“Of course, Boss. Unsweet tea?”
“Please.” I found Nikki talking to the two Squirrels. She said, “Topper said he didn’t need me on the bridge once the battle was over, so I came down here to keep these two company till you got back. Were you in a hurry, or why didn’t you go by the cabin and clean up?”
“Mainly because your husband is an idiot, dear. You mind if I have a bite to eat before I take care of that?”
“You’re already here, have a seat.” I looked at our visitors. “Sorry for my appearance, I didn’t realize that Nikki had gotten you out, and I was rushing to open the door for you.”
The Ambassador said, “Snappi and I were fine, Commodore. No need to hurry on our account. Gene gave us a good view of the whole thing.
“I regret not being able to capture more of your people. The boarding troops were stunner resistant, so we didn’t have that as an option.”
“I understand, Commodore. Tell me, is it common practice for an officer of your rank to lead the resistance to a boarding?”
“Not at all, Ambassador. My Marines were convinced that with no more people than we had to resist, the boarders would break through eventually. They decided on a plan of appearing to fall back in a place of our choosing, so that we could ambush and overcome the majority of the force. When I went to help, we all decided I would make good bait to get them to concentrate in one place. Once they were all in, Scotti’s team patched the hole they came in through, and from there, it was just a matter of making sure that we won the fight.”
Snappi said, “You make it sound so matter-of-fact. We saw you get wounded, and keep right on fighting.”
“To tell you the truth, I didn’t know I had been hurt until Charlie pointed it out to me.”
“Your young friend, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“How did he come to be part of the battle?”
“He was at the armory, begging for a weapon, when I got there. I figured he was safer with me, than scrounging a weapon, and going off on his own.”
Ambassador Natti said, “Keep him close, so you could keep an eye on him?”
“Yessir. That boy can find all kinds of trouble, left on his own.”
Nikki asked, “Where is he? Still in medbay?”
“Nope. Chasing ladies down in Engineering, is where he said he was going.”
“He’s changed, since he doesn’t have as much responsibility.”
“For the better, I think.”
The Ambassador asked, “I thought young ones in your society took more responsibility as they got older, not less?”
I replied, “Charlie’s Grandfather was very sick, and Charlie had no one to lean on but himself. He was taking care of the two of them, when he found us. Things have gotten better for the two of them, since his Grandpa went in the autodoc.”
“I can see how that would be a burden for a young boy.”
I said, “I do hate to spoil this fine conversation, but I do need to go over some things with the Ambassador.”
Natti asked, “Anything we can’t talk about here?”
“I suppose not. I seem to be in possession of your rather large fleet that I, truthfully, have no use for. Is there any way you could exert enough control over those folks that I would be able to release their ships?”
“Well, Commodore, that is a complicated question. I thought I had that kind of control before all this happened. I don’t know how I could be sure that they weren’t just putting up a good front.”
“I do see your problem, but I don’t want to hold these ships any longer than I just have to.”
Snappi asked, “Don’t you want more time to figure out our secrets?”
His Uncle, the Ambassador, replied, “You obviously haven’t spent much time aboard the Gene. If this crew doesn’t already know all they can without detail stripping our ships, I’ll be very surprised.”
I said, “I’ll be sure and pass the complement along to the crew, Ambassador. Still yet, we spent a lot of time and effort working out that non-aggression pact. Are you telling me you don’t have the juice to back it up?”
“I certainly thought I did, when we were negotiating. Now, I can’t be so sure.”
“How do you suggest we proceed, then? I enjoy talking with you, but if we can’t be sure the results will be recognized, we could talk about something less important, don’t you think?”
“I’m not sure I understand, Commodore.”
Nikki said, “He means that he likes your company, but negotiating treaties is hard work, and he’d rather have a beer and shoot the breeze, if the treaties aren’t going to be upheld, anyway.”
Natti said, “That’s reasonable, indeed. Would it be acceptable for me to spend some more time trying to get a straight answer out of the folks back home, before we give up on negotiations altogether?”
“Take all the time you need, Ambassador. I didn’t mean to rush you, I just don’t want to spend a bunch of time working out something that your superiors are going to ignore anyhow.”
I looked at Snappi. “Do you have any idea how many of the folks in your fleet are old-school, and how many want a peaceful settlement?”
He replied, “Not now, I don’t. I
