With Carl waving, Boris lifted the veritech off the ground, transformed to fighter mode, and took off, low and fast. Sharin looked around the cockpit.
"Much more complex than even most human designs." She said. He called back over the intercom.
"It's easier than it looks-- most of the controls are only really used in one mode-- but you still have to have enough controls to handle the fighter in all three modes."
"Interesting… as the price for peace, should I ask for them?"
"Heh-- only if you want to see admirals have heart attacks-- Only the RDF gets these." Sharin nodded at his comment, forgetting that he couldn't see her.
"who are these 'folks', you are going to stash me with."
"My parents."
"Wont' that put them in danger?"
"Nah-- Dad's retired military and head of the civil defense at Virginia city-- which is just about forty minutes as the veritech flies from Macross." He stopped and the continued, "It's never been hit by raiders, but Dad keeps them practicing."
"Wise." She said. Boris consulting the flight plan, chuckled.
"What?"
"Oh, the call sign Carl gave this flight. LVBRD-S" Boris laughed again. Sharin didn't say anything, but looked below at the waste land. North America had been a high priority target, and it showed. Vast expanses of craters and dusty earth were intermixed with the occasional patch of green, some obviously human tended, and others spontaneous. Boris was also looking at it.
"It'll be years before its fertile…and probably never be like I remember," He said, "Not enough people-- in fact, it might start to look like it did before the Europeans came to it."
"What did it look like back then?" Sharin asked. "Did you like it better?"
"Did I- Oh, no, that was centuries before my time… Do I look that old?" Sharin didn't dignify that with a comment. Boris grinned, she was getting better at reading humans.
Finally, they started closing in on the town. Boris had acknowledged several radio challenges, but now an unnerving "Queep, Queep, Queep." Sound came from the threat board. Sharin looked at the indicators and tried to read them, then shot up right in her seat.
"We're being scanned by fire control systems…" She said tensely. Boris waved one hand.
"Don't worry-- like I said, Dad keeps them practicing." He keyed the mike. "Virginia City Air command, this is LVBRD-S, on registered flight path…you want to turn off the fire control radars-- you're making some people a little nervous up here."
"Negative-- wait for the flyby." Another indicator went red as a airborne radar locked them up, and suddenly two atmospheric fighters pulled up on each side, looking at them before waggling their wings and peeling off.
"Identity confirmed, LVBRD-S… welcome, and your landing strip is Strip #2." A grin entered the controllers voice, "The Admiral is waiting for you…"
"Carl you SOB…" Boris said, "You told Dad!"
"If your f-father is a command officer, he very likely knew of your missing status…wouldn't it be better to tell him immediately so he could calm himself?" Sharin said reasonably.
"yeah…you're right."
Landing was completely uneventful, as Boris taxied the aircraft to the visitors hanger. There were several ground crewmen there, as well as some tending the rest of the mecha in the hanger. Sharin saw some tanks (generally of little use against battlepods), some of the mecha humans called gladiators, and -how did they get that-- a Glaug with a modified cockpit. She mentioned that to Boris, and the pilot chuckled.
"Dad has connections… and he's a pack rat-- not a single mecha here started life in one piece…"
"Why isn't he active duty?"
"He… ran into some political difficulties and decided to retire… it was getting to where he was the issue, not the debate he was part of."
"Ah."
"In fact, there he is!" Boris said, pointing at a tall, broad figure waiting for them at the rear of the hanger. He was Boris writ large, Sharin noted, with much the same look, only older…and larger. A cane was in one hand, and he seemed to favor his right leg.
"He was injured?"
"Yeah-- everyone else was under cover but he'd gone out to get some more people in when the first bombardment hit-- a structural beam landed on him and pinched his leg good." He popped the canopy, "Let's go meet dad!" Boris scrambled down, with Sharin following more sedately. Boris didn't notice immediately, but Sharin's face was more closed than it had been for some time. Retired or not, this was a human commander…
"Boris!" The admiral wasn't going to stand on ceremony here, Sharon noted, as he swept his son into a hug. Sharin felt embarresed and looked over the rest of the hanger until the father noted her.
"And who is this? The information I was able to get was…light, only that there had been an accident and you were missing."
