by P P Corcoran
Don’t they?
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE EMPEROR IS DEAD
LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR
WAYPOINT 4. | 5,000 LIGHT-YEARS FROM ALONA | INTERSTELLAR SPACE
A flashing red light in the top right corner of the small holo display accompanied the demanding buzzing of an incoming comms call that held a currently never-ending list of quarterly performance reviews that, the Executive Officer said, required his sign-off. Kenichi Sutou was unconvinced and suggested, half in jest and half in seriousness, that the XO learn to forge the Commanding Officer of TDF Sorcerer’s signature. Thankful for a respite in the tedious paperwork Kenichi accepted the incoming call. The face of a Persai Sub Leader replaced the mind-numbing list of files. The title bar along the bottom of the display indicated that he was the Communication Officer aboard Waypoint 4., the final Commonwealth outpost before entering Alonan Imperial space.
“Commander Sutou.” Said the Persai in the deep growl of an officer who wanted to see the end of his shift, before the sheer boredom of his job caused him to fling himself out of the nearest airlock.
“The daily diplomatic communications drone from Alona has not arrived. Two subsequent requests by drone for updates to the embassies status have also failed to return.” Kenichi could feel whatever relief had had at the thought of a break from paperwork drain out of him as he realized what was coming next.
“Standard Operating Procedure requires that the duty courier ship of the day -” the Persai officers eyes shifted momentarily as he checked something on a different display, “I’m showing that to be your ship TDF Sorcerer. Is to make its way without delay to Emperor Yalo IV Spaceport and ascertain the current situation at the embassy.” The Persai’s face softened as much as an eight-foot werewolf like face could. “If it’s any consolation Commander the last ship through here reported that the Alonans were having some equipment issues. Something about sensor ghosts and interference on their comms’ channels so, you might discover that it’s simply an equipment fault at their end and your trip is a waste of time.”
“Let’s all hope so.” Kenichi replied through gritted teeth. As the link terminated Kenichi’s chin dropped to his chest and a loud sigh passed his lips. Hey, look on the bright side Kenichi he thought at least you get out of doing the paperwork for a while. An evil smile spread across his face as he eyed the large red button protected by the clear plastic cover that lay easily within arm’s reach. Well, we may as well get some training value out of this milk run and with a flourish, he flipped up the cover and depressed the red button below. The hooting sound of the battle stations alarm blared out in every section of the ship and Kenichi hummed quietly to himself as he sealed the collar of his uniform. The sound of shouts and running feet came from the corridor beyond his cabin as the crew of the Sorcerer raced to their stations.
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TDF SORCERER | WAYPOINT 4.
“Ready to fold on your order, Sir.”
Kenichi paused for a second before answering allowing his eyes one final inspection of the Sorcerer’s bridge noting with a small smile the freshly pressed uniform that adorned the XO. It was in stark contrast to the one he had been wearing when Kenichi had sauntered onto the bridge after sounding the battle stations alarm and giving the crew a small, unscheduled drill. That particular uniform had had a very large brown coffee stain which had covered the entire upper chest and lap of the normally pristine XO. To rub salt into the wound Kenichi had allowed the drill to progress until each and every department had reported sealed and ready for action before he had stood the ship down allowing the XO to quickly nip off to his quarters and get changed into a fresh uniform.
Now however, Sorcerer was at Condition 3. with fully one-third of the crew on watch and all strategic stations, including weapons, manned. After Sorcerer’s last foray into Alonan space everyone appreciated Kenichi’s wariness. If it had not been for the lighting reactions of the ships helmsman when the destroyer had been facing a squadron of Imperial Cruisers who were out for the blood of whoever was responsible for laying waste to the colony world of Balat then there was a very good chance that they would not have been here today.
“Fold!” Ordered Kenichi as he felt that now all too familiar mild disorientation as his body and the ship briefly entered null space before reemerging once more into normal space. Kenichi was about to order a complete sensor suite when the hull of the Sorcerer wrung like some giant had struck it with a hammer.
