Empire turmoil gate ghos.., p.38
Empire Turmoil (Gate Ghosts Book 10), page 38
This time, the warriors were stunned into silence.
“What is the conclave’s condition?” a commander inquired.
“It seems unlikely that commanders and warriors couldn’t push the conclave off the planet,” a commander proposed.
In the security control room, the agents watched the commanders discipline the warriors. Then the commanders congregated and left to find a location where they couldn’t be observed.
“The fleet imperator’s words don’t ring true to me,” a Radag commander objected.
“You heard Commander Jogthurt’s message,” another commander argued. “He told us to speak to the fleet imperator. Why would he say that if he didn’t believe the imperator would be truthful with us?”
“I don’t understand why we should be separated to different ships depending on whether we choose to give up our weapons,” a third commander said.
“I think we’re missing the major points,” a senior commander said. “Does everyone accept that the conclave is on Darmian?”
Only half of the commanders raised clawed hands.
“There is our first argument,” the senior acknowledged.
“Do you believe it?” a commander who hadn’t raised a hand asked the senior commander.
“It’s a given,” the senior commander growled in rebuke. “How many of us stayed on our assigned planets past our contract dates?”
As it was a rhetorical question, the other commanders could only nod, accepting the point.
“And why were we told that we couldn’t be returned to Darmian?” the senior commander continued to press. “It was the conclave. So, why would we think they would have abandoned our planet after taking over the system?”
When no one responded, the senior commander stated forcefully, “Therefore, there can be little doubt that the conclave occupies Darmian. Now to the second contention. Do you think the conclave would occupy our planet and not govern as they’re prone to do?”
The other commanders were bewildered by the logic. They wanted to be angry like their warriors.
“So, you have two choices just as each warrior does,” the senior commander said. “First, you can choose not to accept the fleet imperator’s words and remain on Sathus in this warren. Second, if you accept his words, then you leave your weapons behind or you don’t.”
“How will we communicate our decisions to the fleet imperator?”
The senior commander considered the logistics. “Have each Radag decide before morning meal,” he said. “If they’re in the second group, they must eat and return to their rooms. The commanders and the warriors who wish to keep their weapons will remain in the meal room. They’ll board first as the imperator directed.”
“The second group will be loath to part with their weapons while other warriors have theirs,” a commander pointed out.
The senior commander acknowledged the point with a low growl. “I have it,” he said. “The second group will keep their weapons until the first group has departed. Then they’ll leave their weapons in their rooms. However, warn every warrior that their words won’t be accepted, I intend to supervise inspections.”
“Then you intend to be in the second group,” a commander noted.
“I do,” the senior commander said. “I want to see Darmian again. And I think more has happened with the conclave and Darmian than we can imagine. We might not like it, but it’s probably a future we have to face.”
In the security control room, Ikhajard waited until Hajgurt left and the other agents had taken a break. Left alone, she tapped her panel and brought up her comm system. Then she connected to the fleet imperator’s peacekeeper.
“You’ll excuse my impertinence, Commander,” Ikhajard said. “I wanted to ask about Commander Jogthurt.”
Janus sent.
Briefly, Ikhajard wondered how the fleet imperator knew her title, but then she figured it had something to do with the equipment originating her call.
“I like the commander,” Ikhajard replied defensively. “He could have led his breakout to decimate us. Instead, he worked to protect every Krackus. When you picked them up, not a single Krackus had been injured or killed.”
“Why a new city?” Ikhajard inquired.
“Then the commander is well,” Ikhajard pressed.
Janus found it revealing that a female Krackus would be worried about the well-being of a Radag commander.
“Thank you for speaking with me,” Ikhajard said pleasantly. Then she ended the call.
The next morning, Gorstet was early to the command center. He’d just finished his second hot drink and belched, when the call came through from the fleet imperator.
“We’ve a shuttle in the tube prepared to lift, Fleet Imperator,” Gorstet replied.
“We’ll operate as before,” Gorstet replied.
“Understood,” Gorstet replied. “Can I assume that you’ll be taking every Radag with you?”
When the moment approached, Janus connected to the security center, which transferred her voice to broadcast warren wide.
The commanders had gathered in the dining hall, and most of them turned toward the senior commander.
“Commander Kathreft speaks for the Radags,” the senior commander replied.
“They have,” Kathreft replied.
“None,” Kathreft responded. “The commanders and warriors have made their choices about the weapons. The numbers are about even.”
“I’m leaving my weapons behind, Fleet Imperator,” Kathreft replied. “I’ve told my companions that I want to see Darmian again. Can I have your word that will happen?”
Janus replied.
“Good enough,” Kathreft remarked. “The weapons group boards first, correct?”
“Standing by, Fleet Imperator,” Kathreft replied.
In answer, the heavy hatch that led to the interlock rose.
The first group of Radags entered the interlock, and security closed the inner hatch and opened the outer one. After boarding the shuttle, the Radags were taken to an AI-controlled peacekeeper.
Two more shuttles launched from Sathus to transfer the remaining Radags with weapons to the AI peacekeeper.
When it came time for the second group to load, Kathreft called out, “Security, are you there?”
Hajgurt selected a comm channel. “Here, Commander.”
“For security purposes, I intend to check every shuttle load for weapons after they’ve entered the interlock,” Kathreft said.
“Fleet Imperator Jargreth, are you good with that plan?” Hajgurt queried.
Kathreft heard the imperator, and he intended to execute his search thoroughly.
The inner interlock hatch rose, and Kathreft led two commanders and many warriors into the space. Then the hatch shut behind them. “If you’re still holding weapons, drop them or you’ll remain here,” he commanded.
