Command Decisions (Book 3 of The Empire of Bones Saga)

by Terry Mixon

  That mystery was one Elise could figure out on her own. “Okay. There used to be another entrance, but I think someone filled it in. You’ll need to dig it out to get access. I’ll give you the maps as soon as I can. Let’s go back up. This is enough excitement for one day.”

  They retraced their steps and Kelsey sent the command to the switch as soon as they were safely inside the storage room. The hatch closed and the lift lurched upward. A minute later, the hatch opened to bedlam.

  It seems they had indeed found a drill. A very large one. And a crew of men who seemed determined to drill their way through the wall. Everyone stepped back to allow the two women to exit.

  The Royal Guards surrounded Elise as their leader examined her anxiously for signs of injury. “Are you harmed, Your Highness? What happened?”

  Elise held her hands up. “Everyone calm down. We discovered a lift leading down into the sealed section. There was nothing dangerous downstairs. We were never in any danger.”

  In comparison to the Royal Guards, the female marine assigned to guard Kelsey took her disappearance in stride. Except for the eye roll and head shake.

  Talbot rushed in at that moment. He slowed when he saw Kelsey standing there, but she could see the worried expression on his face. “What’s with you? I can’t take a nap without you sneaking off to find some secret facility. I thought we had an agreement?”

  Kelsey put on her best innocent face. “It wasn’t my fault. I thought I was turning off a stealth field. I had no idea that was a lift. And I’m perfectly fine. See?” She held up her arms and turned in a circle.

  He pulled her into a hug. She knew it was a sign of just how worried he was that he did so with everyone around. He had an exaggerated opinion of how to protect her dignity.

  She sighed and melted into him. “This is more like it. Next time I promise to wait for you to come protect me before I explore some strange, possibly dangerous place.”

  He squeezed her tight for a moment and then released her. “Okay. I’ll let this go, this one time.” He grinned. “Like I have any control over what you do. So what’d you find down there?”

  “It seems that the planetary defense center for Pentagar is still operational. There are no weapons, of course, but the databases are intact. In fact, it seems that Courageous gave me some kind of diplomatic codes. The computer recognized me and gave me full access.”

  She looked over at Elise. “Come on. Let’s go see if you can access the console on the podium.”

  Talbot stepped beside her as they walked out. “I hear you played something back in the main chamber. Some kind of message from the old emperor?”

  Kelsey nodded. “Emperor Marcus’ final message to the Terran Empire. His order to fight. It was pretty moving.”

  “We’ll need to make a copy for the historians. I can almost hear them drooling from here.”

  “You can hear somebody drool? And here I thought my hearing was good.”

  He laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  She stepped onto the dais. “See if you could play the vid again, Elise. I think Talbot would enjoy it.”

  “Enjoy might be the wrong word,” he said. “I know how that story turns out.”

  Elise stepped up to the console. “Computer, this is Elise Orison. Please replay the last message from Emperor Marcus.”

  Once more, the holo of the emperor from the bridge of his unknown ship played out. And again, Kelsey tapped into a view that wasn’t visible to anyone else. She spent her time examining the strange woman. Not just her, but her armor. It was definitely commando armor. Kelsey had seen images of bulkier marine armor.

  One thing was immediately obvious. This armor had seen plenty of combat. Unless she’d borrowed the armor, that was. Kelsey decided she’d go with the assumption that the woman was a combat veteran. It looked as though it had been through hell.

  The woman’s expression hardly faltered during the speech. It seemed to Kelsey that the woman had already decided that their chances were slim. She looked like she was determined to fight it out to the bitter end, even though she knew that death most likely awaited her. Or worse.

  Kelsey wondered what had happened to her. Had she died well? Had the rebels captured her and turned her into one of them? She would probably never know.

  Even as the vid was playing, the computer interrupted her with an implant transmission. Ambassador Kelsey Bandar, this unit has detected a number of vessels entering the system.

