The Worker Prince

by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

  The Vertullians always referred to the Delta V incident as The Revolution. In truth, it had been incited by a massacre in which Xalivar participated, footage of which had been all over the Boralian news nets lately. The actual revolution was the workers’ armed response to the massacre, which although determined, had been quickly put down. “One day we’ll find him,” Davi said, knowing he would give it his best.

  “It’s more than I could hope for,” Lura said.

  For a moment, he considered sharing with her what Tela had told him, but then thought better of it. False hope would end up making things worse in the long run. “I’m sure he’s here in spirit,” Davi said, squeezing Lura’s hand again. She smiled and nodded approvingly.

  “I wish my father could be here as well,” Tela said. “And my mother.”

  “What happened to them?” Lura wondered.

  “Dad disappeared a while ago. Another one of those unanswered mysteries that we’re just supposed to accept. Then Mom died in an accident two years ago.” Tela refuse to make eye contact.

  “So you’re alone?” Lura reached over with her other hand and placed it on top of Tela’s, squeezing. “We’re your family now.”

  Tela smiled and exchanged a look with Davi, whose heart warmed at his mother’s kindness. “I feel blessed.” Tela said.

  “We’re all very blessed,” Lura said, nodding.

  They bowed their heads and prayed for the battle ahead, committing their actions and plans to God and asking for wisdom, guidance, and safety through whatever came.

  Davi had difficulty accepting that the actions he and others made might lead to the deaths of many old friends. But he knew the higher cause always required sacrifice, and, in the end, it would be worth the losses for his people to be free again. He thought about Tela, wondering if their relationship would have a chance to flourish or if this war would mark the end of it. He brushed the thoughts away. He couldn’t afford to be distracted at a time like this. He had to appreciate the time they had while hoping in the future God would provide for them, whatever it was. As their Scriptures said, God’s plan was perfect: a future full of hope.

  O O O

  Davi kissed Tela goodbye moments before launch. They’d stopped hiding their relationship from anyone now. The trainees had overheard them in the forest anyhow, and it seemed pointless when there were much greater matters at hand to worry about.

  As flight crews performed final pre-flight preparations on their shuttles, Davi went over and over the plan of attack. Uzah had obtained schedules of regular fighter patrols on both Vertullis and Legallis. The fighters were kept on the ground for several hours a week for routine maintenance. The attacks were timed to coincide with one of those periods. The ground assaults on the Vertullis starport, energy shield control center, and government center would be timed to coincide with the attacks at the starports.

  Davi watched the first shuttle launch anxiously—excitement mixed with nervousness and fear—carrying Tela and her team toward the starport on Legallis. He had assigned her the majority of his most experienced pilots—Virun, Jorek, and seventeen others—since her mission would require the most flight skill and involved the most possible risk of counterattack. Davi assigned Nila, Dru, Brie and sixteen others to his team. The shuttles were being flown by experienced men who had once worked for Borali citizens as private pilots. Additional shuttles would carry Uzah and his troops to their attack points.

  Tela’s team had to fly into the Legallis starport under the cover of an emergency landing due to engine failure. Because there would be no WFR ground assaults like those on Vertullis, Alliance ground forces posed a serious threat. The shuttle bay and fighter bay were connected by short tunnels, so that if the team moved quickly, they could get in and out without engaging troops. He and Tela had been over the layout several times with her team.

  The potential for success of the WFR’s ground attacks on Vertullis had been increased by recent developments. Bordox’s attempt to capture him had led to reassignment of great numbers of troops to search the forest. As a result, while the worker’s base might be detected during the launch of the attacks, ground forces at the starport, energy shield control center and government center would be down to skeleton crews during the time of the attacks. Davi couldn’t believe their good fortune. Aron and Tela had reminded him their God was behind them and had a hand in temporal events. Davi found it easier to have confidence in a God who played such a role in human affairs.

