27 Pillow Talk #2
I felt the need to step in. “I’m afraid I cannot accept that. The Royal Commonwealth currently hosts the League Diet in exile. The governments of dozens of independent systems are in our care. I cannot let you two disregard them so completely.”
Astrid glanced at me, annoyed. “I will not restore territory to nations which have not fielded troops against me in almost a decade. The Royal Commonwealth still resists, and so you may negotiate with me. I won’t hear from governments whose nations have ceased to exist.”
“We have many foreign legions, composed of volunteers from the occupied territories—” I began, but Astrid cut me off.
“Brigades at best, the honor guards of defunct royal courts, scarcely worth mentioning. My mind is not changed.”
“Stelsylvania still holds territory which was once theirs,” I reminded her.
Astrid tried to dismiss the argument. “They only remain due to the Commonwealth’s reinforcements.”
“Several other League nations also received Royal armies, and the Empire overran them entirely. Stelsylvania’s soldiers fought well. They still fight on their territory.”
The Emperor did not look pleased, but she did nod her head. “We will consider how much Stelsylvanian territory we will restore, in honor of their spirited defense.”
“Does that agreement extend to the other League nations which still hold unconquered territory?” I asked.
The Emperor’s frustration grew. “That depends on the nation in question. I will consider it. The sacrifice will not be great, as I know there are precious few League nations still defending any of their worlds, but for nations which have entirely fallen, especially those with no active foreign legion in Commonwealth service, there shall be no restoration of territory, nor reparation for losses in war. Honestly though, Levar, I would have expected you to negotiate for occupied Commonwealth territory before concerning yourself about minor allies within the League.”
The Emperor’s words hit me like a hammer. “Commonwealth territory? What do you mean?”
Astrid looked like a teacher patiently explaining a simple concept to a particularly thick student. “How many occupied worlds do you expect the Empire to give back to the Royal Commonwealth?”
“Well, all of them,” I replied. “A return to the status quo ante bellum.”
Lady d’Lyre was the one who laughed derisively. Astrid just looked at me sadly, sympathetic, but disappointed.
“You can’t expect the Emperor to give back everything she’s taken without giving her something in return,” Bridgette said between chortles.
“She’s already gained plenty of territory in the former League and Despotate.” I turned to Astrid. “Surely, you can give my nation back its stars. You can’t deny we haven’t fought hard for them.”
“And you cannot deny we conquered those star systems,” the Emperor replied.
“You know how things are. I cannot return everything I have taken without compensation. However, as you say, your armies have fought well. Many worlds in former Commonwealth territory are in flux. I could easily withdraw from our salient, returning contested planets and systems as a strategic necessity, but that will still leave me with a fine border strip of systems to annex. Surely, that’s an acceptable compromise. ”
I drew myself up. “I have already compromised considerably. The Royal Commonwealth’s stance, the official stance of the Alliance,” I said, giving Bridgette a sidelong glance, “is to push for the status quo ante bellum for all parties. Obviously, if the Despotate committed such a heinous crime, then exceptions must be made. I could agree to a demilitarized zone along the border, but it would have to be within Commonwealth economic control. I have to return with something to show for my diplomatic efforts, after all.”
Astrid kept her gaze firm. “You’ll return with your nation’s salvation. You still have your government, your Queen, your core worlds and Fallspace colonies.”
“Actually,” Lady d’Lyre cut in, “I wanted to talk to you about those colonies.”
Astrid did not speak, but indicated with a gesture that Lady d’Lyre should continue. I remained quiet, not certain what the Federation senator was up to, but I experienced a sense of foreboding in the pit of my stomach.
“The Royal Commonwealth’s military has been drained by the war.
To free troops to fight you, Emperor, they have moved colonial forces to the front line, transferring the responsibility for managing and policing their colonies to the Noble Federation’s armed forces.
It is the Senate’s opinion that the Royal Commonwealth has abandoned its responsibilities to these colonies, and thus they should be transferred to the Noble Federation for further protection and development. ”
D’Lyre’s suggestion paralyzed my lungs mid-breath.
The Federation, take over our colonies? The Royal Commonwealth had spent centuries exploring Fallspace, finding terraformed worlds which survived the Fall intact, though depopulated.
