Shadow Space Chronicles 1: The Fallen Race (23 page)

Lucius thought back to the invasion of Ghornath Prime and the attack on Saragossa.  “You might be right.”

“Of course I am, I’m psychic,” Kandergain said with humor.  Her face turned solemn again, “In many ways, the Colonial Republic has been poisoned as well.  Ever since they betrayed Thomas Kaid... well you've dealt with some of their warlords.  The best of their worlds are in trouble and the worst are pits like Anvil or Neverrun.  The infighting and politicking has become a way of life for their rulers.  No one will ever take full power there, not without breaking the Republic and rebuilding it.”

“
So, that leaves what?” Lucius smiled, “I know of a couple of warlords who control one or two systems.  The Centauri Confederation is dissolved into a civil war, with Centauri and Tau Ceti merely as the largest fractions.  Without manpower and resources, I can’t use the Dreyfus Fleet.  I need an actual nation for that kind of effort, and I won’t get it without giving my loyalty.”

Kandergain nodded, “All I’m asking, Lucius, is that you keep an open mind.  I think that when the time comes, an opportunity will present itself.”

Lucius nodded, “I
try
to do that anyway.”

“
I figured so.  Now to the bargaining,” she smiled.  “I offer you my full help and cooperation, to share any information necessary to the defeat of the Chxor in Faraday, and for the liberation of that star system and in the recovery of the Dreyfus fleet.”  She shrugged, “All I ask in return is three favors, to be disclosed at the time I ask it.  You’ll have the opportunity to decline and remain in my debt.”

Lucius asked. “Do I have to sign in blood?”

“No, your agreement is sufficient.” She smiled, “For some reason I can’t think of, few people feel safe going back on a bargain made with me.”

“
I can’t understand why,” Lucius shook his head.  Even so, he made a note to see what he could do to improve the security of his base.  He had not expected to deal with psychic threats, but there were some precautions that the Nova Roma Empire had figured out over the years.  “Done then, and glad to have you with me.”

“
Glad to be with you, Lucius,” She nodded.  “So, when do we leave for the rendezvous?”

***

CHAPTER
VI

January 29, 2403 Earth Standard Time

Zeta Tau System

Unclaimed Space

“Your Highness, welcome to Alpha Seven.” Lucius said.

“
Baron, I’m glad we made it in one piece.” The boy stood from the command chair.  Across the massive bridge a curious mixture of youth, elderly and even a couple average crewmen manned the vital stations.  “We’ve run on a skeleton crew, and we’ve run into a number of issues with all of our ships, especially the
Emperor.
”

“
Frankly, Your Highness, I’m truly astounded the
Emperor
wasn’t destroyed by the Chxor.” Lucius frowned, “When did the
Emperor Romulus
leave the slip?  I thought it wasn’t complete prior to the Chxor arrival?”

The Emperor cleared his throat, “It… didn’t.” He shrugged.  “The ship’s systems were still locked down when we came aboard.  I had to use the Imperial override codes to activate it.”

“This ship hasn’t even had a test cruise?” Lucius said incredulously, “How did you even know it could make shadow?”

The boy shrugged, “We didn’t.”  He gestured at the command screen, “We managed to take this and those other ships because they were those tagged as damaged, undergoing refit, or not yet finished.  The Chxor pulled all the fully operational vessels out of the yard and moved them to a secure location.  They didn’t think anyone would try to take them and they didn’t want to destroy the shipyards that they might find useful.”  A dark look haunted the youth’s eyes for a moment, “We… lost a few.  Some ships didn’t make shadow space and some others didn’t survive to make it here.”

Lucius nodded, “It was a brave endeavor, your Highness.  An effort any man could be proud of, to get so many ships out.”

The boy shrugged, “It was mostly due to the help I had.”  He glanced around the bridge.  “I evacuated those personnel in the shipyards I could, as well as some others on the planet.”

“Which, I might add, he had some help, in the doing,” his sister's voice said from behind him.

Lucius turned with a smile, “Alanis!”

She smiled and embraced him, “Lucius, I missed you.”  Her hands clenched tight behind him and Lucius felt his heart melt at the thought that her husband wasn't here to greet her.

“
I don’t think I ever expected to hear that from you.” He felt certain that his sister had probably played a bigger role than he really wanted to know.  Though, he knew, she would undoubtedly tell him anyway.  Lucius turned back to his Emperor.  “Your Highness… thank you.”