  When his shuttle landed, Davi was already on his feet beside the door. “Go!” he shouted as his pilots filed out, blasters held at the ready.

  As he stepped on the landing platform, he could already hear ground forces engaged in other areas of the base. By launching their attacks first, the ground forces hoped to draw troops away from the launch bays around the fighters. From what Davi could see, everything was proceeding according to plan.

  Mechanics met them on the ground and pointed them to the twenty fighters which they’d prepped and readied for launch. On both Vertullis and Legallis, the mechanics had disassembled key parts to make counterattacks impossible. Only the exact number of VS28s the WFR would steal remained flight-worthy.

  Special shifts had been selected at each starport, and those mechanics would return with the strike teams on the shuttles to avoid execution. Since the fighters were already scheduled for maintenance, it would take the Alliance time to call in another shift, let alone determine why their fighters weren’t functional. By the time they knew, Vertullis would safely be under WFR control and protected by the energy shield and stolen fighters.

  Everyone moved quickly, with the mechanics doing their work, while Davi’s pilots climbed aboard the fighters and started preflight checks. The moment the fighters launched, the mechanics would board the shuttle and follow them out. Davi would launch last.

  Venetian System’s Model 28 fighters were sleek and black with snub noses and three wings–two longer wings on each side, and a third shorter wing standing vertically above the fighter’s four engines. Each bore their squadron insignia, and a few bore a name painted on at the pilot’s indulgence. There were laser cannons on each wing as well as in the nose. The cockpit lay beneath a gray, transparent blast shield through which the pilot could monitor the area outside the cockpit.

  As the first fighters prepared to launch, Davi heard explosions near the shuttle. Interrupting his preflight check, Davi turned to see a few armed troops moving into the bay. He tensed and prepared himself. Here we go!

  “Get your men to the shuttle!” he shouted to the head mechanic.

  Alliance ground troops wore the same gray uniforms as the officers, but were equipped with black metal helmets instead of hats. They had matching black shields and armored vests, all three designed to withstand heavy blasts from lasers. Their black boots reached almost to their knees. Well-trained and disciplined, they were intimidating to watch, let alone face in battle. They began setting up laser cannons and firing at Davi and the mechanics as soon as they entered the bay.

  As fighters launched, Davi climbed down onto the landing pad and returned fire with his blaster. An entire squad of enemy troops wound their way toward the shuttle. The lead mechanic began returning fire with a blaster as well. Davi didn’t stop to ask where he’d obtained it. Their co-conspirators had prepared for the worst.

  As the fighters continued to take off, Davi and the mechanic laid down cover fire, taking out a couple troopers at the front before the rest ducked behind machines and starcraft to avoid their laser blasts, and fired back. Several blasts hit fighters as they took off, but the damage was minimal.

  To Davi’s right, a fighter lifted straight into the air and around toward the oncoming soldiers. Davi heard the whirl of laser cannons revving up to full power and then spotted Dru at the controls.

  “Dru, what are you doing?” he asked over the comm-channel.

  Dru opened fire with the VS28’s laser cannons at the Alliance troops. Machines and starcraft exploded
as debris flew around the bay. Enemy soldiers dove to the ground. Some were buried under falling debris. One took a hit in the arm. Others screamed or shouted.

  Davi chuckled at the bravery and ingenuity of Dru’s efforts as he turned and climbed back into his fighter. The necklace jangling against his chest reminded him what they were fighting for.

  “Get the shuttle out of here,” he said into his comm-channel as he lifted his own fighter and turned it to add his own lasers to Dru’s barrage.

  The shuttle’s engines revved up as the lead mechanic dove on board. Moments after the door slid shut, the shuttle launched.

  “Go, Dru, go!” Davi called into his comm-channel as he fired another round from his laser cannons.

  Dru turned his fighter and flew into a launch chute. Davi followed moments later.

  Most of the other fighters had already headed back toward base as Davi and Dru launched with the shuttle, but four fighters closed in around them. Davi noted with surprise that two of them were flown by Brie and Nila.

