The Lost Fleet: Fearless

Falco gave Geary an uncomprehending look. “We are in a war for everything we believe in, Captain Geary. We cannot let legal niceties prevent us from doing what must be done to protect our homes and families.”

“Legal niceties? That’s what you call them? You think that’s all that stands between us and slaughtering the civilian inhabitants of those two planets, Captain Falco?” Geary asked with deceptive quietness.

For his part, Falco seemed baffled by the question and answered as if speaking to a child. “They are part of the Syndic war machine. Only by eliminating all aspects of Syndic power can we win.”

“And you believe such an action represents everything we believe in? That our ancestors will look with favor upon mass murder?” Geary replied.

“The Syndics have done far worse!”

“That’s why we’re fighting them, isn’t it?” Geary waved one flattened hand in a chopping motion. “I will not commit atrocities or permit atrocities to be committed by anyone under my command. There will be one volley of kinetic projectiles fired at those worlds to retaliate for Syndic actions against this fleet. The targets will be military, industrial, and governmental. Period.”

Falco seemed torn between amazement and outrage. “I’d heard you’d spared Syndic prisoners, but I didn’t believe you were this soft.”

“Soft?” Instead of angering him, Geary discovered the word amused him. “I have no trouble fighting enemy combatants. If you’ve really heard what happened to the Syndic flotilla at Kaliban, you should realize that. As for treatment of prisoners, I would’ve thought your last two decades of imprisonment would’ve caused you to recognize the virtues of handling prisoners of war in accordance with the laws of war.” He paused, realizing that further antagonizing Falco wouldn’t do any good. But he also guessed that Falco would leap on any sign of perceived weakness. “I was trained to do things that have since been lost through no one’s fault, Captain Falco. I’ve brought that training with me from the past so I can help this fleet fight better. I’ve also brought with me attitudes that may be regarded as archaic but that I believe in. I believe they’ll make this fleet stronger.”

Falco stared back, his face rigid. “So you say.” He made an obvious effort to control himself. “Perhaps we should start over.”

Geary nodded. “That might be a good idea.”

“We both want the same thing,” Falco noted, the companionable smile back. Geary wondered just what Falco considered that same thing to be. “Together, we can accomplish a great deal.”

“For the Alliance?” Geary prodded.

“Of course! But the Alliance needs strong leaders! We can provide that leadership.” Falco shook his head, sighing theatrically. “You can see what things are like now. The state of the fleet. The sort of people giving orders to the fleet. That Rione woman. An Alliance senator accompanying the fleet as if we needed politicians breathing down our necks to do our jobs right! I understand she’s been a thorn in your side, which is exactly what I would have suspected.”

Geary tried to look noncommittal. “You’ve heard that?”

“From many people. But of course we can work together and neutralize her influence.”

“That’s an idea,” Geary stated in as neutral a tone as he could manage. It occurred to him that Falco might have already had this exact same conversation with Co-President Rione, commiserating over Geary’s presence and offering to work together with Rione against Geary. He wondered if Rione would tell him about such a thing if he asked.

Falco leaned closer, smiling like a comrade in arms and brandishing an emphatic forefinger. “When this fleet returns to Alliance space, its leaders will be able to write their own tickets for the future. You know that. We’ll have a historic opportunity to shape the way the Alliance pursues this war, and the way the Alliance makes decisions. With that opportunity, we could establish the conditions to finally win this war. You’ll need someone with you who understands the current lay of the land. Someone who will help you against the politicians who have done all they can to ruin the Alliance and leave it helpless against the Syndics.”

Geary just gazed back, keeping his expression unrevealing. With me? Why do I think that the instant we hit Alliance space, Captain Falco will be sending out press releases hailing his success in getting the fleet back safely and making me out to be a figurehead at best? “Captain Falco, you’ve been in a Syndic labor camp for some time. Your own knowledge is considerably out of date.”

Falco’s smile was now confident as well as conspiratorial. “I have friends who can bring me up to date. After all, I have a lot fewer decades to learn about than you, eh?”