The Empire's Corps: Book 06 - To The Shores...

by Christopher Nuttall

There is a general perception that all treaties are negotiated between equals. This is simply not true. As a general rule, some countries are considerably more powerful than others. The more powerful countries have a stronger negotiating position than the weaker countries.

  -Professor Leo Caesius. Diplomacy: The Lessons of the Past.

  “Normal space in twenty seconds,” the helmsman said. “All systems report full readiness.”

  “Weapons and point defence grid online, ready to engage,” the tactical officer added. “Sensors powering up, ready to go to full power.”

  “Good,” Captain Hardy said. He keyed his console. “All hands, prepare for return to normal space; I say again, all hands prepare for return to normal space.”

  Edward settled back in his chair, resisting the impulse to take command and give orders. It would have been a severe breach of protocol; he might be the force’s nominal commander, but Captain Hardy was the ultimate authority onboard his ship. Instead, he counted down the seconds until Koenraad Jurgen returned to normal space and the display filled up with new icons.

  “Holding station at waypoint,” the helmsman reported. “FTL drives spooling up; jump readiness in six minutes, fifty seconds.”

  “Nine contacts in detection range,” the sensor officer added, as the yellow icons of unknown starships turned green. “All Confederation; I say again, all Confederation.”

  Edward let out a breath he hadn't realised that he’d been holding. The worst nightmare of any spacer was coming out of Phase Space right into a carefully-prepared ambush, with the enemy ships armed and firing before their victim’s sensors had even registered their presence. It was almost certainly impossible – even if potential aggressors had known the exact coordinates they’d intended to arrive, there would be no guarantee that they’d arrive in precisely the right location – but that didn't stop officers and crew worrying about the possibility. The entire squadron could be wiped out before it knew that it was under attack.

  “Hold the drive at thirty seconds,” Captain Hardy ordered. It would place considerable wear and tear on the equipment, but the military-grade systems could take it. “Can you detect anything within the inner system?”

  “Negative,” the sensor officer said. “Wait ... picking up a handful of radio beacons, unknown origin.”

  Smugglers, perhaps, Edward thought. Lakshmibai had no space industry at all, unsurprisingly. The system had no gas giant or asteroid belt to attract investment, or even a hidden RockRat colony. According to the datafiles, the original settlers had wanted a planet where they would be undisturbed by the rest of the universe. They’d been largely disappointed.

  “Colonel,” the Captain said, catching Edward’s attention. “I believe that we should proceed into the inner system.”

  “Agreed,” Edward said. There was nothing to be gained by lurking along the edge of the system, not when they had an appointment in orbit around Lakshmibai itself. “Take us into the system.”

  He settled back and forced himself to relax as the small squadron headed into the inner system, its sensors picking up four rocky worlds and a bare handful of comets. The system was surprisingly empty; Lakshmibai didn't even have a moon to provide illumination when it rotated away from the sun. Most of the radio beacons seemed to be mounted on the comets, apart from one orbiting the outermost rocky world. A standard challenge received no answer.

  “There are a handful of signals coming from Lakshmibai itself,” the communications officer reported, “but they’re all very primitive. I don’t think they’ve even detected our presence.”

  Edward shared a long look with the Captain. It wasn't uncommon for a world along the Rim to have no deep-space tracking arrays, but Lakshmibai was light-years in towards the Core Worlds. But then, it’s founders had wanted to turn their back on the universe. No doubt they’d thought that the universe would oblige by ignoring them in turn.

  “Contact,” the sensor officer snapped. “Captain, I'm picking up seven medium cruisers, holding station near the planet. They just brought their drives online!”

  “Send them the prepared greeting,” Captain Hardy ordered. They’d known that they would meet Governor Brown’s representatives near Lakshmibai. “And launch a flight of probes in their direction.”

  It was nearly forty minutes before they picked up a response from the newcomers. “They’re welcoming us to Lakshmibai,” the communications officer said, “and informing us that we may take possession of the orbital station at our leisure.”