  “I thought I ordered you two back to base,” Davi said over the comm-channel.

  “Did you think we could go without knowing you and Dru were safe?” Nila’s voice rang in his ear.

  “Yeah. What took you guys so long?” Brie teased.

  The women’s laughter filled the comm channel as the fighters slid into formation around the shuttle.

  “Well done, team. Let’s go home,” Davi said tension easing to relief as he wondered how things were going for Tela.

  As they flew over the city, Davi glimpsed gunfire near the starport and government center. WFR forces had begun engaging the skeleton Alliance crews left to defend them. From what Davi could see, their attack had been a success. His prayers had been answered. He hoped Tela and Uzah were being as blessed as he had been.

  O O O

  Moments after laser fire exploded outside the building, Zylo received an urgent SOS from the captain in charge of the defense detail at the starport. Most of the regular defense detail had been reassigned to search the forest, in the wake of Bordox’s failed capture of Davi. Bordox himself had been sent back to Legallis to answer to Xalivar, while Corsi and Zylo took over leadership of the search.

  The defense captain’s voice sounded terse. Zylo thought he heard laser fire behind him as well. “The starport is under attack. I demand the return of my men,” the captain said.

  “Your men are on the other side of the planet,” Zylo said.

  “We are under attack by unknown numbers of enemy forces both inside and outside the starport!” The captain said.

  “The entire government center is under fire. I have already called back troops, but they won’t be here for an hour,” Zylo said, not liking the captain’s tone.

  “An hour will be too late! I need help now!” The captain screamed.

  “You’ll have to do the best you can,” Zylo said, breaking the connection before the captain could launch another protest. There wasn’t anything Zylo could do about it anyway.

  Out the window, he saw from the size of the WFR force that his own men would soon be overrun. Alliance soldiers ran around in chaos, dodging explosions as debris flew. A worker army on Vertullis? No one had ever imagined organized military attacks by worker armies. The mere idea was frightening and he found he could not relax, but he refused to let fear paralyze him. His men were trained for this and far better than any workers could be.

  The explosions outside the building drew nearer and nearer and the windows and walls rattled. Zylo wondered what else could go wrong.

  O O O

  Uzah led his forces in attacking the Shield Control Center—one hundred and thirty men against twenty-five Alliance soldiers and officers stationed there at the time of the attack. They fought an intense battle, before the few remaining defenders retreated behind locked doors and shielded walls.

  Some of Uzah’s men used the battle as cover for a sneak attack from the rear. The five guards stationed there were easily overcome, allowing WFR troops to enter the station. They exchanged fire with the defenders locked inside, but once WFR reinforcements arrived, the battle was over. To Uzah’s delight, the workers now controlled the energy shield around Vertullis.

  He found himself surprisingly relaxed throughout. Focusing on his task and strategies kept his mind off worries and other concerns. His military training also helped, and his experience in years past as well, but it felt good realizing that he could do this under real fire, and that confidence invigorated him as he led his troops. He only hoped his confidence would bolster his men.

  The battle for the government complex, including the offices, barracks, and starport, took longer. Although most of the Alliance troops had been out on other duties, there were still one hundred and fifty soldiers spread throughout the complex. The three hundred and fifty WFR men under his command wounded or captured large numbers of enemy soldiers, leaving only a few strongholds.

  The last holdouts surrendered after a two hours of fighting, when WFR reinforcements arrived. Uzah immediately contacted the base.

  O O O

  “Legallis approach control, I say again, identify yourself.”

  Tela listened nervously as her pilot identified the shuttle for the third time. While emergency landings due to engine failure were not unheard of, the Alliance almost never allowed emergency landings by civilian craft in military areas, and the portmaster didn’t seem inclined to allow this one.

  “You’ve been cleared to land at the civilian dock on the eastside,” the voice instructed for the third time.

