The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [138]
Greg felt a wave of exhilaration and almost cheered out loud.
‘That is … amazing! … isn’t it? … but their ships aren’t … okay, Ash, what is going on?’
Ash was wearing a knowledgeable smile which at that moment Greg found aggravating.
‘On many of their ships,’ the Tygran said, ‘the new orders have been rejected by either the captain or the first officer, who have taken extreme measures to exert their authority. Four captains have been removed from command and confined to quarters, and two have been shot. Six first officers have been shot dead and nine have been confined to quarters. And here is the revelation – all who rebelled against the orders have AI implants, every single one.’
‘That’s a bit disturbing,’ Greg said.
‘It gets better. There are two ships whose senior officers nearly all have the same implants. The captains have refused to recognise the validity of the orders, claiming that President Castiglione has been blackmailed into rescinding the original ones. Both ships are surrounded by vessels loyal to the fleet commander, Vice-Admiral Ngassa.’
‘This is like a weird rerun of the situation with the Tygran ships,’ Greg said.
‘Pardon for saying, Lieutenant,’ said Berg. ‘You seem very well informed already so why would you need us to remain here?’
‘There is an important function which requires your being in close orbit around the gas giant.’
‘We are already on our way there – ETA eleven minutes.’
‘Good. Stand by for further orders, Mr Berg.’
The channel went dead. Berg frowned.
‘It seems that we must hurry up and wait,’ he said.
Greg was thoughtful. ‘Actually, I think I know what this is all about.’ And when he told Berg, realisation dawned in the Tygran’s eyes.
Sure enough, nearly thirty-five minutes later Ash was back and asking for Greg.
‘And how’s it going, Mr Ash?’ he said as he hurried onto the bridge. ‘As you can see, I’m back in my serious civvy gear, complete with snazzy long black coat. I’ve had a shower, or tornado-fogblast as it should be called, and I’ve had one o’ they wee stimpills as well – which work, by the way. This is the most awake I’ve been for over a week, so … when do I get to meet the vice-admiral?’
Ash glared at him. ‘How did you know … ’
‘Aye, well, that’ll be one of my special archaeologist superpowers, the power of deduction, don’t ye know!’
Greg grinned at Berg, who was striving to keep a straight face.
‘I trust that you’ll keep your witticisms to yourself when you meet Vice-Admiral Ngassa,’ Ash said, stone-faced. ‘When we spoke with him just minutes ago he insisted on speaking with a Darien representative, which means you. When you meet him, emphasise that all of us here have come together as an informal alliance for the sole purpose of defending Darien, and its moon. Be sure that he understands this.’
‘I shall. Anything else?’
‘It would be helpful to learn of his expectations of what the Hegemony fleet will do when it arrives. Before this he was the previous supreme commander of Earthsphere forces in the Yamanon Domain so he’s had experience of the Hegemony military from working alongside them.’
Greg took it all in, nodding. ‘Righto, I get the picture. And don’t worry about my attitude – I shall be the soul of sober diplomacy.’
Ash’s stare was almost unreadable.
‘Once you and Lieutenant Berg are in the shuttle and declamped we will send you encrypted coordinates for the rendezvous with the vice-admiral’s pinnace. You’ll dock with it, go aboard and conduct the meeting there.’
Greg smiled brightly. ‘We’re on our way.’
To a rerun of that blether we had with Braddock, sounds like, he thought as he hurried after Berg.
Less than half an hour later they were approaching the rendezvous coordinates and the sleek vessel waiting there. They docked with a transfer conduit jutting from the starboard flank. Greg and Berg were greeted on the other side of the hatch