“Felis” hailed Evie Plentun, the Resistance leader he first encountered aboard the Resolute. Their relationship had initially been of necessity and it had been a difficult one. She had been very reluctant to trust him. But the events of the past month had changed all that. Now he was glad to hear her voice.
“Yes Evie” he responded “How did it go?”
“Biggest rally yet…over a hundred thousand. Meelanda’s exhausted. We’re going to return today.”
“Good.”
“I think so too” said Evie. There was a lightness in her tone that Felis liked a lot. The recent successes were having a beneficial effect on her thought Felis. “I’ll send you our flight plan” said Evie. “I have to go.”
Anyone else in the command centre looking at Felis would probably conclude that there was a certain lightness of expression on his face that had not been there a few moments ago.
Chapter 31. Resolute over Q2 0930, 12 September
It was now six days after the battle for Q2, in which significant portions of the principal city of Rollinium had been destroyed by the rogan attack. Work to setup a working spaceport at Rollinium was well underway. But as the Resolute loitered in geo some 33,000 kms (33K) above the planet, Dave was in his office on A deck.
He had a frustrated expression on his face when Ivan, entered and took a seat on the other side of Dave’s desk without any formalities. The younger man eyed the older one and asked “Still no news?”
“No” said Dave shaking his head.
“It’s not as though she can just signal us” proffered Ivan referring to Aubrey Bellard, who was ostensibly under Dave’s command.
“No” said Dave. The last message he had received was from Evie Plentun on the comms channel they had provided her before she and Felis were inserted into Checklin. It had simply said that the Phantom was remaining cloaked over Cheklin awaiting the outcome of the negotiations.
Even cloaked, Dave knew that the Phantom ran the risk of detection from enemy ladar – not likely but still possible. He also knew that if that occurred they would be in grave danger, especially with only two of their normal 100 missile loadout.
Dave understood the need for the mission but it put one of his prime assets and, in his view, his best subordinate commander and crew in grave danger.
“Damm it” said Dave “I’m going to recall her. It’s too big a risk.”
“I don’t think the Commodore’s going to be too pleased. He’ll probably just overrule you.”
“Well technically he can’t do that. He’s a political officer. I’m the senior operational officer here.”
“That may be, but who do you think Aubrey will obey – the senior ranked officer eyeballing her or the junior one over half a week’s warp away.”
“Mmm” said Dave. He strummed his fingers on the desk.
Ivan recognised the sure sign of frustration. He decided to change the topic of conversation to something more positive. “Our rogan chums down below are progressing well on the battle systems training. Crystal reckons they will be good to take over Rollinium Control by the end of the week.”
“That’s good” said Dave “and what about Sergeant (Derick) Blithe?”
“Crystal says he’s doing well too.”
“Mmm…” Dave was deep in thought.
“He’s going to need to be, isn’t he?” asked Ivan.
“Yeah he’s got big shoes to fill... I miss John” said Dave. “How’s Crystal bearing up?”
“Better…I think. Keeping her busy has helped.”
Dave nodded. “OK, you’ve convinced me.”
“What?”
“I won’t bother trying to recall Aubrey.”
Ivan smiled. Then he added “besides we still don’t have enough missiles here. We’d just be robbing Peter to pay Paul.” He was referring to the fact that on average their ships had only 67% of their normal allocation of missiles.
“True. But that’ll change when the main force arrives…” Dave checked his terminal screen and then added “In just 17 days.”
“Can’t come quick enough.”
Both men went silent as each pondered the same thought ‘would it remain quiet till then?’
Chapter 32. Slidwon 1430, 12 September
High up in the ISS ‘complex’ Deputy Director, Jebna Diljet, was hard at work. He reviewed the plan for the counter coup. It was the fifth time that day. Each of the previous times he had found cause to change some aspect. But he was satisfied now or so he thought. All that remained was for this last run though and then he would send it.
He knew he had to do it today if the instructions were to reach the recipients in time. In some cases they would not receive this plan for two weeks. Hence why it had to go out today. He would have preferred to run this past Angina but she was not here now and no amount of berating on his part was going to change that.
He knew that she trusted him. But did he trust himself to get the plethora of details right. The chime sounded on his terminal reminding him he had fifteen minutes to go before his next appointment. He double tapped the reminder and said “Ah yes, Torine!”
As he did so, his assistant rang through “Sir Agent Torine to see you.”
“What?’ he replied rhetorically “She’s early!”
“Yes Sir, shall I have her wait?”
“Oh no, send her in.”
Jebna recognised the tall athletic frame of Agent Torine as she entered. She was an impressively attractive female. He may be old enough to be her father but there was no denying what he saw before him.
