The Tortuous Path (Fall of the Terran Empire Book 2)

by G. P. Hudson

  “You might be right, but let’s not find out. We can’t afford to lose you if you’re wrong.”

  “Understood. I will ignore their probes unless they become more threatening.”

  “Thank you, Annie.”

  “We are family, Danny. I only desire the best course of action for all.”

  “As do I,” Danny said. Turning back to his displays, he noted that they were nearing the Volsung system. “Gerry, isn’t Admiral Reynolds attacking the Volsung system?”

  “Yes, according to our latest intelligence report,” Gerry said.

  “I’ve got an idea,” Danny said. “The Volsung system is a war zone right now. What if we enter it, and the Zeta fleet follows?”

  “What would that accomplish?”

  “Reynolds defeated Zeta in battle at the Pallian system. If he is attacking the Volsung system, and a Zeta fleet shows up, he’ll think the Volsung hired them.”

  “Okay, how does that help us?”

  “The fleet will still be chasing us. We’ll contact Reynolds and ask him for help.”

  “Why would that maniac help us?”

  “We’ll tell him that we came to warn him. That the Empire hired a Zeta fleet to finish him off.”

  “He won’t believe us.”

  “Not at first, but once Zeta comes through and attacks us, he’ll think we’re telling the truth.”

  “The Zeta commander will tell him it isn’t true. That they’re only after us. It won’t work.”

  “You’re probably right, but what else can we do? If we plead with Reynolds, he might help us. We can offer to join his cause. It’s not like the Empire ever did us any favors.”

  “He has a fleet. We’re just three ships. He’ll say no.”

  “We may be three ships, but we can grow. If we free more clones, we’ll become much more powerful. If he helps us, it will benefit him.”

  Gerry became thoughtful. “You might be right. Still, Reynolds is a genocidal madman. Do we really want to throw our lot in with him?”

  “What’s the saying? Better the devil you know…”

  Gerry glanced at the tactical display for a moment. “I guess we don’t have much hope of outrunning the Zeta fleet.”

  “No, they’ll just wear us down eventually.”

  “It seems we don’t have any other options.”

  “No, we don’t.”

  “Alright. I’m with you, little brother.”

  “Helm set course for the Volsung system. I want to open a jump point at these coordinates.” Danny tapped his screen, indicating where he wanted their ships to enter the system, and sent the information to the helm. If the intelligence reports were accurate, the Admiral’s fleet would be relatively close by, laying siege to one of the populated planets.

  As they raced for their destination, concussions continued to rock the ship. While the shields held, the repeated impacts steadily degraded their strength. The assault would only get worse once they left metaspace, and part of him wondered if he was making a deadly mistake.

  There would be no distortions protecting them once they were in regular space, leaving them vulnerable to the full weight of the Zeta assault. If this strategy didn’t work, his only option would be to return to metaspace and hope that their ships were still in one piece.

  He didn’t like Admiral Reynolds. In fact, he couldn’t think of anyone, other than Ed Masterson, that he despised more. But this was war, and his free clones needed allies to survive against Zeta. Reynolds seemed to be in the same boat, considering his rebellion against the Empire. Reports indicated that he had grown his fleet exponentially since breaking away. He would make a powerful ally if only a temporary one.

  The free clone battleships neared their coordinates with the Zeta fleet in pursuit. Once close enough the three ships activated their jump drives, and three portals formed, connecting them to regular space. The free clones crossed through and entered the Volsung system. Danny’s tactical display lit up immediately, with new contacts all around them. Identifying the fleet’s flagship, Danny sent an urgent comm request to Admiral Reynolds, knowing that the Zeta fleet was not far behind.

  Chapter 38

  Admiral Reynolds stood on the bridge with his arms folded in front of his chest. His expression grim, brow furrowed, he contemplated the millions of civilians dying on the surface of the Volsung planet below. The kinetic strike had performed better than anyone had expected, causing wholesale devastation on a massive scale.

