entrance to the Intel unit said as we approached, and stepped aside for Terril and I to pass. She had dismissed the other two guards to get something to eat and planned to stay until their relief arrived.

"What's up, Captain?" Iglis stood as I entered.

"Sit, Iglis. I had nothing to do and thought I'd catch up on the gossip," I quipped as I collected a cup of hot kaffa. "You look tired."

"Admiral Zhu has given me relatively unrestricted access to his intelligence group, and we have been setting up a proposed protocol for sending messages via our Comstats and entry codes into the various inhabitable systems. They will have to be approved by Admiral Butler and Admiral Wang, Zhu's Intelligence director, but we finished today. It has meant long days and nights." She filled her cup and took a drink. "Not much gossip. Zhu arrived at Echo earlier today. The task forces have been conducting joint exercises but no Medusa sighting since Defiance."

"Have you heard of any instances on Dong?"

"No, which is surprising. I expected some problems. We have four diverse cultures coming in close contact."

"Four?"

"Yes, UFN, SAS, Freeland, and the Riss." She smiled.

"Yes, Freeland is another culture. How is the Local Customs' seminar coming along?"

"Master Chief Drock and Lieutenant Canfield finished it today. I was just in the process of reviewing it when you called."

"Good. Have them try it out on the Ghosts and Scorpions on the Riss cruisers, the folks from Freeland, and the Riss. Be sure to include those who have already been planet-side. They may have a unique insight. After that, contact Admiral Sakaata and inform her the seminar is ready. You may want to train her Intel folks to give the seminar to her task force, but I leave that to you and her."

"That would probably be best and free up Canfield and Drock."

"Oh, send a message to Leader Pavao of Freeland and ask when the next Riss cruiser will be operational. I'd also like to know if she has identified a Riss-human candidate for the Maat. If not, I'd like it sent to Dong. I have one."

"Who? If it's not a secret."

"Admiral Zhang, who is Fleet Admiral Zhu's brother. And no, he got no special consideration.

* * *

The next morning, I called the three Riss-human candidates into my office. "As you know, there are three criteria to becoming a Riss-human. You must want to be a host to a Riss. You must satisfy me that you have command experience and good tactical judgment. And lastly, a Riss must be willing to accept you as a host. All three requirements must be met. I would not ask the Riss to give up their freedom if we did not need combat-ready captains to command the Riss cruisers, and not just any human captain will do. Hosting another intelligent mind is not something most humans can tolerate, which is the reason you were exposed to the Riss and the Riss to you. When the SAS tried the program, they started with three hundred candidates. In the end, only twenty were selected by the SAS and introduced to the Riss. The Riss selected six."

I paused to survey the group and let them think about what I had said.

"Commodore Sato, I believe you are a good UFN commander and will do well leading a task force. But Riss ships tend to fight alone and require a different tactical approach. If a few hundred sailors die in a battle, it's a terrible thing, but the UFN navy has roughly three hundred thousand personnel. The Riss nation has only three thousand, so the death of one Riss in a battle is equivalent to three hundred sailors.

"Commodore Chung, you are also a good tactical commander leading a task force; however, I don't believe you would do well hosting another intelligent being. The vast majority of people wouldn't. I would ask both you and Commodore Sato not to consider this a test you failed. Your willingness to participate and your records identify you as above-average individuals and credits to your service. That will be my evaluation to Admiral Zhu."

I paused, making eye contact.

"Admiral Zhang, if you remain committed to becoming a Riss-human, a Riss is willing to have you as a host. Be assured, the Riss selected you on the basis of your discussions with her, and her choice has nothing to do with my evaluation of you or the fact that you are an Admiral or Zhu's brother. To her, you are just an intelligent being she feels she will be compatible with."

"Who is she?" Zhang asked almost without emotions.

When I was told, I wanted to dance down the hallways singing. Of course, I didn't.

"Her picture name would be something like, A hawk floating high in a cloudless sky."

"Yes, the Riss that sees what is, where others see what they or others want," he said with a smile, surprising me.

I almost believed he could have named every Riss at the interviews.

"Yes, I'm willing."

<Zhang keen observer.>

<Sounds like a good match.>

<Riss also keen observers.> image of a Riss inspecting each candidate with a huge magnifying glass.

"I thank each of you for applying. You are a credit to your nation, which I'm sure Admiral Zhu recognizes. Zhang, if you are sure, report to the medical section tomorrow at nine hundred hours for the transfer."

* * *

"That was quick, Leader Reese," Dayton said when I entered her office.

"Actually, I'm as surprised as you are. Not so much that the UFN had officers who met the initial criteria, but that some were able to overcome the idea of a parasite attached to them considering the traditional nature of their culture."

"Having combat experience and being willing doesn't seem very restrictive." Dayton frowned.

"It's the tactical judgment and willing Riss that make it hard. Because you were in combat doesn't mean you have good tactical judgment. The Riss don't need heroes or glory seekers. There are ten billion humans but only three thousand Riss. And no Riss is going to give up her freedom to reside with someone she doesn't feel is compatible."

"I can see your point." She picked up her tablet and tapped it. "Admiral Zhang is in excellent condition even for his age, which I gather doesn't matter too much with a Riss companion."

"True," I said as Damaass entered the office with the Riss, A hawk floating high in a cloudless sky."

"Good morning, Leader Reese. I understand you want me to monitor Zhang's Riss-human transition," he said with his ever-present smile peeking through his bushy beard. "Do we have a Riss cruiser for when he completes his training?"

"I've notified Captain Pavao that a successful Riss-human candidate is available and requested either the Maat, which is operational, or the next Riss cruiser produced be sent to Dong."

"I don't imagine this is going to make you any more popular, dybbuk."

"I doubt it. Too many in the SAS don't know what they want. They don't want me in the SAS, but they want to treat me like I am. They want me to trust the SAS, but they don't trust the Riss. They want allies but don't want me to trust them. I can understand why someone would want to confine the human race."

"Yes, we cannot stand a state of peace for long. It's against our basic predatory nature," Zhang said as he entered the office. "That is why I'm interested in hosting a Riss. I believe peace is inherent in their nature."

"They are participating in the war," I said, although I agreed with him. I idly wondered if I had found someone who wanted to be a Riss-human because he appreciated the Riss and not just because he wanted to fly those magical machines.

"Yes, but for different reasons. This program acknowledges the Riss could not command a cruiser in war. It takes a human, even a kind-hearted one."

"Doctor Dayton, I believe Zhang is ready."

Zhang was extraordinarily perceptive. He had no stars in his eyes, nor any zeal for saving the UFN. He thought he had found what he had been searching for—people who sought peace.

CHAPTER TWELVE

New Riss-human candidates

"Welcome and congratulations, you were selected by the Riss-human project team as candidates to host a Riss." Pavao stood in her conference room on the Eirene, surveying the four men and one woman volunteers. They were a strange mixture, as neither age nor rank was a specific requirement. Of course, one couldn't be too young or junior to meet the combat experience and demonstrated tactical judgment criteria.

She knew Captain Samantha Sheva, the only woman. She had fought with her at the battle of Freeland. She was a superb captain, smart and respected by those she commanded.

She didn't know any of the four men. Captain Aleksy was the oldest and had fought in a few skirmishes with the JPU. Captain Hywel had attended Camalus and graduated With Comment. Commanders Perrin and Ettore were the youngest, and both had been XOs.

"As of now, you have no rank. You've met the initial conditions for selection as candidates to host a Riss and become a Riss-human. Each of the current Riss-humans entered the program for their own reasons, which if you qualify will not be the reason you will be forever grateful you did." Pavao drained her cup of kaffa before continuing. "I'm sure you have all heard plenty about the Riss and the Riss-humans. Some of what you heard is possibly even true. For the next few days, I am going to give you the facts so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not it appears right for you. If you still want to proceed, you will be interviewed by the Riss—"

"Don't you mean we will interview—"

"No, I mean the Riss will interview you. It will be your choice whether to participate, but the Riss will make the final decision on a host. Our experience has shown they possess an uncanny ability to know who will make a good match. The program has no quota. You may all qualify and find matches, or just one, or none."

"I thought you needed Captains for the Riss cruisers," Aleksy said, sounding frustrated.

"We already have Riss-humans who can command Riss cruisers." Pavao nodded toward Alena. "Alena is by any standard a fully qualified captain in normal times. But we are at war with a technologically advanced civilization and need captains with not only battle experience but demonstrable excellent tactical judgment. One day, Alena will command a Riss cruiser, but not today. Enough. The Riss are classified as parasites..."

* * *

"Well what did you think of the candidates, Alena, Elissa?" Pavao asked, then laughed at the blank stares. "Yes, you and your companions are part of the evaluation. You are to help them understand what it will mean to be a Riss-human, and you are also to be alert for any potential problems. We are looking for uniquely qualified individuals. We already have excellent captains—you. You both show promise and in time will command Riss cruisers. But the need is today."

* * *

Over the next four days, Pavao, Alena, and Elissa conducted a series of lectures about the Riss. By the fifth day, Perrin and Aleksy decided they weren't interested, and Pavao decided Ettore didn't have the necessary tactical skills. The two remaining candidates began their interviews with the Riss. That lasted five days. On the fifth day, Pavao was notified that two Riss were willing to have Sheva as a host if she were willing. Pavao then called the two candidates to her office.

"Hywel, although you have the necessary tactical skill, none of the Riss felt they would be compatible with you. No, I don't know the reason. It's much like a marriage partner; you either feel an attraction or you don't. If you don't, you wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life with that person." Pavao looked to Sheva. "There are two Riss who would agree to be hosted by you, but feel you are not ready to make that commitment."

"They are very wise," Sheva said, her head in her hands. "I'm married. Military life is hard enough on a marriage in peacetime. In wartime it is even harder, but I suspect being a Riss-human would make it near impossible."

"They suggested you be given time to think about it. I agree. Until you notify me otherwise, you will remain a candidate."

"Thank you. I'm interested, but I don't want to commit unless it's unconditional with no reserves. In the beginning, I felt I could always give up the Riss and return to normal, but I understand now it will be a lifelong commitment."

* * *

"Captain, you have a message packet from Leader Reese," Alena said, looking at her SID.

"Sit, Alena, I'll transfer it to my monitor, and we can both see it."

"But... it could be personal."

"This is a Riss ship, Alena. We are all equal. Besides, you're training to be a captain," Pavao said, and the packet appeared on the screen, split into three sections. She opened the first one, titled Urgent. It went on to explain the encounter with the Medusa, the use of the Dummies and Dusters, the need to send as many Dummies to the forces at Echo as possible, and to increase production. It ended with suggestions for improving the Dummy’s effectiveness.

"The Dummies and Dusters alone will increase the effectiveness of the modified cruisers," Alena said.

"Yes, we need to get this to Admiral Zann."

The second folder, titled Riss candidates, said Reese had identified a Riss-human candidate, explained a little about him, and wanted the Maat or the next Riss cruiser produced sent to Dong.

"I'm impressed. An Admiral applied and was acceptable. In fact, it sounds like he is more than just acceptable." Alena said. "He's lucky. I suspect his age would normally disqualify him from most programs."

"True. Alena, I want you to captain the Maat to Dong. You can take along a supply of Dummies to drop off at Echo and whatever civilian and military replacements Reese wants in the third folder titled replacements. I'll contact Admirals Stenberg and Zann."

* * *

When Pavao arrived at Stenberg's conference room aboard the Horned Owl, Zann was already there. It was late, as Stenberg had insisted they meet immediately. She had barely closed the door when Stenberg spoke.

"The Maat is not authorized to leave Freeland."

"By whose authority?" Pavao asked as she fetched a glass of wine and sat opposite Zann and Stenberg, who were in the middle of a table full of papers.

"Mine. The SAS station commander."

"In case you may have forgotten, I'm not in the SAS military. I guess as station commander, you may be able to order the humans aboard the Maat to stay on Freeland, but that would actually be an illegal order in that it would violate the MSA between the SAS and the Riss." She sipped her wine, waiting.

"Damn it, Pavao. That cruiser is supposed to be assigned to one of the SAS Riss-human candidates you're evaluating. What does Reese want the Maat for?" Stenberg asked, his tone harsh.

"Admiral Stenberg, you are assuming that one of the Riss-human candidates will qualify as a Riss-human and that the captain of the Maat must be a SAS officer—"

"That Damn Reese isn't considering making a UFN officer a Riss-human and giving him the Maat. A pirate, now an UFN officer." He stood, glaring down at her.

"And lastly, you assume that you have the authority to command the Riss Nation. I thought we were allies and no one nation was in charge."

The room was silent as Stenberg walked to the sideboard and filled his glass. He stood there for a long time before returning to his seat.

"Pavao, You are... were a senior officer in the SAS military, and although you are a Riss-human now, you must have concerns about the security of the SAS empire. Do you agree with Reese?"

"Yes. Reese frequently makes decisions that would cause most men to doubt her loyalty to the SAS and her judgment. I have often questioned her reasoning, but after hearing it, I've always agreed. I often wondered if she were far more intelligent than the rest of us. But I've come to the conclusion that she, like Admiral Plimson, is just the right person for her current position. Believe me. I'm one of the three thousand Riss who don't want her position of Leader. She has never let Admiral Plimson down, and she will never let the SAS down. If she believes the Maat needs to be in Dong, it's in everyone's best interest it go to Dong."

"I would concur with everything Captain Pavao has said, including not wanting her position," Zann said.

"The good news, Admiral Stenberg, is one of the SAS officers has qualified to be a Riss-human. She's married and understands it's a life-changing decision and has elected to take some time to think about it. I think it a wise decision." Pavao laughed. "It took me a week just to agree to consider it. I believe she will eventually say yes and will be the captain of the next Riss cruiser, the Elpis—the goddess of hope."

"Thank you, Pavao for your patience. You're right. We are lucky to have Plimson... and Reese. If we're going to defeat the Aliens, we need bold leaders, and they are going to need our trust.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Maat arrives on Dong

My SID buzzed, interrupting my reading of our final report on the invasion of Dong. Jaelle's face appeared.

"Leader. The Maat has entered Dong. Alena is the captain."

"Good. Connect me to the Minerva." I waited as the connection was made, and Damaass's bushy, smiling face appeared.

"What can I do for you, Leader?"

"How is Zhang coming along?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd think he was a Riss in human disguise. He and Vesta, the goddess known as the keeper of the flame, appear to have always known each other. They share an intense devotion to work and inventiveness. The last exercise with Sakaata and the ones with Green-2 and Green-3 were clever. I don't think I could have done better. With the Riss he's fine, but he's a bit reserved with the humans on board. I'm working on that." He laughed.

"I'd like a meeting with all the Riss-humans tomorrow morning... and their senior staff."

* * *

There was no call to attention when I entered the room, but it did become quiet.

"Since I doubt everyone here knows everyone in the room, I'd like to go around and for each of you to introduce yourself." I nodded to Jaelle, who was sitting to my immediate left.

"Jaelle, XO on the Mnemosyne."

"Commander Byer, Commander of the Ghosts on the Mnemosyne."

"Colonel Seng, Commander of the Scorpions on the Mnemosyne."

"Commander Iglis, Intelligence chief on the Mnemosyne."

"Captain Damaass, on the Minerva."

"Zhang, XO on the Minerva."

"Commander Uryan, Commander of the Ghosts on the Minerva."

"Colonel Benito, Commander of the Scorpions on the Minerva."

"Alena, XO on the Maat," she said and smiled, which elicited frowns and questioning looks, especially from the Maat members.

<I'm not ready to fight the Maat.> Alena sent via her companion Diana to Thalia.

<Your wisdom shows you will soon command a Riss cruiser.> I sent.

"Commander Henya, Commander of the Ghosts on the Maat."

"Colonel Hakon, Commander of the Scorpions on the Maat."

"And, I'm Leader Reese," I said and was rewarded with smiles around the table. "I'd like to welcome the members of the Maat to Dong. Let me say that I feel Alena is already as good if not better than many of today's SAS and UFN captains. But we are at war, and each Riss cruiser is equivalent to sixty SAS cruisers, therefore our captains must be the most experienced Riss-humans we can find. As soon as Alena has gained battle experience, she will command a Riss cruiser. As will Jaelle and Elissa. But for now, Zhang will command the Maat. He has commanded cruisers in battle and demonstrated good tactical judgment."

"Leader Reese, are all three cruisers going to remain in Dong?" Commander Henya asked. She was a tall, wiry woman. "There is a war... "

"Yes, Commander Henva. There is a war going on, and people are dying. Many more will die before it ends—friends and comrades, fathers and mothers, son and daughters."

<And Riss.>

<Yes.>

<Because of me.>

<Destiny. Chain of events began when Zann's brother shot Danu's mother.> A vid flashed in my mind of Zann, her father and brother hunting, her brother shooting a pregnant Gorillai, the Gorillai grabbing Zann and taking her into the mountains, and finally the new Riss, Danu, being inserted into Zann. It was a story I had heard before but never seen or thought of as what brought us to this moment in time.

<Without Danu, maybe Riss hunted to extinction.>

I hadn't thought about it that way. That going to the stars had saved the Riss.

"I'm sorry, Leader Reese. I didn't—" Henva began but I interrupted her with a raised hand.

"You are rightfully concerned. You must, however, understand the Riss, and that is not easy for a human. Many in all three empires believe it's an act of cowardice to avoid a confrontation with the enemy. That it is heroic to die fighting. The Riss have no such concepts. Not too long ago, the Riss were hunted for their hides. They chose to retreat into the mountains rather than fight or even seek revenge. They understood that if they didn't, the humans would wage war on them, and they would be annihilated.

"I chose to abandon the SAS, JPU, and UFN at the battle of Hayjar rather than to risk the lives of the delegation on the Mnemosyne and jeopardize an Alliance. Many consider those acts of cowardice. But the Riss are a space-going nation today, and we have an alliance between the SAS, UFN, and the Riss because of those decisions."

I paused to take a sip of kaffa. "Riss-humans are required to captain the Riss cruisers because we humans have the aggressiveness required in battle. But I expect the Riss-human captains and you to show the Riss's wisdom to fight intelligently. We don't need dead heroes. We want to win but with the fewest number of deaths and injuries. Those we fight are copies. You are not."

When I looked around the table, heads were nodding in what I took for understanding. I sighed with relief.

"With the assignment of Zhang as captain of the Maat, we have four operational Riss cruisers. I intend to begin rotating them between Echo, Freeland, and Dong so that the task forces in Echo will always have at least one Riss cruiser available, and Freeland and Dong will always have one Riss cruiser for training and bringing new Riss cruisers into the fleet. For now, Zhang and Damaass will alternate between Dong and Echo, and Pavao and I between Freeland and Echo. Alena will be XO on the Mnemosyne and the Eirene when in Echo. Jaelle will be the XO on the Maat, and Elissa the XO on the Minerva. The Mnemosyne and the Minerva will leave for Echo in five days.

* * *

The next day, I took Jaelle with me to the Maat. When we arrived, Damaass and Zhang had already arrived from the Minerva and were waiting with Alena in the shuttle bay.

"I understand you and Vesta are content with the pairing," I said as we joined the group.

"Yes, Leader Reese. Vesta is all I could have hoped for. I'm more content than I've ever been in my life." Zhang said.

"Captain Damaass says you are ready, so your new position is now Captain of the Maat."

"Thank you, Leader Reese," Zhang gave me a small bow.

"I want you and Jaelle to continue to run exercises with the Green task forces, certify Riss crews, and monitor the Riss factories on Dong. The Minerva and the Maat will rotate after each engagement with the Aliens."

Zhang and Damaass nodded.

"Good, let's take a tour of the Maat," I said, leading the way to the Ghosts' bays. Henva was in Ghost bay one, talking with several pilots when we entered. Everyone straightened and Hanva started to call attention, stopped with her mouth open, and then smiled.

"Good morning, Leader Reese. I almost forgot this is a Riss ship, and the captains appear to wander a lot. Captain... XO Alena... "

"Yes, it's confusing. Each Riss has a position, much like the military except each position is equal and your position changes based on the need. Alena was the captain while she ferried the Maat here. Because this ship will be going to war, her position has changed. She has not been demoted since all positions are equal. She has just changed positions. She is now the XO on the Mnemosyne. If we didn't have to interface with SAS personnel, we wouldn't need the stars on the sleeves. They are so you know what position each of us is currently filling. As of today, Zhang has the position of Captain and Jaelle XO on the Maat."

"Strange concept, strange ship, strange eating and working out with Riss, Scorpions and Intel folks, but my people and I love it. I understand there will be planet-side leave. If that's true, no replacements may be needed. People won't want to risk getting reassigned to a regular ship." She laughed.

"Yes, there will be planet-side leave, after everyone attends a required class on the dos and don’ts of UFN society."

We stayed to talk to pilots and mechanics, giving Zhang and Jaelle time to get acquainted. Afterward, we visited the Scorpion area.

"Good morning, Leader Reese, Zhang, Jaelle, Alena, Elissa," Colonel Hakon said as he came out of his office.  "Having navy personnel visiting the army areas takes some getting used to. But Colonel Seng is right, my troops and I wouldn't want to be anyplace else."

After dinner, Zhang and Jaelle walked Damaass, Alena, Elissa, and I back to our shuttles.

"Any questions?" I asked before boarding. "These assignments are the precise reason we need experienced captains. We don't work as a task force and can't depend on others to help. I know you don't need XOs, but... "

"You expect us to help tutor Jaelle and Elissa in the game of war," Zhang said.

"To be Riss-wise," Damaass said and laughed. "And to be in the enemies' minds, like a dybbuk."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Riss cruisers to Echo

We entered Echo with our sensors active and at three-quarter power to make sure we were visible and broadcasting the authentication codes. I hoped working with the UFN had made the SAS captains less prone to shoot first and ask questions later.

<Comm: Send, RNN Mnemosyne and Minerva requesting instructions.>

<Sent.>

<Admiral Wattson requests a meeting tonight at nineteen hundred hours.>

<Comm: Confirm Captain Damaass and I will be there at nineteen hundred hours. Connect me to the Minerva.>

<Sent. Connected.>

"Yes Leader," Damaass said as his face appeared on the monitor.

"Wear your dress uniform. Admiral Wattson has requested my presence, and I think you should be there."

"And my medals?" He smiled.

"It's required," I said, which caused his mouth to drop open. After a moment―I'd bet talking with Cethlion―he smiled, realizing I meant the tattoo.

"With both uniforms?" He laughed. "Separate shuttles?"

"Yes, nineteen hundred hours on the Eurasian. Scorpion and Ghost escorts."

"Wouldn't go anywhere without them." He laughed and cut the connection.

<He's having too much fun.>

<Yes. New life.>

<Alena, you have the watch.>

<I have the watch.> She replied.

* * *

Terril was waiting at the shuttle with a replacement when I arrived.

"Is this going to be exciting, Leader Reese?" she asked as we entered the shuttle and sat at my nod.

"I hope not. Wattson doesn't deserve my tantrums. He has worked very hard to eliminate the prejudice against the Riss, and it's an impossible task."

"So you're on your best behavior tonight?"

"I hope so. There will be a lot of paperwork if you have to shoot the Fleet Admiral."

"I'll try to remember that," Terril said as the overhead light went green and the shuttle door slid open.

When I exited, Bradshaw stood waiting. "Good evening, Leader Reese." He smiled and I wanted to throw my arms around him. "Congratulations, Commander. That's wonderful," I said as I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

His cheeks turned a shade of pink, but he returned the hug.

"Are you being reassigned?"

"No. I'm still the XO on the Eurasian. Commander Casey is Admiral Wattson's new aide. But Admiral Wattson said I should get you, as it would put you in a better mood." He laughed, then nodded to my right. "I see Casey has collected Captain Damaass. I'm off duty, so if you have time after you meet with Wattson, maybe we can get together."

"Wattson who?" I grinned.

"Just ask Casey. He can get in touch with me." He leaned over and kissed my cheek, and my knees went weak. "Commander Casey, this is Leader Reese."

"Leader Reese. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you and Captain Damaass will follow me, I'll take you to the Admiral. He's waiting in his office." With that, Casey led us to the second level and a suite of rooms especially modified to accommodate the Fleet Admiral and his staff.

The sergeant on duty knocked and after a short exchange opened the door wide for us.

Wattson and Zhu stood when we entered.

