by James Ashman
Chapter 8
"Take us in close, quickly," Alquin said. He watched the battle progress on the screen and in the holograms.
A group of ships defending the base were quickly overwhelmed in Alquin's sudden attack. Though the battle had several twists and pains, in the end Alquin's forces prevailed, as expected.
However, the coalition base wasn't going to give up without a fierce fight, even when they had been almost completely disabled.
"Send them the option for surrender, again," Alquin said.
"Still the same. They refuse to give up."
"Of course," Miku said.
"Well then we will keep destroying them. Unless you know of a way to get them to surrender."
"They will die sooner than give up. Unfortunate, but that's the fact," Miku said.
"You're not helping."
"I wasn't trying to."
"Sir! Something's appeared on the sensors!" an operator shouted.
"What is it now?"
"It's a space fortress! It just appeared out of nowhere," the operator said.
"It's Zeick," Miku said.
"What? How can it be here? Out of nowhere? That's not possible," Alquin said.
"No, it is possible. Zeick has the ability to create relay space around it and travels through short distances in millions of nanosecond bursts. It's our pride. Although, why it has finally used that ability, I don't know," Miku said.
"So you don't seem to have an issue telling the enemy that secret," Alquin said.
"It's not important. You'd find out sooner or later. It would still take effort to try and replicate it. You better hurry and give some orders. Zeick isn't going to wait while you decimate the base," Miku said. She crossed her arms and smiled with the smug little smile Alquin had become accustomed to seeing.
"Divisions three and four are to finish disabling the base. All other forces are to change targets to Zeick. Six is to defend three and four from Zeick. Formation Beta-Epsilon! Go!"
The empire forces moved forward while they gradually turned, losing fewer forces to the attacks from Zeick than expected.
The base was disabled quickly, allowing the full empire force to turn on the Zeick. Bit by bit, the blasters and missile systems on the Zeick were destroyed, but the empire's loss of ships was building up too quickly to make a difference.
"Blast. If only we had been the ones to attack. This isn't going to work," Alquin said.
"You should surrender," Miku said with a slight smile.
"You know I won't. And you know what that means. You may be going down with me," Alquin said.
"Send the signal. Or let me," Miku said.
"No need. We can turn it around. This force was supposed to take on the Zeick to begin with," Alquin said.
"Sir, they are sending a message," an operator said.
"Looks like they are taking the initiative," Miku said, her smug smile reappearing.
"Play it," Alquin said.
"Sir, it's just text. They request a truce. They aren't here to fight us, just to save the people on the base, they said," the operator said.
"Send them the ceasefire notice. We will stop too, and then ask them why they came assaulting us if they didn't have any intention of fighting us, to begin with," Alquin said.
"Message sent," the operator said.
"Of course they would. You were already attacking. They had to defend our allies," Miku said.
"Sir, they sent a response. And the firing on all ships has stopped, both sides," the operator said.
"Good. Send a message to all allied ships. Make sure they keep the Zeick in their sights. Prepare use of reactionary weaponry, just in case. They are not to fire without my command, but they should be prepared for the Zeick to betray us," Alquin said.
"You wouldn't fire on them during a truce, would you?" Miku asked. She sounded extremely concerned.
"No, I wouldn't. I just won't be betrayed by people who already are enemies. And it wouldn't succeed anyways. You know as well as I that the problem with reactionary weapons is that they are bulky and easy to intercept, more so than regular missiles. But it's just in case, you never know what kind of general we could be dealing with," Alquin said.
"He's probably a good general. The Zeick has a lot of good people who wouldn't listen to a bad person, really. I think you should wait and listen," Miku said.
"Sir, the reply has been received. They said that aren't part of the coalition! This is strange. Sir, it reads: 'Commander of the empire forces attacking the coalition base. This space fortress is under the control of a certain group of rebels. Though we are no longer affiliated with the coalition, we cannot let you simply kill of those who would be, or were, our allies. All sides so far have lost forces to our meaningless battle. Can you please stop your assault on the base?' That's all, sir," the operator said.
"A group of rebels?" Miku and Alquin asked in unison. Alquin smiled, while Miku frowned.
"What kind of rebel could take over the Zeick?" Miku asked.
"A smart person, I'd bet," Alquin said.
"A rebel that deserves to die," Miku said.
"Oh? Such vehemence. Maybe one of your allies has seen the folly of your nation's ways," Alquin said. "And just happened to convince several thousand other people that he was right."
"Bah. Zeick was full of several great people. I know them. It must have been taken over by a group in a sly takeover. That must be it," Miku said.
