Fic: Altered Trajectory, Part Two
Apr. 10th, 2008 06:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeriendhalStill trying to figure out where my Flyboys file dissapeared to...
It took him a bit under an hour to shower, blast his fur in the bathroom’s personal dryer, then get dressed and drive over to the rapid transport monorail station. Though his flat was in Grassy Bank, the primary urban center of the Brushtail district, the capitol was less than two hours passage via the monorail, which operated in a vacuum sealed tunnel, allowing ground level hypersonic transport. So it was still an hour before luncheon when he presented himself to the External Affairs’ secretary and was ushered into the man’s office.
“Lord Ru Ofanius, so good of you to come on such short notice,” the Minister, Count Lakewalker, greeted, reaching across his desk to shake Rufus’ hand.
“I gathered from the unusual timing of your call that haste would be appreciated,” Rufus replied, sitting down in an overstuffed chair.
“Indeed, but I still apologize for rousing you at such an abominable hour. How is your health, sir?”
“Well enough. My cardiologist cleared me yesterday for full exertion without restriction.” But I’ll venture by your timing that you knew that already.
“Good, good. We were all very worried for you, after your collapse in the Council Hall. Most especially after giving that extraordinary speech. I confess I’m still quite amazed by some of it. Certainly my colleague at the Ministry of Science has been thrown into a frenzy at the idea of alternate universes being accessible with ease.”
“Hardly with ease, at least from what my counterpart told me, Count. And the consequences of such travel, as I’m sure you also realized, can be dangerous.”
“Just so. As it stands, there are hazards closer to home that we must contend with first.” The Count gestured a report pad scrolling data on his desktop. “Have you been following the reports on the exploration fleet that the Ministry of Colonization and Mapping has been assembling?”
“Of course,” Rufus said. “It’s the biggest pure science fleet that’s been put together in the past quarter-century.”
“Quite right. Ten separate cruisers packed with scientists and equipment, plus their auxiliary and escort ships, searching for new green worlds. Or at least that’s the official mission. I’m sure you can guess at the unofficial one.”
He nodded. “You’re going to be searching for the Dominion and their Galapagos successors.”
“Precisely. The Council considers it vital that Vulpine contact them separately, before the GSA can.”
Rufus frowned. “Wouldn’t it be better to work in conjunction with the GSA, rather than at cross-purposes?”
“Normally I’d say yes. But any fleet that the GSA Navy sends out to do the search is going to inevitably be led by humans. Their species dominates the space corps, as the creo dominate the GSA’s ground forces and we vulpine are in the majority when it comes to aerospace pilots. Given your testimony, particularly what the, er, visitors to our universe said that the humans had done during the Dominion War, we would prefer that they also not dominate whatever… debate… occurs.”
“You’re looking for a separate peace with the Dominion, outside of whatever the GSA comes up with.” Rufus felt an uncomfortable itch start at the base of his tail at the idea.
The Count looked grim. “Lord Ru Ofanius, we all know that the roots that connect the GSA races have been feeding on poor soil for over century. We were united in our opposition to enslavement by the Dominion, but that was five hundred years ago. We’ve mostly followed our own paths since then, aside from defense agreements to keep down piracy and guard the border with the Hive. Many in the Council, myself included, fear the Dominion’s return to the galactic scene might prove to be the root that cracks the rock, so to speak. We have to be ready for that.”
“But if you send that fleet out, it’s going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
“It’s already been fulfilled, I believe.” Count Lakewalker drew in a long breath. “What the humans did during that other universe’s Dominion War, if that same series of events is what destroyed the ferin in our universe, has deep implications, Lord Ru Ofanius. They committed genocide, against a genetically engineered race that was explicitly designed to have little free will of their own, and certainly no means to organize a defense. The actions of Captain Blake during the incident at Bolt Hole would indicate that their attitudes towards the ferin haven’t changed in over five hundred years. And if they are willing to do that to the Dominion’s servitors, you can well imagine what they’re might do to us.”
“I’m not sure I understand.” I hope I do not understand.
“Lord Ru Ofanius, it was a vulpine crew that fired the first shots that hailed the conquest of the human homeworld. It was creo troops that occupied their capitols. It was galen administrators that kept the reeducation camps functioning. It was maud strategists that tried to anticipate the Resistance’s moves, and it was manzi scientists that designed new weapons to attack them. We were all in some form responsible for the enslavement of the humans, in a far more active role than those poor little grey creatures were. I don’t believe that the humans have ever really trusted any of us, given that history. And if they were willing to destroy one race to ensure their security, what’s to stop them from destroying another?”
Rufus pinched his muzzle, trying to gather his thoughts. “What the humans did, if the humans did it in our universe, was indeed terrible. But whoever made the decision to destroy the ferin was an individual, or a group of individuals. We can not condemn their entire race for it, and distrust them for eternity. Anymore that our entire race should be distrusted for our actions while we served the Dominion.” He didn’t feel comfortable adding, Besides, I like humans.
“It is not the humans I distrust, it’s their government. Which, I might add, proudly declares its lineage to the first organized resistance cells that appeared on Earth and that presumably also attacked the ferin breeding and power facilities.”
