Gateway (Gateway Series Book 1)

by Brian Dorsey

  The parade field erupted with a roar of applause. ProConsul Astra Varus, leader of the Varus family and the Alpha Humani civilization, pulled the hood over her scarred face and turned to lead the procession into the Forum. Walking ahead of the others, she paused near one of the large columns in the entry and looked into the shadows.

  “Well said, ProConsul,” hissed a voice from the darkness. “You will serve us well.”

  Epilogue

  ProConsul Astra Varus sat cross-legged on an ornate chair in the ProConsul receiving chambers. On each side stood a Praetorian guard in pristine black uniforms holding an assault rifle at parade rest, their purple and white shoulder-ropes designating their honored duty. To the left of Astra’s throne-like chair stood several high ranking Humani officers, two Senators, and a group of minor hanger-ons and aides.

  Astra let out a sigh of boredom as she listened to a captain present the latest casualty reports from the ongoing war with the Terillian Confederacy. The ProConsul wore a knee-high scarlet dress embroidered with rubies along the line of her skirt and the plunging v-neck top. The dress was not too tight but still highlighted her perfect, toned body. Her golden hair was tied into a tight bun as was her typical fashion after receiving the head wound at the hands of Mori. It was her way to show all Humani what Stone and Mori had done to Astra, and through her, to the Humani race.

  The new ProConsul had moved quickly to consolidate her power. Astra’s first act was to dissolve the Senate-selected Council of Seniors and create in its place the younger, more easily manipulated Patrician Council consisting of members hand-picked by the ProConsul herself. Next, she convinced the Patrician Council that as Stone was her intended husband and had killed Cataline Tacitus in proporia combata, all property of the Tacitus patriarch fell to Stone. And when Stone committed his act of treason Astra, as the victim of his betrayal, naturally had a legal right to Stone’s property, including the vast holdings he had won from his defeat of Cataline. In these two moves, Astra had gained almost unchallenged political power and doubled the size of the Varus family holdings, of which she was now the matriarch.

  Astra tapped her fingers on the marble arm of her chair, slightly repositioned herself, and gave a slight tug to the skirt of her dress as the captain continued:

  “Capital ship losses for this quarter: 3 Battlecruisers and 4 Oribital Destroyers. Total Aircraft losses for this quarter: 328 Raven Transports, 401 Condor Fighters, 78 Eagle Bombers, 123 Hawk attack craft. Hover tank and heavy equipment losses: 275. Total KIA: 47,000; WIA: 110,000; MIA: 5,345. First Family KIA: 21; WIA: 145; MIA: 2. Enemy losses—”

  “Enough,” interrupted Astra. She sighed again and looked up toward the captain.

  After shooting the man a cold stare, Astra turned toward the group of admirals and generals.

  “Gentlemen, I do not need all of this superfluous information. Cut the next report down to the important data—how much territory we have gained, First Family losses, and how many Terillians we have killed. The rest really does not matter.”

  “Yes, ProConsul,” answered a general from the group brave enough to answer.

  “Well?” asked Astra looking coldly toward the group. She could tell they didn’t understand what she wanted and she liked it that way. The last thing she needed was a flag officer that felt too comfortable around political leaders. She let out another sigh to show her disappointment. “General, how many dead Terillians?” she finally relented.

  “Yes, ProConsul,” answered the general quickly as he motioned for the captain to continue.

  Terillian capital ships destroyed—

  “Damn it, General!” shouted Astra, causing the entire room to recoil in reaction. “I don’t give a shit about the machines. How many Terillians have we killed this quarter?” Astra turned back toward the captain and gave him a look she was sure would chill him to his core.

  The rattled captain responded.

  “Uh…Yes, ProConsul. Terillian dead estimated at 50,000.”

  “It seems we have always inflicted just a few more casualties than they on us General,” asked Astra inquisitively.”

  “Well, uh, yes—”

  “General, I don’t really need an answer. What I want is an accurate body count on the Terillians. As I have said, I don’t need to know our casualties, so you don’t need to inflate Terillian losses to save face. I just want to know how many we kill.”

