The video imagery showed the flaming ruins of yet another small group of ships, though this time they were clearly little more than abandoned transports. Many had been taken prior to the arrival of the Alliance ships and Operation Hellfire. Though hundreds of thousands had now escaped the fighting, that hadn't stopped more than thirty ships falling to the Techno Militia boarding parties. The name had been little more than a shorthand, but in the last days it had begun to stick. The few ships that breached the Rift lasted a matter of seconds before vanishing inside the cloud of mines. It was a violent end to a ship that had probably never seen combat before.
"My orders from Admiral Anderson and High Command are simple. We protect the shipping lanes into the Alliance, and assist local Byotai systems that ask for our help. We cannot leave these entry points to the Alliance undefended."
He pointed to the map that showed the Spacebridge leading back into the Ararrh System. The unit flashed and then enlarged to show the region they had so recently vacated.
"An hour ago I sent in another squadron of reconnaissance drones escorted by Avengers through the Rift. I needed to know what is on the other side, and they did their job, for a time."
He licked his lips before continuing.
"The drones use a deployed buoy network to stay in contact, but they still only remained active for thirteen seconds. This is what we saw."
The map changed to a vertical videostream of the colourful region of space, where the drones dashed about to avoid fire. Guns and missiles streaked in all directions, and after the first five seconds, it became a blur of noise and fire.
"A mess, but the scans can be combined to show us this image. It is incomplete, but already gives great cause for concern."
The number of icons silenced even the most vocal of the captains as they looked upon scores of ships. There wasn't enough time to identify them all, but more than half were clearly military vessels, and they were ready to fight. One of the captains began to speak but was silenced as the feed cut to black.
"Analysis shows that there are fifteen Anicinàbe cruisers at the rear of the formation, and a minimum of thirty Byotai ships, including this one."
Prince Kratha gasped upon seeing the shape of the vessel, and every one of the captains turned to look at him. Admiral Churchill said what all of them must have been thinking.
"This ship appears to be of the same design as your flagship, does it not?"
Prince Kratha tried to speak, but nothing came out except a few painful gasps. General Honorious could see that his Prince was suffering and immediately took over in the discussion. Even so, the old warrior still sighed before explaining. Unlike the Prince, he spoke more slowly so that the translator could keep up.
"Yes, that is one of our Legion Class battleships, the most powerful warship ever constructed by mortal hands. It would appear that the enemy has obtained at least one of the relics."
At mentioning the class of the ship, his tone changed. Even for those that had never heard a Byotai speak, it was clear that he assigned great reverence to the ship. His rhythm changed, but that didn't stop him explaining.
"Tradition states that the Legion Class were built hundreds of years ago as front-line warships to use in the war with the Biomechs. Back then, they were considered little more than cruisers, our standard warship of the age."
He smiled as he recalled the old stories, and especially the stunned look on the faces of the officers present.
"That is right."
He chuckled in the odd Byotai fashion that sounded more like a snort.
"At present, your Alliance can muster what, a hundred or so front-line warships?"
Admiral Churchill nodded politely.
"Something like that."
"Today is an age of decay, but we may still prevail. Back in the dark times of the past, there were nine races under the thrall of the machines and their legions. We were all that remained of the dozens of different civilisations."
He sighed as he imagined the lost worlds and races.
"After centuries of slavery, all of our worlds had been taken, and the enemy began the unthinkable task of using our own people as raw material for their war machine."
He looked to Prince Kratha.
"That was when we joined together to fight the creatures in one last, bitter war. It raged for hundreds of years, and the Legion battleships fought in every major battle."
Admiral Churchill smiled as he listened. Their own war with the remnants of the Biomechs had been massive and bloody, yet compared to the ancient tales it paled into insignificance.
"At the last engagement over Helios Prime, more than fifty of our battleships fought against impossible odds. By the time the enemy had been crushed and exiled to the Black Rift, only three remained."
"I see," said the Admiral, "And this is one of them?"
Prince Kratha nodded slowly.
"Yes, the ship is the same class as Furiosa and is one of the great ships that saved Helios and every other world we now hold dear. I tell you now, I would not see that ship destroyed, even if it were to cost me my life."
Admiral Churchill shook his head. He'd spent enough time around the Byotai to know they could be pig-headed and stubborn when they put their minds to something. He understood the attachment to the old ship better than most, but he was in no doubt that if it came to it, he could disable or destroy her.
"Young Prince, it should not come to that. I will promise you this, though, nothing is more important in your domain than the people that inhabit it. Ships are nothing without the citizens they are built to defend."
He then pointed to the ancient warship.
"Tell us, what is her name?"
The reptilian Prince lifted his mouth and opened it for a few seconds. By now, all of them were at least a little familiar with the odd behaviour of their alien guest.
"She is the Red Star, former flagship of the Imperial Fleet. Of the remaining three Legion battleships, she is the oldest and the most famous. Red Star and Firestorm were sister ships, built together in the Imperial shipyards."
