Warrior Chronicles 4: Warrior's Wrath

by Shawn Jones

  “Yes. In fact, the merger is already official. Our militaries are one, with me in control of both of them.”

  “And what happens when you quit or die?”

  “I will not quit, but if I die, there are protocols in place to ensure that our species, both of them, remain safe.”

  “What protocols, may I ask?”

  “You may not ask, Doctor. Unless you decide to become a part of my government, it is none of your damned business,” Cort said mildly.

  “I suppose that is fair. What happens when the goals of science and your military are at odds?”

  “Safety first. When I can, I will make science a priority. You know that from talking to Doctor Tsao, but I will never place science before our federation’s safety.”

  “And what if we disagree?” Pan asked.

  “Then we do what I say, because scientific opportunities can present themselves again. Survival does not.”

  “Suppose I need your patience?”

  “Give me an example.” Cort said, then added, “Well, no. I can give you one. When we first attacked the Cuplans, I wanted to complete an assault on one of their planets. But Neil Platt, the captain of the Taurus, had gotten enough data about the enemy that he didn’t want to risk spending more time in the system and told me so. It took balls for him to suggest going home without completing the mission, so I asked if he really acquired that much information. We ended up coming back home, because what he had accomplished was more important than the military goals I had laid out. Does that answer your question?”

  “To some extent. What if the data had been purely scientific?”

  “If the data were that important, I would put science first,” Cort said.

  “And what if I refuse to take the job?”

  Cort smiled. “Then I will show the universe to someone else, Doctor,” Time to cast the line. “Has Doctor Tsao told you about his current work on Solitude?”

  “Yes. He is studying a humanoid species that lived there one hundred million years ago.”

  “No, that is his wife’s work. I mean his work.” A little twitch of the pole.

  “I do not understand. He and his wife are working together.”

  Cort laughed, “No, Doctor Pan, archaeology is his official work. Yuan has moved on to another project.” C’mon buddy, just take a nibble.

  “I spoke to him just yesterday. He told me about finding evidence of their construction techniques.”

  “And that is exactly what his wife and her team have found. But Yuan Tsao is working on something somewhat more, interesting.” Just a little more.

  “What is he working on?” Tsao asked, his voice a little more excited.

  “It is a project with Bazal.” Take the bait.

  “The octopod?” Pan asked. “He has never told me about working with Bazal.”

  “He and his wife are sworn to secrecy about it,” Cort said. Time to set the hook.

  “I see. What are they working on?”

  “To find that out, you have to say ‘yes’. Well, just a moment.” Cort commed Doctor Tsao, then connected to Pan and asked, “Doctor Tsao, I have Doctor Pan on the comm with us. Without discussing your current project, is it worth being under military control?”

  “Lee, it is incredible. This one discovery, and the things I have learned from Bazal, have forever changed science for me. And I have told you before, General Addison cares about my work.”

  “Truly Yuan, is it really that significant?”

  “Lee, your Mars project is nothing compared to what I have found. Please, General Addison, tell him more. Tell him whatever it takes to get him to sign on. We need him.”

  “I will let you know his decision, Doctor. Thank you for your time.” Cort disconnected and turned to Pan. Reel him in, Cort.

  “Doctor Pan, I am going to trust you with one piece of information. If you betray that trust, you will never work within the Ares Federation again, and even Doctor Tsao will brand you a lunatic. Do you understand?”

  Lee Pan’s eyes were wide when he said, “Yes, General.”

  “Several months ago, Doctor Tsao discovered a hundred-million year old synthetic life form that we are now communicating with.”

  Barely able to process Cort’s words, Pan said, “I accept the position.”

  “I thought you might, Doctor. We will have one more interview on Solitude, then you may ask your questions about my past.”

  “Another interview? Who with, may I ask?”

  “Bazal. Since you will be working closely with him, it is important that the two of you meet.”

  “Of course. I can leave immediately.”

  “Doctor, what is your opinion on the tax situation on Earth?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I have some decisions I need to make quickly, and would like input from the smart people I know.”

  “Then I am honored that you ask.” Pan hesitated. “At least I think I am.”

  Earth

  “Dar, you started this. Unless you come up with a better way and override me, this is the new tax code for the entire federation.”

  “I can already hear half the federation knocking on my door.”

  Cort’s new tax law was quite simple. The tax rate was ten percent of all income made on your home planet. Fifteen percent of all income made on an any planet in your home system. Twenty percent on all income made on any planet outside your home system. Twenty-five percent on all other income. There were no tax breaks or loopholes, no tax credits, and no exceptions. In addition, there was a one percent sales tax that was to be used for helping the poor or infirm.

  The penalty for tax fraud was simple as well. For any act of tax fraud, or any attempt to circumvent the tax law, the tax penalty was an additional twenty percent for ten Earth years. The second offense resulted in the seizure of all assets. No exceptions.

  Dar said, “It is almost beautiful in its simplicity. I will give you that. Any citizen of the federation from the poorest North American to the richest H’uuman will be able to do their taxes on a single page of a flexpad.”