  Let me see.

  A schematic of the system appeared in her mind’s eye. The unknown vessels had transitioned through the flip point leading to the Courageous system. There were eight vessels.

  A jolt of excitement ran through her. They had to be ships from home. Someone had come to rescue them.

  And then the reality hit her. Those ships had made a one-way trip. Now the weak flip point had trapped them, too.

  As soon as the vid stopped playing, Kelsey leaned close to Elise and tugged Talbot with her. “We have visitors from home. They just transitioned through the flip point to the Courageous system.”

  Both of them looked suitably surprised, but Elise recovered first. She smiled. “Then we’d best get ready to welcome more of our allies to Pentagar.”

  Kelsey nodded. “I’m not sure what the protocol is, but I think Talbot and I should go out to meet them. I’m certain that Jared explained everything, but it doesn’t pay to take chances.”

  “Then you’d best get ready to travel. I look forward to meeting more of your people. Their presence will make capturing the freighter, and possibly dealing with any escort, easier.”

  Kelsey nodded again, but she couldn’t escape the feeling that something just wasn’t right. For once, she hoped her instincts were wrong.

  Chapter Seven

  Jared watched the approach of the Pentagaran fast courier Lance from Courageous’ bridge. Commander Meyer hadn’t insisted on taking the command console, but instead watched events unfold from one of the observation seats. The one Princess Kelsey normally used, in fact.

  Once Lance launched from Pentagar, Jared assumed that Princess Kelsey was aboard her. He’d sent a brief message on tight beam giving her the basic situation and warning her that Breckenridge was in control. His implants allowed him to do so unobserved right under Meyer’s nose.

  Half an hour later, long after he should’ve opened communications, Breckenridge sent a message of greetings to Lance. He asked if Princess Kelsey was aboard and requested that she come to Spear.

  His ‘request’ sounded like an order, though. Not the smartest approach in dealing with Kelsey, as Jared well knew.

  The courier pilot—Jared recognized him as Lieutenant Parker—politely responded that Princess Kelsey was aboard and was looking forward to meeting Captain Breckenridge. He passed along her request that he gather all his commanding officers aboard Courageous for a briefing so that she could bring them up to speed on the current situation.

  Breckenridge declined, instead reiterating that Kelsey come to him.

  Jared was unsurprised when her cutter undocked from Lance and arrowed directly toward Courageous. Breckenridge immediately ordered her to divert to Spear. The princess didn’t respond.

  Meyer stalked up to Jared. “What does she think she’s doing?”

  He looked up at the other officer blandly. “It seems that she thinks she’s coming aboard Courageous.”

  “Stop her.”

  Jared allowed himself a wry smile. “Princess Kelsey is second in line to the Imperial Throne. My ability to direct her in any way was limited to my position in command of this mission. I no longer have that lever. Captain Breckenridge does. And you see how well that seems to be working.”

  “You know her,” Meyer snarled. “Find a way.”

  “Short of firing on her cutter—which I of course will not do—I see no way of stopping her from coming here. If you want to redirect her, you’ll need to do it face to face.”

  The unspoken subtext was that she
was his problem now. And Jared was looking forward to watching her roll over the other man.

  Meyer looked as though he’d bitten into something sour. “I see. Then we’d best go down to meet her. Perhaps I can convince her to follow Captain Breckenridge’s lawful instructions in person. She is not a member of the Imperial line for purposes of this mission. She is subordinate to the military commander.”

  Good luck with that, Jared thought as he followed the man to the lift. A glance back at his crew showed that they shared his opinion.

  They arrived just as the princess’ cutter docked. The hatch slid aside with a puff of cold, misty air and the marines assigned to watch over Princess Kelsey came out. They stood beside the hatch and braced to attention. He noted Talbot was standing with them. A good choice on his part. The less these outsiders knew about the man’s relationship with the princess, the better.

