The Armstrong wrenched free of it's tunnel through space-time and glided into orbit around Ceres.
"Ensign Marceaux," said the Captain "Are you picking up the fleet on short range scanners yet?"
"Aye, Captain," said Marceaux "I estimate they'll reach Ceres in approximately nineteen hours."
"Let our people on the surface know we're here," said the Captain.
* * *
The Al-Qaum fleet arrived in force. It was larger than Littlecrow's more conservative estimates. Six Sultan's in total, what must have amounted to their entire force, backed up by four smaller and more maneuverable Janissary-class Escorts. It was a modest fleet in the grand scheme of things, but for a regional power it was an impressive show of might. Keeping that number of starships operational for the centuries since their construction was no small feat.
The fleet immediately arranged itself into an attack formation in keeping with imperial tactical orthodoxy.
"We're being hailed by the planet Al-Qaum, on Ansible," said Ensign Marceaux.
"On screen," said the Captain.
Marlowe appeared on the screen, a grim look on his face.
"Captain," he said.
"Mr. Marlowe," responded Captain Littlecrow.
"And so it comes to this," he said.
"You tried to kill me, and members of my crew," said the Captain.
"And you tried to forment rebellion among our colonies, to weaken us for conquest."
"We didn't forment anything," said the Captain "Your system does a good enough job formenting rebellion on it's own."
"I doubt we'll ever see eye-to-eye on this," said Marlowe "But I have you outnumbered and outgunned. Now you can either stand aside and let the Al-Qaum Empire deal with it's own internal matters, or prepare to be destroyed."
"I could offer you a similar ultimatum," said the Captain "The Huxley Foundation has decided to recognize the local governments of the Ceres moons. As of one standard day ago the Ceres System is Foundation space."
"You're attempting to annex our worlds? So much for coming in peace," said Marlowe.
"We came in peace, and the moons of Ceres chose to join us peacefully of their own free will. The Huxley Foundation always recognizes democratic governments as having legitimacy over feudal," said the Captain "Now, if you do not power down your weapons I will be forced to interpret the presence of your ships as an act of war against the Huxley Foundation and attack. There is a very good chance a fleet of your size could eventually defeat the Armstrong but we'll tear so many holes in it that you'll be sitting ducks for the pirates. They'll eat you alive."
"You forget that I was there when you tried to use the same bluff on the pirates. I think you'll find I'm not quite as gullible," said Marlowe.
"I'm deadly serious," said the Captain.
"Face it, Captain, you could never bring yourself to do something like this. You were too squeamish to even execute those pirates when you had them at your mercy."
"You misunderstood me, Mr. Marlowe," said Captain Littlecrow "Don't mistake my idealism for pacifism. I was unwilling to kill prisoners who had surrendered to me. It sets a bad precedent, makes people less willing to surrender in the future. I was, however, willing to kill them all in a space battle. The same thing I'm going to do to your fleet if you don't stand down. You see, Mr. Marlowe, I wasn't bluffing then, and I'm not bluffing now."
Marlowe flushed red.
"If you go through with this," said Marlowe "You'll be condemning our world to die either way."
"Not necessarily," said the Captain "As you said, farming is the only way of life these people have known. I doubt most of them will be in a hurry to stop. I'm sure the people of Ceres would be thrilled for such a nearby trading partner for their food surplus. That is, of course, assuming they're not at war with you. So this is all up to you. You can tear your people apart with war, or you can try peace."
The Al-Qaum fleet hung in battle formation, waiting for orders.
Marlowe sighed "Recall the fleet," he said to someone off-screen.
"You made the right decision," said the Captain.
"End transmission," said Marlowe, in a huff.
It took a few minutes for the orders to come in but the battle fleet slowly broke apart and headed back to planets they were originally stationed on.
* * *
Dr. Kang sat in the Captain's office, looking insufferably smug.
"You must be very pleased with yourself," said the Captain.
"I admit, it can be hard to not be at times," said Dr. Kang.
"I want you to understand something, Doctor," said the Captain "You did the right thing today, likely by accident, but you did. You helped a lot of desperate people and the Foundation as well. So I'm going to let this one slide, just this once. This was your one, Dr. Kang. You used it well but this is the only pass I'm giving you. If you are ever that reckless and insubordinate again, no matter the outcome, no matter how much pull you have on Mars, I will have you off my ship. I will personally blow you out the airlocks myself if that is what it takes. Have I made myself clear?"
"Crystal," said Dr. Kang "And you're welcome."
The Serfs of Al-Qaum: End