“I made them aware that every action has a consequence,” Szilard said. “And in the fullness of their consideration they preferred the consequences of allowing you to return to Roanoke as opposed to the consequences of keeping you here. Ultimately it was all the same to them. They think you’re going to die if you go back to Roanoke.”
“I don’t know that I blame them,” I said.
“You could very well die,” Szilard said. “But as I said, you have certain advantages. One of them is your relationship to the Obin. Another is your wife. Between them you might manage to help Roanoke survive, and you with it.”
“But we’re back to the problem,” I said. “The way you tell it, the Colonial Union needs Roanoke to die. By helping me to save Roanoke, you’re working against the Colonial Union, General. You’re a traitor.”
“That’s my problem, not yours,” Szilard said. “I’m not worried about being branded a traitor. I’m worried about what happens if Roanoke falls.”
“If Roanoke falls, the Colonial Union gets its soldiers,” I said.
“And then it will go to war with most of the races in this part of space,” Szilard said. “And it will lose. And in losing, humanity will be wiped out. All of it, from Roanoke all the way up. Even Earth will die, Perry. It will be wiped out and the billions there will have no idea why they’re dying. Nothing will be saved. Humanity is on the brink of genocide. And it’s a genocide we will have inflicted on ourselves. Unless you can stop it. Unless you can save Roanoke.”
“I don’t know if I can do that,” I said. “Just before I came here, Roanoke was attacked. Just five missiles, but it took everything we had to keep them from wiping us out. If a whole group of Conclave races wants to grind us into dirt I don’t know how we can stop them.”
“You need to find a way,” Szilard said.
“You’re a general,” I said. “You do it.”
“I am doing it,” Szilard said. “By giving the responsibility to you. I can’t do any more than that without losing my place in the Colonial Union hierarchy. And then I would be powerless. I’ve been doing what I can since this insane plan to attack the Conclave was formed. I used you as long as I could without letting you know, but we’re beyond that now. Now you know. It’s your job to save humanity, Perry.”
“No pressure there,” I said.
“You did it for years,” Szilard said. “Don’t you remember what they told you the job of Colonial Defense Forces was? ‘To keep a place for humanity among the stars.’ You did it then. You need to do it now.”
“Then it was me and every other member of the CDF,” I said. “The responsibility is a little more focused now.”
“Then let me help,” Szilard said. “Again, and for the last time. My intelligence corps has told me that General Gau is going to be assassinated by a member of his own circle of advisers. Someone he trusts; indeed, someone he loves. This assassination will happen within the month. We have no other information. We have no way of informing General Gau of the assassination attempt, and even if we had a way, there’s no way we could inform him, and no chance he would accept the information as genuine even if we could. If Gau dies, then all the Conclave will reform around Nerbros Eser, who plans to destroy the Colonial Union. If Nerbros Eser takes power, it’s all over. The Colonial Union will fall. Humanity dies.”
“What am I supposed to do with this information?” I asked.
“Find a way to use it,” Szilard said. “And find it fast. And then be ready for everything that happens afterward. And one other thing, Perry. Tell Sagan that while I don’t apologize for enhancing her abilities, I do regret the necessity. Let her also know that I suspect she has not yet explored the full range of her capabilities. Tell her that her BrainPal offers the complete range of command functions. Use those words, please.”
“What does ‘complete range of command functions’ mean here?” I asked.
“Sagan can explain it to you if she likes,” Szilard said. He reached over to the dash, pressed a button. Phoenix and Phoenix Station reappeared in the windows.
“Now,” Szilard said. “Time to get you back to Roanoke, Administrator Perry. You’ve been gone too long, and you have much to do. Time to get to it, I’d say.”
THIRTEEN