All’s Fair in Blood and War (The Kurtherian Endgame Book 4)

by Michael Anderle

  Altogether, it was looking good.

  He opened a mental link to Rickie back on the Guardian.

  Rickie was his usual ebullient self. Heeeey, how’s it hanging? Having fun without me?

  Tim rolled his eyes. The time of my fucking life, dude. It’s the quietest it’s been for weeks. Are all the refugees safely aboard the station?

  We’re just processing the last few groups through triage, Rickie told him. How’s it really going?

  Tim returned to the fleet reports as he spoke. We’re going to win, I have no doubt about that.

  Buuuut? Rickie pressed.

  But nothing, Tim repeated, his voice taking on that edge that meant there would be no argument. We’re going to win.

  Aw, shit.

  Tim made a face. What?

  It's just that I've got some private ships requesting permission to Gate out to the Interdiction, Rickie informed him. I kinda want to let them lend a hand.

  What do you mean by “private ships?” Tim frowned, thinking that a few civilian ships were only going to distract the military fighters, who would feel duty-bound to protect them. Who are the owners?

  Rickie was quiet for a moment. I just sent you the list.

  Tim received Rickie's list and scrolled through it in his internal HUD. This looks like…everyone planetside with a ship.

  Pretty much, Rickie confirmed. What are your orders?

  Tim considered it for a long moment before lifting his hands. Devon has spoken, so what else can I do? Let them through.

  The Etheric

  Bethany Anne strode through the mists with the sleeping Leath children floating behind her at waist height. The strain of carrying the children increased with every step. You WILL get them home. You WILL deal with the strain or you WILL let John stand on your back…in high heels. Her lips, pressed together due to the strain, cracked a bit at that last thought.

  She’d get them to the ship, and that was all there was to it.

  Her feet weighed whole universes, but still she put one in front of the other, pushing forward and honing in on the beacon that was her own children. Alexis and Gabriel’s physical location was a warmth to her senses, guiding her back to the Izanami.

  Eventually, after what felt like her entire life lived over again, Bethany Anne opened the way out of the Etheric. She staggered slightly as she guided the sleeping children into the repurposed cargo bay where Alexis and Gabriel were waiting on standby for her return.

  They turned as one when she stepped into the bay with the Leath children still Etherically tethered to her. “Mom!”

  Bethany Anne grinned tiredly at them. “Hey, kids. I'm home.”

  The twins leapt into action immediately, adding their support to the energy Bethany Anne was using to hold the Leath children aloft.

  Michael appeared in the bay’s transfer area a bare second later and took the load from her completely. Between the three of them, they got the children loaded into the empty Pod-docs.

  Bethany Anne sank gratefully down on the closest flat surface, which happened to be the floor where she was standing. Where are the adults? she sent to Michael.

  Michael looked at his wife, his brow furrowing when he saw her sitting cross-legged with her head resting on her folded hands. Mindwiped, sedated, and safely aboard their ship.

  Bethany Anne lifted her head fractionally to raise an eyebrow. You got their ship? Color me impressed.

  Michael winked. That was what Izanami said when she showed up with the Pods. Leave this to us. We have it all in hand.

  Bethany Anne knew all too well what that twinkle in his eye meant. However, Michael would be Michael, and she was fucking exhausted from the constant drain-pull of getting them to the ship in the first place.

  Thank you. She got to her reluctant feet and set them to walking once more. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a date with my pillow, and it’s going to run for at least two hours.

  ADAM spoke up again finally. >>Yeah, I don't think you're going to get that nap. I didn't want to distract you while you were busy with the Leath kids, but there's a situation at Devon.<<

  Bethany Anne's fatigue fell away in an instant. “What situation at Devon?” she asked aloud for Michael’s benefit.

  ADAM transferred his voice to the speaker. “The Ooken have attacked at the Interdiction. Achronyx is feeding me a play-by-play. It’s getting pretty big.”

  “How big?” Gabriel asked, looking at the speaker. “Is the planet okay?”

