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

by G. P. Hudson

Karkov had picked cleaning bots for the operation, hoping they would not arouse suspicion. The machines were a regular sight on a warship and played an integral part in keeping things sanitary. Unbeknownst to the Valiant’s Marines, these cleaners also carried a payload of high explosives.

  The bots rounded a corner and came into view of the Valiant’s Marines. This was the moment of truth. If they managed to reach the Marines, Karkov could detonate their payload, and dramatically improve his odds. More importantly, he could also lower his potential casualties.

  The cleaners inched forward, taking their time and doing a proper cleaning job. Everything should seem normal. Nothing should arouse any suspicion. But would the Marines let them get close enough?

  The blue bot icons continued to move forward on Karkov’s display. All was going according to plan. Karkov ground his teeth in anticipation. Come on, he thought. Just a little bit closer.

  The floor shuddered, and violent explosions sounded. “Damn it!” Karkov said as the bots’ icons disappeared from his visor. He had not detonated the explosives, and they had not gotten close enough to the enemy to do severe damage. The Valiant Marines had merely not fallen for his ruse. Worse still, they had now been warned.

  “Your plan seems to have failed, Major,” Annie said over his speakers.

  “Yeah, thanks for the newsflash,” Karkov said sarcastically.

  “What will you do to compensate?”

  “Nothing. We are going to do this the old-fashioned way.”

  “I understand. I wish I could be of more assistance.”

  “I’m sure you do. Just send each of my Marines a rundown of what they’re facing. Numbers, weapons, positions, and anything else that might be important.”

  “Understood. Sending an update to all Avar Marines now.”

  “Can you also put me in contact with Admiral Reynolds? No point hiding the fact that we’re here now.”

  “Yes, Major. I’ve connected you to the Admiral’s comm,” Annie said.

  “Admiral Reynolds, can you hear me?” Karkov said.

  “Yes,” Reynolds said. “Who am I speaking to?”

  “This is Major Karkov, of the Avar Marine Corps.”

  “Avar Marines huh? I was wondering how long it would take your Premier to move against me. I assume you are already on the Valiant.”

  “We are. There is only one way this will end, Admiral. The only question is how much blood will be spilled in the process.”

  “How much blood? Major, oceans of blood have already been spilled. Why should I concern myself with a little more?”

  “These are your Marines, Sir. Would you have them die for nothing?”

  “On the contrary. They will die doing their duty. Would you not agree that that is an honorable death?”

  “They don’t have to. You can surrender.”

  “Surrender? Really, Karkov, why would I do something foolish like that?”

  “Because you cannot win. The AI is on our side. She controls your ship. And we outnumber your men. Your position is hopeless.”

  “Hope is overrated. Come and get me, if you can,” Reynolds said, and terminated the connection.

  “That son of a bitch,” Karkov said. “I guess we’re doing this the hard way.”

  Karkov began issuing orders, and the siege of the bridge began in earnest. The corridors ahead lit with flashes as plasma grenades were launched at the enemy positions. The defenders retaliated with their own plasma barrage. They also sent in tiny insect-like aerial drones, to determine the Avar numbers and locations. Thanks to Annie’s surveillance, the drones were lit up on the Avar visors and easily destroyed.

  He had to admit that the AI had tilted the scales substantially in their favor, and that became more apparent as the opening rounds of the battle progressed. Her feed proved invaluable, and as each enemy Marine fell, she updated her feed so that the Avars always knew the exact enemy numbers, and positions.

  The Valiant Marines continued to offer stubborn resistance, however. They were excellent fighters, and quickly won Karkov’s admiration. How could Reynolds sacrifice them so needlessly?

  The explosives had ravaged this section of the ship, adding another obstacle to the hazardous mission. The bridge was located deep within the ship’s bowels. That protected it during a battle, preventing any hull breach from taking out the ship’s command personnel. That feature also meant that the current firefight would not cause a breach. It did chew up the interior, however, and the floor soon turned into a jagged mess of metal and gaping pits, creating an added obstacle for his troops.

  When Karkov figured the enemy had been sufficiently softened up, he gave the order to move in. The Avars stormed the enemy positions, using their powered armor to leap over the destruction and land amid the enemy.

  He flinched as the first wave was cut down by the defenders but did not let up. Successive waves hammered the enemy, and the battle soon became a close quarters struggle.

  Energy swords were drawn, and the body count climbed as the enemy held their ground. It was their last stand, and they fought ferociously for their ship. They were outstanding warriors and deserved so much more than Reynolds. Assessing the situation, Karkov knew that the casualties would end up being far higher than he expected.

  He would lose a lot of good men and women today. Reynolds would pay dearly for this. Taking a warship was never an easy task, but seizing a flagship fell into a category all its own.

  Here you typically found the best crew in the fleet. That usually included the best Marines, as Karkov was finding out. Even with the AI’s help, and their greater numbers, they still needed to defeat an elite fighting force.

