by P P Corcoran
“Imperial security you say-” Got you! Thought Unnati as she continued in a deadpan voice, “perhaps if you were to explain why this particular vessel was involved in such a highly sensitive matter, one which precluded the presence of a Commonwealth observer, we could put this matter to bed and move on to the subject of suitable compensation for the officer involved.”
“Compensation!” Hozal blustered only for the doors leading to the emperor’s private office to abruptly open. Four Alonan soldiers sprinted in, weapons drawn and looking like they would broker no interference.
Three of the soldiers spaced themselves equally around the dais the fourth, the commander, took the steps two at a time and with no hesitation leaned in close to the emperor and whispered a short, curt sentence. The emperor turned white as a sheet for a moment, before recovering and speaking directly to Unnati.
“I am sorry, Madam Ambassador, this audience is at an end. The Palace Guard will be here shortly to escort you safely back to your embassy.”
Unnati’s head spun with the sudden turn of events.
Only once, in her years of diplomatic service had she witnessed such an action play out in view of a foreign diplomat. That had been when the Black Ships attacked and destroyed Dagger Station in the Garundan System. Unnati had been second in command of the CUOP’s liaison office and was in the middle of negotiating a new trade treaty when a similar group of heavily armed Garundan soldiers had burst into the room and hustled the entire Garundan delegation from the room. It was only after the all clear was given that Unnati came to realize that she and the remaining open-mouthed in disbelief diplomats, had been left to fend for themselves.
By the looks of things, she would be abandoned again, unless she did something about it.
“We know about Foram!” She blurted out.
Even at the height of this emergency the name Foram caused a reaction. Grand Admiral Raga flung a look her way before grabbing the arm of the nearest soldier. “Bring her.”
Without a care for her modesty the soldier wrapped a meaty hand around the human woman’s arm, so hard, Unnati was sure it would leave a bruise. Nearly lifting her off her feet she was half carried, half dragged through the doors into the emperor’s private office where one section of ornately decorated wall had slid aside to reveal a hidden elevator.
Seven Garundans and one human squeezed into a space designed for half that number, Unnati guessed. The doors closed and the elevator dropped like an earth-sick stone. The contents of Unnati’s stomach did its best to climb back up her throat as the elevator continued to plummet.
After an eternity or more likely, less than a minute, the doors slid open and Unnati was once more a mere puppet in the arms of the soldier. The elevator opened onto a short tunnel with a curved roof and rough walls. After a short distance, the corridor reached a door, the like of which Unnati had never seen outside the bridge of a battleship. It stretched from floor to ceiling and, in its open position, Unnati saw it was at least two meters thick. With little pause the group moved through the entrance and, belying its size, the door closed as quietly as a mouse behind them. A faint popping in her ears eluded to the fact that they were now in a pressurized environment.
“Stand in the corner and be quiet.” Ordered Raga roughly. The hard look in the eyes of her escort assured her that, ambassador or not, she would follow the grand admiral’s orders.
“Report!” Ordered Raga to a harried looking captain who madly dashed between multiple terminals to extract and assess the flood of information. His delayed response did not bode well for his career prospects. “I said report!” Roared Raga as his head swiveled from left to right and took in the picture of confusion. “Where is the duty officer?” Raga asked in low, threatening tones.
The agitated captain threw a glance at the heavy, armored doors, implying to those in the room that the officer in charge of the bunker had found himself on the wrong side of the door, on the most crucial day of his military life.
Aware that the captain was about to lose his mind, the emperor himself stepped around Raga, gently placed his hands on the man’s shoulders and looked into his pale face.
“Captain, take a deep breath and tell us what you know.”
The captain, in return, took several shuddering breaths while his mouth continued to work without sound. After a few moments, the officer closed his eyes, took one final, calming breath then opened his eyes and began to speak.
“Ten minutes ago, all contact with Emperor Yalo IV Spaceport was lost. We’ve also lost communication with all vessels, both military and civilian, which were reported in the vicinity of the spaceport.”
