The Chronicles of Benjamin Jaminson: Empires At War (Book 5 Part Two)

by Thomas Wright

  “Now that is out of the way,” I said. “How about we get on with the ass kicking the Khalnalax have coming to them?”

  “I agree. Admiral Cushda, shall we address the fleet and give them their orders? Spy or not, we attack within the hour.”

  I stepped away from Taz and sent a com to Kimit. She picked up immediately. “I hope you heard all of that?”

  “I did and my crew heard as well.”

  “I see. I guess it did pertain to them as much as you. I imagine your uncles care for you a great deal and their oath to your father is not something I can lightly dismiss, but I told you and Nedra I would back you and I am. Last chance to ease out of here and think on this some more.”

  “No!”

  “Ok, get your people ready—”

  “I told you before we are ready.”

  “That you did. You take your orders from me and me only. The minute there is an entry point, we are going to board and take that battleship. If that plan falls apart and we have no entry, get those mines armed and ready.”

  “What will we do with them? We have no experience with mines.”

  “Let’s cross that bridge when we get there.”

  “Benjamin.”

  “You have a question?”

  “I just wanted to thank you. I really thought you would leave us hanging when the time came to face the emperor and Captain Dakkon.”

  “I’m not scared of those two. You just do as I say. If I say retreat, you stop what you’re doing and get the hell out. I have a lot of people I have to keep my eye on during this. Some, like Taz, aren’t always gonna listen and do what I say. You better not be one them.”

  “We follow you.”

  “Benjamin, what are you doing over there?” Taz asked, her footsteps approaching.

  “Gotta go,” I said and cut the com. “Nothing, just thinking.”

  “Right. I know you too well. We are going to the bridge to make the announcement that I’m alive and issue the fleet’s orders.”

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  “No, you’ll be right next to me.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me along. “Zora is staying with Genius. Dela’maah will escort the admiral.”

  She wanted to walk arm in arm, but I reached around and placed my hand on the small of her back until it drifted to rest on the curve of her ass. She started to wriggle away, but I grabbed the edge of her armor and held her in place.

  “You have no sense of decorum, do you?”

  “There is a purpose. Once I’ve assessed the situation on the bridge I’ll remove my arm. Or not. Hold on a sec. Binda?”

  “Yes, Benjamin?”

  “Get the Privateers moving. The admiral will make the announcement in just a few minutes.”

  “I understand. Binda out.”

  “This is it, my love,” Tazleaha said. “I am glad you are here with me. I know you have your own agenda. You can’t fool me with the little games you wish to play behind my back. But your machinations are straightforward, never cunning or hateful. While we do not always desire the same result, through it all you are the only one I want standing beside me.”

  “I better be,” I said. I stared at her with my best serious face and held it. She studied me, her eyes hard, but then they softened and I couldn’t hold it any longer. Grinning, I looked away.

  “You’re such an ass.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Emperor Khalnalax paced the bridge of the battleship Neris. Moving from station to station, he criticized and berated each crew member over violations only he could see. He was especially hard on certain officers. Minister of Defense Zentos was present on the bridge after hearing rumors the emperor was not himself. That was how it was described, not himself, by a subordinate officer who struggled for the proper phrasing for the situation. Psychotic little inbred fool was what he meant. The weeks in space were not agreeing with the emperor. The brig was full, the captain being the latest to take up residence. If something didn’t happen soon, Zentos didn’t know what he was going to do. He was familiar with military politics and, to some degree, the politics of the royal houses. Having attained all but his latest position under the former emperor, he had achieved each and every promotion through hard work. Political or otherwise. In all that time, he had never resorted to anything devious. Unlike the emperor, it was not in his nature, though at the moment he wished it was. He followed two steps behind the emperor as he made his inspection of the bridge.

