The burden of command, p.22
The Burden of Command, page 22
part #14 of Empire Rising Series
“Another message is coming in from the destroyer, the Captain is demanding our six ships power down their weapons,” the COM officer reported.
Cornelius didn’t need to give a response. The six captains he had commanding his own ships knew what they were about. Their reply came moments later as they opened their missile tubes and powered up their energy cannons. Only then did he tap the communications button on his command chair. “Imperial Captain, I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name. Sadly, it is you who should cut your engines and surrender. If you do so, no harm will come to you or your ship. I am here with Commoner François Garnier. He speaks for New France. Surrender your vessel to him.”
“The destroyer is replying,” the COM officer reported.
“Let us see it,” Cornelius asked. He sat forward in his command chair. If the Imperial Captain had any sense, she would surrender.
“Cornelius Teal, you are a wanted criminal. So is former Commoner François Garnier. I am Captain Nicolette Lavigne of New France. Garnier does not speak for all of my homeworld. Surrender now and no harm will come to you or your ship.”
Cornelius shook his head in disappointment. He had been hoping to add the destroyer to his growing fleet. “Stupid naval bravado… Very well, send word to our ships to take her out if she opens fire.” Beside him, Cornelius sensed Garnier shift in his seat. “Let us hope that not all of your people feel as she does, my friend,” he said as he half-turned to Garnier.
“They will not,” Garnier assured him as he met Cornelius’s eyes.
“But there will be holdouts, holdouts you’ll have to deal with,” Cornelius pushed.
“Then deal with them I shall,” Garnier replied as he turned from Cornelius and fixed his eyes squarely on the Imperial destroyer.
Cornelius grunted in satisfaction. He knew Garnier didn’t like what was happening, but he was a part of it now. And soon, you will have blood on your hands, my friend. Then, there will be no turning back.
The battle was over surprisingly quickly, compared to what Cornelius had expected. From everything he had read of naval battles, they had always been described as long, drawn-out affairs, with only brief flashes of actual combat. What played out in front of him was almost the opposite. Just moments after he had given the order, all six of his destroyers opened fire. They released four missiles each, all of which began to rapidly accelerate towards the Imperial destroyer once they cleared their tubes. Almost instantly, the Imperial destroyer returned fire, hurling six missiles back at his ships.
In amazement, Cornelius watched as the single Imperial destroyer fired thousands of point defensive weapons at his missiles. More than half of his missiles were destroyed. In contrast, when he glanced at his own ships, the amount of defensive fire seemed pitiful. The difference made his jaw clench. He knew his ships were built with older technology, yet he hadn’t realized just how significant the difference in capabilities was. As a result, he let out a sigh of relief when three of his missiles survived the fire aimed at them, closed with the Imperial destroyer, and detonated. A gasp quickly followed, however. For the destroyer appeared moments later flying out of the midst of the explosions. “How?” He demanded.
“They must have only been proximity hits,” Tremblay explained. “The destroyer’s gaseous shields will have absorbed much of their explosive force.”
Another explosion caused Cornelius’s head to turn. One of his destroyers had just been blown apart. “What just happened?”
Instead of answering him, an officer rewound the holo display. He watched as two Imperial missiles dodged everything his ships fired at them. They closed to their attack range and then detonated. Rather than release thermonuclear explosions like his missiles did, they focused their explosive power into laser-focusing crystals. In an instant, six beams covered the final distance to his destroyers. All six intersected with one ripping it apart.
“Our second salvo is closing with the enemy destroyer,” the COM officer reported as a holo image reverted back to real time.
Cornelius found himself edging forward in his command chair. For the first time in a very long time, he felt a slither of concern take a grip on him. He had lost all control. If the next salvo of missiles from his ships failed to destroy the Imperial warship, it would be able to fire a third, and then fourth missile salvo. Already, it had a second approaching his ships. If it gets two more fired off, it could cripple my force. Then it could come for Midas Touch, Cornelius feared. Suddenly, he wished he had brought more of his destroyers with him.
