Empires gambit, p.60
Empire's Gambit, page 60
Becket waited a second for the others to join Shraw. “Somerville is alive, but that is all I can say for now. He is very badly wounded. Very. It will be a miracle if the medics can save him. I’m sorry, but that is all I know, and it is all any of us have time for. James would not want us wasting time worrying about him. We need to evacuate from this system immediately.” She turned to Admiral Fug-sal. “If you are willing, I will assume command of our fleets. We must work together if we are to escape.”
“That is acceptable to me,” Fug-sal replied. “But we must act quickly.”
“James’ staff officers are already making the necessary preparations,” Becket said.
“Then let us get out of here and hope the Karacknids keep the word of their fallen Imperator,” Fug-sal said as it waved a tentacle across the front of its face.
Becket nodded. “Let us hope. Now let’s see to our ships.” Without waiting for any responses, Becket ended the COM channel. There was no time for niceties.
As James’ officers continued to organize the fleet, like a hawk Becket stared at all the Karacknid battlestations and ships that surrounded her ships. She was just waiting for one of them to open fire or to start to move towards her ships. One sign of aggression, and she was ready to give the order to fire. It was very unlikely her ships could escape, but one thing was for sure, she wasn’t going to let them have an easy time of it.
“Admiral, communication is coming from the surface,” Lieutenant Petrov called out. “You’re going to want to hear it.”
“Put it on the main holo display,” Becket requested.
A Karacknid Becket didn’t recognize appeared in front of them. “Karacknid people,” he said. “I am Rumansi-ta, leader of Clan Ta. You have all seen today’s events. Our beloved Imperator is dead. He did not make this public, for he did not want to upset his devoted followers. Many months ago, he declared me his successor in the event of his death. He expected it to be many years from now in his old age. Yet sadly, that time has come. Clan Ta is the greatest of our clans. I will therefore ascend to the Imperator’s throne and lead our people to a new era of glory and conquest.”
“That was quick,” Ivanov said. “A little too quick, I imagine.”
“Someone trying to get ahead of the curve?” Becket responded.
“You saw them after James killed Taranaki, do you think they managed to organize themselves to agree on a new leader this quickly?” Ivanov said. Becket shook her head.
“What about the Karacknids on our ships?” Anderson asked. “With Fralin-yang dead, what are we to do with them?”
Becket’s eyes widened. She had forgotten all about them. A quick look at the main holo display told her there was no way she could send them down to the surface. She needed every shuttle she had to get Johnston’s ground troops up to the fleet. They will have been watching too, she thought. They will have seen Fralin-yang’s death. “Get a hold of whoever was next in charge after Fralin-yang,” she requested.
“I’ve got scribe Huy-res willing to speak to you,” Petrov informed Becket thirty seconds later.
“Scribe, I’m sorry for the High Scribe’s death,” Becket said quickly, “I know he meant for your people to be landed on Gayla, but I’m afraid we cannot do that. We don’t have the shuttles or the time. Your people could attack us at any moment. I promise you though, if we manage to get out of here, we’ll set you down on a smaller Karacknid colony. I’m afraid that’s all I can do.”
“I understand Admiral,” Huy-res said. “Given what happened to Fralin-yang, I’m not sure it would be wise for my people to return to the homeworld just yet. We will not cause you any bother while you evacuate. Can I ask, how is Emperor Somerville?”
Becket was taken aback at the question. She hadn’t expected him to care. “He is being looked after by our best medics. That is all I know for now.”
Huy-res gave Becket a slight bow. “Then we will continue to hope for his recovery. He has done our species a great service by killing the false Imperator.”
Becket nodded. “Thank you. Let’s just hope the rest of your people see it the same way.” Ending the COM channel, she returned her gaze to the main holo display. Still, there were no signs that any Karacknid ships were maneuvering to attack her.
“I’ve got another unencrypted signal from Gayla’s surface,” Petrov announced. “This one is from the Imperator’s palace.”