  As Astra spoke she saw a light flash on the screen embedded in her chair. “My next appointment is here. We’re done,” directed Astra as she rose from her chair.

  The captain quickly disappeared amid the small crowd of flag officers as the door to Astra’s chambers opened.

  “Enter,” ordered Astra.

  With Astra’s command two officers walked into the room, stopped directly in front of the ProConsul, and quickly snapped to attention. Astra smiled and shook her head in satisfaction as Majors Arilius Tacitus and Emily Martin came to attention.

  ***

  As she popped to attention, Martin felt the dull pain in her shoulder transition to a sharp bolt.

  “Relax. Please,” invited Astra as she stepped closer to the two majors.

  Martin fought the effort to relax. Even though she had been given permission; Astra had no intension of them actually standing at-ease. Letting out a small, inaudible sigh against the pain, she glanced toward Arilius while holding her head straight ahead. In her peripheral vision she could see Astra move in close to Arilius, brushing her body ever-so-slightly against him.

  “Major,” Astra spoke gently but loud enough for Martin to hear, “it is very pleasant to see you again. It is unfortunate that you were assigned to other duties after my father’s death and my attack at the hands of the Traitor and his whore. It seems you are no worse for the wear, however.”

  “Yes, ProConsul,” replied Arilius in a respectful but emotionless tone.

  Martin knew Astra had blamed everyone within a kilometer of her estate at the time for her father’s death, and she also had no doubt that Astra had played a part in Arilius’s reassignment from that of her bodyguard to a deployed unit. It also didn’t hurt to have a well-known member of the Tacitus family solar systems away while Astra was making her play for control of a large portion of the Tacitus family holdings.

  Martin had not had much of a chance to speak with Arilius since they had both returned to Alpha Humani. All Martin knew for sure about Arilius was that he felt betrayed by Astra as a First Family member and probably as a lover. She also knew none of it mattered to anyone but Arilius and he was too damn “proper” to show any public disdain for a sitting ProConsul.

  “The newly promoted Major Emily Martin…the hero of Juliet 3,” said Astra mechanically as Martin readied herself for her turn with the ProConsul.

  “Yes, ProConsul,” snapped Martin, still at attention. Martin despised Astra but that didn’t matter either. And Martin would do anything to get her revenge on both the father-figure that had betrayed her and her people as well as his Terillian concubine. Martin gave another quick glance toward Astra and then focused forward as the ProConsul slowly walked in her direction.

  Astra stopped directly in front of Martin and peered into her eyes.

  Martin, not knowing how to do anything different, returned Astra’s stare.

  “You are definitely an arrogant one,” said Astra as she leaned toward Martin’s ear and continued. “Too bad you aren’t a man…and from a better family. Maybe you would have been assigned as my bodyguard,” she added in a taunting voice.

  ‘Fuck you,’ Martin thought. But at least she had that much self-control. “Skill breeds confidence, not arrogance, ProConsul,” answered Martin out loud.

  Martin could hear a rumble in the group of flag officers to her left—no doubt shocked by her response to a ProConsul. Martin saw Astra quickly turn her head toward the group to silence them.

  “Yes, it does,” smiled Astra, still looking toward the senior officers. “But don’t overplay—”

&nbs
p; Astra pause mid-sentence, and her gaze turn down toward the sword on Martin’s belt. “What is this?” asked Astra, as Martin felt the ProConsul unsheathe the sword.

  Holding the weapon to her face, Astra continued. “This is not your Guard sword, is it?”

  “No, ProConsul. It’s a Ter Scout Ranger sword.”

  “Well, why do you have it?” questioned Astra sternly with her head tilted slightly.

  “Some Ter bastard has my sword. Captain Hugh Jackson was impaled on the sword you now hold in your hand. I took it from the field and will keep it until I can plant it in the heart of the Traitor or the gut of his whore.”

  Martin could hear more rumbling from the crowd of senior officers.

  “Gentlemen,” snapped Astra, “does someone have something to say?”

