She smiled and made her way to the central elevator perch. Overlooking an expansive garden and restaurant, the perch sat at the top of a five-meter-tall waterfall. The moist, cool air felt good on her nose and she was tempted to gather a planet-appropriate swimming garment, if required, and go for a swim. Vannix chuckled to herself and decided some food and a glass of wine were in order. She would officially contact the guild in the morning in full view of Calx’s likely network of informants. Using the designated code words and phrasings, she was confident the guild would understand the situation and send immediate backup. If they didn’t, she’d have several days to lay low and work out a plan to get Rains out of the prison. She had several ideas, but they could wait until she’d eaten and could think things through.
Vannix pushed through the door to her suite and closed it behind her. The fur on the back of her neck stood on end, and she carefully reached for her holster. Drawing the sidearm silently, she turned toward the sitting room and raised the pistol to a steady firing position. Her target sat on the central sofa and looked at her impassively. The Altar’s antennae waved, and it nodded its head but made no other move.
“Who are you and what are you doing in here?” Vannix demanded.
The Altar laughed. “My name is Bukk, Peacemaker. I believe you know who I am. As for what I’m doing here, let’s say I’m solving your immediate problem.”
Vannix snorted. The former lieutenant of the Altar colony on Araf, Bukk was rumored to have been recruited by Intergalactic Haulers to serve on Snowman’s command bridge. “I can get Rains out of jail myself.”
Bukk nodded again. “But, can your guild get him out in time to catch Tara Mason before she disappears again?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means Tara Mason is close by, Peacemaker Vannix. I have my orders to find her, the same as you do, but from a different source.”
“Snowman.”
Bukk nodded. “He’s alive and hiding far away from here.”
“As he should be,” Vannix lowered the pistol but did not holster it. “He’s responsible for the failure of the CASPers in almost every Human mercenary unit.”
Bukk chittered. “There is a Human word for that kind of accusation which amuses me very much. It’s called bullshit. We found software modifications to the Binnig operating software after delivery. Someone clearly planted it in the Intergalactic Haulers’ CASPers. For Raleigh’s Raiders, it was a control mechanism in case they failed to sterilize Weqq. Those are the only cases of this software deployment I’ve been able to track and verify. Since our arrival at Karma, I’ve personally tested more than two hundred CASPers from various companies. You know, the ones from all the Humans incarcerated by the Mercenary Guild?”
There was an amused tone to his voice she could not ignore. “Warden Calx has clearly aligned herself with them.”
“And what of the Peacemaker Chief of the Guards under her command?” Bukk asked. “What about you, Peacemaker Vannix?”
“What about me?” Vannix replied, unconsciously adjusting her grip on her pistol. “You think I’ve chosen my people over my guild?”
“I’m merely asking the question.”
“My loyalty is to my guild, Bukk.” Vannix said. “My partner is Human. While he’s impetuous and immature most of the time, he’s a good man. I can’t speak for the guards or the local Peacemakers.”
“But you doubt their sense of duty. You fear they might support Calx.”
Vannix took a deep breath and slowly released it. “They might. There are too many factors in play in the galaxy right now to be sure of their conduct.”
“What are you prepared to do?” Bukk asked. “Sit here in the lap of luxury and wait for a response from your guild? Or do you want to do something about Jackson Rains?”
“How do you know his name?” She bit off the rest of her question—how did Bukk know Rains was a Peacemaker?
“There is a lot I have to tell you, Vannix. But not here. I’d prefer to move quickly and get Peacemaker Rains out tonight.” Bukk said. “Karma is about to become the definition of chaos. I’d prefer to get your partner out of prison and jump away before all hell breaks loose.”
“The Horsemen?”
Bukk shrugged. “I can’t say specifically, but Peepo can’t illegally incarcerate thousands of Humans for no reason and expect to get away with it for long. As for Calx, she believes they will hold the prison if challenged. She is wrong. The local Peacemakers have received other orders and unlike you, I expect they will follow them. Those who don’t are traitors.”
“Other orders? Like what?” Vannix squinted at him. “I’ve received nothing from the Peacemaker Guild.”
“Perhaps you weren’t meant to?” Bukk spread his sets of arms and rose from the sofa. He didn’t appear to be carrying any weapons, and he clearly wasn’t a threat. Vannix holstered her pistol and stepped closer to the Altar.
“Our mission is to find Tara Mason. That supersedes anything else the guild might have sent.” Vannix said. “To do so, I have to have Jackson Rains.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Bukk stepped forward and extended a clawed hand in the Human way. Vannix met him halfway, and they shook hands awkwardly, but effectively. “Well met, Peacemaker Vannix.”
“Well met, Bukk.” She nodded at him. “For some reason, I think you might already have a plan to free Jackson.”
“A Hauler always has a plan,” Bukk replied. “Want to hear it?”
