Chapter 25; The Battle of Dagaz IV
Half a galaxy away, a lone interplanetary shuttle lifts off Dagaz IV. This small planet is a virtually uninhabited little mote on the far edge of the galactic rim. The shuttle’s trajectory curved lazily as she made her way up to the mother ship.
All the men working out in the fields enviously watched her smoke trail cut across the sky. As the tiny ship disappears, they know there would be no more outside contact for three to four weeks until the next supply ship arrived. The guards turned back to their duties. They all knew that watching these little flitters gave you the space crazies and that would lose you your soft duty at this prison. Nobody wanted to be back on active duty. Better this boredom than getting dead somewhere chasing those rebels.
From her office at the prison, another pair of jealous eyes peered at the ship. "Oh, how I hate watching that blasted ship lift off," Xeren thought to herself, "Here is am, the cousin to the greatest warrior of our time, Heren the Hammer, and I'm stuck in some back water prison babysitting a bunch of men that are so dangerous they should have been shot instead of captured.”
She walked over to look out her window, “I know the stories, how thousands of these men gave up their lives rather than join the Admiralty against the Royal Family. When I agreed to join the Navy, I certainly did not expect to be in this position."
The claxon's call sounded throughout the prison. It echoed across an open field awakening the rows of brown, blanket coated lumps. Where they were now sleeping had once been the exercise yard at Dagaz Prison before the prison became too crowded. Luckily, it was early summer on this planet. They all tried not to think about what may happen when the vicious winter started here on Dagaz.
In that climate, many more of them would perish. Arin looked around at his men as they began to stir in the gloom of the huge vaulted room that was their cell. Two years growth of beard hid the classic royal features and his ragged yeoman's togs kept the prison guards from knowing his true identity. There were three million Royalist men and women housed in a prison designated for three hundred thousand. This level of crowding made for incredibly poor living conditions, if you want to call this living.
The Food-Robs moved about dispensing their wares. The men grumbled about the rations, but they were really glad to get them. They watched the shuttle rise, too. Every time it landed, they wondered if it would say the war was over, and the Emperor had been captured. Even then, they might not be able to go home.
They were not the only ones watching. Just over a rise, a shiny, silver flitter shimmered into solidity. Behind it, an entire valley filled with ships. In shimmer after shimmer, almost a million Fleet Marines lead by Baraz and Lea were assembling. She now used her virtual field jump initiator, as a test, to move a few people around the camp. Satisfied, she looked at Baraz and gave him a toothy smile.
"Let's go rescue our people and bring them home," he said.
Using a blue print of the prison they began jumping squads into strategic locations throughout the prison. They were to act like other prisoners until the signal flare was fired over the compound. Baraz was jumped into the office of the Prison Commander. She was deep in thought when they wavered into view. She looked up, startled.
When she looked up, twenty blasters were aimed at her. Baraz sat in the chair in front of her, "Xeren, how nice to see you again, my dear.”
She stood indignantly, “Ummm… Ummm…and you are?” She was confused. She had not seen Baraz since they were children. Baraz being much younger at the time, he was in other classes.
“All in good time, Commander.”
“What is the meaning of this outrage, sir.”
“Let me explain. I am your cousin, Baraz Menzi, the 66th Emperor in my line. I am reclaiming this prison for the Crown.”
She spoke with more bravado than she felt, “Surely Admiral Keeth may have something to say about that.”
“He may try, but since I have just defeated him badly at Hazey Point. I know him to be gutted of troops and ships. He will have less to say about anything.”
“I see…”
He hit a blue button on his communicator. There was a brief flurry of shots and some explosions. Baraz spoke into his hand held, “Situation?”
Pedra’s voice came clearly into the room, “Dagaz Prison is secured, Sire.”
Baraz focused on Xeren, “Commander, you are now under arrest and this prison is recaptured in the name of the Crown. Before you try anything rash, you had only a few thousand guards, and I have brought and distributed nearly one million very angry troops on my side."
He turned to his men, "Marx, may I fire the flare?"
"As you wish, Sire."
The others hustled Xeren and her office staff down the corridor toward the main compound, destroying the control consoles to the Guard-Robs and all the other robot services in case they were rigged for mass slaughter during an attack.
Laying there on the dirt floor of the compound, holding his darling Siri, Arin smelled the ozone. Without stirring too much as to wake his lady, he looked around. Not understanding, he saw Fleet Marines waver into view. His heart fell. It was over, he thought! They have come to gloat and to finish us off. Well, at least I have known true love.
He held his darling closer and she, still asleep, held him tightly too. The baby inside her womb stirred in the warmth of their embrace. Then, all around them, all the robots became immobile. The people who had been eating were upset the food had been withheld. The whole group in the compound began to mutter and mill about.
Arin was very disturbed also until his brother appeared in the Commandant office window and shot the flare gun off. Suddenly, he relaxed, knowing they were rescued and things were very right with the world.
Throughout the prison, people continued milling around wondering what was going on. Then, they too saw the flare. Everywhere small groups of people threw off their cloaks and revealed weapons and new uniforms. They immediately attacked ay human guards they saw. Within minutes, the prison was in the hands of the Crown troops.
Above the compound, Baraz appeared, "My good people, I am your Emperor, Baraz LXVI. I have freed you with the help of many others. As soon as possible, you will be jumped to our new base at Hazey Point with brand new jump technology. This is my aunt, Lady Pedra. She is the inventor of this unit. She assures me that her device can handle ten thousand per hour. You will be processed and jumped home in due time. Thank you for your sacrifice. You are all heroes. See you soon."
A cheering throng waved their arms and yelled in the first happiness they had known for many years. They were going home. The food bots began feeding people again. They had been reprogrammed to feed people as much as they wanted.
Baraz hugged his aunt. "Long will this day be known as the Battle of Dagaz Prison and, again, you are the hero. We are exceedingly pleased with our good and faithful servants.
“Oh, stop, you embarrass me. We fought together at every turn. You, Sire, are as much a hero as I.”
“For today, you have served more than just our house. You have served the entire Empire. Please accept our greatest regard and the Jeweled Cross of Honor."
"I will be honored to receive it for every one in the Tek Body, Sire. I can not wear it alone."
“There will be medals enough for every one when this mess is finally over.”
Arin woke his beloved. "Sweet heart, we have been rescued. We are to begin jumping to a new base immediately. First, we will be sent to the hospital ward at the new base. Once they see how well our baby is, I am sure they will be glad to have experienced help as you to know these people better than they will to re-integrate this many troops. Once we are there, I must try to find my grand father. Then, but I will introduce him to you as soon as I can. I love you with all my heart." Saying this, he pushed their way to the front to get jumped out with the first cheering troops.
"Rescued," she thought as they waited in the long slow line. "Oh, Taurus, my home star, soon I will bring this new life to you
to be rededicated for your glory. I know this good man will free you from the hands of the non-believers, and you will once again be free."
With these thoughts, she joined her fellows and did as her Emperor bid. Once at Hazy Point, she and Arin were processed in. Siri,as a trained nurse, was pressed into service taking care of her fellow prisoners as they were repatriated into the new base. She and Arin worked long hours together to honor the people they had served with. She was immersed in her work, occasionally stopping to look at her man when there was a lull or if the baby would quicken.
Chasing the Jewelled Throne Page 25