He glanced down at his terminal and authorised the plan. He looked up at Torine and waved for her to take a seat. He then reviewed the recipient list one last time. He was happy with it. He glanced up to see his visitor. He saw the pistol in her hand fire. He felt the shock of the pulse charge shudder into his body. The shock was tremendous. But Jebna had spent a lifetime dealing with shocks of one ilk or another. His mind was honed through experience to recover from them quickly. It was trying to do so right now. His body on the other hand was shaking. He knew he was dying. He also knew he had been betrayed. In slow motion he could see Torine stand and raising her pistol for the coup de grace. He pushed his right hand forward, not to feebly ward off the next shot but to press the send on his plan. His finger touched the screen and the last sounds he heard were the acknowledging ping from his terminal followed by the pulse shot that would terminate his life.
The terminal pinged once more as Torine moved behind the desk to feel the absence of a pulse on Jebna’s neck. She glanced at the screen as Angina’s FLASH warning message appeared. She smiled. “Too late Director. You’re next.”
The siren heralded the opening of the door. Torine shot the assistant as he pushed through. The gun he was carrying fell to the floor with a thud. Torine bolted to the door, saw no one else was following and reached for her communicator.
“What are you waiting for?” she hailed. “Or do I have to do everything myself.” She terminated the call, stepped over the body, walked out through the lobby area and through the door to the rooftop where her hopper was waiting.
As it ascended she could see the FIA troops moving across from their vehicles towards the front entrance. The battle for the ‘complex’ had begun.
Ursoola Miokin was still trying to get a response from the Deputy Director’s assistant. Her head was throbbing from the siren. From her desk on the second floor above the main entrance she saw the armed figures storming to the front doors. “Seal the building” she hailed on the security wide channel. She had no idea what was going on but it would be on her head if any armed intruders breached the complex.
The blast doors closed in under two seconds propelled by the charges that were detonated by the front desk security team. But they were too late to save the two guards outside the front doors. They were cut down by pulse fire. The automatic pulse guns rose from out of the ground on their pedestals and began raking fire against the armed intruders, who quick
ly fell back, leaving two of their own motionless on the ground.
On the 27th floor the head of communications Milus Olasso was only just getting his wits about him. He struggled to do up the holster. He had never been a field agent and had never had to fire a gun in anger. He hailed Jebna’s office but got no response. Then he hailed the assistant and got no response. He hailed security “Ursoola, what’s going on?”
Ursoola was looking at the head cam of the lead in the team she had sent up to Jebna’s office. She could see his body slumped forward over the terminal. “They have killed the Deputy” she advised. “We’ve just beaten back an armed assault at the front. They look like FIA troops.”
“Fuck. It’s started.”
“What do you mean it’s started? What’s it? Oh don’t bother. Just get down here pronto.” Ursoola hung up because though the firing had stopped out front she could now see a lone figure out there with its arms up holding what looked like a badge. She used the controls to zoom in. She did not recognise the person but she did recognise the badge. It was definitely FIA.
The figure began broadcasting from speakers emanating out of one of their vehicles behind which their troops were taking cover. She cursed as she tried to activate the audio. Finally it cut in. “…and lay down your weapons. I repeat. This is the FIA acting under direct orders from the First Consul. Cease all resistance, lower the barrier and lay down your weapons.”
“Whatever you do don’t do that” said Milus from behind her. Ursoola turned to confirm his presence but then refocussed on the figure in the street. It took a tentative step forward but was greeted by a burst of pulse fire. It had to dive back behind the vehicle.
“Why not? What the fuck is going on Milus?”
“The First Consul is initiating a coup.”
Ursoola turned to face him with a very dubious look on her face. “What, to oust himself?”
“No, to take full control from the supreme council. He wants it all. We’ve known about this since the 24th.”
“And what, my pay grade is too low to be brought into the inner circle.”
Milus just gave her a withering look that said ‘don’t be childish’. “Look we detected this list of names” and he held up his communicator and showed her the message they had intercepted. “There are thousands of names on it. Look right up here is the Director and Deputy. They have just killed Jebna and probably the Director too. I haven’t had time to check.” Milus just realised something and then added “We should do that.”
“Yeah we will. Go on.”
“Well we didn’t think they would jump so soon. Many of those names are in the extended territories or even further out in the conquered realms. We thought we’d have at least a fortnight.”
“To do what?”
“Launch a counter coup of course.”
“Oh, of course. Why didn’t I think of that” said Ursoola in a mocking tone. “You say that like its routine. This is the fucking First Consul you’re talking about here. So he wants a little more power. The security situation is worsening. We could do with some more power.”
“And you wonder why you were not brought in. Look, your choice is pretty simple. Open those doors and let them in or be part of the solution that sweeps away this mess. Oh, one thing to bear in mind, there’s an Olasso on this list.”
“Let me see” she said thrusting her hand out. He handed over the communicator. She did a search on her surname and there it was. It wasn’t her but it was her uncle, who headed up the 33rd Army Brigade (Bde). The colour drained from her face. She managed to bleat out “But why?”
“Probably pissed off someone he shouldn’t have. So what side are you on?”
Ursoola swallowed. She sat there for a moment unsure. All her life she had been on the side of authority. If she had been asked the day before she would have sworn she didn’t have a rebellious bone in her body. But now… With the flick of a synapse she picked up her communicator and hailed on the security wide channel “If that son of a bitch outside pops his ugly hands up again shoot him.” She then turned to Milus. “Good enough?”