  “The planet is fine,” ADAM assured him.

  Michael walked over to Bethany Anne and took her hand. “You still need to rest and recover from the effort of saving those children. I will wake you when we arrive.”

  Bethany Anne squeezed his hand and let go. “You and I both know that’s not happening. I’ll be in my chambers if this,” she waved a finger over the Pod-docs, “doesn’t go as you expect and you need me.” She blew a kiss to Alexis and Gabriel. “Love you both. Be good for your father.”

  Alexis put a hand to her chest, feigning offense. “Who, us?”

  Bethany Anne chuckled softly as she left the bay. She didn’t technically need to make any of her calls using conventional methods, but she was getting back into the habit of making a physical call every now and then—when it mattered to her the most. That could wait until she got to her chambers.

  Speaking to Admiral Thomas was her first priority, and she didn’t need to see his face to get this portion of her mental checklist completed. Admiral, report in. How is the operation progressing?

  Almost complete, he replied. Hello to you, too, Bethany Anne.

  The thought occurred that maybe he did have a point about her abruptness. One of these days we’ll meet when we’re not in a dire situation and I’ll remember.

  Admiral Thomas laughed aloud. Not today, though?

  Bethany Anne chuckled coldly. No. Devon is under attack.

  By the Ooken?

  Your astuteness is comforting, as usual. I’m going straight there, and I want the others to meet me there when they’re done. Can you coordinate the rest of the operation from there without us?

  Um…

  Bethany Anne pressed her lips together. There’s a problem? She accessed the operations logs, her eyes flicking from side to side as she read through while she walked. What is it? All I see is debris where there used to be planets, which is exactly what I asked for. Oh, location three is still active.

  Admiral Thomas sighed in exasperation. It’s more of a complication. Remember I told you about the Moen? The servile species?

  Mmhmm. She reached her chambers and stepped through the wall to get inside. What about them?

  Well, we’re having some trouble freeing them. They’re suffering from some kind of alien version of Stockholm syndrome or something.

  Bethany Anne touched her hand to her forehead and did something she hadn’t done for a very long time. She prayed for the patience to see this through without losing her shit at the absurdity of it all. Of course, they are.

  If I apologize, will it help?

  Bethany Anne snorted softly. Not really? But we need to do something about ensuring the Ooken don’t use the Moen as leverage. Okay, get the other locations wrapped up, then put a blockade on location three. Nothing and no one out, nothing in except for supplies approved by us. Make sure the Ooken know we’re watching them.

  How long do you expect to need this blockade? Admiral Thomas asked.

  However long it is until I get back from Devon, of course. Goodbye, Admiral. Bethany Anne cut the connection and waved a hand over her desk to activate the holoscreen.

  Her call to the Achronyx went unanswered, and she tried again, with the same result. Bethany Anne was aware that the battle was still going on. She pinged Tabitha over their mental link.

  She tapped a foot while she waited for an answer from Tabitha. Which didn’t come, because Tabitha had Achronyx screening for her.

  Bethany Anne's patience had already worn thin. “ADAM, pu
t me through to the bridge.”

  The bridge of the Achronyx was empty. She tapped her fingers on the desk. “Clearly it’s not a life or death situation, so where is she?”

  >>You should have called ahead,<< ADAM joked.

  Bethany Anne frowned, then shrugged. “It’s not too late for that. Give me the ship’s speakers.”

  Devon, Interdiction

  Tabitha tipped her captain's chair back and squinted at the overwhelming light flooding the entire screen. “That's a big-ass Gate.”

  “It is indeed,” Achronyx replied. “Shall we break it? I still have a few drones remaining.”

  Tabitha grinned. “We could do that…but I have another idea. Can you get me CEREBRO?”

  Achronyx provided the necessary link between Tabitha’s mind and the core of the EI group.

  Hey, CEREBRO. Do you have anything on the other side of the Gates?

  Regretfully, we do not, the EI group replied. Everything we’ve sent through was destroyed before any data could be returned.