Before his anxiety could really take a hold of him, it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Five missiles from his ships’ second salvo closed in on the Imperial destroyer. Three looked like they scored proximity hits again, but two got close enough to actually strike the Imperial warship’s hull. Both detonated at the same time, ripping the destroyer in two. Debris, atmosphere, and bodies were flung out in all directions. Secondary explosions ripped the rear half of the ship apart while its nose spiraled uncontrollably away. Cornelius pumped a fist into the air in satisfaction. His earlier disappointment at not being able to capture the Imperial destroyer had vanished. Now he was just happy it was dead.
“Enemy salvo closing into attack range,” a sensor officer reported emotionlessly.
Cornelius turned to his ships. His anxiety suddenly returned. This time, only one of the destroyer’s missiles got close enough to detonate. Its three laser beams reached out and struck two of his destroyers. To his relief, both took the hits and continued on, neither disappearing in a blinding flash. “Pull our two damaged destroyers back,” he ordered after taking a moment to compose himself. “Send the other three to the shift gate.”
Feeling much calmer, Cornelius watched as the three destroyers closed with the shift gate. Rather than have it power up and use it to jump into shift space back along the route to Earth, they docked with it. He watched as live visuals showed his armed mercenaries board the giant structure and take control of it. After watching the Imperial ship be destroyed, none of the military or civilian personnel assigned to the shift gate put up any resistance. When it was all over, Cornelius nodded in satisfaction. The first part of his plan was complete. “Let us see the rest of the system,” he requested. “And send the go order to the rest of our forces.” Then he turned to Garnier. “It’s time to take you home, my friend. Set course for New France,” Cornelius ordered.
On the holo display, as his order crossed the system, eighty additional ships powered up their weapons systems. Six destroyers closed with the shift gate that led deeper into the former French colonies. Wisely, the Imperial destroyer guarding it turned and jumped into shift space. The rest of Cornelius’s destroyers and converted freighters closed in around New France. They didn’t enter into weapons range of New France’s orbital battlestations, but they did seal off the planet. No freighters would be coming to or leaving the colony without his say so. As far as Earth was concerned, New France was no longer a part of its economic system.
When Midas Touch joined the rest of Cornelius’s forces in high orbit around New France, he turned to Garnier. “It is time, my friend, good luck.”
“I want to choose to believe you truly mean that,” Garnier said as he stood.
Cornelius overplayed looking insulted. “Of course I do. We are in this together. I need you as much as you need me.”
“I will hold you to that,” Garnier said before leaving Midas Touch’s command deck.
Cornelius’s eyes narrowed as he watched the politician leave. He started to think it might be a mistake to let the Commoner out of his sight and supervision. Of all the politicians he had co-opted to his side, Garnier was one of the few he was not entirely sure about. Yes, Garnier was extremely ambitious. That was what Cornelius had used to draw him in. Yet ideologically, Garnier wasn’t as enthusiastic about forming a community with the other independent-seeking worlds as some of Cornelius’s other co-conspirators were. He will try to set up his own power base on the planet, Cornelius was sure. But no matter, he said to himself. I will control the orbitals and all intersystem trade.
Minutes later and a shuttle emerged from Midas Touch’s hangar bay. Cornelius watched it go. He knew Garnier would be transmitting a live speech to the people of New France to announce his return. He had no interest in listening to the promises Garnier would be making. Sure, there would be an election to cement the decision to secede from the Empire, Christine’s snub had forced them to hold one, but it would only be as free as it needed to be to ensure the outcome they wanted. When the shuttle entered energy weapon range of New France’s battlestations, Cornelius did sit up a little straighter. Yet no discharges were detected. The shuttle passed by them without being intercepted. When it began to pass down through New France’s atmosphere, Cornelius smiled. Despite everything Empress Christine had said in her speech that had beaten them to New France, the colony hadn’t rejected Garnier. And now, they have seen him play a part in destroying an Imperial ship. There will be no turning back for him. Cornelius couldn’t help but bring his hands together in satisfaction. Things were playing out exactly as he had hoped.
