DALIAN CRYSTALS
Chronicles of the Imperial Rangers
BARBARA J. ROBERTSON
DALIAN CRYSTALS - Chronicles of the Imperial Rangers
Copyright © 2019 by Barbara J. Robertson
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination, used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved by the author. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.
DEDICATION
The “Chronicles of the Imperial Rangers” series is dedicated to the men and women of the United States Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard, whose hard work and sacrifice continues to provide us with the freedoms we enjoy, and hold so dear.
Thank you for your service!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks are owed to my close friends, sisters, and advisors:
To RMCM Marie Vellis, for her support for this project. Her leadership and dedication to duty during an exemplary 30-year career in the US Navy helped open the doors for women to achieve ranks and careers previously not available to them. Thank you for your friendship.
To Bonnie Copeland for reading my works, and providing commentary and gentle criticism during the creation process. Thank you, thank you!
To Denise Robertson, RN, and Debbie Hilst, RN, my sisters, for patiently providing medical advice during the creation of this book, and for reading the finished work. Love You!
To Mara Kalcheim, for her encouragement, and for holding my feet to the fire. Thank you!
To Roe Andersen, my proofreader, for her excellent skill and constructive criticism.
To Bettina Moss, for helping drill down to the essence of our heroes. Time in conversation with you was priceless.
To John Lenzi, for his encouragement, friendship, and humor. Thank you, always.
To Rosalie Bruce, for your invaluable advice and assistance during the publishing process.
To the many veterans who shared their memories of military service and battles with me. You are a priceless resource. As you requested, your names have not been disclosed. But your stories of victories and defeats in battle will stay alive.
PROLOGUE
Located in the far corner of the T’Cetyl galaxy is the solar system known as “R’Genra.” Four inhabited planets orbit their sun: Ban’Ti, the jungle planet, third from the sun; M’Wati, the planet of islands, with only two large continental masses and thousands of islands; Home World, the center of the Empire, with eight billion calling the beautiful planet home; and massive K’Halon Prime, the source of human life in the R’Genra system. For nearly 2,500 years, the Empire has ruled K’Halon Prime and Home World, and later M’Wati. Ban’Ti was populated last, being on the inside of the asteroid-filled White Belt.
An unidentified catastrophe over 2,500 years ago was blamed for the current state of K’Halon Prime. The source of the devastation is known only to the Emperor and his highest scientists, and Keeper of the Imperial Records. One side of the planet is densely forested, with two billion people, and even more large mammals, birds, and many other animals. The other side of K’Halon Prime is barren desert, sparse fresh water sources, and thus, absent diversity of plant and animal life. Only vermin, reptiles, vultures, and poisonous insects call the desert side home.
Prior to the catastrophe, humans lived only on K’Halon Prime. The chilly forest planet was divided among many kings, who warred against each other for land, riches, and power. After the catastrophic devastation, surviving kings formed the Empire, and peace and order were established. A great awakening of knowledge occurred during the next centuries. Fantastic technological advances in flight enabled the people to reach beyond the realm of K’Halon Prime to its beautiful neighbor, which they named Home World.
The climate of Home World was mildly temperate, and its soil was very fertile, with many lakes and rivers providing fresh water. Its oceans were dotted with large and small islands, making trade easy and abundant. Its diverse array of plants, land mammals, fish, and birds provided food for the settlers. The human population grew rapidly. The orbit of Home World took one year, whereas K’Halon Prime spent 2.65 years orbiting around the sun. The people relocated to Home World in transport after transport, seeking more favorable living conditions, and much milder winters.
Rapid advancements were made in science and technology during the next millennium, and ships sent out for exploration discovered the planet of islands, M’Wati, and eventually, the little jungle planet of Ban’Ti. The Empire expanded to include the four inhabited planets and beyond, to the outer reaches of the R’Genra system. A thriving arrangement of trade and commerce developed rapidly. Six space bases were established within the system to provide protection for the four worlds and their interdependent commerce.