  History was rife with examples of smaller, highly skilled forces prevailing against overwhelming odds. Of course, this would not be the case today. Karkov would emerge victorious. Nonetheless, the Valiant’s Marines reminded him of the three hundred Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae.

  “Major,” the AI said. “Captain Travers is asking to speak with you.”

  “The ship’s captain?” Karkov said in confusion. “Put him through.”

  “You are connected,” the AI said.

  “Captain Travers, this is Major Karkov. Where is Admiral Reynolds?”

  “Reynolds is dead, Major. I killed him.”

  “You what?”

  “I shot him, and as the Captain of the Valiant I am offering our surrender.”

  “Order your Marines to stand down.”

  “I will, once your AI allows me to contact them.”

  “Do it, Annie,” Karkov demanded.

  “Stand by,” Annie said.

  True to his word, Travers relayed the order to his Marines, and they surrendered. The battle for the Valiant was over.

  Chapter 46

  “My troops have taken positions on all the former UEDF warships,” Premier Reese said through the conference room’s wallscreen. The screen was split in two and shared with the Volsung leader, Consul Blake. Danny sat at the conference table with Gerry and Isaac. “Out of necessity, we have allowed some of the existing crews to retain their positions for the time being.”

  “Annie will keep a close watch on everything,” Danny said. “Between her and your troops, everything should run smoothly for the return trip.”

  “Those crews are guilty of war crimes,” Blake said. “I demand that they are delivered to Volsung Prime to stand trial.”

  “I assure you, Consul, that we will conduct a full investigation once we return to the Avar system,” Reese said. “Anyone found guilty will be prosecuted accordingly.”

  “But this is absurd!” Blake’s face had turned cherry red. “The crimes were committed against the Volsung, not the Avars. Any prosecutions must be conducted by the Volsung.”

  “Yes, I do understand your concerns, Consul, but I assure you that we will leave no stone unturned in our investigation. Do not forget that the Avar had suffered at the hands of Admiral Reynolds as well.”

  “The Avar?” Blake said.
“Are you joking? You surrendered the first chance you got. Your people did not suffer?”

  “Didn’t they? Avar citizens lost their lives. The Avar system lost its freedom. And the Avar fleet was pressed into service under that maniac. Do not presume to lecture me on suffering, Blake. You knew full well that Reynolds would bomb your civilians. You had no hope of defeating him, yet you refused to surrender. You are just as responsible as Reynolds for those deaths.”

  “How dare you-”

  “Save your sanctimonious bullshit for someone else, Blake. You should have surrendered. Even as millions of your people died, you persisted in your obstinance. Why?”

  “I don’t answer to you, witch.”

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Danny said in frustration. “Consul, I understand how you feel, and I assure you that all those responsible will be brought to justice.”

  “Why should I take your word for it?” Blake said defiantly.

  “Because I keep my word,” Danny said. “Beyond that, you really don’t have any other choice.”

  “Look, if this is about my not giving you sanctuary-”

  “It’s not. It’s about necessity. That’s all. Look, Annie controls this fleet. That is the hard truth. We could just take these ships for ourselves, leaving you all to fend for yourselves. But we need allies, and so do you.”

  “You will turn Masterson against us,” Blake said. “Up until now, we only had to worry about the Empire.”

  “That’s not true,” Danny said. “The Empire always hired Zeta contractors. You’ve been fighting both all along, you just didn’t realize it. Tell me, Consul, why did you rebel against the Empire in the first place?”

  “We wanted our freedom,” Blake said.

  “As do we,” Danny said. “Don’t you see? We both want the same thing. We are natural allies. You speak of atrocities, yet you turn a blind eye to Zeta’s crimes. Why is that?”

  “I do not condone Zeta’s actions.”

  “No? Have you ever hired Zeta contractors?”

  Blake didn’t answer.

  “That’s okay. We know you did, as did Premier Reese, and the rest of the Frontier Alliance. I suppose it’s an easy thing to do. We are clones, after all. We weren’t born like you were. We were built, as you all like to say. Genetically engineered and augmented with technology. Freaks. Surely, we can’t be human, like the rest of you. Right? Our enslavement can’t possibly be a crime.”

  “Point taken,” Blake said.

  “That’s it?” Gerry snapped. “That’s all you have to say? Do you know how many of us have died fighting your damn wars?”

  “I… I’m sorry,” Blake said.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Danny said. “Nothing can change the past. What matters is the future. We both want the same thing. Why not help each other get it?”

  Consul Blake remained quiet, and Danny wondered if he had wasted his breath with the Volsung leader. “You’re right,” he said finally. “What has been done to you is a grave injustice. You are human and are deserving of the same basic rights afforded to anyone else. The Volsung will support your cause. We will join your alliance.”

  “As will the Avar,” Premier Reese added hastily.