“A point,” Rufus admitted. “Well, whatever our government’s reasoning on sending out that fleet, I would like know what part of it required me getting out of the bed I was sharing with a lovely young vixen this morning.”
“I should think that would be obvious. You are the first vulpine to meet a varn face to face since Sharpears’ Sacrifice five hundred years ago. We want you as part of the diplomatic expedition to the Dominion.”
“Ah,” Rufus said. “Sir, I am not a diplomat by any stretch of the imagination. And riding with that traveling circus, er, as part of such a large diplomatic delegation is not particularly appealing.”
“Oh, you won’t be going with them. The expedition is a feint. The humans know we’re aware of the Dominion’s return by now, so they’re going to be watching that big and showy fleet, following its every move as it goes in the completely wrong direction. Meanwhile, you, with a hand picked crew, are going to run back in the direction that those Galapagos ships were last seen and try and locate where they came from. We aren’t going to be asking you to sign any treaties, mind you. We just want you to open a line of communication.”
Rufus pursed his lips. “But the humans know perfectly well where Captain Blake’s fleet was intercepted. If they have sense at all they’ll be searching in that area as well.”
“Most likely, but they’re going to have to divide their forces to also follow the expedition, not knowing if we’re just going the wrong way or have inside information that they don’t.”
“Or they might do something really silly and assume that the expedition really is looking for new habitable worlds,” he said dryly.
“Oh, it’ll be doing that too. Waste not, want not.” Count Lakewalker held out his hand again. “So, may we welcome you aboard, Lord Ru Ofanius?”
Rufus stood up and clasped his hands behind his back, giving the count a short bow. “No.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I want no part of any diplomatic scheming, especially something like this, which seems tailor made to annoy our allies and undermine the GSA. Even if we do contact the Dominion and make an alliance with them, that still won’t make it worth the resulting weakness as the GSA breaks apart and leaves us vulnerable to the Ardactavians.”
“Lord Ru Ofanius, you have a duty to all of Vulpine!”
“Count Lakewalker, my duty is to my mother and the sectors in my district that are mine to administer, a responsibility that I have neglected for far too long. I’m sorry, but the answer is no. Good day to you, sir.”
He bowed again and left the office, his mind whirling. No more lies, no more deceptions, no more damned moral compromises. Truly, you choke on them if you tried to swallow them down. He wasn’t about let himself get dragged into some damnfool covert ops mission, that for certain, no matter what the stakes were. That’s what professionals in that sort of business were for.
He was still telling himself that by the time he boarded the train for home.
It took him a bit under an hour to shower, blast his fur in the bathroom’s personal dryer, then get dressed and drive over to the rapid transport monorail station. Though his flat was in Grassy Bank, the primary urban center of the Brushtail district, the capitol was less than two hours passage via the monorail, which operated in a vacuum sealed tunnel, allowing ground level hypersonic transport. So it was still an hour before luncheon when he presented himself to the External Affairs’ secretary and was ushered into the man’s office.
“Lord Ru Ofanius, so good of you to come on such short notice,” the Minister, Count Lakewalker, greeted, reaching across his desk to shake Rufus’ hand.
“I gathered from the unusual timing of your call that haste would be appreciated,” Rufus replied, sitting down in an overstuffed chair.
“Indeed, but I still apologize for rousing you at such an abominable hour. How is your health, sir?”
“Well enough. My cardiologist cleared me yesterday for full exertion without restriction.” But I’ll venture by your timing that you knew that already.
“Good, good. We were all very worried for you, after your collapse in the Council Hall. Most especially after giving that extraordinary speech. I confess I’m still quite amazed by some of it. Certainly my colleague at the Ministry of Science has been thrown into a frenzy at the idea of alternate universes being accessible with ease.”
“Hardly with ease, at least from what my counterpart told me, Count. And the consequences of such travel, as I’m sure you also realized, can be dangerous.”
“Just so. As it stands, there are hazards closer to home that we must contend with first.” The Count gestured a report pad scrolling data on his desktop. “Have you been following the reports on the exploration fleet that the Ministry of Colonization and Mapping has been assembling?”
“Of course,” Rufus said. “It’s the biggest pure science fleet that’s been put together in the past quarter-century.”
“Quite right. Ten separate cruisers packed with scientists and equipment, plus their auxiliary and escort ships, searching for new green worlds. Or at least that’s the official mission. I’m sure you can guess at the unofficial one.”
He nodded. “You’re going to be searching for the Dominion and their Galapagos successors.”
“Precisely. The Council considers it vital that Vulpine contact them separately, before the GSA can.”
Rufus frowned. “Wouldn’t it be better to work in conjunction with the GSA, rather than at cross-purposes?”
“Normally I’d say yes. But any fleet that the GSA Navy sends out to do the search is going to inevitably be led by humans. Their species dominates the space corps, as the creo dominate the GSA’s ground forces and we vulpine are in the majority when it comes to aerospace pilots. Given your testimony, particularly what the, er, visitors to our universe said that the humans had done during the Dominion War, we would prefer that they also not dominate whatever… debate… occurs.”