“I suppose we better hear it too,” Becket said.
Once again, another Karacknid she didn’t recognize appeared. This one was sitting on a large imposing throne. It had exquisitely detailed carvings all over it. From the few that Becket focused on, they appeared to be of Karacknid warriors killing aliens. Lovely, Becket thought. When the Karacknid spoke, she remembered his voice from the combat ring. “I am Fur-lang of Clan Lang,” the Karacknid said. “Today, Taranaki has been proven to be a false Imperator. The charges High Scribe Fralin-yang laid against him were true. His death shows that much to us all. I have therefore assumed the position of Imperator of our people. Rumansi-ta and his Clan were close followers of Taranaki. They were complicit in his evils. He will not lead our people. The clans must unite around Clan Lang. This day has shown us that we have many enemies who wish to destroy our great empire. We must stand together against all threats to Karacknid unity. As your Imperator, I therefore order you not to obey any unlawful commands from Rumansi-ta. Our people cannot afford disunity at this time. Do not succumb to his lies.”
“I’ve got ships powering up their reactors,” Anderson reported. “Twenty of them and counting.”
On the holo display, everyone watched as a number of small groups of ships powered up their reactors. Instead of coming towards Drake and the Allied fleet though, they broke orbit. As fast as they could, they began to race towards the several shift passages that led out of the system.
“They’re bringing news of Taranaki’s death,” Ivanov said.
“And of who is the rightful heir to his throne,” Becket guessed. Even as they watched, a group of three ships opened fire with their laser cannons. Two other Karacknid ships were blown apart. Moments later, missiles erupted from another group and raced after a single light cruiser. Despite her shock, Becket smiled. James had been right. They were turning on one another. She was disappointed when none of the larger groups of Karacknid ships still in orbit opened fire, though they did power up their engines and start to separate. They formed up into at least five different groups. So there are more contenders to the throne than just two, Becket concluded. That was even better news. With luck, they would all be too busy looking at one another to pay attention to her ships.
*
Imperator’s Glory
Tanaka-lan stared at the holographic display of Gayla. More specifically, at the image of the combat ring. It had been five minutes since Somerville had thrust his knife into Taranaki’s throat. Tanaka-lan still hadn’t moved a muscle. None of his bridge officers had. It was impossible to believe, and yet, it had happened right before his very eyes. Tanaka-lan couldn’t help but keep going back to the four times he had had an audience with Taranaki. The Imperator’s eyes had entranced him. Until he had met Taranaki in person, he had never understood the devotion so many had showed. Tanaka-lan remembered once thinking it had to be some kind of trick. He knew the eyes of all the statues of Taranaki were just that. Yet when he had met Taranaki, he had come to understand. The statues were simply meant to communicate the truth. At least, the truth as he had thought it. High Scribe Fralin-yang’s accusations were echoing around in his mind. He hadn’t believed a word of them. Not until Taranaki had died. Now, he couldn’t shake them. And Taranaki did kill Fralin-yang. He broke the rules Trava-klan. Why would an innocent person do that? Tanaka-lan asked. He had no good answer.
Movement from Gayla caught Tanaka-lan’s eyes. Allied shuttles were taking off. They’re trying to flee, he thought. For the first time since the knife struck Taranaki’s throat, Tanaka-lan moved. His arms tightened and he drove his claws into his command chair. The scraping noise of his claws biting into the padded armrest made many of the officers around him jump.
“What are your orders Admiral?” One of his tactical officers requested.
Tanaka-lan hesitated. He was torn. He had sworn to Somerville that he would kill him if he attacked Gayla. Somerville had not just ignored him; he had gone on to kill Taranaki. Yet Taranaki had accepted James’ challenge. He had agreed to James’ terms. Tanaka-lan didn’t know what to do. If Taranaki had been a fraud, then there was no need to honor his agreement. Yet if he wasn’t, then Tanaka-lan’s devotion to his Imperator demanded that he did. There was simply no way for him to know which it was. Not right now. Stuck at an impasse, something else forced Tanaka-lan to a decision. Hatred. As more and more Allied shuttles took off from Gayla’s surface, Tanaka-lan could not take it. The Humans and their allies had desecrated his homeworld, they could not be allowed to live. He opened his mouth to give the order for his fleet to advance.
