"Captain, their commander is already connected. He wishes to speak with you," said the communications officer.
Captain Jerome watched the mainscreen with a growing scowl showing on his face. He reached for the intercom and pulled it close to his mouth. The louder his voice became, the more saliva seemed to drip from the corner of his mouth. The image of Colonel Pierce appeared on the screen.
“This is sovereign Alliance territory under the control of Admiral Churchill of the Alliance Navy. Close your gun ports and state your business. Failure to comply will result in your vessels being boarded and disarmed.”
Captain Jerome’s eyes tightened at the words. “Increase power, I want this message burned into their consciousness. Every single ship and facility in this sector will see and hear this message.”
He looked over to his own officers and gave them a nod before returning to the mainscreen.
"I am Captain Jerome of the Alliance warship ANS Terra. By the order of Magister Populi Harrison and the legitimate government of Terra Nova, I order this station to deactivate its weapons. Admiral Churchill, Admiral Anderson, and previous Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Rivers are all wanted for war crimes. The purchase, training, and transfer of private security forces are tantamount to treason.”
He then lifted a secpad and dragged a document from the display to the communication screen. The data automatically overlaid his image so that anybody listening could see.
“I have orders from Magister Populi Harrison to retake control of this station and to bring back these war criminals for trial. The Rift to T’Karan will be permanently deactivated until such time that President Harrison deems it safe to reopen, and all private security units will be stripped of their weapons and shipped to their colonies of origin.”
He swallowed, enjoying every minute of his little speech.
“We are living in a critical time, and the actions of rogue commanders are putting the entire Alliance at risk. We have already intercepted two transports on their way to you from Hyperion. Each of these was carrying Biomech mercenaries, for what we can only assume is an attempt to subvert the authority of the Terra Novan government.”
His lip quivered a little as he said the final lie. The Jötnar were unlike the Biomechs in so many ways, yet to him and many on Terra Nova, they were nothing more than animals. He looked to his communications officer and pointed at him.
“Put up the feed from Mars. Quickly!”
The officer fumbled before starting the videostream. It was a mixture of imagery that showed containers being unlocked on board starships around Mars. Several Alliance officers, including General Rivers were present, as was hundreds of Thegn soldiers. A Jötnar warrior marched alongside them while barking orders.
“Magister Populi Harrison has been shocked by this footage of collaboration between Alliance officers, Jötnar, and the Biomech monsters, and we can only assume that these officers were compromised during their illegal activity on Mars. Therefore, as of today, the Prometheus sector comes under the direct control of Terra Nova and its senior commanders. High Command has dispatched new officers for this station, as well as a research team for Prometheus.”
Again, there was no response, and all it took was the shaking head of his junior officer to send him off into a rage. He pointed at his executive officer, as though it was his fault the station was refusing to cooperate.
"Either they close their gun ports and let us board, or by God, I will open fire!"
The officer lifted his hands in mock defense.
“I…the station, Captain. It’s out of my control.”
It was the face of the Colonel on the space station that seemed to be causing the most trouble for Captain Jerome. Even as he waited for a reply, he was sure he could see amusement in his opposite number’s expression. He walked toward the console in front of the ship’s tactical officer. The smaller screen showed a wide schematic of the space station as well as the small swarm of fighters.
“Are our weapons ready?”
The young man nodded nervously.
“Yes, Sir. Main guns are charged, and our secondary weapons are tracking their fighters.”
“Good. Load Sanlav rounds into the guns, just in case.”
He then looked back to the mainscreen.
“Captain Jerome, if that is your name, we have seen the imagery from Terra Nova. Alliance officers are being detained without charge throughout our military facilities and at training bases on a dozen colonies. We can only assume this is an ongoing coup by President Harrison and his allies, and until the situation is resolved on Terra Nova, we are declaring all orders from High Command as illegal. We will continue our actions to protect the Alliance until this crisis has been resolved.”
“Captain!” said the tactical officer.
Both of them looked at the magnified footage of the station. A pair of large-caliber guns had rotated about and was now facing them both. As they looked, the sound of the station commander’s voice continued.
“Once again, I respectfully ask that you close your gun ports. We don’t want to see violence here today, but if you push me, you can expect a decisive response.”
Captain Jerome was not a patient man. His orders had been clear. He was to visit Prometheus to ensure their loyalty to the regime. Even the slightest resistance to the leadership on Terra Nova would be classified as a treasonable offense, and he had seen the footage from Mars.
These traitors are in league with the enemy. If we do not act, they will let us be defeated from within, just as the machines did in the Uprising.
He looked to his nervous officers and nodded to himself. He didn’t need their agreement, but he did need to see the look on their faces. Unlike the rest of the fleet, the crew of these six ships was all from Terra Nova and had been carefully vetted for their loyalty to the regime.
“Ready the boarding parties. We’re going in!”