Milus smiled. “Good enough for me. Might want to ask your uncle if he can get his troops over here. Now would be good.”
“Yeah, now would be good.”
On the rooftop of the Konit tower not more than 300m from the ‘complex’ a frustrated Torine looked down through the scoped rifle at the stalemated scene. “Fucking amateurs” she said scathingly. She put down the rifle and hailed Raitah. Raitah was in her command centre in the basement of the FIA HQ. She too was fuming. The video feeds said it all. She had just sacked the commander of the troops out front and was scratching her head as to what to do now.
“Yes I know they’ve fucked up. I need you to go and see the First Consul now. It’s time he used his influence to get us some real military muscle to take down these clowns.”
“That’s not really my job Director. Good luck with that one” and she hung up before Raitah could get a word in. ‘Maybe I’ve chosen the wrong side?’ asked Torine as she threw the sniper rifle into the hopper and jumped in. It was airborne before the door was shut.
Chapter 33. Slidwon 1630, 12 September
Emilius Quazor wasn’t happy. He wasn’t happy that Raitah had failed to secure the ‘complex’ in a relatively bloodless manner. Not that shedding blood ever concerned him but he did so want to avoid the media circus that was now bound to happen. He also wasn’t happy to hear the reports that the 33rd Army Brigade had left its barracks. But what really pissed him off was that the agent that was supposed to deal with its commander had failed.
He knew he had a real fight on his hands in the middle of the capital. What he needed right now was some loyal troops, the type that family, influence or graft can buy. He hailed Nestor Quazor.
“Nestor my boy. How are you?”
“Fine uncle. What do I owe the pleasure?”
“How are the trials going?”
“Very satisfactory.”
“Wonderful. I hereby declare your unit fit for action and I have an immediate task for you.”
“Yes?” queried Nestor, somewhat suspiciously.
“I want you to deploy to the capital post haste and secure me the ISS ‘complex’. You will also have to deal with the 33rd.”
“What’s happened…a coup?”
“You could say that. The bad guys are the ISS, and the 33rd seems to have joined them. I need your Division to crush them.”
“My walkers are not designed for urban terrain. Hell, they have hardly been tested for open terrain.”
“They will do just fine.”
“Maybe fine in the streets but you can’t use them in buildings.”
“Then you’ll have to that the old fashioned way Nestor – up close and personal. Are you a warrior or do I need to get someone else?”
“Don’t get yourself all worked up uncle. I’ll do it. But I want that third baton now if I am to have the authority over all military assets in the region.”
“You’ll get it when the job is done.”
“No. I won’t move without it.”
“OK. You may think you have me over a barrel Nestor but you better be very careful and you better not fail.”
“Don’t worry Uncle I’ll save your bacon for you” said Nestor. He hung up, smiled and hailed his operations officer. “Training’s finished. We’ve got real work to do.”
Chapter 34. Cornucopia 0815, 13 September
“So what is it that you are expected to do when you get back?” asked Merry.
“Do the rounds with the media” said Charles. “First, I’ll be interviewed about my brush with death, combat, war all that stuff. Then gradually I’ll be eased into providing commentary on military and then political events and then I’ll be nominated to run. Well that’s what my mother has in mind.”
“Run for what?”
“The Chief Minister.”
“No shit?”
“No shit.”
“Shit!�
�� said a surprised Merry. “Wow…” She sat back in her chair, the marmalade dripping from the piece of toast in her hand.
Charles managed a chuckle at seeing her like this.
“What?” You just find that normal?” she asked.
“Well yes.”
“You live in a different world to me Charles. But let me tell you. That is not and I mean NOT normal.” She looked at him like a school teacher correcting an errant pupil.
Charles just laughed. “You know you look great when you are all fired up.”
She smiled back but then went serious. “You’re not going to get away like that” she said and shook her finger at him across the table. “So tell me, you’re supposed to run for next year’s elections?”
“Yes” said Charles trying to be equally serious.
Merry saw past his seriousness and saw something quite different. “Do you really want to do this?” she asked.
Charles swivelled his head to the side briefly, a nervous reaction that afflicted him whenever he is blindsided and this question certainly blindsided him. His focus withdrew inside as he asked himself the same question ‘Do I want to do this?’
He finally started shaking his head and answered “No, I don’t. I don’t want to do this, not one bit really.”
“Then why do it?”
Again Charles pondered but he couldn’t think clearly. He had a confounded expression on his face. He felt Merry’s hand take his again and he felt relief. He eased the strain on his face and in his posture. “I need to think on that” he finally said to her.
Merry nodded. “I better go. Tomorrow?”
Charles smiled. “Yes” He looked her straight in the eye and said “I enjoy these talks.”
Merry smiled and left.
Chapter 35. Washington DC 0915, 13 September
Resilience (Warner's World Book 6) Page 7