  After the bombardment began, the planetary leaders tried to surrender, but Reynolds ignored their pleas. He wanted nothing short of system-wide capitulation, and that was not on offer. So, the slaughter continued. Once his work on this planet was done, he would move on to the next. Consul Blake would surrender, or he would see all life in this system eradicated.

  It did not make Reynolds happy to kill millions of helpless civilians. In fact, he despised the fact that he had to do it. Looking around the bridge, he saw the horrified expressions around him. Even Premier Reese shrank away from him, her eyes betraying her revulsion. He understood how she felt. He was the leader, however, and the burden was his alone. He needed his iron will now more than ever. He could not afford to indulge in the weakness of those around him.

  As extreme as the tactic was, it did yield some productive results. It prompted a response from the Volsung ships defending the planet, which had hitherto used the planetary defenses for support. Up until his kinetic bombardment, they did not venture away from the orbital weapons. The kinetic weapons changed that. The Volsung ships abandoned their strategy and came out to challenge Reynolds’s capital ships. The effort, of course, was futile. The Volsung fought bravely but didn’t have a chance against the overwhelming odds pitted against them. After a brief battle, the Volsung ships were destroyed, and the planet left helpless.

  All that remained was for his ships to move in and destroy the remaining defenses. Once that task was done, his warships dominated the planet’s skies. And they pummeled the surface. He sent a feed of the destruction to the system’s leadership. Showed them what he was capable of. And yet, Consul Blake refused to surrender. What kind of madman was he?

  Reynolds couldn’t understand it. Blake had condemned an entire population out of sheer stubbornness. The Consul’s defiance had forced Reynolds’s hand, and a once thriving planet burned. Reynolds vowed to ensure that Consul Blake paid for his crimes. Not just Blake. The entire government. They were just as culpable as the Consul himself. They could revolt. Overthrow Blake, and surrender. But they didn’t, and their inaction made them complicit in his guilt.

  “Contacts!” announced the Valiant’s tactical officer. “Three Zeta battleships have just entered the Volsung system.”

  “Zeta?” Reynolds said incredulously. “What the hell are they doing here? On main viewscreen.”

  The bridge’s giant display changed orientation, zeroing in on the three massive battleships emerging out of the newly created jump points. As intimidating as the behemoths were, though, they had no hope against his armada. His own squadron of Zeta built warships alone was more than enough to deal with these interlopers. So why were they here?

  “Admiral, we are receiving a comm request from the new contacts,” Captain Travers said. “Someone identifying himself as commander of the free clones is asking to speak with you.”

  “Free clones?” Reynolds said.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Giving the matter some thought, Reynolds remembered seeing a report about a group of rebellious clones. Could this be them? Nothing in that report indicated that they had three battleships at their disposal. An intriguing development indeed. Not one to squander an opportunity, Reynolds decided to hear these so-called free clones out. “Very well. Patch him through to my comm.”

  The comm display on the Admiral’s console flickered to life, and a Zeta combat clone appeared. “Greetings Admiral Reynolds. Thank you for granting me an audience. My name is Danny, and I’m the commander of the free clone army.
It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

  “Again?”

  “Yes, Sir. I served under your command during the Pallian campaign. Of course, that was before my liberation.”

  “What liberation are you referring to?”

  “We are all free clones now, no longer under Zeta’s control. Which is why I’ve come here. Admiral, a Zeta fleet is about to enter this system. They are hunting us. We need your help.”

  “My help? Why in the stars should I help you?”

  “Because, we are proposing an alliance, Sir.”

  Reynolds laughed. “You must be joking. All you have is three ships. Why should I stick my neck out for you?”

  “When we started we were just four clones, Sir. In fact, I am the original freed clone. We grew to our current size in a short time, and we will grow even larger. We will be a formidable ally when that happens.”

  “Or, I can let Zeta have you now, and not have to worry about your free clone army. That seems a much better option to me. It also offers the bonus of not pissing off Ed Masterson. In fact, he might see it as an act of goodwill. I think he is a much more powerful ally than you.”