"Operator, send them another message. I'd like to speak with the commander, if possible. Convince him to join us, if possible," Alquin said.
"Sir, the reply said that they aren't interested in joining the empire. They want to end the war completely between both sides. That's it."
"Ha, what an interesting thought. I think so too. Send them a request, I want to speak face to face, or screen to screen in this case," Alquin said.
"Acknowledged."
The Zeick commander agreed, and soon a link between the two forces had been formed. A moment later, the face of Yue Fei appeared on screen, much to Miku's surprise.
"Lies, all lies," Miku said. "Lies that are supposed to make me feel good. That can't be Yue! Don't toy with me!"
"Miku?" Yue's image asked.
"Oh, so you know each other?" Alquin asked. Miku looked up at the image, then turned away and rushed out of the room.
"We do," Yue said, calmly. He looked sideways for a moment and opened his mouth slightly, but then closed it.
"I won't ask, for now," Alquin said. "Instead, there is business ahead of us. What do you say? Join me?"
"I thought I already replied to that," Yue said. "We aren't going to ally with either the coalition or the empire."
"That's fine. I'm not asking you to join either. I'm asking you to join me. You're a rebel of the coalition, aren't you? Then why not?" Alquin asked.
"There's more to it. I'm not a rebel of the coalition, really. Technically, yes. But let's not discuss semantics. I just want us to stop fighting each other, and to change things."
"I agree. I want to change things, too. Do you think we can meet and speak, in private? There are things I cannot say over this connection."
"No. We will be taking our leave. I've had enough of your tactics. You're Alquin, aren't you? The battle at Exoquis is enough to make me want to avoid you," Yue said.
"I am. And you are? You know Miku, so I want to know," Alquin said.
"I'm no one really important. My name is Yue Fei. I hope we don't meet in battle again," Yue said.
"As do I. We could get along, I think," Alquin said.
"Maybe, in another time. After the war is over. Discuss tactics of bygone days. But for now, we should think of each other as foes. I don't know when one of us will attack the other again. It may be necessary, in the future. Maybe, maybe we could avoid it. But I cannot risk it, for now. I apologize," Yue said.
"I suppose, if that's how you feel. Then I will say goodbye. I hope we meet on better terms, one day. Not like this battle," Alq
uin said. He then saluted Yue, who returned the gesture.
"Thank you. Even though we've faced each other, we aren't at odds now, and for that I thank you. Hopefully we won't have the same type of dreadful confrontation that we had before at the second Exoquis battle. As your spoil, it appears you've taken Miku. I trust she's in good hands. Tell her I'm sorry. And that Genbu is here with me. Goodbye, Alquin," Yue said.
The transmission ended before Alquin could say another word. He took a moment to process what Yue said.
"Hail him again! I need to ask him something! Now, hurry," Alquin said.
"Sir, they are gone. They just disappeared," an operations person said.
"Blast. He was at Exoquis. He was in the second battle. Miku! Miku will know," Alquin said. With that, he rushed out of the room.
When Alquin exited the bridge, Miku was sitting in the corridor. Alquin stopped rushing and walked up to Miku slowly. He put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey," Alquin said.
"Go away," Miku said.
"Did Yue fight against me at Exoquis? Was he the one that had come out of the relay towing rocks?" Alquin asked.
"Yes," Miku said.
"So it was him. Blast," Alquin said.
"Was it really Yue, was he really the one there?" Miku asked.
"As far as I know. I've never seen the man before," Alquin said.
"Did you like him?"
"I did. But that was then."
"Yue Fei! Why, a rebel? Why Zeick? What happened?"
"Before you go too far in your grief, he told me to tell you something. Something about him being sorry. And that Genbu is with him."
"He is? Then it really was Yue. Then something is going on. Okay." Miku shook her head, and then slowly stood up. She flipped her hair back, looked at Alquin, and gave a smile. "Did they really say they are rebels?"
"Apparently. But then he said he wasn't. He wouldn't join me. He said he isn't part of either the coalition or the empire. It was a strange encounter."
"Then there has to be something more going on. Something that would make or force him to do that. But at least now I know why the Zeick is rogue. Both of them. I may not know the reason, but I'm sure it's something I can accept."
"You're fine with that person rebelling against your country?"
"He must have a reason."
"And yet you care if I fight against the coalition."
"That's different."
"How?"
Miku didn't respond. She didn't know if Alquin was right or not. She didn't know if she was a hypocrite for changing her views once someone she knew was involved. Really, she thought, what was the difference? Other than the side, and the learned hatred for the other side, what was different about being on the empire's side, she wondered.
