Audacity (Warner's World Book 5)

by Dave O'Connor

  “Yes and it scares the bejeezus out of me” responded Malissa. Julian frowned as he saw the expression of anger rising on Malissa’s face. He was all too aware that he had only just managed to persuade her to hold off on a retaliatory nuclear strike against rogan cities, well at least for four months. “I want a briefing on this PME tech asap. Can we re-acquire it? What are the risks and how long will it take? We also need to see if we can develop a counter to it? Get our best minds onto it.”

  “Of course” replied Julian. He thought about arguing against such a move but decided to hold for now. “It may well not be PME. The Resolute is on its way to confirm. They should be there in a week. So we may know in less than a fortnight.”

  “Wasn’t the Resolute supposed to be leading the Recon mission?” asked Kaito.

  “They will rejoin the recon task group directly from this investigation” replied Belinda. She prided herself in being on top of the latest plans.

  “If only we had ten more Resolutes” exclaimed Malissa. Those watching could see the strain on her face. She was middle aged when she became Chief Minister and now after seven years in the job she felt and knew she looked decidedly a lot older.

  “Chief Minister” said Kaito “can we go over the election campaign now?”

  “No, not now.”

  “But we need to” insisted Kaito in his quiet but insistent tone. Over the last four years he had found it the best approach to appeal to his boss’s sense of responsibility.

  But this time it wasn’t working. “Tomorrow. I promise. I think that’s all. Thank you everyone.”

  Kaito gestured his frustration with his hands but he knew the limits. He stood up and, like the loyal assistant that he was, ushered the others out of the conference room.

  “I tried” he said defensively to Adrian in the outer chamber.

  Adrian nodded. “You did. She can’t keep ignoring it. We’ve got just over a year.”

  “I know.”

  “She needs to appoint a successor soon if they are to be given the best chance of winning.”

  “Two terms isn’t enough” expressed Kaito with a hint of annoyance.

  “No, two terms is more than enough for any man or woman or federation for that matter” added Adrian with a smile. He was well aware of Kaito’s views on this matter. But Adrian held to the belief that the reins of power held too long become the reins of tyranny and he would give his all to prevent that no matter who the candidate was.

  Kaito had the good sense not to argue the point. He knew all too well that Adrian would oppose any move to lift the two term limit on the highest office. But he also knew that the numbers for changing that were getting better every week. He should know because he was the principal architect.

  He was the perfect political operator. He knew everyone of note, kept his ear to the ground, and was capable of engineering support wherever it was needed. Right now he knew his boss needed it, even if she did not recognise it. This was his doing but it was for her good and he would also argue that it was for the greater good of mankind. Mankind was facing its toughest challenge and it needed the toughest, most capable leader in charge. ‘And that’s my chief minister’ thought Kaito as he closed the door behind the last of the now departing committee members.

  Chapter 26. Slidwon, Istridium 2220, 7 August

  Angina Slirinus was tired. It had been a long gruelling day. She wanted to retire for the day but there was one matter that must be dealt with now. She had received the communique direct from the office of the First Consul only forty minutes ago. One did not ignore an imperial directive.

  There was no hint of disapproval conveyed in the message. She knew that the First Consul would have been bitterly disappointed at the failure of their efforts to capture Sallusam but she also knew that it was his staff’s way to expunge all expressions of emotion from his correspondence. Angina hated this practice. She liked to know where she stood with her Imperial master.

  ‘Yes, he wants Torine. Of course’ she thought. She brought up Torine Philastane’s status on her screen. ‘It’s going to take a week just to get her anywhere close. That’s the trouble when you are the best. You are always in demand and in our line of work that means big long journeys.’

  Angina would have to reassign another agent to take over Torine’s current assignment. After a few minutes of searching she committed to the reassignment and tasked Torine to pursue Sallusam.

  Chapter 27. Resolute to Qwantum 1515, 8 August

  LCmd Chase Hanlon was at his wits end. They had been at it for hours now just him and the new XO, Cmdr Charles Chen. As per his orders from the Captain he was putting the new XO through a condensed version of the Ship Officers Battle Course, known affectionately as the son of a bitch course by all who go through it. It got this moniker partially because of its acronym but all agreed that it was one hell of a tough course. It usually sorted out the wheat from the chaff. After two days of it Chase was prepared to declare the current participant as falling in the latter group.

  Chase knew that he had to tread carefully. This was a superior officer, albeit one with no battle experience and to his amazement one who had somehow avoided all the usual combat courses that you would expect a Commander to have done.

  The simulator was unforgiving. It had failed the participant for the third time and this was according to its protocol as far as the current participant could go. Chase stared at the screen where the alert flashed in red “DISQUALIFIED.”

  “Let’s call it a break there Sir” said Chase “I have to reset the simulator and then we need to start again.”

  For what was probably the first time that afternoon Charles spoke “Can’t we just mark this one off and move to the next?” His brown eyes bored into Chase.

  “I’ll ask the Captain Sir” and Chase stood up and left the battle lab before Chen could respond. He headed straight down the corridor of A deck and after a quick squiz to make sure there was no one else in with the Captain he entered and closed the door behind him.

