by Jessie Wolf
Holy shit! If I hadn’t sent Mike along with his two divisions to the P.D.F. base we would have a totally different war on our hands. Then it hit me. They had also raided the stockade. “Who did they free from the Stockade?”
“They were able to release half the prisoners, ma’am. We still haven’t gotten word on who they were able to get out, but we do know that the former Lord High Marshal, his Vic, and the Head of Parliament died while trying to escape.” Answered Col. Fujiyama with some heat. From the look on his face he was not happy about the deaths of those three men. There is something about the way he told me that they died while trying to escape that made me want to know more. So I asked what it was that had him so upset. “My Lady I believe in the legal system. A person should be made to face those they have wronged. What happened with those men was an execution. Their own people shot them in the head instead of letting them be recaptured.”
“Damn it! Why weren’t those prisoners secured away from the base like I ordered them to be?”
Maj. Howard answered this time. “My Lady the answer is simple. We didn’t have any place willing to hold them.”
“What do you mean Major?”
“None of the civilian law enforcement wants to get involved with holding what they consider prisoners of war ma’am.”
If the law officers and peacekeepers are treating our political prisoners as P.O.W.s then I have a real problem. “All right we’ll deal with that latter. Right now I want to know if we have any idea about the forces we are facing.”
“We actually have some good news on that ma’am. General Star sent over a full break down on the enemy forces.” Turning to point at the map board Col. Powel begin to give me a break down. What I saw did not fill me with a whole lot of warm fuzziness. If what Mike had been able to get out of his captives was correct, then we were facing off against almost eight whole combined arms divisions. That alone would make this a hard fought war. What was scary though was the five AI tank heavy regiments that they had control of. Now normally AI tanks were no match against an APS, but these were all full AI tanks. The damned things don’t stop until they’re slagged down to the ground or blown to little bitty pieces of AI kibble. Not only can they be used as front line reinforcements, but also as an indirect fire base for long range artillery. The main gun on those heavy tanks is a two hundred millimeter cannon. When used as an artillery piece it had a range of over twelve kilometers. Paired with an AI fire control system it becomes a devastating weapon.
Even with the all nine Death Dealer divisions we will still be out numbered. Still looking at the print out I see another map board with a list of our units and those of our allies. Before I can ask her Dee De tallies up the numbers for me. The final total raises my spirits. Total combined force is fifteen combined arms divisions. With that kind of advantage plus the aerial Intel from Mike’s fighters making sweeps over the contents plus the satellite recon we now have an exact location for the enemy.
“From the looks of things gentlemen, we are in for a fight. While they have a slight, and I do mean slight, advantage with those heavy AI tanks it’s not enough. From the looks of things we have ten heavy divisions and five light divisions. More than enough to handle this rebellion.” Once I have their attention I quickly lay out my plan for battle. I give each of them their orders then ask “Are there any questions?”
The looks on their faces is one that I will remember for a long time to come. You know the one where you don’t know if someone is totally bat shit crazy or a pure genius.
Chapter 10
Plans within Plans
As I waited for their reactions I thought about my plan. For starters, it was way outside the box. I mean who in their right mind sets up a whole army as bait. Then there’s the fact that the Commander for the entire operation is going to be smack dab in the middle of it all broadcasting their location for the whole world to know along with a challenge for all comers. What I was doing hasn’t been done by mankind since we wore chain mail and fought wars with swords and shields. In other words not since the Middle Ages.
“My Lady, are you really planning on calling the rebels out in some kind of duel?” Maj. Howard was the first to break the silence.
Followed shortly by Col. Powel. “You can’t be serious? You really want to draw them out into the open by challenging them to open field combat?”
“What about those AI heavy tanks? You set up a camp with all of our troops and you make it an artillery target for their main guns.” This from Col. Fujiyama.
Yup they all thought I had lost my mind. “Gentlemen, we are facing a very scared enemy. They will not follow normal tactics, nor will they face us in a conventional manner unless we force them.” I begin to explain my reasons for what I have planned out. “If we step out like some medieval army they will be forced to react. By doing this the AI tanks can be removed from their role as artillery pieces. This will in turn force our enemies to meet us at a place of our choosing and time. I know that the plan is not without risk, but it will give us the advantage we need.”
“Excuse me, Lady Nakatoma, how is that?” asked Col. Fujiyama.
“Col. Fujiyama, it is simple. By forcing them to face us in the open we can bring to bear all fifteen of our divisions.” The look of shock on their faces at hearing the full size of our force was priceless. “Yes, gentlemen we out number our foe by almost two to one and what I plan on doing is to pull them into a knife fight with the nine Death Dealer divisions. Once they have committed all of the troops along with the AI tanks we hit them in the rear with the loyal House units. You see, gentlemen, it’s the hammer and anvil approach.”
“And you plan for House Nakatoma and the Death Dealers to be the anvil.” Col. Powel said with some disgust.