Terril and a Gunnery Sergeant Quinn, Damaass's senior security guard, followed us into the room.

The other two guards remained in the hallway with another man wearing a similar uniform to Xun's.

Xun stood behind Zhu.

"Leader Reese, Captain Damaass," Wattson said. "Admiral Zhu and I were a little surprised when we were told you had entered the system. We would like to know the Riss status."

"I apologize for the surprise, but sometimes advance notice raises questions and concerns that are best handled face-to-face." I walked to the sideboard and fetched a kaffa, and Damaass poured himself a glass of wine. "I'm here honoring my Mutual Support Agreement with Admiral Plimson. The Riss now have four operational cruisers, and four captains I feel can fight them effectively. Admiral Zhu's brother, Zhang, is now a Riss-human and captain of the Maat."

"I thought he might qualify. He's more Riss-like than most and an outstanding commander, who has demonstrated excellent tactical judgment during his career. I didn't think Sato or Chung was what you were looking for, but they met your criteria."

"Chung wouldn't have been able to adapt to another intelligent lifeform in his mind. Sato is the hero type," I said more for Wattson than Zhu, who I suspected already knew.

"Heroes are bad?" Wattson asked, probing as usual.

"Most envision there are among us heroes. That implies those among us who are not heroes—are cowards. The Riss possess no such concepts. I avoided, or some would say, ran from the Aliens at Hayjar. A hero would have stayed." I paused, waiting for any comments.

Zhu gave a nod.

Wattson started to say something, stopped, then nodded. "I see your point, although most won't. They will feel that makes you undependable," Wattson said.

"Heroes are concerned with winning battles. I want Riss captains who are concerned about winning the war. I do not care what others think," I said and Damaass laughed. "It's not romantic, but the clans of Freeland will attest to its effectiveness."

"Back to the reason we're here. I will be rotating Riss cruisers to Echo to support the Alliance's mission. Rotating, so those Riss-humans in training—acting as XOs—will be ready to captain the new Riss cruisers as they become available. I'll leave one Riss Cruiser on Freeland, one on Dong and two on Echo. They will rotate after each mission. For this rotation, it's Captain Damaass and me. Pavao and Zhang will be our replacements."

"Thank you, Reese. I think the Riss presence will help minimize the rumors that the Riss aren't helping to fight the Aliens. They don't see you, so..."

"I understand."

* * *

While we waited for word of a Medusa sighting, Damaass and I conducted several seminars on the techniques we had evolved in our two battles with Medusas, and Damaass monitored live simulations using those techniques. I wanted Damaass seen as a veteran in the war against the Aliens to minimize the inevitable hostility because he’d been a Raider. For the most part, I think it was working. We were never going to eliminate prejudice, so I would have to settle for minimizing it.

In the middle of my weekly staff meeting, my SID flashed with an urgent message, and r-Galene's face appeared. "Leader, Admiral Wattson," r-Galene's voice box translated his hand movements.

I nodded and his face disappeared, and Wattson's appeared. "Our scout at Lycus is reporting a Medusa just entered the system. I'd like a meeting of all task force commanders in two hours aboard the Dynasty. Wattson out."

"The Mnemosyne will take this one, since I'd like to release Captain Sakaata as soon as possible. I'm sure she'd like a change of scenery. Besides, Damaass, I'd like you to get more exposure with the SAS in particular."

* * *

The conference room on the Dynasty was crowded when I arrived. The UFN had five task force commanders and the SAS seven. Zhu and Wattson arrived shortly afterward.

"Attention," Zhu's aide barked, and the room rose.

"At ease," Zhu said into the silence as he and Wattson took seats in the middle of the long rectangular table. "Leader Reese, we normally send a UFN and an SAS task force to destroy a Medusa. One task force searches for the scout and destroys it prior to joining the other task force to fight the Medusa. Riss certified cruisers are designated ahead of time to skip-attack the Medusa. Would you like to suggest any changes now that you will be accompanying the attack?"

"I would imagine the minute you destroy the scout, the Medusa releases its cruisers, and all hell breaks loose."

That provoked several smiles and snorts.

"Let's try and catch a few of the Alien cruisers in momma's hair. Let the Mnemosyne enter a few hours before the task forces so we can locate the scout. Let a small task force enter with the Riss-certified cruisers from the UFN and SAS. If you leave your weapons systems off—"

That elicited several side conversations before Zhu tapped his wine glass.

"Please continue, Leader Reese."

"The Aliens have so far not attacked ships unless they attempted to run or fight. We can use that to get near enough to skip-attack the Medusa. If we are lucky, we could catch all their cruisers in their launching bays. The Mnemosyne will aid in any way necessary after destroying the scout."

After a lot of discussion, the concept was agreed to and the ship assignments made. Wattson asked me to stay when the meeting finally adjourned.

"I'm glad Leader Reese and the Riss are our allies, Wattson," Zhu said. "She has a tendency to get into her enemy’s mind. And I wouldn't be surprised to find her captains are very much like her."

"Reese is right. We have to fight smart. The Aliens are killing real people. We are only killing copies."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The battle at Lycos

We left the wave with minimum power and immediately cut back to half power on two engines, slipping silently through space. Fortunately for us, the Aliens were consistent, as you would expect robots to be, which was not to be confused with stupid. Therefore, we knew the approximate area in which the scout would most likely be found.

"Commander Byer, release your Ghosts. Locate only."

We had agreed to release ten Ghosts with a specific search pattern. Once the scout was located, its position would be recorded, the Ghosts would return, and the Mnemosyne would slowly get in position to destroy the scout after the task force began its attack on the Medusa.

"Aye Captain, Ghosts away. Locate only."

Now we could do nothing but wait for the task force to arrive.

"Alena, as part of your training, I'm going to ask you what you would do as the battle develops. It's not a test, and there are no right and wrong answers. It's for you to state what you think you would do and compare it to what I decide. If the two plans of action are different, we can discuss why. If you do the same when you are with Pavao, I believe over time you will develop your own tactical judgment. Notice, I said your own. Don't try to copy Pavao, or Damaass, or me. Every situation will be different and therefore unique. You have to try and get into your enemy's mind."

"Like Si'jin," She laughed.

"Much the same. If you know your enemy's level of skill, you have an advantage because you know what he is and isn't capable of doing. If you don't, you must try to determine it before you commit. Surprise is always your greatest advantage or weakness."

"But that means you can't plan ahead."

"Plans seldom survive contact with your opponent. You can make a conceptual plan as we did here in Lycus. But it must be continuously evaluated as the battle goes on and you learn more about your opponent."

"How? While people are dying around you... "

"Consider it a contest between you and the other captain or captains. Your job, while your sisters run the ship, is to figure out what that captain or captains are planning. Forget everything else."

<Leader, ships leaving the wave.>

The VTM lit with white dots tagged SL1, SL2, SHt1, UL1, UL2, and UL3. They continued to approach Lycus at half speed as if unaware of the Medusa's presence.

Six hours into the approach, the Aliens sent their warning. "Unidentified warships. You have entered a solar system under the control of the Supreme Council of the Gods. You are directed to proceed to the planet named Lycus where you will evacuate your ships. Failure to comply will result in your destruction."

"So far so good," Alena said. "The Medusa hasn't released any of its cruisers, yet."

For the next hour, the task force continued towards the planet and closer to the Medusa. Then in the blink of an eye, SM1 and U1 disappeared, reappeared close to M1, disappeared again, and reappeared a few light-seconds away.

<Multiple explosions.>

<Medusa still functional. Four cruisers emerging from Medusa.>

"Alena, what now?" I asked.

"Fire both banks at the scout, then release the Ghosts if necessary," she responded immediately.

<Comm. Connect to Byer.>

<Connected.>

"Commander Byer standby to launch Ghosts."

"Ghosts ready."

<Tac: Riss solution. Fire all demons.>.

<Riss solution. Fire one. Fire two.>

The Mnemosyne shuddered twice as the missiles raced to their target, which was less than four seconds away.

<Multiple hits. Ship destroyed.>

"Byer, launch your Ghosts. Make sure that scout is in no condition to fly."

"Ghosts away."

<Ships leaving the Wave.>

The VTM began adding tags: SC1, UC1, UHv1, UL4, UL5, UL6, SL3, SL4, SL5, and SL6. Sixteen cruisers in total, eight from the SAS and eight from the UFN. The only difference was that the UFN had no Hunter class cruisers and had added a Heavy in its place.

"Alena, what should we do now?" I asked.

This time, she remained silent for almost a minute.

"Wait to see if they need our assistance. They have already destroyed two of the Aliens’ cruisers."

"What would you do if you were in charge of the task force?"

"Order another run at the Medusa since it's still operational. Another skip-attack using Dusters."

"And what will the Medusa captain do?" I asked.

Alena gave me a blank look.

"The Medusa's captain is your opponent. Don't think of him as a robot. He or she is an intelligent being and not going to roll over and die any more than you would in his predicament."

"Oh... A duster will mean another attack—"

<Comm: connect to SC1 and UC1.>

<Connect to SC1.> Admiral Gebauer's face appeared on the monitor.

<Connect to UC1.> The monitor screen split and Admiral Li Sing appeared.

"Sirs, may I ask what you intend to do next?"

"I suggest another skip attack against the Medusa, Li Sing said.

"I agree," Gebauer said, then added. "Why, Reese?"

"I wonder what each of us would do, if we were the captain of the Medusa."

"Teach those humans a lesson," Li Sing said.

Gebauer frowned while nodding agreement. "Whether they are intelligent or exceedingly smart computers, we must assume they have learned that lesson. The very reason destroying the scout is priority one. Do you have a suggestion, Reese?"

"Get two cruisers in position for another run, while the Mnemosyne moves closer. When we are all in position, they will send in their Dusters. Then I will send in two Dummies. Then they will initiate their run. If the Medusa is still operational, I will make another skip-attack," I said, leaving out the timing which would have to be worked out if they agreed.

Silence greeted me.

"Yes, that may work," Gebauer said.

"They fire at the Dummies because they are expecting another skip-attack and can't reload for at least thirty seconds," Li Sing said, smiling.

"Unless they didn't fire all their missiles. But I agree, it's a reasonable risk," Gebauer said.

It took an hour to work out the details as the Medusa began to make its way towards the entrance to the Wave.

"I see what you mean, Leader. It's easy to get fixated on your plan and forget about your opponent. You have to be in his mind if you are going to beat him," Alena said. "I begin to understand why Damaass wins so often against the SAS officers. He gets in their heads."

"The task force has overwhelming force and will destroy the Medusa. The only question is how many lives it will take. That is why the Riss captains must have experience and judgment. We cannot afford to waste Riss lives. Neither Gebauer nor Li Sing is a coward and both have battle experience. But they are used to losing ships and have come to think of it as the cost of winning. I would rather the Riss captains think of it as the cost of stupidity."

* * *

It took an hour to work out the details, mostly the timing of the Dusters, Dummies, and skip-attacks. In the end, it worked to perfection. The Mnemosyne crept within a light-second of the Medusa, which made the Dummies appear close enough to the Duster explosions to be a cruiser making a similar skip-attack. The Medusa had been ready and fired all its missiles, blasting the Dummies to dust. And the skip-attack destroyed enough to render the Medusa non-operational.

* * *

Three days later, we returned to Echo. I walked through what had happened with Damaass and Elissa, using each stage of the encounter to quiz Elissa and Damaass as I had Alena. Damaass was quick to understand as it was his nature to think what if. After a debriefing of Wattson, Zhu, and the task force commanders, I departed for Freeland.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Nadya returns to Freeland

I felt a bit apprehensive as we left the Wave and entered Freeland's space. Iglis had sent Commander Williams, the Freeland Intelligence officer, notice of our pending arrival via the Comstat, but there were lots of Lavetts and MacLins around.

<Comm: send authentication codes.>

<Sent.>

<Cleared to proceed.>

<Pavao.>

<Comm: Connect.>

<Connected.>

Pavao appeared on the overhead monitor. "I think you're lost. Commander Bradshaw is in Echo," Pavao said, trying to look serious.

"How do you know I haven't kidnapped him and am planning to hide out on Freeland?"

"Because you wouldn't be on the Bridge talking to me." She laughed. "Welcome back, Nadya."

"It looks like we should be in orbit around Freeland in eight hours or so. I'd like to meet with you for dinner. Say twenty hundred hours."

"See you then."

I cut the connection. "Alena, you're invited. I'm going to visit the sections then get ready. You have the watch." I proceeded to the Intel section first, where Iglis met me at the door. "Captain Reese, would you like something to drink?"

"Yes, and you can bring me up to date on anything interesting that’s been happening in Freeland that isn't classified."

"Everything is classified as a matter of policy, just in case it should be," she said, grinning as we made our way to her office. "Even the rumors. According to Williams, Freeland is rumor-mill central. The rumor of the day is that you are carrying urgent dispatches from Admiral Wattson to activate additional squadrons from Freeland, including the Riss."

"Sounds like the focus may actually be on the war, instead of the Riss and Freeland."

"I think the Alliance and the fact that the Riss cruisers have killed three Medusas have helped. As for Freeland, they see them producing their missiles and upgrades. Besides, Stenberg has been keeping everyone busy. Between ship upgrades, compliance tests, and exercises, there hasn't been much idle time."

That sounded like a huge improvement since I departed for Dong. I left and found Commander Byer in Shark bay one, talking with several pilots.

"Captain Reese, we were just discussing the Ghosts."

"That's the reason I'm here. I'd like you to put a team together to work with the Invincible group. Maybe a few of your folks wouldn't mind the experience," I said, getting everyone's attention. Byer smiled, understanding my intention to help break the monotony of the ship and a chance to see Freeland. "We will be on Freeland until the Eirene rotates back."

"Thank you, Captain. Some fresh eyes may help." He grinned.

I headed for the army area and found Terril talking with several Scorpions.

Everyone stood when they saw me.

"Leader Reese, are you here officially or slumming?" Terril asked. "I was just going over your security with those who will be assigned to you this week. Freeland can be exciting."

"Captain Reese, were you looking for me?"

"Actually, I was. With the Eirene leaving, you will be taking over security. I wouldn't mind a little extra and maybe also in the Riss area." I watched as Seng's emotions went from confusion to understanding.

"Yes, Captain. I will make sure security is tight." He smiled.

I left feeling I had done all I could.

<Sneaky.>

<I'd like to give them planet-side leave but can't without starting a riot.>

<SAS, Freeland not ready mix.>

<I agree. It would only take one or two to create a major incident.>

* * *

I stood waiting as Pavao exited the shuttle with two Scorpions trailing. Her two-Ghost escort had docked in the next Sharks' bay.

"It's good to see you, Nance," I said, giving her a hug.

"Not half as much as I am to see you. This Leader stuff is worse than being a captain." She grinned.

"You seem to have things under control, as we weren't attacked when we entered Freeland space."

"The war seems to have everyone occupied temporarily. They probably didn't attack you because they thought you had news about the war." Pavao said as we made our way to my office. We arrived just as Alena did.

"Alena, I'm surprised you aren't in Dong." Pavao gave me a questioning look.

"Get yourself something to drink, and I'll explain." I waved to the sideboard. "Now that we have four operational cruisers, I've decided it’s time we provided the Mutual Support I agreed to with Plimson. I'm leaving one cruiser on Dong, one on Freeland, and two on Echo. After an engagement, that cruiser will rotate back to either Freeland or Dong and the cruiser on that station will take its place on Echo. Elissa will be the XO on the Minerva, and Jaelle on the Maat. Alena will be the XO with you and me. I'm hoping she will be ready to captain one of the next Riss cruisers, and then Jaelle and Elissa.

"That may work out good. We have a Riss-human candidate for the next Riss cruiser, which will give Alena another six to eight months. The next Riss cruiser, the Elpis, is scheduled to be operational in a month, and they are building one every six months," Pavao said, stopping for a drink of her wine. "Her name is Samantha Sheva. She qualified over a month ago but wanted time to think about it. I know how she felt. I remember when you blindsided me. When you are young with stars in your eyes, it's a much easier decision than when you are older and realize the extent to which it will impact your life. She already knows she won't give up her Riss."

"Who is the Riss with the most interest?"

"A huntress," Pavao said.

<Wise in the ways of hunting.> I saw an image of the sun passing over a shaded valley, and as one trail after another lit, a different animal appeared for a second before being lost again in the shadows.

<Her name?>

<Yes. Very talented.>

"Sheva will be arriving back in three days. Speaking of candidates, what’s Zhang like?"

"Like an older Zen monk: quiet, thoughtful, pragmatic."

"Serious?" Pavao asked.

"I think he has a sense of humor," I said, thinking back to his reactions to some of Chung’s and Sato’s statements. "In a way, he's like Damaass. He's capable of getting inside his opponent's head," I said, realizing that was the crucial requirement for a Riss captain. Each Riss cruiser carried seven percent of the Riss nation.

Before Pavao left, I set up a meeting with Stenberg for the next morning.

* * *

When I entered the conference room on the Horned Owl, three men and Zann were standing in a group talking. It was an odd group. Stenberg and Zann were now full admirals and their companions a tall, heavy-set vice admiral, and an equally tall woman captain.

As everyone found a seat, Stenberg said, "Leader Reese, welcome. You know Admiral Zann. This is Vice Admiral Kephalos, who is directing operations on Freeland. And this is Captain Horshell, captain of the Horned Owl and the senior captain on station. Help yourself to something to drink, and we'll get started." Stenberg sat at the head of the rectangular table with Zann to his right, Horshell next to her, and Kephalos to his left.

When I poured a cup of kaffa and sat next to Horshell, Kephalos didn't seem pleased.

<Angry.>

<At me?>

<Not sure.>

"Leader Reese, I understand that you are sending Captain Pavao to Echo, and you are planning to stay on Freeland," Stenberg said as I took a seat.

"That is correct. For now, the Riss will have two Riss cruisers permanently on Echo to support the Alliance, and one each on Freeland and Dong."

"Why not all four on Echo?" Kephalos asked in a neutral voice.

"Because it would freeze the Riss' contribution to the Alliance. Cruisers need to be Riss certified, and captains qualified to command the new Riss cruisers."

"Neither seems necessary. Our personnel aren't stupid. Just live up to your agreement with Admiral Plimson and provide each ship with two Riss. And I can provide you with captains for your new ships." He had the nerve to smile.

"You appear to have an issue, Admiral Kephalos. Why don't you just get it out?" I returned his smile.

"Yes, I have an issue with you. Everyone I've talked to says you're trouble, hate the SAS, and can't be trusted. You've set yourself up as the leader of the Riss and pretend to talk for them. How do we know that? You've made a murdering Raider a captain on one of your ships, giving the clans all our secrets. And now you're in bed with the UFN, giving them our secrets." He slammed his fist on the table, causing the glasses on the table to splash over.

Before Stenberg or Zann could speak, I shook my head at them. "I agree, Admiral. You do have an issue, but it's not with me. Admiral Plimson ordered additional Riss cruisers and agreed to expand the Riss-human projects in order to provide qualified captains for the Riss cruisers. He stated that there were no restrictions on eligibility and clarified that Freeland personnel were eligible. Admiral Wattson approved the Freeland base on Dong and the sharing of Riss technology. And to clarify your misconception, the secrets you keep referring to as "Our," meaning SAS, were developed by Freeland specifically for the Riss and used no SAS technology. What’s more, those people who say I'm a troublemaker are like you, confused as to the facts." I rose and poured another cup of kaffa.

"Kephalos, everything Reese said is correct. I was there. You may disagree with Admirals Plimson and Wattson's decisions... just as your reports may not agree with all your decisions, but Reese has not done anything without SAS approval. Well, maybe except for kidnapping the Alliance delegation." He gave a short laugh.

Kephalos sat glaring at me.

"Admiral Kephalos, the Riss are committed to supporting the SAS and their Alliance partners in their fight against the Aliens. But we are a sovereign nation. We are not slaves. The Riss have a mutual support agreement with Admiral Plimson. If you or anyone feels we're not living up to our agreement, he should be notified so he can take action."

"Everyone thinks you are acting on your own and sees those decisions as slaps in the face of the SAS," Kephalos said in a cool voice.

"That is a problem I can't solve, just like the repulsion many feel when they hear the Riss are parasites. Immediately, they think the Riss want to change hosts and invade them. The Riss are very happy with their Gorillai hosts. Those in charge could solve the problem through education, unfortunately, many of those in charge feel the same way and tend to reinforce the problem. Ask Admiral Gebauer. He will tell you it's true."

"We need to discuss what I can and can't expect from you," Kephalos said, appearing to have regained his composure.

"You can expect my full support. People with an aptitude for Symath who are not prejudiced against the Riss will be certified, and two Riss assigned to that ship. Any personnel who meet the criteria will be admitted into the Riss-human project and made eligible to qualify to captain a Riss-cruiser. I will share what I've learned about fighting the Aliens’ Medusas, cruisers, and fighters, and run exercises..."

The discussions went on for several hours, and I felt Kephalos went away a little less angry.

<Confused.>

<I'll settle for that.>

<One person, one... >

<Yes, oh wise one.>

* * *

"Even with two Ghosts shadowing us, it's scary traveling in the same shuttle as you. You do have a tendency to piss people off. Everyone from petty officers to Vice Admirals. Imagine the paperwork if I had to shoot him."

"Think of the free beers the story would earn." I said, smiling at the thought.

"There is that. What's next?"

"I need a visit to Freeland, tomorrow, to catch up on the status of our projects."

"That shouldn't be too exciting. They like you, and no one there wants to kill you. Or at least, I don't think so. Maybe... a few of the old Raider captains, although they could apply to be Riss-humans." She laughed.

"I'm hoping that after Sheva, the next three captains will be Alena, Jaelle, and Elissa."

"What do you think about the Alliance strategy?"

"Won't work," I said, realizing it was true. If the Aliens were getting short of Medusas, they would just change strategies. They could avoid the three empires for the next ten or fifty years while they built up a force large enough to attack our military bases and destroy our infrastructure. "Space doss!"

"That doesn't sound good," Terril said, giving me a hard look.

"What if they hide until they have hundreds of Medusas, or link up with another cell in this galaxy, or... "

"Sorry I asked."

* * *

When I landed on Freeland, Pavao and Alena were standing with Ni'Shay.

"Welcome, Leader Reese, " Ni’Shay said. "It's nice to have you back on Freeland. The Elders are looking forward to seeing you. Freeland has never been so alive. Everyone is employed with the factories working night and day, new factories being built to meet the demand, and new businesses to provide entertainment and luxuries full-employment is making possible." Ni'Shay pointed out the various new constructions as we rode along, and the ride seemed shorter than normal.

Inside, I talked with each elder, either alone or in a small group. Ni'Shay was right, Freeland buzzed with excitement. I updated them on what I knew about the war, Damaass, and the progress on Dong. Afterward, I was introduced to the new Riss project manager.

"Rodica, this is Leader Reese. Captain, Rodica Ja'Shar is the new project manager for the Riss projects."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Leader Reese. Captain Pavao spoke of you often, particularly when we whined about something being too difficult to do." She smiled, and her eyes sparkled with energy. She was a tall, middle-aged woman with long black hair, a shapely figure, and a cheerful-sounding voice.

<Like you and your high-Riss comment.>

<It works.>

<True.>

"Well, Rodica, how is everything going?"

"We are on or ahead of schedule. The Elpis should be ready for trials within a month, and then the next Riss cruiser will begin production. We anticipate it will take six months unless you have design changes. Do you have a name for it?"

"No, not yet. At the rate we're going, I'm going to run out of ancient goddesses who weren't warriors."

"The cruisers are ships of war, aren't they?"

"Yes, but the people in them aren't." I sighed. "The Riss are being dragged into the insanity. Since the Aliens aren't trying to kill us, the Riss would prefer to submit to them."

"Yes, like the people of Freeland were dragged into raiding." For a moment, she lost her smile. "But our dybbuk has changed all that."

"What about the Invincible project?"

"We work towards your vision, but it's not an easy one."

<My vision?>

<Believe you have one they must find.>

<I'm anxious to see it.>

<Me too.>

We spent that day and the next touring the factories and talking with the workers. On the following day, Pavao notified me that Sheva had arrived. I made arrangements for Pavao to deliver her and the interested Riss to the Mnemosyne and made my way to the medical unit. There, I found Dayton in her office.