  “Thank them,” Edward said, shortly. “Can you ID the ships?”

  “Not at this range,” the sensor officer said. “Their drive fields suggest Proctor-class medium cruisers, but two of them seem to have unusually enhanced drive emissions. They may have been extensively refitted.”

  “Or they might be new-build,” Captain Hardy said. “Wolfbane has a shipyard, doesn't it?”

  “Yes, sir,” the sensor officer said.

  Edward put the matter to one side as the planet grew closer. It was quite possible that Wolfbane was producing its own starships, just like the Commonwealth – and Admiral Singh. Unfortunately, there was no way to know just what had come off the slips since Avalon had lost contact with the Empire. Even the most astute intelligence officer had had to admit that all he could do was guess.

  “The orbital station is still powered up,” the sensor officer reported. “They’re pinging us, inviting us to dock.”

  “We don't need to,” Captain Hardy said. “Colonel?”

  “Send 1st Platoon to sweep the station,” Edward ordered. Finding it intact, let alone powered up, was a surprise. The Empire had installed it decades ago, but he’d assumed that it would have been abandoned along with Lakshmibai itself. It wasn't as if the planet had shuttles it could use to keep the station functional. “And then take us into high orbit.”

  ***

  Jasmine felt a flicker of envy as she listened into the conversations between 1st Platoon as they boarded and swept the station for potential surprises. The station should have been unarmed, but it would have been relatively simple to bolt a handful of missile launchers or plasma cannons to the hull – and understandable, in a system where there would be no help if pirates arrived to ransack the station. But nothing showed up, apart from a handful of ex-Imperial Navy technicians who wanted to go somewhere else. Anywhere else.

  “That can’t be right,” the reporter said, as Blake Coleman reported to the Colonel. “They just abandoned the techs?”

  “Why not?” Jasmine asked, dryly. “They abandoned us.”

  “It seems that they do have some links to the former garrison,” Colonel Stalker said, through the intercom. “From what they’re saying, the base is still manned.”

  Jasmine considered it, briefly. It seemed hard to imagine a caretaker crew keeping the locals out, but stranger things had happened. Besides, if half of the files were accurate, the locals feared and hated off-worlders. The garrison’s crew might have decided that it was better to keep themselves isolated rather than surrender to the planet’s inhabitants.

  “Then we have to check it out,” she said, calmly. “I suggest that the 3rd Avalon Infantry Battalion be dropped on the garrison to provide security.”

  She could practically hear the Colonel thinking it over. The Knights needed to practice disembarking onto potentially-hostile landing zones, even though 1st Platoon would probably be able to carry out the mission quicker. But then, it would take time to bring the Marines back from the orbital station ...

  “Make it so,” the Colonel ordered. “We’ll try to raise the garrison first, then drop the infantry if they refuse to answer.”

  Jasmine nodded. “Understood,” she said. “I’ll prepare them for deployment.”

  ***

  “Quite a few local women on the station,” Blake Coleman reported, flatly. “They were sent up as comfort women, without any men.”

  Edward scowled. That didn't sound good.

  “It seems that the garri
son used the station to threaten the locals with planetary bombardment, if they tried to get across the causeway,” Coleman continued. “They’re being a little cagey about their strength, sir; I’m not sure they can bombard the planet.”

  “It’s unlikely, unless they shipped the weapons in from outside the system,” Captain Hardy put in. “This system has a shortage of asteroids that can be mined for cheap weapons.”

  “Picking up a response from the planet’s surface,” the communications officer said. “Sir?”

  “Put it through,” Captain Hardy ordered.

  “This is General Joseph Raphael, Imperial Army Commandant of Manikarnika Garrison,” a thickly-accented voice said. “Please tell me you’re coming to take us away.”

  “This is Edward Stalker, Terran Marine Corps,” Edward said. They could explain about the Commonwealth later. “I require a full SITREP and permission to land my men.”

