Chapter 19 #2
Risor sat up straight and nodded. “Yes. I looks.”
Nova gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, then stood up and sprinted after Miran. If this was about the Diniki, then they needed her, even if they didn’t realize it.
She might not know anything about gardening, but she knew a lot about the Diniki!
***
Miran
Command was a hive of activity. There was a warrior at every workstation, and more standing at displays set in the wall. Warik and Nisha were already there standing with Section Commander Belor talking intensely.
He didn’t know how much help he could be, but seeing the startlingly smart Nisha and clever Warik made him feel better. His job was to back up what they came up with, not to suggest a plan of his own.
No sooner did he feel relieved than a small body slammed into his back. Turning, he found Nova picking herself up from the floor.
“You weren’t supposed to stop so suddenly,” she grumbled.
Honestly, he wasn’t surprised she’d followed him. He thought she’d want to stay with the children, but she would also want to help protect them.
“Sorry, I’ll make sure to warn you next time,” he teased, grabbing her in a quick hug before turning them both to join the small group.
Nisha was quick to point at Nova. “You need to talk to her, Section Commander Belor. She was the one who knew what to say to the Diniki. My program only translated her words.”
Section Commander Belor didn’t hesitate to explain the issue.
“The Diniki running Tulsin I are demanding more bribes from us, but every time we try to transfer the credits, they refuse them. They’ve launched their military, and more is on the way.
I don’t want to go to war, but they’re making it impossible to find another way for us to leave. ”
Nova nodded her head. “Tell me exactly what everyone has said so far.”
“I can do better,” a nearby warrior said and pointed to his console. They gathered around, and he queued all the exchanges, flipping through them slowly so Nova had plenty of time to read. Thankfully, they were all in Space Standard.
It was easy to see where the Hissa had gone wrong. It was the same issue Warik and Nisha were having before the Ardent arrived.
The Diniki wanted to be bribed, but it had to be done in a way that wasn’t an obvious bribe.
The Hissa didn’t care about paying people off, but they didn’t want to play political games.
They wanted to transfer credits and be done with it.
The way they spoke to the Dinikis in charge made it impossible for the Dinikis to accept without looking guilty.
They were all bribable, but it was important they didn’t seem like they were being bribed.
“This is really bad,” Nova said after reading the last exchange. “I need to meet with them. Calming them down is going to be a delicate process.”
“No,” Section Commander Belor said without hesitation.
“I can’t risk having you off this ship if we end up at war.
There’s already a plan in place to separate the Assist and have it towed away with a gunship escort while the Ardent holds back the Diniki military. I can’t do that if you’re not here.”
“If you let me go, there won’t be a battle,” she argued.
“Tell us what to say,” Miran said. “Our envoy can handle the Diniki.”
She pointed to the past exchanges between the Ardent and Tulsin I. “Obviously not. Let me meet with them, soothe hurt feelings, and work out an agreement. Then we can all leave safely without any more threats.”
Belor scowled. “I won’t let them capture you. Having you as a hostage would only make this worse.”
Miran agreed. The thought of Nova traveling to meet a group of Diniki, even if she had a squadron of warriors to protect her, made his blood run cold.
“Please, Nova,” he said, taking one of her hands in his. “Don’t ask us to put you in danger.”
She made a frustrated sound. “If you guys go to war, we’ll all be in danger. I’m telling you, I can fix this.”
“You’re not leaving this ship,” Belor said, and Miran could tell that was his final decision. Nova must’ve realized it as well.
“Fine,” she snapped. “Who’s going to meet with the Diniki?”
Belor looked at two nearby warriors Miran recognized. Hisum and Cifon stepped forward.
Hisum spoke first. “Can you tell us what to say and do?”
Nova let out a frustrated breath. “I can try. Because things have gotten so tense, it’s really important that you present yourselves correctly even before you start talking.
If there are three of them standing shoulder to shoulder, you need to stand the same way.
But if there are four of them standing shoulder to shoulder, then one of you should kneel and one of you should keep standing. ”
She kept going, explaining detail after detail of how to meet and greet the Diniki. There was so much that Cifon gave up trying to take notes and simply set his data pad to record her. By the time she was done talking about the greeting, Hisum looked at Belor.
“Perhaps bringing Nova along is a good idea,” he suggested.
Belor looked torn but then shook his head. “No, the risk is too great.”
Nova grumbled something about making the risk worse by being stubborn, but Miran was the only one who heard her. “There’s so much more they need to know. I can’t possibly explain it all before they need to leave.”
Belor’s expression didn’t change. “You’re not leaving this ship. You can monitor them and help remotely."
“The Diniki won’t allow that,” she said, throwing up her hands and stalking out of the room.
Miran went to follow her, but Belor stopped him. “Miran, stay a moment, please.”
“Section Commander?”
Another crew member moved close. “Hisum and Cifon need to leave. The messages from the Diniki are becoming more aggressive."
Belor let out a frustrated breath and looked at the two men. “I know I'm putting you in an untenable position but do your best.”
The men nodded and left command, looking deeply apprehensive. Miran couldn’t blame them. Nova hadn't even gotten past how to greet the Diniki, and it had been a lot of information. How were they going to navigate something more complex?
When the section commander turned to him, he looked apologetic.
“I want you and Nova to stay on the Assist until this is all over,” he said.
Then he looked over to where Warik and Nisha were still standing.
“And you two also. I don’t think this is going to resolve peacefully.
I’ve already begun the procedures to have the Assist disconnected and towed away as fast as possible. ”
“Section Commander Belor, this is a powerful ship but no match for so many other ships,” Warik protested, saying exactly what Miran was thinking.
Belor’s face hardened. “I know, but everyone on this ship is ready to sacrifice their lives for those children.”
Miran hated this. He understood, but he still hated it.
“I’ll find Nova, pack our things, and move to the Assist,” he agreed, then left. Warik and Nisha stayed behind, probably trying to convince the section commander to let Nova join the envoy. If anyone could change Belor’s mind, it would be those two.
He half hoped they were successful, but he felt horribly conflicted. There was no question that she could help, but putting her in a meeting room on a Diniki station was asking for her to be kidnapped.
First he went to the Assist. He wasn’t surprised that she hadn’t returned there. She wouldn’t want the children to see her upset. But then he couldn’t find her in their room, exercise room, or galley.
He couldn't find her anywhere on the ship. He pinged the data pad she’d slipped into the bag she carried everywhere, but it came back out of range.
The only reason that could happen was if she wasn’t on the ship.
A horrible feeling swept over Miran, and he simply knew.
He opened a comms link to command. “Contact the envoy, Nova’s on their ship.”