"ah…father, this is Fleet Commander Sharin-- Sharin, this is my father Admiral Piotr Vakowsky."
"Fleet commander…zentraedi?" He asked curiously. Sharin understood-- wearing the clothes she did, she probably didn't appear to be overly zentraedi in appearance.
"Yes." She said, "I am on a…diplomatic mission to the UEG council."
"Ah.." He said, noncommittally. Boris looked at his father.
"Father, I need Sharin to stay at home… until we can go to Macross city and set up a meeting." There was a load of unsaid words in that, Piotr noted-- why should they have to 'set up a meeting' if Sharin was expected? More importantly, if they had vanished, why come here? That could be said later.
"Very well…I am certain your mother would be happy…to have such a guest." Boris looked nervous at that, but turned to Sharin.
"Sharin-- this is a safe place for now-- but I want as much security as possible in Macross… could you stay here?"
"Certainly, Boris…" Sharin said. Piotr noted the odd look that passed between the two of them. Oh ho…
They quickly drove to Piotr's house, a complex of buildings on the outskirts of the small town. Sharin noted the playground and the large number of smaller children running back and forth.
"These are yours?" She said, looking in surprise. Micronians had kids, but in such numbers?
"No." Piotr said, "There were many homeless children after the bombardment-- those with enough warning sent their children out of the cities…but could not follow them." He sighed, "It is another reason I remained retired-- Even an ex-admiral has enough clout to obtain the proper support for these children." As they got out of the car, the younger children gave a scream of delight and headed straight for Boris.
"Uncle Boris!" They shouted, as Boris laughed and swept the youngest one into his arms and onto his shoulders.
"And how are you doing today?" He said,
"Fine!" Came the chorus back. One child looked up.
"Are we going to play ball today?"
"Maybe…" Boris said, "But I'm still at work-- I just stopped by to drop off a friend." He said, indicating Sharin.
"Is she your girlfriend?"
"Wife?"
"I know! She's a secret Zentraedi agent!"
"Silly!" One child walked up to Sharin and asked,
"Who are you?"
"Fl- Sharin" Sharin said,
"Are you a zentraedi?" Another child, about 8 asked.
"Yes." Sharin said, truthfully. Suddenly there was a little bubble of silence around her, with large numbers of eyes peeping out from behind and around Boris and Piotr.
"Are you going to… attack?" One girl asked, real fear in her voice.
Of course there would be real fear there, Sharin. A voice spoke in her head, We destroyed their world…and besides, aren't people supposed to be afraid of the mighty zentraedi? Sharin shook her head and got down on one knee, a tactic that calmed micronians. Of course, the effect was even more impressive now that she was micronized-- some of the children were taller than she was, kneeling.
"No." She said, "I'm here to…talk with your leaders and try to insure that there are no attacks, from anyone." She paused, "I'm here to make peace." The children looked at her dubiously, but the bubble was a little less silent as they trudged up the walkway. There were older kids, playing, or taking care of younger ones. Sharin estimated that there had to be at least a hundred, and some of the gazes she got were fearful and/or unfriendly. Evidently the news of her race had spread. At the door, there was a tall rawboned woman, the same age as Piotr. Obviously Boris's mother, and once again, someone who Sharin had to look up to. She hugged, Boris, kissed her husband and than looked down at Sharin after the introductions had been made.
"This is Ludmilla, Sharin, My mother. Mother, Fleet commander Sharin-- she's here on a diplomatic mission."
"And for that she comes here, instead of Macross? There is something you are not telling me." His mother said, looking amused, "Sharin are you hungry and do you play Kickball?" Sharin blinked.
"Mother… Sharin should be staying for a day, maybe more…but Dad and I have to go, quickly." Boris said. Piotr nodded.
"Especially since Carl is probably in the brig right now." Boris smiled at that, than turned to Sharin.
"Mother'll take care of you, Sharin." Sharin looked at him, and back to his mother and the kids, then turned back and gave an uncertain smile.
"I… am certain of that, Lieutenant." She said formally, than shook his hand. However, the handshake lingered, a fact that neither Piotr nor Ludmilla missed.