“You’re looking for a separate peace with the Dominion, outside of whatever the GSA comes up with.” Rufus felt an uncomfortable itch start at the base of his tail at the idea.
The Count looked grim. “Lord Ru Ofanius, we all know that the roots that connect the GSA races have been feeding on poor soil for over century. We were united in our opposition to enslavement by the Dominion, but that was five hundred years ago. We’ve mostly followed our own paths since then, aside from defense agreements to keep down piracy and guard the border with the Hive. Many in the Council, myself included, fear the Dominion’s return to the galactic scene might prove to be the root that cracks the rock, so to speak. We have to be ready for that.”
“But if you send that fleet out, it’s going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
“It’s already been fulfilled, I believe.” Count Lakewalker drew in a long breath. “What the humans did during that other universe’s Dominion War, if that same series of events is what destroyed the ferin in our universe, has deep implications, Lord Ru Ofanius. They committed genocide, against a genetically engineered race that was explicitly designed to have little free will of their own, and certainly no means to organize a defense. The actions of Captain Blake during the incident at Bolt Hole would indicate that their attitudes towards the ferin haven’t changed in over five hundred years. And if they are willing to do that to the Dominion’s servitors, you can well imagine what they’re might do to us.”
“I’m not sure I understand.” I hope I do not understand.
“Lord Ru Ofanius, it was a vulpine crew that fired the first shots that hailed the conquest of the human homeworld. It was creo troops that occupied their capitols. It was galen administrators that kept the reeducation camps functioning. It was maud strategists that tried to anticipate the Resistance’s moves, and it was manzi scientists that designed new weapons to attack them. We were all in some form responsible for the enslavement of the humans, in a far more active role than those poor little grey creatures were. I don’t believe that the humans have ever really trusted any of us, given that history. And if they were willing to destroy one race to ensure their security, what’s to stop them from destroying another?”
Rufus pinched his muzzle, trying to gather his thoughts. “What the humans did, if the humans did it in our universe, was indeed terrible. But whoever made the decision to destroy the ferin was an individual, or a group of individuals. We can not condemn their entire race for it, and distrust them for eternity. Anymore that our entire race should be distrusted for our actions while we served the Dominion.” He didn’t feel comfortable adding, Besides, I like humans.
“It is not the humans I distrust, it’s their government. Which, I might add, proudly declares its lineage to the first organized resistance cells that appeared on Earth and that presumably also attacked the ferin breeding and power facilities.”
“A point,” Rufus admitted. “Well, whatever our government’s reasoning on sending out that fleet, I would like know what part of it required me getting out of the bed I was sharing with a lovely young vixen this morning.”
“I should think that would be obvious. You are the first vulpine to meet a varn face to face since Sharpears’ Sacrifice five hundred years ago. We want you as part of the diplomatic expedition to the Dominion.”
“Ah,” Rufus said. “Sir, I am not a diplomat by any stretch of the imagination. And riding with that traveling circus, er, as part of such a large diplomatic delegation is not particularly appealing.”
“Oh, you won’t be going with them. The expedition is a feint. The humans know we’re aware of the Dominion’s return by now, so they’re going to be watching that big and showy fleet, following its every move as it goes in the completely wrong direction. Meanwhile, you, with a hand picked crew, are going to run back in the direction that those Galapagos ships were last seen and try and locate where they came from. We aren’t going to be asking you to sign any treaties, mind you. We just want you to open a line of communication.”
Rufus pursed his lips. “But the humans know perfectly well where Captain Blake’s fleet was intercepted. If they have sense at all they’ll be searching in that area as well.”
“Most likely, but they’re going to have to divide their forces to also follow the expedition, not knowing if we’re just going the wrong way or have inside information that they don’t.”
“Or they might do something really silly and assume that the expedition really is looking for new habitable worlds,” he said dryly.
“Oh, it’ll be doing that too. Waste not, want not.” Count Lakewalker held out his hand again. “So, may we welcome you aboard, Lord Ru Ofanius?”
Rufus stood up and clasped his hands behind his back, giving the count a short bow. “No.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I want no part of any diplomatic scheming, especially something like this, which seems tailor made to annoy our allies and undermine the GSA. Even if we do contact the Dominion and make an alliance with them, that still won’t make it worth the resulting weakness as the GSA breaks apart and leaves us vulnerable to the Ardactavians.”
“Lord Ru Ofanius, you have a duty to all of Vulpine!”
“Count Lakewalker, my duty is to my mother and the sectors in my district that are mine to administer, a responsibility that I have neglected for far too long. I’m sorry, but the answer is no. Good day to you, sir.”
He bowed again and left the office, his mind whirling. No more lies, no more deceptions, no more damned moral compromises. Truly, you choke on them if you tried to swallow them down. He wasn’t about let himself get dragged into some damnfool covert ops mission, that for certain, no matter what the stakes were. That’s what professionals in that sort of business were for.
He was still telling himself that by the time he boarded the train for home.
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Date: 2008-04-23 01:52 pm (UTC)Also, yay! Stories!
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Date: 2008-04-23 02:36 pm (UTC)