  Protocol demanded a crewman stay seated during high alert no matter who entered or departed. A second of distraction could be the death of a ship. Luckily, the crew in attendance had put up with the emperor’s presence full time for over a week, and had developed thick skin. They jumped to attention when he approached; it was clear he enjoyed seeing that, back straight, eyes on his forehead, as he inspected everything including the seat they sat on. Zentos could see in their eyes what they could not voice: their emperor was mad. Many times, his tirades went on and on. Spittle flew from his mouth, and sometimes he made no sense at all. In the beginning, the captain stood where Zentos was and had managed to calm him, keeping him from executing the whole team. That would not be the case today; the captain had spoken up one time too many.

  The emperor had the captain put in chains and hauled off to the brig. Zentos had persuaded the emperor to postpone the captain’s execution until they returned to Khalnalax. The captain was lucky; Zentos had been surprised the emperor hadn’t executed him right in front of the crew for speaking up. It wasn’t that long ago he watched his predecessor, the emperor’s uncle, perish at the hands of the emperor while sitting in the seat right next to him. The captain was the son of a noble house and deserved a proper execution, Zentos had told the emperor, lobbying for time and hoping for a chance to set the man free. To set them all free.

  “Any new communications from the Cjittan fleet?” Khalnalax yelled. He had just asked the same question minutes ago.

  “No, My Emperor, none.” comms reported.

  “Weapons, have the filthy Cjittan moved their ships?” Khalnalax asked the female officer standing in front of him. He placed both hands on her shoulders, turning her chair in quarter-turn increments till she faced him.

  “No, My Emperor. The targets have not moved.”

  Zentos waited as the emperor studied her form. He brushed his hand across her shoulder as if removing something, though there was nothing there. His hand slid slowly down the length of her arm till he reached her hand. He held it up and inspected her fingers.

  “Resume your duties,” Khalnalax said in the same tone he had used with the others. She turned quickly and immediately found adjustments to make on the screen in front of her. Zentos watched him lean over behind her and whisper in her ear. It sounded like “I will send for you tonight.”

  “Why do they hold back?” Khalnalax asked to no one in particular, back on task.

  The crew remained silent. Answering random questions could cost your life.

  “Your strategy has them totally baffled,” Zentos said, his voice ringing with praise he almost choked on. “It seems they have no idea what their next move should be. Otherwise why do they sit idly?”

  “We know they are not very intelligent and that they are evil vile creatures. But an unintelligent beast with teeth and claws can still kill you, good Zentos.”

  “Very true,” Zentos replied. He needed to find a job for the weapons officer somewhere the emperor’s lackeys wouldn’t be able to find her later. Just a temporary extra duty for the evening. He may be angry and put her in the brig tomorrow, but that would be far better for her. Then again, if they went into battle she would be needed on the bridge. He would deal with that if and when it happened. He planned on setting them all free anyway. While he did not relish the loss of life, a part of him wished the Cjittan would do something soon. Dying in battle looked so much better than spending any more time with the emperor. He believed the fleet would agree.

  ****

  C
aptain Aisling O’Shaughnessy waited for her senior officers to arrive. They were about to have an off-the-books meeting about the future of the Warhammer. She wasn’t about to put it in a log for fear of Benjamin somehow getting wind of it. Nothing was safe if he asked Genius to find it. She thought she could convince all her officers, when the mission was over, to leave Cjittan space and head back to Trillond. Possibly the far side, closest to Alliance space. Maybe pick up some black-market goods from home. Her feelings had been stringing her along for the past couple years. She hoped for anything that would bring her closer to Benjamin in ways other than proximity.

  He always did things his way, which meant everyone did things his way. That didn’t used to be so bad, but now he was ruthless most of the time instead of just when it was warranted. Cross him and you’re dead. She wanted to kill Lieutenant Jared for bracing him the last time he was aboard. There was a hard lesson taught that day that cost a marine his life and millions of credits in damage to a mech. Mechs they couldn’t get parts for, except now they have some parts from the damaged mech. With every year that passes, Benjamin changed. He evolved into something . . . more.

  “Captain.”