Now normally I would just blow this kind of talk by some battalion commander off. However Powel is a Death Dealer. It is our job to take on the bitch assignments. We are the ones that make the impossible possible. When they need a tough nut cracked, we bring the hammer. It’s as simple as that. “Col. Powel must I remind you of the motto for the Death Dealers?”
“No offence, ma’am, but there are more than a few of us who are tired of getting the shitty jobs. Why aren’t the loyal House units the ones being the anvil? After all it is their planet.” He said in a very unapologetic manner. I could tell that he was getting close to the end of his career by his attitude. One of the problems with long term careers is that after a while some begin to tire of being on the smelly end of the stick. That was Powel’s problem. He wanted for the House troops to pay the high price in blood for their freedom. Never mind the fact that as a Death Dealer he gave his oath to be the first one to die for the freedom of the civilians of this world. He also forgot that as a Death Dealer he signed away his right to call any one planet home. We are Galactic Citizens, members of the Human Empire. As such it is our job to keep the peace and enforce the Emperor’s laws and orders. I guess it’s time to remind him of his duty.
“Excuse me, Col. Powel, but if I remember correctly all Death Dealers are Empyreal Citizens. As such we are commissioned by the Emperor himself to carry out his orders. Now the last time I looked only a direct order from his majesty can deploy more than just one Death Dealer division. At present there are nine whole divisions of Death Dealers in this system. All of which come from the Delta sector. What that means is this. Every last Death Dealer for the surrounding twenty light years is here by Empyreal command. Now either get your head out of your ass and do your job as it has been laid out for you, or resign your commission and take the first fight off planet.” I was done dealing with his ass. He took the same oath that I did, he knew what the stakes were when he signed up, and he knew what the risks were. Sure they’re high, but the rewards are well worth it.
“Yes ma’am. I’m just saying”
I interrupt him before he can say another word. “Powel what part of shut and soldier don’t you understand?”
“Yes ma’am I understand. We’re the anvil. I
just hope that you’re right. Because if you’re not then those AI tanks are going to leave a lot of bodies on the field.” He answered in a very contrite manner.
When he put it like that I could see his point. But I needed him to understand and see the bigger picture. “By all rights I don’t have to explain myself to you, Powel. However, I do understand your concern. The one thing that you have to understand is this. The enemy believes that they currently outnumber us when in fact it is the other way around. If we can pull them out into the open then we not they will control the time and place of the fight. This way we remove two of the main factors from the equation for victory.”
“If that’s true, ma’am. Then what’s left that you haven’t accounted for?”
The answer was so simple and the man didn’t see it. It was the only thing no general or leader of a country has ever been able to control. “Luck.”
I watched as all three men grasped the answer. No matter how much you plan, no matter how hard you push, no matter how well you prepare, all it takes is one lucky or unlucky break and everything can go straight down the drain. They all remember Napoléon Bon Apart famous quote of ‘I know he is a great general, but is he lucky?’
However it was Powel who summed it up for me. “You have a Royal Flush and a loaded forty-five Lady Nakatoma. You don’t need luck.”
“Why Col. Powel, you make it sound as if I’m cheating. I assure you sir; I always play by the rules. The only problem is when they’re playing chess, I’m playing checkers. It’s not my fault they don’t want to play the correct game.” I answer him in a tone of voice that is so sweet it would give a squirrel sugar shock.
Everyone in the room who heard me just started to laugh. I could tell that I had lightened the mood a good bit with that little show. That’s when it hit me everyone here was only looking at the problem in front of them and not the whole picture. They didn’t have all the information. No wonder they had thought this was a suicide mission. I need to get everyone here on the same page or we have lost before the first shot was fired.
“Gentlemen, in two days I plan on facing those idiots on the other side in the valley of White Hall fifteen miles northeast of the capital. Between the mountain ridges on the north and south sides plus the Storm Valley River on the east end they will have to come straight at us from the west.”
Maj. Howard asked. “How are you going to deal with House Kiel’s ground attack corsairs, ma’am?”
“I believe that House Lee has two full wings of Hornet attack/interceptors that have more than enough fire power to drop one of those slow moving beast.”
“So except for the AI tanks operating in an assault role everything has been accounted for.”
“No Col. Fujiyama not everything. As I said earlier luck still plays into all of this.”
“That is where you are wrong, child.” I spin around at hearing mama’s voice from behind me. “There will be no need for luck.”
“How can you say that mama? I can set everything up and they can still refuse to come out and play.”
“I can guarantee that our enemies will meet you at your chosen battlefield and on the day of your choice.” She said as she walked up to the table.
“How can you promise that mama? Hell I know tactics better than just about everyone on Hades. How can you guarantee they will face us at a time and place of our choosing?”
“Simple child. By sending out a formal challenge of Refusal.” She made the statement as if it was the most obvious answer.
“Excuse me, Lady Dai Etsu, but what is a Challenge of Refusal?” asked Col. Powel. He wasn’t the only one who was curious about that.