“What the hell…” Began Kenichi only to be drowned out by the collision alarm. There shouldn’t be a debris field here thought Kenichi this is the major approach lane to the biggest space station in Imperial space.
“Get us into some clear space and then find out where the hell we are because it sure ain’t Alona.”
Sorcerer continued to bang like a gong for longer than Kenichi would have liked as the ship maneuvered clear of the debris field. Eventually peace and quiet returned with the exception of Navigation where the XO was leaning over the shoulder of the Nav Officer and his chief as they worked furiously to figure out where they had gone awry in their computations and where that error had dumped Sorcerer. After a few minutes where Kenichi witnessed a number of intense discussions between the XO, the Nav Officer and the chief, Kenichi decided to intervene.
“If you ladies have come to a conclusion would you choose to enlighten the rest of us?”
“Sir,” said the XO, “we have arrived at our intended destination. This is indeed the Alonan System and Emperor Yalo IV Spaceport should be directly ahead of us.”
Kenichi regarded the XO for less than a heartbeat before he sprang into action. “Sound battle stations! Sensors full, I don’t give a damn if the Alonans don’t like us using our sensors so close to their space. Comms, all frequencies broadcast. Identify us and warn any vessel not to approach or they may be fired upon without warning. XO, once we have a full sensor picture, I want it and our logs downloaded to the ready comms probe and get it away soonest.”
If anyone on the bridge thought that Kenichi was overreacting, then they held their tongues instead choosing to follow Kenichi’s orders. It took only a few minutes for his prudent behavior to be proved correct.
“All indications point to one hell of a fight happening here, and not too long-ago sir.” The XO reported. “My best guess is that the debris field we emerged in was actually the remains of the spaceport. I’m also getting massive readings from further in-system. I would confidently say that a massive fleet action took place here, and sir…”
Kenichi tore his eyes away from the data which the XO based his findings on scrolling across his repeater screen. “Spit it out XO.”
“Somebody has been flinging antimatter around this system like confetti. To the best of my knowledge the only people who have access to those sorts of weapons in the quantity required to give these readings are the Saiph.”
The XO’s final statement made Kenichi’s mind up for him. “Navigation. Plot us a course back to Waypoint 4. I’ve seen enough for one day.”
Minutes later Sorcerer entered fold space leaving the ghosts of the Alonan Empire the only residents of the dead system… Well not quite.
From behind an asteroid over a hundred kilometers across, crept a small personnel shuttle, almost dwarfed by its own gravity drive. The crew of the shuttle had been en route to Foram. However, a ridiculous rule, so thought the shuttle crew, denied any vessel, folding out to Foram, from entering fold space directly from the Alonan System
The crew decided the protocol was devised by a security weasel who had never been into space for everyone knew it was impossible to track a ship through fold space.
Now, though. That same rule had saved the life of the four Alonans aboard the shuttle. The pilot had decided to have a bit of fun with the rule and had shaped her course to take him through an extremely thick part of the systems asteroid belt thinking that she may as well get some practice in while carrying out her orders to the letter. When the Saiph had a
ppeared without warning the shuttle was already well into a boulder strewn field which, more by chance than planning, provided excellent cover from the Saiph sensors. For hours the crew and passengers had forced themselves to listen to the ongoing battle. Then had come the declarations of surrender swiftly followed by the calls for mercy. When the comms frequencies had fallen silent the small shuttle had stayed put until the air had started to thicken and the cold had begun to penetrate the thin hull. The female pilot had been about to emerge from cover when the Human destroyer had arrived. Once more, they went into hiding not knowing whether the Humans were friend or foe. Now they had left, the pilot edged the shuttle clear of the asteroid and set course for Foram, praying to the ancestors that the base still existed and had not fallen to the Saiph.