"And how long will you be here?" She asked.
"I don't know." Sharin replied honestly. "If you have a couch, I can-"
"Couch? Couch? For a guest? Impossible! Come with me!" She said, leading Sharin into the building. Boris and Piotr looked at each other,
"Ready?"
"Yes..dad, you know I may get court-martialed over this…"
"Every officer needs to be court-martialed once-- it's a salutary experience." His father said, philosophically.
The trip back to the base was quiet-- not until the trainer was in the air and flying to Macross, did his father speak.
"She seems to be an unusual Zentraedi…"
"She is…she's… bright, brave, pretty…"
"Those are all common traits among commanders…I was talking about her personality…is it me or is she attracted to you…"
Oh dear…the grandson speech. Boris thought,
"Well… I don't know." He paused. "She seems to be…troubled. But it's not all just the attraction thing. She's worried about what will happen to her…to all the zentraedi if they give up their culture."
"Not surprising… many are."
"Well, she's a commander, so I guess she has a longer view-- though I ran into a married pair of zentraedi that seem to be doing well."
"They are…in fact, better in out of the way places than they do in more..civilized regions."
"how?"
"In a farm community… you remember grandfather's tales? The work is hard, but it requires determination and a strong back… and most zentraedi have those qualities. Work in a city requires training, social skills… things that many zentraedi do not have, and sadly, some humans are not interested in giving it to them."
"I thought there were schools being setup for retraining."
"Some-- poorly funded and equipped…and I find that often the schools for zentraedi are schools that focus on service industries or assembly line work-- there are few zentraedi even in the running for colleges."
"Damn…that's not good…Sharin's not going to like it."
"So it's not 'fleet commander' any more is it."
Oops. Boris thought. "Well, we did go through a lot together..and…"
"And?"
"She had some nightmares…that I helped her through. I saved her life, she saved my life…we went to a village festival, we kissed…" Boris felt his face heat… he thought getting the third degree from dad about a date was a thing of the past.
"Kissed? She is very kissable I noticed, though I would hope you would not try that when she is full sized…do you have feelings for her?" There was a pause.
"I…I don't know." He said. "She's brace, she's smart…but she's an officer, a leader, and one thing I can tell you is that she takes that seriously."
"Mm… you know Miriya."
"Not personally, no, but who doesn't know of her." Boris said. "
"She is seen as a traitor by many of her comrades-- there is a reason she spends much time with humans…"
"Oh…."
"And if you became involved with Sharin, and peace broke down…could you kill her?"
"Arrggghhh" Boris groaned, "I know that, I know that…what do you think has been bugging me… and the hell of it is, I think Sharin also has the same feelings… maybe. She even ordered me into her bed."
"What?" Boris laughed at the look on his fathers face in the cockpit mirrors.
"The night before we were going to leave in a biplane she ordered me into the bed because she didn't want me tired and killing us both." Piotr laughed.
"Well, as a commander she sounds excellent!" He paused and than more seriously.
"From what I see she is an excellent person.. but I haven't seen her long and she is a Zentraedi-- remember that you two may have to decide where your loyalties lie if you maintain a relationship."
"Don't worry Dad… I expect that she's going to give her talk, get an agreement, and than be off with her friends-- I'm not even in that theatre, so I'll probably never see her again."
"You do not look happy at that."
"I'm not."
The rest of the flight passed in silence.
When they got to the SDF-1, Boris was met by a pair of MP's, who ushered him and his father into the offices of Admiral Gloval.
"Henry." Piotr said.
"Piotr." Gloval came around his desk returning his greeting, Both men laughed and chatted briefly in a Russian dialect that Boris couldn't follow than turning to the very much-at-attention Boris, Gloval looked at him for a moment.
"Please sit down, Lieutenant." he said, gesturing for all of them to take a seat. Boris would have rather sat on a bed of red ants, but an order was an order, no matter how it was phrased. "Now, tell me what occurred between the destruction of the transport and your arrival here." Boris did, omitting only a few parts-- Gloval didn't need to know about Sharin's nightmares, for example…or the kiss. When he finished, Gloval put his hands before him, steepling the fingers.
"So you have no idea who was flying the black veritech."
