Options she had few. She could stay where she was and meet none of her responsibilities. Or she could try to get off this ship. That second option looked like sure death. Something she was not afraid of, but she still preferred that the odds were not slim to none.
She got up from the platform and walked from her room, again playing the part of the docile little slave. The crew was used to seeing her about on some errand or other. As long as she looked like she knew where she was going, she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be challenged. There was a computer terminal in the supply room where she ordered her meals, when she wasn’t working with the Admiral or his officers. She had limited privileges there. Unknown to the Great Admiral or any of his crew, she had used the passwords she had stolen from them to give herself greater privileges. Enough to override certain systems, and allow her into others.
Jana scanned the information coming up on the screen. It was in Ca’cadasan, a language she was now fluent with in both its spoken and written forms. She checked on outgoing shuttle flights to other ships, and then the next transfer mission into the inner system. Six days, she thought, looking over all the details. She thought it over, wondering if that would be enough time to get everything in place. If I wait too long I may be on the menu, she thought. She linked with the computer and sent the commands into the ship’s net. In six days’ time there was a shuttle scheduled to go from the flagship to a freighter, and thence into the system, bringing vital personnel and equipment to the orbital station that was being constructed there to take the place of the ones the human raid had taken out. From there she might be able to find something to drop her into the atmosphere, and onto the surface that the humans were still holding. And from there she would just have to hope there was some way to get what was in her head to high command.
Chapter Nineteen
You can kill ten of our men for every one we kill of yours. But even at those odds, you will lose and we will win. Ho Chi Mihn
OUTSIDE OF SECTOR V, MAY 25TH, 1001.
The War Leader really did not trust the Ca’cadasans. At least not as much as his predecessor, who had died in the attack launched on the Neutral Zone systems when the horned carnivores had not come to their support as promised. The Klang were herbivores, large violent ones to be sure, but still not meat eaters. While the larger aliens were nothing but meat eaters, with maybe a little bit of vegetation added to their diets to aid digestion.
I should have told them to go back to whatever hell they came from, thought the War Leader, who was one of the few survivors of the raid gone bad. But they are in our home system in force, and there is no way we will eject them without a fight. It was a fight he didn’t think his people would win, with mostly hyper VI raiding ships in the three to six hundred thousand ton range against hyper VII battleships massing twenty-five million tons. It would be a short ugly fight, and he was sure his race would lose all of their space warfare capabilities in that battle.
And we aren’t that much better off taking on the humans, thought the leader, looking around his bridge, which was manned by younger members of the race, most of whom had never been a raiding before. They didn’t know what it was like to take on other ships in space. They had heard the stories of the exploits of their ancestors, taking merchant ships and liners while avoiding combat with real warships. They reveled in the tales of daring. And he was sure most of them would be dropping feces on the deck the first time they saw human battleships coming their way.
“We are right on course,” said the Navigator. The War Leader looked at the holo and had to agree. In another day they would be at the edge of human space. In an area that the humans were unlikely to patrol in strength. At least according to the lying carnivores. Supposedly they would find a number of lightly defended frontier worlds to plunder. And supposedly the actions of the Klang would cause the humans to redeploy units back into this sector, and make the job of the Ca’cadasans easier in the sectors where they were attacking. He was not sure he followed their reasoning.
His was a six hundred thousand ton raid leader, capable of handling one or more human destroyers. He had thirty-four more ships like her in his force, and three hundred and fifty-three smaller ships, mostly the three hundred thousand ton raiders. It was a very large percentage of the entire remaining Klang fleet, and would devastate the Empire if they were lost for no gain. And of course there were the two Ca’cadasan battleships along to handle any large human ships that might come along, with luck.
He looked with a little trepidation at their proximity to Crakista States, less than two light months to their starboard. He knew the scaly ones were nothing to mess with. Their ships were in the same general class as the humans, and they were without emotion. The lizards conducted themselves purely by logic, as long as that logic benefited their species. They were terrible opponents in all respects.
“The horned one wishes to speak with you, my Lord,” said the Com Officer. The War Leader nodded his head and the com holo came to life, showing the big male of their supposed allies grinning a predatory smile. The alien ship was only a hundred thousand kilometers off the port, well within visual com range in hyper.
“All is going according to plan,” said the Ca’cadasan he had been instructed to address as High Captain. “When we reach human space your ships are to head for these targets.” Another holo sprung into being, this one showing a map of the human sector ahead, and the courses the raiders were to follow.
“I don’t like splitting my force so, High Captain,” said the War Leader, looking at thirty arrows going into human space.
“You will do as you are told, herbivore,” said the High Captain, his grin growing wider and more threatening. “I am in command here, and will not stand for insubordination. Understood?”
The holo went blank before the War Leader could answer, and he raged for a moment at his arrogant allies.