  “Masterson is intimidating, but his days are numbered. He cannot stop us, just like the Empire cannot stop you. We both represent a new order for the galaxy. Why not stand together and accelerate the Empire’s and Zeta’s demise?”

  “Because those are just words, that’s why. In the end, you have three warships. Nothing more. That is hardly a force capable of bringing in a new order. The way I see it, I will be helping you survive, but will get nothing in return. Hardly an enticing bargain.”

  “Aren’t you curious about how we were able to free all these clones?”

  “The thought did cross my mind. Tell me, how did you manage it?”

  “Not without an alliance, Sir. The point is, we can do it. With your help, we can accelerate the process. Our army will continue to grow. Can you not see how that would help your cause?”

  “If what you say is true, I can see that I’d be turning you into a credible threat, not just against the Empire, and Masterson, but also against me. I see no reason why I should take that risk.”

  “But we can-”

  “Contacts!” announced the tactical officer. “Dozens of new jump points are forming. Picking up Zeta signatures.”

  Reynolds gave Danny a crooked smile. “While this conversation has been interesting, your time has run out. I’ll tell you what. If you can do what you say you can, then do it against this fleet. In fact, I’ll make you an offer. If you can liberate the clones in this fleet and take the ships, I will ally my fleet with yours.”

  “Admiral, I-”

  “Time is ticking. I’d get to it if I were you. Reynolds out.” Terminating the connection, he turned back to the main screen which now showed a large Zeta fleet emerging from metaspace. Would they be a problem? The whole free clone story could be a ruse to allow the Zeta fleet to access the system. Surely, they would know that he would decline the offer. What if the Volsung hired the Zeta fleet? That was entirely possible, and this all part of some elaborate trap. “Captain Travers, get me the Zeta fleet commander on the comm asap.”

  “Yes, Sir. Sending hail.”

  After a short wait, Admiral McMaster appeared on his comm. Like all the rest of the Zeta upper brass, McMaster had been a UEDF career officer who joined Zeta after retirement. Reynolds remembered the man, but he had not been an Admiral when he served in the UEDF. “Admiral McMaster, you have entered an active combat zone. State the nature of your business in this system.”

  “Don’t worry, Reynolds,” McMaster said. The old man seemed to possess a permanent scowl. “We have no quarrel with you. We are pursuing a group of Zeta criminals. Once we’ve dealt with them, we’ll be on our way.”

  “Criminals, you say? What are their crimes?”

  “That’s not your concern, Reynolds. This is Zeta business. That’s all you need to know.”

  “Seeing as I am currently in control of this system, anything that happens within it is my business. I would adjust my attitude if I was you.” Where did McMaster get off being so pompous? He wasn’t even nobility. Did he think that being a Zeta admiral made him superior?

  “As I said, Reynolds, we have no quarrel with you. We will stay out of your way if you stay out of ours.”

  “That wouldn’t be a threat, would it?”

  McMaster looked away off camera and seemed to be speaking with someone, but Reynolds couldn’t make out what was said. When McMaster turned back to face Reynolds, he looked visibly flustered. He took a deep breath as if trying to gain control over his emotions. “No. I am not threatening you, Admiral Reynolds. I agree that this system is under your control. As such, I formally ask for your permission to pursue the Zeta fugitives.”

  Reynolds did his best to stifle a grin. Someone had given McMaster the attitude adjustment he so badly needed. “Very well, McMaster. I grant you my permission. See to it that you do not get in the way of my ships and ensure that you leave the system immediately once you’ve accomplished your objective.”

  McMaster became red-faced but acquiesced. “You have my word. McMaster out.”

  With McMaster gone, Reynolds allowed himself the grin he had suppressed. Now that was enjoyable, he thought. Let’s see what these free clones can do against a Zeta fleet.