  “Melanie, you should be on your way here if not here already.”

  “Word just came down. The Privateers are going on the hunt.”

  “Damn. Contact the others and sound battle stations. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  “Aye cap’n, the crew be ready fer sum fight’n, rape’n and pillige’n.”

  “Geez, Mel, that was terrible pirate speak. Besides we aren’t pirates and we aren’t raping anyone. Fighting and pillaging, yes. Raping, no.”

  “A girl can dream of tying a big strong man to her bed, can’t she?”

  “Well . . . yes, but that’s not exactly the same. Besides, now’s not the time, Lieutenant, to be thinking of such things.”

  “Aye, Captain Stick in the Mud. See you when get there.”

  Aisling felt the slight vibration, a tell that the ship was in motion. She would have to tell Jared what she wanted him to do and not worry about any of the rest of her plan until afterward. Captain Stick in the Mud. What the hell happened to protocol and respect?

  ****

  Sashet studied the young woman sitting at the helm. When Benjamin had forced her to take her, she hadn’t been happy with his decision at all. When the young woman beat her on the practice mats, it earned her a few points. When she beat the hell out of two the biggest crew members on the ship, who now followed her around the ship like bodyguards, it was clear Sashet was given a gift, not a burden. As Sashet’s number two, Natalia ran the ship now with little or no help from her captain. It wasn’t only Sashet’s crew that fell into line; there was not one pirate of the original pirate crews that didn’t pay her due respect. She had earned it. In the beginning, Sashet had been worried her father would kill anyone who touched his daughter, but that hadn’t been the case. Not saying he wouldn’t if there was foul play, but he let her make her own way, which was the reason she was there to begin with.

  Natalia drummed her fingers on the console in front of her. Maybe it was a case of nerves. They were a minute or two from starting their mission. She probably had butterflies.

  “Nat?”

  “Sash.”

  “You nervous?”

  “No, you?”

  “Of course not.”

  “If you’re not nervous, then what are doing to my console?”

  “Thinking, worrying, wondering.”

  “Sounds like you’re nervous.”

  “I’m not nervous. At least, not for us. He hasn’t done anything for three or more weeks. Not counting killing that marine in the mech suit. That was self-defense.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. There are rumors about things that happened down on the planet.”

  “Like what?”

  “They say he killed all of the officers and thousands of soldiers all by himself.” Sashet had heard that from one of the privateer captains. She had also heard the less exaggerated truth from Snake.

  “Someone is exaggerating again,” Natalia said. “Besides, there is nothing strange about that. He didn’t go down there for tea and toast.”

  “On better authority, he and three others did go through the command center and officers’ barracks and kill everyone they found without firing a shot,” Sashet said. Natalia looked over her shoulder at her and smiled. She seemed proud.

  “War, Sash. He probably cut off their communications too. No, I’m talking about the stupid stuff. If things aren’t moving fast enough to suit him and no opportunities appear to meet his objectives, then he’ll wing it.”

  “You know better than anyone he is a survivor. Pirates are the same. They’ll take chances and do things normal military or civilians won’t do. Your father would be a great pirate if he ever decided to cross that line.”

  “I don’t see him hurting innocent people, which pirates seem to more often than not. I ever tell you how he cut the balls off the pirate who kept me locked in the floor? He still carries that knife on his belt. You wanna hear the story?”

  “No, but I’m sure it’s quite colorful.” Sashet didn’t need or want to hear it. She almost squirmed in her seat. She had done her share of killing, but not unless she had to. “So you’re just worried about him. Well, you shouldn’t be. In fact, I’m ordering you not to worry. I don’t want you distracted.” She paused to see how Natalia would take her order. “Besides, Nat, he’s with the queen. She’ll keep him under control.”

  “Right, fat chance . . . you know after she left us and told him it was over, it wasn’t a week till she sent him a message. She was sorry blah, blah, made a mistake blah, blah, and she loved him. I snooped, read it and deleted it.”

