Second Born

"The outward bound leg was routine. We broke passage at Ascension 63 days in, gave the crews some shore leave, and resupplied. With the permission of the First Consul, we conducted gunnery practice with some asteroids the Ascenders wished broken up so they could be processed more easily."

I'd never been to the Ascension Group, though I'd heard of it. A peculiar planetary system, it consists of a sun with four gas giants orbiting it at an almost perfect 90 degree angles of separation from each other. Each gas giant has four moons the size of Old Home Terra circling it, about half of them habitable, also separated by 90 degrees in their orbits around their planets. Astrographers still argued over how the system had formed, as did religious figures ranging from philosophical to fanatic. It was a major fueling and trading stop for ships going to and from the inner spiral arm.

"When we arrived at Narstavietta, the Demons were astonished when I identified us as a squadron of the Royal Medusan Navy. It appears the destroyer that escaped when the invasion failed never returned. The Supreme Leader of the Alpha Dominion deigned to receive me for a courtesy call. He was enraged when I handed Sonellion's head and an empty knife sheath over to him! He was so angry, I thought he would sic his guards on me when I played the recording you and Queen Kinthia made, telling him Medusa is suspending diplomatic relations with them. I returned to Grafin Ilse as quickly as I could, and we hypered out at once. I hope this meets with your approval?"

"It does, Vamana. However, changing the subject, I have a favor to ask.

"As you will be here for awhile, I trust you wouldn't mind serving as one of my groomsmen again when Thia and I are bound maensolto?"

"I would be honored, Sire. Who are the other friends of the groom?"

"Captain Regneld and General Andrews. I want Major Mudgeon as my fourth, presuming I can pry him loose from Sarawak. He and the Rajah are thick as thieves. He is advising Gilbert Ali on integrating the technology the Demons forced on the Dyaks, and making sure our spacemen behave when they are on leave. He is Our ambassador there in all but name. I wonder how Sam will react when he has the official title as well?"

"You've other problems, Majesty."

"I know, old friend. Word has gotten out about the luxanite deposits, and there are covetous eyes being cast our way. There may be war in our future.

"Some Medusans are unhappy about the progress we're making towards joining the galactic community. They prefer things as they are, not as they will become. They will eventually come around, but in the meantime ... well.

"The fact Thia and I cannot have children poses a political problem. The Queen and I have adopted Triom. Some in the Nobles' Chamber are demanding a vote to confirm Triom as Our Heir. The succession must be settled soon."

"And you have one more, Sire," said Vamana. "The Grafin introduced me to Old Terran history. She believes the best way to forecast the future is to study the past.

"There was a Classical period ruler, Napoleon by name, who like you came from the military to the throne of his nation. One day, he was watching a unit called the Guards at drill. He said to his principal advisor, a man named Talleyrand, 'See the bayonets of my Guards, how they gleam.' And Talleyrand replied, 'A man can do anything with a bayonet, Sire -- except sit on it.'

"The point is you can train people for just so long before they want to put their training to use. Those from every world who go to space do so because they want to see other worlds, meet other species, or find their fortune. Sending the adventurous off-planet might be a solution."

I smiled. "Great minds run in similar channels, Commodore." I motioned him to my desk and pressed the projector active. The star systems for 2000 light-years out appeared, the spheres of influence of the planets and species controlling them displayed in pale pastels. There was an area that showed many stars with no claims on them to the southeast of Medusa below the galactic plane. I highlighted an area of three star systems separated by a day in hyperspace and zoomed in so the planets and their orbits showed.

"These three systems are 16 to 18 days from Medusa. According to the database aboard Peregrine, nothing more than cursory scans by Yankee, New Texan, and Normand ships have been made.

"When Task Group Ilse comes out of refit, I'm sending you to perform detailed surveys of those systems. We're looking for planets suitable for colonization, or with resources We can use for the benefit of Medusa. Worlds that can absorb Our people who seek new challenges. Keep this mission in mind while the overhaul is being done. Report your materiel and personnel needs directly to me. I'll see you have top priority.

"We must have dinner together soon, you, Thia and I." Sensing he had been dismissed, Vamana bowed and departed.

A minute after he had left, Thia came in. She twined around me, kissing me long and deeply. When we came up for air, she said, "Vamana was so distracted, he almost did not notice me. What were you two discussing?"

I motioned to the star map hanging in mid-air. "We discussed Project Frontier. It seems we aren't the only ones who have been thinking about how to justify maintaining the fleet with no immediate threats to Medusa, and what to do about our subjects who are not comfortable with the direction in which we are taking the kingdom. He and Grafin Ilse came to the same conclusion we did: that we need to get the malcontents and the dreamers looking up and out, not sitting at home grumbling."

Thia kissed me again. "I have no doubt that between us, we will work through Medusa's problems and take our place in galactic spacefaring culture. You and I are the resourceful ones, the second-born who have to find our own way. I think we have done well for our world, and ourselves, my love. And I truly believe the best is yet to come."

The End