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FORAM SYSTEM | THIRTY-SIX LIGHT-YEARS FROM ALONA
“This is certainly a most impressive facility you have here General Lura.” Stated Governor Posta. The Governor of the Alonan colony world of Kathan sentiments were reinforced by those of her fellow governor. Governor Dala of Opero.
“Yes, indeed General. And the Empire managed to keep this beyond the prying eyes of the Commonwealth. Indeed, remarkable.”
“Believe me Governors it was not an easy thing to do and we had our suspicions that the Commonwealth had at least an inkling that something was being kept from them. However, all that we have done to keep this facility and its secrets has been for naught.” Lura gestured for the governors to sit.
Lura’s frankness was, in a way, refreshing thought Chief Scientist Kilor who continued to sit quietly as the necessary pleasantries were completed. Both the governors were political appointments and as such conversed in the vain of their profession. The situation at hand though, called for more direct speaking.
“The situation as we understand it at the moment is this.” Lura began with the minimum of preamble. “The entire Alonan System has been destroyed. Population centers, big and small, on both Alona itself and Geta were target by high order nuclear detonations. My initial estimate is that casualties among the civilian population will be near total.”
Whatever the governors had expected to hear it was worse than they had feared. Governor Dala clasped his hands together to cover a mild shake while Governor Posta said nothing though her body posture allied with her slow steady breathing spoke volumes of the struggle she was having internally to control herself. Lura appeared oblivious to it all as he continued speaking
“Our industrial and manufacturing base has ceased to exist. Both your colonies can no longer rely on the home system providing you with essentials.”
“But. But…” Stammered Dala. “We are nowhere near self-sufficient for even the basics such as food and raw materials for construction. Never mind that the Saiph could turn up in our space any second. I demand that you dispatch warships immediately to protect us!” Dala flicked a look across to Posta obviously expecting her to support him. If he did then he had miscalculated for when she spoke, she ignored Dala and addressed Lura directly.
“You are the expert here General. What are our options?”
Lura regarded her steadily for a moment before speaking. “In plain language Governors, we lost.”
Both politician’s jaws dropped open in unison and, if this had not been so serious, Kilor was sure he would have burst out in uncontrollable laughter.
“The Emperor is most certainly dead. As is the Cabinet. The Legislator. The heads of all the armed forces. All the elected governors,” Lura managed to crack a small smile which did not reach his eyes, “with the exception of present company of course. Kathan is nowhere near self-sufficient. Opero barely so.” Lura spread his arms to indicate the room around him. “Here at Foram we have barely enough food and water to survive a couple of months, possibly three if we introduce rationing.”
Governor Dala had managed to recover his wits somewhat and was now thinking with his brain again and not his fear. “A military man like you always has a plan General. So, tell us. What do you think we should do?”
Lura stood and paced around the small room with his hands clasped behind his back attempting to give himself time to figure out how to explain his plan. Kilor did it for him.
“We propose to go to the Commonwealth and request aid.” Said the chief scientist sitting back and preparing for the onslaught of derision that he knew must follow. The Empire hated the Commonwealth. A hatred born of humiliation and that sort of hatred went all the way through you to the bones.
Dala opened his mouth to protest however, Posta laid a restraining hand on his forearm.
“Think about it logically for a moment Dala.” She said. “How are you going to feed and clothe your people? How are you going to keep them warm in winter? And, past Emperors bless us, how are you going to protect them if the Saiph return?”
“We will fight them!” Dala said resolutely.
Kilor could not contain himself and a small chuckle escaped him. “With what Governor? Sticks and stones.”
Enraged Dala sprung to his feet leaning his face close enough into the scientist that Kilor could smell his fetid breath. “With the warships that are floating so serenely beyond these walls! What are you? Are you a coward Kilor?”
The scientist began to rise to his own feet only for a strong hand to press him back down into his seat.
