A Game With No Rules (Perimeter Defense Book #4) LitRPG Series

by Michael Atamanov

  I smiled good-heartedly at my beautiful assistant and even took some liberties, leading my hand through the girl's hair and putting a lock back in place.

  "Nicole, I could, of course, answer you that it is just my whim as a monarch and say that I treated the elderly man favorably just out of a love of mankind. But you know me too well to believe that. I purposely gave the enemy three hours as a way of running out the clock. The cloaked frigate we captured from the Aliens is capable of opening mobile warp beacons in remote star systems, but it needs time to recharge. Just under three hours, as a matter of fact. And now, that ship will make it to Ukravi while the beacon is still on for the Blue House ships. Then, our main Unatari Fleet will come here from Uvi, recharge at the station, which we will take without a fight, and will be ready to continue the offensive. This way, even if the enemy turns off the Ukravi warp beacon, we will still get into the system. What's more, our five carriers will release a black cloud of frigates and destroyers right when they arrive, which will make it even further to the next warp beacons, and our incursion will then be unstoppable."

  * * *

  The trill of an incoming call woke me up. I tried to ignore it for some time and hoped the suicidal person trying to wake their dead tired monarch understood just how foolish their actions were and would sober up. But alas, no. The intra-ship call just wouldn't stop ringing, and I had to peel my eyes open to see which of my subjects had grown tired of living. It was my cousin, Duchess Katerina ton Unatari, and that was strange.

  She must have understood best of all just how exhausted I was after the battle in Uvi and accepting the official delegation of mayors from the large cities of the planets Uvi-II and Uvi-III, who had assured me they were fully loyal to my government and that there was no reason at all for an Alpha Iseyek landing party. The young Baroness Nicole ton Savoia-Unatari, who I'd appointed ruler of the Uvi star system, was perceived very positively. All formal questions of transition of power were quickly dealt with and the official event gradually gave way to a banquet with dances, live music and fireworks.

  On my cousin’s advice, I had been playing the role of a kindly monarch, enthusiastic to take two inhabitable planets under his wing. I had to have many personal conversations, listen to a heap of desires, requests and even denunciations. Near the end of the many-hour reception, I was so tired I could barely stay on my feet. It was good that, at the very least, the alcohol in my glass had been switched out for colored water, otherwise I would have certainly collapsed from the number of toasts to my health. I barely had the strength remaining to walk back to my cabin. So then, this must have meant something extremely out of the ordinary had happened, if Katerina had decided to wake me up just two hours later.

  My cousin looked somewhat disheveled as if she herself had just now gotten out of bed herself, without having the time to get herself in order:

  "Georg, turn on the big data screen! Duchess Ovella royl Stok ton Miro is giving an emergency speech to her subjects right now. Only the introductory part has happened so far, just the same threadbare statements about the Unatari State making a perfidious invasion of the Blue House without a valid cause, and that this is a holy war of humans against insects. Empty claptrap. Very few now believe in that, especially after we were greeted so joyfully as liberators in Uvi. But now is the most interesting part — my sources are saying that the Blue House is preparing to announce their secession from the Empire!"

  I turned on the data screen. The young Blue House ruler had on flashy, blood-crimson lipstick. Her chestnut hair was put up high, emphasizing the crown on her head. Wearing an elegant dark blue outfit, she was telling the audience about her many unsuccessful calls for help from Emperor August. According to her speech, all her pleas to the Emperor — guarantor off peace and upholder of the law — had gone unheeded and, meanwhile, the bloodthirsty insects were continuing to devour people in the Paada and Boti star systems...

  "She's no orator, and a hopeless judge of psychology," my cousin noted with a smirk. "Do you really think a girl dresses like that when she wants to arouse sympathy?! If so, there would be no cosmetics. And what’s more, the loud lipstick, and fancy rings and necklaces are a bit much. The hairstyle is also inappropriate to the situation, and her pants are just bad form..."