  Sashet didn’t reply. She had no idea what to say, and it didn’t affect her or the rest crew in any way.

  “You haven’t deleted any messages from my lovers, have you, Nat?”

  Natalia snored. “As if. You have to have—Hey, looks like it’s time to go. Captain Kimit is moving out.”

  ****

  “Admiral, it’s time to get the fleet moving,” Tazleaha said. “I will stand next to you as you make a visual broadcast to the fleet.”

  “Do you think the young man Genius will be able to identify a signal?”

  “He is very capable and I have personal knowledge of some of his exploits,” she answered softly. “We will take the Claymore and board the ship responsible, then take appropriate action. Benjamin will get to the bottom of it.”

  Tazleaha glanced behind her. She spotted Benjamin with his back against the wall next to the door. She couldn’t see his face, but she knew he would be watching everyone. The admiral’s call was answered by all the captains and their faces were tiled on the large screen.

  “Captains, it is with great pleasure that I can report our Queen Tazleaha has been rescued and is with us today. Let her presence be an inspiration to you all as you go forward and engage the enemy. We will fight until they are destroyed or driven out of our empire and then we will be ever vigilant in maintaining our borders and keeping them out.”

  “Well said, Admiral,” Tazleaha said, then nodded for him to continue.

  “Over the next few minutes, I will assign you to groups. I have just sent over your objectives. It is straightforward, so I don’t anticipate many, if any, questions.”

  “Captains,” Tazleaha said. “The Khalnalax came without provocation or warning, took our people as slaves and raped our worlds of their resources. They destroyed our fleet, giving no quarter to the crews, so in turn we shall give them none. There will be no prisoners, nor will we take their ships. All who do not escape will be destroyed.”

  “Thank you, Queen Tazleaha,” Cushda said. “Captains, let it begin.”

  ****

  The activity on the bridge seemed calm and business-like. Not that I was expecting anyone to sit and gawk at Taz. “Genius, the speeches are over with, and the admiral just cut them
loose.”

  “Copy, Boss. The only information I think has any value in this exercise is the fact that Taz is alive and on this ship. In the next ten minutes, the Khalnalax will figure out what’s going on, then take countermeasures. There’s no surprises here.”

  “Oh, I think there will be surprises. What’s a party without a surprise or two? I’ve never seen forty-plus Allond warriors in battle, have you? And when was the last time you think a Khalnalax ship was boarded by pirates—ex-pirates, I mean. Besides those on the Warhammer, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a battle mech anywhere outside the Alliance.”

  “We did board the World Eaters.”

  “True, but those were more like corporate ships. More engineers, scientists and tons of laborers. Just a small contingent of soldiers. These are warships, and there is some cocky fucker who just parked his ass right in front of our planet. They need to be taught a lesson.”

  “Teacher Reaper gonna teach a class?”

  “These boys and girls are gonna learn a hard lesson,” I said, my words trailing off. The captain was standing over the comm officer’s shoulder. It could be nothing. “Is Zora still there with you?”

  “Yes. She is helping me keep an eye on everything.”

  “She isn’t sitting in your lap, is she, trying to pry our secrets out of you?”

  “No, that was ten minutes ago. I told her everything in exchange for a—ouch! She hit me!”

  “Sounds good. Quit goofing around and get back to work. Something might happen any moment.”

  “You’re the one calling just to bullshit. Anything happening yet on your end?”

  “Not sure. Didn’t really think it was anything. I’ve seen a captain stand behind a bridge crew member a million times.”

  “I’ve got nothing strange going on outside the ship, but I just saw a message slip into my web.”

  “Pull it out and read it. If you can’t read it, hold it.”

  “It came from the main comm terminal. Guess your hunch was right. That is really ballsy, Boss. The captain and the comm officer, and right under the admiral’s nose. This is going to be easy. They sent the message to the aft terminal for transmission. Right now, I own the aft terminal. Nothing is going unless I let it.”