The Prince rubbed his brow as he struggled to continue.
"She was commanded by my father, and I was on board when she was taken by Tahkeome."
He turned away from the imagery and towards the Admiral.
"If Red Star is here, then Tahkeome and his minions have taken control of her. She is a deadly vessel, equipped with many warrior and fighters. There is no better designed or equipped to be used as a flagship, and she will be more than capable of engaging a ship even as impressive as your own."
"Yes, we suspected that," said Admiral Churchill, "It might also interest you to know that she was heading away from the border and back into your territory, along with a number of other Byotai warships."
Prince Kratha shook his head.
"I cannot tell you what I do not know. Perhaps Makos has forced them to redeploy their forces, or maybe something else has threatened the stability of their so-called Star Empire. This is all the more reason for us to take decisive action, now!"
He then shook his head and turned his attention to Captain Galanos. Before she could speak, Captain Ontarus of ANS Vigilance spoke up.
"I've lost all of my drones and sustained major hull damage. Many of the ships from our Battlegroup are in similar condition. We cannot pack up and leave without resupply and a few days in port. In my opinion, we should withdraw from this system and ready ourselves at Helios Prime."
"I second that," said Captain Achilles of ANS Dauntless. We've secured this sector, and helped bring Prince Kratha and his entourage to safety. Is taking Alliance ships into the unknown wise, especially with such an unstable element involved? We must prepare for what is to come. I do not see how seeking battle with the Star Empire is a wise strategic move."
He was referring to the enigmatic Tahkeome, a shadowy figure who always seemed to be behind the machinations of the Star Empire, but never close enough to see or reason with. The Admiral looked away for
a few seconds and spoke to unseen officers. The Captains all waited patiently until he returned.
"High Command remains unconvinced on the actions that we have proposed. We have the rebels contained and sufficient numbers in place to repel any attempt to breach our defences. Helios is safe, and so is the Alliance. We cannot and will not send in an entire Battlegroup without a firm reason to do so. This is from the top, and gives me no room for manoeuvre."
The captains were clearly not happy at this, and few tried to hide their feelings.
"Remember," said the Admiral, "We are not here to engage in battle for no reason. The ultimate goal is peace, not war."
Captain Galanos already knew she'd overreached with her request, but her basic premise remained valid. The Admiral took a breath before adding one last point.
"Therefore, until we have contact from Makos, or a detailed assessment of what exactly is going on inside this Star Empire, our ships will stay exactly where they are. We cannot allow ourselves to be separated and picked off by superior forces."
Captain Galanos paced inside the briefing room as the Admiral continued to explain the situation. She could see his side of the argument, especially when his one job was to protect the Alliance. By protecting this main route into the Alliance, he safeguarded their own territories, while providing their own threat to the Star Empire.
There's more than just this system, though.
"You have been deceived, Admiral."
The Prince rubbed his head in frustration.
"All of us have been being tricked by Tahkeome, my own family included. He is a Half-Blood and has managed to draw in radicals from both the Anicinàbe clans and the young people from my own."
The Prince looked sad as he spoke, and though the translator hid much of his emotion, when he was forced to use it, it was clear the loss of so much was hitting him hard. The young Prince's voice was stern and filled with emotion.
"Our people were wrong to come down so hard on the reform movement. I can see that now. Tahkeome has capitalised on that and taken those that lack status, money, and position and offered them the world."
He then pointed to the map.
"With contact inside the Empire gone, we now have no idea where enemy or loyalist ships are."
"I understand," said the Admiral, "But your message made it through the Empire before the network was shut down. Any loyalists that remain know to head for any remaining border colonies and bases and to report in. Have you heard from them?"
Kratha's face contorted for a moment. They all knew the answer, but the Admiral clearly wanted to make a particular point.
"The last messages were from Makos. He said seventeen more ships had joined him, and that he was preparing to join me here."
"And since then?"
Kratha continued shaking his head in frustration.
"Without a full reconnaissance in force, we will have no idea as to the strength of Tahkeome's force, or even if Makos remains in the field. Instead, I am left with nine ships, and only four of those are fully manned. If I had the manpower, I would do this myself."
"Quite," Admiral Churchill agreed, "And you lack both infantry and fighter pilots. I tell you again, in your current shape you need to stay under my protection, unless you desire to see the last of your forces destroyed in a final battle around a random, abandoned planet."
Prince Kratha muttered bitterly. At the same time, a simplified map of the territory around the Alliance system of Helios appeared. Of all the systems present, this particular one looked like a spider, with Spacebridge connections heading away in all directions, several into the territory now controlled by the Star Empire. He pointed his hand at the centre of the map.
"I suspect in a matter of days, Tahkeome will bring his full might to bear. He has already shattered those loyal to me, and soon he could be coming for yours."
This time his hand lingered over Helios.
"This system is the heart of your holdings in the Orion Nebula, is it not?"
The Admiral nodded slowly.
