Nearby, a stream flowed. Grubat walked to the edge of the water and knelt down. The water was so clear, he could see the stones that lined the riverbed. There were fish in the stream, small sleek creatures that darted through the flowing water effortlessly. Grubat bent low and let some of the lower tendrils around his wide neck dip down into the stream. The water was cool and clean. It only took a few seconds for his sensory tendrils to relate that the water was pure. Grubat, Warrior class chieftain, master of the Nog’Deit and En’Galla, threw back his head and laughed.
He walked back to the landing craft where the pilot, a young Yarl named Brolyn, waited at the hatch. The Yarl was much too inexperienced to challenge Grubat. Brolyn was hungry for glory and eager to please his master.
“Shall we return to the ship?” Brolyn asked.
“No,” Grubat said. “Set up the communications array. I will order the Nog’Deit to begin preparations to land.”
The look of confusion on the young Yarl’s face was clear. But he bowed slightly and hurried away. Grubat understood the younger Yarl’s feelings. He wanted battle, to pillage and plunder, to make a name for himself like every member of the Warrior caste. And that would come in time. The city would have to be taken soon, but Grubat would establish himself firmly on the pristine new world. He would lay claim to the planet in the name of Krah Empire and send out the ships of his Thralldom to conquer in his name. For the first time in his long, long lifetime, Grubat was breathing fresh air and standing in the wide-open spaces of a world that was made for him. A world that would, he came to realize, bear his name.
“Grubat Prime,” he said out loud, his headdress tendrils waving excitedly.
A round anabolic dish rose from the upper fuselage of the landing craft. The small ship’s batteries would power Grubat’s words into space. He moved to the nose of the ship. He could see Brolyn inside working the controls.
“Project the message stream out here,” Grubat said. He didn’t want to go back into the small ship. He didn’t want to be confined in a vessel ever again. It was as if he had grown, his sense of self expanding so much that he couldn’t stand the thought of being contained inside a single vessel again. He was imagining the world settled by millions of Krah, all speaking his name with reverence as the founder of the Krah Empire’s new home.
Chapter 29
Time stretched, and the Modulus Echo dropped out of hyperspace. They were close to their original jump point. Kim’s hands were steady on the ship’s controls, but her heart was pounding. She hadn’t known what to expect, but empty space wasn’t high on her list. Fortunately, that’s exactly what they found.
“Visual scanning only,” General Pershing reminded the crew. “Let’s not broadcast our return.”
“I have ten ships in system,” Nance said. “Looks like they’re headed toward Gershwin.”
“Only ten?” Pershing said.
Kim thought it was a good thing. The fewer alien ships, the better.
“Do we have markers on them?” Pershing said.
“Negative,” Nance said. “Our computer system isn’t set up that way.”
“We need to identify those ships,” Pershing went on. “We have to know who and what we’re dealing with. Losing track of just one ship could mean disaster in combat.”
“Twelve came through the wormhole,” Ben offered. “I remember that.”
“And there’s no sign of the original ship,” Nance added. “The one that captured our vessels.”
“It was headed toward the wormhole after we smoked it’s grappling arms,” Kim said. “It probably went back through.”
“And one followed us,” Ben said.
“One, or two?” Pershing said. “If they can follow our hyperspace trail, they might have calculated our trajectory and sent a ship to the Yelsin system.”
“They would have to log into the Nav Net to know what lay along our trajectory?” Nance said.
“We don’t know that for certain,” General Pershing said. “What we do not know, we cannot dismiss, no matter how far-fetched. Underestimating the enemy is at the heart of every defeated army and lost war. We will not underestimate these creatures.”
“If they got on the Net, won’t your people know it?” Kim asked. “Don’t you have people monitoring access twenty-four seven?”
“We did, but that was part of the military complex destroyed when the wormhole opened,” Pershing said.
“It’s no accident they opened their portal where it would hurt us the most,” Duke Simeon said.
Kim wanted to look back over her shoulder, but she fought down the urge. Looking at Ben wouldn’t make the truth any easier to live with. And the last thing she wanted to do was let it slip to the royal family that they were responsible for destroying the Imperium Fleet.
“Looks like they’re interested in Gershwin,” Ben said.
“Who wouldn’t be?” Queen Ultane said. “It’s a perfect world.”
“It’s their world now,” Kim pointed out.
“Not for long,” Duke Simeon said.
“General,” Nance spoke up. “I’m not getting the homing beacon from Major Le Croix.”
“He’s smart enough to have shut it off,” Pershing said. “Can you do a short-range scan?”
“Yes,” Nance said.
“Will they see that?” Ben asked.
“Only if they’re looking,” Nance said.
“Odds are, they aren’t expecting us to come back,” Kim said. “Otherwise they would have left someone closer to head us off.”
“Maybe that’s where the missing ship is,” Magnum said.
“How could they be here and not be seen?” Kim asked.
“Cloaking technology,” General Pershing said. “But we have to take that risk. Go ahead and scan the area.”
“Scanning now,” Nance said.