"Come in, Reese. I imagine Sheva has decided to become a Riss-human. I envy her. I could just imagine hosting a Riss healer." She sighed.

"Yes, I think you and such a Riss would love the experience, and I wouldn't doubt you would achieve great things."

"But?"

"Maybe someday. Ask Pavao, Cethlion is the seer. Today, the emphasis is on creating captains and machines that can kill the Aliens' copies with the minimum loss of lives. And yes, Sheva and her soon-to-be companion will be here in a couple of hours. If things go right, she will command the Elpis.

* * *

I met them in the shuttle bay when they arrived.

Sheva was an average-looking woman in her late thirties, but she carried herself with the assurance that came with years in command. She smiled, showing self-confidence, as she and Pavao approached me.

"Sheva, this is Captain Reese, who will be your mentor during your transition and currently holds the position of Leader."

"I'm pleased to meet you Captain... Leader Reese?"

"Just Reese. The concept is strange, but we are all equal. We just have different positions, which depend upon the current need. After you host the Riss who has shown an interest in joining with you, your position will be a captain in training."

<Greetings.> I sent via Thalia to the Riss accompanying Sheva and Pavao.

<Greetings, Leader.>

<Is this truly your choice?>

<Yes. For Riss and me.>

<She does for the Riss but feels excited, like with you.> Thalia added.

I hated it every time I had to ask for volunteers, knowing I was asking for a sister to give up her freedom.

<But she's losing her freedom.>

<Not punishment. Riss happy with present humans.> Images and sounds of a Gorillai sitting on top of each of the Riss-human's shoulders blowing party horns, drinking champagne, and throwing confetti.

<Clown.>

<Sister.>

Sheva brought me back to the moment. "I'm sorry for the delay, but I had to make sure I was ready to make a total commitment. Right or wrong, I decided a long time ago to make the navy my career. It's been hard on my marriage. Cruiser duty doesn't give you a lot of time to be with your family. Occasional planet-side assignments and yearly vacations, but mostly long periods away on cruises. I know it's possible to remove a Riss, but I believe becoming a Riss-human will be a life-changing commitment. I love my son and my husband, but my son is a grown man, and my husband will be better off with a wife who is with him all the time. And I believe this is the life I want." She smiled at the Riss.

We were quiet on the way to the medical unit. When we arrived, Dayton stood waiting. She stared at Sheva for several minutes before shaking her head like she was trying to clear it.

"Sorry, Sheva. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Doctor Dayton. More than ready." When Dayton had closed the door, Sheva removed her shirt, walked with the Riss to the corner of the room, and positioned herself against the Gorillai, wiggling herself to ensure a tight fit and easy access.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone that unafraid," Pavao whispered.

I nodded agreement. Most, me included, attempted to pull away when the insertion started.

"There is nothing to be done until she recovers. Join me in my office for a farewell drink," I said. As I opened the door to leave, Terril stood outside with two Scorpions.

"Sheva's security."

"But we're on a Riss ship," I said. Except for captains, Riss-humans didn't normally have security unless they left the ship.

"Freeland makes me nervous, and gunnies don't like to be nervous," she said.

I tended to agree with her, so I didn't argue. My security stopped at the office door, a small concession since it was another Riss-human.

Inside, Pavao poured a glass of red wine she liked that I keep handy. "Any instructions, Leader?" she asked, taking a sip.

"Yes. We are here to support the Alliance, but the Riss have nothing to prove." It was unnecessary, but I had to say it for my benefit, if nothing else.

"It's funny. Before becoming a Riss-human, I felt an obligation to prove my ship was the best in the fleet. Not that I was reckless, but that need to prove something can cause you to act too quickly. I don't feel the same way today. I'm looking forward to seeing Damaass and meeting my new Riss-brother Zhang."

"Spend some time with Fleet Admiral Zhu. He is a very interesting man and is one hundred percent supportive of the Riss. I like him. He's almost Riss-like."

"Take care, Nadya," Pavao said as she rose and gave me a hug.

"Fair winds and calm seas, Nance."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Live free or die.

"This should be exciting," Terril said as the shuttle settled in the bay of the Sea Eagle.

"Is that why you are along? And the extra security?" Usually, I had two guards following me everywhere. Today, I had three and Terril.

"You must admit Admiral Kephalos didn't seem to like you, and you are on his ship."

"And this is Freeland," I said, feeling a bit paranoid myself. Too many new ships in Freeland space. Wattson had managed to get control of the original group, but they were now in Echo, and new cruisers were arriving every other day.

<No trouble entering.>

<True.> I reluctantly admitted.

When I exited, a tall, dark-skinned Lieutenant Commander stood waiting.

"Welcome aboard the Sea Eagle, Leader Reese. I'm Commander Elliot. Admiral Kephalos has asked me to escort you to his conference room where he and his task force commanders are meeting. Your Scorpions can wait here or in the army area. The Ghost will be directed to return to the Mnemosyne. Our fighters can accompany you back to your ship if you feel it's necessary." He smiled.

"Commander, my Scorpion detail will accompany me anywhere I go. No exceptions," I said, wondering whether this was his idea or Kephalos's.

Elliot got on his SID, talked for a minute, hit a key, and a grey-haired man in a Wasp uniform with brigadier general's insignia appeared.

"Who is the ranking scorpion?" he asked.

"Master Gunnery Sergeant Terril, sir," Terril said, moving so the SID could see her.

"I'm General Alojzy, the ranking army officer on Freeland. You and your detail will report to me in the army area, immediately."

"Sir, I have orders to provide Leader Reese with twenty-four hour protection everywhere she goes. You have no authority to revoke that order. If you wish to bring a complaint against me, my immediate superior is Colonel Seng on the Mnemosyne."

"Sergeant, if you don't report here immediately, I will send a detail to fetch you, and a court martial will follow." Alojzy's face flushed with anger.

"Sir, my detail and I will respond with deadly force at any attempt to separate us from our duty. The death of loyal soldiers will be on you and your illegal orders," Terril said as she and the others drew their weapons.

"I'll see you spend the rest of your life in Cyberus," Alojzy said and broke the connection.

I knew I should leave, but I was curious whether this harassment was directly from Kephalos, resulted from his attitude, or more of the same out-of-control prejudice.

"Commander Elliot, now that we've resolved my security, what about my Ghost escort? Are you refusing to let them dock?"

"Captain Singleton didn't think they were necessary," he said, appearing to have recovered his confidence. He tapped on his SID, and a middle-aged captain appeared on the screen. "We will provide you with an escort home, Captain Reese." He smiled.

"On whose authority are you refusing my escort to dock?" I asked.

A second later, the screen split, and a thin rear admiral with a narrow face appeared. "By my order," he said. "I'm Rear Admiral Franz, the senior fighter commander on Freeland."

"Well, Rear Admiral Franz, you may tell Admiral Kephalos that I am not allowed out without a Ghost escort, and since you are sending them back to the Mnemosyne, I'm afraid I can't stay." I turned and entered the shuttle, leaving Elliot on his SID looking rather pale.

"I told you it would be exciting," Terril said, closing the door behind me.

"Ma'am, they are not giving me clearance to leave," Lieutenant Carson, the shuttle pilot, said over the intercom.

"Keep all entrances locked, Carson."

"Yes, ma'am."

"What do you think, Captain?"

Frustrated, I said, "I think the SAS isn't prepared for war. They have a peacetime navy with peacetime officers. If I didn’t love Plimson, I'd take the Riss and any Riss-certified people who agreed and join the Supreme Council of the Gods. I think they have a worthwhile cause."

My escort choked and Terril laughed.

"That would be interesting and exciting," Terril said.

"Ma'am, Admiral Kephalos is requesting to speak to you. I can patch it through to your SID."

"Thank you, Carson."

A moment later, the admiral's face appeared, but before he could speak, I held up a hand.

"Admiral Kephalos, your officers are out of control, which gives me justifiable cause to fear for my life and the lives of my escorts. And that could mean the collapse of the alliance: Riss, Freeland, and the UFN. So before that happens I'd suggest you allow me to leave before one of them does something the SAS will regret."

"You claim to speak for Freeland and the UFN now?" His voice was angry and harsh.

"No. I only speak for the Riss. However, if I'm attacked, not a single Riss will support the SAS. In that event, Freeland will cease supporting the SAS, no matter what devastation you cause them. They will find comfort in the realization that without the Riss technology, you will eventually lose the war and be confined to your planets as they are. And the UFN will choose to go it alone because the Riss will agree to support them. Your choice, Admiral. I'm tired. Kill me or let me return to my ship." I sat back, not caring.

<I'm sorry, Thalia.>

<Riss not become human to live.>

<That would be a greater tragedy than dying.>

"This is a little more excitement than I anticipated, but if we live through it, I think I witnessed an eleven-knot performance," Terril said.

Guns were pulled free and safeties clicked off as they moved to guard possible access points.

"Leader, we are cleared to leave."

"Proceed, and patch me through to Commander Katlin."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Be careful, Commander. Everyone is in a bad mood. If the shuttle is attacked, you will have to use your judgment. It may be best not to respond."

"Ma'am, I don't report to you, and Commander Byer's orders are very specific," she said. I could imagine her grinning.

"Be careful, Katlin." I cut the connection. I sat back and closed my eyes, actually feeling at peace.

* * *

"How are you feeling, Sheva?" I asked as we sat in my office, drinking the oolong tea Zhu had given me as a parting gift.

"I didn't mind the banging into walls, falling down stairs, and spilling food when I ate. I understood that Bendis, the goddess's name she and I decided on, had to learn to do all those things I learned while in diapers. But it isn't possible to rationalize away moods. When you are sad or angry or paranoid, you are those things and can't think any other way." She laughed. "It's a good thing Terril warned my security detail, or they might have thought Bendis had taken control of me—against my will—and the space gods only know what would have happened. I'm glad that's over. You were right when you said it was a terrible experience, even knowing what to expect."

"I begged, pleaded, and threatened when the moods started. Of course, Thalia ignored me, and I was powerless to stop her. But she was right, and the benefits have been enormous."

"I'll bet. You... we can actually sense others’ emotions. If they knew... "

"That is one aspect of having a Riss that is best kept a secret. It has saved my life more than once and would make humans paranoid. That must remain a Riss secret." I said.

"Yes, Leader," Sheva said, acknowledging I was speaking for all the Riss.

"I wanted to begin exercises with the Freeland fleet as a way to get you qualified as captain, but Kephalos has made that impossible."

"I've been a captain in the SAS long enough to know something big is happening. It's too quiet."

"True. Well, there is nothing we can do until it's resolved. Go look over the specs for the Riss cruisers and work on Symath."

"Reading has been a real experience with Bendis, but I think we are getting the hang of it. Thank you for explaining what happened on the Sea Eagle. It explains why no one wants the position of Leader." She laughed as she rose to leave.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The JPU discovers Freeland

<Leader. Stenberg.>

<Connect.>

Stenberg appeared on the monitor almost immediately. "Good morning, Leader Reese. As you probably guessed, the last several days have been spent discussing the incident on the Sea Eagle. I have to agree with Admiral Kephalos that you are a lightning rod for trouble." He held up his hand to forestall any comments, which was unnecessary as I agreed. "I've had correspondence with Admirals Plimson and Wattson, and we agree General Alojzy, Admiral Franz, and Captain Singleton exceeded their authority. While Admiral Kephalos wasn't directly involved, his attitude and comments about you contributed to your unacceptable treatment. While I didn't agree with your response, Wattson believes it may have saved your life or at least prevented SAS personnel from killing SAS personnel." He paused, appearing to wait on my response. When I didn't say anything, he continued.

"Admiral Wattson has promoted Gebauer to full Rear Admiral. He will arrive tomorrow and take responsibility for the operations here at Freeland. Kephalos and the Sea Eagle are being returned to Eden. Wattson thought you would concur."

"I do. Admiral Gebauer is an outstanding officer whom I respect. He will be able to relate with those men and women who hate or fear the Riss. He did and still does; however, he also understands the war is against the Aliens and not its allies, who are necessary if we are to win the war. I think he is an excellent choice.

* * *

"Well, Commander Iglis, you invited me for coffee because?" I said, sitting in Iglis's office sipping on a chocolate flavored kaffa.

She tried not to smile. "I happened to procure this special brand of kaffa which I had heard you enjoyed and thought to share a cup with you."

"It's delicious. The first time I tasted it was while waiting on a summons to Admiral Plimson's office."

"You know Admiral Gebauer arrived two days ago. You probably aren't interested, but the word is he's met with every captain, XO, and army colonel on Freeland. His message has been something like:

"I never liked the Riss-human project and thought introducing a parasite into a human body an abomination. I hated the idea of Riss-humans in the SAS navy and did everything I could to discredit the then Lieutenant Reese. So I understand if you feel the same way. But I have nothing against the Riss. They are an amazing people. Ironically, if it hadn't been for people like Reese, we would never have them as allies. And their technology is saving thousands of SAS navy and army lives. And although I am still uncomfortable with Riss-humans, I respect Reese. I'm not asking you to like the Riss or the Riss-human concept, but as long as you are in the military, you will obey orders or suffer the consequences. Reese is the Leader of a nation allied with the SAS and critical to winning the war. As such, she will be accorded the same honor and respect due a Fleet Admiral."

"Yes, that is what I expected. Good officers grow and adapt. He's exactly what Freeland needs at this time."

* * *

<Leader, Gebauer.>

<Connect.>

"Good morning, Leader Reese. I'm sorry for the delay, but it has taken a few days to settle in. I was hoping we could meet and discuss Riss training and certification. I don't guarantee everyone loves you, but I think everyone understands who's the enemy and who's the ally." He smiled.

"Congratulations on your promotion. In my opinion, Admiral Wattson made a good choice. I think you are the right man for this assignment. And I'd be happy to meet with you to discuss how the Riss can best support your mission on Freeland."

"Thank you, Reese. Regardless of anything else, I believe we respect each other's commitment and can find solutions that are mutually beneficial. Is tomorrow at thirteen hundred hours on the Red-Tail Eagle acceptable?"

"Yes. If you don't mind, I will bring my XO, Sheva."

"I think that is a good idea. Sheva is a well-known captain. I think some of my captains might like talking to her. Until tomorrow," he said and cut the connection.

"Sounds like fun, I think," Sheva said. She had been on the Bridge with me discussing the stations and getting to know her Bridge-sisters.

"I've found that pretending there isn't a problem or ignoring it and hoping it will go away doesn't work. People need to see we are human. We aren't blood-sucking monsters or disease carriers and don't morph into anything."

"But we are alien."

"Yes, they tend to see us as aliens, but we are humans who are hosting other intelligent beings. We haven't lost any part of our humanity. We've each gained a partner."

"That's true, I guess. But you seem to think like the Riss... so much so they let you speak for them," she said, frowning slightly.

"Most see the Riss as dumb animals. In fact, they are a very old and mature race. The longer someone is exposed to them, the more likely it is you will see their philosophy as the evolution of civilization and agree with them."

<Have to stop call you little one. Grow up fast.>

<Preferred being young. More fun.>

<Agree. Nothing take apart now.> Image of Gorillai and me sitting in rocking chairs watching others play.

Sheva's voice jerked me back to her. "I must admit: in the end, it was their philosophy that made me want to become a Riss-human and be part of their nation."

* * *

I was surprised when I exited the shuttle into the Red-tail bay to find a captain waiting.

"Welcome aboard the Red-tail, Leader Reese. I'm Captain Gallager," he said with a broad smile. Although older, his dark red hair had no gray, his clean-shaven face had few wrinkles, and he looked to be in good condition. "I was interested in meeting you in person and ensuring you had everything you needed. If you don't object, your Ghosts will be docked in the Shark bay. We've heard a great deal about them, and everyone is interested in seeing them. On the radar, it looked like your shuttle was traveling alone."

"Yes, Ghosts are one of the many miracles Freeland has produced for us. I appreciate you meeting us in person. I'd like you to meet Sheva, who will soon captain the Elpis."

"Nice to meet you, Sheva. You have a good reputation among many of the commanders here on Freeland. If you'd like, I'll give you a tour of the Red-tail after the staff meeting. She's the newest Heavy, and I'm rather proud of her."

"We would like that, Captain," I said as we made our way out of the bay, up to the second level and down a long corridor where two Wasps stood guard. When we entered, a large group of captains stood in small groups talking. Gebauer left the group he was with and came walking over to us.

"Leader Reese, Sheva, I assume you were not bothered on the way over."

"No, Admiral. It was very uneventful. Thank you."

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you would take your seats," he said in a raised voice. After everyone was seated, he continued. "For those who may not have met her, may I introduce Leader Reese. Leader is a position rather than a rank, as the Riss have no ranks. But as Leader, Reese, who is also the captain of the Mnemosyne, speaks for every Riss. The other lady is former Captain Sheva, who many of you may know or have heard of since she's had a long and distinguished career in the SAS. I've asked Leader Reese here to discuss our upcoming training in preparation of forming task forces and joining the war. Leader Reese," he said and sat.

"Freeland is more than a staging area. It's where the SAS is transitioning peacetime cruisers and personnel to wartime—"

"Cruisers are war machines, and we serve in the SAS military."

"That's where the confusion comes in. Before we fight in a war, we assume we are ready for war because we are in the military and command war machines. That makes us dedicated to the security of the SAS and willing to give our lives in defense of the SAS. But does that make us ready for war?

"How many in this room have been in a war? How many have been to the war college and graduated With Comment? Are your cruisers a match for the enemy? No one doubts your bravery. But when you destroy an Alien cruiser or fighter, you are killing a copy of an intelligent being. When they destroy your cruiser, they are killing real humans—comrades in arms, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers... Our ships must, therefore, be better than theirs, and you must meet them knowing their weaknesses if we are going to win the war.

"Here in Freeland, your ships will be upgraded with the latest technology we have, and Admiral Gebauer will run exercises that have proven effective in battles with the Aliens. Questions?"

"You are implying that our ships aren't the equal of the Aliens’," a woman captain said, more like a challenge.

"Their cruisers are a match for our hunters. Their firing rate is faster, their ECM as good as a Heavy, and their fighters the equivalent of manned missiles. And we have no match for their Medusa class cruisers. Without the new technology and training, an SAS task force couldn't destroy one."

That started a lot of whispered conversations and disbelieving looks.

"Leader Reese is right. The Aliens are intelligent, have excellent ships, and centuries of battle experience. We are at war with a technologically advanced nation, not a few mercenaries with modern weapons systems. It will require the combined forces of the SAS, UFN, and the Riss if we are to stand a chance of winning."

"What do these new missiles do that the standard SAS missiles don't?" an older Captain asked.

"First, they don't replace the standard SAS missiles. They supplement them. They were designed for the Riss cruisers, but they proved effective in battle, so they are being added as an option."

"I hear only the Riss can use some of this technology?" the other woman captain in the room said, watching Sheva. "And you refused to provide every ship with Riss."

"Some of the technology requires the use of Riss mathematics. The Riss have no secrets from the SAS. I have and will continue to provide Riss to teach it to interested and capable individuals. But like any advanced mathematics, it takes time to learn, and not everyone has the aptitude to learn it."

"Why do we need to learn it? You could just provide Riss."

"The technology is available to the SAS, and the Riss are willing to help those who demonstrate they want it. Admiral Gebauer and I have agreed to provide a training seminar to determine cruisers eligible for Symath technology. Riss will be assigned to those cruisers until the crew feels confident to manage on their own. This is the procedure Admiral Wattson approved when forming the Echo task forces. Twenty-three of the fifty-six cruisers on Echo qualified and have Riss assigned."

The discussions went on well into the evening. I had to admit I encountered no direct hostility, although to Thalia it was obvious not everyone liked me. Afterward, Gallager gave Sheva and me a tour of the Red-Tail.

* * *

"On the surface, the meeting went very well, but walking around talking to people, they expressed a lot of hostility toward Riss-humans and the Riss," Sheva said as we sat in the shuttle on our way back to the Mnemosyne.

"Yes, that is why I won't assign Riss to every SAS or UFN ship. Too many of those people will act on their prejudices. In most cases, it will be verbal abuse, but inevitably, Riss will be physically assaulted and possibly killed. I won't subject the Riss to that kind of environment. I will assign Riss only to ships were they are wanted and respected for the intelligent, gentle people they are."

"I understand."

* * *

The next three months went by with relatively few incidents. The captains and crews knew they were being evaluated for inclusion into new task forces which would be deployed to Echo, and senior captains knew their potential for a promotion to rear admiral, lower rank. The first month was mostly classes on the new missiles and seminars on Symath. Gebauer did schedule a match every other day between the Elpis and three or four SAS cruisers. The idea was to expose the captains to the new missiles, demonstrate their uses and effectiveness, and to give Sheva an opportunity to practice.

As the Riss-certified cruisers were established, the exercises became more challenging because the missiles were equal and at least one ship in the SAS opposing force was Riss-certified and could use the skip-attack. The Elpis wasn't permitted to use its stealth capability. Even with all the odds stacked against her, Sheva showed excellent judgment and won half of the time.

"That was well done, Sheva. I convinced Gebauer to hold the exercises with the Elpis three-to-one to test you under stress and to help him determine who the best potential task force commanders were. I think it's achieved the desired results. One or two of the SAS captains did well against you, and you showed good judgment in all the exercises."

"I can't believe how relaxed I felt on the Bridge. Commands flow smoothly. I think it, and it happens. And Bendis is fantastic, like having a consultant available. She never suggests an approach but shares her observations, which are amazing." She lost focus for a few seconds, which I recognized as a conversation with her companion. "I felt being a Riss human would be a life-changing experience for me. I was right. Bendis and I will be together for life."

<They a good match.>

<Pavao chose well. She's an excellent captain.>

"Congratulations, Sheva. Your new position is Captain of the Elpis."

* * *

<Leader. Gebauer.>

<Connect.>

Gebauer's face appeared, and seconds later the screen split with Stenberg's.

"A JPU task force of three Heavies and fourteen Light cruisers has entered Freeland space. They are headed by a Fleet Admiral Salazan. He claims we are in JPU space," Gebauer said, then paused, waiting on Stenberg.

"Reese, what do you think? You've met and been in meetings with him."

"I suspect Salazan realizes he has stumbled upon the system where the Riss technology is being manufactured. If so, he will be willing to fight for it. He's probably evaluating his chances of winning with his current forces as we speak. If he believes they are sufficient, he will attack without warning. Otherwise, he will stall and send for reinforcements."

"He wouldn't. That would be a declaration of war against the SAS," Gebauer said in disbelief.

"Gebauer, I tend to agree with Reese," Stenberg said. "He rejected the Alliance because they wouldn't make him the supreme leader. And he hates the Riss. This is a chance to destroy the Riss, steal their technology, and get even with the SAS."

"I have a suggestion," I said, hating it while knowing it had to be done.

"What's that Reese?"

"Let me goad Salazan into a one-on-one fight. In the meantime, Admiral Gebauer can assign temporary task forces and leaders and get them ready if a fight happens."

"I don't think we have anything to lose. Gebauer?" Stenberg prodded. He nodded.

"Get a line to Salazan and leave me connected. I will interrupt and take control of the conversation at some point."

<Comm: connect Elpis.>

<Connected.> Sheva appeared on a separate monitor.

"Sheva, we have a large JPU task force in Freeland space. They want Freeland technology and the Riss destroyed. I'm going to challenge the Fleet Admiral leading them. I'll leave you connected so you can hear the conversation. You're to remain in stealth mode. If I fail, use your judgment, but remember: Salazan will destroy the Riss if he lives."

"I understand, Leader," Sheva said as Salazan’s face appeared.

"Admiral Stenberg, you are in JPU space. I will give you twelve hours to leave."

"Admiral Salazan, you are in SAS space. Any attempt to remove us will be an act of war with the SAS and the UFN."

"Your mere presence is a declaration of war against the JPU. Leave or be destroyed." Salazan said, smiling.

I laughed as loud as I could until he finally interrupted me.

"You will be allowed to leave but not the cowardly Riss. I will put them in their place. Their hides will decorate our homes.

"Admiral Stenberg, isn't this the brilliant Admiral whose strategy led three Heavies and twelve Lights—an overwhelming force compared to the Aliens—to its death? Then had the nerve to call his people cowards because he said they failed him?"

Salazan screamed, then shouted what I assumed were obscenities in the JPU dialect. Before he could say anything coherent, like  "Attack, " I continued.