"No…but I don't think he or she was a bandit-- when it saw us on the trail, it actually waved-- hung around to see if we were ok."
"I agree-- and the ability to file a false report of a scout ship indicates either a penetration into our computer base, or at least one flag rank officer." Gloval sighed. "I am going to have intelligence look into this. Thank you." Boris noted the dismissal, and stood up, saluting. Then, he paused.
"Sir…what's going to happen to the Fleet Commander? She's ready to meet us halfway." Gloval nodded.
"And I will try to insure we will meet her the rest of the way…but there are other issues. Dismissed." Boris left the room, leaving Gloval and Piotr alone.
"He is attracted to her." Gloval said.
"I believe so."
"It is not uncommon… female zentraedi are attractive." Gloval said. "In Max and Miriya's case, it saved us." He paused, "But it is potentially unfortunate for your boy, Piotr."
"I know… security risk?"
"Some will say so… especially since she isn't an allied zentraedi, technically, and also technically is holding micronians hostage."
"I didn't hear that! How do you mean technically?"
"In the region where they are, there were no other resources-- the micronians' couldn't leave even if they wanted to…until now. That's another subject we'll have to bring up at the meeting."
"She's going to have a hard time making friends if she's holding micronians, for what ever reason."
"Da." Gloval paused, "I hope that her and your sons relationship won't cause problems…for either one of them. Every zentraedi who successfully assimilates-- and every human who helps them, is another chance to make a true peace. We could do with more of that."
"That we could, Henry…"
Back at the admiral's house, Sharin was getting the third degree from a group of children who could have given Dolza's interrogators lessons.
"Did you see Minmei?"
"What about Rick hunter? Did he shoot you down?"
"Are you a prisoner?"
"Did you shoot Rick Hunter down?"
"Nobody can shoot Rick Hunter down!"
"Uh-uh-- I heard that someone did!"
"Did not!"
"Di-"
"Children!" Ludmilla thundered. "This is no time to argue-- not with a guest."
"Sorry." The chorused, giving Sharin time to think up some answers.
"Well." She said. "I've only seen Minmei once, I've never seen Rick Hunter or been shot down by him-- or shot him down, and I'm not a prisoner…I'm an ambassedor."
"Like Exedore?"
"A little bit, yes."
"You're prettier than he is." One small girl said. Sharin had no idea of how to respond to that…so she took the default route.
"Ah…thank you."
"How did you end up here?" One ten year old in the back said, challengingly. He had some scars on his face that looked to be radiation or thermal pulse scars. "Did you bombard us and get shot down by the grand cannon?"
"No." Sharin said. "My fleet didn't take part in the bombardment-- I ordered it down when the command fortress was hit by the SDF-1."
"What was it like?" A girl said. "Every zentraedi we've seen have been…are like privates. You're the first commander we've seen."
"It was…not pleasant." Sharin said, closing her eyes for a moment, remembering the desperate drive for the ground when she realized what the SDF-1 had done. The ships of her flotilla trying to drive for the safety of the athmosphere, when the monstrous EMP had rolled out and nearly killed them, other ships breaking up or tumbling, a flagship, two thirds of its length afire, almost colliding with her ship. She shook it off and opened her eyes to see the children looking at her. Ludmilla wasn't looking overly happy-- oh yes, children were supposed to be shielded from such talk.
"But it is now…my turn." Sharin said. "What do you do here? Who are your commanders? Are you prisoners?" Several of the kids laughed at her repeating of their questions.
"We live here, silly." One girl said. Another one grinned and added:
"But we are prisoners five days of the week, that's when school starts." Sharin nodded at that obviously dire fate, as shown by the groans of every other child. Ludmilla came forward, bouncing a ball on her hand.
"Now…lets see how well you can show our guest how to play kickball!" The cheer at that almost deafened Sharin. Sharin watched as the kids took up position.
"How do you play this game?" She asked. Ludmilla looked amused.
"Just watch..and get ready to join."
Later, outside the SDF-1, Boris and Piotr were talking.
"So, the Admiral will get the meeting ready by 0915 tomorrow." Boris said.