“We’re getting an open communication from Gayla,” a communication officer reported before Tanaka-lan could speak. Tanaka-lan’s hands clenched into fists when Rumansi-ta began to talk. Clan Ta might be the largest clan by size, but their deeds paled in comparison to those of Tanaka-lan’s. How dare he thinks he can do this. He did not kill the Imperator. He has no right, Tanaka-lan raged. Suddenly, he found himself looking at the warships in orbit around Gayla with fresh eyes. The allies still had three thousand warships and just as many freighters. In a one-on-one fight, his fleet would take serious losses if he tried to engage them. And can I trust you? He thought towards the Karacknid warships. Tanaka-lan had a reputation on Gayla, he knew that. He had been one of Taranaki’s most favored commanders. Whoever succeeded Taranaki might look on him with suspicion. Would they want one of the Empire’s best fleet commanders nearby? No, Tanaka-lan was certain they would see him as a threat. He had no doubts about his fleet, they would be loyal no matter what. But Gayla’s defense fleet. If he engaged the Allied warships, they could refuse to come to his aid. Tanaka-lan was disgusted by the very thought. An hour ago, and it would never have entered his mind. Yet everything had changed. When Fur-lang’s message reached Imperator’s Glory, Tanaka-lan made up his mind. He hated the Humans. He detested Somerville with every fiber in his body. Yet the Karacknid Empire had bigger problems. There was going to be a civil war. With no clear successor, the clans would fight among themselves. It had been centuries since a new Imperator had taken over. Taranaki had even had Tanaka-lan thinking there would never be the need for a new one. The foolishness of that was now clear. And even if it hadn’t occurred to all the Clans that they could seize power, it soon would. As their shock died, their lust for power would grow. Tanaka-lan found himself considering all his experiences afresh. It was now so obvious. Taranaki had ruled by playing one clan off against the other. In the fleet and army, it hadn’t come to dominate inter-Clan relations, but in politics, it had created a cutthroat dominance hierarchy, with each Clan competing for Taranaki’s favor. Now that was crumbling right in front of their eyes. Yet when it fell, all the rivalries would still remain.
They cannot be allowed power, he thought to himself. Neither the Admirals who had led the failed attempts to prevent Somerville’s fleet from reaching Gayla, nor the Clan leaders who had appointed them, deserved to lead the Karacknid people. They were all old or useless warriors who had spent far too long in the core worlds. No, what was needed was an experienced commander. One who could unite the Karacknid people and seek vengeance for the shame the Humans had brought upon his species. Tanaka-lan knew he was the only person for the job. There were other good commanders fighting out in the borders of the Empire. Yet they were not here. Someone needed to consolidate power now, before a useless, incompetent Imperator took over.
On his personal holo display, Tanaka-lan brought up a star map of the local systems. One jumped out at him right away. It was a large shipyard system. His fleet had already taken a lot of damage destroying one of the Allied fleets. If he was going to attempt what he felt he had to, he would need a fleet backing him up. One that could take and hold the homeworld. If he moved in now, either the Allied fleet, or Gayla’s defenses would maul his forces. Then he would have nothing left to defend his claim. We will take that system, he said to himself. From there, we will rebuild what these Humans have desecrated. He fixed his gaze on Somerville’s flagship. And then I will come for you, your family, and your people.
