"Now it's just Castron, Citadel... and Ferapont." Naum said, his tone morose. "Just three worlds left."
"Might as well pack up," Radomil said. "No point, now."
"You stow that shit, Volunteer," Faddei said at once, aiming a rigid finger at the sniper. "You're out of line."
"Fuck it, Fad," he snapped. "You know it's true."
Faddei stepped closer, looming over Radomil. "No, I don't know that," she said. "But I'll tell you what I do know. I know you're a grunt, like the rest of us. I know you're not stupid, so I think I know what's going to happen when I tell you, one more time, to shut your trap. But go ahead. Prove me wrong."
"Fine," Radomil muttered. "Makes no difference, anyway."
"Go cool off somewhere else," Faddei said, and Radomil marched out with stiff paces.
Khariton loosened his collar. The guards had no idea of the effect their words had on him, or the responsibilities they reminded him of. To them, his consternation was caused by the game, and worried murmurs traveled the crowd.
He'd sent no further updates to the Supreme Command. He'd been sent to gain a true understanding of the cost of war in order to know the stakes for negotiating peace, but instead of analyzing and quantifying human suffering, he'd found a way to be happy for the first time in his life. He wanted to stay here forever, living and fighting with these men and women who valued his company. The fall of Marshal and the subsequent defeats meant a different kind of end to the war loomed close, but he couldn't imagine leaving. If this was to be the end of the Commonwealth, he'd rather endure it with these people, his comrades.
Gerasim put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, man," he muttered with feeling. "If she wins, the fleet stew will never shut up about it."
Speaking of which; they counted on him now.
He organized his battered battalions into three mixed groups and sent them towards Saveli's base, keeping them well separated to avoid losing too many at once. He finished his turn by bringing down the orbital hammer on Saveli's retreating units, but they'd scattered in their flight, and the strike took out only half of them. Making matters worse, Saveli destroyed one of his advancing groups with an orbital strike, bombarded a second with artillery, and fired on a third with her tanks. The armored machines withdrew to their base before she ended her turn, together with the tattered remains of her guard battalions, where they'd be safe from orbital bombardment. She'd surrendered the field, but if she managed to destroy his units, she'd still win the game.
All at once, he saw his chance. Saveli's last artillery strike had been cut short, which likely meant she'd run out of ammunition. One of his surviving groups wasn't nearly as disrupted as the other, and still retained the capacity for a fast march. He sent them forward at double time to engage the troops at the base, while the remaining group advanced part of the way.
Tanks had to leave their base in order to fight, but if Saveli sent them out, they would be engaged and unable to retreat, leaving them vulnerable to Khariton's orbital strike. If they didn't, Khariton's other group would reach the base and attack, and since two of his battalions were advance guards, he'd have a substantial edge in firepower over the handful of guard regulars Saveli had left.
Saveli's clenched jaw as Khariton ended his turn made it clear she saw the same, but there was little she could do. She concentrated her guards at the point of attack and returned fire, but they suffered heavy damage from Khariton's advance guards. Aided by the last of his artillery strikes, Khariton attacked with both groups and forced a breakthrough, taking the base with the tanks still inside. The animations on the board froze, and the game declared him the winner. He sat back and exhaled forcefully as the guards jostled him with slaps on the back, and groans erupted from the fleet crew on the other side of the table.
"The Animal strikes again," Gerasim said as they rose from their seats, a proud grin on his face. "You had me sweating for a second!"
"Sorry to worry you," he said. "But I wouldn't let you down."
Saveli came around the table with her hand extended. "Well played, Chief," she said, looking up at him with a sour smile as Khariton shook her hand. "You're relentless."
The ship master's compliment spread through his chest like warmth from a hot beverage, a feeling he'd learned to crave since joining the guards. "Thank you, sir. I've never played anyone with your skill level before."
"You're a dangerous man," she said. "May I offer an observation?"
"I'd be honored."
She stepped closer, and he leaned towards her without thinking. "From where I was sitting, it looked like my sacrifice caught you by surprise," she said. After a moment's hesitation, she continued, "Any time you face an opponent, you also face yourself. It's easy to get caught up in the world in your head, and expect things to work out a certain way because that's how you envisioned it, because you considered every possible factor as well as your opponent's inclinations. But the fact is, there are always things you've taken for granted, things you didn't question because, for whatever reason, you believed or wanted them to be true. The challenge is finding those beliefs in yourself, and dissecting them until you see what's at their core. When you accept that you have motivations beyond those you're conscious of, you can begin to think objectively."
"But true objectivity is a paradox," Khariton said. "One always acts with an agenda."
"Objective action, certainly," she said. "But objective thought simply means analysis without prejudice. If you can manage that, you'll be unstoppable." She squeezed his arm and gave a smile. "Again, well done. Now, I'd better apologize to my heartbroken staff."
She walked away, but her words stayed behind. As his blood rose and refutations dueled for favor in his mind, he wondered if she understood just what she'd accused him of.
End of preview
Click here to preorder Inferno's Cast, due for release on January 21, 2018.
About the author
E.J. Heijnis wanted to be a writer ever since he read his first book and discovered one could make those for a living. He moved from his home in the Netherlands to the United States to be with the woman he loves, and pursued a rewarding career in retail management before deciding to live his lifelong dream of writing and publishing fiction. He lives in California with his wife and two disreputable cats. In Nadir's Shadow is his first published novel.
Website: ejheijnis.com
Facebook: facebook.com/EJHeijnis
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