  “Exactly.”

  “The religious groups will balk at losing their tax-exempt status,” Dar added.

  “The complex corporations will gripe about losing their credits for developing in other systems, too. And the schools will complain. And poor people. And rich people,” Cort said. “In fact, I can’t think of anyone who won’t find something to complain about over it. That’s how I know that I got it right.”

  “Really, Cort? That is your standard of success? If you irritate everyone equally, you know you did something right?” Dar asked.

  “Pretty much. By the way, how much am I going to lose?”

  Dar had to think about the vast wealth of the Addison Trust, which now had assets on sixteen planets across eleven systems, before answering. “Something in the ballpark of thirty billion credits a year. But that number is going to increase exponentially in the next two years as our mining interests set up shop.”

  “Damn, that is gonna sting. Well, not so much if it means I am worth at least five times that.”

  “That is just the profit, Cort. The trust is actually worth over three hundred trillion now. And that doesn’t include assets that are outside the federation, like Solitude.”

  “Okay, announce the new code publicly, before you share it with the other leaders. And make sure you announce how much I am paying.”

  “No way. I will not announce it without the other leaders knowing about it first.”

  “Fine. I will announce it myself. Get me some news time, right now. Or I can go outside and tell the news people outside. Your choice.”

  “Gods dammit, Cort! That is not how politics are handled.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t seem like the politicians are doing very well right now. Hell, they never have. Do you want to come outside with me, or should I go it alone?”

  “No damned way am I going out there with you,” Dar said.

  Cort s
tood up and started for the door. He said, “Fine, After the press conference I am about to have, I am flying out to California, to the family compound. I hope to see you there. Pan and I are leaving at dawn the day after tomorrow.”

  “What’s for dinner?” Dar asked.

  “Probably bacon and eggs. See you then.” Cort walked through the building and as he stepped outside, reporters crowded him until Bane growled. They backed up just as far as they could and still hear the General’s voice.

  The Addison Family Compound, Old California

  “I have never seen Lake Tahoe, General. Thank you for flying over it for me.” Pan was stepping out of the flight when one Marine and two attendants appeared. The Marine saluted, while the attendants took Doctor Pan’s bag and gathered his luggage from the flight. While they had only seen the General once before, they knew not to take his bag. He always carried it himself.

  Bane jumped down and greeted several wolves from the compound, before nipping at one’s neck to show that while he was there, he was in charge. Another wolf took the opportunity to try himself against Bane, and within a minute, it was on its side completely submitted to the dire wolf that stood over it with the lesser wolf’s neck in his mouth. Bane stayed in that position until Cort ordered him to heel, then he went to his own alpha’s side without looking back at the other animals.

  When Dar arrived, Cort and Pan were just sitting down to supper. Cort had cooked, and even the house staff was at the table. Dar sat down, and as he started to serve himself, said, “Well, a lot of elected officials are scared. Corporations are crying foul and claiming the government stalemate was intentional to allow a tax overhaul without it being the politicians fault.”

  “I’m sure you have ‘early polls’ to tell me about. How many people hate me?”

  “Very few actually. Two extensive polls show that most voters approve of the simpler code. I would have liked to had a few people ready to talk about it in interviews though. Oh, and the H’uumans are excited about being able to pay taxes. It is a new concept to them, and apparently they feel it is proof that you are sincere about the merger.”

  “So maybe my way isn’t so bad after all,” Cort smiled.

  The staff around the table laughed quietly as Dar replied, “Shut up and pass me some toast.”

  Nine

  Bergh Station

  In addition to Kate Williams and Liz Thoms, four other people dined with Cort and Kim the first night he was back on Solitude. Jade Jones, Mike Rage, Jane Munroe and Lex Sike, all had their fill of deep-fried raptor and local vegetables. Cort told them he had heard from H’uum’s agents on Government World, and Kate Williams took a moment to send a message to several of the communication teams on CG planets, giving them instructions on how to handle certain messages to or from Government World.

  After they ate, Cort led the small group to the catwalk above the perimeter of Bergh Station and they made small talk until they reached the point where the circle met with another one that housed the military academy.

  “I hate speeches and bullshit, so I will get right to it,” Cort began. Pointing to the military compound he said, “The whole purpose of that base and every one like it,” he moved his arm to point at the civilian compound on the other side, “is to protect that. That is our only job, and you have all been doing very well at it.”

  With that he handed Williams and Thoms their pairs of stars, promoting them both to Rear Admiral, Upper Half, then he handed Rage, Munroe, and Sike their own single stars, promoting them to Marine Brigadiers. Finally he turned to a surprised JJ and handed her two bars, each with four stars. After shaking hands with each of them he said, “I would say congratulations, but you all earned it, and there is more to do. Begin looking for H’uumans to bring into our officer corps, and I want to see some stars on a few of them as soon as possible. Because of their shortened life spans, the turnover on that side will be higher, but figure it out.”

