Free A Show of Force by Ryk Brown Page B

drive technology, as amazing as it is, does have its limitations, Minister,” Admiral Dumar admitted. “Which is why we seek alliances with worlds in closer proximity… Ones that share our dislike for the Jung.”
    “And how do you know that we dislike the Jung?” the minister challenged. “You never even asked.”
    “We have had covert operatives on your world for some time now,” Nathan told the minister.
    “I see.” Minister Abrahms took a deep breath and sighed. “Gentlemen, as entertaining as this has all been, I have absolutely no evidence that any of this is anything but a fanciful web of lies.”
    “To what end, Minister?” Admiral Dumar wondered.
    “That, I have yet to discern, Admiral. Still, my not having a motivation for your deception does not make your assertions true. The very fact that they are so wildly unbelievable is enough reason for me to dismiss them completely.”
    Nathan tapped the intercom built into the conference table. “Ensign Riley, Captain.”
    “Riley. Go ahead, sir,” the ensign answered over the intercom.
    “How quickly can you put us in orbit over Earth?”
    “ We’re on the Sol side of Copora now, Captain. However, the next medical evac shuttle is due to return in twenty-four minutes. ”
    “How long, Ensign?”
    “ Sorry, sir. Three minutes, tops. ”
    “Tell the evac shuttle to hold on the surface until we return, and prepare to break orbit for and jump back to Earth. We’ll be there in two minutes.”
    “ Aye, sir, ” Ensign Riley acknowledged. “ We’ll be ready. ”
    “Captain, please,” the minister begged. “There is no need to carry this illusion any further.”
    “You wanted evidence, Minister,” Nathan said. “I’m about to give it to you.” Nathan stood. “Shall we?”
     
     
    Two minutes later, Nathan entered the Aurora’s bridge, followed by Admiral Dumar, Minister Abrahms, and Commander Telles.
    “Captain on the bridge!” the guard at the entrance announced as Nathan passed.
    “Ensign Riley?” Nathan inquired as he moved forward toward his command chair.
    “Breaking orbit now,” the navigator replied. “Jump to Earth is plotted and ready. Jump point in fifty seconds.”
    Minister Abrahms tried not to show his wonder at the sight of his world slipping away from the bottom of the main view screen. Kleiades, the gas giant around which Copora orbited, was sliding away to the left, its turquoise light fading as it disappeared from the view screen altogether.
    “Comms, has that medical shuttle on the surface been notified?”
    “Yes, sir,” Naralena answered.
    Nathan rotated in his chair to glance back aft, looking at Jessica as she stepped onto the bridge and took her station at tactical.
    “Sorry for the delay, Captain,” Jessica said. “I was doing some recruiting… For a field trip.”
    “Twenty seconds to jump point.” Ensign Riley reported.
    “What is this, ‘jump drive’?” Minister Abrahms inquired. His tone suggested that, despite the captain’s theatrics, we was not yet fully convinced of their sincerity.
    “It is the reason we do not need more than a few ships to defeat the Jung,” Admiral Dumar stated with confidence.
    “What is about to happen?”
    “There will be a bright flash of light, and then we will arrive in the Sol system,” Nathan explained, “most likely, very close to Earth.”
    Ensign Riley exchanged glances with Ensign Chiles to his right, and smiled. “Ten seconds to jump point.”
    “Very well,” Nathan acknowledged.
    “How bright?” Minister Abrahms wondered, appearing a bit nervous.
    “Three……” the navigator began to countdown.
    “Do not worry, Minister,” the admiral assured him.
    “Two……”
    “The view screen attenuates the flash.”
    “One……”
    “To the naked eye, it would be blinding,” Commander Telles added.
    “Jumping.”
    Minister Abrahms watched, his mouth dropping open slightly, as pale blue light seemed to spill out across the forward sections of the