Minor uprisings had occurred throughout the 2,500 years of the Empire, but were quickly and soundly defeated. The last twenty years of the reign of the Great Benevolent Emperor P’Lau have witnessed the rise and expansion of the Rebellion. Many blamed the very generosity and benevolence of Emperor P’Lau for the growth of the Rebellion, led by his half-brother, Duma Wat. The Rebellion was growing in scope and size, and seemingly unrelated events were coordinated to rally more wealthy supporters to its cause. For the first time in its existence, the security of the Empire was being threatened.
From the first days of the Empire, the Imperial Class System has been the social system for all peoples of the R’Genra system. The Warrior Class has held the uppermost tier of the Imperial Class System. Since the beginning of the Empire, all emperors and empresses have come directly from the Warrior Class, and the same bloodline as Emperor P’Lau. The highest-ranking warriors are the Rangers, sworn by blood oath to the Emperor for their service, will, and their lives. The males are the Borgund Rangers, and the females are the Shi’Lon Rangers. The Rangers are sworn to obey and enforce the will of the Emperor.
Herein begins the first of the Chronicles of the Borgund and Shi’Lon Rangers.
I
Home World
The courtyard of the Royal Palace of Home World was very festive on this New Year’s Eve. Hanging lanterns of all colors swayed in the light breeze, illuminating the entire courtyard and its beautiful displays of twinkling light crystals, colorful pennants, and holiday figurines. For 800 years, the Royal Palace and its surrounding buildings within the thick, ancient stone walls was home for the Emperor and his Rangers, since the first days of the Palace’s construction. Modern holiday lighting decorated every building, giving a fairy-tale glow to the entire Palace complex. It was a glorious place tonight; almost magical.
The tall Borgund Ranger Commander Steph’N slowed his pace to enjoy the evening inside the courtyard for a moment. The night blooming jasmine was so fragrant tonight, competing with the roses’ familiar scent. He could have enjoyed the peaceful, delightful courtyard for hours. But in a few minutes, the Royal Palace Guards would open the courtyard gates, letting people enter for the holiday festivities, and the later fireworks. The musicians were setting up to play. Soon, loud conversations, music, and laughter would completely shatter the peaceful quiet.
Breathing in deeply for a last intoxicating fragrance high, Commander Steph’N savored the peace and quiet for one moment longer. Then he jogged to the entrance doors of the Palace Main Court. It would not reflect well on Steph’N or his Commander Superior Vu’Duc if he arrived late for the Honors Banquet.
Running steps behind him let Steph’N know he was not the last Borgund Ranger to join their formation, thankfully. The women Shi’Lon Rangers were in perfect formation, each one impeccably
dressed in their formal red uniforms. One hundred-fifty Imperial Guards dressed in their purple cloaks and uniforms flanked the Rangers. The trumpets sounded, and twenty Imperial Guards escorted the Great Emperor P’Lau to the golden stairs leading up to his magnificent, levitating throne. When the Emperor turned to face his Rangers and Imperial Guards, they all knelt before him on their right knees. Vu’Duc called, “Draw swords!” The Rangers drew their fiery white plasma swords and held them high with both hands. Then they pulled their swords down to their left breastplates in the Royal Salute, saying, “Long live Emperor P’Lau!” They replaced their fiery swords into their backplates.
“Rise, my Beloved Daughters and Faithful Sons,” the Emperor said. The Imperial Guards, Borgund and Shi’Lon Rangers stood at attention. The Honors Banquet was primarily a formal ceremony to honor the Imperial Guards, and the one hundred-fifty Borgund and fifty Shi’Lon Rangers. Unlike the Army, Navy, Air Corps, and Space Cadre, the Rangers and Imperial Guardsmen never wore medals of any kind, merely rank insignia at the uniform collars. Their awards and commendations were announced in the secluded setting of their Honors Banquet, and notated in their service records. Being a Ranger was the ultimate honor in itself; they were the highest tier of the Warrior Class. The Imperial Guards ranked directly below the Rangers.