"I'll bet you have been chasing the Aliens and losing three to one against them and blaming the brave men and women for following your crazy tactics. The Alliance wanted the JPU as a partner until they heard your ideas. Fleet Admiral Zhu told me he felt sorry for any crews under your direction." I had made sure my broadcast could be heard by all the ships in Freeland space. "I told him my ugly little cruiser could kick the shit out of you, even if you were in command of a Medusa."

"Yes, you'll hide and hope to sneak up on me like the coward you and those beasts are."

"I'll keep everything lit so you will know where I am at all times. How about I turn the sensors off my missiles? Yes, I'm serious, Admiral Salazan. I'd be the laughing stock of the fleet if I didn't give you some advantage. What do you say? One-on-one. Your brilliant mind against the dumb Riss beast."

"Yes, I will show everyone you are the cowardly beast I claim."

"How many cruisers are you going to need to help save you?"

"None."

"Order them to turn off their weapons so they will know you mean it." I said. Fighting a Heavy was exciting enough without Lights joining the battle.

"Reese, our cruisers are reporting the JPU weapons systems are going off line. I hope by now you have him so mad he can't think straight. Good hunting," Gebauer spoke on a separate channel via the Elpis.

"Leader Reese, Bendis and I are ready and proceeding toward the JPU force."

<What do you think, Thalia?>

<Mad. Want fast kill.>

<Agree.>

<Comm: Battle stations.>

<Tac: Systems hot.>

<Radar: Systems active.>

<Helm: Four engines half speed.>

<Comm: System speakers.>

<Connected.>

"The JPU have entered Freeland space with a large task force consisting of three Heavies and fourteen Lights. They declared Freeland in JPU space and are ready to destroy the SAS fleet here if it doesn't leave immediately. I've apparently pissed-off Fleet Admiral Salazan, and we are headed for a one-on-one confrontation with his command ship—a Heavy. I must remain visible because I told him my ugly little ship didn’t need to hide from someone as incompetent as him, and said I'd turn off my missile sensors. I forgot to mention our missiles don't use sensors or to remind him the crew of the Mnemosyne is the... meanest, baddest fighting elite in the galaxy." I cut the connection but could swear I could feel the ship rocking with the noise. I definitely heard Terril and the two security men behind me.

"Damn straight."

* * *

As the hours passed, the Mnemosyne and Salazan's Heavy, the Fearless, slowly closed the twenty light-seconds that separated them initially. Meanwhile, the SAS and JPU cruisers seemed to be forming two semi-circles around us, creating an arena-like area with plenty of free space to maneuver. I clicked on Iglis's call number, and she appeared immediately.

"Commander Iglis, what is the latest information on the JPU Heavies: missiles, recycling time, number of tubes, and skip distance? I forgot to ask him," I said to a pale-faced Iglis who was busy tapping on her desk tablet.

"My God, Reese... Captain... the Fearless has three banks of six tubes and can recycle a bank every sixty seconds. Their maximum missile range is three light-seconds with speeds of thirty-five seconds per light-second. The Fearless’s weight precludes it skipping more than a total of six light-seconds without engine damage. It has extra heavy shielding. It's a heavy Heavy."

"Thank you, Iglis. Let's hope Salazan is really mad at me."

"Right now, I doubt there is anyone in the galaxy who is madder at you," she whispered. I cut the connection.

<Bridge. Salazan is hopefully out-of-control mad. If so, he will want to crush us quickly. Likely a skip into missile range, counting on the Fearless's heavy shielding and greater missile throw-weight to win. Given its maximum missile range is three light-seconds and its skip range six light seconds, we could see Fearless skip when we reach nine light-seconds separation. Radar?>

<Five minutes, ten seconds>

<If that is what Salazan does, then we need Fearless's position as soon as it comes out of the jump. Our next move will depend upon Salazan's specific response, but we need to be ready to compute an attack-skip.>

I had goaded Salazan into a one-on-one contest. The question was whether I had succeeded in pushing him into the kind of blind rage that would have him depending upon the obvious disparity between the Fearless and a Light cruiser, and ignoring the reason I had agreed to such a contest. He would jump at nine light-seconds separation even if he were in my head, but his response after the jump would signal his mood. I stood and walked back to where Terril sat.

"Is this exciting enough, Gunny?"

"If Salazan isn't out-of-control, smashing-everything-in-sight mad, the man is a Si'jin master and Wei's equal."

"And this won't be very exciting."

"Like watching you fight Wei with a blindfold."

"Let's hope then he's at least a little upset. I wouldn't want to disappoint the Ghosts and Scorpions."

<Thirty seconds.> r-Asdis reported.

I treasured the Bridge of the Mnemosyne with my sisters. They were relaxed as if on a training mission. They had their positions, and I had mine, and we trusted each other to do our best.

<Fearless skipped.>

<Fearless launched eighteen missiles.>

Good. He’s mad and relying on overwhelming force to crush us like a bug.

<Nav: compute a vector to skip to within ten kilometers of Fearless sixty seconds from now.>

The current missile launch would reach us in a little over one hundred seconds, time for a second launch before it arrived. If Salazan was breathing fire, there should be another eighteen missiles as soon as the tubes were reloaded.

<zero-nine-three by one-one-zero for two point seven seconds.>

<Tac: prepare for a twelve Demon launch after skip.>

<ECM: One Duster to detonate at one kilometer from the Fearless immediately afterward.>

<Helm: execute two point seven second skip on my command to the vector on your board.>

<Fearless launched eighteen missiles.>

<Helm: execute skip.>

The Bridge personnel faded into ghosts and a few heartbeats later back into people.

<Twelve Demons launched.>

<One Duster launched.>

<ECM: Launch one Dragonfly.>

<Dragonfly launched.>

"Byer, launch the Ghosts. Our Dragonfly will give you targeting information. Fire and return."

"Ghosts launched." Byer said.

<Twelve Demons hit.>

Unlike a normal cruiser, no excitement from the Bridge personnel. They were busy doing their job.

<Thirty Ghost missiles scored.>

We were so close we couldn't miss, and the defensive laser systems were blind except for the last kilometer, which precluded everything except luck. I watched the clock counting down from sixty seconds—the time to recycle the Fearless missiles—waiting until it reached five seconds remaining.

<Tac: Fire three Dummies towards Fearless.>

<Three Dummies launched.>

<Fearless launched eighteen missiles.>

I had to admit I hadn't expected him to launch all eighteen. That was a lot of missiles flying around. Something was bound to find the Mnemosyne even past the Dummies and through the Duster cloud.

<Dummies found and destroyed. Ten missiles detonated, exploding within one kilometer of Fearless. Breaches detected.>

As I had hoped, missiles exploding that close to Fearless was almost as good as hits from our missiles.

<Five missiles off course. Three heading for Mnemosyne.>

<One destroyed.>

The ECM was at least able to track the missiles through the Dragonfly, but reaction time was in fractions of a second. The Mnemosyne shook as the two missiles scored direct hits. Battle metal held against one, but the other ripped through the upper level, opening it to space.

<Fire all Demons when ready and one Duster.>

"Ghosts reloaded," Byer reported.

"Launch Ghosts," I said.

<Twelve Demon launched. One Duster launched.>

Normally, being this close to a Heavy its lasers would be ripping the hull to pieces, but as we had learned with the Medusa, the Duster material interfers with the laser beams. They were causing damage, but so far it was relatively minor and intermittent.

<Twelve Demon hits. Major explosions, several breaches in hull.>

<Fearless launched twenty fighters.>

<Launch two Dummies parallel to the Fearless's present vector.>

"Byer, the Fearless has launched twenty fighters. We have two Dummies out."

"Understood. I wonder how they like Ghosts." He laughed. The slug-fest went on for another four minutes. Fearless launched forty-two missiles during that time, having lost one bank of six early and another after three minutes. Their last launch was only six missiles. Seven miraculously found their way to the Mnemosyne, opening several areas of the ship to space, destroying three missile tubes, two engines, and killing five Riss and ten Ghost and Scorpion personnel. We had lost five fighters, but all Fearless's fighters had been destroyed or damaged beyond operational readiness.

We launched forty missiles during that period, scoring thirty-seven direct hits, and the Ghosts had scored another thirty missile hits, all of which had the Fearless barely operational.

<Comm: open broadcast to the Fearless.>

"Fearless, this is the Mnemosyne. We are only minutes away from destroying the Fearless but would rather not kill any more of the brave men and women to satisfy Admiral Salazan's ego. His poor judgment has already cost enough lives, not only here but on Hayjar, although I'm sure he is already blaming you for his stupidity. Cut your power and deliver Salazan to us, and you are free to leave." I waited, hoping. It rose when ten seconds later the normal sixty-second launch did not come. Two minutes after that, Fearless cut her power.

"Colonel Seng, prepare to launch a boarding party."

"Fearless, we are launching a boarding party to collect Admiral Salazan. You are under a flag of truce. A resumption of power will result in your destruction."

"Mnemosyne. This is Captain Afzel speaking. I agree to your terms. Admiral Salazan was killed in the battle. You are free to verify he is dead, although we would like to keep the body."

"Agreed," I said. "Seng, launch the boarding party. Take Doctor Dayton with you."

"Doctor Dayton,"

"Yes, Captain."

"Please accompany the boarding team to verify it is Salazan and his cause of death. I'm forwarding identifying information from his stay on the Mnemosyne to your SID."

"I'm not used to making house calls. I'll have to charge double." She gave a short laugh but looked a bit pale.

* * *

Two hours later, the boarding team had returned. Dayton had verified that it was Salazan, he was dead, and the cause of death was shards embedded in the back of his head.

"Captain Afzel, you are free to leave Freeland; however, you may want to talk with Admiral Stenberg, the officer who arranged for the meeting of the three empires to discuss an Alliance. Salazan refused to join because they would not agree to make him the supreme leader. You and the JPU may want to discuss an Alliance. Unlike Salazan, neither the UFN nor SAS wants to command the other nation’s forces. They are looking only to share technology and develop a united strategy against the Aliens. In any event, good luck."

<Comm: Stealth running. All systems passive.>

<Nav: a vector to the repair station.>

<two-one-five by one-zero-two.>

<Helm: Execute vector. Half speed engines one, three, and five.>

I rose, deciding to visit each section. I noticed Terril had left, probably to be part of the boarding party. I knew the damage from watching the damage monitor, but I needed to see the people for my sake and theirs. I had been safe in the quiet of the Bridge while others paid for my decisions—right or wrong.

<No choice.>

<There is always a choice.>

<Right choice.>

<How do you know?>

<Wanted Riss technology.>

<He thought Riss dumb beasts.>

<Bait you. Want kill.>

It didn't matter, done was done. I toured the Engineering section, where one engine had been destroyed and two others damaged—and a Riss killed and two injured. I listened while my Riss-sisters gave me a tour of the damage and explained what happened. Next, I visited the two missile banks where two Riss died. Then the environmental and repairs units, which had only minor injuries. The shuttle bay had taken two hits and was open to space—two Riss killed.

<Our sisters are so calm, no anger.>

<They mourn dead sisters. But life goes on. What does anger serve? Killing will not bring back.>

<No. It will bring more killing. But it's in the human genomes.>

"Captain Reese," Byer said, jerking me back to my surroundings. I had wandered into one of the Shark bays.

"Commander Byer, how bad?" I asked, looking around. It was obvious the bay had sustained serious damage but was presently functional.

"The good news is the fighters were out when it took the hit, and the bay was almost empty. Two mechanics and a backup pilot were killed. We lost five Ghosts, and four have major damage. But considering we took on a super Heavy and twenty fighters, I say it was a good day."

"Yes, they were magnificent. We would have lost without them."

"After we get over the loss of friends, it will be a day to be proud of," he whispered. I continued down the hallway to the Scorpions area.

"Captain Reese," Colonel Seng greeted me.

"How did you fair?"

"One Scorpion killed helping with repairs and several wounded when our areas took a couple of hits."

"It was almost really exciting," Terril said as she approached. "When we entered Fearless's bay, twenty-five marines with military-grade weapons were waiting. One sneeze, and it would have been chaos. But it went smoothly. They had Salazan laid out ready for inspection. Dayton was allowed to inspect the body without interruption. No one looked sorry he was dead."

"I don't imagine he was well-liked by many people. If a battle went well, it was his genius. If it didn't, like this time, it was someone else's incompetence."

"Probably the one who shot him," Terril said with a laugh.

"Yes, I'll wager he will be buried in space, and his death a tragic accident," Seng said. "Hard for a missile to make that kind of injury."

On the way back to my office, I stopped into the medical unit. Dayton was making the rounds when I found her.

"What's the status, Doctor Dayton?"

"Far better than I'd imagined when I found out we were going to take on a Heavy with our hands tied behind us." She smiled. "But I guess after a Medusa, what's a little old Heavy?"

"Dangerous," I said.

"To answer your original question, everyone in here will recover. I may need a few sessions with a psychologist. I'm not used to examining a body between two scary looking groups of commandos with very big guns."

"I'm sorry about having to send you. But Salazan couldn't leave Freeland alive."

"Seeing as I lived, it was an interesting experience. And it got me out of my office." She laughed. "As everyone says, following you tends to be exciting, and I did volunteer."

* * *

To my surprise, Stenberg and Gebauer were waiting for me when we reached the repair station. I arranged for some snacks and had them escorted to my office. I was pouring a cup of tea when they were ushered in.

"Gentlemen, help yourselves to something to eat or drink. We are just now getting food to everyone. Our dining facility was heavily damaged," I said, taking one of the three padded chairs spread out in front of my desk.

Gebauer was first to speak. "You impressed a lot of people today, Reese. I believe everyone thought you were buying us time and didn't expect you to survive. And it did buy us time. Had he won, we would have been ready. We had time to organize into units with assigned targets and areas of responsibility." He sipped his kaffa. "But you're not that kind of hero, are you?"

Stenberg looked to be getting ready to say something, but I shook my head. "No. Planning to die isn't much of a strategy. Like the Riss, I cherish every life and feel I've failed when one person dies because of my decisions."

"Then why didn't you just wait to see what Salazan would do?" Stenberg asked.

"Because the odds were Salazan would attack, and thousands would have died—humans and Riss."

"I've always mourned the loss of friends and comrades-in-arms, but never felt personally responsible. Maybe you have the right of it, Reese. It's the captain's strategy, not the crew’s. He or she is responsible." He nodded. "You played Salazan perfectly, and it avoided a major battle, possibly even the loss of Freeland. Senior Captain Afzel appears willing to encourage the JPU to consider talks with the Alliance. Staying visible when you could have used your stealth capability and choosing not to destroy the Fearless won him over."

"I think we need to increase the forces on Freeland, now that the JPU know its location and that it's the manufacturing center for the Riss technology."

"And I need to begin organizing task forces and leaders, so we are better organized in the event something like this happens again, or a Medusa or two shows up." Gebauer snorted. "Reese, you need to discuss your strategy against the Fearless. Maybe develop some exercises around it."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Rethinking positions

The next two months were filled with intense training seminars and exercises. The JPU incident had been a wake-up call. They now knew they hadn't been prepared and would most likely have lost—badly. They began to realize that overwhelming force only worked when you commanded the overwhelming force. When you didn't, you had to fight smart. Gebauer had insisted I give a day-long seminar of our fight with the Fearless. The Mnemosyne had been a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of the new Riss missiles, Ghost and Symath technology, and fighting smart. To the participants’ credit, they were interested and asked probing questions on every aspect of the encounter:

"Why did you choose to wait before you skipped?"

"Why did you choose ten kilometers?"

"Why a Duster after the Demons…?"

I was sure many still had their prejudices, but it didn't feel personal as it had before. Correspondingly, the number of requests for Riss certification increased. By the end of two months, I had certified three cruisers in each of the two task forces Gebauer had officially organized.

I spent time on Freeland checking on the status of the Riss projects. On my first visit after the incident with Salazan, all the elders were present. As usual, Ni'Shay met me when my shuttle landed.

"Welcome, Leader Reese. The rumors on Freeland run to both ends of the spectrum. I hope you don't mind. I've assembled the elders to hear what actually happened, to the extent you can tell us."

"No, Ni'Shay. I think that is a good idea. In my experience, rumors can overrule logic and cause real problems where there are none. "

The ride to the government building was made in silence. When I entered, everyone stood, and a young girl brought me kaffa.

"Sit, please. I forget your communication with what is happening in space is confined to rumors from people who are relying on rumors," I said to nodding heads and smiles. "A JPU fleet stumbled upon Freeland while looking for Aliens and decided it was in JPU space…" I went on to explain in general what had happened. They were very quiet until I finished.

"Do you think they will come back… with a larger force?" Ka'Baako asked the question on everyone's mind.

"No. Admiral Salazan wanted vengeance against the SAS for not siding with him during the discussions and was willing to start a war, hoping for something—maybe a decision out of Eden. If nothing else, capturing Freeland would give him access to the Riss technology. I don't think the government of the JPU wants a war with the SAS and the Aliens at the same time. Besides, Freeland is strategically important to the SAS, so I suspect you will see increased security before too long. Perhaps, you should start a design project on what manned and unmanned space security stations would look like. I think the military might be very interested after the JPU incident."

That started multiple conversations, which I made no attempt to break up. I managed to pull Rodica aside and caught up on the Riss projects. The new Riss cruiser was on schedule and would be ready for trials in less than two months. Assembly had already begun. And I arranged for repairs to the Mnemosyne to begin immediately.

* * *

"Well, Commander Iglis, what is the news from Echo and Eden that isn't classified?" I asked. I had called a combined staff meeting from the Mnemosyne and Elpis.

"Everything in intelligence is classified, even if everyone knows it." She smiled. Iglis was certainly coming into her own since her unofficial promotion and assignment to the Mnemosyne. "The Echo Alliance continues to locate and destroy Medusas with fewer and fewer losses using the Riss technology and lessons learned. Freeland has become a concern after the JPU incident, and you will be seeing increased security. I wouldn't be surprised to see a rotation of qualified task forces between Freeland, Echo, Eden, and eventually other systems that are considered critical."

"That makes sense. Even though we are at war, crews are going to need planet-side leave at some point," Sheva said. I could see the commanders of the humans agreed.

"I've been considering planet-side leave for Riss-certified crews, but that would be only a Band Aid. What are your feelings?" I said, looking at Byer and Seng, who were the senior commanders who’d had crews on a Riss ship the longest.

"The SAS hasn't been in an extended war in our lifetimes, and so this is one of those issues were there is no real policy. Everyone assumes when you are at war you get no leave. But they are not thinking in terms of years of war, more like border skirmishes, which last a year or less. The SAS needs a policy. The rotation scheme Commander Iglis mentioned sounds a reasonable solution except for Riss ships unless they are going to rotate with the task force," Seng said. "Dong and Freeland would help."

"While I work on a policy for Dong and Freeland, I'd asked you to put your heads together and propose a policy for Riss-certified crews. I'm selfish and would hate to lose any of you for an extended period."

* * *

<Leader. Multiple ships exiting the wave. Reported friendly.>

"Looks like our replacements have arrived," I said. Sheva and I had been in my office discussing the upcoming weekly exercises Gebauer was proposing.

"What will my status be?"

"Your position is Captain of the Elpis. If the Eirene is rotating back to Freeland, the Mnemosyne and the Elpis will be going to Echo."

"Thank you, Leader Reese, for the trust you're giving me. I won't let you or the Riss down."

<Bendis comfortable.>

<Sheva did not make her decision lightly.>

"I have no doubts, Sheva. You are a good addition to the Riss and the Riss-humans."

* * *

The Eirene was one of the returning cruisers, and I arranged for a meeting for the next morning.

"We understand you had an argument with Fleet Admiral Salazan, Leader Reese," Pavao said as the four of us settled down in my office. "It was the talk of the fleet at Echo. Alena and I are dying to hear what really happened. At least ten different versions are floating around. I think in one, you accompanied the Scorpions in a raid and shot him."

"Funny thing about rumors. No matter how distorted they get, they always have an element of truth," I said.

"You didn't, did you?" Alena asked in shocked horror.

"No. But he was shot. Probably by the captain of the Fearless. Here is my version of events..." I started at the beginning when the JPU fleet appeared and recounted in detail not only what I did but my reasoning at the time. I believe sharing our experiences and logic benefited us all when the next confrontation occurred.

"I hope you're going to be more careful in the future, Nadya. None of us wants your position," Pavao said after refilling her glass. "Alright, our turn. The Minerva was next in turn and went to Angel Rock about a month after you left. After Damaass took out the scout. Two certified cruisers did a skip-attack, The Medusa lost power, but not before it launched its eight cruisers. Damaass spent the day helping to clean up the cruisers. He sustained some damage, and fifteen were killed... four Riss." Pavao downed half her glass before speaking again. "The Maat replaced the Minerva, and Damaass returned to Dong. About two months later, we accompanied two task forces to Savage. The task force senior admiral decided on two quick skip-attacks one right after the other, against my advice based on your encounter at Lycus. He ignored me, said we were too cautious. They were robots, not SAS officers. Both cruisers on the second skip-attack were destroyed. Whoever commanded the Medusa recognized what we had done and was ready for the second attack. That close to the Medusa, the missiles were almost instantaneous. Alena suggested a stealth approach and Dummies. Then after the missile launches, a Duster and skip-attack. It worked well, but of course by then the Medusa had launched all of its cruisers, and the task force suffered a lot of damage. I hung back, engaging only the cruisers closest to the wave in case one decided to leave. That didn't make that jackass admiral happy."

"It sounds like you're happy with Alena's performance."

"Very. In my opinion, she's ready to command her own ship."

"Alena?"

"I'd like a couple of more years’ experience... but I'm ready when I'm needed."

"Your new position is Captain of the..."

"Themis, the goddess of divine justice, order, and customs," Alena said softly.

"Themis it is," I replied. "I leave you and Pavao to see her operational. We may need them all soon."

"Why?" Sheva asked.

"Because I don't believe the current strategy will work."

"I agree," Pavao said. "As does Cethlion."

<Also co-pilot.>

* * *

The four of us spent the afternoon with Stenberg, Gebauer, the two task force admirals from Echo and the two newly appointed task force leaders on Freeland.

"Before I ask your plans, Leader Reese, let me update you on what I know. The JPU discovering Freeland and threatening war has Eden in a state of panic. Plimson, Wattson, and Zhu declared Echo as the Alliance's headquarters and central base of operations. Freeland and Dong as strategic staging areas. They have decided to adopt the Riss model and rotate operational task forces between Echo and those systems established as strategic. Others will be established as time goes on. For the SAS, Eden will make all assignments. Most will be directed to Freeland for upgrading and training. From here to Echo and then rotation to Eden, Freeland, and back to Echo. This ensures an operational task force at each of the critical systems. It has the added advantage of providing planet-side leave on Eden, as there is none on Freeland." He paused to take a drink of kaffa.  "For the UFN, Daiyu will make all assignments. The rotation will be from Echo to Daiyu to Dong and back to Echo. "

"Although I remain the station commander, Admiral Gebauer is being promoted to Vice Admiral in charge of operations and responsible for training and creation of new task forces. Admiral Zann remains responsible for activities on Freeland and station commander when I'm gone. I hope to start alliance talks with the JPU when they resolve their political issues around the vacancy created by the death of Fleet Admiral Salazan."

"Thank you for the update, and congratulations, Admiral Gebauer, on your well-earned promotion."

"It's ironic that my prejudice against you is responsible for my success," he said with a snort.

"I would disagree, Admiral. I believe it was your ability to move beyond it, recognize the problem, and take action to resolve it." I continued before he need respond. "I've asked Freeland to look into designing an unmanned security system for your consideration. If you like the idea, it may be useful on Eden. A new Riss cruiser, the Themis, will be operational within the next month or so. Alena,"--I nodded in her direction--"will be her Captain."

"Congratulations, Captain Alena," Stenberg said.

"Congratulations, Captain Alena. I imagine it has been a long, agonizing journey judging by my and others’ prejudicial behavior," Gebauer said. "I can't change the past, but you and the other Riss-humans have my full, unconditional support."

"The Mnemosyne and the Elpis will be leaving tomorrow for Echo... No, the Elpis will be heading to Echo. I'm going to Eden."

