Galactic Empire Wars: Rebellion (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 3)

by Raymond L. Weil

  Pasha nodded. These Humans were becoming worthy allies. While overall their technology was far behind the Tarn’s, it was obvious the Kiveans had succeeded in introducing a number of their more advanced technologies. That was very evident here in the spacedock where some very advanced construction methods were being used.

  “Is your new habitat acceptable?” Mason asked. He fully intended to visit the Tarn’s habitat before the elections.

  “More than satisfactory,” Pasha answered with a pleased smile. “The Kiveans have worked wonders building a new world for us inside our asteroid. In many ways it reminds us of home, which is good.”

  “We spent some time studying the history of your world you provided us,” Skagern explained. “We tried to make your new home as esthetically pleasing as possible.”

  “You have succeeded,” Pasha replied. “My people are most pleased with what you have done for us.”

  “General Mitchell wants two more Defender class troop assault ships built once the battlecruisers are finished,” General Bailey said, looking over at Sean and Ethan. “Can we do that?”

  “I heard,” replied Sean, looking thoughtful. “We’re already requisitioning the material we’ll need. As soon as the battlecruisers are finished and out of the dock, we’ll begin.”

  Mason looked around the dock and let out a heavy sigh. Years ago, the spacedock had been much smaller and his pet project, the exploration cruiser Phoenix, had resided here. He'd planned to take the ship on the solar system’s first interstellar flight. The Kleese attack changed all of that, and now the Phoenix was a battlecruiser and the flagship of Second Fleet under the command of Admiral Sanders. The Kleese attack had wrecked the dreams of countless millions.

  Later tonight, his sister Susan and her two teenage daughters were coming over to the house. Harnett would be there and he strongly suspected Karen would be asking the Kivean when she could begin her studies. Harnett had promised to teach Karen Kivean medical practices and technologies. There was no doubt in Mason’s mind that someday his niece would be a fine doctor.

  He turned his attention back to the group around him. Ralph Steward was asking some detailed questions about the cost of building the two new Defender type ships. It would be necessary to discuss this with the Federated Assembly, but he didn’t see any problems with getting the approval for the two ships. Currently, defense spending was taking up nearly sixty percent of the solar system’s budget, but everyone understood the necessity of protecting it from another Kleese attack. Mason allowed himself to smile as he listened to Steward. The man would make a good president and Mason was looking forward to semi-retirement. He knew Adrienne was also looking forward to Mason spending more time at home with her and their new daughter.

  -

  Casey was at Lauren’s parents' home explaining to her what had happened. She'd walked around for nearly an hour crying before finally making her way to the New Eden habitat where Lauren’s parents lived.

  “I’m sorry, Casey,” Lauren said, feeling dreadful about what Ryan’s mom had said. Lauren knew that, unfortunately, many people felt that way. “Have you told Ryan how you feel about him?” They were sitting on Lauren’s bed in her room.

  “No!” stammered Casey her face flushing. “How can I?”

  “Men need to be told sometimes,” Lauren said, taking Casey’s hand and gently squeezing it. “Sometimes they don’t see the obvious. That’s also why a man never asks for directions; the woman always has to.”

  “I’m not sure he feels the same way I do,” Casey said, feeling unsure of herself.

  “He does,” Lauren assured her with a knowing smile. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

  “Lauren,” Casey began not quite sure how to say what she wanted. “There’s still a lot about being Human I don’t fully understand.”

  Lauren laughed and nodded. “I get that,” she said. “Sex and men have always been a problem for women, and I can see how it would be even more confusing to a clone.”

  “So what do I do?” Casey asked with her hazel eyes looking intently at Lauren.

  “I’ll help you,” Lauren promised. “This could be a lot of fun. First thing, go ahead and call Ryan; I’m sure he’s worried about you. Tell him you’re staying with me and we’ll meet him for lunch tomorrow. It'll be you, Ryan, me, and Alexander.”

  “Alexander?” asked Casey with a confused look in her eyes.