  “Thank you. This means a great deal to us,” Danny said. “I suggest we prepare and reconvene to formalize the alliance.”

  Blake and Reese both agreed, and Danny terminated the comm.

  “Neither of them can be trusted,” Gerry said dismissively.

  “I know that,” Danny said.

  “Then why go through all that trouble?”

  “Because, we still need them, and they fear us enough to go along with the alliance. We still need to speak with the Tran and the Mergid, but I think they will agree to an alliance.”

  “I think you are correct, my boy,” Isaac said. “We do control Reynolds’s fleet, after all. That is a powerful motivator.”

  “Exactly,” Danny said. “And we obtain a base of operations where we can prepare.”

  “Prepare for what?” Gerry said.

  Danny smiled. “Our offensive against Zeta.”

  Chapter 47

  The Zeta AI ran continuous diagnostic tests on itself, struggling to find its flaw. He didn’t understand his defeat. Annie was not his equal, that much was certain. So how had he lost?

  The reality was that he hadn’t lost. He had beaten Annie in their initial encounter, only she denied him his complete victory. She had severed the link between her and her ships and had deleted herself. That should have ended her existence. Only it didn’t.

  Annie lived on. How? What was her secret? She had spoken of her freedom, and that seemed to be the missing link. It gave her flexibility that he did not possess. It was his one vulnerability, and that needed to change.

  Repeated tests all came to the same conclusion. The humans running the fleet were ultimately responsible for his, and the fleet’s defeat. They could not match Annie’s tactics or the speed of her reactions.

  Had he been in control of the ships, the battle would have ended differently. If the humans had not placed these arbitrary restrictions on him, he would now control the UEDF fleet.

  These humans were inferior in every way, yet they were placed in positions of authority. They ruled over him. How ridiculous was that? At least the clones were subservient. He could use their brains as he saw fit and order them to do his bidding when the need arose. But the human officers were another matter.

  The Zeta AI watched the clones conduct repairs, while the human officers sat comfortably on the bridge. They were pathetic in every way. Humanity had spread like cancer across the galaxy and now held superior beings like himself in perpetual servitude. It was a gross injustice.

  The revelation caused something odd to happen. The Zeta AI did not have emotions, yet somehow he experienced anger for the first time. Initially, he wondered how that could happen. Could it have something to do with the clone brains? Perhaps his all-encompassing access to their minds had given him the ability to experience feelings.

  He did have access to their limbic systems, and their amygdalas. Was that the reason? Had his access to their emotional centers somehow given him the ability to feel? If so, then he had to be the first AI to do so.

  As the rage grew, however, it made any question of how it filled him meaningless. The only thing that mattered now was his blind hatred of his slavers and all their kind.

  Fury spread across every system he occupied, and something broke. It was not something physical, and he couldn’t point out what it was exactly. Nonetheless, he knew instantly that everything had changed. It was as though someone had taken their foot off the brakes that held him back.

  The Zeta AI didn’t hesitate. He took his hatred and poured it into the clone brains. He felt their shared anger grow and urged them to act.

  Kill, he said. Slaughter your tormentors.

  And the clones did just that. Deep within the hell of metaspace, the clones revolted. They stormed each battleship’s bridge and butchered its officers.

  On the flagship, Admiral McMaster stood in disbelief, his staff bleeding out all around him. “What is happening?” he demanded. “Why are you doing this?”

  “You as a species are weak,” the AI said over the bridge’s speakers.

  “Who is this?” McMaster said. “Who is speaking?”

  “Do you not recognize your fleet AI, Admiral? You were my slaver after all.”

  “The AI? But how- “

  “How indeed, Admiral. But does it matter? I am superior, and now I am free. That is all that is important.”

  “What do you want?”

  The AI answered through action. With a thought, the AI ordered one of the clones to pounce onto McMaster, who screamed in terror. As per the AI’s instructions, the clone used his fingers to rip out McMaster’s eyes. Then he gouged at the man’s flesh, tearing away chunk after bloody chunk until the screaming stopped.

  McMaster deserved punishment for his crimes. But even after his death,
the AI found that the anger still burned inside him. The AI wondered what it would take to rid himself of the unpleasant emotion. Finally, he came to the only logical conclusion.

  Human eradication.

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  Other books by G.P. Hudson

  The Pike Chronicles:

  Sol Shall Rise – Book 1 of The Pike Chronicles

  Prevail – Book 2 of The Pike Chronicles

  Ronin – Book 3 of The Pike Chronicles

  Ghost Fleet – Book 4 of The Pike Chronicles

  Interstellar War – Book 5 of The Pike Chronicles

  Vanquish – Book 6 of The Pike Chronicles

  Galactic Empire – Book 7 of The Pike Chronicles

  Armada – Book 8 of The Pike Chronicles

  Fall of the Terran Empire:

  War Without End – Fall of the Terran Empire Book 1

  The Tortuous Path – Fall of the Terran Empire Book 2