by James Ashman
Chapter 7
A young woman smiled as she watched the screen. She saw the image of Alquin accepting his award from the emperor, and clapped wildly.
"What are you doing?" asked a boy who had just entered the room. He was in his late teens.
"Look Lance! It's Alquin Tor Rinard," she said.
"Who? Oh, another general. Whatever. I want to go somewhere," Lance said.
"After this," she said.
"No, now," Lance said, and then stood in front of the screen. The woman jumped up and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Move, please," she said while pushing against him softly.
"No. This isn't important, you can watch it another time."
"I want to see him live! You can let me have that at least, can't you?" she asked.
"Him? What's so great about some general?" Lance looked over his shoulder. He then turned his entire body. "Him! This is what you're watching?"
"He's doing well, isn't he?" The woman pushed Lance again, and this time he moved sideways.
"Him," Lance said. He stared at the screen and silently watched. After Alquin was off-screen, he spoke again. "You're not allowed to watch anything, anymore."
"You can't say that."
"I can, and I say it. I won't put up with disloyalty." Lance gave the woman a cold stare.
"I was never loyal to begin with."
"Shut up. You will be, whether you like it or want to or not. But you will be. And you will like it and want to," Lance said.
"You don't control my thoughts."
"I do. I bought that right fairly! You're mine and you'll do as I wish!" Lance stamped his foot. The woman took a small step back.
"Lance, you really want me, don't you?" the woman asked in a sweet voice. Her look had softened, and the edges of her lips curled upwards. Lance felt his body relax. The woman's soft gaze dissipated his anger.
She placed a hand on his face and moved a little closer. She said, "You're young, passionate. You know what you want and you have the power to take it. You have me. You wanted me. You want to keep me here, forever, don't you?"
"Yes," Lance said quietly.
"You're not very honest in expressing that. You lash out. You don't mean to, do you."
"No."
"I'm not here to condemn you." She lowered her hand and took a step back. "But I'm not yours, and I never will be. Your father stole me from Alquin. You know that. You despise Alquin because I'll never love you like I do him. And you cannot change that. You're a spoiled child. I have no power, no one to spoil me. My engagement to you is out of my control. Your father forces me to comply. And you, you stupid child, I don't hate. But I won't love. And I'll never be yours."
"Charlotte. I hate you," Lance said while tears formed at the corners of his eyes.
"And love me."
Lance turned and walked to the door. He turned around once and nodded his head, and then left the room.
"Alquin, Relos, I'm still here. I can only watch from a distance. I'll never meet you again. But I can still watch you. Thank you for putting yourself out there. I see it. Thank you," Charlotte said. "I wish Relos had a chance to be on screen as well. Alquin, you hog it too much! Let Relos up there once in a while!"
"Man, that was boring," Kelin said.
"Oh dear, you just don't get excited about battle the way you used to," Teena said.
"That's because I save it all for you," Kelin said.
"Ahem!"
"Save it for later," Teena said. Kelin nodded and then grinned.
"Sir," Yue said.
"Don't continue that. Disciplining them won't help," Genbu said. He sighed lightly.
"Another fleet approaching. Twenty capitol ships, three hundred cruisers," Kelin said.
"Any change?" Yue asked.
"Not at all. Fish in a barrel," Kelin said.
"How far are we?" Yue asked.
"Fifty-thousand kilometers till we're in a spot clear enough to jump. Then it'll be a matter of cleaning up," Teena said.
"Yes yes, I'll finish the dishes soon enough, dear," Kelin said.
"Don't forget the trash too," Teena said.
"Coalition forces are breaking up," Genbu said.
"Jump when you're sure, Teena," Yue said.
"Aye sir. The relay emitters are all synced and ready to go. Kelin, fighters in. Ready to stop firing?" Teena asked.
"Recalling the last of them now. Missile defenses ceasing. Blasters will be down on your mark. Ready for the field. Is this really going to work?" Kelin asked.
"It'll work. There's no better time to test it than when running away, right?" Genbu asked.
"Ready," Teena said.
"Same," Kelin said.
"Let's go. And hope this works."
The ship started to hum. Yue could feel the slight vibrations that resonated through the ship. The screen that showed the outside of the ship went blank. The humming stopped for a moment, started again, and then stopped completely. Yue suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous.