CHAPTER TWENTY

Surprise visit to Eden

"That was a real bombshell," Terril said on the shuttle back to the Mnemosyne. "I don't know how I manage to beat you at Si'jin. You're in everyone's mind like a... dybbuk. The clans named you well."

"I decided you and I needed a vacation. Would you rather go someplace else?" I tilted my head, trying to look interested in the answer.

"What are you up to, Nadya? Bradshaw isn't on Eden, is he? No, that wouldn't be like you. Are you going to ask Plimson to... something?"

"I'm hurt you think I have some devious reason for going to Eden."

"Even Pavao was stunned into silence. And why the staff meeting?"

"To announce we are leaving for Eden, today."

"I can't wait to hear this."

<Good idea.>

<Thank you, oh wise one.>

* * *

Deathly silence met me when I entered the room. I didn't often call unscheduled staff meetings, and the Riss-human presence made it even more unusual.

"Sorry for the unannounced staff meeting, but I've decided to leave today. I'd like all crews on Freeland recalled immediately. We are leaving for Eden as soon as you report your crews accounted for."

"Eden?" Seng and Byer said simultaneously.

"Alright, Leader Reese, why?" Pavao asked in amused frustration.

"I decided I needed a vacation."

"You don't take vacations and certainly not on Eden," Pavao again.

"True. I've been concerned about the problem of rotating crews on the Riss cruisers. They need to be replaced with certified crews, which means they will lose their places. It seems to me consistency produces the most efficient crews. I'm being selfish, but I'm planning on rotating the Riss cruisers to Eden as they intend to do with the task forces. That way, our detached units can get planet-side leave in Eden and remain with the ship if they choose." I sat back waiting on everyone's response.

"I know the Scorpions will love it. Right now, I think the vast majority would give up leave to stay on the Mnemosyne."

"I agree with Colonel Seng. I think the pilots are of the same opinion."

"Butler won't let me leave whether I get leave or not," Iglis managed to say with a straight face, but then laughed. "My people too."

"That's a great idea, but what about Damaass and Zheng?" Pavao asked.

"All Riss ships will rotate through Echo, Eden, Freeland, and Dong," I said, feeling Riss.

<high-Riss.>

<Yes. The Riss need recognition for their contribution.>

"Commander Byer, Colonel Seng, and Commander Iglis, I’d like you to create a patch or Fourrageres that those serving on a Riss cruiser can wear planet-side since we are a foreign nation. I think the citizens of the SAS need to recognize the Riss as allies and not strange animals."

* * *

The human crews weren't dancing in the hallways, but it was obvious that everyone was excited about visiting Eden and loved the idea of a gray and black intertwined shoulder cord for active duty on the Mnemosyne—or any Riss cruiser.

"Is exiting the wave into Eden going to be exciting?" Terril asked as we approached the Bridge with less than fifteen minutes remaining.

"We have the entry codes from Stenberg, and as a precaution, I had Iglis send Admiral Butler advance notice of our arrival—day and hour. Of course, we still have to contend with peacetime captains in a wartime environment." I smiled and took my seat.

<Exiting wave.>

<Comm: send authorization codes.>

<Codes sent.>

The minutes passed slowly as we awaited some kind of acknowledgement.

<Message from Admiral Newman.>

"Hold at position '22.045, 3h 2m 5s, 3.12 au' until a docking port can be assigned."

<Comm: Acknowledge.>

<Acknowledged.>

Six hours passed as we decelerated towards our assigned holding position, where four cruisers waited with weapon systems hot. Another four hours passed while we awaited further instructions.

<Admiral Newman.>

<Comm: Connect.>

Newman looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, judging more by his sagging jowls than the full head of brown hair. His neutral face turned to a frown when he saw me.

"Who's the captain of the... Mnemosyne?" he asked.

"I'm Captain Nadya Reese. How may I help you, Admiral Newman?"

"I have no authorization for your cruiser to be in the area. I'm—"

"That's not a problem at all. Wait while I contact Admiral Plimson."

<Comm: Urgent message to Admiral Plimson. Permission to dock the Mnemosyne at the Eden space center.>

<Sent.>

"You're a foreign ship in SAS space. You will prepare to be boarded." His voice was harsh, and his eyes narrowed.

"For the record, Admiral Newman. Any attempt to board the Mnemosyne will be considered an act of war. And firing on the Mnemosyne will result in the death of Sharks, Scorpions, and Intelligence personnel assigned as detached units," I said, wondering for the thousandth time why the hate.

<Need feel superior.>

<They knew we were coming.>

<Had time to plan.>

<I hope the Aliens give them time to plan.>

<Weapons systems offline.>

<Space station.>

<Comm: Connect.>

"Leader Reese, you are cleared to dock at F15. Admiral Plimson sends his regards and requests you dine with him tonight. His aide, Lieutenant Ostein, will arrange the details with you."

It took an additional five hours to reach the space station and dock. By then, Ostein had made arrangements for a private shuttle to pick me up and transportation on the ground to the SAS Military Headquarters, Apollo, to meet with Plimson before the evening dinner. At Apollo, it took an extra half-hour to authorize armed Scorpions to accompany me into the building. I was shocked to see Plimson come striding down the hall when I exited the elevator.

"Leader Reese, I apologize for the delays. Admiral Butler told me you were arriving today, so I thought there would be no problems. I had hoped that was all behind us. I guess I was wrong."

"In the war theater, I believe it's under control. I think Eden is still enjoying peacetime," I said.

He laughed. "There is a lot of truth to that. Gunny, I see you and your men are taking good care of Leader Reese. Relax in the waiting room while we talk. The petty officer will get you whatever you want," he said, waving me towards his office. He looked concerned as he chose a comfortable chair and waved to one next to it. "This is an unexpected visit, Nadya. I hope there aren't any problems."

"No, sir. I believe any ship operates more efficiently when the crew has worked together and knows what to expect from each other. This is even more important on a Riss ship where replacements need to be certified. If one leaves a ship, he or she might never be reassigned to the same ship or even another Riss cruiser. So..." I went on to explain my idea to rotate Riss ships through the systems. "And I think it may help get the citizens and... peacetime officers used to the Riss being allies."

"That's a good idea. Exposure to the Riss will help, especially when they understand you are allies in your own ships and have SAS units attached."

"Can I get you to authorize the wearing of Fourrageres for the men and women serving on Riss cruisers? I think that will help reinforce the allied relationship, and the troops like the idea."

"I like it too. I assume those are the ones your security is wearing."

"Yes, sir."

We spent the next two hours talking about activities at Dong, Echo and Freeland.

"I'm surprised you get along with Admiral Gebauer after the way he treated you."

"The Riss, who are very much a part of me, judge people on their current actions, not their past. I've always thought he was an excellent officer, except for his out-of-control prejudice against Riss-humans. Gebauer is still uncomfortable with the Riss-human concept, but he understands now how it affects performance and has used that to address potential problems. He's been very effective at Freeland."

"Good, are you ready for dinner?"

"Yes, sir."

"I've invited Commanders Byer and Iglis, and Colonel Seng along. I want to hear what a genius I was by authorizing detached units on Riss cruisers."

* * *

The Admiral's vehicle dropped us at the entrance to the senior officers’ dining facility. As we entered, we were met by a young woman neatly dressed in a dark-blue suit and white blouse.

"Good evening, Admiral Plimson, your guests are already seated. If you will follow me," she said and led us into a smaller room with only a few tables that were empty. Byer, Seng, and Iglis stood as we approached.

"Please sit and relax. I'm tired of reading reports prepared by people whose entire lives have been spent behind desks, telling me about a war they've never seen. Sorry." He took a sip of wine the waiter had just poured. "Two hundred twenty died, seventy six wounded, two cruisers destroyed. Numbers meaningful only to other desk pilots who need to provide replacements. Yes, we need them, but for just an hour I want to hear about the war from people who have been there. So I've kidnapped you for the evening."

"You've kidnapped the right group, Admiral. The Mnemosyne has probably seen more action than any other ship," Byer said. "Our captain isn't above kidnapping, either..." With Plimson’s encouragement, he went on to talk about Hayjar, Dong, and finally Salazan.

Plimson insisted Terril sit since she had been at my side most of the time. The dinner was like a personalized history seen through their eyes and like a private roast.

"I see you are all wearing the Fourragere of a foreign nation," he said and smiled, "which I authorized for wear earlier today. Tell me about duty on a Riss cruiser. It sounds interesting."

"Actually, sir, it's a problem," Byer said.

Seng and even Iglis nodded.

I sat stunned, with my mouth open and my fork with lemon-cream cake hanging suspended in air. Why hadn't I been told?

"On a standard cruiser, there tend to be cliques that make each group feel superior in one way or another. On a Riss ship, you often see friendships between Ghosts and Scorpions. We eat, work out, and relax in the same areas. We are all tied into the VTM and know what is happening at all times. And the accommodations on level three are luxurious," Byer said.

Seng laughed. "The hardest part to get used to is the calm atmosphere before and during a battle. Half the time, we're at Standby—stations manned by one-third of the unit's personnel. The Riss never seem to get rattled. By now, we are all used to it."

"Why, Reese?"

"A person at Battle Stations who attempts to stay ready to act for hours is less likely to be ready to act when the time comes because he or she is stressed and tired. The Ghosts and Scorpions are never required immediately. So when they are called, they are alert and clear thinking."

"After you've been on a Riss cruiser, you never again want to serve on a regular one," Seng said.

"It's not just Reese, then?" Plimson asked.

"Based upon my talks with those on other Riss cruisers, all the Riss captains are different, yet all the same. They all wander the ship visiting like friends, all give open access to what is going on, all have that Riss-like calmness, and all are dybbuks in battle."

"Thank you, for a very pleasant evening. I needed to talk to people in the field fighting the war. Leader Reese, how long do you plan to stay?"

"I thought three weeks. Long enough for my detached units to give their personnel seven to ten days leave, and to certify replacements for those who may need to leave or want reassignment."

* * *

"Well, Terril, where are you going for your leave?" I asked as the shuttle lifted for the space station.

"I'm taking this woman named Nadya into Eden City. From a young girl, she has always wanted to see it, but circumstances weren't right. They are right now. Six of us from the Si'jin class think it would be fun. There is lots to see," she said, handing me a list. "Pick what you think you would be interested in, and we'll start tomorrow."

I sat staring at the list. My first reaction was no, but as I began to think up excuses, I realized it was fear that kept me from seeing Eden.

"Would you mind if I took a few Riss along each day?"

"Not at all. I think that would be even more fun. It's time Eden got introduced to the Riss." She laughed on and off for the rest of the flight.

That night, I had a meeting with the Riss to review the list and see who might be interested in specific events on the list. By the end of the meeting, I had three to four for each day's outing and arranged for shuttles to rotate one-third of the Riss every five days to Land's End, a wilderness area at the northwestern part of the continent.

* * *

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of sightseeing. We visited museums, monuments, and exhibitions, attended concerts and shows, and ate at a variety of restaurants all over town. At least half of each day was spent talking with people about the Riss and the Aliens—the other aliens. Again, I owed Terril and the other Scorpions for treating me to an experience I couldn't otherwise have had. And even better, it turned out to be a fantastic way to introduce the Riss to the general public—real life, instead of vids, rumors, and talking-heads’ biased commentaries.

"Thank you, Terril. I could never do that on my own, and exposing the Riss was the icing on the cake," I said as we relaxed in my office. "I hope the Scorpions didn't mind too much. I know the detail must have interfered with their leave time."

"You’re welcome. Don't worry about the Scorpions. They got to see things they usually wouldn't because of the special access you got, and they each collected tens of offers from women they met in our wanderings. You are an exciting person to be around."

"It was nice of Plimson to join us a couple of times. I love that man."

"Not to mention he got us better seats, paid for everything, and gave you an expense allowance."

"He said Eden needed to see the Riss not only as allies but as people, and I shouldn't have to pay for being his ambassador." I could see the benefit not only to him but to the military. The real-life exposure dispelled a lot of the rumors being spread by special interest and hate groups.

"It was fun, but the vacation is over tomorrow."

* * *

Looking around the conference room table, everyone appeared in a particularly good mood.

Seng was first to speak. "Thank you, Captain. This stop resolved an existing dilemma. Even in war, the troops need some R-and-R. But no one wants to transfer to another cruiser that has a chance at home leave because the chances of returning to the Mnemosyne or another Riss cruiser are remote. Over time, that could have been a problem."

"I agree with Seng," Byer said. "All of my folks want to stay with the ship, but there are limits to which people can sacrifice before it affects their performance."

"My Intel reports from the cruisers on Freeland do support that. Those stationed there for long periods of time had a buildup of personnel incidents. Agreed, they don't have the same environment as a Riss cruiser, but I don't think that would negate the problem—only take it longer to show up," Iglis said.

"And the Fourrageres were a great idea. Everyone I've talked to loves them, says they make them feel like the elite of the services. And since the media has associated the cord with the Riss, it attracts women like a magnet and gets them free meals and access to people and places they wouldn't normally have," Seng said.

"The results have been far better than I anticipated. Each Riss cruiser will now rotate between the four systems," I said.

"Captain, is that wise?" Iglis asked hesitantly. "Damaass and Zhang... "

"Hiding hasn't worked for me or the Riss. It just helps to keep alive lies and uninformed rumors. Riss humans have family and close friends in the SAS, UFN, and Freeland, but we are no longer part of those empires. We are part of the Riss nation. A nation that fully supports the SAS as part of its MSA with Admiral Plimson." I was pleased with the results on Eden and determined to continue being visible.

Byer laughed. "Sorry, but only you and Admiral Plimson would feel comfortable with an MSA on your word and without anything in writing."

"Many years of trust." I smiled, thinking of Plimson. "Are your units operational and ready to depart?" I looked at each person and received a nod. "The Mnemosyne departs at thirteen hundred hours for Echo."

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It won't work

We had no trouble entering the Echo system. By now, it was common to see Riss cruisers entering and leaving, and they were part of each task force chasing Medusas. It wasn't long before I had a message from Admiral Wattson for a sit-down. He was obviously curious why I detoured to Eden rather than coming straight to Echo. I negotiated an expanded meeting with Zhu, Zhang, and Sheva.

"Are you part of my security tonight?" I asked Terril as I dressed for the meeting in my cabin.

"I don't know. I'm getting used to dining with Admirals, and you don't have any Medusa-like problems to drop on Wattson... do you?"

<Do I?>

<Yes.> A feeling of amusement.

<What?> I mentally shouted.

<Still foggy.>

"Thalia seems to think I have something on my mind that might be."

<Right?>

<Yes.>

"She can't tell? I thought... "

"We are two separate minds that are linked. She would know if I tried to lie and when I had a clear thought. But apparently, subconscious thoughts aren't defined enough to get more than a feeling. She is right in the sense that something has been nagging me, but I haven't been able to put my finger on it."

"Yes, I'm going. Wouldn't miss it for the world. Gotta run, need to dress for tonight," Terril said, smiling on the way out the door.

* * *

The ride over to the Eurasian was quiet. Terril sat in back with my standard two-Scorpion security team discussing something, probably the night's protocol.

On exiting the shuttle, Lieutenant Commander Casey, Wattson's new aide de camp, greeted me with a snappy salute and a smile. "Welcome back, Leader Reese. How was Eden?"

"Thank you, Commander Casey. Eden was very interesting. It felt like a different world," I said as we exited the bay and headed for the conference room.

He was silent for several seconds. "Yes, Eden is untouched by the war, so it doesn't seem real. I think that has been true of some of our commanders," he replied softly, almost to himself.

When I entered the room, everyone was already there, standing in small groups talking.

"Leader Reese," Wattson said. "Welcome back. I understand you've been busy."

"Yes, as the Riss navy grows, new issues arise. Captains, deployment, and the needs of the SAS-attached personnel. I've decided all Riss ships will rotate between Echo, Freeland, Dong, and Eden," I said, taking a drink of tea I had gotten from the side table. "Where a Riss-human came from is not relevant. We are members of the Riss nation and allies of the SAS and the Alliance."

Zhu clapped quietly. "We dismissed Salazan because he wanted to dictate to us. That was unacceptable. Had all your Riss captains been from the SAS, I would have accepted that as your right. But, your willingness to accept anyone qualified makes your nation a special ally. One that demands our respect."

"You're right, Leader Reese. Sweeping the problem under the rug doesn't make it go away. Better to address it head on. I understand that's what Admiral Gebauer has been doing quite successfully."

"He has been very successful, and Admiral Plimson has made his promotion permanent. He's authorized a gray and black Fourragere to be worn by all SAS personnel attached to Riss cruisers." I produced two and slid one to Sheva and one to Zhang. "It identifies them as serving in a foreign navy, which I hope will strengthen the idea that we are allies. And yes, that may someday include UFN units."

"My immediate reaction is to question you, but I see your point and again admire Admiral Plimson. I hope history gives him the credit he's due," Wattson said and paused for a drink of kaffa. "Now that the Riss have five cruisers with captains and will have a sixth operational within a few months, what kind of deployment were you anticipating?"

"Can you identify which systems are currently under quarantine with cruisers only?" I asked.

"I think we have a pretty good idea. But based on your premise that the Aliens are short on Medusas, we have ignored those systems. Destroying Medusas appears a better use of our resources. If we can weaken them by destroying their Medusas, we can then clean out their cruisers."

"Won't work."

"It's working."

"Anyone. What would you do if you were the Aliens and you figured out that you were losing Medusas faster than you could make them?" I asked rather than give them what I would do. The various reactions were interesting. Zhu and his brother Zhang appeared to have no reaction. They sat eyes closed.

Sheva frowned, looking down in thought.

Wattson stared at me like he wanted to ask me what I would do, but knew the question was for him to answer. "I see your point. It's easy to think of them as robots, but they aren't. They have significant intelligence and will at some point deduce they are losing. Then they will stop their present campaign, devise a new strategy, and take whatever time necessary to build an armada capable of destroying us."

"You are suggesting we change our strategy before they do," Zhu said.

"We need to let a ship escape and then follow it to their home base,"

Zhang said what everyone was thinking.

"And the only ships likely to be able to follow an Alien ship unnoticed and escape from their home base are Riss cruisers," Wattson said, continuing to stare at me. "But the escaping ships can't have the kind of information that could negate our present advantage—in case you can't find their base or... you can't return. Let's adjourn for today. I'd like some time to think about your idea, not that I don't agree, and we will need the other task force leaders to hammer out the details. They will have to make it work since the Riss can't be seen."

As I rose, Zhu approached. "My brother has found his dream thanks to you and the Riss. He describes his relationship with his companion, Vesta, like a perfect marriage. Equal partners having common goals with total awareness of each other's thoughts. For many years, I feared I'd lose him. That one day he would become like the ancient Buddha and wander off in search of nirvana. I know Admiral Wattson is concerned over your choice of captains, but talking to my brother, I realize he shouldn't be. You make sure Riss-human candidates are capable of effectively fighting your cruisers, and the Riss that they are capable of subscribing to their ethics." He paused, giving me a thoughtful look. "I'm afraid you shook Admiral Wattson by suggesting you could see an UFN detachment on a Riss cruiser. Under what conditions?"

"Admiral Wattson's concern is the SAS. He fears Riss-captains from anywhere except the SAS because he can't totally trust their loyalty. Ironically, their real loyalty is to the Riss, although they would never be asked to betray their country of origin." I paused until Zhu nodded understanding. "He fears Riss-detachments from anywhere except the SAS because he worries about a mutiny. But only the Riss can fly a Riss cruiser, and the Riss cannot be forced to do anything against their ethics. Therefore, I would be comfortable accepting a Riss-certified detachment of any nation the Riss were allied with."

"I look forward to a long and close relationship with the Riss," he said before giving a slight bow and walking away with Xun following.

* * *

Wattson scheduled a meeting the next afternoon to include Zhu, the twelve task force commanders, and the Riss-humans. Wattson entered with Zhu shortly after we arrived. Everyone stood, but the room wasn't called to attention. A concession which had been made because of the mixture of nations and traditions. After everyone was seated, Wattson began.

"The Alliance has been operating under the premise that the Aliens have been here for some time. During that time, they have been building Medusas and cruisers to quarantine us humans. We felt they underestimated us humans and began their invasion prematurely. Our strategy has been to attack their Medusas, thereby limiting their ability to overwhelm us in force. To date, we have eliminated six. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing if that is over half the Medusa fleet or less than ten percent. If the latter, we should continue our strategy. If it's more than fifty percent, we need to stop."

"Why? We're winning." Admiral Ueno of Red-3 asked.

"Because sooner or later, they will realize their strategy isn't working and will retreat back to their home base."

"Isn't that what we want, to drive them back to where they came?" Admiral Botos asked, to nodding heads.

"Yes. But do you believe a group with a mandate from the Supreme Council of the Gods is going to pack up and leave because of a minor setback? We have been killing copies—not intelligent life. More likely, they will remain quiet for ten, twenty, fifty years while they adopt a new strategy and build a new, super fleet. What would happen if twenty-five Medusas entered Echo and immediately launched twelve cruisers each—three hundred cruisers, maybe with updated technology?"

"Admiral Wattson and I believe our only option is to find their home base and isolate or destroy them," Zhu said. "This meeting and the ones to follow are to determine how to accomplish that."

"Here are the problems we must solve," Wattson said.

"One, which ship do we let escape?

"Two, how do we limit the information it is escaping with as we may not be able to follow it or maybe caught and destroyed?

"Three, how do we keep the escaping ship from knowing it's being followed?

"Four, which ship or ships should we use in attempting to follow the Alien?

"These questions are not as simple as they sound. I want you to return to your task forces and discuss the problems with your senior people. We will meet back here tomorrow at thirteen hundred hours. Dismissed."

* * *

"The answer to numbers three and four appears obvious, only a Riss cruiser stands a better than even chance of following the escaping ship without being noticed," Sheva said as we sat in the Mnemosyne's dining hall eating.

I had invited Byer, Seng, and Iglis to participate in the discussion.

"And to number one. The scout is in the system to spy, and therefore, is the only one guaranteed to run and to know where to go." Byer said.

"I would think we wouldn't want the Aliens to get information about the Riss and Ghost stealth capability, skip-attacks, Dusters, or Dummies.," Iglis said.

"That would be ideal. What Alien and Allied configurations would that suggest we need? And which features do we need to hide?" I asked.

Zhang spoke with his eyes closed, "Ideally, I would say no Medusas, a small number of Alien cruisers, a task force for each two Alien cruisers, and two Riss cruisers."

Sheva nodded agreement.

"A task force should be able to destroy three Alien cruisers. They did at ZigZag with only five cruisers in the task force, and they had some old cruisers along," Byer said.

"The idea is to get the scout to leave as early as we can; otherwise, we have to fight the Alien cruisers without those features we want kept secret, which will result in unnecessary deaths. Overwhelming force may convince the scout to run for help or to leave before he's discovered," I said.

"Why two Riss cruisers?" Sheva asked. "It doubles the risk."

"It doubles the chances of success." Zhang said.

I wasn't sure either way. It was certainly true dropping into some unknown system which the Aliens had made their base of operations was dangerous even with stealth cruisers. They would most likely have cruisers near the Wave exit, as we do in Freeland. With their advanced technology, we must assume they could detect us leaving the Wave, even if they might have trouble following us. But who knew? Our knowledge of the Aliens was certainly limited since we couldn’t decipher the code used to drive their systems. We only knew what we had observed to date, and we had misinterpreted what we'd observed a couple of times. All I was sure about was that each Riss cruiser carried close to seven percent of the Riss' total population.

* * *

The conference room was buzzing with conversations when I entered the next day. Sheva and Zhang were already there, and only Wattson and Zhu were missing. Sakaata was first to approach me as I poured myself a cup of tea.

"Good morning, Reese. I suppose you already have the solution to Wattson's exercise." She smiled goodnaturedly.

"Given the problem's restrictions, not many solutions will work."

"That may be true. However, talking with some of the task force commanders, I didn’t find a consensus of opinion."

"Then it should be an interesting meeting," I said as Wattson and Zhu strode through the door and everyone not already standing stood.

"At ease," Wattson said and sat while Casey fetched Zhu and him something to drink. "Now that you've had time to consider the problem, would someone like to offer a proposal?"

"The next time a Medusa is located, we proceed as normal, but this time, we leave a cruiser at the Wave entrance in passive mode and let one of the Aliens' cruisers escape. The cruiser at the wave follows it," Admiral Kwok of Yellow-1 said.