"Better," Piotr answered. "He gave me the access codes for the comsat network-- Sharin can call her people and…relieve their fears first." Boris nodded. He'd expected that they would prefer to hold Sharin incommunicado until after the first meeting-- this was fortunate.
"And Carl?"
"Already out of the brig…and with a commendation from the Admiral that should eliminate any negative impact of the stay on his record." Boris grinned. He'd been worried that Carl's career might get stomped for helping him.
"Well, ready to let Sharin know the good news?" Piotr said, watching his sons face.
"Yeah…yes I am." Boris said, as they headed back to the plane. They had one more stop to make before home.
Most of the kids were inside when they got back, with Sharin. Boris blinked at that, but Ludmilla was very happy.
"She played a game with them-- which saved me from being exhausted!"
"What is she doing now?"
"Telling a story."
"A zentraedi, telling a story?" Piotr said. "This have I got to see." Sharin was leaning forward and speaking to the children. One girl had just asked a question.
"So your captain wasn't nice?" Sharin laughed.
"That was an understatement-- so Tzarna and I came up with a plan to… pay her back."
"What was it?"
"Every five years, there was a fleet review-- now our ship was in the front rank, and the captain had been making everybody absolutely miserable-- so what I and Tzarna did was find a metal dust and sprayed it on the hull."
"What did that do?"
"Nothing, at first-- but when the ship was in the ranks, the light of the star heated the metal and it changed color… so when our ship came up for review it had turned into this bright, really bright orange-- you could hear the commander screaming even without a comlink." The kids stopped for a moment, and then burst into laughter and giggles. Sharin saw Boris and Piotr, and gracefully rose, walking over to them.
"Hello, Boris, sir." She greeted the two. "Is the meeting on schedule?"
"Tomorrow morning-- at 0915…Boris grinned and held up a uniform on a hanger. "And I managed to get you a uniform to replace the one you lost." Sharin looked at it and laughed.
"Thank you, Boris! I was worried that they'd not know who I represented… either in the pants or the dress."
"Well I'd choose the dress for you, but this is more businesslike." Sharin looked at him, and then his parents, and abruptly became more formal.
"That is, thank you lieutenant. Will you be there?"
"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world…" Boris grinned. "But we also have a communication link up for you, from here-- and it's secure."
Except from your own intelligence. Sharin filled in. Still, it was a good idea. Tzarna probably was making everyone's life miserable right about now… She sat down in front of the family TV/com monitor/ game center. Ludmilla offered to shoo the kids away, but Sharin declined. Since RDF intelligence was going to be hearing it, she didn't mind anyone else hearing it.
The screen derezzed, than came up with the zentraedi symbol as the two computers talked and agreed on each others bonafides. Then, Sharin entered in one of several satchel codes she'd memorized. After another several minutes, the screen came up with the sight of the bridge of her ship…with Sara, the comofficer, and nobody else. Sharin remembered the time difference.
"Sharin? Commander?" Sara looked at her with relief, then called to someone else. "Tell Commander Tzarna that Commander Sharin is online!"
"She's been that bad, Sara?"
"Well, yes, bu-EEP!" Sara vanished from the screen as Tzarna unceremoniously booted her out of her chair and took it over.
"Sharin, where are you, do you need help, what is your condition, we have full strike teams standing by I knew we couldn't trust them-"
"Tzarna!" Sharin cut her off. "I'm fine, stand down the strike teams, and calm down." Tzarna took a deep breath and calmed herself down to a simmer.
"Very well, Sharin, when are you going to be coming back?"
"Not until after the meetings."
"The meetings!? Sharin, they tried to kill you!"
"Someone tried to kill me-- but I was also saved by officers of the RDF..including this one, Lt. Boris Vakowsky." She paused, meaningfully, "You have him to thank for my life."
"Hmph." Tzarna said.
"And if you meet him, you may be certain that he has my trust." Sharin said, an edge creeping into her voice.
"I…understand." Tzarna said. "What are those?" She said, seeing the children behind the screen for the first time.
"Children, Tzarna-- remember, the small ones? We have a few with our micronians."
"But you should be in ambassadorial quarters, not with…with…" Tzarna ran out of words. Sharin waved her hand impatiently.