"I can tell you, then. The difference is the label. That which labels me man, you woman. The label that says I'm of the empire, you are of the coalition. The label that says your friend is a rebel for disobeying his system, and me a traitor for plotting against my emperor. Now, what label do you want, for yourself? One that hasn't been defined by someone else."
Alquin took a step back, and then walked away. Miku thought about what label she wanted to have for a moment, and then started walking in the direction Alquin had gone. She was brisk and caught up to him momentarily.
"And?" Alquin asked as he reached Miku's room.
"Thank you," Miku said.
"For what? Did you think of one?"
"No, and I likely won't. But thank you, anyways. You've given me something to think about."
"Is that all? No conclusion, but a thought anyways?"
"Can’t you just accept my thanks?"
"As long as I don't know what is hidden behind it, I'm not sure if I should."
"Sincerity."
"Then, thank you, as well." Alquin smiled in a way he hadn't for a while. Miku noticed.
"Good, this is good. And now we won't have to fight, also."
"But I rather enjoy teasing you."
"Not that! I mean, now you won't have to fight the Zeick or Yue since they aren't part of the coalition anymore."
Alquin took a moment to realize the implications of what Miku was saying. Now that the Zeick was not just mobile, but also out of coalition hands, there was no way or reason for him to attack it. His orders couldn't be completed.
"No, this is bad. No, good. It's good after all," Alquin said while a smile formed at the corners of his lips.
"Yes, it's great, isn't it, Alquin?" Miku asked. She was smiling widely, all traces of her former worry gone.
"But now we have a new problem to deal with."
"There isn't a problem if you don't fight anyone."
"Still with that? But that's not what I mean. The emperor, we have to go back and see him. This time, it will be different."
"Oh, him. Your emperor, how will he react to this news? It’s good, right?"
"It's time to put my plans into action. The emperor's reaction, who can guess? But I fear that I'll be ruined if I don't take the opportunity to ruin him. He doesn't accept the incompletion of orders. No exceptions. This kink in the works is enough for him to deal with me drastically. I think. I'm not sure." Alquin's complexion paled at the thoughts. Miku thought about what to say, but didn't have any words of encouragement. She still didn't know the details of Alquin's plans, but could only hope that they would succeed. Alquin, seemingly stuck in thought, left Miku after saying a brief goodbye. Miku entered her room, her mind full of questions about what was going on.
Miku sat on a bed, and stared at herself in the mirror across the room.
"The emperor might try to take Alquin's life before he can deal with that man. I hope that doesn't happen. I hope he succeeds," Miku said aloud to herself. She opened her mouth again, but caught herself. She realized what she just said. She had been hoping for Alquin's success, and she didn't know why. He was supposed to be her enemy, her captor, and yet for some reason, she hoped for his success. She couldn't tell whether it was because the emperor himself was a threat to both of them, or if it was for other reasons.
"Tell me," she said to the mirror, "why did I think, no, why do I think like that? He is an enemy, right? Or was he then, and not now? Does it even matter? What is an enemy? Tell me. Or have I changed?"
She stood and walked over to the mirror, and then placed a hand on it.
"I did change. I've been here so long, maybe that's why. I should leave. But what will happen to Alquin if I do? That's a ridiculous thought; nothing will change if I'm here or not. But I want to think that I matter. Why? No, I won't answer that." Miku dropped her hand and fell into the bed, her mind a mess of thoughts that she tried suppressing. Some gradually made their way to the surface, telling her of truths that she hadn't realized before, and desires that had become new.
"Sir, are we really just going to leave?" Terv Rend asked.
"Yes. Our objective was to take down the coalition space fortress Zeick. Now that we are unable to find it, never mind the fact that it's no longer part of the coalition, we will be unable to complete our mission," Alquin said. "Operator, set in a course for the nearest relay, and from there, we will go to the capitol."
"Sir, can I speak to you in private?" Terv asked.
Alquin sighed, but eventually led Terv out of the bridge and into a meeting room.
"Speak," Alquin said.
"Are you going to rebel?" Terv asked.
"Why do you think that?" Alquin asked. Terv was someone he liked, but he hadn't told him of his plans to rebel, even though several commanders under Alquin already were aware.
"I've heard a certain rumor among the men. Not the commanders. It's among the soldiers. I thought it was just rumor, but this sudden abandonment of our duties makes me question it further."
"And if it's true?" Alquin asked.
"I would not support it. So please tell me it's just a rumor."
"What kind of family do you come from?"
>
"What does that have to do with any of this?"
"Terv, where are you from?"
"The capitol."
"You're a direct subject? That's a surprise. Well, maybe not, considering."
"Sir, answer the question. You're avoiding the issue, which only serves to increase my suspicion."