  JJ looked at the eight stars in her hand and smiled, “Well, I expected most of this and I will say congratulations to all of you. And Admiral Williams, I spoke with Bazal today, and he is excited to become a part of your staff. He has the rank of Rear Admiral, Lower half, and will be the Head of Special Intelligence, but until the situation at the Isthmus is normalized, he will be unavailable to you. For those of you who do not know, we have discovered a very old synthetic life form beneath the surface of the planet. Your briefings about it will be waiting for you on your flexpads this evening.”

  Cort said, “Also, my wife’s position in the military has been a gray area for some time. After talking to her about it, she is stepping down from all military duties, effective immediately.

  “Mike, that means you need to get someone else to start running the academies. She will still coordinate with us regarding bases on sanctuary planets and she has the final say in base locations, but beyond that I think she is out of the military.”

  “Uh, General,” JJ began. Who is going to keep him in check?

  “Don’t bother, JJ. I know damned good and well that you have all been using her to keep me reined in. And I have no doubt that she will still be getting comms from you when you think I am out of control. I’m just saying that she isn’t wearing armor anymore.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  --

  It was almost two weeks before the comm unit that H’uum gave to Cort began vibrating. Unfortunately, it went off just as Dalek was starting to doze while Cort read him a story. Kim smiled and took the boy, while Cort stepped into the other room and activated the comm. Two minutes later, he disconnected and commed JJ.

  “JJ, it’s Cort. No Return is a go. Repeat. No Return is a go.”

  From hundreds of light years away, JJ responded, saying, “Yes, sir. Once more unto the breach, eh Cort?”

  Remembering Henry V, Cort said, “The game’s afoot, JJ.”

  “Perhaps it would be better to think of it as the dogs of war, considering what we are unleashing.”

  “Perhaps,” Cort replied.

  --

  Across Tapon space, thousands of modified asteroids received JJ’s signal and transitioned from listening devices to weapons. Sensors took bearings, calculations were made, compressed gas thrusters fired, and the rocks began to move away from the Lagrange points that had held them for eons.

  Government World

  The communication team made up more than half of the skeleton crews that Dar had left on CG worlds. Ostensibly, the comm systems were there to ensure the federation’s trade agreements with Collaboration planets ran smoothly. For a government that did not understand the ways of war, or the role that espionage could play in it, the explanation made sense.

  When Lap’s assistant arrived with an innocuous message to be sent with the daily government bulletin, the communications officer appeared to handle it the way he did every morning. Once the message was sent, he destroyed the equipment and walked to the center of the compound, where the rest of his team waited for him. They had boarded a shuttle which took them to a waiting Ares Federation transport and jumped to warp before the man who delivered the message was even back to Lap’s office.

  Collaboration Planets

  On Brbk’s planet, the correct message was received by a courier and taken to the species’ ruling council. Brbk herself was in the council chambers with her superiors, discussing how the centipods would respond to the Tapon situation when the message arrived. She read the message and said, “The vote is counted. The Collaboration is normalizing ties with the Tapons and will not interfere in their efforts to retake their ancient homeworld.”

  Prime Minister Cghk said, “Then we must decide if we will support the move, or secede and seek an independent relationship with the Ares Federation. For my part, I believe our future no longer lies with the Collaboration. We should not align ourselves with a species like the Tapons.”

  --

  On Deint, Lap’s homeworld, another courier arrived with a daily message, one that was somewhat differen
t than the message Lap had originally sent out. After reading it, Terip, leader of the species, said to his advisors, “I do not understand. Lap assured me that the vote would be against the human federation. It seems he was wrong. The Collaborative Government has decided against the Tapons and is formally requesting that the Ares Federation step in to protect Nill.”

  Lap’s own broodmate said, “We have already shifted our trade agreements, Your Highness. The Tapons are to provide our transport for the next ten years. We cannot support the Collaboration in this. We must recall Lap and step away from the Collaboration.”

  --

  Across nearly two hundred planets, one or the other of the messages was delivered. In many cases, the message was the opposite what that species had hoped for. Planets that supported the Tapons were surprised to find that the Collaborative Government had decided to protect Nill and further ties with Addison’s empire. On planets that supported Addison they learned the truth, that their contributions to the Collaboration would be used to support a war against their ally the Nill. In the former, The Ares Federation closed their embassies and abandoned the planets. In the latter, human or H’uuman representatives of the federation expressed their desire to work with Collaborative planets to protect the Nill.

  Since the humans had left the planets that were aligned against them, and since they controlled the only functioning faster than light comm system, it would be weeks before those who supported working with the Tapons would realize that the Ares Federation had altered the messages to suit their own needs. By that time, the war would be so far advanced that correcting the mistake and working together against the Ares Federation would be impossible.

  Solitude

  “Can we detect them yet, JJ?” Cort asked. The war council was meeting two days after the CG had decided to support the Tapons.

  “Not exactly, but we can protect the Nill and their planet. We can detect parts of the Nill atmosphere as high as five hundred kilometers. The lowest safe altitude to attack the Tapons is about seventy-five kilometers. That means if we put a defensive network of ships and satellites around the planet, we can detect changes in the atmosphere and attack those points.”