"We're out. Total time was eighteen seconds, but only a fraction of a second was spent in relay space, as expected. It worked, sir," Kelin said. He then sat back in his chair and held his head.
"It feels stranger than normal relay movement," Genbu said.
"It's only to be expected. We were in normal space hundreds of times, recalculating our position at each jump. Physics is just catching up to us," Teena said.
"Dismissed for now, I think we should all lie down. It's not as though anyone will catch up to us. Three light-weeks away from the nearest relay, at least. And they'd still have to know where we are in the first place," Genbu said.
The room emptied quickly, except for a few operators that needed to stay at their posts. Yue headed for the cafeteria. He was still dizzy, but the nausea had left. Normally their success would be cause for celebration, but circumstances weren't the best.
Yue ordered a simple meal with an orange at the side, and then took a seat at a random spot. He looked around and watched several others who looked slightly sick. The jump, the first of its kind, was taking a toll on everyone. It would take a few more jumps before anyone would get used to the strange pulls it induced.
"Mind if we sit here?" Kelin asked. Yue turned to greet him and Teena.
"Sure."
"So, commander, what do you think of our precious Zeick now?" Kelin asked. He was smiling widely with the silliest grin.
"She's amazing. To think that a ship with relays built into it could use them like that, it's incredible," Yue said.
"He is. Zeick is a he, not a her," Kelin said.
"Oh just ignore him. Just because everyone always calls ships females, he thinks he has to qualify this one as male," Teena said.
"Either way is odd," Yue said with a smile. Kelin laughed and nodded.
"Yes, you're right! But even if it is or isn't, Zeick is still male. Right Teena?" Kelin asked.
"Yes, that's true."
"But didn't you just say something different?" Yue asked.
"No. I said he thinks he has to qualify this one. Of course, Zeick is male, so it doesn't matter if Kelin qualifies him or not. Right, Zeick?" Teena patted the table a few times.
"Okay," Yue said with a straight face. Kelin and Teena laughed at Yue for a while.
They ate and spoke for a while, until a newcomer arrived.
"Commander Yue! My respects!"
"Thank you. Cadet, is it?"
"Yes sir. Tim Vale, assigned in engineering. I just wanted to offer you my loyalty in person. I speak on the behalf of the rest of engineering as well," Tim said.
"Thank you. I know I've put you all in a tough situation," Yue said.
"Think nothing of it, sir. Here on the Zeick, we're a giant family. And this family knew it was unfair of the higher-ups to try to stamp you out. We'll support you, the entire family will. Even if we are several thousand, we're mostly in support. I've long-heard of your amazing exploits," Tim said.
"He's
humble, too," Teena said.
"Thank you, really. It's reassuring, even if I still fear a mutiny may erupt. We did disobey the council, refuse orders, fire on our own men, and steal coalition property. I'm liable to be executed as a traitor, should we be stopped," Yue said. He sighed while shaking his head. "I didn't want to do that. None of this should have happened."
"It's not your fault. Everyone, even those who don't know you, don't think you're in the wrong. It's politics, and we're sick of it," Kelin said. "But we're special. We run Zeick. We possess power that the council thought they controlled. We were actually able to do something about our predicament. I only mourn for our brethren who still have to put up with them."
"He's right. They had no right to strip you of your rank to begin with! It's their fault. Who cares if we are doing something lawful or illegal, it's right versus wrong, and they are wrong," Teena said.
"Maybe not so radical," Yue said. "I still believe the coalition has it right, compared to the empire. We just don't have the right people in power."
"Like you," Tim said.
"No, no, not me. I'm no leader," Yue said while waving his hands and shaking his head.
"Exactly. That's why you are," Kelin said. "You don't aspire for power, you just want to do what's right."
"That's still wrong. I'm not that good. I'm just in a bad situation. I just want to live justly. I wouldn't mind if I was accused for something falsely if I knew justice would prevail and set me free. Without that confidence, I'm just a coward running away."
"I still think you're doing fine," Teena said.
"Thank you. But I'm not. I'm still lost. I've still got the guilt of losing a dear friend to the empire's hands," Yue said.
"We'll get Miku back," Kelin said.