  Dave could see by the frustrated expression on Chase’s face that things were not going well down in the battle lab. He was not surprised.

  “Permission to be frank” asked Chase.

  “Well you don’t look like a John” said Dave with a smile in a doomed attempt to cheer up his ops officer. Chase frowned disapprovingly as he sat down in the chair opposite.

  “He’s fucking hopeless Sir. He’s failed lesson three six times now.” Chase didn’t say anymore. He knew he had said enough to dam any aspiring ships officer.

  Dave bit his bottom lip as he pondered. He was taking his time. Becoming impatient Chase added “He asked me to just skip this one. Mind you that’s the only words I have got out of him all afternoon. I’m struggling Sir to engage constructively with the ‘participant’.”

  Dave looked at him quizzically. “You’re the instructor Chase. It’s up to you to engage with the participant not the other way around.”

  Chase gave him a disappointing look. “Come on Sir. It’s like he’s inert. We’ve both known the cold-as-ice types but they at least are usually competent. This guy is not.” Chase leaned closer. “I’m really worried. What happens if he has the ship and we’re in a shooting match? I tell you Sir I have no confidence in this officer and it will become pretty clear to the others that he is not up to the grade. You would have a mutiny or a dead XO that’s for sure.”

  Dave frowned at Chase’s last remark. “There will be no talk like that on my ship Chase.”

  Chase’s dander was up now. “I thought you said I could talk frankly?”

  “Yes but that doesn’t mean you can countenance mutiny or murder on my ship. Is that clear?” Dave looked intently at Chase.

  Chase nodded. “All right, no more talk of mutiny. But you know now that I don’t trust his judgement or his competence. What are you going to do about it?”

  “Leave it with me Chase. I can’t just sack the son of the Treasurer. I wish I could but that is not a realisti
c option.”

  Chase huffed and then rose. He turned at the door. “Something must be done before we go in harm’s way.” He left straight away.

  Chapter 28. Umbrol Shuttle over Cheklin 1000, 10 August

  Aras Leptude double checked the warp instructions to Margvon and in particular to the spaceport at Dyritka. He noted the two day travel time. At least that would allow a bit more recovery time. The so called painless surgery was anything but. He rubbed his right eye for the hundredth time since boarding. He knew he shouldn’t but it was SO aggravating. ‘Alas a necessary measure’ he said to himself ‘along with the finger prints,’ and he flexed his stiff fingers ‘the facial restructuring’ and he carefully touched the heavily bruised cheeks, ‘and the DNA adjustment’ and his stomach churned.

  The rogan, formerly known as Imperial Admiral Meeka Sallusam, was now a businessman from a third tier aristocratic family that no one ever heard of. He would be on his way to take up his new posting as manager of a third tier spaceport in a third tier star system where no one of import ever travelled to. If it were not for its proximity to the human systems it would be perfect. Aras acknowledged that. It would serve for the short term.

  He would take up his post and leave the day to day running to the non-aristocratic deputy manager - a time honoured arrangement throughout the rogan systems. Of course he would be expected to be wheeled out should anyone of import actually arrive at the spaceport but otherwise he would be free to pursue his own agenda. “But still collect my stipend” he said out loud with grin. For a moment Aras looked like the old Meeka.

  He glanced down at the terminal and noted the most recent message from Barak Slaag. Slaag was a senior controller within the FIA who had worked closely with Meeka. It was he who ran the human operative, Bane, so successfully. It was during this time that Meeka got to know Slaag very well and in particular his illegal syphoning of Imperial funds to what Slaag had referred to as the ‘ultimate contingency fund’.

  Aras smiled as he recalled the grin on Slaag’s face when he outlined the purpose of this slush fund. ‘The trick now’ he thought ‘was to convince Slaag that the time had come.’

  To Aras it was obvious. The Imperialist system had run its course, expanding too far, too fast and at such a cost. He had played his part in the downfall with the loss of the combined fleet but the likes of he and Slaag had seen that eventuality, though he had to admit he had not anticipated that it would have come so soon.

  He knew that the High Council would be martialling a new combined fleet but this could only be done by stripping assets from each of the sectors that made up the rogan empire. More would come from those sectors furthest away from the biggest threat – the humans. ‘And that is why I need to be in one of those sectors’ thought Aras. ‘I need to be well placed when the time came to strike.’ His greatest fear though was that time might come a lot sooner that he would like.

  Aras Leptude hit the commit button and the shuttle’s warp drive engaged. He was off on a new adventure.

  Chapter 29. Phantom to Sturam 1400, 10 August

  “So this contact of yours” said Aubrey in the main conference room. “Cantus Milner…”

  “Ciantus Melnar” corrected Evie Plentun, the rogan Resistance leader. “His name is Ci-ant-us” she said emphasising each syllable “Mel-nar”.

  “Right” said Aubrey “Ciantus Melnar…So he’s an aristocrat of the first order.”

  “First tier” corrected Evie.

  “All right, first tier. But why is that important?”

  Evie took in a deep breath. She crooked her head back and to the right, then tilted it forward again into its normal alignment. She knew she had already explained this in an earlier briefing but she reminded herself that it was frustrating enough for rogan to understand let alone humans.

