The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (e novels to read online TXT) 📗

throw me. But I’m all you got, and I’m gonna lay out your terms of surrender. In the meantime, I want the big chair. Up!”

After Michael threatened to bring in the guards, Poussard moved to the opposite end. Her new chair was almost as big, but Michael appreciated being able to make his point without tearing off into a long speech. He settled into the big chair and pulled out his pipe.

“Good news for me. Poltash grows wild around JaRa.” He took a long drag. “Nothing like fresh.”

He loved their expressions, as if they were being forced to go hungry while watching him eat a steak. Aldo covered his mouth to hold back the laughter.

“All right, then. On to business.” Michael tapped his stream and threw open a series of holowindows. He found the key document and tossed it to the end for Poussard’s viewing.

“Essentially, that’s a list of conditions the Chancellory and the Guard agree to abide by in order to maintain a lasting peace. You don’t have to stamp it now, Admiral. In fact, I recommend you might want to hold off for just a wee bit. Yes?”

Poussard ignored the document. “How dare you? How dare you, Cooper. You were part of this massacre? After everything we did for you. The personal measures I extended to you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Where I grew up, we had a saying. ‘What have you done for me lately?’ So, let’s make a quick rundown of lately. You led me to believe I would have a chance to rescue Sam. You left me and forty other people on Tamarind to die – including Aldo Cabrise. You built a secret jumpgate. You sent ten thousand troops to wipe out seven hundred, most of whom are kids. Oh, and you sent an officer who I kind of admired down to the planet to kidnap hybrid babies, so the Chancellors can restart the Jewel bio-integration research.” He took a puff. “Lately.”

Eyes shifted uneasily toward Poussard. As Michael expected, most were unaware of Nilsson’s mission.

“You have no idea …” She began before Michael cut her off.

“What I’m talking about. Right. That’s always the first thing assholes say when they know they’ve been outed. And about this so-called massacre? You, Angela Poussard, sent ten thousand loyal soldiers to their deaths. We defended ourselves, but apparently you forgot about Supreme Admiral 101: Always know your enemy’s capability before you walk into the middle of a shitstorm.”

Nobody rose to Poussard’s defense. Good. They already knew she was incompetent.

“For the record, Sam is alive, and she and I are going to be very happy on Aeterna. New name, by the way, in case you hadn’t heard. Might want to change the star maps. Also, the hybrids are dead.”

“How do we know for certain?” Poussard asked.

“Well, I stabbed Brother James through his heart with a sword. Then he was turned to ash. Long story, but a reason why you don’t ever want to return here. As for the immortals, they won’t be a threat. They’ll never leave this system. In time, we’ll put the word out to the colonies about the other immortals who were hidden away. If they want to live with us, they’ll be welcome.”

Capt. Forsythe cleared his throat. “Lt. Cooper …”

“Just Michael. I think I resigned my commission when I gave aid and comfort to the enemy.”

“Of course. Michael, what about our soldiers? Their bodies?”

“Yeah. That’s a problem. There aren’t any. I put together a data package that includes CVids of what happened to them. It’s not pretty, and I don’t think the Admiralty would be stupid enough to make it public. But I wanted you to know it wasn’t us, and there were no survivors. How you explain the loss of ten thousand is up to you. Maybe a Fulcrum accident? Whatever works.”

“And Valentin Bouchet?” Poussard asked. “He’s a criminal on par with his brother.”

“He is. This may be the one thing we agree on today. But for now, he’s too important for his people to lose. Once we have stability and secured peace, he might consider other options. Despite what you think of him, Valentin is not his brother. He will do the right thing.”

“Not good enough, Cooper. Not at all.”

“It will have to be for now, Admiral. You have zero leverage, and these aren’t really negotiations.”

Michael realized something else was off about this meeting. One of the Praxis command staff was missing.

“Col. Joseph Doltrice. Where is he?”

Forsythe turned pale. “Col. Doltrice believed his place was among the troops. He was a soldier to his core.”

Michael’s heart chilled. Doltrice paved the way for Michael’s entry into the Guard after protecting him and Sam during the Solomon uprising. He wanted to grieve, but the anger was too strong.

“Joseph was a good man,” he said. “Better than you people deserved. Fuck.” He steadied his emotions and returned to the script. “OK then, let’s go for the bottom line.

“From today forward, the Chancellory, the Unification Guard, and any outfit collaborating with you, are banned from this system. You and your descendants will never return. If you do, we’ll kill you. If you ever develop wormhole travel similar to ours, and you come to this system, we’ll kill you. If you somehow manage to run the Nexus blockade, we’ll kill you.

“Now, about Salvation’s order for the Ark Carriers to remain in the Sol system. I’ll compromise. The Carriers can return to the colonies are under two conditions. One, they receive express permission of the colony’s sovereign governing body. Two, they are civilian-only, and the residents will have no role in colonial politics. The Guard will never return to the colonies. If we hear any report of a military presence, well, let’s just say we have a huge stockpile of those singularity weapons. Beyond that, hey, fair trade puts money in everybody’s pockets. So,