10
Technologies and knowledge were being rediscovered—not discovered for the first time—so the process was a whole lot faster. As the third generation of Sudorians was growing up, small but thriving industries and agricultural concerns had been established and our society had wealth to spare for more than just survival. The first crossing of the Komarl was made on foot, or rather the first successful crossing, and those adventurers reported finding the wreck of the Procul Harum. Within a few decades we had taken to the air and built ground vehicles capable of negotiating the desert sands, and soon the first expeditions were being made out to the ship. The secrets of the ship were being quickly rediscovered and much of its physical structure was transported back to our then small civilisation. This caused something of a renaissance, and no little degree of that thing called arrogance. The final expedition made was the one sent to retrieve one of the U-space engines. We know that the expedition party planned to try firing up a ship's fusion reactor to provide power during this task. We know that they were preparing to dismount the one engine protruding above the desert sands. The ensuing explosion caused a dust storm out of the desert that lasted for days. An observer flight reported just the nose of the ship remaining, and that a perfectly spherical part of a nearby granite mount was missing.
— Uskaron
Yishna
She watched the image displayed on Chairman Duras's cabin screen, first feeling contempt for Fleet's military posturing, then a growing horror. Seeing the multiple launches from Blatant, she assumed it was making an unprovoked attack on Orbital Combine, and only when the first explosions began to tear the hilldigger apart did she realise what was really happening. In blank shock she watched the final detonation that obliterated the great ship, then tracked the descent of the missiles it had fired down onto Defence Platform One, and watched the subsequent detonations turn that platform into a burning ruin. Then Director Gneiss was back gazing at Duras with an implacable indifference.
"Those last images were recorded from the transport being used by a Combine orbital assault team. They had to pull out quickly, though, because there were still more of Blatant's missiles on the way."
"I served aboard that ship," said Duras, a catch in his voice. "I even remember Dravenik attending the engineering lectures I gave to new recruits on board…" He cleared his throat and continued, "Why was an assault team there?"
"We'd lost communication with the platform for two hours, and some very sophisticated software had meanwhile locked us out of its systems."
Gneiss spoke factually, hinting at no suppositions. Yishna felt that on the surface he was doing the right thing, for only by being utterly frank, and making no accusations, would he gain the Chairman's respect and thus ensure a fair hearing. But, as ever, to her it seemed as if the Director was merely playing his chosen part in some drama.
"I am told," said Duras, "that the Combine observer team attempted to sabotage Desert Wind, and that now Captain Franorl has withdrawn his ship from Corisanthe Main."
Gneiss replied, "All of that same team were killed by Franorl's people during this alleged sabotage attempt, and the only proof of it he presents is some hazy recording of a gun battle taking place in Desert Wind's engine galleries. None of the observers was armed when they went aboard—having been checked by Franorl's own security officers."
"Equally, I have no positive proof that Combine was locked out of the defence platform's systems," observed Duras, "or was at any time out of communication with the personnel aboard."
"True, but what would Combine have to gain by firing on a hilldigger?"
"One might suppose Combine feels itself in a strong enough position to go up against Fleet, and that these are the initial shots in some power bid. The assassination of Admiral Carnasus would seem to confirm this hypothesis."
Gneiss nodded acknowledgement. "Equally, one might say that a faction in Fleet does not want Combine to reach such a position of power, so has manufactured this present conflict deliberately. The Admiral, though fighting to retain Fleet's powers, always acceded whenever Parliament took away any such powers. Combine is also prepared always to accede to the will of Parliament, but I wonder if the same applies to Fleet now it is under new command."
Duras glanced at Yishna, then asked Gneiss, "What are you doing now?"
"I have just come from a meeting of the Combine Oversight Committee. We have decided that security teams will be sent immediately to the remaining eleven platforms. We are also requesting that wardens from Groundside Defence and Security join those teams."
"That seems reasonable."
"We also wanted to send a team to Brumal to investigate this claim of our complicity with the Brumallians in the death of the Consul Assessor. We suggested that this team be provided by GDS, but of course needed Parliament to grant us permission to do this, since we would be entering Fleet-controlled space."
"This request was presented to Parliament?"
"Yes, but only minutes before Fleet had suggested using one of their own transports, crewed by their own people, for the same purpose. Paranoia is running high at present, so both ideas were kicked out and now Parliament is wrangling over a compromise."
"Such is politics."
"Yes, and meanwhile Fleet is bringing all its capital ships towards Sudoria."
"And this concerns you?"
"Fleet are deliberately sowing discord and suspicion. We feel their ultimate aim is to seize control of the defence platforms, either through Parliament or by force. It has also been mooted by some parties that Orbital Combine can no longer be trusted with projects critical to Sudoria, like the study of the Worm."
Duras sighed and shook his head. "In the past," he said, "a hilldigger was placed on Corisanthe Watch, ready to destroy the station should its captive become a danger. In recent years that watch has been in essence merely traditional, since you and I both know that a lone hilldigger is now incapable of destroying Corisanthe Main."
"True."
"I must consult with my colleagues and with Parliament entire. Until such a time as we come to some decisions on this, I am presuming you can defend yourselves?"
"We can."
"It has been good speaking to you, Director Gneiss. Let us hope all this can be resolved without further bloodshed."
Gneiss inclined his head once, just before Duras cut the communication. Now the Chairman turned towards Yishna. "So, what do you think are your brother's intentions?"
Yishna sat back in her chair. "I no longer know my brother's mind, but I do know what he is capable of. It was convenient, don't you think, that the first main casualty of this crisis was the Consul Assessor, who was a possible threat to Fleet power, and that the next two were Carnasus and Dravenik, both of whom stood between Harald himself and the position of Admiral."
"Under emergency powers he has now seized that position," said Duras, "but that will still have to be ratified by the other Captains."
"If Harald seized power, that means he is capable of holding onto it, believe me."
"So you think this crisis to be limited to Harald's ambitions in Fleet?"
"No, like me, Harald does not want power for its own sake—he only wants it if he has a definite use for it. He has always been attracted to Fleet, and the idea of Fleet, and seeing it rendered impotent must gnaw at him. I suspect he's preparing to destroy Orbital Combine—so as to make Fleet the ascendant power, beyond Sudoria."