“Which is kept in a corner by the Colonial Union,” Black said. “It’s not going to be any help to us now.”
I sighed. “I can see where this is going to go,” I said. “I asked the Council for its vote, and Jane and I will abide by it. But I beg you, think about it. Don’t let your prejudice of the Obin,” I glanced at Marie Black, “or a feeling of patriotism blind you to the fact that we are now in a war, and we are at the front line—and we have no support from home. We are on our own. We need to consider what we have to do to survive, because no one else is looking out for us.”
“You’ve never been this bleak before, Perry,” said Marta Piro.
“I don’t think things have been this bleak before,” I said. “All right then. Let’s vote.”
I voted to secede. Jane abstained; it was our tradition to only cast one vote between us. Every other member of the Council voted to stay in the Colonial Union.
Technically speaking, mine was the only vote that counted. Of course, technically speaking, by voting to leave the Colonial Union, I had just voted for treason. So maybe everyone else was doing me a favor.
“We’re a colony,” I said. “Still.” Smiles broke out across the table.
“Now what do we do?” Marie Black asked.
“I’m thinking,” I said. “Believe me, I’m thinking.”
Bonita was a planet that lived up to its name, a lovely place with abundant wildlife with just the right genetic components for human consumption. Bonita had been settled fifteen years earlier; still a young colony, but established enough to have its own personality. Bonita was attacked by the Dtrutz, a species of more ambition than brains. This is one encounter that went decisively for the Colonial Union; the trio of CDF cruisers over Bonita made short work of the Dtrutz invading force, picking off their poorly designed ships first during the initial attack and then in a more leisurely fashion as the Dtrutz ships attempted to reach skip distance before the CDF rail gun projectiles reached the Dtrutz ships. The Dtrutz were not at all successful in this endeavor.
What made the Dtrutz attack notable was not its complete incompetence but the fact that the Dtrutz were not a Conclave species; like the Colonial Union, they were unaffiliated. The Dtrutz were under the same ban on colonization as the Colonial Union. They attacked anyway. They knew—as did an increasing number of races—that the Colonial Union was locked in a wide struggle with elements of the Conclave, and that meant the possibility of peeling away some of the lesser human colonies while the CDF was otherwise occupied. The Colonial Union was wounded and shedding blood in the water, and the lesser fish were coming up from the depths to get a taste.
“We’ve come for your daughter,” Hickory said to me.
“I beg your pardon,” I said. Despite everything, I couldn’t resist the urge to crack a grin.
“Our government has determined that it is inevitable that Roanoke will be attacked and destroyed,” Hickory said.
“Swell,” I said.
“Dickory and I both regret this eventuality,” Hickory said, leaning forward slightly for emphasis. “And our inability to assist you in preventing this.”
“Well, thanks,” I said, hoping it didn’t sound too insincere.
Apparently, it did not. “We are not allowed to interfere or offer aid, but we have decided that it is acceptable to remove Zo? from danger,” Hickory continued. “We’ve requested a transport ship for her and for us; it is on its way. We wanted to let you know of these plans because she is your daughter, and because we have also secured permission to transport you and Jane if you wish.”
“So the three of us can escape from this mess,” I said. Hickory nodded. “What about everyone else?”
“We have no permission to accommodate others,” Hickory said.
“But does no permission mean you can’t accommodate others?” I asked. “If Zo? wants to take her best friend Gretchen, are you going to tell her no? And do you think Zo? is going to leave if Jane and I stay?”
“Do you plan to stay?” Hickory asked.
“Of course we do,” I said.
“You will die,” Hickory said.
“We might,” I said, “although I’m working to avoid that right now. But regardless, Roanoke is where we belong. We’re not leaving, and I suspect you’ll have a difficult time convincing Zo? to leave without us, or without her friends.”
“She would leave if you told her to,” Hickory said.
I smiled, reached on my desk to key my PDA, and sent a message to Zo? to meet me immediately in my office. She arrived a few minutes later.
“Hickory and Dickory want you to leave Roanoke,” I said.
“Are you and Mom coming?” Zo? asked.
“No,” I said.
“Then the hell with that,” Zo? said, looking directly at Hickory as she said so.
I held my hands open in supplication to Hickory. “Told you,” I said.
“You didn’t tell her to come away,” Hickory said.