Dreadnaught

But I need to know what’s happening in this star system. “I’ll be candid with you, Commander. If Rogero was willing to tell us about the situation in this star system, it would be worth a great deal. The senior CEO is up to something, and we have no idea what the positions of the other Syndic CEOs are.”

Bradamont sat silent for a moment. “I don’t wish to use him, sir, but I suspect both he and I understand how we’ve already been used by our governments. If I send him a personal message, he can choose how to respond. If we end up in contact, perhaps a means of passing information can be established, if he so chooses and does not believe that would conflict with his own honor.”

“His honor?” Geary questioned without thinking, then gritted his teeth.

But Bradamont just smiled slightly. “I know the idea of a Syndic with a sense of honor is a difficult concept to grasp, sir. But he is just a sub-CEO, not a full-ranked CEO.”

“My apologies, anyway. I feel obligated to point out that news of your message to Rogero might somehow get around the fleet.”

Her smile grew wry. “What are they going to say about me that they haven’t already said?”

He glanced to one side, where Bradamont’s record hung in a window next to him. She had served well in the past. Tulev’s evaluations of her were glowing, and when Geary had reviewed the battles in which Dragon had fought under Bradamont’s command, he had found nothing to fault and much to admire. “Very well. Have your message sent to Dauntless. We’ll forward it to the Syndics, so there’s no question about your superiors being aware of it, with instructions to the Syndics to send the reply through us.”

“I have no objections to that, Admiral. White Witch is a part of me that I would have happily seen retired long ago.”

“Commander, if you hope to bring Rogero home with us when this fleet returns—”

“I don’t think that’s realistic, sir.” Bradamont’s voice grew wistful for a moment before taking on a professional lack of feeling again. “But if the messages I received from Rogero are true, then this CEO Drakon is as good a commander as Rogero might find. He’s supposedly loyal to those under his command. That somehow led to his disgrace and transfer here.”

“Do you know anything about Drakon’s relationship with Iceni?”

“No, sir. I’ll see what I can find out.”

DR. Setin had a querulous expression. “Admiral, how much longer until we encounter the enigma race?”

“We’re heading for the jump point to a star controlled by them, Doctor,” Geary assured him.

“Many of my colleagues are concerned about the violent nature of much of the human interaction with the enigma race to date.”

“Believe me, Doctor, I’m concerned about it, too.”

ICENI was smiling again. “I have no hesitation in promising to abide by your conditions, Admiral Geary.”

No further bargaining, just an immediate promise. He was really starting to distrust politicians who quickly agreed to something. But he could always repudiate any claims beyond the terms of what he had agreed to, and Iceni’s words would not bind him if they weren’t true. Who would take the word of a Syndic CEO over his?

“The information you requested is being transmitted separately,” Iceni continued. “That transmission identifies the gift of the design as a thanks for the services your forces have rendered to the defense of this star system. If your experts have any questions about the design or its operation, contact me using this same connection.

“As for CEO Boyens, he’s not here. Not in this star system, I mean. He rode one of the courier ships back to the home star system, where he thought his information and experiences might prove to his advantage with the new government.” Her smile twisted a little. “CEO Boyens is an ambitious man. I’m afraid that I can’t tell you anything else. We have not heard from him since his departure. Our communications with the central government and the home star system have been sporadic over the last few months.”