The boy shrugged, uncomfortably.  “Honestly, Baron, I wish I could take credit.  Your sister helped to rescue a number of younger sons and daughters of the nobility, many of them just children, that the Chxor planned to execute.”  He smiled slightly, “She even saved my own sister.”

Lucius felt a shock and he glanced over at Commander Doko and saw the man had gone pale, “Princess Lizmadi is still alive?”  He had a look on his face that mingled suddenly renewed hope and the agony that his duty put him in.  Lucius silently cursed, not for the Princess's survival, but for the complications and pain that would result. 
And that is assuming that Doko can remain strong...
Lucius thought.

The Emperor did not seem to notice Tony's expression.  “Indeed and I am in Lady Alanis Giovanni's debt for that.”  He took a deep breath, “As far as military ships and personnel, the staff at the Academy was the most help.  They organized us and got us moving.  Really, Admiral Mund was the most help.”

“Admiral David Mund?” Lucius said, surprise evident in his voice, “I thought he’d retired.  He must be…”

“
Not quite dead, yet, son.”  A dry voice rasped.  “Not that I take much credit in this.”

Lucius straightened and saluted, “Sir, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

The old man returned the salute, “And you.  I’m glad you got past the troubles that… took you away from the Academy.”

Lucius winced a bit, “I think that is in the past now, though it’s been an issue with some officers since.”

Alanis spoke and the bitterness in her voice told everyone in earshot exactly what she thought, “Those bastards kept you from rising in rank for the past ten years, Lucius.”

“
Past is past.” Lucius said.  He had no desire to speak ill of the dead.

“
It is... Baron.” The Emperor spoke, “As the senior remaining officer, I’m promoting you to Admiral, effective immediately.”

Lucius shook his head, “Thank you, your Highness, but… I feel that might be premature.”  There was a moment of stunned silence.

“You are rejecting promotion from your Emperor?” The young man said, clearly shocked.

“
No, Your Highness, I just feel…” Lucius paused to compose his thoughts.  “When ordered to return to Nova Roma, I chose to disobey.”

“
You couldn’t have obeyed that order,” Emperor Romulus said, “Your ship was heavily damaged.”

“
Even so, your Highness…” Lucius cleared his throat, “When my ship was repaired, I made the choice not to return.”

“
By then, Nova Roma had already fallen.”

Lucius nodded, “But perhaps we might have done
some
good.  I chose to become a mercenary, then, your Highness.  I chose to use a ship given to me by the Empire for my own ends.”

“
Your ends made a strong force out of a handful of crew, and you dealt the Chxor a strong blow at Faraday,” the Emperor answered.  “All of this is justifiable, all of this can be accepted.”

Lucius sighed, thinking of the discussion he’d had with Kandergain.  He met the Emperor’s eyes, “But this, I think will not be for you.”  He took a deep breath, “I refuse to use the Dreyfus Fleet to reinstate the Empire, your Highness.”

“What?!”

“
Your Highness, in the Fleet, I have defended Nova Roma.  I have done great things… and I have done terrible things.”  Lucius shook his head, “I was there when we sacked Ghornath Prime, your Highness.  I was the XO of the
War Shrike
when we attacked the Saragossa Republic.  I’ve participated in conquests, in raids, and in defense of our worlds.  I’ve done many things I’m proud of, and far too many things I know will haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.”  Lucius met the eyes of the man he was sworn to serve... even as he told him that he could do so no longer, “When I made my choice to turn away from the Empire, your Highness, I made it for good.  I cannot help return the Empire to power.” Lucius stared at the youth, hoping the man could understand.

“
The Empire is dead, your Highness,” the rasping voice of Admiral Mund said.  “The glory of it died years ago, only the shell of it died when the Chxor took Nova Roma.”

The young Emperor looked around, “So where does that leave me?”

Lucius sighed, “Your Highness, your great grandfather established a place of security for his people, it was a noble endeavor.”  He shrugged, “Your grandfather was expansionist; he wanted the Empire to expand.  He was impatient, and he betrayed alliances and treaties to further his ambitions.”

“
And my father?”

“
Your father was a man, your Highness,” Admiral Mund rasped, “a man advised by men with ambition.”

The Emperor looked between the two, “So where does that leave me?”

“Your Highness, with the power of my ships and with the Dreyfus Fleet, I will fight the Chxor, I will liberate what worlds I can.” Lucius sighed.  “I may, indeed, found a new nation.”  He looked away, “I won’t help you to reinstate the Empire.  That dream is dead and it died for many a long time ago.  I’ll give you Nova Roma back, but I’ll not conquer other worlds for you.”