This was greeted with a variety of non-verbal responses supporting Sakaata's contention that there wasn't an agreement on one solution.

"How can we guarantee that a cruiser will try to escape? They don't seem to run for the Wave even when they know they have lost. They must know they are copies and won't really die," Captain Unger said. The discussions went on for the rest of the afternoon, slowly coalescing around Zhang's initial analysis.

I offered to bring in Commander Iglis the next day after she'd had a chance to evaluate the best systems to station a watch. We'd be looking for a ZigZag-like system where the Aliens either already had a few cruisers maintaining a quarantine, or one where they would most likely only be sending a few when they came.

* * *

Iglis laughed. "It's funny when I think about it. Back on Freeland, I felt I had eyes and ears on the whole galaxy, with the traders reporting back from their sources in the three empires. Having to rely only on what the Comstats collect, it's like I've lost my reading glasses and I've got cotton in my ears. I'll pull something together by tomorrow. A list of systems too small to warrant a Medusa, combined with a list of systems which appear to have a Comstat which isn't functioning should give us a list of likely candidates. With Admiral Butler's authorization, I have the necessary access to get the information I'll need to compile that list. I don't think I'll have trouble making the list for the meeting tomorrow."

"Meet you at my shuttle at twelve hundred hours," I said as she rose to leave. I made my way to the workout area and found Terril teaching. She immediately split the class in two, with one for me to teach. I was glad I had come. Si'jin was my alternate world where the past and the future didn't exist—just a wonderful feeling of freedom from worry and stress. On the Mnemosyne, the workout area was what I had always wished for, an area the whole ship used where rank and unit didn't matter. After I ended the class, Katlin came walking up and bowed. I noticed she had earned her fourth knot from Terril.

"Master Reese, I've come to the conclusion that Si'jin is more dangerous than flying a mission against an Alien cruiser—and more fun. A year ago, I thought I was in good shape. Since then, I've lost ten pounds and have endless energy. Best of all, I'm so relaxed after a workout."

"Si'jin has always been my refuge when times were difficult. And it's saved my life a couple of times."

"The consensus among the Ghosts is we love being on a Riss cruiser and can't stand the thought of having to go back to another SAS cruiser. Don't get me wrong; we love the SAS but would rather serve on a Riss cruiser." She laughed, bowed, and headed for the showers.

"Anything exciting going to happen tomorrow?" Terril asked, coming up behind me.

"I doubt it. We will identify potential systems and assign task forces and Riss to go visit them. The excitement will start if one of them finds what we're looking for."

* * *

Iglis was standing in the shuttle bay when I entered. "Good day, Captain Reese," she greeted me, and judging by the brief jerk of her right hand, she had to curb her instinct to salute.

"Is our party list long?"

"A mixture, if I interpret your needs correctly. Several systems the Aliens will probably occupy sooner or later, and a couple where they may already have."

"Good." I entered and waved Iglis to sit next to me.

She handed me the list before sitting.

"That looks right."

"How do you know that looks right? I spent most of the night using data from multiple sources to come up with that list."

"Iglis, you came up with the list by analyzing the data based on the criteria I gave you. I'm looking at it from a, does it make sense, based on what we know." I pulled out my SID and brought up a hologram of the three empires, then highlighted the systems were we had detected Alien activity. Then I had a cylinder made that included all of those systems. When I finished, it looked like a hose running through the hologram. "Now if you include the systems you identified,"--I highlighted them with blinking lights-- "you notice they are in my tube. In fact, you will notice there are a couple more in that tube that aren't on your list, but only because they don't meet the criteria I gave you."

"Echo! Wattson should see this immediately!" Iglis tried to jump up, but the seat restraints stopped her.

"After you've shown him your list, you can show him."

"But it's your idea."

"You did all the hard work." I laughed.

* * *

"That's an interesting list, Commander Iglis. Five systems that appear to meet our criteria of not being worth a Medusa are either likely targets—Tiamook, Blue Canyon, and Hong—or already quarantined—Sellis Ledge and Mihr. Since Mihr is in the JPU, we had better ignore it until the political issues have been resolved and Admiral Stenberg has had an opportunity to meet with them," Wattson said while studying the star map Iglis had displayed on the monitor. "Admiral Zhu, if you would arrange a watch on Hong, I'll post one on Tiamook and Blue Canyon. The latter makes me nervous, as it is close to the Tragos Sector and Eden."

"May I suggest that the watch cruisers be instructed to obey the Aliens’ warning and return to the planet rather than engage them or try to leave the system?" I said, knowing the captain may think he could outrun the Alien ships or think it heroic to engage them, forgetting why he was there.

"But they will destroy the cruiser," Modero said, frowning.

"Is a cruiser worth four hundred fifty lives?"

"No, Leader Reese is right. We will send an old ship," Zhu said.

Wattson nodded agreement.

"So that leaves Sellis Ledge as the only candidate for Operation Discovery." Wattson looked to Zhu.

"Admiral Ba Li, you will take Red-1 to Sellis Ledge," Zhu said.

"Admiral Sakaata, your task force will also be part of Operation Discovery."

He turned to me.

"Captain Zhang and I will accompany the task forces to Sellis Ledge."

"Who will go if another site becomes available?" Wattson asked, still looking at me.

"I will leave that to Captain Pavao."

"Why?"

"If we've been discovered, the Aliens will be on alert, and our cruisers won't stand a chance entering unnoticed. If we haven't been discovered and are still there, more cruisers wouldn't add any value and may alert them to our presence."

"Everyone is dismissed except for Operation Discovery," Wattson said, and everyone not involved began leaving.

Zhu came and sat next to me. "I do not know all your captains, but my brother is a superb choice. Like the Riss, he will remain calm and clear headed. But are you not the best and worse choice? We could lose the leader of the Riss."

"The Riss will appoint another to the position."

"But would history read the same?"

"Would history read the same if I don't go?" I asked.

"A valid point. I can't have it both ways, can I?" He gave me a small bow. "If I say you are the best, then I must accept your decision is the correct one." He rose and took his seat at the head of the table with Wattson.

"Can everyone be ready to leave tomorrow?" Wattson asked, and continued when each of us nodded. "Good. As an Alliance task force, no one is in charge of the overall operation; however, you must agree on a strategy and provide mutual support in implementing it."

"I'm very comfortable with Admiral Sakaata. When we enter Sellis Ledge, Admiral Sakaata and I will evaluate the number of Aliens in system and agree on our responsibilities. We will maintain communications to ensure we are both aware of the other's situation," Ba Li said looking a Sakaata. "We agree not to use skip-attacks, Dusters, or Dummies until the Riss have entered the Wave."

Sakaata nodded agreement, then looked to me.

"I or Zhang, whoever is last to enter the Wave, will send Bye."

* * *

"Bendis and I wish we were going along," Sheva said as we sat in my office later that day. "I know we are already risking two ships of Riss, but then, why not just one?"

"I would think it's a tradeoff. If it works, I doubt it will work twice. Therefore, the chance of following the scout is better with two, but more importantly, if we are discovered entering their system or while we're there, the odds are better one will make it out," Zhang said. He had deduced what I had decided, consciously or unconsciously.

"Zhang is right, as much as I hate to admit it. I believe we won't get a second chance, and if we fail, war with the Aliens will go on for centuries, and millions of men and women will die. We Riss would be willing to stop fighting right now since the Aliens don't want a war with us—only to confine us to our planets. The Riss wouldn't mind, but the humans would. So, I'm risking the lives of many Riss to support the humans, not the Riss.

<Am I right?>

<Riss not abandon friends, even if stupid.> Amusement accompanied by images of the many high-risk activities humans engage in.

I laughed, sharing the exchange with Sheva and Zhang.

They laughed with me.

"Zhang, we will enter in the middle of the task force and cut back to one engine immediately. Hopefully, the disturbance from the task force will override our entry. We will establish a tight-beam connection and immediately begin our search for the scout. Once located, we'll wait for it to leave. If we can't locate the scout, we'll sit on the entrance to the Wave and wait for it to show itself. The closest cruiser follows, and the last one sends the Bye signal. If we make it to their home base, we again establish a tight-beam and decide what we should do, depending upon what we find.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Operation Discovery

As we exited the wave into Sellis Ledge, I wondered what the Aliens thought when they saw an overwhelming force coming at them. What would I think, given I knew I existed someplace else? Did the copy think of itself as a copy? The scouts never tried to enter the fight. The cruisers never attempted to escape, but the Medusa did look like it was trying to escape in Fools Landing. Was that because they were short on Medusas or because it had valuable information? It appeared each commander had a well-defined mission, so I doubted the cruisers would attempt to leave, and I thought the scout, unless disturbed, would wait until it had recorded the results of the battle.

<Helm: engines one and seven quarter speed.>

<Radar: Find the Maat.>

The VTM sprang to life, and the task force cruisers began appearing with white dots tagged SC1, SH1, SL1... for the SAS and UC1, UH1, UL1... for the UFN, and red dots tagged A1, A2, and A3 for the Aliens' cruisers.

<Comm: Ship status is Standby. All system passive.>

"Attention all personnel, ship status is standby, all systems passive," went out as an override on all SIDs, and all ship lights were set to blue.

<Maat located. Tight-beam established.>

And immediately, a blue dot tagged Ma appeared.

<Radar: locate scout.>

I sat back with nothing to do except watch the upcoming engagement. Of course, our team was going to win, but at what price? We had restricted the use of several of our most effective weapons. An hour later, a message from the Maat scrolled across the monitor.

"Location: 12.442, 9h 1m 23s, 3.02 au," and immediately a small red dot appeared not far from the Maat, tagged AS. The task force and the Alien cruisers were still hours away from effective missile range. As I had surmised, the scout was making no attempt to leave, although the outcome was predetermined. In fact, it was slowly moving closer so it could record more details of the action.

Four hours later, the two forces met. The scout must have had excellent sensors, because while the Mnemosyne could track the cruisers and explosions, the missile and fighter activity was invisible at this range.

As I watched, tags SL3, SL2, and A3 disappeared, then A2, UL4, UL5, and finally A3 and UL1. The cost of not using the new weapons had been expensive. I only hoped it would prove worth it.

<Scout moving towards wave.>

<Helm: Engines one and seven. Maintain two thousand kilometer separation.> The Scout was operating at minimal power to avoid detection, which made it easier to follow in stealth mode. The Maat was closer and would enter the Wave behind the scout first. We would follow the Maat. Six hours later, the Scout then five minutes later the Maat entered the Wave.

<Comm: Send Bye to SC1 and UC1.>

* * *

For six days, we followed in the Maat's wake, with r-Kharis computing our approximate position based on the known system exit points. It appeared we were following the tube I had sketched on my SID for Iglis as we passed possible exits towards Defiance, Fools Landing, and Baraz. That meant we were now in JPU space, although we were unaware of any inhabitable systems in the area. I kept the status as Standby and tried to maintain a sense of calm by visiting the various sections on a regular basis, teaching Si'jin, working out with Terril, and holding regular staff meetings every day.

"You win," Byer said during the fourth meeting.  "It's hard to get nervous or stay tense on a Riss ship, especially when the captain is wandering around like we were going to Eden for a break."

"The Riss and I are interested in what we will find, but they have learned that a calm mind reacts faster and makes better decisions. Si'jin masters like Wei and Terril excel at it. During a fight, they aren't thinking about winning or losing, living or dying, before or after. Many fighter pilots attain that same state during a battle. In a strange way, they are calm while in that state. The Riss are like that every hour of the day."

"I'm not complaining. Days of waiting an unknown fate can make for a nervous ship and problems."

"I'll tell you what I know. Commander Iglis, put up the star map of the three empires, and then highlight the systems we know are either under quarantine or invaded," I said.

Iglis soon had the map on the room monitor.

"Now shade in the area which included all the dots."

"It's like a tunnel stretching from the JPU through the SAS and into the UFN, " Seng said staring at the monitor.

"Yes, and the Maat, which is hopefully following the scout,"--I heard snickers--"is in that tunnel. We passed branches leading to Defiance, Fools Landing, and Baraz. We're heading deep into what JPU would consider their space, although I doubt they have any inhabitable systems where we are going, or those would have been the first to be quarantined."

"The Aliens are robots, so they wouldn't need an inhabitable system," Iglis said.

"That is a reasonable assumption and would explain why they would be hard to stumble across. By now, the area each empire claims is well mapped, and there is no reason to visit a system where no people live."

"So you believe the scout is headed home to report the incident at Sellis Ledge?" Byer asked.

"That's our assumption based on what we've observed so far."

* * *

Four more days passed, and all sorts of lotteries sprang up, wagering on when we would leave the Wave, go to Battle Stations...

<Maat exiting wave.>

<Time to exit nine minutes eleven seconds.>

<Comm: Battle Stations. Systems passive.>

"Attention all personnel. Battle stations. All systems passive," went out as an override on all SIDs. Lights throughout the ship flashed red off and on for one minute, then remained red. The fact that the lights stopped flashing and no klaxons blasted away indicated stealth mode.

<Exiting Wave fifteen... ten... five... now.>

<Helm: Stop all engines except one, ten percent power.>

<Engines stopped except engine five at ten percent.>

<Maat located. Tight-beam established.>

A red dot appeared on the VTM along with three Medusas. They were approximately two light-seconds from the Wave exit in triangular formation—two up front —separated by two light-seconds and a third in the middle but back two light-seconds. As we exited, we spotted eight of the Aliens' Light cruisers in space. They were tagged M1L1 through M1L8. But seconds afterward, the second Medusa began spitting cruisers: M2L1, M2L2... Within minutes of arriving, twenty-four cruisers were in space.

I had to assume the Maat had triggered some sensor even with its low-powered exit, which had caused one Medusa to begin launching cruisers, and that we triggered another sensor, causing the second Medusa to launch its cruisers. As I watched, the third Medusa began releasing cruisers to scout the area in the middle of the triangle.

An interesting problem. No normal cruiser could have eluded the Alien cruisers. Only the Riss cruisers’ outer skin gave us a chance. Four light-seconds by two by two—they needed to cover the two light-seconds between the two leading Medusas, a light-second above and below, and the two light-seconds to the Wave—an area of four point eight million cubic kilometers. That meant their twenty-four cruisers each had to cover two hundred thousand cubic kilometers of space. The odds were in our favor, but a bit of luck wouldn't hurt. With only one engine at one-tenth speed, it was going to be a very long day. And when we managed to get by the two forward Medusas, we had the one in the rear to contend with. They had only twelve cruisers, but the area they needed to cover was only half as large.

As I watched, the Alien cruisers spread out along a line four light-seconds long.

<Nav: compute vector half light-second descent.>

<one-zero-zero by nine-zero-zero.>

<Helm: execute.>

<New vector one-zero-zero by nine-zero-zero>

As I watched, the pattern became obvious. They were traveling at a little over half speed, three hundred gravities, which took them nearly four minutes to make one pass. When they reversed course, they moved up one-quarter light-second for the return run. When they reversed again, they decreased elevation one half light-second for the next pass. The methodical nature of the search allowed me to maneuver to a level they had already searched. They were just beginning their sixth pass when we exited their area of search and entered the rear Medusa's area.

We had only gone a third into the M3 search area when the cruisers from M1 and M2 had completed their seven passes and their search was apparently called off as all the cruisers began returning to their respective Medusas. It took another seven minutes to slide past the last Medusa into empty space.

The sensors showed the system to be a red dwarf with seven planets, three of which appeared to be in an inhabitable zone from the sun. These planets appeared to have activity around them.

<Comm: Ship status Standby.>

"Attention all personnel. Ship status standby, all systems passive," went out as an override on all SIDs. All ship lights were set to blue.

I clicked on my SID and activated calls to Byer, Seng, and Iglis. Within seconds, their faces appeared in a split screen.

"We have successfully slipped past the Aliens’ very substantial security perimeter and are now in relatively empty space. There appear to be seven planets. Three have activity. I plan to swing by each to get a good look before exiting the system. The ship is on Standby because it will probably take five or six days. It should be a peaceful, scenic ride around the system."

"I almost wish you hadn't provided me a feed from the bridge as I watched those cruisers passing us time and again," Seng said.

"That was exciting," Byer snorted. "After the third pass, I saw their search pattern and knew you had too. They were a bit too methodical. Of course, that pattern wasn't designed for a stealth ship. Their sensors would have found a normal cruiser even if it had its engines at minimal power."

"Hopefully, the rest of our stay, including our exit, will be boring."

* * *

The two outermost planets, one about four times the size of Eden with a rocky core and a large gas giant about ten times the size of Eden, had no activity we could detect. Late on the first day, we passed by the first of the potentially inhabitable planets. It was smaller than Eden. The terrain looked similar except cooler with its frozen oceans. The planet had three orbiting space stations and multiple mining operations on the surface. The stations appeared to be assembling the Aliens' scouts and Light cruisers. We also noticed heavy traffic to and from the next planet. A single Medusa maintained watch over the operation.

Early the next day, we passed the second of the potentially inhabitable planets. It seemed to be the center of the activity, with five orbiting stations and multiple facilities on the planet surface. Three of the stations appeared to be assembling Medusas, one a space port for scouts, and one a fifty-story structure that looked like a conglomerate of hundreds of irregular modules. The planet surface also had building-like structures. Two Medusas orbited the planet, looking like sentries.

On the third day, we sung past the third potentially inhabitable planet. It had four space stations and mining operations on the surface. These platforms seemed to be assembling Light cruisers. One Medusa was present. As the closer planets didn't appear to have any activity, we began our round trip back towards the Wave. I had made no attempt to contact the Maat for fear of alerting the Aliens to our presence. We had detected no explosions, so I had to assume the Maat hadn't been discovered and was doing much the same as we were.

I chose to approach the Wave from one light-second outside the triangle of Medusas in case the Maat decided to exit the Wave while we were attempting to sneak through the middle of the line. That would cause another search, which might be more intense because of the last detected breach. But nothing happened, and we arrived within a tenth of a light-second of the Wave exit without incident. I decided to wait a full day to give the Maat time to sneak past the Medusas, as either of us leaving would undoubtedly trigger another search.

* * *

<Helm. Engines one and seven, one third power.>

I planned to increase the power slowly until the Medusa detected us, then exit quickly. If the Maat were in the area waiting for us, I hoped it would detect our power before the Aliens.

<Helm: Engines one, five, and seven, one third power.> I said a half hour later.

<Message from Maat.>

"Echo?" scrolled across the monitor.

<Comm: Confirm.>

<Helm: Engines one, three, five, and seven, full power.>

<Entering Wave in forty-eight seconds.>

* * *

All I saw were smiling faces on the ten days of travel back to Echo. We had found the Aliens, and the war had a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Well you did it, Nadya," Terril said as we sat in my office relaxing.  "You found Freeland and now... the Aliens' home base."

"Yes, that's the good news..."

"And like Freeland, there is a cost. "

"But unlike Freeland, I don't think there is any room for compromising with the Supreme Council of the Gods."

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Returning heroes

The entry into Echo space went smoothly. I think the entire fleet had been holding their collective breath waiting to hear something about our fate. They obviously knew the scout had fled and the Maat and Mnemosyne had followed it. Seeing us return was considered a good sign, and the space-waves were alive with chatter. Comm had already received twenty Welcome Back and Well Done messages. It only took Wattson a half hour to request a meeting, not that I blamed him.

<Message from the Eurasian.>

"Request meeting at your earliest convenience. Wattson," scrolled across the monitor.

<Comm: Send following message: Request SAS and UFN Fleet Admirals meet on Mnemosyne for overview before determining subsequent meetings. Reese.>

<Message sent.>

Ten minutes later.

<Message from the Eurasian.>

"Estimated rendezvous with Eurasian in four hours. Wattson."

I smiled. He was obviously coming to meet us, as we were at least eight hours away from the Eurasian.

<Comm: Message to Elpis. Sheva, meeting in four hours on Mnemosyne. You should attend.>

<Sent. Acknowledged.>

<Comm: Message to Maat. Zhang, meeting in four hours on Mnemosyne. You and your staff should attend.>

<Sent. Acknowledged.>

* * *

Commanders Iglis and Byer, Colonel Seng, and I were waiting when Zhang and his staff, Jaelle, Colonel Hakon, and Commander Henya entered the conference room. It was like a family reunion as they shook hands and gathered in pairs or groups to talk.

After Zhang collected a cup of tea, he and Jaelle came over to me. "Going to war with the Riss is an interesting experience. It's so easy to think when everyone around you is calm. And the fact we didn't have to kill anyone made it a delightful adventure—like a tour of the seven wonders of the old world," Zhang said, his eyes bright and face smiling.

"I admit I started to panic when the VTM lit with all those cruisers headed straight for us. But Zhang and the Riss were so calm I couldn't help but relax. Then it was easy to focus on the problem, not all the terrible things that could happen," Jaelle said with a big smile. "I know I could never captain a human ship, but I believe someday I will be right for a Riss ship."

"Good. I plan for you to command the next Riss cruiser after the Themis." I smiled at Jaelle's rapidly changing emotions: shock, fear, resignation, and finally satisfaction.

"Thank you, Leader, I won't let the Riss down," Jaelle said.

Just then, Sheva appeared. "Bendis and I can't wait to hear what you found. I wish we had been along," she said. "The Eurasian and the Dynasty shuttles are only minutes behind me."

"Yes, Sheva, you missed the experience of a lifetime. A scenic tour of an Alien civilization," Zhang said.

Wattson entered with Zhu. I imagined he had waited in the shuttle bay for Zhu to arrive before being escorted to the conference room. They came directly to me.

"Why the secrecy, Reese? Everyone in the fleet wants to know what happened, and the task force commanders need to be in on the planning."

"I just felt it was better to give you and Admiral Zhu an overview of what we found and let you decide who should be involved and how to disseminate the information." When Wattson nodded, I continued. "If everyone will please be seated, I'll get started. I invited the attached units from the Mnemosyne and the Maat because they saw what we did and might have a unique perspective based on their expertise. It's my assessment that had we continued to destroy Medusas, they would have stopped their campaign within another loss or two. They are keenly aware of security and would have had to weaken it to send out more Medusas." My assessment was greeted with nods of agreement from around the table.

"What kind of force are we facing? Wattson asked.

I nodded to Zhang, curious as to what he’d seen since I hadn't had an opportunity to talk to him.

"We saw seven functional Medusas and two under construction. Judging by the Medusas on guard at the Wave exit, we would have to assume they carry the maximum capacity—twelve cruisers. Therefore, eighty-four plus another twenty or so at the space platforms or in between planets."

"And that means over a thousand fighters," Byer said absentmindedly as he stared at his SID.

"Planets?" Zhu asked.

"Yes. They have planet-side facilities on three planets and multiple space platforms. It appeared that all three planets were being mined for raw material, but one had an installation of some sort. The space platforms looked to be construction facilities where they were assembling cruisers and Medusas. Only one looked like a headquarters or command center, although it was large enough to be research and development, system engineering, and robot production combined. I'd wager it's where they store all their people."

We spent the next four hours reviewing the information the sensors had collected from both ships.

"I'm glad you decided to brief Admiral Wattson and me before anyone else. The fleet will need to know, or the rumors will get out of hand. But it needs to be filtered. Simple truths that are easy to digest—the security at the Wave, estimated number of Medusas and cruisers, and the fact they have a mining operation and space platforms. I believe the information to the senior commanders needs to be structured so as to focus one issue at a time, rather than give them everything at once," Zhu said, directed at Wattson.

"You're right, Admiral Zhu. I'm having trouble focusing. I suggest you, Reese, and I sit down and develop a briefing for the captains for general release to their crews. And then the issues we will need to address with the task force leaders and their captains," Wattson said. "Several of the issues go well beyond the task force commanders."

* * *

Over the next eight hours, we worked on a briefing for the captains and a written handout for their crews. The information was general and without a lot of details. We stated we had found the system the Aliens were using as a main base, that three Medusas guarded the entrance to the system, and that three planets had mining operations, space platforms, and one or two Medusas each. Then we turned to the issues facing an invasion of the system.

* Stenberg would have to discuss our finding with the JPU and their potential participation.

* The force needed to gain entrance to the system.

* The force needed to hold the Wave exit.

* The force needed to destroy the Aliens.

