A Show of Force by Ryk Brown Page B

Earth to remind yourself why you fight, you’re simply trying to regain your original perspective, one that is more familiar and comforting. I suspect that will become less important to you as time goes on.”
    Nathan shook his head, a small laugh escaping. “How do you know all this?”
    His father also laughed. “I’m an old man, Nathan. Much older, in fact, than my actual years reflect. My father once told me that life itself was the best education. But just living it wasn’t enough. You had to keep your eyes and ears open, and on occasion, take the time to reflect upon your experiences, both big and small, for every one of them has something to teach you.”
    Nathan thought for a moment, remembering his grandfather. “You and he were very different people.”
    “Yes, we were… in many ways,” his father agreed. “But in many ways, we were alike.”
    “I miss him at times.”
    “As do I.” President Scott placed his hands on the desk. “But enough of that. Tell me, what are your impressions of the Coporans? Will they choose to join the Alliance?”
    “Possibly,” Nathan said. “It’s hard to get a read on them at the moment. They’re very suspicious of us.”
    “Not surprising, considering we just invaded their world.”
    “We didn’t invade their world,” Nathan defended. “We eliminated the Jung forces that were occupying their world.”
    “You came from the skies, uninvited and unannounced, and attacked. You may have been targeting the Jung, but you killed Coporans as well. To them, you are invaders. You have to remember that appearances are just as important as truths, sometimes even more so.”
    “You speak of the Alliance in the third person. It is not ‘you’, it is ‘we’. The people of Earth are part of the Alliance.”
    “You are quite correct, Nathan,” his father admitted. “Again, it is appearances… perceptions. I have no control over the Alliance. Not as the President of the Terran Union, nor as a citizen of Earth. I can voice my opinion on behalf of our world, but if the other representatives of the member worlds do not agree with me, I do not have the power to override them. The survival of the Earth no longer rests in the hands of one of our own… Namely you. They rest in the hands of Admiral Dumar, a Takaran. One that quite likely answers to Prince Casimir.”
    Nathan seemed surprised. “You speak as if you suspect them of ulterior motives.”
    “I believe both Admiral Dumar and Prince Casimir to be good and honorable men, and I trust both of them to do everything within their power to protect the Earth, and all the member worlds of the Alliance. However, I have the benefit of my son’s experiences with them. The people of Earth do not. Given the circumstances, they might have cause for suspicion. It is likely unjustified, but to them, they may seem otherwise.”
    “You speak like a politician,” Nathan said, obvious distaste in his tone.
    “You’re surprised?” his father laughed. “I’ve been a politician my entire adult life, as was my father before me, and his father before him. You yourself are a politician of sorts. After all, war is just another form of politics.”
    Nathan sighed. “So, the people of Earth do not trust the Alliance?”
    “There may be a few who raise questions,” President Scott admitted. “However, they are of no concern. They mostly just voice their concerns whenever the Aurora leaves the system to fight elsewhere.”
    “We have to,” Nathan defended. “You saw what happens to the Earth when the fight occurs in our own system.”
    “We all know that…”
    “Besides, all of our current targets are a single jump from Sol. If the Jung were to show up while we’re away, we could return in minutes.”
    “Again, you and I know that, but to the average person on the street, that ability is nothing short of a miracle. People have a hard time believing in miracles. Especially after all that has happened over the last year.”