"You know about her?" Yue asked.
"Oh, you didn't know? Genbu didn't just handpick this staff at random. Some were reassigned, but most everyone here knows Admiral Genbu and Miku. Some personally, others because he used to visit Zeick from time to time. He was here for the original launch as well. He's whom several of us have to personally thank. And Miku, well, who could forget her?"
"Kelin!" Teena said.
"Er, right, she's not as pretty as my Teena, but she is a vivid girl. A young, daughter-like girl. That alright, my lovely dear?" Teena nodded. "But we saw Miku several times over the years. She's also quite bright. She and I worked together on some of the basic strategies that Zeick uses in battles. I still remember sitting at the station working on a hypothetical, and she'd just come up behind me and offer a small, short suggestion or question. Every time, it would be just what I needed."
"She still looks over peoples shoulders," Yue said. "And, now that you mention it, she does suggest things so innocuously that you'd think they were your own ideas."
"Exactly!" Kelin said.
"Always," Yue said. Yue's eyes opened widely for a moment, and then he had a somber look. "She's always offered small suggestions on all my major battles. All of them. I didn't think about it until now. All of them. I wonder, what would I be without her? How much did she contribute, and how much of my fame did I make on my own?"
"Yue, what's wrong?" Teena asked.
"I'm beginning to remember too many times of Miku making the perfect small adjustment. I wonder, now, if I'm actually worth the rank that I wasn't willing to give up. Was I worth making this ship full of traitors?" Yue asked.
"Of course. Even if it was her plan entirely, you were the one who commanded it. Don't forget that," Kelin said.
"Maybe," Yue said.
"Leadership is just as important as the plan itself," Tim said. "And you lead well. Doesn't that mean she's a good complement as a strategist? If she really is one, that is."
"What a strange turn of things," Yue said. "Fine. Then that's what we will do. She's valuable, just as valuable as I am, if not more. Now that Zeick is its own free entity, it should have something to do. Let's free Miku!"
The final blow to the coalition camp around the third moon of Blatt ended with few casualties for Alquin. The win was swift and glorious, as Alquin had planned. There were still three more minor posts he would need to conquer before he could approach Zeick, but they wouldn't be a problem for the force that Alquin had with him.
More than just needing to win, Alquin needed to command efficiently to keep the loyalty of all the soldiers in his enormous fleet. That preparation was just as important as actually winning the battles. But Alquin didn't have to press for it much. Respect for him abounded among the ranks, especially among the common soldiers. Knowing that he didn't discriminate against class was comforting to the men who were mainly drafted forces.
"Pete, check it out," said Van, a light-haired pilot. He and Pete, another pilot, had gone to the main hall of their ship after battle. Around them were hundreds of other soldiers, all laughing or cursing, drinking, and having a generally good time. The beer flowed and the entertainment was suitable, whether it was a nearby holoscreen or a live band across the room.
"What's up?" Pete asked, and then looked at the holoscreen Van was pointing at.
"Alquin's up again."
"Yeah, what about it? He always gives a small speech after each battle. I don't really care, but some of the other guys are really into it. I didn't think you were."
"A little. He says the right stuff. And then backs it up by actually doing it. But I could do without all the flashy words. Anyways, that's not what I'm meaning, right now. Take a look, notice something?" Van asked, and then pointed at the holoscreen again.
"Yeah, he looks a bit tired."
"Arg! Come on man, check out the chick!"
"Oh? Oh! You're right, there's a woman."
"You seen her before?"
"No, doesn't look familiar. But why point her out?"
"Ever seen him with a woman at his side? Especially in a public broadcast? And just who is she?"
"No. Closest I've seen is Relos being with him. Oh, ha, that's an interesting change. So commander is into women, after all," Pete said while chuckling.
"Ha. No doubts anymore. Though, Relos himself was so woman-crazy. Maybe it finally rubbed off. Shame it didn't happen earlier. A shame Relos died."
"Oh? On second glance, she's my type," Pete said while stroking the hair on his chin, pretending to look thoughtful.
"I say she's more mine. I've spent some time creating a love of Asian girls. Not as many Asian descendants in the empire, after all."
"Oh, so you think the coalition would be a better place to live?" Pete nudged Van in the arm.