* * *
Grand Palace, Terra Nova
A squad of eighty heavily armored Colonial Guards marched in perfect synchronization across the great courtyard. They were preceded by a pair of soldiers wearing heavy armor that shared much in common with the Vanguards of the Marine Corps. These particular models carried no obvious firearms, and their armor was smooth and partially reflective. Bulges in the limbs betrayed their hidden weapons, yet they moved with the same poise and dexterity as the other soldiers.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands of the most important and well-connected citizens of Terra Nova watched them with pride. They were a mixture of businessmen and women, politicians, and even a few celebrities. The one thing they had in common was their support of the Terra Novan regime. There were no children in sight, and the youngest there must have been at least twenty years of age. Flags and pennants flew at every point, with designs dating back to the founding of the first colonies nearly four hundred years earlier. Most were of the new Alliance design though, along with a smattering of plain red banners of the President’s ultra-socialist political party.
“Terra, Terra, Terra!”
The chant through the crowd was messy and sporadic, proving to be the exact opposite of the regimented perfection of the Terra Nova Colonial Guard. The location was the site of the Alliance Senate, Colonial Guard Barracks, and a dozen other vast structures, each built on a Neo-Classical style reminiscent of Ancient Earth. Arches and columns were the key features, every section lovingly crafted from great chunks of semi-reflective marble. Not one mark remained from the damage a generation earlier, during the Uprising. The warriors moved silently, only their boots betraying their progress as they reached the middle and passed by a raised plinth. Atop the great stone structure sat a new bronzed sculpture, rich in detail and scale, but hidden behind a thin layer of red silk. Many pointed, but until the cover was removed, the imagery was impossible to make out.
On marched the eighty men and women, each of them outfitted in the finest PDS Alpha armor available on Terra Nova. The dark gray normally used in the Mari
ne Corps had been replaced by a glossy, almost translucent black plastic material. Lines ran across the muscled sections to give an impression of both wealth and strength to the unit. From the guards' shoulders hung the long flowing cloaks of the Royal Guards unit. The bright red material was lined in a hundred different threads while rich and exotic patterns filled the open space in shades of red, violet, and yellow.
“Eyes…right!”
The loud voice coming from the head of the formation was the single officer for the company. Though wearing an equally flamboyant uniform, he also carried a plumed helm that exaggerated his height to nearly a meter over the others. While the guards carried their rare LR52 long rifles, their commander carried a deadly looking glaive in both hands. Its head was shining steel, the edges gleaming with menace. Each of the soldiers turned their heads to the right and directly at the beautiful sculpture. They looked with emotionless eyes at both the sculpture and the flag that surrounded it. They continued to march while the protective covering was pulled down. A light breeze ruffled the material as it slid away from the metal. A pair of dignitaries assisted as the silky material floated down to reveal the figures. The detail was exposed to the bright light, and gasps of surprise and pleasure rippled through the assembled citizens. As one, they turned their attention back to their front and the approach to the grand steps.
At the top waited a small entourage of military and civilian officials. The newly promoted Chiefs of Staff were prominent, but it was the two older men at the center, both of whom wore smart business suits, that stuck out. The taller of the two was President Harrison, the elected leader of the Alliance. Facing him was a man who until today had never stepped on the alien world.
"What do you think, Governor Trelleck?"
The commander of Earthsec forces throughout Sol barely managed to lift a lip.
"The creatures, they are so..."
President Harrison looked back at the sculpture. It was almost three meters high and showed a creature that resembled a man's worst nightmare. Limbs, blades, and tentacles seemed to ooze from its very core. Around it were men in heavy armor, quite unlike the tight-fitting PDS armor used today. Two lay dead on the ground, but three more engaged the creature with their hands in a titanic struggle. A tattered flag of the Confederacy lay over one of the bodies.
"I know. The Biomechs lay waste to our world. But brave warriors like the Terra Nova Guards stood firm and resolved. Even now, there are those among us that would seek the end of these…things."
Governor Trelleck could quite easily see the symbolism on show, and even he was beginning to find it all a little hard to swallow. There were as many rumors of the Guards unit collaboration with the Biomechs in the Great Uprising. It was only a generation ago, and already the official history was being updated once more. The President nodded at the Guards as they moved past before his observant eyes shifted to the Governor.
"Why did you bring me to Terra Nova? Earthsec has no influence out here?"
President Harrison smiled and indicated for the man to look toward the approaching soldiers.
"The Alliance is stable, that is true. But we are scattered through the stars now and often slow to react, especially when faced with our non-human neighbors. Our democracy is based around planets and colonies, and they often block key decisions and make the creation of policy; well, let us say, it can be difficult."
Governor Trelleck smiled at this part.
"We learned a long time ago that colonies work best when under the guiding influence of a good leader. Let them have their democracy, but keep it local. Leave the big decisions to those who understand them."
The President nodded slowly.
"Exactly."