“It is why they were able to run rampant in the Hall of House’s. Because without a Head of House that could challenge them on the battlefield they could pass whatever laws they felt like. It is the only way to overturn any ruling.” What she had just described was a trial by combat. Those had been outlawed in most systems for over three centuries. To find that they were still legal here in the Death Gates system answered why the Emperor was sending a Death Dealer to handle the problems here on Hades.
“Mama, do you mean to say that they will meet us when and where because of the law?”
“Yes child that is exactly what I mean.” The sly smile that played on her face told me all I needed to know. While she could not issue the challenge because of her vows as a priestess, I can and as the Head of House for the Nakatoma should be the one issuing that type of challenge.
“Ok mama. How do we go about this? I mean Trials by Combat have been outlawed in most of the Empire. I have no idea of how to go about it.”
“Open up an unsecure band-width and broadcast your challenge for the whole planet to hear.” Turning to the communications technicians she just starts giving out orders. “Make sure that it will repeat every half hour on the hour. Also that it covers not only the military bands but civilian as well. If we don’t they can have the excuse of not hearing the challenge. I don’t want to give them any reason not to accept the challenge.” Everyone in the room could tell by the tone of her voice this was something she longed to do herself, but was frustrated because she couldn’t. “Maiha, when the channel is open make sure to state the time, place, and what troops you will have on the field. I know that you want to use all of our units to end this, but I suggest you only use the Death Dealers.”
“Why mama?”
“If you only use the Death Dealers then they can only use their own House troops. They will not be able to use the AI tanks. To do so will violate the rules of House combat trials and in turn bring down all the High Families Houses of the Empire on them. That is not something they can afford to have happen. They would lose more than just their hold here on Hades.”
“What else would they lose? I mean if they get kicked off Hades that’s great and all, but what more can they lose?”
“Their claims to the Empyreal throne.”
“Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that all the Houses here on Hades are in direct line for the Empyreal Throne?”
“Yes, Maiha. That is exactly what is going on here. All of the High Families Houses on Hades are in line for the throne.” With a heavy, sigh she opens up to me about the full political mess that is the Hades Government and House Nakatoma’s part in it. “For the past three hundred years the Nakatoma Family have been the controlling factor in who sits on the throne. It has been our duty to protect the heir of the Empire and their family. That person has always come from one of the sixteen High Families House here on Hades. That is one of the reasons why Trial by Combat is still an active law here.”
“So it's our family’s job one way or another to put an end to the corruption and bring those responsible to justice. Mother were you the one to ask the Emperor for help in stopping these men and women?”
With a sad sounding sigh she just nods her head. “I asked for a Death Dealer to be sent here. I knew of their oaths to the Emperor from my sister and her husband. How all Death Dealers swear to forgo all rights of citizenship to any planet or system. To become Galactic citizens so that all citizens of the Empire can turn to them for protection.”
“So you placed the hopes of our family in the hands of someone you hated?”
“No! I never hated Death Dealers just what I thought they stand for, needless violence.” Mama practically yelled at me. “I was wrong though, you taught me that. Death Dealers only fight when they have too.”
“Ok, mama. Now how does me only using the Death Dealers help with the political situation?”
She began to giggle looking at me as if it should be obvious. Thankfully Col. Fujiyama grasped the reason and voiced it for everyone else. “As the Head of House for House Nakatoma and as the Group Commander of the Death Dealer divisions you can call them all out at once. You are their worst nightmare Lady Maiha. A Death Dealer who has a rightful claim to the Empyreal Throne.”
As he talked and the more he laid it out the more I realized just how strong of a political
footing I was on. By being the rightful Head of House for one of the High Families and a First High Lady of the Death Dealers no one else had a stronger claim than me. So if I step out on to the battle field at the head of nine divisions sent here by the Emperor himself and a full House military contingent I am telling them to stand and fight, or piss off and surrender to face the legal system. It was perfect.
So perfect and simple that I had not seen it for what it was. Now I just had to get the division commanders to buy off on it. “Comms get me a link to all division commanders.”
“Yes ma’am. I’ll have it for you in three minutes.” Replied the comm. tech.
My excitement over having a way to keep the number of casualties down must have been written all over my face. Because mama walked up to me and said. “Peace child. You show too much to the world. Remember your lessons. You are the Head of House for the Nakatoma family. Now please act like it.” It was like being smacked in the face by a fish. However it had the desired effect. I quickly calmed down and found my inner peace. With the practiced ease I had learned just days before I put on the ‘face of inner calm and peace’. I remember that I must not let the world know how I truly feel that is not the way of the Nakatoma’s. “Good girl. You remember your lessons well and do honor to your family name.”
With a small bow to mama. “I do honor to my teachers more than my family. For without their guidance I would not be where I am today.”
“A more adept student a teacher one could not ask for. Have you decided on where you plan to face off against our enemies?”
“Yes ma’am. I plan on bringing down the hammer of the God’s on the plains of the White Hall valley. That should more than even the odds for both sides.” There must have been something wrong with my choice of battle field because she got a sower look on her face for just a moment. “Why do you have some place else in mind mama?”