* Given the above, we needed a strategy which would determine each nation’s participation.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Developing an invasion strategy

An hour after returning to their command ships, Wattson and Zhu sent out our prepared briefing to all captains and scheduled a meeting for the next day with the task force leaders. Iglis was allowed to send the general briefing information to Admiral Butler, and Wattson requested Admiral Plimson come to Echo to attend a special meeting.

The first meeting with the task force commanders was chaos, as everyone had questions he or she thought more important than the problem at hand—the force necessary to enter the Alien's system, referred to as the Red Dwarf or just Red.

Wattson would not allow me or Zhang to answer any question that did not relate to the basic problem.

Finally, Zhu quieted the room. "Quiet, please. It should be obvious by now that we will accomplish nothing if we spend the day answering random questions. In time, all of your questions and concerns will be addressed. But for now, each meeting will address one issue, and your focus must be on that issue only." He made eye contact with each individual. "When we enter Red, there will be three Medusas with twelve cruisers each with ten fighters. What force will we need to gain entrance? First, let's consider brute force."

The discussions went on for over two hours. In the end, it was decided we would need two Alliance cruisers for every one Alien cruiser, which would require around seventy unmodified Light cruisers, and six to one unmodified Heavy cruisers for each Medusa. That was about one-third of the SAS Navy just to get into the system. They further estimated that only twenty percent of the armada would be left operational.

Then Wattson pushed for the next phase. What did we need to destroy the Aliens’ remaining fleet? Given four additional Medusas with twelve cruisers each and approximately twenty to thirty around the platforms, they figured we would need one hundred fifty Lights and twenty-four Heavies.

The room was silent when the exercise finished. That was approximately two hundred forty to two hundred fifty cruisers. Throw in another fifteen percent for unknowns, and you had the entire SAS or UFN Navy.

"Why did I have you estimating the worst case when we have Riss technology? Because I wanted everyone to see the magnitude of the problem. That we could win with overwhelming force, but the cost would be the destruction of the SAS or UFN navy and the loss of over one hundred thousand lives. Even if we shared the burden equally, neither navy would be able to meet the needs of its empire afterward. Overwhelming force is not and cannot be the solution. That's enough for today. Tomorrow, we will begin to examine our alternatives."

* * *

"That was a depressing meeting," Sheva said as we sat having a late-night snack in my office.

"I suspect tomorrow will be worse," I said, fearing the tone of tomorrow's discussion.

"You mean everyone will want the Riss to be the solution," Zheng said.

"Yes, what matters if a thousand Riss die if it saves several thousand humans?"

At the realization of what Zheng and I were thinking, Jaelle's hand jerked, splashing her wine on her shirt.

"Yes. Never mind that it's a fifty-to-one relationship, one Riss being equivalent to fifty sailors. Worse yet, one Riss is equivalent to ten million civilians." My eyes stung with tears at the thought.

"We could leave," Zhang said.

I knew he was questioning himself as well as our dual loyalties—we were humans—and me as I spoke for the Riss.

<Well? What do you say?>

<You Leader.>

<You're high-Riss.>

<Not Leader. Lousy position.> Image of Riss sitting with ice-pack on her head, dark circles under blood-shot eyes, and thinning gray hair everywhere.

<That's not funny.>

When I looked around, everyone was smiling. Thalia had broadcast the image to the other Riss.

"No, we can't leave. We owe Plimson for helping us achieve the stars. We will share in the risk and the solution, but we will not be the total solution," I said, speaking for the Riss.

<Yes, Leader.>

* * *

The meeting the next day was subdued. Wattson began by taking an inventory of the ships that had been modified for the new missiles, the number of Riss certified cruisers, the number of modified fighters, and an inventory of each Riss missile type. The results weren't very impressive. Counting the task forces at Echo and the currently configured two at Freeland, the two nations had fourteen Heavy cruisers, nine Hunters, and eighty-nine Light cruisers.

The SAS had twenty-seven Riss certified cruisers and the UFN four, for a total of thirty-one. The SAS had thirty nine cruisers modified for the Riss missiles and the UFN six, but without a Riss on board that limited the useable missiles to Dusters, Dummies, and only the partial use of Dragonflies. To make matters worse, most ships didn't have the full capacity of the Riss missiles. Even the most optimistic didn't think we could do more than get in the front door with our current forces. The day again ended in a deadly silence, like in the eye of a hurricane.

* * *

The next day started about as I had expected. Wattson and Zhu had barely sat down when Admiral Botos demanded, "What about the Riss? Aren't they part of this alliance?"

Before Wattson could speak, Zhu said, "We already know the status of the Riss. They have five operational cruisers that are Riss-certified, each with detachments of fifteen Ghost fighters. They are ready. The question is, ‘How ready are we?’"

I was surprised but shouldn't have been. He had a better overall understanding of the situation than almost anyone.

"Unless we are expecting them to solve our problem," Zhu added.

"Well, it's their problem too," Admiral Modero said, looking towards Botos. They had obviously talked this over beforehand.

"Actually, it's not. Unless I'm wrong, the Riss would not be fighting the Aliens if they didn't have a mutual support agreement with Admiral Plimson. They don't consider fighting the Aliens self-defense, as the Aliens do not want to kill us. They merely want to confine us to our planets, and being confined to a planet wouldn't bother the Riss, who are an outdoor race." Zhu looked at me.

"Fleet Admiral Zhu is correct," I said, and bowed in his direction.

"They're cowards!" Quinterly shouted.

I chose to ignore the stupidity of the remark. I normally would have left the meeting, but everyone, except for the three SAS task force commanders, looked shocked at the outburst.

"Quinterly, please see me after the meeting," Wattson said with a sigh. "Admiral Zhu is correct. We know the status of the Riss cruisers. What we need to determine is the status of the SAS and UFN fleets and what we must do to get them ready for an assault on Red. Because as the last two days have shown, we're not ready."

* * *

Admiral Plimson arrived on the Bateleur the next day and promptly called for a meeting with Wattson, Zhu, and me. When I strode into the room, Wattson and Zhu were already there.

"Good day, Admiral Plimson, gentlemen," I said. Plimson always made me feel good. I poured myself a cup of kaffa and sat.

"Congratulations, Reese, on finding the Aliens’ base of operations. You appear to be their dybbuk too," he smiled. "From Admiral Wattson's briefing, this isn't like Freeland. Overwhelming force would require the equivalent of the SAS navy. And today, we aren't ready for anything other than throwing enormous numbers of cruisers at them and hoping we win by attrition. Am I wrong?" He looked at Wattson and Zhu.

"Your assessment is correct. The potential solution is the Riss technology and the Riss," Zhu said.

Plimson frowned. "Potential?"

"Yes. We have to address several issues. How fast can the Aliens produce Medusas? Which Riss technology should or can we introduce within our fleets? And what is the net benefit given any period of time?" Zhu paused and sipped his tea.

"Admiral Zhu is right. We cannot introduce all of the Riss technology into our fleets. The best example is Riss certified cruisers. We’ve proven we don't have enough qualified personnel. And then there are the Riss missiles. Without a Riss on board, only the Dusters and Dummies are usable. The time tradeoff is also an issue—is the time to introduce X modifications worth the time we are giving the Aliens to produce additional Medusas and cruisers?" Wattson said.

"Thorny questions, which will determine the cost of winning. You have already established the cost of using overwhelming force if we could assemble two hundred and fifty cruisers today. We can't. It would take months, meaning the cost would be higher. You three will have to decide on the number and type of upgrades to achieve optimum results—the minimum loss of life. Stenberg has arranged for a meeting with the JPU to discuss them joining the Alliance and has alerted them to the presence of the Aliens in their space." When no one said anything, Plimson looked at me. "Reese?"

"I stand by my agreement to share technology and to support the SAS and the Alliance against the Aliens; however, the Riss cannot be 'The' solution."

"I agree. We must share the risk equally. Too many see the Riss as being able to save human lives but forget, or more likely don't care, that it costs Riss lives, which are no less precious and also far rarer."

Zhu nodded. "I agree. They must be used sparingly and then only where they can provide the maximum benefit."

"What I’m expecting from you is a plan that tells me what resources you need, when you need them, and where they are to be delivered. Then, I will do my best to make it happen. As of today, the Echo Operation is terminated, and Operation Red is now underway. Actually, if the Aliens send a Medusa or two to quarantine a system, that would be welcomed since it’d be one less you will have to face at their home base."

"I'll need a complete inventory of the SAS fleet," Wattson said, then nodded at Zhu. "And you will need one for the UFN navy. And Reese, I'll need the status of Freeland and Dong."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Preparations for War

The next month was organized chaos. The command was moved to Zigzag, as that system was the most central to the three empires, Riss technology at Freeland and Dong, and the designated staging systems for training: Lycus, Fools Hope, and Fools Landing. The final upgrade strategy was to designate as many Riss certified crews as possible, upgrade the remaining ships with consoles for Duster and Dummy missiles, and provide all Heavies with the new Ghost fighters.

Admiral Stenberg managed to get the new JPU Fleet Commander Serhat to agree to provide the Alliance with ten task forces each consisting of two Heavies and six Lights. He learned that since the alliance talks had broken down, contact with Ibsan had been lost. Although Salazan had managed to liberate Baraz, Alborz and Hayjar remained quarantined.

The JPU task forces would be assembled at Ormazd. Admiral Serhat resisted all modifications except for the new missiles. Each week, one task force would fly to Freeland, where it would be modified and issued Duster and Dummy missiles, modified to fit their missile tubes. Afterward, they would assemble at one of the three designated staging sites for training.

The UFN forces would send to Dong, where Riss certified crews would be identified, task forces assembled, and the non-Riss certified ships upgraded with Duster and Dummy missile boards. Accordingly, another two hundred Freelanders and two hundred Riss were moved to Dong. The UFN had committed fifteen task forces to the Alliance—one hundred twenty cruisers.

The SAS forces were being assembled in Eden and released at a rate of twenty-five at a time to Freeland to identify Riss certified crews. As a task force was formed and upgraded, it was sent to one of the staging systems. The remaining ships were then either retained with the new incoming ships or returned to Eden as unsuitable. The SAS had also committed fifteen task forces to Operation Red.

* * *

I recalled all Riss cruisers to Freeland for a meeting, which included all Riss-humans and commanders of the detached units, Admiral Zann, and the Freeland elders—thirty individuals.

"Good morning," I said as I entered with Terril, who backed up against the wall behind me. Seven other Scorpions stood against walls, one for each Riss-human. The hallway outside the conference had another nine waiting. "I've called this meeting to make sure everyone has up-to-date information, make assignments, and hear any concerns or issues. The Alliance is putting together forty task forces—three hundred twenty cruisers—for an assault on Red..." I went on to explain the procedure for assembling the task forces, the upgrades and where they would take place, and the staging systems. "Ironically, the actual strategy for the invasion of Red has not been finalized, awaiting the results of the task force certifications and upgrades. The time to complete assembly of Operation Red is estimated at six months." When no one commented, I continued.

"Elders, I'll need a contingent of your people who are familiar with manufacturing missiles and missile boards to go to Dong. I'll be sending a hundred Riss to support the operation."

"We've already put together a tentative plan. We can have one hundred ready to leave in a week, if that's acceptable," Ni'Shay said.

"It is. I wish I could send you humans to supplement your workforce, but I'm reluctant for a number of reasons. But I'm arranging to send for a couple of hundred Riss from Saipha to help."

"We would prefer that. Meeting the current schedules will be difficult even if there are no problems. Besides, the Riss learn much quicker than humans and never make the same mistake twice."

"What about new Riss cruisers?" I hated to ask and secretly hoped they would say they couldn't produce any considering their workload.

"One more I think," Ni'Shay said looking at Rodica, who nodded.

<I'm putting over fifty percent of the Riss population in danger.>

<Price of stars.>

<The humans’ price of conquest.>

<Cethlion says be free someday.>

I hoped she was right. The Riss deserved to be free of humans and their chaotic ways. I shook myself free of my musing.

"Now I'd like to hear from our detached units—questions, concerns, issues?"

"My impression is that the Riss captains have kept us all well informed of everything that's happening." Byer barked a laugh. "Much better than we would be on a normal SAS or UFN cruiser. My folks and I are happy where we are."

Everyone nodded in unanimous agreement.

"Now for assignments. We need at least two units at Freeland and at Dong since the crews will need to be certified. It's best not to make waves at a time like this, so Zhang and Alena, Dong. Pavao and Jaelle, Freeland. Damaass, Sheva, and I will be in Zigzag for now. When the task forces are all assembled, we will rotate, leaving only one Riss cruiser on Freeland and on Dong at a time."

"Why three Riss in Zigzag?" Seng asked.

"In case it's necessary to kidnap Wattson, Zhu, and Serhat. Their deaths would set back the invasion with unpredictable results."

* * *

I arrived at Zigzag five days later and was invited to attend the Alliance's daily meeting, which included all of the task force commanders, Wattson, Zhu, and me.

"It's time for us to begin thinking about an invasion strategy while you are all here. In four weeks, Vice Admiral Sakaata will leave for Fools Hope with Admirals Botos, Javie, Modero, and Chen. She will be in charge of the training there. Senior Admiral Ba Li will leave for Fools Landing with Admirals Unger, Quinerly, Ueno, and Himura. He’ll be in charge of training there. Admirals Osburne, Blayer, and Kwok will remain here as a precaution," Wattson said, I suspected more for my benefit than the others’, who probably already knew their new assignments. "Any questions?"

"What assumptions are we making?" Unger asked.

"We should assume they know we are coming and that they will have two additional Medusas operational," I said. Silence followed for several minutes.

"I agree," Sakaata said. "I remember us rushing into Freeland believing our numbers guaranteed a victory. They did; however, if we hadn't assumed they were expecting us, our losses would have been much heavier. Better over prepared than under."

"I concur," Zhu said, and Wattson nodded. "Although we see robots, let us not forget they have human-like minds inside. They know something came and left. What would you do in their place?"

Everyone agreed, but that made the situation even worse. The Wave wouldn't allow a hundred cruisers to exit at one time. More like a task force every thirty to sixty seconds.

"We can assume that when the first group exits the Wave, the Medusas will launch their cruisers. That could be up to thirty-six cruisers, an initial launch of one hundred forty-four missiles, and three hundred sixty fighters against eight cruisers!" Admiral Kwok said, putting into words what everyone was coming to realize. "And by the time the second task force exited, the Aliens would be prepared for a second missile launch, and the fighters would be on top of them."

After several hours, it was clear that task forces wouldn't be entering as units. It would have to be specially configured groups. Initially, the idea of sending in groups of Riss-certified ships was rejected as putting all our most effective weapons in one basket. The most dangerous minutes of the war would be after leaving the Wave, and the highest casualties those in the first several groups. By the end of the week, everyone understood the problem, but no one had a solution. By the end of the second week, everyone agreed we needed a distraction, and lots of ideas were proposed. By the end of the third week, Wattson and Zhu called a halt to the meetings.

"We are all brain-dead at this point, trying to force a square solution into a round hole. We need to step back away from the problem for a while and concentrate on developing functional task forces for the invasion. That may help us approach the problem with fresh eyes. Prepare to leave for your assigned systems tomorrow."

* * *

"I want to go into town," I said, rising from the captain’s chair. As I passed Terril, she was on her SID.

"Commander Byer, this is Gunny Terril. The captain wants to go into town... Yes, sir. I believe she means now... Thank you, sir." Tapping on her SID. "Sergeant Harold, get three Scorpions ready to accompany the captain to town. Meet us in the shuttle bay... Yes, ten minutes ago."

<Who would like to go to town?>

<Not help avoid solution.>

<Who?>

<Being childish.>

<Good. Who.>

<r-Galene, r-Arawn>

<Call them over.> I tapped my SID.

<Comm: Invite Sheva to dinner in town.>

<Message sent.>

<When? From Sheva.>

<Comm: Leaving now.>

When I took my seat in the shuttle, I waved Terril to the seat next to me while the other security guard, the four extra Terril had requested, and the two Riss entered.

"Something up, Captain?" Terril asked as we left the shuttle bay and were immediately joined by two Ghosts.

"Yes, death."

<Can't avoid.>

<Yes, I can.>

<Do nothing maybe cause more deaths.>

<Maybe less.>

<Leader's decision.>

Of course, Thalia was right. I had the position; therefore, whatever I decided was the word of the Riss. And doing nothing was a decision and had consequences.

<You fight dirty.>

<Co-pilot position not fight.> An image of me flying a combat shuttle with enemy fighters shooting missiles and lasers at it, and a Riss sitting in the co-pilot seat reading a maintenance manual.

I was feeling a bit guilty as Sheva's shuttle landed and four Scorpions exited with her. Two more Ghosts glided in for a landing.

<Where's the party?> Sheva asked, her voice tinted with amusement. I'd wager she had deduced the reason for my erratic behavior on the ride down.

"I want to see the town and need family..." I looked around at the humans who guarded us with their lives as though we were royalty. "And friends along."

"Lead on. I'm up for a little fun," Sheva said. Actually, as I looked around there were a lot of smiles. I invited the pilots along, so Seng sent a shuttle of Scorpions to guard the shuttles and Ghosts.

The day turned out to be a party of sorts. We stopped in shops, ate in restaurants, and spent hours talking with citizens, police, and even government officials, once the word spread that the Riss were in town. It was what I needed, relief from thinking about the invasion of Red and the part the Riss should play.

* * *

Wattson and Zhu were conducting staff meetings once a week, receiving status briefings from Freeland, Dong, and the three staging systems. I rotated Pavao, Damaass, Zhang, and Alena to Zigzag twice each for discussions on the invasion of Red. I was surprised during the fifth month, when I received an unscheduled visit from Wattson and Zhu. I met them in the shuttle bay, escorted them to my office, and got them settled with kaffa and tea.

"Well, Leader Reese, have you decided what part the Riss will play in the upcoming invasion?" Zhu asked. "It cannot be an easy decision."

"No, it wasn't. No death should be taken lightly. But view it from a numbers perspective. The SAS has ten billion citizens. The UFN and JPU similar numbers, I would imagine. So if a ship is destroyed with three hundred, it's a small number—one in thirty-three million of the empire's citizens. If a Riss ship with two hundred is destroyed, it is—one in fifteen. Or the equivalent an empire losing six hundred sixty million citizens. That may sound academic to you—"

"No, it sounds like a decision no one in the galaxy would want to have the responsibility of making. I see why no one wants the position of Leader."

I took a deep breath. The time for wavering was over, but my stomach still clenched as I said, "As hard as it was, I’ve made my decision. The Riss will commit six cruisers. I'm leaving the newest, commanded by Jaelle, in Freeland. I propose two Riss cruisers enter Red sixty minutes prior to the Alliance. Like last time, that should cause the Aliens to launch a search party. We will skip-attack the two Medusas in the rear, which should draw all the attention away from the Wave exit."

"Yes, that should help take the pressure off the initial task forces and allow them to establish a defensive position, making it easier to bring in the rest of the force. Thank you, Leader Reese."

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Operation Red

For the last month, all operations were moved to Fools Hope, which I hoped wasn't a comment on our expectations. Meetings lasted all day, every day. First there were reports of the current deliveries of missiles and components from either Freeland or Dong. Then we sat through a status update of each ship in each task force. Then the task force commanders reviewed their training exercise results and discussed their upcoming schedules. Then at the end of the day, we reviewed the plan for the upcoming invasion.

The Mnemosyne and the Minerva would enter first with the objective of striking at the second line of Medusas to create a diversion away from the Wave exit. Sixty minutes after our entry—thirty minutes after our diversion—a specially configured task force would enter launching Dusters and Dummies. Next, two JPU task forces which were configured with two heavies each. Behind them would be two task forces with four Riss certified cruisers that would attack the front Medusas. Then wave after wave of task forces until the fleet was totally in Red space. The last group would be the final four Riss cruisers. No one complained since two Riss cruisers were the first to enter Red, and the need for the other four would probably be greater when we approached the inhabitable planets and their platforms. In the end, the invasion date was moved up one week.

* * *

The day before the invasion, I had the Riss-humans and their staff to the Mnemosyne for dinner. After dinner, I stood for attention.

"We can't be certain what will happen tomorrow except people will die—friends, comrades, and people we never knew but who will fight side by side with us and may be the reason we survive. I know no one in the universe I'd rather trust at my side than those seated here. Not just comrades, but friends. The Riss have a simple philosophy: each has a position for the good of the Riss. She does that position to the best of her ability and trusts her fellow Riss will do the same. Each of you has a position for the wellbeing of the ship. I know each of you will do your best, and that is our best guarantee of success." I stopped for the clapping and shouting of agreement. "Formally, I like to name the position of leaders in the event I, or another, cannot continue. Captain Pavao, Damaass, Zhang, Sheva, and Alena." I paused, looking around the room at each individual. "I want to see you all back here for dinner in a few days."

* * *

Damaass and I took our position at the head of the growing queue for the entrance to the Wave.

<Damaass.>

<Comm: connect.>

"Good morning, dybbuk. I actually feel a bit sorry for the Aliens with you leading. They don't know you're in their minds. Any advice?"

"No. You're good at mind games. That’s the reason I chose you. If we haven't been located by Wave exit plus thirty minutes, activate all systems. That will allow us to find each other, and we'll coordinate a skip-attack. Otherwise, make a disturbance and execute your skip-attack. The other will try to wait as close to the thirty minutes as possible." I winked at the smiling, grizzly face looking back at me. "See you at the party."

"It's a date." He cut the connection.

<We have begun Operation Red.>

<Comm: Send acknowledge.>

<Sent.>

<Helm: Engines one, three, five, and seven at full power. Execute vector on your board.>

< Engines one, three, five, and seven going to full power on designated vector.>

I sat back in the captain's chair, oddly at peace.

<With family. No matter happens, you found way to stars.>

<A steep cost.>

<Better than hunted to extinction as animals.>

<Whether today or many tomorrows later, I will die happy.>

<Thalia too.>

* * *

We exited the Wave with minimum power and immediately cut back to one engine at quarter speed. The VTM showed they had added two additional Medusas, one in the front and another one in the rear. The three front Medusas launched twelve cruisers each within minutes of our entry. The two in the rear didn't.

Watching the VTM, I could see they had changed their original search pattern and were using their fighters to help. Finding us would still require luck, as the area was vast, but less luck than before. I felt serene with my sisters around me, but I wondered how Iglis, Byer, and Seng felt watching their monitors' feeds from the VTM as the cruisers and fighters looked much closer that they were. In reality, they were hundreds of thousands of kilometers apart. Their pattern looked random at first.

<Not. R-Asdis has pattern.>

<What?>

<Every quarter light-second, the cruiser and its fighters move alternatively up or down a quarter light-second.>

They had deduced we had determined their search pattern last time and were therefore able to avoid detection. So this time, they had added an element of apparent randomness. But it wasn't truly random and could be deduced. A clever addition against an average radar operator, not against a Riss operator.

<r-Asdis, send Helm necessary adjustments.>

I gave a satisfied snort several seconds later as the Alien cruiser and his ten fighters on a vector with us moved up a quarter light-second, and we moved down a half light-second. Twenty seconds later, they passed a full light-second over us.

For twenty-five minutes, we successfully avoided the cruisers and their fighters as they swept back and forth searching the area. We were entering into the two rear Medusas' search area. At the thirty minute mark, I had to act. The task force was due in another thirty minutes, and the distraction needed time to draw the Aliens as far away from the Wave as possible.

<Nav: Compute vector and skip time to Medusa on our portside. Send to Helm's board.>

<Comm: Battle stations.>

Light flashed red, klaxons blared through the ship, and an emergency override message scrolled across all SIDs.

<Connected to Minerva.>

"Damaass, Fire two Dusters at your current position and drop two Dummies; fire a Duster at the Medusa on your starboard and skip-attack, one second skip away; and then go idle. Continue at your discretion," I said.

Damaass repeated my instructions and cut the connection.

<ECM: Fire two Dusters immediate detonation.>

<Two Dusters fired.>

<ECM: Fire two Dummies.>

<Two Dummies fired.>

<Nav: Vector and skip-time to ten kilometers from the starboard side of the portside Medusa.>

<ECM: Fire one Duster to detonate one kilometer from starboard side of portside Medusa.>

<Duster fired at starboard side of portside Medusa.>

<Tac: Ready all Demons. Fire on skip.>

<Helm: Execute skip-attack>

A second later, the Bridge went a ghostly haze for two seconds, and the ship shuddered twice. In the blink of an eye, the Bridge went dim as power was reduced to the minimum to keep the critical systems online. The radar and VTM showed multiple explosions from twenty-four hits on the two Medusas. The thirty-six cruisers from the three up-front Medusas were immediately drawn to the rear.