*
Transport ship Kursura, New Delhi, 20th October 2508 AD, (four days later).
Governor Aanya Varma made a point of stepping onto her transport ship’s bridge just before it reverted to real space and into the New Delhi system. She wanted to see her homeworld as soon as her ship’s sensors detected it. When the holo display began to update itself, she sat forward in her command chair. “What is going on?” She demanded. In front of the shift gate half a light second away from Kursura, a string of freighters were all sitting stationary. Varma quickly counted nineteen of them. As their transponders registered their names and information, a pattern became apparent. They all belonged to Teal Trading Industries, were members of the Hartman Group or one of the other organizations that were backing her move for secession. “Who has ordered the ships to be waylaid?” Varma followed up, her voice hardening. New Delhi was her system. She was its Governor. No one could impound freighters without her say so.
“They belong to Cornelius and our other allies,” Patel pointed out from where she sat. “Empress Christine’s proclamation has beaten us here as well. Someone is working against us.”
“Then they are going to rue the day they went against me,” Varma snapped. “Take us towards those freighters, make sure our armed ships keep station with us,” she ordered.
“Yes Governor,” Kursura’s Captain replied.
“We’ve got movement ahead, Governor,” a different officer said. The holo display zoomed in to show three small craft appearing from behind one of the freighters. They were moving towards Kursura.
“What are they?” Varma asked.
“Customs cutters,” Kursura’s Captain explained. “They’re not much bigger than shuttles, but they are armed with a single heavy plasma cannon.”
“They are hailing us,” the COM officer reported.
Once again, the holo display changed, but this time, it showed a young man in an Imperial Navy Lieutenant’s uniform. “Governor Varma. I’m sorry that I am the one who has to do this, yet I have my orders. Your ships are to cut their engines and heave to. My people will dock with your ship and take you and Commoner Patel into custody, by order of Empress Christine.”
Varma laughed at him. “Just who do you think you are, Lieutenant?” She put as much contempt into the officer’s rank as she could. “You are nothing. Turn your ships around and count yourself lucky I don’t demand your arrest and imprisonment.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that Governor. You have been stripped of your authority. Have your ships cut their engines now, or I will be forced to open fire. There will be no warning shots. If you don’t power down, I’ll take out your engines,” the Lieutenant warned.
Varma wanted to scream. The sense of self-righteousness in the Lieutenant’s voice brought back her discussion with Christine in the Imperial Palace’s audience chamber. It had been decades since anyone but Empress Christine had spoken to her so insolently. Suddenly, all her frustration from that meeting and her anger at the audacity of what Empress Christine had done by stripping her of her position came bubbling out. “Cut the COM channel!” she hissed. “Captain, order our armed freighters to take out those cutters immediately.”
“Governor, are you sure?” Kursura’s Captain asked, spinning around wild-eyed.
Varma flashed her eyes at him. “Do it. That was an order, not a suggestion.”
“Governor,” Patel said in a strained voice.
Varma held up a hand towards the Commoner. “I said fire on them,” she ordered without taking her gaze from Kursura’s Captain. “Before they come into range with their weapons.
“Yes Governor,” he replied, turning away from her.
Varma grunted in satisfaction when six missiles were fired from the two armed freighters that were flanking Kursura. Two raced towards each of the cutters. Her satisfaction grew when the cutters tried and failed to shoot the missiles down. They simply didn’t have the point defenses for such a battle. Each cutter then carried out a series of desperate last-minute evasive maneuvers. They failed as well. Three explosions signaled the death of the ships and their crews. “Inform the freighters in front of us that they can continue with their normal business,” Varma said in a cold voice when it was over. She turned to Patel. “They chose their side. We couldn’t let them capture us.”