  Kelsey came out next, her head held regally high. Obvious posturing to someone that knew her as well as Jared did, but not so much for Meyer.

  Even after saying that she had no Imperial place other than diplomat, Meyer bowed his head. “Highness. I’m Commander Sean Meyer, at your service.”

  For once, Jared couldn’t blame him. Respect for the Crown wasn’t easy to put aside. The other officer’s deference actually did him credit. Of course, at this point, almost anything he did right would do the same.

  “Commander Meyer, Captain Mertz,” Kelsey said as she strode right past the two of them. “We’ll wait in the main conference room.”

  “But—”

  Obviously ready for an objection, she whirled on Meyer. “You will not argue with me, Commander. Your captain’s tone has left me in no mood for argument. You will accompany me to the conference room where we shall await the arrival of Captain Breckenridge and the other officers in your task force.”

  The tall officer bowed his head again, probably deciding that it was easier to let Breckenridge fight that fight.

  They proceeded to the lift as a group. It was just large enough to hold them all. Expecting it, Jared accepted Kelsey’s communication request. Meyer had no idea the two of them could communicate around him, an advantage Jared intended to take full advantage of.

  You’re putting on quite the show, Jared thought with some amusement.

  A small twitch of her lips was her only physical response. I’ve had years of practice. Is this Breckenridge as much of an ass as he seems?

  Unfortunately for us, I think he’s worse. Everything I’ve seen tells me he’s an opinionated man incapable of thinking outside his narrow worldview. One who thinks highly of his power. Frankly, his arrival is probably the worst possible outcome of sending a probe home. If I’d had a clue this might happen, I’d have avoided leaving any information at all.

  The lift opened and they all trooped toward the main conference room. Jared tapped into Courageous’ scanners and noted that a cutter was on its way from Spear. Breckenridge obviously wasn’t taking Kelsey’s request to gather his senior officers seriously.

  This was going to be an entertaining meeting. He wondered if they’d all end up in the brig.

  Kelsey was obviously tapping into the scanner feed herself, because when she sat—at the head of the conference table—she gave Meyer a cold stare. “Your captain is ignoring my instruction to gather your ships’ commanders. He’s choosing to come over alone. This is not an auspicious beginning to our relationship. I suggest you contact him and correct this deficiency.”

  Her words surprised Meyer. “How could you possibly know what he’s doing, Highness?” He shook his head. “You have those implant things. Of course. I’d forgotten. It’s Captain Breckenridge’s opinion that those devices leave a person’s competency into doubt. Perhaps he only intends to see that you receive the medical care that you deserve.”

  The chill rolling off her became arctic. “Questioning my competency is an unwise course of action. I assure you that I have received the very best medical care possible. I understand and accept that you are following orders, but do not make yourself my enemy in your support of his policies. Do you understand me?”

  “I will obey my orders and do what I think best for the Empire, Highness,” he said stiffly.

  Meyer took a seat near the other end of the table. Jared sat on Kelsey’s right. The marines arrayed themselves behind the princess.

  Jared knew the moment Breckenridge docked and even watched the vid feed as he made his way toward the conference room. He looked supremely pissed. And he wasn’t alone. He’d brought half a dozen marines in light body armor. He obviously expected trouble.

  If he tried to take Kelsey, he’d get it, too.

  Courageous, pass a message to Lieutenant Reese. I want an armed response team with neural disruptors ready to respond at my call. If this situation gets physical, I want it stopped without loss of life.

  Acknowledged. Should this unit instruct the bridge to bring the ship to battle stations? This vessel’s screens and beam weapons give it a decisive advantage at this close range.

  Negative.

  Breckenridge strode into the conference room as though he owned it, his marines at his back. He hesitated when he saw the marines arrayed against the bulkhead. “You marines are dismissed.”

  “You overstep yourself, Captain,” Kelsey said, holding up a hand to stop her marines from moving. “These men are acting as my guards. They stay.”