  “Granted,” the voice said. “I’ll have the landing beacons powered up for you. But what are you and the others doing here?”

  Edward frowned. “It would be easier to explain on the surface,” he said, tightly. Had the garrison not communicated with Governor Brown’s ships? Or had the ships simply maintained radio silence and waited for Edward’s arrival? “What’s the local security situation?”

  “Tense,” Raphael said. “Your forces are cleared to land at the garrison spaceport. Be advised that some rebel forces have access to HVMs and other antiaircraft weapons; I strongly advise you to come in over the ocean and not overfly the land. The garrison is relatively safe, but that may change at any moment.”

  “Understood,” Edward said. “How long has it been since you heard anything from the Empire?”

  “Five years,” Raphael said, after a pause. “We haven’t even been able to pick up any news from trader ships.”

  Edward blinked in surprise. Five years? The planet would have been abandoned before Avalon!

  “Something about this doesn't quite add up,” Captain Hardy mused, too quietly to be picked up by the microphone. “Sir ...”

  “I have to go down,” Edward said, equally quietly.

  He raised his voice. “Bring back 1st Platoon,” he ordered. “They can follow the Knights down to the planet’s surface.”

  ***

  “Prepare the remainder of the CEF for rapid deployment,” Jasmine ordered, grimly. The Colonel should send her or another senior officer, not go down to the planet’s surface – and into a possible trap – himself. “And get the first deployments down there as quickly as possible.”

  The planet was too primitive for communications intercepts to provide anything useful, but orbital observation was filling in some of the gaps. Manikarnika Garrison was on an island – not unlike Castle Rock – linked to the mainland through a long causeway that was only usable for an hour or two every day. There was a colossal city on the other end of the causeway, surrounded by rolling hillsides and countryside that would be ideal for an insurgency ... they’d already picked up a string of what had to be military bases scattered across the countryside. Hundreds of thousands of armed men were scattered across the countryside, watching farmers who seemed to be struggling to grow crops. It didn't look very reassuring.

  “The first shuttles are on their way,” Joe Buckley assured her. “And we’re loading up the others now.”

  “Good,” Jasmine said. She looked over towards the near-orbit display. Governor Brown’s ships were keeping their distance, but she knew that could change at any moment. If they decided to turn hostile, they might well catch her forces while they were deploying. “But hold them until we get confirmation that the LZ is secure.”

  ***

  Manikarnika Garrison looked fairly typical for an Imperial Army garrison, although it was larger than the files had suggested. Edward studied it thoughtfully as the shuttle descended towards the landing pad, noting the handful of automated weapons systems that had been deployed around the island. Clearly, whatever forces had been abandoned on the planet were insufficient to hold the base against a determined assault. A handful of remote drones seemed to be on constant patrol, watching for infiltrators who tried to land from the ocean.

  He tensed as the weapons tracked them as the shuttle came in to land, then relaxed slightly as they touched down without incident. The hatch cracked open a moment later, allowing Blake Coleman and the rest of 1st Platoon to disembark and fan out around the shuttle, looking for possible threats. Edward gritted his teeth – training and experience told him that staying near the landing craft wasn't always a good idea – and waited as patiently as he could for the all-clear. When it came, he was out of the shuttle like a shot.

  The warm air struck him as soon as he stepped out of the hatch, blowing in from the ocean and smelling vaguely of salt water and fish. Edward took a deep breath – after spending four weeks cooped up on a transport, it was refreshing to smell fresh air – and then looked down towards the nearest building. The base seemed eerily deserted at first, then he saw a trio of men appearing from the doorway and heading towards the Marines. They all wore Imperial Army dress uniforms.

  “Welcome to Manikarnika Garrison,” the leader said, as he stopped in front of the Marines. He wore the uniform of a General. “I had almost given up hope.”

  Edward grimaced. “I know the feeling,” he said. “Can I ask for a briefing?”

