“What is this about?” Perez asked. The two of them were in her stateroom, which, like everything else on the Chandler, was cramped. “If you’re going to complain about the accommodations, as you can see, you are traveling with the same appointments as the captain.”
“The accommodations are fine, of course,” Durham said. “Captain Perez, I have something to confess to you. I came onto your ship under false pretenses.” He had his PDA in his hand. He activated it and handed it to Perez. “I booked passage on the Chandler with the story that I am headed for vacation on Huckleberry. In fact, I am going somewhere else entirely.”
Perez took the PDA and looked at what was on the screen. “What is this?” she said.
“It’s an official request from the State Department for you to take me to a destination I will give you once you give me back my PDA,” Durham said. “It’s a secure and official request, which is why I’m showing it to you on my PDA rather than just transferring the document to your own PDA. It’s awkward to do it that way but this way you know the orders aren’t forged.”
“You just said ‘orders,’” Perez said. “That’s substantially different than a request.”
“Officially it’s a request, which you are able to refuse,” Durham said. “Unofficially we both know it’s not in your interest to refuse it.”
“Where would I be taking you?”
“To a system that has nothing at all of interest in it, which makes it a good place to have a secret meeting.”
“A secret meeting with whom?”
“That I can’t tell you.”
“Then I can’t let you borrow my ship.”
“That’s not wise.”
“Sending the Chandler to a destination far off our schedule for ‘secret meetings’ isn’t wise, either,” Perez said. “You either tell me what you’re asking me to do, or it won’t get done.”
“And if I tell you?”
“Then it still might not get done,” Perez said. “Because I still have to make a decision. But there is a difference between ‘won’t’ and ‘might.’ So you don’t have a choice.”
“I’m meeting with representatives of the Conclave to—informally—discuss an alliance with them.”
“Seriously,” Perez said, after a moment. “An organization of four hundred alien species, most of whom tried to murder us, and you want to make friends with them.”
Durham sighed. “Captain Perez, I don’t think I actually have to tell you that the Colonial Union is in a deep well of shit at the moment,” he said. “The cargo ships that whoever it is are picking off are just the start. Sooner or later someone is going to go after an established colony. Sooner or later someone is going to go after the Colonial Union itself. We’re vulnerable and becoming more so every day. All they’ll have to do is wait until we’re weak enough to be attacked.”
“And we think joining the Conclave is going to fix this.”
“Not joining,” Durham said. “An alliance. A mutual defense against aggression pact.”
“This after the Colonial Union tried to destroy the Conclave,” Perez said, and noted Durham’s expression. “Yes, we all know about that. About the incident at Roanoke. I run a trade ship, Mr. Durham. You can keep news away from the official channels if you like but trade ships have their own lines of communication. We travel. We talk. We know.”
“Then you know why the meetings have to be secret for the time being,” Durham said. “If this round succeeds then we can do something more public. If it doesn’t then it will never have happened. Another reason, incidentally, to have the Chandler take me to the meeting, and not one of the State Department’s ships.”
“There is a small matter of the cargo we’re carrying,” Perez said. “Gaalfruit and other highly perishable products. We timed our travel to arrive at Huckleberry just before the gaalfruit ripens. If we arrive even a few days late we can’t sell it. Insurance won’t cover the loss if we can’t tell why the cargo didn’t arrive in time.”
“Obviously the Colonial Union Department of State will purchase your cargo.”
“All of it.”
“Yes, and before you ask, yes, at fair market value,” Durham said.
“It’s not just about the cargo,” Perez said. “We have relationships with distributors. We are supposed to pick up new cargo as well. Also agricultural products. Also highly perishable. If we’re not there when we’re supposed to be, they lose out and we damage that relationship.”
“State will cover it all.”
“That’s going to cost a lot of money.”
“Yes, well,” Durham said, and smiled. “The Colonial Union actually creates the money in question, so I don’t think covering your expenses and expectations will be a problem.”
Perez was silent for a moment.
“Is there anything else you would like?” Durham asked. “Would you like me to promise to wash and wax the Chandler after I am done using it?”
“I don’t like this,” Perez said.
“I can understand that,” Durham said. “I do apologize for presenting it to you this way. I am under orders. You can, at least, understand why secrecy is actually important for this mission.”