The warriors were hesitant, but one by one, they threw small weapons aside. There was continuous clatter as metal struck the hard floor.
“Commanders, to me,” Kathreft ordered. Then he searched each commander for weapons. Finding none, he said, “Now we do the same for the warriors.”
Suddenly, there was the occasional ring of metal striking the floor.
Kathreft’s growl was unmistakable to the warriors. It warned of a commander ready to discipline a warrior to the extent he might not survive.
Among the warriors, three more weapons dropped.
“If we find anyone holding, you’ll be fortunate if we don’t slit your throat,” one of the other commanders called out.
A single light sound was heard. It was probably a sharp, pointed item worn around the neck.
Then the three commanders checked every warrior. Not a single weapon was found.
“Security, ready to proceed,” Kathreft called out.
Hajgurt signaled an agent who triggered the outer interlock hatch.
Kathreft kept an eye on the warriors as they marched out to ensure that no one stopped to snatch a weapon off the floor. When the interlock was clear except for him, Kathreft said loudly, “Cycle the next group into the interlock.”
Security did as instructed, and Kathreft repeated his commands and procedures. Although, he made sure to warn the warriors up front about the consequences of harboring weapons.
When the last Radags entered the interlock, commanders and warriors were quickly searched for weapons. When that was complete, Kathreft stood in front of three commanders and the warriors. Then slowly and methodically, he pulled a weapon and dropped it to the floor.
Every Radag in Kathreft’s audience was surprised by the number of weapons that he had secreted around him.
Then Kathreft turned to a commander and held his arms out to his sides. “Commander, if you would,” he requested.
Commanders and warriors learned a valuable lesson, while they watched Kathreft being searched. Despite being weaponless, he would lead them from the front. It was something that they’d always appreciated in a commander.
Kathreft regarded the vid cam, and he nodded.
Then the outer interlock hatch opened.
Kathreft briefly glanced at the inner interlock hatch. I hope to never see the likes of you again, he thought. Then he led the final group of Sathus incarcerated out of the warren and to the waiting shuttle.
The Radags aboard both peacekeepers were equally shocked to discover that not a single Krackus inhabited the ships.
As the peacekeepers accelerated to exit the system, Janus addressed the Radags aboard both her ship and the AI ship.
For the first two cycles, the sentients’ monitoring of the Radags appeared to show that they were settling into the flight.
On the third cycle, Mariner brought the other sentients’ attention to a condition on the AI ship. he sent.
Two cycles out from Darmian, a group of warriors led by commanders approached the AI’s bridge.
Alerted by her companions, Janus sent,
“Ready,” Kathreft responded after ducking out of a corridor into a meal room. Then a monitor lit for him. It displayed Radags gathered in a corridor with makeshift equipment. “What am I seeing?” he asked.
Kathreft’s meal room was partially full with about thirty warriors. They were concerned that the consequences of breaking into a different peacekeeper bridge would adversely affect them.
The senior commander’s first words halted the action in the other ship’s corridor. However, it was brief. Then the rioters ignored the voice.
Undaunted, Kathreft continued to entreat the commanders to stop the break-in. Nothing he said made them listen. If anything, it seemed to spur them on.
“Fleet Imperator, is there nothing that can be done to stop them?” Kathreft called out.
Janus cut Kathreft’s feed to the other ship. Then she sent,
When the raiders failed to break into the bridge with pry bars, they resorted to a torch. The hatch’s heavy metal forced the rioters to change the supply tanks twice. Finally, the rioters had access to a large hole.
An extinguisher was used to cool the hot metal. Then the commanders crawled through the hole.
“What is this?” a commander roared. “There’s no one here.”
“Is that true, Imperator?” Kathreft asked.
Janus broadcast across the AI ship in hopes that other Radags would stop the rioters.
“We don’t trust you,” a commander on the bridge called out. He kicked a box in the middle of the bridge. “Is this how you control the ship?”
Then Kathreft and the warriors behind him watched as two commanders roared, grabbed the AI’s control and power cables, and yanked them from the underpinning of the bridge console. Then their monitor went dark.
“What has happened?” Kathreft asked anxiously.
“What does that mean to the Radags aboard that ship?” Kathreft demanded.
Janus could hear the angry growls of the warriors behind Kathreft. She also saw him whirl on the warriors. He didn’t growl at them. Instead, he glared at them, and they grew sullenly quiet.
“Imperator, what if we went there to quell the riot?” Kathreft proposed.
Janus replied.
“Meaning, you can’t even open a shuttle bay,” Kathreft surmised.
Kathreft shook his head, growling low but menacingly. “Fleet Imperator, have every commander meet me at the bridge hatch,” he directed, as he marched out of the meal room.
When the commanders assembled, Kathreft shared what had happened on the other ship. He concluded, “It’s unknown whether they can be rescued, but we’ll know in two more cycles.”
“Why are we up here?” a commander inquired nervously, eyeing the bridge hatch.
Despite the horrific circumstances of the other ship, Kathreft chortled softly. “It’s certainly not to break into this bridge,” he replied.
Relief flooded through the other commanders, just as it did through Janus.
“I want a commander and two warriors posted here every moment of the next two cycles,” Kathreft directed. “Set up a schedule. Rotate eight times a cycle.”
“And if our ship produces rioters?” a commander queried.
“You should hear rumblings,” Kathreft replied. “If you’re taken by surprise, call out. The fleet imperator will share your alarm, and you’ll have all the support you need.”
