Part 26 (1/2)
There were exclamations of surprise and awe. n.o.body asked questions, but Tarlac could feel their intense curiosity, and decided it would do no harm to satisfy it. ”This dimension is to hypers.p.a.ce as that is to norms.p.a.ce; it allows speeds roughly two hundred times as fast as hyperflight.”
”Leyar's Dimension?” Arjen asked.
”Yes. He has the beginnings of the theory worked out, but it'll be awhile yet before it'll be of any practical use.” Tarlac did not say that it would be a long while. Unlike Nannstein's theory of gravitics, which had led directly to hyperdrive, ultras.p.a.ce theory held no clues to its practical applications; it would be several centuries before those were worked out. ”Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to brief the First Speaker and Supreme.”
”Of course, Lord. They and Team-Leader Hovan are in s.h.i.+p-Captain Exvani's quarters, and mine have been prepared for you.”
And you don't regret the loss of privacy a bit, Tarlac thought, amused.
”Thanks, Fleet-Captain. I'll be back here for out-transition; even with the cease-fire, I don't think the defense satellites would be willing to let you by without my authorization.”
”As they should not,” Arjen said approvingly. ”Individually, Lord, human fighters leave much to be desired--but in groups they equal us, and they are far more numerous.”
”That's why those who went before moved you instead of us, remember?”
Tarlac was delighted to be able to speak so openly, even jokingly, of facts the Traiti race now accepted.
”Yes, Lord.” Arjen couldn't help smiling. There was something about this Lord who had been a Ranger, something that put him at ease rather than keeping him at the distance the other Lords inspired. Perhaps it was the man's youth, or his small size, but whatever it was, Arjen liked Lord Esteban.
Tarlac sensed that and smiled as he left the control central. If the Traiti saw Kranath as a father figure, and the other ten Lords as n'ruchaya, sharing that parenthood with the Supreme Lord, but saw Tarlac as the ”youngling” of the Circle, that was fine with him. He'd had all the isolation and deference his Imperial rank demanded for fifteen years, and he thought he'd prefer to spend the next few millennia with the easy warmth he sensed from Arjen, from Ch'kara--and in fact from all the Traiti.
When the Hermnaen out-transitioned, it was a cautious hundred and fifty thousand kilometers from Terra, and Tarlac was satisfied that he'd briefed the three who would accompany him to the Palace as well as he could without actually telling them what to do.
He was in the control central again, at the communications console.
Activating the screen, he tuned to the Imperial guard channel. ”Fleet Headquarters, this is Ranger Tarlac.”
The reply was prompt. ”This is Headquarters, Ranger. You are cleared to land at the Palace field at your convenience. All other traffic has been diverted, since your pilot can't be familiar with our landing conventions. The landing beacon is on, and please report pa.s.sing Defsat Five. Do you copy?”
”Roger, I copy, and thank you. Tarlac out.”
”Headquarters out.”
Tarlac looked over at the Master Pilot. ”It's all yours. Take us down.”
”Aye, Lord.”
Watching critically, Tarlac had to admit there was very little difference in efficiency between the crews at the Hermnaen's control central and on the Empress Lindner's bridge. If the Hermnaen's seemed to have a bit of an edge at present, it was understandable; the Lindner's would have made as good a showing, taking a Traiti VIP to Homeworld.
They pa.s.sed Defsat Five half a dozen kilometers out, Tarlac making the necessary call to confirm their landing clearance. Then the pilot took them down, slowly and precisely, following the beacon.
Tarlac took nostalgic pleasure in what he knew would be his last s.h.i.+p-descent. This view had always been a favorite of his: the clear, windless sight of the sun reflecting off Antarctic snowfields. A dark speck appeared at the foot of the Sentinel Mountains, the modified defense screen that protected the Imperial Palace and a circle fifty kilometers around it from the harsh environment. The speck grew, beginning to show detail. The Palace itself was a good four kilometers square, the largest single building ever constructed by humans, combining elements from all of Terra's cultures in a feat of engineering made possible by Nannstein's genius. Tarlac thought it was magnificent, and it was virtually a self-contained city. Gardens and parkland surrounded it for ten kilometers, with administrative and residential areas beyond that, also carefully landscaped.
Once those details became visible, it was only moments until the Hermnaen set down on the Palace's landing field, which was big enough to serve a system capital and as well fortified as a planetary defense base. Even the Emperor's private landing pad near the Palace wall could be covered by a heavy disruptor cannon. The Hermnaen, here, was as vulnerable as the Lindner had been when she was englobed by Arjen's fleet.
As he had arranged, Tarlac met the other three at the main entry ramp.
The coming encounters wouldn't be easy for them; they simply had no experience in coping with other cultures. He could sense their apprehension, their carefully-fostered self-confidence, as the hatch cycled open and the ramp extended. ”Take it easy,” he said softly.
”You'll do fine.”
The Supreme smiled at him. ”We will do our best, Lord.”
”I know.” Tarlac, accustomed to the imposingly ma.s.sive beings, still found them impressive. To anyone else on Terra, the effect would be even greater. And the Traiti were dressed for the occasion. Hovan was in uniform, armed with dagger, shortsword, and gun, everything but his blast-rifle; the First Speaker wore the bright green robe of her office; and the Supreme, in honor of the new Lord, wore Ch'kara-style blue trousers and silvery open s.h.i.+rt, with, naturally, his dagger.