We’d expended considerable treasure, effort, and lives clearing them of dangerous pre-Fall weaponry, resettling them, and restoring them to the galactic community.
The Noble Federation had never shown interest in developing Fallspace, but now that the region was profitable, the Federation nobles felt they had some claim to those worlds? It was incomprehensible.
Astrid, for her part, looked confused. “That’s a matter for the Noble Federation and the Royal Commonwealth to discuss. The Empire has no say in affairs between Allies.”
Bridgette turned to me. If she had smiled like a cat with its prey before, now she looked like the kitty who had just eaten a tasty meal. “What do you say? You don’t mind if we take those troublesome colonies off your hands, do you, Levar?”
“You colossal bitch.”
The words were out of my mouth before my brain had time to think, but I had no particular desire to take them back.
“Oh, don’t be that way. Surely, you must admit the Federation deserves reparation for the services we rendered the Commonwealth during the war?
” Lady d’Lyre fell back on her pout. It was her primary tactic, and she did it magnificently, but that was the problem with constantly using one tactic. Your foes learned to counter it.
“We’ve already paid for your so-called services.
We bought your mass-produced lancers, magma shells, zeroblades, and shields with the gold in our treasury.
We paid for our alliance with the blood of our soldiers, with the soil of our worlds.
We are bankrupt and bloodied paying for your services, and had the Royal Commonwealth not paid the extortionary price you demanded, Imperial troops would be burning your Senate right now. ”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lady d’Lyre said with a laugh. “The Senate would never let that happen.”
“Really,” I replied. “May I remind you of your nation’s history with regards to war with mine?”
Lady d’Lyre placed one finger on her lower lip, pretending to think about it. “You know, I did learn about how we cast off Royal tyranny to establish a free nation, then defended ourselves against your attempts to reconquer us.”
“You defeated us once, when your nobles decided your profit margins would improve if you no longer participated in the Royal government which terraformed your worlds and paid for your infrastructure. Since then, the Noble Federation has instigated three wars with the Royal Commonwealth, attempting to steal more valuable star systems to add to your empire of greed. Three times you tried, and three times you failed. Do your edited and biased history texts teach how the last of those wars ended?” I asked.
To my satisfaction, Lady d’Lyre looked slightly unsettled by my trip into the past, but she tried to bully her way past it. “The dishonorable tricks of your forefathers are not pertinent to today’s discussions.”
“We burned your capital,” I said, relishing every syllable.
“We conquered your homeworld and razed your Senate building to the ground, after which you nobles decided to stop antagonizing the Royal Commonwealth and focused on beating up weak, under-developed stellar nations on your other borders instead. If you could not stop us from burning your capital over a minor colonial skirmish, what would have stopped the Empire’s war machine from doing so had the Commonwealth not held them at bay?
” I leaned towards her. “What would stop us from doing it again if you insist on annexing our colonies?”
Instantly, I knew I’d made a tactical error. The discomfort left d’Lyre’s eyes, and she slithered back into control.
Lady d’Lyre pressed herself sinuously against me, tenderly wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
“Oh, sweet Captain, maybe ten years ago your threat would have held some sway, but today your armies are shattered. You can hardly delay the Imperial war machine. How do you expect to launch an invasion of Federation space with a broken, strung-out military? The Federation’s armies are fresh, well-equipped, and ready to defend our freedom. ”
I gritted my teeth. “Your troops are fresh because you let your allies do all the nasty work for you.”
Lady d’Lyre giggled and pushed me bodily against the soft surface of the Emperor’s bed to speak softly into my ear. “But of course. You see how well it works out for us.”
I pushed her back. “You miscalculate. Your troops are fresh, but inexperienced. Ours are battle-hardened.”
“Your troops are weary, and few in number. We would destroy you with numbers alone.” Shifting, Lady d’Lyre straddled my hips, gently pinning my wrists beside my head, grinding herself against me in an attempt to distract me, to get a rise out of me.
“Be honest with yourself, Captain. The Royal Commonwealth will agree to these terms because you have no other option. We have you exactly where we want you – pinned beneath us, unable to fight back, and begging us for more.”