* * *
Danube
Bishop System
The MinSha fleet emerged from hyperspace with the Shendil-Ya appearing first and the other vessels materializing in the space around her within minutes. Formed for battle, the fleet accelerated toward Danube. Drehnayl thought it a beautiful world, perhaps more beautiful than Earth, and certainly better than the Humans deserved. The bright blue disk was covered in deep, clean oceans and vibrant green landmasses in the equatorial regions. Bright white polar caps covered the visible northern pole and swirls of bright white clouds appeared throughout the atmosphere. Drehnayl stared for several moments at the planet. There was no doubt why, out of all the outer rim planets, the Humans coveted this one. It was what their world would have been without abusive Human practices and greed.
Drehnayl flexed her foreclaws and leaned forward at her console. “Status report, Nyalla.”
“All ships have emerged and set battle conditions. Infantry are loading their dropships. Weapons cruisers are moving into position and are preparing their orbital bombardments.”
“Primary target verifications?” Drehnayl asked.
“The population of the planet is estimated at 2.5 million including Humans and the other species currently on the planet. There are sixteen settlements of more than 10,000 inhabitants. Those are our primary targets for orbital bombardment. There are one hundred and twelve settlements of less than 10,000 inhabitants. Those will be the primary infantry targets. Expected mission accomplishment is twenty hours.”
“Level of resistance?”
“Negligible.”
Colonel Chee raised her head, and she met Drehnayl’s eyes. “General, gate control is relaying active communication.”
Drehnayl clicked her jaw in amusement. “Connect it to primary communications.”
“Attention MinSha vessel, this is Romeo 25 in command of a flight of two Osprey attack platforms at your bearing 325 mark 45. You are directed to proceed to the gate for immediate hyperspace clearance to any destination you choose. The Principality of Danube’s government will pay all fees to the Cartography Guild. Acknowledge and comply or we will be forced to engage. Over.”
Drehnayl’s mouth fell open as Chee manipulated an exterior camera to show the two minuscule platforms closing on them rapidly. The tiny vessels were little more than dots moving across the sky, with flashing red and green lights to discern them from the stars. As the tactical overlay appeared and marked the incoming targets inside tiny diamond icons, several
more icons appeared at the gate.
“Colonel Chee? What are those vehicles staged at the gate?”
“Outbound vessels marked for emergency transition.” Chee replied. “I believe they are refugee vessels. There is one mercenary transport among them belonging to Mayhem’s Marauders.”
Drehnayl squinted. “Who?”
“The transponder indicates the ship belongs to a company registered as Mayhem’s Marauders. They are not on the universal register of mercenary organizations. The vessel is a minimally-armed frigate. Gate control systems indicate the company was hired to move Human refugees fleeing Danube.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“There are fifteen Human mercenary companies with the word “Marauders” in their name, General.” Chee replied.
“I don’t care,” Drehnayl replied. “Those little fighters or whatever they are? Smack them from the sky.”
Chee looked up from her console. “General?”
“You heard me, Chee.” Drehnayl turned to Nyalla. “Open fire.”
Nyalla nodded. “Primary forward weapons engaged and barrage prepared. Firing.”
They heard a chime as the forward weapons loosed twenty missiles. Two streaked toward the small security element, and Drehnayl watched them until each of the targets disintegrated under the kinetic impact of the shipkiller missiles. She turned her eyes to the rest of the flight and watched them streak toward the gate. A series of icons appeared on her screen.
“Incoming fire,” Chee replied. “The Human mercenary frigate has fired thirty missiles at the fleet.”
“Counterbattery fire.” Drehnayl ordered. “Evasive action for the outboard vessels. Prepare a second salvo.”
“General, we should evade.” Chee said.
“We will strike their inadequate missiles down and pulverize their remaining ships in one smooth movement.” Drehnayl leaned forward on her console. “Am I clear, Colonel?”
“Yes, General.” Chee replied. She looked away, giving Drehnayl a flush of emotion that vibrated her antennae.
“Good. Colonel Nyalla? Take command of the fight. Eliminate those ships.”
“The mercenary vessel has jumped away. Twenty seconds to first impacts on the remaining ships.”
Drehnayl nodded. “Dispatch the Astriya to the gate. I want to know who they were and where they went. They can prove we were here.”
“It no longer matters, General.” Nyalla said. “Once we carry out your orders, everyone will know who we are and what we’ve done.”
The young operations office was correct, Drehnayl realized. Obliterating an Earth-like planet and millions of lives, both Human and not, would certainly be noticed by the entire galaxy. Once they purged the Human threat, she might even be considered her a hero for her actions. Certainly, Chinayl would be pleased. A position on the Mercenary Guild’s council or even the MinSha Council of Generals was a possibility. Drehnayl watched the ripple of distant explosions as the Human ships near the gate met their fates. More icons appeared at the gate, but Drehnayl discounted them. The Cartography Guild would want their operating areas clear of as much debris as possible. The large debris was far enough away from the gate to allow her fleet to pass, but the gate’s debris sweepers would be busy for weeks. Once they completed Danube’s sterilization, everyone in the galaxy would know her name, and the mere sight of her ships in their skies would cause them to panic and surrender. Not that it would help. Her mission was simple, and there was nothing left to do but carry it out.
“Bring us about and set course to commence orbital bombardment of the planet. Prepare the infantry to clean up any refugee operations. When will the gate be ready again to take our fleet?”