  The group fell silent. Martin could see Astra’s face grow red.

  “General,” continued Astra as Martin saw her pick out Lieutenant General Leto Vispa, a former rival of her father, “one of you had better say something.”

  “Yes, ProConsul,” answered Vispa grudgingly. “We, that is the High Command, feel it inappropriate to give a commoner such authority.”

  Martin, still unsure of why she had been called to the ProConsul, turned her head toward the general in surprise.

  “Authority,” shot back Astra. “I am not asking her to have dinner with us, my dear Leto, I want her to be my wolf-hound…hungry, rabid, and single-minded.”

  Martin grew more anxious over what Astra had in store for her.

  “Yes, ProConsul,” replied Vispa, “but—”

  “General!” snapped the ProConsul. “Let me tell you…no, let me show you why I don’t give a shit about her social status.”

  Martin, still subconsciously looking toward Astra and the High Command officers, saw Astra turn back toward her.

  “Martin!” ordered Astra as she pointed at her side and nodded with her head to let Martin know to approach her.

  “Yes, ProConsul,” replied Martin as she stepped forward, faced toward Astra, and came to attention again.

  “Leto,” said Astra as she turned back toward Vispa, “is your son, Leittus, among your little sewing circle?”

  “Yes, ProConsul. He is here,” answered Vispa. “What—”

  “Captain Vispa, come forward,” interrupted Astra.

  Martin saw Captain Leittus Vispa emerge from the crowd. He stood two meters tall and his perfectly tailored uniform did little to hide his muscled frame.

  ‘Meat,’ Martin thought.

  Captain Vispa stopped in front of Astra and saluted.

  “So, Captain,” spoke Astra, “where did you receive your commission?”

  “The Xenus Military Academy, ProConsul.”

  “Our best military school,” replied Astra, sounding impressed.

  “How far back can your lineage be traced to a First Family?” she continued.

  “Well,” said an obviously puzzled Captain Vispa, “to the beginning, ProConsul.”

  “A pure-blood, and a graduate of our best military program,” added Astra.

  “Yes, ProConsul,” replied a proud Captain Vispa.

  “Excellent,” stated Astra. “Now take this sword from my hand and kill Major Martin.”

  “ProConsul?” asked Captain Vispa uncertainly.

  Martin could not help but let an inviting smile come to her face as she looked toward Captain Vispa.

  “She is unarmed, correct? You have your sword and hers?”

  “Yes, ProConsul,” answered Captain Vispa timidly.

  “Am I not your ProConsul?” Astra asked mockingly, slightly raising the pitch of her voice.

  “Yes—”

  “Then kill her,” ordered Astra calmly and quietly, as if she was asking to have her wine glass recharged.

  “But—”

  “Now!” shouted Astra.

  Martin could almost sense Captain Vispa’s muscles tighten, coiling to rush her.

  Martin readied herself as the captain charged. Vispa swung the Terillian sword downward at an angle toward Martin’s shoulder. She waited until the last second and swiftly ducked under the attack. As the sword passed over her head Martin quickly rose up and brought a knee to the captain’s ribcage, causing him to let out a loud grunt. As she brought her knee back down she stepped into her opponent, locked his right arm under hers, and swung her body vertically, wrapping her legs around the captain’s neck. Torquing her body, she drove the captain’s head backward and downward causing him to lose his balance and fall. As he hit the ground, the captain lost his grip on Martin’s sword.

  Martin was quickly on her feet, drawing Captain Vispa’s sword from his sheath as she rose. Captain Vispa scrambled to his feet and took up a defensive position.

  Martin, holding both swords, slowly started walking toward the captain.

  “ProConsul,” pleaded Lieutenant General Vispa.

  Martin looked toward the General with a look of bitter hatred for his entire class. Still looking toward General Vispa, she tossed both swords to the ground. “I would hate for someone to say it wasn’t a fair fight,” said Martin loudly in a sarcastic tone.

  Captain Vispa looked toward Astra. Martin could see he was too proud or too stupid to concede defeat.