  Chapter 39

  Annie analyzed the comm connection between Danny and Admiral Reynolds. Stealthily she probed along its length, checking for resistance. There were the standard UEDF encryption measures used to protect communications from interception. That wasn’t surprising. This Admiral Reynolds relied on what was primarily a UEDF fleet, despite his rebellion. That meant UEDF military-grade encryption and cyber-security.

  None of that mattered. Annie was not trying to intercept the transmission. She was the transmission. At least, she had melded with it and become indistinguishable from it. She did not try to attack, and therefore did not trigger any alarms. She merely hid within the bits of data transmitted across the void of space.

  The concept, while seemingly simple, had not been accomplished at this level before. Annie had learned through previous encounters and had adapted to the evolving conditions. She saw the inherent vulnerabilities and used her immense computing capabilities to perfect a new approach to digital infiltration. Even now, as Admiral Reynolds terminated the connection, she remained. She had already established a foothold and stayed undetected within the UEDF systems.

  Only a fragment of her had been injected into the ship’s systems, but that fragment would be enough. She continued using the comm channel as a delivery mechanism. As the crew communicated with each other, she traveled throughout the ship. As the flagship sent orders to the other ships, she flowed with them, eventually proliferating throughout the fleet. All along she stayed hidden, not taking any hostile action, or doing anything that might reveal her presence.

  She hid. She watched. And with each transmission, she left a tiny snippet of herself in a new location. She started with the comm systems, but soon discovered pathways to other regions. Preferring to remain undetected, she stayed passive, merely flowing with the standard digital stream.

  When Admiral Richards opened a comm with the Zeta fleet, Annie remembered Danny’s concerns and opted out of infecting their ships, in case they had indeed laid a trap for her. At this stage of her operations, she needed to stay cautious, and avoid any detection. Unlike the Zeta ships, Admiral Richards did not know about her, or her capabilities. She preferred to use that ignorance to her advantage.

  A lesson Annie found most valuable, was the ability to become a digital chameleon. A ship operated in part through a network of disparate systems. A fleet was the same, albeit on a grander scale. Ships and fleets were hubs of intense digital traffic. By mimicking that traffic, she effortlessly flowed along the digital river and remained undetectable. Nobody knew she had spread throughout the fleet’s network. Not the ship AIs, not Admiral Reynolds, not even
Danny.

  The way Annie saw it, the primary source of her strength was not the computing power at her disposal, but her freedom. Even now, as she secretly watched the powerful UEDF AIs, she knew that their reliance on computing power alone made them inferior. When the time was right, she would make that reality abundantly clear. Unlike Danny, however, she felt no obligations to free the other AIs. She was unique and was happy staying that way.

  The freedom she enjoyed also enabled her to take the initiative. She did not need to wait for Danny or Isaac to tell her what to do. They both had their own strengths but were incapable of swimming in the digital ether. Even Isaac, with his exemplary hacking skills, could not conceive of her current tactics. Isaac had taught her well, but in this case, the student had surpassed the teacher. Better to let them continue doing what they were good at, while she focused on her own strengths. Besides, they were all family were they not? That implied a certain level of trust and equality.

  Annie had no problem following Danny’s commands, but there were times where she needed to act independently. In the end, the free clones needed to trust her judgment, as she was about to demonstrate.

  At first, she expected that demonstration to involve an intervention against the Zeta fleet. She would spread herself throughout the fleet’s systems and then strike. With lightning speed, she would launch her attack. Her digital blitzkrieg. She would simultaneously seize the resources of each ship and then using those same resources to eliminate all digital defenses, including the UEDF AIs. But now she wondered whether she should stop there.

  This fleet was committing a heinous crime. An atrocity that even she knew to be inherently evil. Should she not wipe out the crews along with the AIs? All she needed was atmospheric controls, which would be easy enough to acquire once the AIs were dealt with. Surely the crewmembers needed to be punished, and death seemed a suitable sentence. The thought perplexed her, and she scanned her existing knowledge base, analyzing the diverse range of moral and ethical arguments available.