*
IS Drake
As the Allied fleet broke orbit, Becket didn’t take her eyes off the holo display. She was watching the Karacknid fleet in orbit around Gayla and Tanaka-lan’s fleet. It had to be a trick. She was certain of it. Yet as the minutes turned into half an hour, and then half an hour into one and then two hours, she allowed herself to start to relax. Her whole body tensed again when Anderson announced Tanaka-lan’s ships had begun to move. To everyone’s shock, they began to turn end over end. Settling onto a course back towards the shift passage they had come from, they fired up their engines and actually moved away from the Allied fleet. Becket had no answers. She didn’t understand what Tanaka-lan was doing. She was so sure it was a trick. Once again though, as more and more time passed, it became clear it wasn’t. Then, as soon as they reached the system’s mass shadow, Tanaka-lan’s ships disappeared. They had jumped into shift space! Still shocked, Becket let out a sigh as her shoulders slumped. Whatever Tanaka-lan was doing, it didn’t matter now. Her ships were safe. A large smile spread across her face. Turning, she saw Alvarez, Ivanov, and the others were all sharing it. James had done it! He had killed Taranaki. He had broken the false Imperator’s hold on his people. And he has sown discord among their factions, Becket thought as the various groups of Karacknid warships in orbit around Gayla continued their stand off against one another. Please, please may it not have cost him his life, she begged as Drake and the remnants of the Allied fleet jumped into shift space.
Chapter 46
Tanaka-lan is a name that drives fear into the heart of every young Human child, especially along the frontier colonies. That alone speaks to his historical significance. He has been dead for centuries now, and yet, he still lives on in the hearts of his enemies.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising 3002 AD.
IS Drake
For three hours, Becket kept the Allied fleet travelling through shift space. When they were far enough away from Gayla that she was sure no Karacknid scouts would stumble upon them, she pulled her ships out. They needed time to carry out more repairs and figure out just what they were going to do next. Though she desperately wanted to go and check on James, she quickly found herself overloaded with tasks that needed her attention. Nearly half of her three thousand warships had suffered some kind of damage. Many needed to carry out emergency repairs or they might not even be able to make it to the next system. The fleet supply condition was a nightmare. Thousands of freighters had been lost. An inventory had been taken of everything that remained. What had been found was not exactly encouraging. The fleet had just three quarters of the fuel it needed to get back to Gramrian space. Almost as bad, there were only enough missiles to give all of her ships ten salvos each. Becket had no time to dwell on how she would handle those problems in the long term though; the immediate short-term demands were already too much for her. Personnel had to be reassigned between ships. Food supplies had to be divided up to keep everyone fed. Essential components for repairs had to be found and shuttled to where they were needed most. What fuel and missiles they had also had to be shared out so every ship could fight together if needs be. Eventually, after several hours, she got the fleet to a condition she was content to leave Ivanov and Alvarez in charge. “I’m going to the sick bay,” she announced as she signed off on her last consignment order. “COM me immediately if you need me.”
“Understood Admiral,” Ivanov said. “Let the Admiral know we are all thinking of him.”
“I will,” Becket promised. If he is even alive, she thought. Immediately, anger swelled up at her own betrayal of hope. Yet she was scared about what she would find. The only reports coming out of sickbay had been that the medics were working non-stop on him. When she entered sickbay, she was met by Drake’s senior doctor, Doctor Flores. The doctor’s face and hair looked haggard. Blood was all over her scrubs. “How is he?” Becket asked, her heart rising up to her mouth.
“Alive,” Flores said. “That much I can tell you. We’re still keeping him unconscious. In fact, we’re about to put him into stasis. You can come and see him before we do.”
Becket’s fear heightened. Stasis was used to keep injured patients alive when a ship’s medical facilities could do no more. Following Flores into a cubicle, her hand went to her mouth. She couldn’t help but gasp. James’ body was mangled. There was nothing left of his left arm below the elbow. The left side of his chest was barely recognizable. Stents were holding several deep wounds open. Flores had been working on James’ internal organs. Though she wanted to look away, Becket couldn’t help but peer through the openings. All she could see inside was a mass of sliced-up body tissues. Forcing herself to look at the rest of James’s body, she saw it was covered in thick gashes. She counted at least five that had cut right through his skin to reveal flesh and bone. They had all been washed clean, yet they were still lying open.