  Jared was proud to see how she didn’t back down one centimeter.

  Breckenridge scowled. “You are out of line, Highness. You are only authorized to act as the backup diplomatic presence on this mission.”

  “Wrong. When Carlo Vega died, I assumed the mantle of Imperial ambassador. You are being insubordinate and it will stop now.”

  The Fleet officer looked flabbergasted. He’d probably hadn’t had anyone speak to him with that tone in years.

  He finally found his voice. “With all due respect to your father, you’ve been through a terrible ordeal. I have relieved Commander Mertz of his position as commander of this exploratory mission. Your position is subordinate to mine. You will submit to examination on board my ship and I will see that the Empire’s interests are represented appropriately.”

  Kelsey smiled without the least bit of humor. “I absolutely will not submit to anything. I will allow your medical personnel to examine me, but only under the circumstances that I dictate.”

  She paused a moment to allow her words to hang in the air between them. “The Empire is at war. As the voice of the emperor, I decide what response is appropriate. The exploratory mission ended when we discovered the fight against the rebels wasn’t over. You, sir, are under my orders until such time as the emperor appoints someone else to speak in his voice.”

  “That’s preposterous,” Breckenridge sneered. “You don’t have the authority to make any of those declarations. We don’t go to war at your say so.”

  “You don’t need my say so. Emperor Marcus issued an Imperial edict for all Imperial forces to continue the fight. None of the emperors since has rescinded that edict. The fact that we didn’t know about it means nothing. The Empire remains in a state of war, even though we thought ourselves at peace. Allow me to play those orders for you.”

  The screen on the wall came to life and Jared found himself mesmerized as the vid feed played directly into his implants. He found himself rising to his feet without thought as Emperor Marcus began to speak. He heard the words, but his attention focused on the flag bridge, for obviously that was what it was. It dwarfed even Courageous’ main bridge.

  Courageous, can you identify that ship or its class?

  This unit does not know the particular ship, but the flag bridge belongs to a Holyfield class superdreadnaught, the most modern and powerful warship Fleet possessed.

  Basic schematics presented themselves in the corner of his vision. Holy God, that ship dwarfed Courageous. It had enough firepower to take on half a dozen battlecruisers head-to-head and win. It might be a wreck afterward,
but it would take them down. It could singlehandedly destroy the present day Terran Fleet in one engagement.

  The vid ended and Breckenridge waved his hand. “Irrelevant. He and everyone with him died with the Old Empire. Until and unless your father declares war, the Empire is at peace.” He shot a glare at Jared. “Or we would be if someone hadn’t started shooting when they should’ve stayed hidden. A flaw that he has displayed more than once.”

  Kelsey shook her head slowly. “So we finally get down to the reason you’re pushing this. You dislike Captain Mertz because he defeated you. Humiliated you, from what I hear. Understandable enough, I suppose, but not relevant to this situation. You speak of the Old Empire and the Terran Empire as if they are two separate entities. They are not. The rule of the emperors is unbroken.”

  “Enough of this preposterous fantasy,” Breckenridge snapped. “Senior Sergeant Jones, please escort Princess Kelsey to my cutter so that she may be examined by our chief medical officer.”

  “Stop,” Jared said. “You heard the Imperial edict. Unless the emperor countermands it, Princess Kelsey is the most senior Imperial official in this system and she’s given us our orders. Stand fast, Senior Sergeant.”

  “Senior Sergeant, take Her Highness into medical custody,” Breckenridge snarled. “And arrest Commander Mertz. He’ll face charges for insubordination and disobeying a direct order. His blood won’t save him now.”

  The man looked torn, but he moved when Breckenridge snapped his fingers. One of his men followed closely behind him. Two others started toward Jared.

  Kelsey held up her hand one last time. “Captain Breckenridge, you’re about to make a career-limiting error in judgment. As an ambassador plenipotentiary of the Terran Empire, I order you to stand down and submit to my lawful authority.”