He rubbed his jaw and then looked directly into the eyes of the man. His gaze was so intense, so powerful that the older man from Earth nearly took a step back in surprise.
"I have a dream, Governor Trelleck, one where humanity will be the beacon of civilization. Our trade, technology, and culture will dominate this region, but that can only happen if we purge ourselves of our own weaknesses. We can be stronger than the Helions, the T’Kari, and even the Biomechs."
He reached out and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
"You have shown me what one man and a dedicated following can do at Sol. Your worlds are irradiated and sterile; your colonies scattered and lost. Yet after all of this you survived, even after being abandoned by the new colonies out here."
The soldiers were ranging ever closer, and even the Governor was becoming nervous. Cries continued to howl from the audience, but he could finally make out that at the back of the formation were a number of people being pushed along. He tilted his head in a questioning manner, but the President was still busy speaking.
"The Alliance is changing, Governor. And I intend on making us the premier power in the known galaxy. The days of infighting, politics, and insurrection are over. The Alliance was created from the fires of the Uprising, and together we can make it burn brighter than any could have imagined."
On and on marched the soldiers behind their two monstrous machines. Large columns of marble protected their flanks as they came closer to the large flight of steps. In a matter of seconds the unit began its short climb to the top where the great arched entrance to the Royal Palace waited. The men and women marched with such perfection that their feet stuck the ground as one entity, the weight and power of their bodies sending a continuous thud through the ground. Military and civilian alike kept well out of the way of them advancing up the carpeted steps and toward their leader. Once on the steps, they fanned out on each side, turning inwards to create an honor guard of two columns.
"Arms!"
Each of the soldiers lowered their weapons so that the butts struck the ground in unison. The open space fell silent, and everybody looked down at the four men now waiting in chains at the bottom of the steps. No one kept them there, but the lines of soldiers watched them carefully, looking for any glimmer of movement. President Harrison gave Governor Trelleck one last smile before lifting his hands to the assembled citizens.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of this great Centauri Alliance. Today we unveil this magnificent sculpture, a work by our finest artists here on Terra Nova, the heart of the Alliance."
Even Governor Trelleck found it odd that the President failed to mention even a single name as he thanked the sculptors. The audience clapped politely, but it was hardly a rousing chorus.
"This wondrous piece of art reminds us of the terrible price our world paid when the enemy sacked our home."
He lowered his head in a somber gesture.
"The enemy had already made deals with our foes on Carthago decades earlier to perpetuate this terrible war crime. Not only did they murder and pillage this planet, but they also established their command facilities right here, under this palace."
He looked back at the tall, marble clad buildings that filled the skyline. He took a few seconds to let it all sink in.
"Our brave citizens won that war, but we also paid a terrible price in defeating both the monsters they created, and the enemy within our own colonies. You see; we never faced a single leader or nation in that war."
He lifted his hand and shook it as he spoke.
"No, Sir, in that war we fought a brutal campaign against an enemy that only wished to weaken us ready for this day. When the Biomech war machines burst out from their homeworlds, they will engulf all before them. No alien system will stand, not Helios, not even T'Karan, unless we stand with them."
Again came the clapping, but this time it was even more subdued and quickly stopped.
"Yet as we fight for our very lives, there are those within our ranks that seek to undermine the very democracy we fought for a generation ago. In the last hour, my security staff have uncovered an attempt at a coup on this very world, by those entrusted with our protection."
He nodded to the group of men in chains. The two machines turned about and gestured for them to move forward.
Instead of clapping, the sound and mood quickly shifted into one of surprise and horror. There were few, if any, that might recognize the officers there before them, but to a man the audience were appalled at what they saw.
"I have detailed evidence and intercepts that have been handed over to our law courts, but the facts are incredible."
He lowered his head and wiped his face. It was simple theater, but it had the desired effect. He appeared humbled and distraught, a man fighting back against the betrayal of them all.
"Just hours ago, they were captured in a short battle above our glorious capital. These men were attempting to transfer ships and equipment from our old colonies at Sol through to Prometheus and beyond. We caught them right in the act of forming a treaty with the Biomech machines themselves. Even General Rivers, the great war leader of the Uprising has fallen under their control."
He clapped his hands, and three orbs of light appeared over the sculpture that flashed and then showed a model of the battle that had taken place. It showed several of the ancient Earth warbarges, as well as a mixture of Alliance ships. The imagery was confusing, but the explosions did at least confirm that some kind of battle had taken place. With each flash came a gasp from the audience. There was no sign of a particular planet, not even Terra Nova. The audience, though, noticed none of this and seemed enthralled by what they were seeing.
"It is with great humility that I accepted the short term of tenure as Magister Populi. With this position, I took on the roll of protector of all our citizens. Even then, I assumed our struggle would be around the alien worlds of the Orion Nebula. Who could have imagined that these machines would have been able to subvert our own military leaders so quickly?”
Star Crusades Nexus: Book 09 - The Black Rift Page 2