Six hours later his worst fear was realized, as a force on a heading from out of Crakista space appeared on their sensors. At first there were only a few, mostly cruiser sized vessels. Over a period of some minutes more appeared, the escort class, then a large number of battleships, all in the fifteen million ton range. The com holo came back on and the High Captain again appeared.
“We will deal with these creatures,” said the Cacada. “This is unclaimed territory, and they have no right to contest our passage.”
“They may not agree with you,” said the War Leader, staring at the Cacada male.
In four hours the Crakista ships were within com range, and the signal they sent was wideband, able to reach dozens of the ships in the Klang force. The reptilian face that stared out of the holo sent shivers up the War Leader’s back. There was no anger there, no hate, and no fear. Nothing but intelligent eyes looking out of a non-expressive face.
“By order of the Grand Council of the Crakista States you are ordered to turn back,” said the Crakistan on the holo, who must have been the commander of the force. He wore battle armor without marking, nothing to show his rank.
“We are not in your space,” said the High Captain in return. His ship was on the other side of the War Leader’s, and they were getting his bleed. “At least not as marked on any of our charts. However, if we have intruded, we will be happy to plan our return trip much farther out.”
“This is not our space,” said the reptilian. “We make no claim to it. However, we cannot allow you to continue on this mission.”
“Are you allied with the humans?” asked the Ca’cadasan.
“We have no alliance with the humans,” answered the reptilian. “Nor are we their enemies.”
“Then what business is it of yours? We mean you no harm, and have no hostile intentions toward your Empire. So why would you interfere.”
“You have no hostile intentions toward us at this time,” said the reptilian admiral, his eyes staring out of the holo. “But by your actions you prove yourselves to be a violent, conquering species. And you ally yourselves with another such. It is o
nly logical to assume that we will be on your list of peoples to conquer. If not next, then soon after. Therefore, we will not allow you to strike at the humans on this axis.”
One of the Klang ships opened fire. No one among the force knew which one, because a moment later space was filled with missiles targeting ships on both sides. When the battle ended there were three surviving Klang ships, which soon became the prizes of the Crakistans. And a powerful ally had been added to the New Terran Empire’s order of battle.
*
CAPITULUM, JEWEL, MAY 27TH, 1001.
“But, they can’t do this,” said the Archduke Gregor Stoyanovich, the Leader of the Lords.
“I’m afraid they have,” said the man who ran his Lordship’s financial portfolio. “Agents from Commerce came on the premises and closed the factories down.”
“But, there’s a war going on. They need those grabber units.”
“The agents had warrants for the arrest of all upper level managers,” said the financial manager. “They were charged with treason, and aiding the enemy in time of war.”
“Damn that Streeter,” growled the Archduke, glaring at the other man over the wormhole connection to his homeworld of New Russia. He knew this was going to happen, so he sold off all his holdings, his majority holdings, in the corporation. And now he’s nowhere to be found. Coincidence? I think not.
“The agents said the factories will be opened again tomorrow, under the management of the Crown.”
“But, I own those factories. Was there any talk of reimbursing or otherwise compensating the owner?”
“No, sir. They seemed to imply that part of the price of owning a factory turning out substandard parts to the fleet was loss of capital.”
“Shit,” screamed the Archduke, the titular ruler of the planet. “I have almost half my fortune tied up in that industry.” I’m the civil ruler of the planet, but not even the most powerful man on it. Two of my subjects, commoners, have three times the money I have.
“Get my attorneys involved,” he said to the man. “Immediately. Or you can look for another client to take my place.”
“I wanted to talk to you about that as well, your Grace,” said the man. “I cannot afford to be caught up in this. The Crown has offered me a deal that involves turning over all records that I possess, even if I really don’t think they will glean much from them.”
“You can’t do that,” yelled the Archduke, throwing his glass across the room to bounce off the wall. “Those records are my personal property.”
“Not with an Imperial Warrant ordering me to produce them. Look, your Grace. I had no knowledge of the criminal intent of the former owners, and I am not willing to be punished for their stupidity. I don’t believe you had any knowledge either. So your best course of action would be to cooperate with the authorities and let them work things out. I’ll contact your attorneys if that is your wish, but playing the aggrieved owner is not going to help you.”
And the Imperial Commerce Commission is probably listening in on this secure communication right now,” thought the Archduke. They’re probably listening in to all my communications now. What judge would not give them a warrant to do that, with a budding scandal over my head?
“That is all I can do for you, my Lord.” The holo went blank, and the Archduke found himself with a building rage and nothing to vent it on.
That was the moment a Malticoran servant came into the room. The small humanoid, from the species most like humans, at least superficially, of any that had yet been found, looked at the Archduke. “Will there be anything else tonight, my Lord?”
The Archduke then had something to vent on, and the servant left the room beaten and bloodied, and no longer in his service.
Hours later another servant woke him from a deep sleep to let him know that Capital City Police were at his door, to see him about a matter of some importance. He met them at the door to his mansion, having no intention of letting them in.
