The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [112]
There was the faintly sibilant hum of an open comm channel, then the sharper hiss of a new signal link.
‘Unknown vessel, you have entered a restricted system and may have placed yourself in danger. Please identify yourself and state your reasons for coming here.’
A moment or two passed before a reply came.
‘I am K’ang Lo, Duizhang of the work/home vessel Retributor. Are you the danger that we must face? Please name yourself.’
The frame pulled back from the adapted asteroid as an inset appeared, showing a stern-looking man with stubble-short hair and wearing an azure-blue uniform. The image was grainy and a little unsteady.
‘K’ang Lo, sir, I am Lieutenant Ash, commanding Strike Cruiser Silverlance, flagship of the Darien Navy. If your intentions are peaceful you can expect no danger from us.’
A second picture appeared, next to the first. A barrel-chested man in a black and powder-blue coat stood there, dark eyes gazing intently from beneath immaculately cut black hair.
‘Lieutenant, it is a great pleasure to greet our brothers and sisters of Darien. Know that our intentions are honourable although we cannot promise a peaceful demeanour when confronted by the enemies of Humanity. A century and a half ago Earth was under siege by an enemy so terrible that the species’ existence seemed in doubt. Three ships were sent out into the great maze of the stars to be hidden and safe. One of those vessels brought your predecessors to this world and no doubt they faced hardship and struggle in the founding time. Well, sir, my own forefathers were aboard another of those vessels which discovered a world fertile enough for the planting of their offspring, the children of Earth, a place where they could grow and learn and even become better than their parents.’
The Duizhang frowned, let his gaze fall for a moment and breathed in deep.
‘Such sweet hopes were not allowed to reach fruition. Our world was seized and gutted for its mineral wealth, my people were divided into those who could escape and those who had to stay behind. We aboard the Retributor are the descendants of the escapees and through a series of crises and decisions we have come here to Darien, to play our part in its defence, to offer what help we can to our brothers and sisters.’
In the other picture, the commander of the Darien ship was nodding to someone out of shot before saying:
‘Duizhang K’ang Lo, welcome to Darien – your offer of assistance is greatly appreciated. We need all the help we can get!’
As the ensuing dialogue faded, Kaphiri Farag’s voice-over returned:
‘This new arrival in the Darien system is a revelation! The Darien colony was in upheaval after the deaths of President Sundstrom and his cabinet, a crisis that was overshadowed by the destruction of the Brolturan battleship and the invasion of the Spiral Prophecy fanatics. I can now reveal that the Hegemony carrier so recently obliterated by a mystery vessel had orders to bombard all centres of resistance on Darien, an assault which would have resulted in an indiscriminate slaughter mounting into hundreds of thousands.
‘We must now ask if the Hegemony fleet which is just hours away has been given similar orders. And what of the Earthsphere formation now en route from the Yamanon? – will they submit to the commands of Hegemony admirals as has happened all too often in recent years? A mere handful of ships stand in the way of this oncoming armada, including the Retributor, crewed by Sino-Humans, descendants of a lost legend now emerging from the shadows. At this crucial juncture they have chosen to side with the valiant but suffering underdogs on Darien, who seem to have acquired a warship more up to date than the antique shuttle they were flying before the arrival of the Heracles. What will be the political repercussions for Earthsphere? What will be the grassroots response from the peoples of the Sino-Asiatic block whose representatives constitute a vital segment of support for President Castiglione, and