  “Yeah, Alexander,” responded Lauren, shaking her head. “I made the mistake of telling him I would go out with him if he actually succeeded in stunning a Kleese with that giant stun gun he was carrying. I never really expected him to succeed.”

  “Does Alexander like you that well?” Casey asked as she picked up her phone to call Ryan. To her the two always seemed to be arguing.

  “Maybe,” Lauren replied with an impish look in her eyes. “I’m sure all he wants is to get inside my pants, but that’s a long ways from happening.”

  “I don’t understand,” Casey said as she pressed the send button to call Ryan.

  Lauren giggled. “Don’t worry, Casey. I’m sure someday you will.”

  -

  The next day, Ryan made his way to the Italian restaurant the girls had chosen to eat at. He suspected Casey was once more exploring different foods and he knew she liked Italian. That was a good sign as it indicated she had gotten over her shock from what his mother had said the previous evening.

  Stepping inside, he found the others already there waiting for him at a side booth, which provided more privacy. He noticed Alexander was sitting next to Lauren so he sat down next to Casey.

  “Hi,” he said with friendly smile. He saw with surprise that Casey was wearing a short skirt and a very tight blouse, which dipped just low enough to show a hint of cleavage. Glancing at Lauren, he noticed a satisfied smirk on her face and knew she'd helped Casey pick out the clothes she was wearing. Casey normally dressed very conservative.

  “We were just discussing what we would be doing once our leave is up,” commented Alexander, looking curiously at Ryan, hoping for an answer.

  “Don’t know,” answered Ryan, as he picked up the menu and began looking over it. “Major Stevens hinted we might be assigned to some of the new Alliance worlds on a temporary basis. He said he would know more when we returned to Centerpoint.”

  “I wouldn’t mind staying here in the solar system for a while,” commented Lauren her light green eyes focusing on Ryan.

  “We might,” Ryan responded. “At least until more marines are trained in the Type Four battlesuits.”

  “Ryan, I’m sorry about leaving so abruptly last night,” Casey said in a soft voice.

  “It’s okay,” Ryan said. “I wasn’t expecting my mother to react that way, particularly since my brother has been so heavily involved with the cloning project. My mother said to tell you she’s sorry and if you want to come back to the house she fine with it. You can stay in the spare bedroom.”

  “Your father must have spoken to her,” Casey said. She'd really liked Jonathan.

  “Yeah,” Ryan answered with a nod of his head. “I believe they had a very long talk last night, and my dad can be very persuasive when he wants to be.”

  “I think it will be better if I stay with Lauren for now,” Casey said. “I don’t want to make your mother feel uncomfortable.”

  “There’s a lot I can teach Casey if she stays with me,” Lauren said with an enigmatic smile. “We’re going shopping tomorrow to pick out some new clothes for her; she dresses way too conservatively most of the time when she’s out on leave. She has a very nice figure, and I told her she should be showing it off.”

  Ryan was silent; he felt a little pique of jealousy at the thought of other men looking at Casey that way. The thought startled him; he'd always liked Casey, but now he was beginning to wonder if those feelings ran much deeper than he had believed.

  The four ate their meal and continued to talk as they ordered dessert. Ryan’s eyes kept moving unconsciously
toward Casey anytime she spoke. He was highly aware of their legs touching beneath the table and how much he liked it. He also noticed she didn’t move her leg away. He knew that Wade and Beth had served together, their closeness had eventually developed into love, and they were now happily married. Was it possible he and Casey were destined to go down the same route? He kept his thoughts to himself; he wasn’t sure how Casey felt. He did know that this was a relationship he wanted to explore and see where it led.

  Casey was well aware of the attention Ryan was paying her and his occasional glances at the tight blouse she was wearing. Lauren had threatened to tell Ryan how Casey felt about him if she didn’t dress as Lauren wanted. She was acutely away of Ryan’s leg touching hers and the silent thrill that simple touch caused. She saw Lauren watching her from across the table with a knowing smile. Yes, there was definitely a lot that Lauren could teach her. Ryan didn’t know it yet, but his future was suddenly about to become much more interesting.