"Ha, as-if! They just got more planets that were settled with that kind of diversity. It'd be a different story if the planets we owned were switched. Besides, they are just rarer here, not nonexistent. Bah, why are we talking about our taste in women? Back to the one at hand."
"She's cute. But, you know what, maybe a bit too young for me."
"Pete, you're just afraid of what commander would do if you started moving in on his woman," Van said with a laugh at the end.
"Bah, I need a drink. It's not like I'll even get to board his ship, let alone steal his woman. We'll just keep working here in the second garrison for commander all our lives. Maybe I'll make it to a squad captain someday. Command others to die gloriously, you know?"
"Am I that bad, fellows?" said Griff, the squad captain who had walked up to the two men without them knowing.
"Sir! Have a drink with us, sir! We'll die just as you ask us to, eventually," Pete said with a hint of mockery. "Thank you for your belief in us, sir!"
"Both behind my back and in my face? Great, just great," Griff said, and then laughed heartily. Van and Pete also laughed, and then placed another order for a round of beer.
"So how's it going?" Van asked.
"Well, you two deserved your current reward, that's for sure. Add another few strikes to your ships; show the coalition you've been through the heat of battle plenty of times. Meanwhile, the strategy meeting was good. We've sti
ll got a few battles to go before we get to our target. That's going to be a blast," Griff said.
"So what's the target?" Pete asked.
"I wish I knew. I get the feeling even the captain doesn't know. And if Alquin's broadcasts are any indication, he's not telling either," Griff said.
"Speaking of broadcasts, me and Pete were just admiring the missus that the general seems to have picked up. You seen her?" Van asked.
"A lady friend for Alquin? This I have to know about," Griff said while grinning widely. "Though some of the loyalty he's been earning with me will go down if she isn't a looker. I'm picky, after all."
"Ha. That's just you; you can't force your tastes on others. But I don't think you'll be changing your loyalty. She's a cute one. I'll pull the up the recording. Take a look at the zoom on the girl." Van tapped a few keys underneath the holoscreen, which soon showed Alquin and Miku.
"Oh? She is cute. And I'm not even drinking yet!" Griff said.
"I'd stop being a pilot for a gal like that," Pete said. The other two looked at him, paused, and then all three of them burst into laughter.
"Yeah, right," Griff said. He took a few gulps of fizzy dark liquid, and then took another look at the holoscreen. "Oh? I think I've seen her before. Very familiar."
"You have? Have you met her?" Van asked.
"Ha, now I remember. That's a coalition woman! We had captured a coalition escape shuttle some months back, after the second Exoquis battle. She was the only woman on the ship, I remember seeing the prisoners being escorted off."
"What? A coalition person? What's she doing with Alquin? Why? Isn't that the enemy? He's fraternizing!" Van said while slamming a glass of beer on the table.
"Maybe," Pete said.
"Ha. Ha! No, wait a second. We sent those prisoners back. All but that woman, it appears. You know what that means, right?" Griff asked, a mischievous smile on his lips.
"Ah, that." Pete said. He held up his right hand, made a fist, and then raised a pinky.
"Hey Van, think about it from another way. Our general attracts defectors as well. Quite a charismatic guy, don't you think?" Griff asked.
"Well, if you put it that way, it does seem to make more sense. Maybe she's got some information he can use as well. And, well, she is pretty. Who cares where she's from, right? To Alquin, and his wondrous ability to pull people in!" Van said. The three of them lifted and then clinked their glasses.
"To Alquin!" Pete shouted. The three of them repeated it, clinked glasses, and drank again.
"To Alquin!" Griff shouted.
"To Alquin!" shouted every soldier in the room in a deafening roar of noise and cheers. Together, all of them celebrated the commander they had affirmed their admiration of.
"We've finished taking control of the Yenner relay."
"Good. Let's jump the fleet and resupply, briefly," Alquin said.
The operators fulfilled the command, and a moment later the planet Exoquis appeared on the screen. The fleet descended on the planet and restocked supplies as Alquin traveled through the capitol city with Miku.
"Pick whatever you like. Where do you want to go?"
"Home. Or clothes."
"Clothes it is."
