Fleet Action by William R. Forstchen Read Free Book Online Page B

been applied to our continued peaceful expansion into the universe.
    "Admiral Tolwyn claims that the tide was starting to turn. I don't think so. We have become like two wrestlers of equal strength, locked in a hold neither can use to bring his opponent down, and yet unable to break the hold of his opponent. How much longer must this go on? Another thirty years, another generation dead and still no end in sight, until finally, one day we'll have bombed and burned and stabbed each other back into the stone age?"
    "Baron Jukaga has offered a way out, to simply stop the killing. It is just that simple. We simply agree to stop. I know you in the military don't like this; you're thinking of all your comrades who have died and now you wonder for what? I'll tell you that they did die for something. It wasn't victory, since that is impossible, but they did prevent defeat. To call for the war to continue now with the argument that the sacrifice had to mean something is simply to ask for the pouring of yet more blood on the graves of those who do not want it."
    He hesitated for a moment.
    "I do not want my grandchildren to die the way my daughter has. I think she would want them to live, to grow up without fear and live in peace."
    "They'll die, only it'll be worse. At least your daughter died fighting, your grandchildren will die having their throats cut for the Sivar, the way my people died," Rikik cried, her voice shrill.
    "I think that's out of order and insensitive," an aide sitting behind Rodham snapped angrily.
    "One can't worry about being sensitive when the issue is the survival of a nation or of an entire race," Rikik said in reply. "I'm sick to death of the word sensitivity when it is a mask for those who wish to advance their own cause at the expense of others. If the Confederation is foolish enough to take this deal, then I will take the Firekka out of the Confederation.
    "And who will protect you then?" Jamison replied sarcastically.
    "You did a damn poor job of protecting us when the Kilrathi hit us last time, your fleet withdrawing 'out of strategic necessity,' I think you called it. It couldn't be any worse on our own, and I'll tell you this, there'll be more than one frontier colonial world that will go with us. You don't even see members of the Landreich worlds or the Grovsner colonies here, since they want no part of this peace."
    "That's treason," Jamison sputtered, "and if the colonial worlds violate the armistice they will be disciplined.
    "No, its survival and mark my words, there'll come a day when you will choke on the papers you plan to sign here this day. And as for disciplining the colonial worlds, just try it," Rikik said with a cold laugh.
    She looked around the room, more than one of the military personnel looking at her and nodding. Without another word she drew back from the table and stalked from the room, followed by her one aide.
    "Old K'Kai sure has taught her niece well," Hunter whispered, waving a slight greeting to his Firekka comrade as she followed her niece out of the room.
    There was a moment of uneasy silence.
    "I think that continued debate on this subject will only serve to cause more animosity and outbreaks," Rodham finally said. "I thank all of you for your input over the last two days regarding this issue.
    "Here it comes, Ian whispered.
    "I plan to sign the articles of the armistice within the hour and with it establish a bilateral peace commission to work towards a permanent treaty between the Terran Confederation and the Kilrathi Empire. You are invited to join me if you wish. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen."
    Rodham stood up and walked out of the room, followed by the civilians and staff.
    "Damn them to hell!"
    Jason looked over at Admiral Banbridge who flung his memo computer down on the table and stormed out of the room through the opposite door.
    Tolwyn turned and looked back at Ian.
    "Well, your Firekka friends sure played a damn fine scene," he said with a grin.
    "Think they'd