  Tabitha smirked, lacing her hands behind her head as she arranged her feet on the console to get perfectly comfortable. I want to know where they’re coming from and what resources they have. That could be the homeworld sitting just on the other side. How about we work together and see if we can’t get an idea of what this group has to keep throwing at us so we can double it and be done here?

  We like the odds of that, CEREBRO replied.

  Oh, you all like to bet? Tabitha grinned. What am I talking about? You live for that shit. She sat forward and laced her hands under her chin. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”

  At the other end of the battlefield, Tim’s Pod reached the open Gate as the first ships of the people’s fleet came through.

  He heard his own voice issuing the first set of recorded instructions he’d given to CEREBRO to play into every personal ship that crossed the Gate.

  The shimmering light was pierced by the smaller groups first—the angry citizens, the transport workers, and the everyday people who had access to a ship.

  Tim saw ships of every kind, from tiny individual transports that bristled with weaponry designed to ward off chancers in the mean skies of Devon to gigantic freighters with massive company logos emblazoned across their flanks so that pirates knew who to call for the ransom. They all moved off to their assigned areas with more or less a minimum of drama.

  Next came the mercenary companies, and Tim’s message switched to direct the skilled crews over to the main effort.

  First out of the Gate were five battered junker-looking ships that Tim knew nevertheless would probably outlast cockroaches. Tim was well enough acquainted with the Shrillexian company commander to drink with her and a few others on occasion, and Lai-pen and her crew were just as durable as their ships.

  They exited the event horizon and dropped out of sight before he could see a single bleeding skull badge painted on the sides of the ships.

  The rest of the merc companies were close behind, mixing with each other in their hurry to be next to cross. Tim chuckled, wondering how Lai-pen had gotten the Skull-Fuckers ahead of the pack.

  He fired off a message to the Victory in Death inviting them over to the Guardian to celebrate after the battle and got back to monitoring the overview.

  Scanning through, Tim decided that CEREBRO needed a freaking medal or whatever upgrade they wanted after this battle was done. Every report he read had a mention of the EI group in there, assisting the efforts and saving the lives of his people.

  CEREBRO, you’re all doing a great job out there.

  Commander? the EIs inquired.

  I don’t know if EIs need to hear that kind of thing, but you’re invaluable. Our asses would be so far in the air right now without you all. His eyes flickered as he scanned through the report for the Lucky Run and moved on to the next—which was unavailable. Shit…where has the Achronyx gotten to?

  Over by the largest Ooken Gate with a number of us, CEREBRO replied. They sounded somewhat thinner than usual. We are attempting to get readings from the other side of the Ooken Gate.

  CEREBRO, are you good? Tim inquired. You sound like you’re missing some of yourselves.

  We are optimal, thank you, Commander. We are just spread far and wide at the present time.

  Tim shrugged. The EIs knew better than he did. What’s this with Tabitha and Achronyx?

  Tabitha cut in. It’s time-sensitive, and you’re hogging CEREBRO’s bandwidth. Can you chat later, when we’ve gotten at least one freaking drone through this Gate intact?

  Sure, Tim replied, but they were already gone.

  In the lee of the Gate, Tabitha stamped a foot as the drone configuration failed to fail—again. “Fuck it five ways to Friday! Why can’t we replicate one simple error?”

  Achronyx sounded equally frustrated. “Because we can’t replicate it without knowing the exact reason the drone went rogue in the first place. If just one sensor had remained functional, I would know what caused the drone to malfunction and we could create that malfunction in the rest of them.”

  Tabitha kicked the drone. “Instead of digging around in the guts of this thing.”

  “Oh.”

  Tabitha looked up at the surprised tone in Achronyx’ voice. “What is it?”

  “Could you kick the drone again, same place, same strength.”

  Tabitha shrugged. “Sure.” This time her boot left a small dent in the drone’s shell.

  “Interesting…”

  Tabitha growled in frustration. “C’mon, just tell me, already!”

  “Well,” Achronyx dragged it out just to annoy her, “it looks like an impact on launch may have been responsible for the malfunction.”