They stopped by several shops, each time walking away with two small boxes. The shopkeepers each reacted the same way upon seeing Alquin and his entourage of guards walking in. They paid double whatever the items they took were worth, which the shopkeepers accepted with gratitude and praise for Alquin.
After a while the sun started to set, though on Alquin and Miku's schedule it was still early afternoon. They returned to Alquin's capitol ship, newly named Jaces' Folly. It was a roundabout way of paying tribute to the person Alquin was still benefiting from.
Back on the ship, Alquin met with several commanders in his fleet. A few of them had known Jaces as well, for various reasons. Miku didn't follow him into the meeting, and had to wait outside. Afterwards, they returned to the bridge.
"Welcome back commander. How was the city?" asked one of the operators.
"Good. But as much as I love Exoquis, that city wasn't to my taste. I grew up in another continent. Anyways, prepare for launch. It's still early and I want to make sure we secure the relay we just captured. We still have to move on towards the next coalition stronghold."
"Acknowledged." As quickly as they arrived, they left. The fleet, thousands strong, was a spectacle in the skies of Exoquis. The citizens on the surface both admired and mourned the force that had come and left their planet for war. Knowing that they may never return again, several of the soldiers never left their ships, for fear of forming attachments to people who would be saddened at their loss. It was still Alquin's goal to make sure as many people as possible lived through his missions, but that still only took second place to winning.
The familiar sight of space returned to Alquin and Miku's view, and soon they were in the space surrounding the relay that had been captured. Alquin had the operators set in a course for the next base closest to where the coalition space fortress Zeick was supposed to be stationed, and then left the room, Miku following behind him. They reached the cafeteria, where Alquin got lunch and took a seat.
"So, how much longer are you going to kill off my people?" Miku asked.
"Oh shut up," Alquin said. "Not this again."
"Just kidding. I'm used to it. Being here isn't much different than being there, when it comes down to it," Miku said.
"That's odd. So you're alright with my conquest of your people?"
"I didn't mean that. I mean, either if I'm here or there, people are being caught in the wave of war. Either way, I'm a bystander watching the exact same casualties happen. All I can do is hope you stop."
"Will stopping me do anything? I'm nothing, just a soldier in this war."
"You command people."
"That's not enough. Don't be naive. Or are you doing this on purpose again? What are you eating?"
"Maybe," Miku said, and then briefly stuck out her tongue. "I'm having rice and a mikan."
"That's an orange."
"Same thing."
Alquin grunted and then continued eating. A few soldiers came over and spoke with Alquin for a moment, mostly praise. They left after shaking Alquin's hand several times. Miku had a wide smile.
"You're popular. That's good," Miku said.
"Ha. Are you making fun of me?"
"No, I mean it honestly. It's nice. You're weird."
"You say no, but then continue making fun of me."
"Arg, no, Alquin. Really, I mean it. They like you. You've got a good mix of authority and compassion. It makes people like you. Even if they don't agree with what you're doing, I guess."
"Does that include you, now?" Alquin smiled.
"No, I just said, I guess!" Miku said. Her soft expression disappeared and was replaced by a forced frown.
"Sure. So what do you think about our next battle?"
"You're going after the base on the moon on Elron? Huh."
"That it?"
"It'll be interesting."
"Your eyes say that you know more. So what do you know about Elron?"
"It's a base. That's it. Really. I just thought it was interesting."
"So how would you attack it?"
"I wouldn't, they are my people."
"Assuming they weren't."
"Are you done eating?"
"As soon as you stop changing the subject."
"I'm just leaving." Miku stood.
"Sit down. You aren't free. You will be stopped if you step away from me without permission." Alquin held a communicator up.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
"Shut up. You can guess at my thoughts all you want, but you aren't right."
"So what do you think of the battle?" Miku stared with her vicious frown for a moment, and then sat down.
"It'll be a complete loss for you if you don't appreciate the power of the long distance blaster, even i
f it does fire slowly. That's all I'm saying."
"That's enough. Thank you, Miku."
"You don't have anything to thank me for. I don't have to say anything true."
"Sure, you don't. But you don't seem as angry as you're trying to be."
Miku looked at Alquin without speaking. She didn't speak again, no matter what Alquin said. After a while, she left him with his permission. Alquin returned to the bridge to make a few more preparations, and then retired in his room.