“Probably just a solar flare interfering with communications.” Proposed Minister Hozal. His comment earned him a derisory look from Raga. “A solar flare would have hit us first, Minister, not a space station millions of kilometers further out than we are from the sun.” Dismissing the politician Raga returned his attention to the captain. “Continue.”
“Central Command have detected massive detonations in the area of the spaceport and a second series of detonations, further in-system minutes later. At this time Central Command theorize that the Alonan System is under attack and are responding accordingly.”
Raga scanned the information appearing at an alarming rate on the terminal behind the captain. “I need to get to Central Command and take charge. This is an attack, and from the energy profiles of these weapons I would bet my life that somebody out there is flinging around antimatter warheads.”
Despite her previous warning to be silent, Unnati could not help herself. “Antimatter? There is only one group who have that tech and are willing to use it...”
“The Saiph.” Said the emperor finishing Unnati’s sentence for her.
“Your Majesty, time is of the essence I must reach Central Command and coordinate our defense.”
The emperor nodded and the captain tapped a series of commands into his computer. With a gentle whoosh the armored door swung open, when the opening became just wide enough, Raga raced through and headed to the elevator at a dead run.
“Good luck, my friend.” Unnati heard the emperor say in a low whisper as the captain re sealed the bunker. Turning to face Unnati he gave her a wry smile. “It looks like we are in the hands of the emperor’s past ambassador.” As though the last few minutes had drained the energy from him the emperor reached for a chair only for one of his bodyguards to rush forward and fetch it for him.
“Thank you. Perhaps one for Minister Hozal, and the ambassador, also?”
The clatter of casters rolling across the rough flooring broke the comparative peace of the bunker as the bodyguard hurried to obey. Unnati gratefully sat, suddenly feeling exhausted; logic dictated that the adrenalin ebbing from her system was the culprit, but logic couldn’t stop her letting out a soft satisfied sigh as she sat on the soft seat.
That moment of relaxation disappeared when the captain’s animated voice filled the bunker. “The fleet is engaging, Your Majesty!”
✽✽✽
INS RAKO | TWO HUNDRED MILLION KILOMETERS FROM ALONA
Lieutenant Commander Wail Bitar grunted as his restraints cut into his shoulder blades as the Alonan heavy cruiser INS Rako completed its radical maneuver to avoid a barrage of directed energy weapons slicing through the space where the cruiser had just been.
“Comms, order Yavalo and Juslak to continue their attack. Rako, Tuval and Posak will retire and regroup at -” Brigadier General Wavak punched a series of queries into the nav computer mounted on his seat’s armrest, “One-eight-nine-five-six, mark two eight.”
“Bow magazine is running critically low, sir!” Called someone from Bitar’s right.
Abruptly, the Rako heaved upwards and lifted Bitar clear from his seat only for the restraints to react and lock him in place once more. His head bounced off the padding of the neck rest and caused stars to form in front of his eyes.
Bitar shook his head to clear his vision and tried to focus on the la
rge holo display that sat at the center of the Rako’s bridge. When Wail Bitar had come aboard the Rako as part of the Observer Program he had familiarized himself with as much Alonan equipment as possible, that was his job as an intelligence officer, after all. As such, he was able to interpret the current tactical situation as competently as Wavak and the other members of the bridge crew. The Alonans were taking a beating and no matter the firepower they flung at the oncoming Black Ships of the Saiph they appeared unstoppable.
The Alonans had been caught flat footed.
The Empire relied completely on their gravity drive nulling generators to prevent vessels encroaching on the inner system. They had not counted on an enemy that was willing to expend hundreds of antimatter missiles to blow holes in their defenses then fold into the gap and repeat the process.
Instead of the aggressors taking hours, if not days, battling through DEW platforms, minefields and the Imperial Navy, the Saiph had taken less than forty-five minutes to reach the final Alonan defensive line, before the Black Ships could fold directly into orbit around the heart of the Empire.