"Indeed. Since the end of the war, Helios and its former colonies have become an important part of the Alliance. They are the most populous and important of our systems in the Orion Nebula."
He pointed to the central planet in the system.
"Helios Prime is the Alliance capital in this part of the space and controls the Nexus."
That would carry a lot of weight among the captains present. There were a number of locations in space where multiple Spacebridges came together, but few could match the significance of the Helios Nexus. Dozens of Rifts filled what had been the Helion League and linked scores of star systems in every direction.
"Exactly," said Prince Kratha, "And whoever controls the Nexus gains access to the Khreenk, Klithi, Taxxu, and even your homeworlds at Sol and Alpha Centauri. Tahkeome is no fool. His ships are somewhere, and they will strike when it suits them. If you will not help, then I will return to my homeland and look for any allies I might find."
Admiral Churchill remained silent for a few seconds, and Captain Galanos saw this as the perfect opportunity to speak again. The chance of losing Prince Kratha was too much for any of them, especially after they'd fought so hard to bring him away safely.
"We have lost the initiative, Sir, and now we even lack strategic intelligence. We have no idea where the Star Empire forces are, or what they intend to do. We must know what has happened to General Makos and his loyalists. Without his strength, Tahkeome will outnumber any fleet we can muster."
She then pointed to Prince Kratha.
"The Prince has a plan. You have seen it, and it will not require us to leave this position undefended. All he asks is..."
Admiral Churchill lifted his hand.
"Yes, I know what you have asked for. I have spoken to High Command, and I have been told that under no circumstances am I to remove any Alliance Navy vessels from this system until we have hard data. That is especially true with the latest news from the Tenth Quadrant."
Fleet indicators lit up on the map.
"As you know, we have forces here at the entrance to the Tenth Quadrant Spacebridge and a reserve at Helios Prime. If it comes to it, all forces can be withdrawn to Helios Prime to mobilise for a full-scale operation. I have little doubt we are secure in this position."
His hand then moved past the Spacebridge on the left of the map and to the exit point at the Tenth Quadrant.
"In the last hour, we've lost contact with our operatives in the disputed territories. Last thing we heard, Byotai ships were massing at the Spacebridge to the Serpentis System so that they could head directly to us, and to you."
He nodded at Prince Kratha.
"Now we have no idea what is happening to your people, or to mine."
Captain Galanos listened carefully. She was intrigued as to what exactly constituted an operative. It was a well-known fact that Alliance-sanctioned mercenaries were operating in that region, but operative suggested something else, something more significant. Either the Alliance had a network of agents throughout the disputed territories, or more likely, they had a substantial military presence that was off the books.
The IAB, it has to be.
Like many of the senior officers, she'd heard rumours about the Alliance's highly secretive military unit that operated out of the former homeworld of the Biomechs. The Interstellar Assault Brigade was technically part of the Alliance military, but operated its own small fleet of ships and used robotic war machines built and supported by the CTC mega corporation. Some stories even suggested that a large proportion of the IAB's numbers were made up with mercenaries and bipedal combat drones. They were considered by most in the Navy a wild, unruly organisation, and one that should be absorbed into other units. Some said they made use of Biomech technology and advanced equipment that moved them apart from the rest of the military. There was one more thing that everybody in the Navy knew about; the war hero Brigadier Black and his entourage of famous warriors commanded the unit.
Captain Galanos could still think of little else other than the infamous IAB. As her eyes rose to the Admiral's, she could see he was waiting.
Surely not? It can't be!
Admiral Churchill rubbed his chin before speaking.
"Now, events are moving fast, and your need for information is not unfounded. It is clear that the Spacebridge to the Tenth Quadrant has been shut down for some new plot or scheme, and with it our ability to monitor the region."
Prince Kratha looked to the other officers and began to wave his arms frantically. Captain Galanos wasn't quite sure of his intentions, but he was clearly becoming agitated.
"Like most Rifts from the Nexus, it is volatile and requires access to the Rift Control station on the other side to activate it. Unfortunately for us, few of our neighbours took us up on the offer to use the captured Biomech tech to create permanent and stable Spacebridges."
Prince Kratha laughed bitterly.
"Can you blame any of us? Internal bridges between stars and planets is one thing, but it is always useful to be able to shut a Spacebridge to a neighbour in times of crisis."
"Like the Trusska?" Captain Galanos asked.
Admiral Churchill lifted his hands.
"Today is not the time to discuss that old chestnut. Lost civilisations and technologies are for another day. Right now, we have a job to do, and with the Rift shut down I think you might be right."
He looked directly at the reptilian noble and bowed slightly. The Prince should have remained calm, but he had already lost any chance of remaining so.
"You see? This is Tahkeome. His forces have taken the station, and they will spend the next days and weeks consolidating their position. We must act!"
Admiral Churchill nodded.
"Yes, we must do something. We will do something, but my hands are tied."
Kratha lifted up his hands.
Battleship Furiosa Page 6