  The General grinned, toothily. “If you tell us what’s going on,” he said. “We’ve been frantic since the first ships arrived.”

  He paused, then pushed onwards. “There was a peacekeeping operation on this planet,” he added, ruefully. “They pulled most of the troops out five years ago and promised that we’d be relieved within a couple of months. We’ve been here since then.”

  Edward shook his head in disbelief. “Absurd,” he said, softly. “How have you managed to hold the base?”

  “With difficulty,” Raphael explained. “There’s only seventy of us, so we set up guns along the causeway and engaged anything that tried to advance towards the base. They tried sending boats and we blew them out of the water, then ... well, local political developments convinced them that leaving us to our own devices was a good idea. I think they thought that we could be starved out.”

  “But you’re sitting on top of a mountain of supplies,” Edward said. The Imperial Army would have brought along enough MREs to feed hundreds of thousands of men. Seventy soldiers would be bored stiff after five years of MREs, but they’d be alive. “And weapons and suchlike?”

  “Enough to hold the line,” Raphael explained. “We took in a handful of local women to help with the chores and ... other purposes, but apart from that we've kept ourselves isolated. And now I’ve told you our story, you can tell me what’s really going on.”

  Edward hesitated, then started to explain.

  “The Empire is gone?” Raphael asked, when he had finished. “Gone completely?”

  “We haven’t seen any trace of organised Imperial power since they pulled back and abandoned us,” Edward said. “Right now, a handful of successor states are organising themselves. If there's anything left of the Empire, it isn't likely to return any time soon.”

  He winced at Raphael’s expression. The Marines on Avalon had had time to adapt to being on their own, even if most of them hadn't really accepted – emotionally – that the Empire was no more and they’d been abandoned. But they’d also had a great deal of work to do, while Raphael and his handful of men had been cooped up on an island base, surrounded by locals who would kill them as soon as look at them. They’d clung to the thought of the Empire returning to take them away, a thought that had been cruelly betrayed.

  “We can take you with us when we leave,” he commiserated, softly. “But right now we have other reasons to be here.”

  “I don’t see why this ... Governor Brown couldn't have communicated with us,” Raphael muttered, darkly. “We didn't have the slightest idea what those ships were doing.”

  “We’ll have to
ask him,” Edward said. “For the moment, I have to land my force. Would that be acceptable?”

  “I don’t think we have any objections,” Raphael answered, dryly. “We only have two barracks currently in service; you’ll have to help us reopen several more, unless you want to sleep out in the open air. I wouldn't advise sending anyone on leave either, no matter how much firepower you have. Off-worlders are not popular on this world.”

  “Hard to blame them,” one of the other officers commented. “The locals had their planet turned upside down by the Empire. They never stood a chance.”

  “But they deserved it,” the third officer said. Edward had the feeling that it was an old argument “There’s little worth preserving in their society.”

  Raphael held up a hand and his two subordinates fell silent. “Land your men,” he said, to Edward. “They can have full use of our supplies, as long as you take us with you when you go. None of us want to stay here.”

  “I quite understand,” Edward said. The sooner they carried out the talks, the better. Perhaps they could arrange the next set of talks to take place in deep space or somewhere safer than a potentially hostile world. “I’d also like a set of briefings on local conditions, just in case we have to fight.”

  “It shall be done,” Raphael assured him.

  Edward nodded and keyed his wristcom. “Start bringing down the remainder of the troops,” he ordered. “And then prepare the ships for departure.”

  Raphael made a face. “Is that necessary?”

  “It’s part of the agreement,” Edward said, although he had his own doubts now. Perhaps he could convince Governor Brown’s representatives to renegotiate the agreement. “We weren't given an alternative.”

  He watched as the second flight of shuttles came in to land on the landing pad, then started unloading their troops. It would be irritating if they were cooped up permanently on the island; perhaps they could deploy to the mainland and carry out exercises. But they’d have to come to some agreement with the locals first. The analysts suspected that the civil war on the planet’s surface was still underway.