Rebel by Mike Shepherd Page B

battleships and battlecruisers in midlife!” Vicky exclaimed in shock.
    “Some of us suspect they need bigger pirate ships. The Navy’s light cruisers have been shooting up heavy cruisers that seem to have transitioned from scrap to pirates in an amazing sleight of hands,” the newly arrived captain said dryly.
    “May I ask who sent you?” Vicky asked.
    “Not on an open channel,” he said. “But Admiral von Mittleburg, we are just the first of several. It’s preferred that we come out here. Putting us in orbit around Bayern would be a clear signal to some that the Navy is not doing as ordered. Really, I must ask, can you put us up?”
    The admiral looked at Mannie and Vicky. It was Vicky who stepped forward.
    “We will support you. We need you. Certain decisions have been made recently. They also can’t be talked about over an open comm line. However, we need you as much as you need us.” She glanced at Mannie.
    “Arrangements will be made,” he said. “I am the mayor of one of St. Petersburg’s largest cities. I don’t know how we will do it, but we do need you, and we will support you.”
    “Thank you,” the redheaded skipper said, and cut the circuit.
    “It seems that we really must get below,” Mannie said, “as quickly as possible.”
    “Yes, I think we must,” Vicky said.

CHAPTER 9
 
    I T is a law of physics that what goes up must come down. In space, a similar law insists that what goes out comes back no faster than it went there. Or at least not all that much faster.
    The Retribution fell back toward High St. Petersburg Station with a slowness that almost drove Vicky to chew her well-manicured nails.
    Mannie called ahead to set up meetings that people were already clamoring for. They knew about the new ships in the system and wanted to know what they were doing there and what would be done about them.
    The mayor admitted that some of the ships were an invasion fleet that had been dissuaded. Others were a trade convoy coming back, and the rest were Navy ships seeking refuge.
    Yep, the leaders of St. Petersburg definitely wanted to talk. Mannie explained why he couldn’t call a meeting right that moment. After a long talk, Mannie broke the commlink.
    “That could have gone a lot better.”
    “How could it have gone worse?” Vicky snapped.
    “They’re worried. They need to talk.”
    “And they are going to talk behind our backs.”
    “You want to hold a meeting on a commlink and have it recorded and shot off to your stepmother?”
    “Not really,” Vicky had to admit. “Then again, will we have any better luck keeping the contents of a meeting out of her hands?”
    “What we say among ourselves risks all of our necks. What some hacker picks up and sends off for payment is another thing. They want to talk, but they aren’t going to talk on net. Your father’s late-lamented State Security Police taught us our lessons about that.”
    “So, what happens now?”
    “They are all heading to St. Pete for a meeting of all interested parties, and then some. We will get there as soon as we can. No doubt, we will be behind the curve when we do.”
    “Will you have a representative there when they start?”
    “I’m no neophyte. My lieutenant mayor, a very competent young man, will cover for me and take copious notes. However, he is not me. The businessmen and bankers will walk all over him, and the other cities will ignore Sevastopol. Here I thought sticking my neck out to stop an invasion would make me a hero. Now I’m out in left field playing catch-up.”
    Vicky could only sigh. “Strange how the world works. Commander, please check on how soon we can cut loose from the Retribution . Don’t worry about using the captain’s gig or the admiral’s barge. Any longboat that gives us a larger window for landing at St. Pete is just fine with me.”
    “Yes, Your Grace,” the commander said, and left them.
    Mannie and Vicky spent the next few hours sweating over every number they could