"A capitol person. So you wouldn't have much experience with the going-ons of the outside planets. You're part of the elite. That's why you're going for an officer at such an age, isn't it?"
"Shut up! I got here on my own, through no part of my family’s lineage! I do what I want because I want to, not because of what they said. Now answer, Alquin Tor Rinard! Are you a traitor to the Ingrid?"
"Oh, so you just happened to get into a high position through your own merits? I've got your file. No part of it says you're particularly outstanding. But all your teachers provided the necessary recommendations for you to enter the officer program. That's all. And you think they weren't influenced by your family?"
"Blast, this isn't about me, it's about you! You're not older than me by more than a few years, yet you're a step away from admiral! And you're calling me an elite, hypocrite. And you'd be a traitor, of the worst kind, if you're going to turn your back on the empire that has given a youth elite like yourself so much. You're going to bite the hand that feeds you?" Terv's face was flushed red, and his fists were clenched.
"You don't know how I got to this position. I spent my years differently from you. I'm an orphan, enrolled in a military school from the day I was forced off Exoquis, the only way for me to survive back then. Yes, I grew up with an ounce of privilege in the military program. But I only got to this position by taking command of a ship I served on when it was damaged in battle. I was just a cadet on a fleet command ship, when the general and his executive officer were killed in the coalition attack. They hadn't planned on possibly dying, therefore the entire fleet was in disarray without any commander. I abandoned my station at that time and took command. We turned that battle around under my direction. That's why I got to my position of power, the one I have today. I'm worthy of it, and I've proved how and why I am. How about you?" Alquin sat back with a smug look on his face. Terv, after hearing the brief explanation, had calmed down a bit.
"I'm sorry. I think I've overreacted. You've never said you were going to rebel, I've been presumptive," Terv said. Alquin chuckled.
"This and that have nothing to do with each other. I just want you to know, you're viewpoint is limited. Let me continue, for a moment. You'll see what I mean, eventually."
"Okay, I'll listen. I will not forget that those above me have things to teach me," Terv said, his voice hinting at flattery. He worried about Alquin disliking him since he had accused Alquin without knowing anything more than a rumor and a festering suspicion.
"When I was still in military school, I met Relos and a girl named Charlotte. I don't need to tell you about Relos, but Charlotte is the girl that I loved. However, she was simply common. She didn't have the luxury of family, either. Not one that cared about her anymore, that is. But she is beautiful. One day, an aristocrat saw her and took her. Being rich and noble, which is all that matters in the empire, with this emperor, the law was on his side. He took my love for his own interests, for his son's interests, and forbade me from seeing her. To think, unmarried people are nothing better than slaves!"
"I'd heard of it, but I didn't think it was prevalent. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Is that it, Terv? Think it's not prevalent? Do you even care that it happens?"
"Bad things happen all the time. But this isn't particularly horrible. She had no family, no husband. Even if it was against her wishes, isn't she in a better place now, even if she serves others indefinitely?"
"You!" Alquin slammed his hand on a table, and then stood up. "Right, that's right, she's not with me, so she's better off! Maybe she doesn't love me anymore; maybe I don't love her anymore! And if either were true, it still wouldn't change that she needs to be freed! Yeah, that's right, Terv. I'm a traitor. I'm going to overthrow that emperor and all his predecessors who said that the only law of the land was that those who were given power are superior to the rest. That's wrong! Absolute power should only be used by those who recognize the need for people to be respected, individually! I'm going to be the one to change that!"
"You are a traitor," Terv said, and then stood up. He went for the door of the room. Alquin stood in place and didn't move. Terv took another look at Alquin, and then turned to leave the room. The door opened.
"Something the matter, sir?" There was a group of guards outside the door, guarding it from intruders.
"He's a traitor," Terv said.
"He doesn't want to join," Alquin said.
"Oh, okay," a guard said. He snapped his fingers, and three of the other guards surrounded Terv.
"What are you doing? Don't touch me! Let go! He's a traitor to the empire," Terv said.
"Gag him while you're at it," Alquin said.
"Alright, sir. A shame, Terv. We were hoping you would support the commander," a guard said.
"What?" Terv asked, and then he was gagged.
"Before you imprison him, one more thing. Terv, other than my commanders, certain soldiers of merit, and certain discontent entities, who do you think I first informed of my plans to rebel? Those who would guard me, of course. You're probably the only person on this ship who wouldn't listen to me, at this point. Blame your own ambition."
Terv was led away, kicking and trying to scream through a gag. Alquin could only sigh afterwards. He had sincerely hoped that Terv would see his view.