"The quarters are far beyond my expectations, Tzarna-- they are Lt. Vakowsky's parents quarters…and like him, they have my trust." Tzarna said nothing more, and shook her head in disbelief.
Another zentraedi, this one the big male that Boris had last seen with Tzarna, appeared, seeming out of breath.
"Still with the living I see," He boomed. Some of the younger children laughed at his presence
"Very much so, Korva. How does the building go."
"It goes well, commander… the dam, the canals and the agricultural areas are nearly ready."
"good…" Sharin smiled. "I may have great news, tomorrow-- I will talk to you again, after that. Sharin out." Korva and Tzarna nodded, and cut the connection.
"That was quick." Boris said, Sharin nodded.
"If I give her too much time, Tzarna would start to come up with other objections… and I've heard them all." She said with affectionate exasperation.
"She's pretty protective, isn't she." Boris said.
"Yes…sometimes very much so." Sharin smiled. "I have her to thank for my existence up to this point…as I have you to thank for it." Boris grinned and took her hand, giving it a courtly kiss.
"The RDF is at your service Ma'am." A small child giggled at the sight, and another one, with the innocence of youth, asked Ludmilla.
"Do zentraedi normally turn that color when they get kissed?"
Later that night, Sharin sat on the edge of her bed, given to her by the family. She'd put on the oversized shirt-- why ask for other bed clothes when this one would do just as well? The uniform was in the closet, and on an odd impulse, Sharin had hung the dress and other clothes given to them. She didn't know why-- she wouldn't need it, but why let it molder in her luggage? The bed was soft and comfortable, better than even the best officers quarters in the fleet, although Sharin had to admit her own bed back home was somewhat softer than would have been considered acceptable in the old days.
She made certain the uniform was perfect-- tomorrow she would wear it…and it would be as much a weapon as any powered armor, a method of reminding the RDF that she represented a powerful force, one that could cause much difficulty in combat… and she tried to ignore the pang that hit her with the realization that one of the RDF soldiers they might end up causing difficulty for would be Boris.
The next morning, Boris, Sharin and Piotr drove to the port, and took the transport assigned to them. Sharin remembered how one of the smaller children had hugged her by the leg as she left, even though she was in uniform. This time, they had a full eight veritech flying escort, from the elite Skull Squadron. Boris leaned out the window, looking at a pair and grinned.
"Wave to a friend, Sharin." He said. "That's Miriya's plane." Sharin looked out and nodded.
"It is…and that other one must be her husband's."
"Yep-- no black veritech is going to be causing problem's here!"
unless one or another of those individuals was in the veritech Sharin thought but did not say.
After landing on the SDF-1, they were conducted to the meeting room. Boris and Piotr got seats among the audience, while Sharin walked to the chair that was obviously hers, alone in front of the ranked chairs of admirals and generals. Gloval was there, as was Exedore, and Breetai looked out from a video monitor.
"Well." Sharin said. The numbers were there to intimidate-- but she'd seen the grand fleet, and it's fall. Simple numbers did not frighten her. "I am here to hopefully negotiate an agreement that will allow my settlement and the UEG to coexist. At this time, I must inform you that I am not proposing joining the UEG, or disarming."
"Then why shouldn't we disarm you?" One of the generals asked, he leaned forward, a bull headed individual who seemed to loathe the very sight of her.
"Because it would cost you dearly." Sharin said, not noticing Boris's wince. "I have thousands of troops, mecha, weapons, an infrastructure to maintain them… while the RDF would win-- it would not be a cheap win, nor a quick one, and that ignores the chance that other governments or zentraedi might get involved…such as some of the former Russian states." The rumble that went through the room was decidedly chilly. Sharin wasn't bothered by it-- it was the same feeling one got when the bridge officers announced that Invid fire control had locked you up-- dangerous, but hardly unexpected. The thing to do was to hit back with something that was unexpected. She got a small smile. Unexpected even by her when she'd left.