Kim’s hands felt clammy on the controls. She normally didn’t have time for her nerves to get to her, but just waiting for an attack that might or might not come was more difficult than a dogfight any day, in her opinion.
“Nothing,” Nance said. “No return on anything.”
“You mean they’re not there?” Ben asked. “How’s that possible? Did Le Croix have enough propulsion to fly beyond our scanners?”
“It’s possible,” Pershing said.
“Even with the pod?” Magnum asked.
“Where would he go?” Kim asked.
“It’s much more likely that the aliens spotted him,” General Pershing said.
“That’s not good,” Ben said.
“General, where did you find these ignorant fools?” Queen Ultane snapped. “Would you rather your sovereign die in space?”
Kim wanted to snap right back that she didn’t consider any member of the so-called royal family anything but a pain in her ass, but she held her tongue as the queen vented her frustration.
“What we need to do is make contact and begin negotiations. If the major was rescued, the chances are very good that the king or crown prince was saved. Let’s give these aliens whatever they want and send them packing.”
“I think what they want is Gershwin,” Ben said.
“Fine,” the queen replied. “They can have it in return for the hostages.”
“First of all, we don’t know if Major Le Croix and whoever was in that pod were even rescued,” Duke Simeon said. “And secondly, we can’t just give away planets. That’s not in your power, Queen Ultane.”
“I speak for the king,” she shrieked.
“The king is dead or captured, which means the leadership of the Royal Imperium falls to me,” Duke Simeon snapped.
“Silence,” General Pershing growled. “Take your debate to the upper deck or be quiet. Like it or not, the Celeste system is enemy territory now and we have to stay focused or we’ll all be killed.”
For once, Kim felt an inkling of respect for the general.
“We can’t give them Gershwin,” Ben said softly. “It’s too close to the wormhole.”
“He’s right,” Magnum added. “If they control this system, they can bring in unlimited reinforcements.”
“But we can’t drive them out,” Pershing said. “Not yet, not without help.”
“So call the rest of the Fleet,” Duke Simeon said.
“We’ve already done that,” Pershing said. “But mobilizing armies takes time.”
“We don’t have time,” the queen demanded.
“The Deception dropped surveillance drones before we took her through the wormhole,” General Pershing said. “We need to retrieve them. But I want us to steer clear of the planet. This is a smuggler’s ship, so make sure we aren’t seen.”
“Roger that,” Kim said, happy to finally have something to do.
“Plotting a course to the wormhole,” Nance said in an even tone.
“If the aliens captured our ships, they might also pick up the surveillance drones,” Ben pointed out.
“True,” General Pershing agreed. “But they’re small stealth craft that aren’t transmitting anything. Hopefully, they’ve gone unnoticed.”
“Will we be able to find them?” Kim asked.
“I can’t take us right to them, but I know the general vicinity.”
“But if the aliens couldn’t find them...” Kim continued.
“The aliens didn’t know they were there,” Pershing countered. “We do. That will make all the difference.”
If you say so, Kim thought but didn’t say out loud. She wanted to set a course out of the Celeste system, but that wasn’t the mission. It made sense to stay and pick up the drones if the Echo were a warship, but she wasn’t. Maybe if the shield were working she could rationalize it, but the shield was down and they were in hostile territory. All Kim wanted was to get somewhere safe.
“Slow and quiet,” Pershing said. “Visual scans only. Ben, get working on that shield of yours.”
“Yes, General,” Ben said, hopping up a little too quickly for Kim’s liking. She wanted the shield up and working too, but she didn’t like anyone giving her man orders. Except maybe herself, she thought with a grin.
Chapter 30
“Your Majesty,” Pershing said. “May I speak to you upstairs?”
“Are you just trying to get rid of me, General?”
“No, my queen,” Pershing said calmly. “But there is work to do and I need your help.”
“I’ll stay here,” Duke Simeon said.
“It would be best if you joined us,” Pershing said. “We need to present a united front.”
“Fine,” Queen Ultane said.
The duke shrugged his shoulders but didn’t argue. Pershing swiveled around in her chair. It pained her to admit it, but she was beginning to like her station on the bridge of the small ship. She had taken the initiative to set up the computer the way she wanted it, with readings of the ship’s systems and alternate views from the ship’s external cameras that were different from those on the main display. It was a simple, intuitive computer system on a small manageable vessel. To make matters worse, it was comfortable. There was none of the spartan, utilitarian nature to the ship that she was accustomed to in military vessels.
She stood up and faced the queen, who wasn’t quite as tall as she was. The queen turned and started for the stairs. Brigadier General Alicia Pershing knew that in the military and political pecking order, she was far below the members of the royal family. But she also knew that they took no real role in governing the galaxy. It was doubtful that they had a firm grasp on what was taking place, what they’d actually lost with the destruction of the fleet, or that they had any useful skills to contribute to the fight that lay ahead. Still, Pershing understood that if she were to have any chance of leading humanity into war with the aliens, she would need to have the surviving members of the royal family on her side.
They went up the stairs to the upper deck. Pershing saw Staff Sergeant Visher cleaning up. The other members of the royal family were nowhere in sight.