  Tela reached over the pilot’s shoulder and keyed the comm-channel. “We’ve told you. We’re losing power fast. We can barely control her as it is. We need to land now. We won’t make it to the east side.” She leant what she hoped was just the right amount of exasperation to her tone.

  Tela heard the portmaster’s sigh over the comm-channel. “Landing Bay Five-A. Do not leave your craft until given further instructions.”

  “Thank you!” Tela tried to disguise her relief with a cheerful tone, but they’d been delayed almost half an hour. The other attacks were already well underway.

  The portmaster sent two officers to inspect the shuttle upon landing. The moment they stepped inside, Tela, Virun, and Jorek disarmed them and tied them up. However, the wait for their arrival and their capture slowed things down.

  Several times during the ensuing battle, Tela wondered if Davi should have led the assault instead of her, but because too many people knew his face on Legallis, the leadership had thought it unwise to send him there.

  Right away, the portmaster’s men questioned why pilots were in fighters during the scheduled maintenance period, then military flight techs inquired about unscheduled launches. While Tela and the maintenance chief did their best to allay their concerns, military police came to investigate and several mechanics died in the ensuing laser battle.

  Adrenaline filled her veins as Tela shouted orders to her squadron and exchanged fire with the police, ducking and dodging as best she could behind what little cover the hangar provided, all the time worried about damage to their ship. In the end, she and her pilots held off the police, with aid from armed mechanics, but five pilots died and the shuttle suffered exterior damage from the lasers. Altogether it was more stress than she’d ever experienced, and she realized now why adrenaline played such an important part in their training. On her own power, she’d have collapsed exhausted long ago. The energy filling her veins was the only thing keeping her going.

  When the shuttle launched, it did so with half the remaining mechanics on board. The others stayed behind to provide cover fire for the launching starcraft.

  Tela mourned the loss of the brave mechanics internally, while externally pushing her team to fly back to Vertullis at top speed and warn them. Her voice remained steady and commanding and her people responded exactly as she needed them to. It wouldn’t take long for those on Legallis to figure out what had happened, even if they couldn’t launch
fighters to counterattack. Despite the successful capture of the fighters, the mission felt like a loss. She blamed herself and dreaded facing Davi and the other leaders with the news.

  O O O

  When Manaen rushed into the throne room in mid-afternoon and announced the attack at the starport with great urgency, the news caught Xalivar by complete surprise. Who would attack them? No one had attacked Legallis since the settlement of the planet.

  As bits of information trickled in over the next two hours, Xalivar became more and more enraged. Disabled fighters? Mutinying mechanics? He knew right away Davi had to be involved.

  He motioned to the vidscreen. “Get me the security videos from the launch bays!”

  “Yes, my Lord!” Manaen typed on a terminal and the videos played.

  Davi was nowhere to be seen. Trained pilots took off in the fighters. How could the workers have so many trained pilots? He ordered the few surviving mechanics interrogated as soon as possible. They would be pumped for everything they knew before being executed.

  Still, Xalivar couldn’t believe what he had seen. He ordered all off-duty mechanics to be called back to duty to get the fighters airworthy. Pilots would launch as soon as possible to chase down the fleeing intruders.

  Later, Manaen delivered even worse news. “There were attacks on Vertullis as well, my Lord. Enemy forces captured fighters there too, leaving the rest disabled or damaged. They also captured the entire government complex, the starport, and the energy shield.” Xalivar couldn’t believe his ears. “Vertullis is no longer under Alliance control.”

  Xalivar screamed in frustration. No! This can’t be happening to me! The fighters he’d sent after the retreating attackers had arrived after the stolen fighters had already disappeared behind the planet’s energy shield. Xalivar pounded his fists into the wall.

  Is there no one competent in my entire military? How could they be caught with their pants down? The Council will have me for this! I will never hear the end of it. My gods, the greatest army in the Universe defeated by a ragtag worker army?