<ECM: Fire a Dummy back towards the Medusa.>

<Dummy fired.>

Only seven cruisers emerged from the Medusa we had attacked. They swooped down on the Dummy. I hoped they would think they had destroyed the attacking ship. Fifteen minutes later, the cruisers from the front reached the original Dummies we had released and blew them into space dust.

Ten minutes later, the first task force entered Red. Dusters were exploding everywhere. Immediately, all the Alien cruisers began racing towards the Wave exit. It was impossible to tell exactly what was happening because of the Dusters, but within the clouds explosions lit up every few seconds. Several minutes later, the skip-attacks against the front Medusas began. Two Riss-certified cruisers made runs against each Medusa.

Destroying the three Medusas cost the task force three Riss-certified cruisers, major damage to four, and minor to the remaining five.

<ECM: Duster to detonate one kilometer starboard our Medusa, followed by one Dummy on my command.>

<Nav: Vector and skip time to twenty kilometers from our Medusa.>

<Tac: Full broadside of Demons on skip.>

<Helm: One-second exit skip.>

<ECM: Execute.>

Within seconds of releasing the Dummy, the Medusa fired all of its starboard missiles.

<Helm: Execute skip on board.>

We faded in and out, two shudders, and we skipped again.

Sensors indicated that both the rear Medusas were open to space in many areas, which didn't matter to robots, but it indicated a major loss of functionality. The monitor showed we had sustained only minor laser damage. Six wounded, no deaths. I took a deep breath, relieved and trying not to think of the space rubble that had once been Riss-certified cruisers. This wasn’t the time.

<Nav: A vector toward the inhabitable planets.>

<Helm: quarter speed engines two and six.>

We had expended our skip capability for at least eight hours and would wait for the fleet to clean up the area.

* * *

The fighting went on for another six hours, but interestingly the ships at the inhabitable planets made no attempt to assist, although they were clearly repositioning their available cruisers. I made contact with Damaass. Like the Mnemosyne, the Minerva had sustained little damage.

<Wattson. Zhu.>

<Comm: Connect.>

The monitor split, and Wattson and Zhu appeared.

"Leader Reese, what is your condition?"

"The Mnemosyne and the Minerva are fully operational. How did the invasion force do?"

"From my initial reports, your diversion gave us a few extra minutes to get established, and planning for the worst case helped. We did better than we had a right to expect. We lost ninety-three cruisers, and another twenty-one are not operational. That leaves two hundred six, not counting the Riss cruisers," Wattson said, ignoring the killed and wounded. It hurt less to talk in terms of ships.

"The Mnemosyne and the Minerva are about eight hours ahead. From what I can see, everything is the same except Red-planets five and three are missing their Medusas. I suspect they were sent to strengthen security at the Wave exit."

"That is good news. See what you can determine about Red-planet four. We’ll take care of Red-planet five's platforms on the way to you. Shouldn't be too bad with no Medusa."

* * *

We stopped two light-seconds from the platforms orbiting Red-planet four. It was a swarm of activity. In addition to the two Medusas, I counted twenty-five of the Aliens' Light cruisers. I had no proof, but I thought it safe to assume the Medusas carried twelve each. There seemed to be a lot of shuttle activity to and from the fifty-story platform and the planet. The other four platforms appeared to be abandoned.

<Damaass.>

<Connect.>

Damaass’ smiling face appeared.

"What do you think, dybbuk?"

"It looks like the ceasefire at Freeland," I said, thinking back to the invasion of Freeland and the ceasefire the clans had called to surrender. But their real intent had been to prepare for an all-out suicide attack.

"It does, doesn't it? They are cleaning up as we watch. Are you going to try and negotiate a treaty?" He laughed, holding up a wine glass in salute.

"I think not. I doubt the Supreme Council of the Gods will negotiate with the evil humans they came to quarantine."

As I watched, one platform after another blew up. A few minutes later, the ground facilities followed in billowing clouds of debris.

The activity began to decrease as we waited on the fleet's arrival.

<Ship leaving platform tower. High acceleration.>

<Nav: Intersect vector.>

<Vector on Helm's board.>

<Helm: Full power all engines. Execute vector on board.>

<Full power all engines. Vector executed.>

<Comm: Message to Minerva. Find and destroy ship moving away from tower.>

<Sent.>

<Acknowledged.>

<Comm: Message to Wattson and Zhu. Ship heading for Wave. Must be captured or destroyed. Urgent.>

<Sent.>

<Acknowledged.>

We chased the ship for eight hours, but it became obvious we were not going to catch it, as it had exceeded six hundred gravities and was still accelerating.

<Comm: Message to Minerva. Follow. Verify where it goes.>

<Sent.>

<Acknowledged.>

<Nav: Vector back to Red-planet four.>

<On Helm's board.>

<Helm: Engines one, three, five, seven at half speed. Execute vector.>

<Engines one, three, five, seven at half speed. Vector executed.>

<Comm: Ship on Standby.>

Lights flashed blue on and off for a minute, then remained blue.

I left the bridge with Terril following.

"What do you think, Leader?" Terril asked as she walked up beside me.

"I think the fighting is over."

"Why? They have Medusas and a bunch of cruisers on Red-planet four."

"They are not killers in the normal sense. They always gave everyone in the system a chance to retire to the planet unharmed. And they never intended to make us slaves or rule over us. They just wanted us to stay put. We won, so what would be the purpose of fighting?"

"I'll bet we could get good odds on that wager." She smirked.

I toured the ships, stopping to give Byer, Seng, and Iglis my observations, and suggested they eat and get some sleep.

When we arrived back at Red-planet four, the fleet had just arrived, and explosions were occurring throughout the platforms, the tower, and planet-side.

<Zhu.>

<Comm: Connect.>

Zhu's face appeared on the monitor. He nodded. "What do you think, Leader Reese?"

"Housecleaning. They aren’t killers in the sense that we humans are. They were not seeking power or revenge. They lost, so they are destroying any useful technology or information."

"What about the ship that got away? The original intelligence escaping? A call for help? What do you think?"

"At very least, a report on humans in this galaxy."

* * *

Three days later, Wattson, Zhu, and Serhat called a meeting of all task force commanders. We met on the Dynasty.

Zhu began the meeting. "You have all had teams conducting preliminary evaluations of what the Aliens left behind. I'm merely going to summarize the findings to date. A thorough evaluation will take years. The Aliens destroyed all the system computers and technology they believed more advanced than ours. All robots were deactivated. It's apparent from our initial examination that the three planets designated Red-planets three, four, and five were mined for the minerals necessary to manufacture their platforms, robots, systems, and cruisers. It appears they arrived here centuries ago with only enough equipment to set up basic mining and manufacturing facilities. We, the representatives of the UFN, JPU, and the SAS, have agreed to form a joint task force to examine the remains and share our findings. Over the next week, individual task forces will be released to return to their home empires."

"What about the ship that escaped?" an UFN admiral asked.

"We are guessing that it contained information about their findings in this galaxy. It may also carry the original intelligence that powered the robots. We may never know. That ship may take centuries to reach its destination. If it went to the home of the Supreme Council of the Gods, hundreds―or more likely thousands of years from now―our ancestors may face them again. In any event, we will be better prepared."

"Why?" a JPU admiral asked.

"Because technology advances to meet some need. The Riss technology is a good example. It was a significant leap ahead of past improvements. The Aliens are copies of copies and have no need to advance their technology so long as they are winning. And it appears by their previous effort here that they were successful in the past. If they view their defeat here as having lost to overwhelming force, they will have little need to look for new technology but rather to build more and bigger."

* * *

Admiral Serhat returned to the JPU; however, Zhu returned with Wattson to Echo and requested a meeting with Plimson and the Riss.

Terril sat in my chair relaxing as I dressed for the upcoming meeting on the Dynasty. Plimson had arrived early that morning, and the meeting was listed as a dinner.

"Is this going to be exciting?" Terril asked, grinning.

"No, it's going to be boring. Thalia is going to prevent me from saying anything other than, Yes, sir."

<I am?>

<Yes.>

<No.> An image of a Riss with six arms and pairs of hands covering eyes, ears, and mouth.

<Traitor.>

<Clown.>

"So you are planning something?" Terril pointed an accusing finger at me.

"Terril, I don't plan the things I come up with. They just surface... unexpectedly."

"Well, I'm going to go change clothes. I wouldn't want to miss one of those... unexpected moments," she said, and strode out of the room.

On the shuttle ride to the Dynasty, I felt relaxed, although meeting with two Fleet Admirals and the Head of Military Operations should be stressful. I was...

<High-high-Riss.>

<Content.>

<Yes. High-high-Riss.>

Yes, I think I was finally beginning to feel the calm and contentment that came with being high-Riss.

When I exited the shuttle, the captain of the Dynasty met me with a salute, bugle call, and ten formally dressed marines.

"Welcome aboard the Dynasty, Leader Reese. It's my pleasure to escort you to Imperial Fleet Admiral Zhu. Your Riss are astounding. The Dynasty is proud to have a Riss-certified crew."

"They must be an excellent crew. Few are good enough to understand the new mathematics and forward thinking to embrace new concepts."

When we reached the room, the door was open, and Plimson, Wattson, and Zhu were standing inside talking.

"Good evening, Leader Reese," Zhu said, breaking away from the group. "If you have time after our dinner meeting, I'd love to show you around the Dynasty. Not as unique as the Mnemosyne, but I love her."

"Good evening, Leader Reese," Plimson said as he and Wattson approached.

"Good evening, Admiral Plimson, Wattson," I said, wondering about the purpose of this meeting. Dinner was an elaborate affair with three appetizers, a choice of five different main courses, and multiple desserts. No talk of war. Each man had one or more personal stories of his life in the military. I remained quiet, content to listen and get to know them better.

"Well Reese, waiting for the bomb to go off?" Plimson smiled.

"I'm not used to dining with men who command navies and more."

"You command a navy, small but with the most advanced cruisers in the three empires. And we are willing to pay for that technology and wish to continue our mutual support agreement. Admiral Zhu would also like to enter into a mutual support agreement with the SAS and the Riss."

"Yes. I haven’t known you as long as Admiral Plimson, but in the time I have, I've come to understand why he trusts your word. The question is whether you can trust mine?" Zhu said.

"I think I can. The problem is what happens when you or Admiral Plimson retire?" I said, leaving off "Replaced" as they served at the consent of their governments.

"Yes, that is why countries like written treaties, although they really depend upon individuals to enforce them."

"What would make it more permanent?" Plimson asked.

I smiled mentally. I could almost feel him holding his breath.

"Freeland is not currently in the SAS, JPU, or UFN space. I will enter into an MSA with the SAS and UFN if you will sign a Treaty with the Riss designating the current land on Saipha, Freeland, and designate land on Dong as Riss enclaves," I said.

Such an agreement would free the Riss and the clans—a free nation and a step closer to realizing their dream of exploring the stars.

Novels by C.R. Daems & J.R. Tomlin

Crdaems.com

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The Riss Gamble

Science Fiction/Fantasy

A young girl dreams of seeing the stars and meeting Aliens. Her chance comes in the form of a project offering a college education, commissioning in the SAS Fleet, and a partnership with an Alien. She successfully qualifies and wins one of the coveted ten positions. Of course everything comes with a price—the Alien is a parasite that inhabits the body and mind, and is there for life. Is it a dream or nightmare come true—or maybe both?

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Riss-Gamble-ebook/dp/B0068XKZQM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332997239&sr=1-1

The Riss Proposal

Book II in the Riss Series

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Nadya, hosting an intelligent parasite, is now an experienced naval officer with two battles against the Raider's cruiser packs. But she continues to be seen as an Alien, generating disgust, fear, raw hate, and attempts on her life.

To add to her problems, the Raiders have identified her as contributing directly to their bad luck and have designated her a dybbuk—demon—and have set a price on her dead or alive.

With the Raiders a continuing threat to the SAS, life has become a little too interesting.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Riss-Proposal-Book-Series-ebook/dp/B00A80DLJE/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1353306845&sr=8-10&keywords=c+r+daems

The Riss Survival

Book III in the Riss Series

Science Fiction/Fantasy

The Raider clans have been defeated and their planet under the supervision of the Riss, with Captain Reese the station commander. But while Reese sees the Raider clans as on probation, many in the SAS task force she commands, perceive them as prisoners and hope to break the Treaty and get revenge.

As Nadya attempts to maintain the fragile peace, the three empires are being invaded. They know the invading force is far more technology advanced than the SAS. But who are they, where did they come from, and what do they want?

One thing appears certain. The SAS cannot defeat the aliens alone. But can they overcome their prejudices against the Riss, hatred of the clans, and long years of distrust of the other empires, to combine forces and technology to meet the challenge. The fate of the three empires, Riss, and the Raider clans may depend on it.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Riss-Survival-Series-ebook/dp/B00ALQHA5Q/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3

The Shadow Ryana

Book I of the Shadow Sisters

Fantasy/Epic/Romance

Ryana, a worthless girl-child, is sold to a mysterious woman who takes her to the home of the Shadow Sisters who are prized for their abilities as spies and assassins. She survives years of training in spite of being unconventional: adopting poisonous bats as familiars--something no one else would dare to do; choosing the blow dart as her weapon of choice--a weapon the Sisters don't teach; and relying on intuition rather than logic.

As she completes her training, the Shadow Sisters are under attack. The senior Sister selects Ryana to find out who is killing Sisters and why--because her intuitive approach has proved effective, even though her youth and inexperience makes it unlikely she will survive.

As she travels through the kingdom as a member of a gypsy clan, she finds the only way she can protect the Sisters and hope to discover the underlying plot is through ever more violence and killing. As she proceeds through the provinces, her secret enemies come to call her the Sister of Death and become desperate to find and kill her. But in her desperate fight to protect the Sisterhood and the kingdom, Ryana fears that she has destroyed herself and the only life she ever wanted.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Riss-Proposal-Book-Series-ebook/dp/B00A80DLJE/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1353378186&sr=8-10&keywords=c+r+daems

The Shadow Gypsy

Book II of the Shadow Sisters

Fantasy/Epic/Romance

The Shadow Sister Ryana, the very Shadow of Death, is marrying her beloved and joining his gypsy clan. War took her innocence, and now she's determined to rebuild her life. But religious cults are springing up, and the gypsies come under attack. Ryana's best friend in the Sisters, Jelena, has fled to join one of the cults, and the senior Sister asks Ryana to find out why.

Too late, Ryana discovers their enemies have a sweet and seductive weapon, one that has turned Jelena into her enemy. Ryana is betrayed, kidnapped and her will stolen. She must regain it if she is to defend her clan and the Shadow Sisters. If she fails, it means the end of both her families--her new gypsy clan and the Sisters she swore to defend.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Shadow-Gypsy-Sister-ebook/dp/B00DK8VYYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377326288&sr=1-1&keywords=c+r+daems

Talon of the Unnamed Goddess

Fantasy/Adventure

Alisha is the newest Talon of the Raptor Clan, mercenaries prized by rulers, nobles, and the wealthy as elite bodyguards. Like all Talons, she survived the five Ordeals and ten years of grueling training.

Alisha is not the strongest mercenary in the Raptor Clan, but she is the craftiest. Only tricking her opponents into underestimating her got her through the long years of Clan training. Those years honed her weapon skills, but not as much as her sharp wits. Even the ability she gets from the rune she was given by the Unknown Goddess depends on her guile.

Her first assignment for the Clan, to guard a young princess, requires all Alisha's skill, wit, and her newly acquired rune to keep the young heir to the kingdom alive.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Talon-Unnamed-Goddess-C-Daems/dp/1463662394/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313079283&sr=8-1

Kazak Guardians

Lynn’s Rules

Urban Fantasy/Adventure/Romance

If the Kazak Guardians had a recruiting poster, it would have read: WANTED: A select few insane men to fight professional Assassins with super-human abilities. Good medical plan provided.

Because surviving the training program to graduation was dangerous, even the first challenge to gain entrance could get you killed. But training was the easy part. Staying alive afterward was the hard part. Kazaks guarded individuals whose lives were deemed critical to the security of the United States. These individuals attracted fanatics and the best professional Assassins money could buy—Liars who could tell lies you believed, Ghosts who could become nearly invisible, and Illusionists who could appear to be anyone, among others.

But Lynn wanted no other life--the Kazak Guardians gave her life purpose. She had grown up in the foster care system, neglected and abused, at the mercy of people who didn't care. Even when she finally ran away, her freedom wasn't the renewal she had hoped. So when a friend told her about a unique organization that trained individuals to protect VIPs, she knew it was the life for her.

She survives years of training and five deadly challenges to become a Kazak Guardian, and entered a world of extremists and assassins, where each assignment became a deadly contest between Kazak and assassin, with the prize the life of the VIP.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Kazak-Guardians-ebook/dp/B007O2TTRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332996848&sr=1-1

Kazak Guardians: The Unthinkable

Book II of the Kazak Series

Urban Fantasy/Adventure/Romance

Lynn the Fox has been a Kazak for several years and thought she had seen it all; after all, she's a Master Kazak having killed more than five Assassins—professional killers with wizard-like talents. But life is unpredictable

There is a new kind of Assassin—a Mind Bender—who has caused two Kazaks kill their clients.

The unthinkable happens—and a client turns on her.

An unknown member of the secret and powerful Committee who funds and directs the Kazaks is a traitor.

And what should have been a simple misunderstanding at a State Department security checkpoint results in a life and death encounter with a SWAT team.

But there are fun moments, if you don't mind people trying to kill you and your client. Lynn gets to play the part of Afghan Warlord's daughter, a college student, and a homeless woman—an eagle covered with dove's feathers.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Unthinkable-ebook/dp/B009T90O9K/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1351111450&sr=8-8&keywords=the+unthinkable

Women of Power

Fantasy/Adventure

Nisha has trained all her life to develop Qi--her internal energy--exceeding the raw power of any Qi'advisor in several generations. But before she is ready to take her place, the unthinkable happens. Rhybac's king is dead; the kingdom is in chaos. War breaks out and their enemies out of the Sands are circling for the kill. She chooses to become a Qi'advisor, although still untried.

As Qi'advisor to a duke, she must risk her life to negotiate with the greed, the treachery one of the dukes, and the desperation that fuels the war in order to reveal what others cannot or refuse to see. The fate of Rhybac, its people, and even its enemies are in her young hands.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Women-of-Power-ebook/dp/B009V0GQRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353043281&sr=8-1&keywords=c+r+daems

Scales of Justice

Fantasy/Epic

A hundred years ago, a treaty jointed the seven provinces under a king and created a system of equal justice for nobles and commoners. The Sisters of Astraea were proclaimed the judicators of the land because they had gold vipers that could tell truth from lie. A gift bestowed on each judicator by the god Naga.

Now many nobles want to go back to being above the law. Duke Chaney is using this discontent to raise an army against the king and the judicators. Jola, a newly promoted judicator starts out with her mentor, Tenzen, to investigate the growing unrest. They encounter revenge, greed, and the desire for power, and become targets of the growing hostility as they attempt to discover who is behind the rebellion.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Scales-Of-Justice-ebook/dp/B0042JTAJ2/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1313036753&sr=1-3

Blood Duty

Fantasy/Epic

Ixich, huge demons summoned through a savage blood ritual, lead an army through a mountain pass, slaughtering all who would stand in their way. Tamra, Captain of the Guard of Wayfare Keep, and an allied army from the city of Madrian mount a desperate defense against the onrushing enemy. When their army is defeated and her lover is lost in the battle, Tamra is devastated but must somehow struggle on.

Even worse lies ahead as the secrets of her past come to light and her loyalty is tested. Yet, she must protect all those who trust her against the ixich horde. In her darkest hour, haunted by loss and with defeat imminent, can Tamra fulfill that trust and do her blood duty?

Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005G7ZHG4

Laughing Hounds

Urban Fantasy/Horror

After what were thought to be dogs kill her mother and attack her, Annette discovers she has become the last female descendant of a line of women who, for over a century, fought and died fighting Countess Lenuta, her sons, and their packs of Werehyenas. Annette learns she has inherited her ancestors unique ability to make Tone-wood sing—the only weapon that can kill the Werehyenas. As such, she represents the last threat to their existence.

With only Annette remaining, Countess Lenuta and her sons see an opportunity to kill the last of their century-old adversaries. Their first attempt fails, and Annette must choose to hide for the rest of her life or accept the legacy of her ancestors to stop the Werehyenas. She chooses to fight.

With the help of ex-Green Berets her father hires to protect her, the battle soon escalates into a series of attacks and counter attacks that become fiercer as the tactics of each side evolve. The winner will be the last one standing.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Laughing-Hounds-ebook/dp/B003IGDD5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1313036978&sr=1-1

Freedom's Sword

Scottish Historical Fiction

A Prequel to the Black Douglas Trilogy

Before William Wallace ... before Robert the Bruce ... there was another Scottish hero ...

In 1296, newly knighted by the King of the Scots, Andrew de Moray fights to defend his country against the forces of the ruthless invader, King Edward Longshanks of England. After a bloody defeat in battle, he is dragged in chains to an English dungeon.

Soon the young knight escapes. He returns to find Scotland under the heel of a conqueror and his betrothed sheltering in the hills of the Black Isle. Seizing his own castle, he raises the banner of Scottish freedom. Now he must lead the north of Scotland to rebellion in hope of defeating the English army sent to crush them.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Freedoms-Sword-ebook/dp/B004RUZPPY

A Kingdom's Cost

Book I of the Black Douglas Trilogy

Scottish Historical Fiction

Eighteen-year-old James Douglas can only watch, helpless, as the Scottish freedom fighter, William Wallace, is hanged, drawn, and quartered. Even under the heel of a brutal English conqueror, James's blood-drenched homeland may still have one hope for freedom, the rightful king of the Scots, Robert the Bruce. James swears fealty to the man he believes can lead the fight against English tyranny.

The Bruce is soon a fugitive, king in name and nothing more. Scotland is occupied, the Scottish resistance crushed. The woman James loves is captured and imprisoned. Yet James believes their cause is not lost. With driving determination, he blazes a path in blood and violence, in cunning and ruthlessness as he wages a guerrilla war to restore Scotland's freedom. James knows he risks sharing Wallace's fate, but what he truly fears is that he has become as merciless as the conqueror he fights.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/A-Kingdoms-Cost-ebook/dp/B004YKVXR6

Countenance of War

Book II of The Black Douglas Trilogy

Scottish Historical Fiction

Fourteen-century Scotland is a conquered nation, at the mercy of England’s brutal King Edward. James Douglas continues his guerilla war to reclaim his stolen birthright and drive out the English tyrant. But as Edward’s attentions turn again to subduing the rebellious Scots, James must deal with the tortuous, conflicting demands of duty and love.

The clash of two nations and the destiny of a man coming of age in a violent time springs to life in this novel of passion, loyalty, cunning and ruthlessness.

Fourteenth-century Scotland suffers under the heel of England's King Edward, but James Douglas refuses to submit to the conqueror. Above all else, James fears that his life and his own dream—of a free Scotland—might be lost to Edward's lust for conquest. As James wages a guerilla war to drive out the invader and reclaim his birthright, Edward brings a vast army to crush the Scottish resistance. In the midst of the brutal war, even the woman James loves is threatened by his implacable duty.

In a conflict poised to reach its bloody finale, the Scots and English cross swords in a reckoning that will determine Scotland's survival.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Countenance-Historical-Scotland-Douglas-ebook/dp/B007PXUBQ8/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345958350&sr=1-1

Not for Glory

Book III of The Black Douglas Trilogy

Scottish Historical Fiction

James, Lord of Douglas, known to his foes as the Black Douglas, leads a flank of the Scottish army in crushing a vast invading English force at the waters of the Bannockburn. Fresh from battle, James revels in honors heaped on him by the Scots and in the hatred of the enemy. When King Robert the Bruce orders him to push their advantage and force the English to the peace table, they both know the only way he can do so is by fire and the sword--the only language King Edward of England understands.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Scotland-Douglas-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00BI2GPXA/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361481230&sr=1-17&keywords=j+r++tomlin