  “The Imperialist system relies on its aristocracy to maintain order. The aristocracy provides the leaders in all walks of life. From the third tier it draws leaders of minor companies, support and administrative officers in the forces, government officials and the like. The second tier provides middle ranking company managers and staff officers for the forces. However, only first tier aristocrats are appointed to manage major or important corporations or to senior command positions within the forces. Moreover only first tier aristocrats can secure senior political positions.”

  Evie paused for effect. She hoped this time it would sink in to the minds of the people she was addressing in the conference room. “And so that is why we need Ciantus Melnar. He is from a first tier aristocratic family and he heads up the Mintoslum Corporation, the number two communication corporation in the empire. With him on side we not only gain a suitable figurehead that others will follow but we gain access to the considerable resources of his corporation.”

  “And there aren’t any other first tier aristocrats on this Cheklin planet that we could approach?” asked Aubrey.

  “Of course there are but we know he is sympathetic to the cause. He has already been in secret communications with us and had provided limited resources in the past. That is why he is number one on our list.”

  “But your number two, Meelanda Orocash…have I got that right?”

  Evie nodded her head “close enough!”

  “Well she is only a second tier aristocrat. So how is that going to work?”

  “Obviously not as well but she is well placed as the head of research and development in the Likta Corporation, a prime transport company. Again we know she is sympathetic and she has been tested and found reliable. You have to realise commander we will be taking great risks approaching these contacts. Approaching others at this stage would be an unacceptable risk with little chance of success.”

  Commodore Julian Pious, who had been patiently listening to the proceeding for the last hour, could see that things were getting quite testy between his ship’s captain and Evie. “Can we please accept these contacts as is” he interjected.

  “Of course Sir” said Aubrey. So far she wasn’t all that impressed with the limited range of options but she realised she was bashing her head against a brick wall. “Alice can you please refresh everyone with the plan so far?”

  Alice took a breath in and smiled to cover her own insecurity. It wasn’t everyday she got to sit in with a Commodore and plan an operation of such sensitivity and importance. Back in July she had been the Comms and Intel officer but now found herself in the ops role. What had surprised her the most was how much she actually enjoyed this type of work.

  “The plan so far” said Alice “is largely generic, as we won’t be able to determine the specific locations and timings till we arrive and do a proper reconnaissance”. She shifted her gaze to Evie. “Much will depend on how flexible these contacts can be.” Evie nodded. “The ideal option would be if it were possible for them to meet us at some remote location, which we can secure. But if this is not possible then we will have to go to them.”

  “Either way we start with a cloaked insertion by warthog of Team Alpha plus Ms Plentun and Cmdr Draag. Team Alpha will secure the entry point while Ms Plentun and Cmdr Draag make the initial contact using whatever communication channels are available. Preference will be by local telecommunications.”

  Alice paused and scanned her audience. She had their attention and there were no questions so she continued. “Based on that first contact, a direct face to face meeting will be arranged. If it can’t be done at a remote location then we will aim for some location away from surveillance systems. This is still going to be problematic. Marines are going to stand out like the proverbial” she stated and again glanced around to see that there was no disagreement on that point.

  “So Ms Plentun and Cmdr Draag will most likely have to conduct this phase on their own” said Alice.

  Julian noted the brief tension on Evie’s face. He wasn’t happy about this part either. Felis Draag on the other hand looked nonplussed at the suggestion. Julian caught that too. “I am not happy about that” said Julian in a matter which
brooked no debate. “At the very least we need to provide some body guards. Two capable marines should suffice.”

  “With respect Commodore” countered Felis “but we won’t last two minutes accompanied by your marines. This is a rogan home world not a Federation planet.”

  “I do appreciate that Commander” said Julian with his best diplomatic tone “however, I am going to insist. We can select two of our shortest marine and I am sure we can affect a suitable disguise.”

  Felis couldn’t believe that Julian was serious. He was prepared to take risks but this was ridiculous. He knew though how it would look if he kept opposing this, especially since the Commodore looked to have made his mind up. So he opted for a different tack. “Which marines are you proposing? How will they be disguised?”

  “I will leave that to Commander Bellard” said Julian. He glanced across at Aubrey and caught her nod.

  Felis exhaled exasperated. “Well let’s hope our contacts can come to us then.”

  The meeting broke up shortly after. Evie waited for Draag to leave. She checked the corridor and after his form turned the corner she closed the door of the conference room from the inside. “Thank you Julian” she said. “You are very perceptible.” Julian nodded. “I want to take this opportunity to say that I still have reservations about Cmdr Draag. I hope I am proven wrong but till then I think it best if we be wary and prepared.”

  “Just so” said Julian.

  “If you will excuse me” said Evie and she exited.

  “Fun and games” said Aubrey to Julian.

  “Indeed” he replied.

  Chapter 30. Beijing, Earth 1500, 10 August

  Amelia Hubbard’s long face looked anxious as she put down her communicator on the beautiful carved teak side table beside her lounge chair. “I can’t believe it” she said out loud to no-one, for the room was empty bar her and the many ornaments that she liked to surround herself with.