Each award winner knelt before the Emperor, thanked him, and silently rejoined the ranks. Steph’N made a mental note of the Ranger awards; many more than years past. The Rebellion was spreading, and its battles and Rangers’ secret assignments multiplying. Six Borgunds and two Shi’Lons gave their lives protecting Emperor P’Lau, or during dangerous assignments this year. Their parents, life partners, or nearest relative received their awards.
Most of the Rangers were sent on missions alone, or in small teams of two or three. The Shi’Lon Rangers were the Emissaries of the Emperor, his Beloved Daughters, and were usually sent as the “Last Chance” Imperial negotiators. They were fully prepared for either a peaceful or hostile end to the negotiations. The Shi’Lon Rangers and the Borgund Rangers were trained together for two and one-half years, in Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 Training. Both types of Rangers were master fighters, highly-trained killers, disciplined, and dedicated their lives to serve the Emperor, and to obey and enforce his will.
But the Borgund Rangers were also trained as deadly assassins. Whereas the Shi’Lons were trained in negotiations, body language interpretation, and contract bargaining in Phase 3 Training, the Borgunds were trained to infiltrate, “neutralize” their target, and disappear without a trace. Steph’N was excellent at disappearing after accomplishing his mission. He successfully completed two high-risk missions this year for the Emperor.
Commander Steph’N received an award and a bonus for “Mission Success under Duress,” a nebulous term for the living hell he endured for five weeks on the jungle planet, Ban’Ti, during its oppressively scorching summer. He lived with the silent monks in their caves, awaiting the optimum time to neutralize his target. He slept fully clothed, with his pant legs tucked into his boots, and the fabric at his wrists and collar snugly tied closed. He also used ear plugs. Bugs were everywhere in Ban’Ti. He hated the fleas, earwigs, and roaches. They were food for the poisonous centipedes, spiders, and scorpions. Steph’N got used to the snakes, lizards, rats, and shrews, but not the insects. He shuttered again, recalling his experience on Ban’Ti.
A fabulous banquet followed the awards. The Emperor honored his Rangers and Imperial Guards with the best food and fine wine from all four planets in the solar system. After an exotic dessert of honeyed wine and snow-ice, most of the Rangers and Imperial Guards marched out of the Main Court to enjoy a couple of weeks off during the holiday with family and friends. But not Steph’N.
He was ordered into the private Royal Court of Emperor P’Lau immediately after the banquet by his Commander Superior Vu’Duc. Two Space Cadre Admirals he’d never met watched him walk up to the gold line between the gold pillars, and they all knelt before the Emperor. “Rise. Please, all of you rise, and be seated,” P’Lau said impatiently.
An Admiral approached the Emperor, and was given leave to speak. “Your Majesty, Commanders Superior Vu’Duc and Bette are correct. He looks just like the Major, Sire,” the Admiral said, staring at Steph’N. The other officer agreed, both officers now staring at Steph’N. His feelings of success and reverie evaporated as Commander Superior Bette approached, and studied him closely.
Shi’Lon Commander Superior Bette was a tough old bird, and made Vu’Duc seem like a pussycat. “Great Emperor P’Lau, your Borgund Ranger could be the traitor’s twin,” she surmised while staring at Steph’N. “The resemblance is remarkable. Only their eyes and hair length are different, Sire.”
Emperor P’Lau called Steph’N to come forward, and stood directly in front of him. It was the closest he’d ever been to his Emperor, with his painted white face and red lips. P’Lau walked around Steph’N, and then turned his head from side to side while holding his chin. “My Faithful Son, have you ever met or heard of Major S’Loc?” He asked.
“Major S’Loc? No, Sire. I know of no such person, my Emperor,” Steph’N replied nervously. “Sire, we Borgund Rangers are not good at being the center of attention. May I be permitted to enquire what exactly is transpiring, my Liege?” C.S. Vu’Duc immediately stood next to Steph’N, glaring at him for being so bold, and addressing the Emperor directly.
The Emperor said, “It’s all right, Vu’Duc. My Ranger has been unfairly treated as an object here, and not given the proper respect one of my Faithful Sons deserves. Let us dispense with the drama, then. I will cut to the heart of the matter. My Faithful Son Commander Steph’N, you bear an uncanny resemblance to the very recently uncovered traitor Major S’Loc. Word of his death has not left this Royal Court,” the Emperor said, and moved his arm to the right.