The gravity drive nulling generators were supposed to make it impossible for an enemy to use their gravity drive engines and fold within the Alonan System, instead, they had hindered the Imperial Navy’s response.
With the generators active the Imperial Navy found its units scattered throughout the system and unable to present a cohesive counterattack with enough force to block or stall the Saiph. Unfortunately, Bitar fully understood their predicament. Deactivate the generators and the Saiph would simply fold into Alonan orbit and attack the planet directly. Leave the generators online and the Imperial Navy would have to rely on their standard drive systems to maneuver them into a position and engage the enemy.
The holo display made it plain to Bitar, the Imperial Navy could not win this race.
Rako bucked again, this time an ear-piercing whistle accompanied the wrenching. Shit! We’re losing atmosphere, Bitar thought as he grabbed for the helmet stowed in the rack beside his seat.
With a loud screech, like the death throes of a giant animal, the entire front end of the Rako tore away and exposed the bridge to the cold of space. Bright pinpoints of stars, slowly rotating, replaced the holo display and Bitar, still strapped into his seat, tumbled away.
“How beautiful.” Bitar commented on the brilliant flashes of light filling the sky, before the absence of oxygen caused him to slip into unconsciousness and into the icy grasp of death.
✽✽✽
THE BUNKER | 750 METERS BELOW THE IMPERIAL PALACE | ALONA
“We are no longer the masters of our own destiny.” Said Emperor Paxt softly.
“Excuse me, Your Majesty?” Asked Unnati thinking she had misheard him.
The emperor graced her with a slow smile gesturing upwards at the gray, rough cast ceiling with one finger. “Somewhere up there, brave soldiers are fighting and dying while I sit safe and secure here, in this armored hole in the ground.”
“I wouldn’t put it like that...” Unnati began to say before Minister Hozal spoke over her.
“Continuity of government and the safety of the emperor are the highest priorities of the state, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, yes, Hozal, I am fully aware of our policy.” The emperor let out a soft sigh. “Still -”
“Our forces will be victorious, Your Majesty. Of that I am certain.” Gushed Hozal enthusiastically.
Emperor Paxt patted the minister’s leg gently and gave him a wry smile. “Of that, I am not so sure.”
Unnati cleared her throat to gain the emperor’s attention. “I request that I be allowed to contact my embassy, Your Majesty.”
Before the emperor replied the ground beneath them shook and the air filled with fine, powdery dust. Two of the bodyguards moved in and shielded the emperor’s body with their own.
“Enough!” Shouted the emperor as he pushed them away. “Do you think your flesh and blood will be enough to protect me, if the roof and the mountain above decide to fall on top of us?” The bodyguards retreated sheepishly and resumed their positions at the periphery of the room.
Ignoring them, the emperor turned his attention to the captain still fixated on his displays despite, what could only have been, a near miss from a nuclear detonation.
Thoughts of the death and destruction, which must have been raging through his beloved capital city of Bozra, dominated his mind. He pictured the Imperial Palace, built by the very first emperor, to be nothing but tangled and twisted lumps of steel and concrete. To collect his thoughts, the emperor closed his eyes for a moment, before speaking. “Captain. Connect the ambassador with her embassy please.”
After five attempts and more than one phrase which should not be said within earshot of the emperor, the captain turned to the emperor and Unnati with a troubled look in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, all communications beyond this room are out. We are completely isolated.”
Unnati pushed back in her chair and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. She realized the embassy and everyone in it was gone; taken by the initial nuclear blast or the shockwave or the intense fireball which followed close behind. Unnati closed her eyes to block out the images of friends and colleagues that were no longer here.
A surprisingly warm hand cupped her own and she opened her eyes to see the emperor leaning in close to her. “I am sorry.”
Unnati wiped at the tears which began to blur her vision, slowly nodding her head in thanks at the emperor’s empathy, while above ground his capital city lay in ruins. Shaking off her morbidity she asked the question responsible for her presence there in the first place.