  "Quiet, let me hear her speech!" I asked my cousin, and my advisor puffed out her lips in dismay.

  The young Duchess gave a very long-winded and verbose speech, trying to use as many colorful comparisons and hyperboles as she could muster. I don't know who composed the speech for her, but I personally would have fired them immediately for incompetence. Finally, the ruler of the Blue House reached the point of her speech:

  "Seeing how the mechanisms for guaranteeing our security inside the Empire are not working, the Blue House sees no more reason to stay part of the rusty, bureaucracy-laden fossil, which the once great Empire has become!"

  Attention! The Blue House has seceded from the Empire!

  "Well, what did I tell you cousin?!" Katerina couldn't hold back her emotions and spoke up.

  "Ovella has no idea what she's doing!" I replied in horror. "Only the Imperial fleet can hold back the Alien armada now on the border between Perimeter Sectors Thirteen and Sixteen. If those defenders leave, the only thing that will remain of the Blue House soon will be memories!"

  But the young ruler, as it turned out, had her own impressions on the matter. Ovella announced that, on the Green House's initiative, a new state would be formed: The Grand Duchy, incorporating the Blue House, Green House and Purple House.

  What was more, the Gold House was also interested in joining the new political alliance. According to her, for the first time in nearly two centuries, the reclusive Antagonists had decided to send observers and diplomats to get familiar with the political situation on the ground and assess the possibility of joining forces in the future. For now, there was no discussion of the Gold House joining the Grand Duchy but, in any case, Duchess Ovella saw a great success of her diplomacy in the fact that the two-century divide in humanity may soon have been overcome.

  "Alright then, I see where has this game of political leapfrog got its legs," Katerina commented on the shocking news. "The Antagonists have finally decided to leave the shadows and openly announce their existence."

  Meanwhile, the young ruler of the Blue House continued describing the advantages of the new military and political alliance to her subjects. Telling them that the united forces of the Great Houses not only could stop the insect invasion and their bloodthirsty leader Crown Prince Georg, but could also manage where the Imperial Fleet was powerless — to stop the Alien invasion of the Blue House.

  To be honest, after such a brash announcement from Duchess Ovella, I grew internally on edge and expected a quick declaration of war on me from the Green, Purple and Gold Houses, as well as a message saying the Green and Purple Houses were leaving the Empire. However, none of that came to pass. The Duchess's speech continued and the topic gradually changed to internal political housecleaning in the Blue House, the ceasefire reached with one of the opposition blocks, and also newly appointed viceroys and ministers. I knew that nothing more interesting would be said, and turned to my cousin:

  "I'll admit, all that left me with the sense of incompleteness. Why loudly declare you're leaving the Empire to form a Grand Duchy, when the other members of the new political entity, the Green and Purple Houses, would be remaining in the Empire? Why hope for military aid from other Great Houses when they are still not at a state of war with us?"

  My cousin thought about it and agreed with me:

  "You're exactly right, Georg. I also cannot escape the sensation that this is illogical. Judge for yourself: if the Green and Purple Houses leave the Empire right now and declare war on the Unatari State, how would that look from an outside perspective? A government loyal to the Empire at war against three separatist states. I think everyone would understand right away whose side the Emperor would be on! I get the impression that Duchess
Ovella was rushing to reassure her distraught subjects after her armies' recent failures on the front and spoke too soon about her allies’ plans to create a political entity independent of the Empire. I do not think she was supposed to reveal that secret so early. In one way or another, the general vector of the political situation was revealed to us by Ovella, so we need to make the appropriate preparations."

  As soon as the young Duchess's speech was over, Katerina signed off. I now had no more desire to sleep. The enemy had made their move, even if it was an illogical and confusing one, but I needed to answer it somehow. I turned on the screen, called up the Imperial Warp Beacon map and that of neighboring states. It took me just a few seconds to find something positive in Duchess Ovella's speech — there were no direct transport routes between the Green and Blue Houses! The armadas of the greens and purples, who the young Duchess was counting on, could only reach her through the Imperial Core, or Antagonist space, and two Alien-controlled Perimeter Sectors, or through my Unatari State. I didn't even know which of those options was worse.