  -

  Marken stood outside the special detention center, which held the two Kleese. With him were four Space Marines in Type Three battlesuits who would provide security.

  “Are you sure this is wise?” asked Sergeant Reynolds, looking over at Marken. The red-skinned Kivean looked small next to the ten foot tall metal encased Humans.

  “It’s a necessity,” answered Marken, taking a deep breath. “These two Kleese are Zaltule, members of the warrior caste. If I can get them to speak, their attitude will tell us much.”

  “They haven’t spoken since they were brought here,” Reynolds said. “Their cells are monitored continuously and they won’t even recognize our presence when we take them food and water.”

  “Open the door,” ordered Marken, preparing himself for this confrontation. For most of his life, the Kleese had been his masters and they were the destroyers of his planet. Thanks to the Kleese, he and Harnett would never have any children. Marken felt no sympathy for the two Kleese captives and the plight they now found themselves in.

  Sergeant Reynolds gave a signal and the heavy metal door slid open. Stepping inside, Marken gazed at the large Kleese manacled to the steel column in the center of the room. The four marines followed Marken inside and the door slid shut behind then. All four took up positions against the wall with their armored hands resting on their Energy Lances, the only weapons they carried.

  “I am Marken of the Kivean race.”

  The Zaltule shifted his gaze away from the armored Humans to the Kivean standing in front of him. For the vermin Humans he had no use, but the Kivean was from a race of great scientists who had served the Kleese for generations. The Kiveans were not vermin, but they were still inferior.

  “I am Minor War Overlord Braton of the Zaltule,” he spoke in a cold and hard voice. “Release me and I will make sure your death is swift and painless.”

  “You will not be released,” Marken said in an even voice, feeling a chill run down his back. It had been over seven years since he'd last spoken to a Kleese. “Your continued well being depends upon your willingness to answer my questions.”

  “Your threat is meaningless,” Braton responded. “I am a Zaltule, a member of the warrior caste. Soon my brethren will descend upon this world and free me. When that happens, all of you will die. Why do you associate yourself with these vermin? You are from a world that long served the Empire. You could serve the Empire again if you agree to leave these Humans.”

  “The Humans are my friends,” responded Marken, stepping closer to the bound Zaltule. “When will the Zaltule attack and with how many ships?”

  “Soon,” answered Braton his multifaceted eyes focusing on Marken. “Our fleet will come in such numbers as to crush your pitiful Alliance. It is the destiny of the Kleese and the Zaltule to rule the galaxy and all inferior races will be subservient to our will.”

  “We will resist,” spoke Marken.

  “Then you will die,” stated Braton. “This conversation is over. I will not speak to you again.”

  Marken nodded, the conversation had gone about as he had expected. The Zaltule would not reveal any detailed military information. However, the Zaltule had been very adamant about his race attacking the Alliance with overwhelming force. He doubted if it had been exaggerating.

  Turning, he motioned for the marines to open the door.

  “Damn tarantula,” spoke Sergeant Reynolds as they stepped outside and he resealed the door. Later, he would take the Zaltule back to its cell. “Do you want to speak to the other one?”

  “No,” Marken answered. “I doubt if the other will speak at all.”

  He would let General Mitchell know the results of his interrogation. He would tell the general to expect a Kleese attack with a major fleet, probably much larger than the one faced at Pradel. As Marken made his way to the Control Center to contact the general, he wondered if he had done the right thing all those years ago. He and his fellow conspirators had set the Humans upon this path. The known galaxy was about to be consumed in a deadly war for survival. He just wished he knew how all of this would end.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Harmock gazed in anger at the tactical screen on the front wall of the Command Center of his flagship. He stood upon the Command Pedestal gazing at the one hundred and ten large red threat icons orbiting the distant planet. However, what was more disturbing were the three thousand small red threat icons also in orbit.

  “It seems our Supreme Overlord was not bluffing,” spoke Harmock, his triangular shaped head turning to face Gareth.

