Rise of the Federation: Live by the Code by Christopher L. Bennett Read Free Book Online

Empire.” Her phrasing reminded Archer of the small mercy that, as yet, neither Federation nor Empire had grown far enough in the other’s direction for their territories to abut. “And we’ve already got a sizeable chunk of the Guard devoted to the Alrond operation and the Ware task force. On which point, any chance Captain Reed will be bringing them home soon?”
    “Admiral Shran’s the one to ask,” Archer said. “But last I heard from Pioneer , they were still searching for the originators of the Ware.”
    “We may have to consider calling them back if the Klingon situation erupts. I’ll notify Shran to be ready.”
    “Of course, Commissioner,” Archer said, though he felt she was being premature. “Meanwhile, where do we stand on Alrond? Is the Council any closer to approving intervention?”
    “Still deliberating, I’m afraid.”
    “What is there to deliberate?” Archer wondered. “The Keepers of the Throne are insane. They’re murdering Alrondian citizens just for being Arkenites. What’s more, this morning an Ar konian diplomat on Alrond was attacked by some fanatic who apparently couldn’t spell! I’ve been busy all day trying to convince the Arkonian ambassador that the Federation hasn’t declared war on them!”
    “Jon . . .”
    “Something has to be done about these fanatics before it gets any worse! Governor Lecheb sure isn’t gonna rein them in. She’s bending over backward to appease them rather than risk being deposed.” Lecheb sh’Makesh’s faction had always been the most extreme of the separatist groups that had rebelled against their respective worlds’ formation of the United Federation of Planets four years before. The governor of the Alrond colony neighboring Andoria, Lecheb had refused to recognize the Federation and had declared herself leader of the Andorian Empire in exile. She’d lacked enough ships to back up her rhetoric with force, so the Andorians had tolerated the situation for two years. But recently, Lecheb’s extremenationalist rhetoric had provoked an even more radical splinter faction, the Keepers of the Throne, to begin attacking Alrond’s sizeable Arkenite population in retaliation for Arken II’s recent admission to the Federation—even though the Alrondian Arkenites were Andorian citizens by birth and culture, and thus had already been Federation members. Even Governor Lecheb had initially attempted to rein in the Keepers’ excesses, but once it became evident that they sought her overthrow as well, she had begun playing along with their demands, falling silent on the Arkenite killings and endorsing not only the expulsion of the Federation from Andoria but the restoration of the monarchy and clan-based rule.
    “Admiral.” The commissioner’s sharper tone got through to him. “You’re exaggerating the risk. Even the Lechebists are shocked by how far the Keepers have gone. Councillor sh’Rothress assures me she’s close to persuading Lecheb to denounce the Keeper movement and accede to a Starfleet peacekeeping force on Alr ond. But if we go in without her blessing, it’ll just shift the Lechebists’ sentiments further toward the Keepers’ extremes.”
    “Meanwhile, innocent people are being beaten and killed by the day. Federation citizens!” He took a deep breath, gathering himself. “I’m sorry, Commissioner. I just hoped we were beyond this. We’ve spent the past two years trying to hold the Federation together against forces trying to tear it apart from the inside. After the election, and the defeat of V’Las on Vulcan, I’d hoped we’d finally put an end to all this.”
    “And we nearly have. The very insanity of the Keepers’ actions is proof of their irrelevancy. They know the end of their era is at hand, and they’re lashing out against the inevitable. And their violence is so hideous that they’ve alienated everyone who might have stood with them—including Lecheb, once she finally admits that this kind of