  “You mean I’ve been sweating all this for nothing?”

  Achronyx made a noise of uncertainty. “If you could just wait while I have another drone brought up…”

  Tabitha was about to tell Achronyx exactly where he could stick his drone when Bethany Anne's voice reverberated through the ship. “Tabithaaaa. Where are youuuuu?”

  “Oh, dear,” Achronyx muttered.

  Tabitha narrowed her eyes. “What now, Achronyx?”

  “Um, Bethany Anne might have tried to contact you a couple of times while we were working.”

  Tabitha’s heart sank. “How many times? Like one or two?”

  “Sure, one or two…”

  Tabitha made a sympathetic face. “You do know I can tell when you’re lying, right? Bethany Anne might not kill me, but I’d start making final arrangements if I were you.”

  She got to her feet and headed for the bridge at a brisk jog, taking a moment to kick Achronyx’ drone as the antigrav pallet carrying it passed her. “Here, finish your testing. If you have something good to tell Bethany Anne when I throw you under the bus, she might not pull your plug.”

  24

  Devon, QBBS Guardian

  Michael nodded and patted Hk’lhrr’s arm briefly. “I appreciate this. Just get them within hailing distance of the Leath homeworld.”

  The Leath Marine nodded. “Of course, sir. Do you want me to be there when they wake?”

  Michael shook his head. “I want you to be long gone by then. There is to be nothing that leads them back to this part of space.” He raised a finger. “And I’ll need you to confirm your success.”

  Hk’lhrr nodded again. “I’ll send my report as soon as the assignment is complete, sir.”

  Michael gestured for Alexis, Gabriel, and K’aia to follow him and they left the hangar.

  Gabriel had retreated into his usual observant mode. “What are we doing here, Dad?”

  Michael paused at an intersection to check the location designation stenciled on the wall, then took a decisive left. “Your mother and I agree that the best place for the three of you until the battle is over is the Hexagon.”

  Gabriel regarded the faint line in his father’s forehead. “Wouldn’t you rather be out there fighting?”

  “No.” Michael l
ifted a shoulder. “Your mother and Aunt Tabitha have everything in hand.”

  Alexis gave Gabriel a nudge. “He means that they went out for a girls’ night and he got stuck looking after us.”

  “I meant,” Michael corrected sternly, “exactly what I said. It is not necessary for me to be by your mother’s side every minute, and neither is it conducive to her focus to be worried about your safety. Besides, a fight is what you make of it, and there are two overly chatty children in need of some instruction right here who require my attention.”

  Michael turned and narrowed his eyes at K’aia when the young Yollin snickered. “My apologies. Three.”

  Rickie scrolled down the checklist on his datapad. “Damn, that’s a lot of people. Where the fuck am I supposed to put them all?”

  “There are always the orientation lounges,” CEREBRO suggested.

  Rickie almost missed his turn. “CEREBRO, you’re a freaking grade-A genius.” He grimaced. “Even so, is that enough space for them all?”

  “The lounges can hold sixty thousand comfortably,” CEREBRO reminded Rickie. “They were originally intended as temporary accommodations for colonists.”

  Rickie nodded and looked down at his datapad again. “Okay, then. Next…clothing and food for the people who aren’t being taken straight to medical.”

  He located the site for kitchen orders, but it was unavailable because the staff was out at the Interdiction.

  “Oh, shit. C’mon, Rickie, think…”

  Inspiration hit. He’d noticed people regularly using one catering company around the station. Maybe they could help? A quick call confirmed that they would be able to provide a team for each orientation lounge.

  Rickie grinned to himself as he headed over to Requisitions to see what they had in the way of warm blankets and other basic necessities. “Rickie, you might not suck at management after all.”

  Devon, Interdiction, QBS Achronyx

  Tabitha grabbed the doorframe to steady herself as she made the turn onto the bridge at breakneck speed. “I’m here!”

  Bethany Anne looked at her from the viewscreen, her face stern and unmoving. “You’re not dead, then.”