  “Will they actually fire on us?” asked Gareth, dubiously. “We are the Zaltule, surely they will back down.”

  “They are Kleese and desire to hold onto their positions of power,” Harmock responded in a hard voice. “Xatul has done the same thing I would have done if our roles were reversed. In many ways, he has reaffirmed my faith in the Kleese race.”

  “We’re supposed to send three more Zaltule to the council chambers to represent us,” added Gareth. “Darthu was very specific in his instructions as to that point.”

  “I have chosen three warriors,” responded Harmock, folding his large black arms over his powerful chest. “I will also send a personal message to Xatul assuring him the warrior caste accepts him as the Supreme Overlord of the Kleese.”

  “The Zaltule should rule,” spoke Gareth, harshly. “It is our right!”

  “In time,” responded Harmock. “When our numbers are large enough and the fleet has been greatly expanded, our time will come.”

  Harmock also wanted to speak to Xatul about these Humans. He wasn’t foolish enough to go down to the surface and enter the council chambers, not after what Darthu had told him had occurred there. He would stay aboard the Warrior’s Fire and use the communications equipment. While it was distasteful to speak to another Overlord in that manner, it was the expedient and safe thing to do.

  -

  Two weeks later, Harmock looked at the many viewscreens in the Command Center. They were in orbit around the largest of the new shipyards that had been built to provide new Zaltule warships. His flagship had just completed some necessary repairs and updates in one of the numerous repair and construction bays, which covered the massive structure. Kaluse had personally overseen the work being done to the Warrior’s Fire and assured the War Overlord the ship was more powerful than before.

  “The fleet is gathering,” reported Minor Overlord Gareth. “It will shortly be time for us to begin our journey to the Human system.”

  “One thousand ships,” Harmock responded as he looked at the numerous three kilometer disk ships that were showing on the viewscreens. “All of these ships have been updated and have the newest weapons and reinforced energy screens. We will crush these Human vermin, and once that has been done this pitiful Alliance of theirs will crumble.”

  “We will eliminate every member of this upstart race,” Gareth spoke his multifaceted eyes growing wider. “Humans will be a thing of the past and an abject lesson to others w
ho might dare to oppose us.”

  “With the destruction of the Humans, the other nonaligned worlds will quickly fall into line and become part of the Empire,” Harmock predicted. “We’ll solidify our hold upon the Empire and then perhaps it will be time to return and deal with the council.”

  “The warriors from the first hatchings should be ready by then,” added Gareth. “They will add greatly to our numbers.”

  Harmock nodded. Xatul could rule for now, but someday that would change and Harmock would take his place as the Supreme Overlord of the Kleese. His eyes returned to the main viewscreen where a squadron of black warships was maneuvering into position near the flagship. Soon the Humans would know the wrath of the Zaltule.

  -

  Fleet Admiral Kelly was aboard the Armageddon watching as the first of the four new heavy battlecruisers exited the large airlock on Vesta that led to the spacedock. After six long months, his four new warships were finally finished.

  “They’re huge!” spoke Commander Kevin Makita as he watched the Star Fury begin to climb up into orbit.

  “The most powerful ships we’ve ever built,” Thomas replied as he gazed at the new warship. “They will add a lot of firepower to our fleet.”

  “Eighth Fleet,” stated Makita. “There was a time when I never expected to see that.”

  “Admiral Madison Layton will be the commander of Eighth Fleet,” added Kelly as he watched the next heavy battlecruiser exited the airlock. This one was the London and the two behind it were the New York and the Freedom.

  “We’re assigning twenty Delton battlecruisers, twenty-four light cruisers, and forty assault ships to the fleet,” Kelly informed Makita. “This fleet will be our heavy hitter.”

  “I’ve also given Fleet Commander Achlyn command of Ninth Fleet. It will consist of the remaining fifty-five Delton battlecruisers as well as eighty assault ships. Achlyn is used to commanding a large fleet and I believe he is fully capable of handling Ninth Fleet.”