"However, peace can bring many benefits-- I understand the fears many have regarding micronians under the zentraedi, and so I am willing to permit any who wish to leave, to do so. We will provide transportation and supplies so they might establish themselves elsewhere. In addition, any who remain will be given equal rights as the zentraedi, not simply in terms of law, but in terms of directing our future policies and course." The rumble was far more surprised then. Sharin wasn't finished, however. "We will also undertake to patrol and defend our immediate area, and borders against aggression, by any group-- including anti-human zentraedi. In time, I would welcome RDF assistance, although for now, that might be premature."
The rumble was shocked, some disbelieving, some eager…until Breetai's rumble brought it to a close.
"Commander Sharin."
"Yes Lord Breetai?"
"I never had you under my command, but I did know of you-- and you seem unlikely to surrender in this manner."
"I am not surrendering." Sharin said, "We must change-- the zentraedi of old are dead-- but I will not place my people at the mercy of the RDF….nor those zentraedi who proved willing to destroy the Grand Fleet." She did not flinch at all at his gaze, or Exedore's. "I understand the reasons-- but still, I have my own crew and allies to consider." She smiled, "Besides, even among humans, not all consider the RDF or UEG to be the true voice of mankind."
"This is ridiculous!" The bald headed general was shouting, his face florid. "To let an entire nation of zentraedi exist is madness! They could support attacks, they could launch their own! They have thousands of mecha units, soldiers, possibly even a destroid factory that enslaved human workers are staffing!"
"Not enslaved." Sharin said, "and in fact they are teaching zentraedi-- we provided them with food and protection after the bombardment, when the RDF was nowhere to be seen in China…but as I said, any who wish, may leave."
"And we are-"
"Please, General Leonard." Admiral Gloval said (and Sharin knew of him.) "this is getting us nowhere. Commander Sharin, you must understand that your forces are of some concern to us-- many zentraedi of Dolza's fleet have engaged in violence and raiding on human settlements, as well as micronized zentraedi settlements."
"Indeed." She replied, "Just as some humans have engaged in attacks on Zentraedi, including the one launched on myself." She paused, "This could go all day and get nowhere-- Admiral Gloval-- you were the first to decide to trust the zentraedi, first in the matter of the defectors, and then in the matter of Miriya Parino. I do not ask for blind trust, but it is clear that at some point, we will both have to trust-- I could make wild accusations that you are preparing to launch an assault on my people and tried to kill me as a set up to it." She paused, "but such would be…counter productive."
"Still," another general said, "you've given us kind words-- but words must be backed up. Is there any concrete evidence you can give us of your attitudes." Sharin paused, and then looked up at Breetai, then down to Gloval. She nodded.
"Yes, and I give it to you purely as a gesture of good faith." This had been planned, even though Tzarna had almost had a heart attack at the thought. She took out a data cartridge that she'd kept with her through all her travels, and pushed it into a slot on the desk. A map flashed into existence, of part of the highlands of Tibet. Several pictures popped up, and at the shape revealed, nearly a dozen officers shouted in surprise.
It was a monitor, seemingly complete and undamaged, although there might have been internal damage.
"My crews found this on a long range recovery flight. It is intact, and can be made operational. However, it is yours. The data includes it's exact location and the IFF codes for its secondary weapons, that we left on automatic." She smiled, "Shall we adjourn until such a time as you can verify this data, and my…trustworthiness?" There was a certain scramble as she stood up and left the room. Half way to the outer door, Boris caught up with her.
"Sharin!" He hissed, "These are the brass of the whole RDF! You don't just walk out."
"I am the leader of my unit, I do… and they can consider that payment for the protection I received on the way here." And this will keep them off balance, She did not say. The meeting had actually not gone as she'd expected it to. Gloval seemed willing to stand back, which left her open to the attack from the other human…something she wasn't prepared for. This would give her time to think and make a new plan to deal with him…as well as see how they would deal with her actions.
"OK…" Boris said, wincing as he noticed some highly ranked glares coming his way. "Would you like to eat somewhere?"
"Certainly. Where?" Boris looked at her uniform and frowned.
"That's going to pick up some unhappy looks." He said,
"It will have to." She said, "If I take it off, some will see it as weakness." She frowned, "And if they see me as weak, they may decide to test me…and I will defend my people."
"Love to see you play poker.." he muttered,
"What's that?"