Imperial Guards parted to reveal the body of Major S’Loc on the floor. Steph’N walked over to the dead body. The dead Major was white and lifeless, but did indeed look just like him. It was bone-chilling; a harbinger of immense foreboding. The white foam around his mouth clearly showed S’Loc committed suicide by cyanide capsule.
“Your Emperor must ask a near-impossible task of his Borgund Ranger Commander Steph’N: will you assume the life of Major S’Loc, a confessed traitor to the Empire, and a Rebel? Will you agree to infiltrate the senior ranks of the Rebels as an undercover agent for your Emperor? The risk is very great. I will not sugar-coat the situation, Steph’N. It would mean deep immersion, perhaps for more than a year or two. But the opportunity presents itself. Right now,” P’Lau said, standing next to Steph’N.
Commander Steph’N looked his Emperor in the eyes for the first time, and then answered, “I swore my service, my will, and my life to you five years ago, Sire. Nothing has changed. I am yours to command, Great Emperor P’Lau,” he answered firmly, and knelt before the Emperor with his head bowed.
Emperor P’Lau touched Steph’N’s shoulder, sighed heavily, and quickly walked back to his throne. He said, “Then I command my Faithful Son Commander Steph’N to assume the life of the traitor Major S’Loc immediately. You are now a Rebel senior officer. You will be hunted by the Empire for S’Loc’s crimes. Your deep immersion status is known only to those present. You will report only to Commander Superior Vu’Duc or your Emperor. Your objective is to become a confidant of the Rebel Leader, the Traitor, Duma Wat. Your mission begins immediately after your briefing from these two Admirals and Commander Superior Vu’Duc. May the Creator bless my Faithful Son Steph’N!”
Steph’N’s deep immersion briefing with the two Admirals from the Space Cadre and C.S. Vu’Duc lasted two hours. The Admirals spent an hour describing Major S’Loc’s experience and current duties to Comm. Steph’N, and his recently discovered subterfuge for the Rebellion. The Major was the Chief Engineering Officer for his battleship, and a real taskmaster, according to the reports from his fellow officers. He was very disciplined, a workaholic, and prided himself on h
aving the best crews in the fleet. No one suspected he harbored a grudge against the Space Cadre and the Empire, and had turned traitor several years ago. Since he socialized infrequently onboard ship, no one paid attention to his after-work activities, or really cared what he did, as long as the Major wasn’t after them.
The Major was the only surviving member of his family. The Admirals said his parents and siblings were all killed three years ago while traveling from Home World to K’Halon Prime to celebrate S’Loc’s big promotion to Major, and making Chief Engineer of his battleship. The passenger transport’s life support system malfunctioned, and the stored oxygen onboard flooded the engine compartment. A Space Cadre rescue ship was en route to the disabled transport, but did not make it in time. The transport exploded in a fireball, killing everyone on board. S’Loc buried his feelings, hiding his resentment from everyone, and threw himself into his work. Later, he joined the Rebels to take out his revenge against the Space Cadre.
S’Loc’s traitorous activities were discovered by chance. He volunteered to stay aboard the brand-new, docked battleship during the holiday vacations, supposedly to conduct inventories of the spare engine parts, tools, and other engineering department equipment. But he was secretly committing sabotage, intentionally disabling the new battleship before its maiden mission. His goal was to leave the new battleship adrift and without any functioning weaponry, for the Rebel Leader Duma Wat to commandeer. The Ship’s Captain returned to the battleship to surprise his Chief Engineer with a New Year’s gift, feeling sorry for the man without a family - and caught him in the act of sabotaging the weapons control system.
The Admiral said, “Only the Ship’s Captain and those with you in the Emperor’s Royal Court know of S’Loc’s confession and his deeds. It is unfortunate that several security crewmen and officers were involved in his capture and incarceration. It would’ve been best if you could have assumed his duties, but that is not possible.”
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