  Taking Great House fleets through the Imperial Core was categorically forbidden. Yes, one time, Emperor August had allowed my Perimeter Sector Eight fleet to pass through the Core, but the political situation was much calmer then, and the size of my fleet didn't threaten the safety of the Empire as a whole. But now, it was very hard for me to believe that the paranoid August would allow the movement of a potential enemy through his star systems.

  Going through Antagonist space? That would seem to be an option, yes. But such a route would mean first going through Blue House Sector Sixteen, then Perimeter Sectors Fourteen and Fifteen, which had been overrun by the Aliens. Breaking through that way looked even less likely than my famous campaign through Alien-occupied Swarm systems. And if the Green House fleet was capable of such a feat, all that remained for me was to remove my ships from Blue House space and beg Duchess Ovella's apology, then start paying war indemnities.

  The only option they really had was to try and make it through Unatari space, which would seem to be utter nonsense. However, practically all my military starships now were concentrated on the border with the Blue House and any treason in my border warp beacon staff would lead to armadas of opposing starships gushing through the undefended star systems of my state. I dared to say this potential threat mustn't be disregarded. Some of my ships needed to be returned to their places as soon as possible, especially to the most vulnerable Perimeter Sector Eight.

  I didn't call up Bionica on the intra-ship phone, as my synthetic assistant's personal bunk was located no more than twenty steps from my own. So, I just threw on a robe and headed into the corridor accompanied by the semi-transparent Rosss and a group of bodyguards. My electronic pass allowed me to open absolutely any door on my flagship Joan the Fatty, so I pressed the plastic key against Bionica's door and went in.

  It took me no more than a second to realize that I had come at a very bad time. On the floor was a heap of clothes in utter disarray. On the bed were two naked women, their bodies intertwined. Two pairs of eyes were looking at me, wide open in fear, those of my synthetic secretary and an aristocrat I had just elevated to the rank of baroness.

  "Uhhh... Please excuse me. It seems I’ve come at a bad time," I said in embarrassment, stumbling back out the door and at the same time chasing my overly curious security detail into the hall. "Bionica, come see me in the morning. I've got a few assignments. Nicole, I'm gonna need your fleet tomorrow as well."

  Both of the beauties nodded in perfect time, after which I closed the door to the cabin. The whole awkward situation amused me and even made me laugh. I was reminded of a change that had taken place just after I had brought Bionica into the headquarters of the Perimeter Sector Eight fleet as a translator and assistant. Even my daughter Likanna had noticed that Officer Nicole Savoia started putting on lipstick and using cosmetics. But at that time, no one had guessed the true reason why.

  I returned to my bunk in an excellent spirit. I was even thinking of inviting Valian ton Corsa for a visit — the redheaded beauty was back to actively making eyes at me, hinting at the possibility of continuing our affair. I technically even had a reason to celebrate: the brilliant victory in Uvi, but I still refused the idea of a little nighttime debauchery. I needed a fresh head for tomorrow, because the fast-changing political situation demanded serious consideration.

  Ten minutes passed before a hearty knock came at my door and Bionica entered, already wearing a flawless light beige business suit. The android was bringing me a hot coffee and sat down in an armchair next to me.

  "My Prince, I am again prepared to fulfill my duties as Your Highness's secretary."

  While I took tiny little sips of the burning hot aromatic beverage, my synthetic blonde told me, despite not having been asked:

  "Nicole and I have long been close. It started when we worked together on Queen of Sin. She made the first move, and I couldn't find the strength inside to refuse. Although I do understand that I am a robot, an object that does not factually own itself, and that my master may not like these encounters, Nicole never used service commands and does not have superadministrator rights over me. But still I crave intimacy with her. One day, our paths diverged, seemingly forever — I flew away on Star Mutt, while my girlfriend headed to the Throne World to teach space battle tactics. But now, all this time later, we've met again in this huge Universe. I invited her to celebrate her new title and star system, and Nicole agreed readily. To be honest, I was afraid to meet her. After all, Nicole is now a titled aristocrat, and I understand how negatively society perceives liaisons between a robot and a noble. But the Baroness was glad to see me again and said that she missed me a lot. And I also missed her a lot. Strange for a robot, right?"