“No Dala. Kilor has a better grasp of the practicalities of the situation than you. Yes, I could send my warships against the Saiph and I can tell you right now what would happen -” Lura paused to ensure Dala was paying full, undivided attention. “Every person aboard those ships would die a glorious, futile death and achieve nothing!”
“And why would the Commonwealth come to our aid?” Asked Dala derisively. “Out of the goodness of their hearts. Out of some sense of higher moral purpose?”
“Possibly.” Countered Lura. “They have done it before. When the Others attacked had it not been for the Human Admiral Jing the Empire could very well have fallen that day.”
That brought a loud harrumph from Dala who pushed back from the table and folded his arms signaling he had finished being a part of this conversation. Posta, on the other hand, sensed that the General had something more up his sleeve and was determined to sniff it out.
“Those warships we seen as we arrived General -” For the first time a genuine smile flickered on the face of Lura. “I’m no expert but they seem awfully advanced. No disrespect to Chief Scientist Kilor here -” she said nodding in Kilor’s direction, “per chance have you had some outside assistance the identity of which you would be willing to share with us?”
Lura gave Kilor a curt nod and the scientist tapped a control which activated a holo cube. Within the holo cube hung a ship. A ship so different in appearance to any in the Alonan inventory that it literally screamed out ‘Alien’!
“This is the Savior. Designed and built by the Saiph generations ago to store in stasis everything required to build a new Saiph home world from the ground up.”
By the state of the eyeballs bulging out of Dala and Posta’s heads Kilor was sure he had their full and undivided attention.
“For the past year or so we have been taking the best of Saiph technology and incorporating it into our own designs resulting in the warships you, Governor Dala, alluded to. We believe these ships to be the equal of any Black Ship the Saiph can currently field. Our problem is numbers. We simply did not have the resources to build enough ships quickly enough to counter the Saiph threat.”
Posta pointedly looked at Lura. “But the Commonwealth do.”
Lura shrugged his shoulders. “They are, by far, the largest and most efficient producers of high tech in the known galaxy.”
Dala continued to stare at the Savior for a few moments longer before speaking. “Even with full access to a ship like that it would have taken you years, possibly decades to reverse engineer what I saw floating outside. You must have had help.”
Kilor looked to Lura for permission before tappin
g another control. In the holo cube the image of the Savior disappeared to be replaced by that of a Saiph dressed in a one-piece dark blue uniform.
“Meet Okal. Commander of the Savior. He and his crew have been instrumental in helping us understand and adapt their technology for incorporation in our own ships. Without him, what you have seen outside would not exist.”
For the second time in as many minutes jaws dropped open in disbelief though both Governors recovered more quickly this time.
“And why would a Saiph willingly help us? Build weapons that he knows will be used to kill other Saiph?” Demanded Dala.
“Quite simple really.” Answered Lura. “The Saiph that crew the Black Ships are under the command of a man Okal calls the Supreme Leader. Apparently in the dim and distant past he had a bit of a falling out with the Elders who ran Saiph society. They imprisoned him and he promptly escaped fleeing the Saiph home world with a number of ships and followers. They established themselves somewhere among the stars before returning and destroying the Saiph home world.”
Posta regarded Lura quizzically. “Your telling me that it was the Saiph who were responsible for wiping out the Saiph.”
Lura nodded. “More or less.”
Dala pointed a finger at the image of Okal. “And the Commander?”
“He -” Answered Kilor, “firmly believes that if the Elders were around today then they would want him to help us defeat the Supreme Leader - Simple really.” Added Kilor with a wry smile.
“You are going to offer the Commonwealth Saiph tech and a real live crew of Saiph to help them make it work.” Said Posta.
Lura shrugged in acknowledgment. “In exchange we get everything we need to turn Kathan and Opero into viable colonies. The Empire rises from the ashes.”
Dala screwed up his face. “I see one major flaw in your plan General.”
“There may be many flaws in my plan Governor. To which one do you refer?”