“A Malticoran who was in your service has sworn out a complaint against, you, my Lord,” said the older of the two detectives. “She said that you physically assaulted her.”
“Do you know who I am?” said the Archduke, giving the man his best down the nose look.
“You are the Archduke Gregor Stoyanovich,” said the detective. “At least that’s the name that was entered on the complaint.”
“And you know my position.” When he got no answer but a look he felt his anger rising, getting the better of him. “I am the Leader of the Lords, you dolts. And I will not stand for being harassed in my own home this late at night. Now, see my secretary in the morning, and he will give you an appointment. Now, good night.” The Archduke slammed the door in their faces. I don’t have to play games with those commoners. And that little bitch. Commoner whore. Who does she think she is? A call in the morning and she will disappear, and they will have no complainant.
Sleep did not come easy, and then he was informed that more men wanted to see him, these from the Imperial Commerce Commission. And they were armed with a warrant that gave them the right to question him. He was not able to cow these men, and had to agree to accompany them to their office.
I’ll bet the damned Countess is behind this, he thought, still raging over the botched assassination attempt of the woman. Well, they will get nothing out of me. I’ve got the best shielded implants money can buy. And they have nothing on me with those factories. They were Streeter’s, and any wrongdoing occurred before I acquired them. But it still worried him that Streeter had known about the maleficence, and that he had known as well, and had still bought them from the former PM.
*
CAPITULUM, JEWEL, MAY 28TH, 1001.
“There is no word from our Embassy in Fenri,” said the Minister of State, Lord Garis, a worried expression on his face. “And no word from our last courier to the mission.”
“So you think they have been taken captive,” said Sean, his own face flushing with rage.
“That, or dead,” said the Minister, shaking his head.
“Fucking barbarians,” growled the Emperor, slamming a hand on the table. “We had agreements with them over the sanctity of diplomatic personnel.”
“The Fenri see us as nothing more than smart primates who, by good fortune, have defeated them in several wars. We are not people to them.”
“Is their Embassy still open here in Capitulum?”
“There are still Fenri within the compound, if that is what you mean, your Majesty,” said Ekaterina Sergiov. “We believe their Ambassador is among them. At least, no one has seen him leave the Embassy. And my people have been watching.”
“So I take that as a yes,” said Sean. “I want him and his staff taken into custody.”
“And what if our Embassy is still standing in the Fenri capital?” said Garis. “That might send the wrong message to the other powers.”
“You know better, Lord Garis,” said the Director of IIA. “They could not take the chance that our people might get some information back to us that might compromise their own plan to hurt us.”
“I have to agree with the Director,” said Lord Halbrook, the Minister of the Exchequer. “Those people are dead or imprisoned, depending on how much they resisted the Fenri who came to get them. I have dealt with those nasty little creatures before. They would cheat you in a business deal and cut your throat in a fight. And as Lord Garis said, they see us as animals.”
“What about the Elysium Embassy?” asked Sean. He took a sip of his coffee as he looked at Garis.
“Our Ambassador in Elysium says that their government has received no communiques from their Embassy in the last month. And a ship that was due from Fenri space has never arrived.”
And of course this is the latest information from the Elysium Capital, thought the Emperor.
“They’re getting ready to strike,” said CNO McCollum. “Making sure no information gets out of their Empire before they’re ready to go.”
“And how soon til
l we can hit them with the preemptive strike?”
“It’s already a go, your Majesty,” said the Officer. “It should be going over their border in the next thirty hours. Unless they beat us to the punch.”
“Pray God that doesn’t happen,” said Lady Hannah. “And if it does, we can only hope our own gathered forces catch them off guard.”
“We’ve also received information from Elysium that the Lasharans are getting ready to hit us again,” said Lord Garis.
“With what?” exclaimed Lady Hannah. “We vaporized just about everything they had that was capable of getting above hyper IV.”
“They’re persistent,” rumbled Lord T’lisha, the Minister of Security who was Segiov’s immediate boss. “I can’t say anything positive about them other than that.”
“I am afraid, ladies and gentlemen, that when this war with the Ca’cadasans is over, we will have to do something permanent about the Lasharans,” said Sean, tapping finger a on the table. “I am damned tired with the way they destabilize this region of space. Of course, it might be some years before we can pursue that course, if we’re still around.”
“I hope your Majesty is not talking about Genocide?” said Lord Garis, a frown on his face. “The other powers would not put up with that.” The man looked around the table and a faint smile appeared on his face. “Except the Fenri. They would have no trouble at all with that, as long as they were doing the killing.”
“And what would your Majesty like to do about them in the meantime?” asked Lady Hannah. “We already have our two allies in the region taking out anything that moves near to the border.”
“I want a surgical strike against their homeworld,” said Sean, leaning over the table. “That is their religious center, and if I have read their holy works right, they believe their God will not allow outsiders on that world.”
Exodus - Empires at War 04 - The Long Fall (Exodus Series #4) Page 31