  "Bionica, you haven't been a soulless set of predictable algorithms for a long time. You’re something much bigger. You have living emotions, behave exactly like a person, and even make behave illogically on occasion. I came to mentally consider you a human long ago, not a robot, and the story of your meetings with Nicole only confirms that I was right to do so. At one time, I promised you I would consider allowing androids to get special implants to express your personal relationship to various people, factions and even states. I feel that moment has come, and you will become the first such android. You precisely will then create the Imperial Androids faction and will include other humanoid robots in it, unique personalities that you consider sufficiently developed. What's more, I want to give a gift to your new faction. The Alpha Iseyek landing troops are just finishing cleaning up the systems we won from the Aliens, and one of the inhabitable planets there will be given to the androids to build their own society."

  I was forced to cut off my fiery speech, because the synthetic beauty suddenly collapsed before me on one knee and began shedding a flood of tears.

  "My Prince, you have no idea what exactly you've just done for us androids! Crown Prince Georg, I was hoping greatly that this day would come, but I honestly believed it would never happen! I swear that we will never forget this gesture! It will give you hundreds of millions of workers and scientists fanatically loyal to Your Highness, as well as new factories and laboratories, taxes and investments, innovative technologies and military starships. But I am afraid that the Green House will come out categorically against Your Highness's decision..."

  "Stand up straight, Bionica, and never kneel to anyone again! You are a free and conscious being, not an object, nor a slave. I really do not care how the Emperor or heads of the Great Houses react to my innovations. You showed with your example that androids can be sufficiently independent in making even the most important decisions. And I am prepared to defend your validity as distinct personalities and as a political faction. For the first six months, I expect all the faction’s actions to be agreed on with me in advance, as well as everything related to your planet’s development. But then, I will give you full decision-making rights. You have my word as a Crown Prince!"

  A
n account balance change alert trilled out, and I froze in surprise. Bionica had already long been in charge of my personal finances, and my personal intervention was needed only if an outgoing or incoming sum was greater than half a billion. So now, when I opened the finance window, my eyes crawled up into my forehead. A thirty billion credit deposit!!! I met eyes with my smiling assistant.

  "That's my personal gift to you, Crown Prince. For the last few months, my robot friends have been transferring money to my account to support their interests. Along with that, I was asked to try and buy a remote star system where the androids could be totally independent and build a society of their own. It seems to me you have just fulfilled my subjects' request."

  I couldn't find the words to answer my wonderful assistant. But then I looked at the time and said with a smile:

  "Tomorrow, the Perimeter Sector Eight Fleet is heading back to patrol its own zone of responsibility. I suspect that the enemy may try to break through our lines there. So, perhaps Baroness Nicole ton Unatari-Savoia will soon get the chance she always wanted to meet face to face with the greatest admirals of the Purple and Green Houses and prove in battle that she deserves the high rank of admiral. Go and personally tell your friend about this. I definitely won't be needing you until morning, so don't waste any time. The two of you have only one night before another long separation."

  House of Cards

  "THIRTY BILLION?!" my cousin threw herself back in her chair and laughed uncontrollably, even spilling a glass of vitamin-enriched juice she was holding.

  It was nice to look at Katerina today — for the first time since the death of her husband Corwin, she was smiling and even displaying vibrant emotions other than hatred and animalistic scowling, which had been marring her face for the last few days. And although she still had on a dark mourning outfit, today it was a form-fitting black suit with silver hem — a clear step forward in comparison with the formless black robes my cousin had been wearing since her husband’s passing.