She directed the question at Chee, and the executive officer immediately raised her head. “The gate has a fusion power source and has a recharge time of six minutes, General.”
“Time to drop?”
“First target will be available in one hour and six minutes, General.” Nyalla replied. “We are updating the target matrix now. Expect delivery to all sites within sixteen hours.”
“Excellent.” Drehnayl looked at her two critical staff members for a long moment. “You will engage your target list immediately, and you will not stop until Danube smolders in ruin. Capture every feed you can and broadcast it on GalNet. Humans everywhere will know their turn is coming.”
* * * * *
Chapter Seventeen
Besquith Thrust Core
Danube Emergence Point
Jessica closed her eyes as the countdown timer hit three seconds. When the Besquith thrust core emerged into the Danube system, her stomach quivered. The brief feeling of falling passed as quickly as it began, and she wondered fleetingly if anyone would ever find a remedy for the Human body’s response to hyperspace transition. Her eyes snapped open as the Pendal flight crew brought the thrust core’s bow around toward the planet. Eight red diamonds appeared on the wide Tri-V screen. Her hunch about resistance paid off as she could better fight the battle from the thrust core’s bridge than the cramped yacht.
“Multiple threat contacts reported.” The Pendal second pilot’s four hands flew over the control surfaces. “Countermeasures active. Weapons systems online.”
“Time to firing solutions?” The command pilot worked equally fast. “Target analysis?”
“MinSha fleet. The command ship appears to have the same signature as the Shendil-Ya. We’ve found them.”
Jessica leaned forward against her harness and tapped on the Tri-V. The icons appeared to be moving away from the planet’s surface, toward the stargate. “They’re heading away. Damage report on the planet?”
“Our sensors are engaged with the defense of this ship, Peacemaker.”
Jessica turned and stared into the cold eyes of the command pilot, and she shivered despite her glare. The look from the pilot’s third eye brought ice down her spine. And he was right. She turned back to her Tri-V and tapped her earpiece. “Lucille? Analysis from the yacht’s feeds?”
<
Gods. Jessica felt failure knot her stomach. “They’re trying to jump away. Establish comms with the gate and lock them out.”
<
One of the icons altered its course and headed directly toward the thrust core. Alarm klaxons rang out a second later. Jessica looked over her shoulder at the Pendal flight crew. The command pilot frowned. “MinSha cruiser coming about. Multiple weapon launches spotted. Fire countermeasures.”
On the screen, she could see more than a dozen small rockets forward of the core’s bow. The combination of chaff rockets designed to blot out targeting radars and heat seeking interceptors raced into the void between the ships. Three seconds later, several of the missiles detonated, two spectacularly.
“Intercept of two shipkillers.” The second pilot reported. “There are still three inbound.”
“Second salvo of countermeasures.” The command pilot said. “Fire.”
More missiles raced toward the MinSha cruiser. Two more detonations lit up the blackness like very brief, large fireworks from the holiday displays of her youth. A cold sweat raced down her back.
“One left. Lucille?”
<
“Do whatever you have to, Lucille. Stop them from getting out of here.”
<
WHAMM!
A spectacular explosion covered the bow of the thrust core in a bright blue flash. As it dissipated, Jessica saw four of the attached ships spinning away from the core, including Dreel’s yacht, two elSha supply ships, and a passenger pod carrying twenty-five Oogar. Helpless, Jessica watched them for a brief se
cond. The intelligence feeds on her Tri-Vs blanked out as alarm klaxons sounded on the bridge.
“Damage report!” The command pilot yelled over the noise.
The second Pendal’s voice remained calm. “Forward weapons batteries are gone. The core is structurally okay, and all power plants remain online, but we’ve lost reaction control systems in the forward quadrant. We’re at risk of drifting.”
A fresh burst of alarms rang out across the bridge. Jessica looked at her Tri-V. The MinSha cruiser had fired another salvo of missiles.
The command pilot yanked the thrust core into a hard, right turn. “Prepare port countermeasure batteries and be ready to jettison all attachments and bow sections.”
“Batteries online and attachments ready for jettison.”
Jessica looked over her shoulder and saw the command pilot’s eyes—all three of them—dart toward her. “If we do this right, they’ll think we’re dead, Peacemaker.”
<
Jessica squinted. “You have my trust, Captain.”
The Pendal looked at his counterpart. “Prepare all defensive batteries and hit the inbound missiles as close to our hull as possible.”
“We’ll take impact debris.” The first officer replied, his eyes on the external Tri-V cameras.
“Can’t be helped.” The command pilot glanced at Jessica once more. “Hang on, Peacemaker.”
Her earpiece chirped. “Jessica? What’s happening?”
Tirr.
“You’re still on the thrust core?”
“Affirmative. Four decks below you in the armory.” Tirr replied. “Moving your direction.”
“Stay where you are and brace for impact.”
“What does that mean?”
Jessica snorted. “We might not make it, Tirr.”
“That hasn’t stopped us before, Jessica.”
Stand or Fall (The Omega War Book 4) Page 18