“Am I ever going to find out what Foram is?”
Hozal opened his mouth to say something, however, the upraised hand of the emperor stopped him dead in his tracks.
“Foram, Madam Ambassador, is the Empire’s last hope.”
Unnati was looking at him with wide, questioning eyes as a fifty megatonnes warhead detonated on the surface directly above the bunker.
The shockwave travelled through the ground and pulverized the bunker and its occupants in the blink of an eye.
✽✽✽
LEAD CRUISER | FIRST WING | SAIPH FLEET
The Supreme Leader watched impassively as flashes lit up the dense clouds rapidly obscuring the surface of the planet below.
The deaths of billions of innocents did not faze him, for those dying at his hand were half-breeds; the spawn of the misjudged and poorly executed plans of the Elders who had died at his command, if not at his own hand, so long ago.
Star Leader Foral walked toward him and stopped at his side. Once they had entered orbit, the Supreme Leader had left the Command Deck and made his way to one of the few places on the cruiser where there was a window with an outside view. They stood in silence as flickers of light penetrated the debris-filled atmosphere for brief moments.
“Is it not a wondrous sight, my friend?” Said the Supreme Leader breaking the silence.
“Strangely hypnotic.” Replied Foral.
Silence again filled the small room until the cloud cover became too dense to detect any further detonations.
“Have you come to report the successful conclusion of our objectives?”
“I have.” Said Foral formally. “I can report that the two populated worlds in this system have been cleansed of the half-breed infestation. All Alonan orbital facilities are obliterated. Their fleet, for what it was worth, is now nothing more than pieces of floating debris and clouds of gas.”
“And what of ships fleeing the system or attempts to launch communications drones?”
“Second and Third Wing have successfully intercepted every vessel making such an attempt. As per your orders, they dispatched each ship when it came into range. We have no indication that any communications drones escaped, to warn either the Alonan colony worlds or the Commonwealth. Second Wing is now carrying out a purge of the half-breed’s mining facilities in the asteroid belt, while Thi
rd Wing is hunting any small, low-lying ships which may be avoiding us.”
The Supreme Leader clapped Foral on the back happily. “Excellent work. Are you confident now in Geoll and his crew mates?”
“They have carried out their orders without hesitation Supreme Leader. Caretaker Geoll has earned my full confidence and trust. He is a true Saiph and dedicated to our goal.”
“Then please inform Second and Third Wings to complete their tasks forthwith, join up with us and we shall head for home. We have much to celebrate after our victory today.”
“And the many victories to come.” Said Foral before leaving the Supreme Leader alone gazing out the window that gave such a breathtaking view of the dying gasps of the Alonan Empire.
✽✽✽
COMMAND DECK | LEAD CRUISER | SECOND WING | SAIPH FLEET
“Unknown warship! Unknown warship! We are an unarmed mining station. We have no offensive or defensive weaponry. We surrender! We surrender! Please acknowledge. For pity's sake we have women and children aboard!”
Geoll tapped a control and cut the pleading voice in his ear bud.
Swiveling his head so he saw the weapons officer clearly. “Confirm weapons lock and fire at will.”
“Lock confirmed... Missile away!”
Geoll averted his eyes from the holo display tracking the progress of the single missile.
“Time to impact fifteen seconds... ten seconds... five seconds... target destroyed.” Reported the weapons officer.
“Very well.” Said Geoll struggling to keep the unfamiliar emotions tugging at his soul from presenting in his voice. “Navigation. Set course for the flag ship.”
As Geoll bent to read the departmental situation reports gradually compiling on his command display, he caught the eye of Trakl, his second in command, and noticed something odd. Trakl’s features seemed to reflect the troubling thoughts entering his own mind, no matter how hard he tried to suppress them. Each Saiph held the other’s eyes for a split second longer before returning to their duties.
There was a war to be won, Geoll reminded himself, and in war actions must be taken for the greater good. No matter how unpleasant.