  “Continue, Captain,” directed Astra with a smile as she motioned for him to attack Martin again.

  Captain Vispa moved in quickly and the two collided. The captain, actually no novice at hand-to-hand combat, landed a quick elbow to Martin’s shoulder. She let out a grunt of anger and pain as his blow reminded her she was still not fully recovered from her injuries. The captain then moved to land a knee to her midsection, but Martin blocked his attack with her own knee. Having countered his attempt, she quickly slid her leg between the captain’s, locked her right leg behind his left, and pushed him backward onto the floor.

  When he impacted the floor again, Martin instantly pulled herself up toward the captain’s chest and landed a powerful elbow to his sternum. He let out a moan and quickly tried to push his way up by his elbows. As his head lifted from the floor, Martin pivoted and hopped onto her knees, instantly crashing her fist into the captain’s head just above the bridge of his nose. The force from her punch caused the captain’s head to crash into the floor and bounce slightly.

  Although dazed, the captain rolled to his left side to escape Martin’s attack. Martin saw her opening and in one continuous motion landed a blow to his kidneys and fell onto his side, placing him in an arm lock. Although the captain was massive compared to Martin, she had the advantage of leverage and slowly drove the man onto his stomach. Once there, she slacked off her hold slightly to allow him to think he had worked free.

  Believing he had overpowered Martin, the captain pressed himself off the ground with both arms but as he did Martin quickly wrapped her legs around his waist, slid her right arm under his chin, and locked in the choke hold with her left. With a groan, Martin clasped down on the captain’s neck with all of her strength. After a few seconds she felt him waiver and collapse unto the floor. Feeling his body limp underneath her, she envisioned Stone in her grasp. Rage built of unrequited anger and betrayal shot through her body and she strained to squeeze harder.

  “ProConsul!” shouted General Vispa, losing all sense of protocol as he watched Martin choke the life out of his son.

  “Very well,” replied Astra nonchalantly. “Martin, release him.”

  Martin had blocked out everything except the tension in her arms and her rage against Stone and Mori.

  “Major Martin!” shouted Astra.

  Astra’s shout finally brought Martin back to reality. Slowly releasing her grip, Martin rose to her feet and stood over the unconscious Captain Vispa. Expecting retribution from Astra or General Vispa, Martin placed herself at attention and turned to face the ProConsul as she fought to hide the searing pain in her shoulder.

  To her surprise, Martin saw a look of satisfaction on the ProConsul’s face.

  “Do you see, Gentlemen
?” said Astra in a contented voice toward the group of elites. “Perfection,” she stated as she pointed back toward Martin. “Utter perfection…the anger, the hatred, and that beautiful pain…and combine that with her ability to kill. That’s why I have chosen this commoner, General. She is natural killer and because, unlike all of you, she has nothing to lose, she naturally focuses that wonderful rage into such splendid violence.”

  Martin felt like a pet on display for Astra and her senior officers but the ProConsul was right. She was angry and hurt and she hated Stone and that Terillian bitch for what they had done. And not a day went by since she had finally accepted Stone’s betrayal that she did not want to make them pay.

  “I think you see things my way now, General,” stated Astra.

  “Yes, ProConsul,” replied the general flatly, obviously concerned for his son, who was slowly regaining consciousness.

  “Excellent,” declared Astra. “Now I need some time with my thoroughbreds.”

  Turning back to Martin and Arilius, she continued. “General, you and your staff may leave now…and please collect your son on the way out.”

  Martin stood like an oak at attention as the officers cleared the room and General Vispa and a colonel helped Captain Vispa to his feet and out of the ProConsul’s chambers. She continued to watch the group exit through her peripheral vision. As the last officer left, Martin saw Astra stroll over to her chair and sit. As the ProConsul settled in, Martin performed a crisp right-face movement to face her.

  “I knew I could count on you to prove my point,” said Astra, breaking the silence.

  Martin looked up toward Astra. “Yes, ProConsul,” she replied. “It is my duty to serve my people and the Senate in whatever capacity they require.”