“But we could have fired a warning missile,” Patel protested. “They might have surrendered.”
“And they might have just pretended to surrender until they got close enough to open fire,” Varma countered. “I am the Governor of this system; they chose to go against me. They suffered the consequences.”
Patel visibly swallowed, but she nodded nonetheless. “I agree,” she replied. Varma nodded back. That was enough for her.
“Two Imperial destroyers have broken orbit from New Delhi and are moving onto an intercept course for us,” the same sensor officer reported.
Kursura’s Captain swung around again. “Our armed freighters cannot take on two destroyers,” he said as he shook his head.
Varma smiled at him. “Trust me, they won’t have to.” She had clearly made a mistake not exerting more influence over New Delhi’s custom patrols. That was something she would have to remedy quickly. She hadn’t made the same mistake with the Imperial warships stationed in her system though. For two years, she had been working on their commanders and crew. “Open a channel to those two warships,” she requested. “New Delhi warships,” she said when the COM officer nodded to her. “This is your Governor speaking. You serve me. Turn around and return to orbit. That is an order. Anyone who will not obey is to be relieved of duty immediately.”
Confident she didn’t need to say anything more, Varma sat back in her command chair. Sure enough, five minutes later, just minutes after her message reached them, both destroyers began to turn back towards New Delhi.
“How?” Patel asked, awe in her voice.
“Don’t be so surprised,” Varma said as she shot her friend a small smile. “While you have spent the last two years on Earth in the House of Commons trying to win our freedom, I’ve been working here. I’m sure not everyone will be in favor of our decision to secede, nor of the plans we intend to implement. But you will find many are already on board.” Half-turning, Varma sought out Kursura’s COM officer again. “Open a systemwide channel this time, if you would,” she requested. “People of New Delhi,” she said moments later. “You all know me. You all voted for me. No matter what a British Princess two hundred light years away says, I am your Governor. This is my homeworld, as it is yours. All of us yearn to be free, and I intend to see that you are. From this moment on, we are no longer part of the Empire. We will choose our own destiny. Their laws and rules no longer apply. Only those that we favor will remain. Those who do not like this new reality are free to leave and go to your precious Empire. However, anyone who resists the will of the people of New Delhi will suffer serious consequences. I’m not playing political games. We will do our part to defend ourselves and our species from the Karacknids if that threat should ever return. But we will not be made economic slaves for the pleasure of those who deem themselves our betters back on Earth. From today, things will be changing for the better for all of us. I look forward to returning to you when Kursura reaches orbit.”
“Do you really think we will be able to enter orbit freely?” Patel asked.
Varma smiled. “By the time we get there, we will,” she assured her ally. “My speech was not just for the public. All those who support me will know it is time to act. The orbitals will be ours before we get there. New Delhi will truly be free.”
Patel smiled at Varma’s words. “I never thought we could move so fast. Yet, we are doing it. We are really doing it.”
“Indeed we are,” Varma agreed. “Now we just need Cornelius and the others to keep up their end of the bargain. If we can all stand united, then Earth will have to give into our demands.”
Chapter 20
Anger is a powerful emotion. Anger at one’s enemies can drive a naval commander to accomplish unimagined feats. Yet it can just as easily blind that same Admiral to their doom. Sadly, I speak of this from first-hand knowledge.
-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.
Imperial Palace, Earth, 11th November 2508 AD, (three weeks later).
“Traitors!” James shouted as he flung a datapad across the room with all of his augmented strength. It smashed into a wall and shattered into a hundred pieces. Christine stared at him open-mouthed. He knew she hadn’t seen him this angry for years, if ever. He didn’t care. He looked around for something else to smash.
“What is it?” She demanded as she rushed to his side. She grabbed both his hands before he could do any more damage.
“That was a message from Alvarez,” James said as he breathed heavily. Despite the calming effect of Christine’s hand, he still looked around the room. He wanted to throw something else.