The boy closed his eyes, “So, history will remember my father as a failure and me as what, exactly?  A footnote?  Will Nova Roma become a backwater in your new Empire, Lucius?”

“No, your Highness.”  Lucius shook his head.  “Nova Roma will always be great.  I have confidence that you will lead it into prosperity.”  He smiled, “And the fact that the Chxor have not destroyed the shipyards means Nova Roma will remain a powerful place.”

“
So, Lucius, what then, is your plan?” Admiral Mund said.

Lucius pulled a data crystal out, “With Collae, Manetti, and the Garu, I’ll have sufficient forces to take the system.”  He put the crystal into the computer.  “I’ll leave for the rendezvous site tomorrow.”

“You trust these other allies more than us?” The Emperor asked.

“
No, I don’t trust them at all, which is why I’ve… modified my plans to include your ships.  I’ve also assembled personnel to back up the crews you already have in place, and maintenance teams to begin any repairs your ships need.”

“
I’ve got a rather long list.” Emperor Romulus IV said sardonically.  “We don’t even have functional weapons right now.”

Lucius winced.  “Well, nearly sixteen thousand people will be swarming over these ships, trying to get them ready.  I need you ready in less than a week, your Highness.  I need this ship, and as many others as you can get combat ready.”

“Who do we fight?”

“
If everything goes right, your Highness... no one.”

***

January 29, 2403 Earth Standard Time

Faraday System

Chxor Empire

Mason McGann kept up a litany of constant, monotone curses as he settled the
Second Chance
towards the surface of Faraday.

“
What’s with you, anyway?” Lauren asked.

“
There are more sensors here than there should be.” Mason snapped.

“
Have we been detected?”

Mason gave her an incredulous glance, “Are you seriously asking that?”

“I’m a commando and before that I was a missile tech, not a pilot.”

Mason gave an exasperated sigh, “Well, if they’d seen us, we’d be dead.  They’re bad shots, but even a miss in atmosphere, with
those
weapons… yeah.”

“
Okay, so they don’t see us, what’s the problem?”

“
The problem, honey, is this just became a one way trip.”

“
What?” Lauren said.  “Why?”

“
My stealth systems can’t compensate for the amount of power my engines will draw, going out.”  He gave a particularly savage curse as yet another sensor satellite appeared on his monitor, “It’s a damned good thing you didn’t try getting a corvette down, you’d have been taken out well before hitting the surface.”

She shrugged, “Worth the risk.”

He gave her a nasty glance, “What’s with you and death wishes, huh?”

Lauren stared out the window, “I grew up under the Chxor, Mason.  They executed my brother because he asked a question in school.  He was seven.  They killed my mother when she started screaming obscenities at his executor.  My father killed himself making a bomb in our kitchen when I was fifteen.”

Mason cleared his throat.  “Sorry.”

“
My world had less than a hundred thousand humans left.  Before I was conscripted, they were marching people to execution pits, a thousand a day.”

Mason shut his mouth and focused on his flying.  His left hand stroked the prayer beads on his belt.  “We’ll reach the landing site in five minutes.”

Lauren nodded, “I’ll tell the troops to get ready.”

After she left, Mason let out a deep breath and rubbed at his eyes, “Fuck.”

***

The
Second Chance
settled towards a huge waterfall, and then slowly pushed through and into the large cave beyond.  Mason relaxed, “We’re here.  As long as no one tells the Chxor, we should be good.”

“
Right.  Well, we got company, already.” Lauren said, pointing at a group of ragged people that approached from out of the shadows.

“
Did the Baron set this up with the locals?” Mason asked.

“
No, but from what the natives said, this cave’s always been a site for hiding and smuggling.” Lauren shrugged, “I’m going out.”

Mason listened to the sounds of his passengers as they moved around and shifted the cargo of weapons and ammo.  He stroked the prayer beads at his waist and watched the patterns of light cast on the cave walls by the waterfall.  He spoke slowly and quietly, “Do you need help?”

Lauren popped her head in, “What’s that?”

Mason cleared his voice, “Do you need help?  I’ve… got some experience when it comes to killing.”

Lauren smiled.  It was a feral smile, like that of a predatory cat,  “I’ll never turn down help in killing Chxor.”  She nodded at the group, “Come on, let’s meet the neighbors.”

Mason followed her through the ship and down the ramp.

They walked across the damp stone floor toward the ragged group of rebels.  There were a handful of weapons evident, none of them military grade, except for an assault rifle carried by the leader.  The leader of the group that sheltered in the cave was a tall, blond man, with cold, hard eyes.  “Who are you?”