“Staff Sergeant?” Pershing said as she approached the galley.
Visher snapped to attention and saluted.
“Where is everyone?” Pershing asked.
“The royal family members are resting in the passenger cabins,” Visher explained. “The rest of Alpha team are down in the recreation area.”
“I see,” Pershing said. “Can you get them suited up for EVA? We’re going to pick up some surveillance drones and the ship has no exterior retrieval capabilities.”
“Roger that,” Visher said. “I’ll get everyone ready ASAP.”
He hurried away from the two royals and his general. Pershing didn’t blame him. The beauty of the enlisted ranks was the lack of responsibility beyond one’s current set of orders. The enlisted personnel didn’t have to think about the consequences of their actions. They simply followed orders and left the grand strategy to senior officers like herself.
The queen sat at the table, brushing away an imaginary crumb. General Pershing understood that the Echo was not up to the lavish standards that the royal family was accustomed to, but it irked her to see the queen acting so judgmental. If not for the old Kestrel class ship and its crew, she and the entire royal family would have been carried away to another galaxy. For all Pershing knew, Major Le Croix and the survivor in the pod he rescued had been carried away already. That thought made her shiver. Fear and empathy were not emotions she was accustomed to feeling, but the thought of being taken so far away from everything she knew made her uncomfortable.
“We’re here, General,” the queen said. “What is so important that we needed to leave the bridge?”
“There are several things that need to be done, Your Majesty. The Royal Imperium is under attack.”
“I can see that, General.”
“And, of course, you know that the admiral general is dead. I can’t say for sure about the other members of the command staff, but when I left them, they were on the Fleet HQ.”
“So they’re dead,” Duke Simeon proclaimed. “I think we have to face facts. Hoping for survivors isn’t doing us any good.”
“Are you trying to use the biggest catastrophe in the history of the Royal Imperium to force your way into the commander-in-chief’s post, General Pershing?” Queen Ultane asked.
Pershing had to fight down the urge to strike the arrogant woman. The royals, she was quickly learning, were a hindrance to efficient command, and probably to the Imperium as a whole. But they were a necessary part of the galactic government, as well as her own plans for focusing the fragmented Fleet.
“No, Your Majesty. Political appointments do not interest me. But shoring up our defenses against the alien threat is incredibly important. Fortunately, the wormhole is, by its very nature, a choke point that can be defended once we have taken back control of the Celeste system. We might even be able to close the wormhole. But I need ships. And despite being a senior officer and perhaps the only surviving member of the admiral general’s joint chiefs of staff, being Special Forces means that many of the ship commanders in your Fleet don’t recognize me as having command authority. I need you to authorize my orders for a general recall to the Yelsin system.”
“Why the Yelsin system?” Duke Simeon asked. “Why not get the cavalry here where they’re needed?”
“Because we need to organize and plan our attack,” General Pershing explained. “We still know next to nothing about the aliens, their technology, or why they’re here.”
“I think it wiser to begin a dialogue with them,” Queen Ultane said.
“You would,” Duke Simeon said with a sneer.
“Your Majesty, we don’t even know their language,” Pershing said. “The longer it takes us to organize and move against them, the stronger they will become. More alien ships could be coming through the wormhole at this very minute for all we know. They could bring hundreds, maybe even thousands, of ships.”
“They do that,” the duke said, somehow sounding superior even as he talked about the aliens, “and we�
�ll never be rid of them.”
“I thought you said you had already issued an order for the other ships of the Fleet?” Queen Ultane pointed out.
“I have,” General Pershing said. “And I have no doubt that some will come. Unfortunately, Admiral General Volgate ordered every ship that could be spared to join him in the Celeste system. A few managed to escape, but most were destroyed when the wormhole opened.”
“What could be more important than the threat against the royal family?” Queen Ultane demanded.
“As you know, Your Majesty, we have numerous systems under lockdown. Those orders were issued by the admiral general himself, carrying out the policy set by the Council of Governors.”
“Political hacks,” Duke Simeon said.
“And the rebellion remains a threat. Without strong leadership, we could lose many systems who might see the attack on the Celeste system as an opportunity to break out of the Royal Imperium.”
The queen’s eyes narrowed.
“Spoken like a true politician.”
“Excuse me?” General Pershing said. She couldn’t believe what the queen was accusing her of.
“If I didn’t know better,” Queen Ultane continued, “I might think you were behind everything.”
“You can’t be serious?” Pershing said, unable to keep the outrage from her voice.
“I am not naive, General. I know how things work in Fleet HQ and in the political arena,” the queen continued. “A military threat is exactly the sort of crisis someone like yourself would use to snatch the reins of power.”
“That’s not what I’m doing,” Pershing said. “We need to regroup, focus our remaining assets, and strike back at the aliens while we still can.”
“What you need to do is stand down,” the queen said in a shrill voice. “For all I know, you’ve kidnapped us on this grubby little ship and the admiral general has the entire Fleet looking for us.”
“Did you see any ships of the Fleet in the Celeste system?” Pershing replied.
“If that was the Celeste system,” Queen Ultane snarled.
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