Chapter 16

North and Mamao'lani's chariot raced across the concourse towards the Commercial Building as fast as the small wheeled vehicle could carry them, the biting Berengarian wind whipping their faces so harshly North barely heard his communicator chirp.

"Go ahead," he shouted into it over the roar of the air.

McQueen's voice replied, having been left in charge of Ops. "Sir, Commander Patel calling for you, priority one."

Under the circumstances - on his way to diffuse a socio-political act of civil unrest - North would have ignored the call, but even Patel would not invoke a priority one without good cause.

"Put her through," he said.

"Commodore, the Orion ship has received a message from the Syndicate," Patel said suddenly, her voice tense. "They say three interceptors are en route to our coordinates."

North shared a look of horror with Mamao'lani, who had overheard the call, both men clearly thinking that the situation had gotten much worse.

Swallowing the urge to swear, North said, "Did they give an ETA?" He furiously wanted to know how the Syndicate had acquired their coordinates, however, he knew that only the practical mattered now, further investigation could wait.

"Negative, sir," said Patel. "But they said the interceptors were already in the area, and if they were on the barge's trail…"

It could only be a matter of minutes, thought North. "Acknowledged, Commander. Evacuate the ship and return to base immediately. We need our people out of orbit when those interceptors arrive."

"Aye, sir," Patel said, mercifully obedient for once.

He closed the channel and reset his communicator for Ops. "Commander McQueen, listen to me very carefully. Three Orion interceptors are on their way to us in search of the refugees. We do not know when they will arrive, but it will likely be soon, and they'll likely be hostile. Put out a distress call to any allied ships, and keep all eyes on the perimeter satellites. Alert me as soon as anyone arrives. If any Orion ships approach, raise the magnetic shield and get a weapons lock, but take no further action without my order. Is that understood?"

McQueen was an excellent scientist and led her department admirably, but she was untested in command of a tactical scenario. He could practically hear her gulping over the comm, but to her credit, she replied with a steady resolve. "Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll be with you as soon as I can. North out."

He was beginning to learn that he could trust his staff. He just wished he didn't have to test that trust so often.

Vyla's shuttlepod landed outside the building just as North and Mamao'lani pulled up. Feeling immediately pleased to see her, North led her and the ambassador past the cordon of MACOs into the small security office near the main entrance of the Mall. Colonel Kostopoulos was there, monitoring the rioters via camera feed, and updated them.

Several people were still trapped in Sal's Diner, where most of the mob was focused. Thankfully, the transparent metal windows were holding up. The rest of the building had been evacuated but the riots were starting to spread out.

"I'm so sorry about this, Commodore," said Vyla, looking genuinely pained. "I had no idea things were this tense. If I suspected-"

North held up a hand to halt her apologies. "No time for all that now, Vyla. There's new trouble." He briefed her on the approaching interceptors. "We need to end this now, before the Syndicate does it for us."

Vyla was still reeling from this revelation - the threat of the Syndicate catching up with them and endangering their newfound freedom - but she recovered herself quickly. "What can I do to help?"

"I need you to speak to your people," said North, staring at Vyla with authority, not the amicability he'd shown her since she'd arrived. "Convince them that this is not the way."

Vyla shook her head. "They won't listen to me, Commodore. I'm not their leader anymore, and any gratitude they might have had towards me has clearly been used up."

"I think you're selling yourself short, Vyla," said Mamao'lani, stepping up alongside North. "You don't realise just how much influence you have, and not just over your fellow refugees. You were a slave who led an uprising in a culture where such a thing was unheard of. You overthrew the most powerful people in your society and liberated almost two-hundred others, surviving by your wits and courage alone, and then helped to broker a new life for them.

"That is the work of a person who commands respect, not someone who is merely owed it. Trust me; they'll listen to you."

North agreed with Mamao'lani, and Vyla also digested his words with grave silence, but time was of the essence.

"I'd rather not have to mass-stun everyone," he said. "Please, just talk to them." He gestured to the controls for the building's PA system.

Vyla held herself to her full, impressive height - a graceful resolve in her eyes - and stepped up to the controls. She pressed a button and spoke into the microphone.

"This is Vyla. Stop what you're doing and listen."

North turned to the monitors on the wall, displaying scenes across the building. The rioters were tearing up stores and hammering on the diner, but a few halted and looked up at the sound of Vyla's voice.

"I know you're angry. I know you're scared," she continued. "But this solves nothing. We have been treated like animals our entire lives, and all this behaviour does is justify that treatment. If you want better then you have to be better."

On the monitors, more of the rioters were stopping, although most looked indignant. There were some heated discussions going on, based on their body language.

"Wrongs have been committed on both sides today. There will be repercussions for those involved. If we want to be a part of civilised society, then we must accept both the rights and responsibilities that come with it. That does not mean we must compromise our culture or our beliefs. It just means that we must respect those of others as well. Working together, we can achieve an outcome both sides agree to.

"But none of that will matter if you keep up this pointless violence." Vyla took a weighty breath. "The Orion Syndicate has found us somehow, and are on their way. I know that the Humans will protect us despite your actions here; that's not why I'm asking you to stop… I'm asking because I'd hate for the Syndicate to see that they were right about us."

She switched off the microphone. The monitors now showed that all the rioters had stopped and were talking more calmly among themselves, although some seemed panicked.

North tilted his head to Vyla. "Thank you."

She smiled faintly. "I hope it was enough."

North's communicator chirped. With dread, he answered.

"Sir," said McQueen, "three Orion vessels just entered the system."

"It will have to be enough," Mamao'lani said to Vyla.