Part 7 (1/2)
”Slaves, Esperanza. They use slaves.”
That caught the chief of staff off guard. ”I-I didn't know.”
”Well, I did know-you know how I knew? Those jacka.s.ses tried to peddle their kellinite to us on Cestus right after I became governor. I was all set to do it, too-we needed to upgrade our planetary defenses-but we did a little research and found out that they oppressed ninety percent of their society. That's not a typo-ninety percent. Nine out of every ten people on Aligar is owned by one-tenth of the population. What the h.e.l.l is the Federation doing getting involved with these people?”
Esperanza let out a breath through her teeth. This wasn't going to be easy to explain. ”It was war, ma'am, we- ”
The president rolled her eyes. ”Oh, for the love of everything, Esperanza, do not drag out the 'It was war, you civilians can't possibly understand' Starfleet c.r.a.p. I know there was a war on. I was there when it happened, and on top of that, I had a bunch of Gorns decide to blow my capital city into tiny pieces, so kindly don't lecture me about the sacrifices you need to make during wartime.”
Esperanza closed her eyes for a moment. ”I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean- ”
”Yeah, you did, and you know you did-and I don't mind the perspective, it's the att.i.tude I have a problem with. Like you know better than anyone 'cause you were in Starfleet. I think you and I are both pretty cognizant of the fact that there are plenty of screwups we can lay at Starfleet's doorstep.”
”Yes, ma'am.” Esperanza saw no reason to argue-besides, there were bigger fish to fry. ”If we can- ”
But the president hadn't let this out of her teeth yet. ”I understand why we had to deal with the Aligar during the war-desperate times, desperate measures, strange bed-fellows, and whatever other d.a.m.n wartime cliche you want to throw at me-but the war's been over for four years. Is there any compellingly good reason why we should be setting aside our principles now? Or has it just become second nature?”
”No, ma'am,” Esperanza said after a brief pause, ”and I think you should make that argument tomorrow. But, ma'am, there's something else-something more important. Actually, several somethings.”
The president sighed. ”I don't suppose this can wait until after I get back from the moon.”
”No, ma'am.”
President Bacco leaned back in her chair. ”No, of course not, because if it could, you wouldn't have come in here. What is it?”
”Well, first of all, Jas will be giving you a briefing in about half an hour-probably while you're on the shuttle. They've picked up weapons fire in Romulan s.p.a.ce, and they think it's a dustup with some Klingons.”
President Bacco put her head in her hands. ”h.e.l.l and d.a.m.nation. Do we know anything for sure yet?”
”No, ma'am-that's what Jas is supposed to tell us in half an hour.”
”Does it have to do with those refugees we think are heading for Outpost 22?”
”No, ma'am-it's in a completely different sector.”
”Small favors.” The president leaned forward. ”Have someone get in touch with Amba.s.sador Rozhenko on Qo'noS, and have someone else get me a location on Amba.s.sador K'mtok, in case we need to get him here in a hurry. And keep T'Latrek, Mazibuko, and Molmaan around.”
Esperanza understood the need to talk to both Rozhenko and K'mtok-the Federation amba.s.sador to the Klingons and the Klingon amba.s.sador to the Federation, respectively-as well as Councillors T'Latrek and Mazibuko, who represented Vulcan and Earth and were the chair and second chair of the external affairs council. The third councillor the president listed, though, didn't seem to fit. ”Why Molmaan?”
”Zalda's got the unlucky position of being right near the Klingon border and the Romulan border. It's one of the reasons why they were fast-tracked into Federation members.h.i.+p a hundred years ago-they kept having wrecked s.h.i.+ps from both sides crash-land on their planet. So Zalda in general's always kept an eye on both empires, for their own self-interest. And I know that Molmaan has serious opinions on the subject.”
Esperanza smiled. If there was one thing Nan Bacco respected and admired-and liked to make use of-it was people with serious opinons. Then again, Zaldans were never shy with their opinions, serious or otherwise. They had a cultural bias against politeness, which generally meant that Zaldans produced very entertaining politicians. Molmaan fit that mold. It's gonna be an interesting meeting when we all get together....
Then the president looked down at the desk. ”Coffee, black, unsweetened.” A steaming mug materialized on the center of the desk. As she picked it up by the handle, she said, ”Bring Ross in, too.”
”I've already talked to Ross-he's bringing Akaar over from San Francisco.”
”Who?”
”Fleet Admiral Leonard Akaar. He was on site for the arrangement with the Klingons, and he just reported back after the t.i.tan's little trip outside the galaxy.”
”All right, good.”
Esperanza braced herself before saying, ”Also- ”
”There's more?” The president sounded pained.
”You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, ma'am.”
”Remember what I said before about wisea.s.ses?”
”Yes, ma'am.” Esperanza waited until the president took another sip of her coffee. ”I'm not sure about this one. Z4 got a call from Amba.s.sador Emra.”
The president frowned. ”Which one's Emra?”
”The amba.s.sador from Tzenketh.”
At that, President Bacco almost sputtered her coffee. ”From Tzenketh?”
”Yes, ma'am.”
”We have an amba.s.sador from Tzenketh?”
”Yes, ma'am.”
She set her mug down. ”Correct me if I'm wrong, Esperanza, but don't the Tzenkethi hate the Federation and everything it stands for? Didn't they react to our attempts to open trade agreements with them by starting a war? And hasn't every peace overture with them been treated with contempt and loathing on their part toward us?”
”Yes, ma'am.”
”And yet they sent an amba.s.sador.” The president rose, still holding her coffee mug, and started to pace behind the desk, staring out at the view of Paris. ”The things people do baffle the h.e.l.l out of me sometimes. All right, what did this Emra tell Ziff?”
Esperanza smirked. ”You know he hates being called that, right?”
”Wouldn't call him that otherwise,” the president said with a like smirk.
Getting back on track, Esperanza said, ”Well, Emra and Ziff- ” She shook her head. ”He and Z4 have a history from an abortive attempt at opening up trade between Tzenketh and Nasat.”
The president swallowed her coffee before saying derisively, ”I'm sure that went resoundingly well.”
”The thing is-he says that he needs to talk with you. Not with the council, but with you.”
”What about?”
”All the amba.s.sador would say is that it has to do with the Tzelnira.”
That got the president's attention. She whirled around and looked right at Esperanza. ”The Tzelnira?”