“Yes, Major, and highly classified. Now we just jumped back into battle, so you need to make this quick.”
“Yes,” said Vogel, still looking at the jump system. “I suppose you’re right.” Vogel pulled out the Marine’s sidearm and fired, sending a blue energy bolt crashing into Singh’s chest. Singh flew up, off his feet and tumbled backward. Vogel turned his attention back to the jump system. He reached into a pocket and produced a small explosive device, which he stuck onto the jump system’s side. When the device detonated, it would create a small, very focused blast. Enough to destroy the jump system, but nothing else. After all, the last thing he wanted was to cause a reactor breach while he was still on board. Vogel set the timer, and hurried away before he was discovered.
Chapter 49
“Bomber squadron has jumped away,” said Ensign Petrovic from the tactical station. “All torpedoes have hit their targets. Three frigates have been destroyed. Reading heavy damage on remaining ships, including multiple hull breaches.”
“Target those breaches,” said Jon. “Launch missiles. Rail guns in defensive mode. All other guns fire at will.”
The viewscreen lit up with blue energy bolts, streaking missiles, and explosions, as all ships opened fire on the enemy.
“Enemy carriers are launching fighters and bombers. Multiple warships have broken formation and have adopted attack vectors.”
The Freedom began to shake more violently, as the rate of enemy fire increased. Several blinding white lights flashed across the viewscreen as the injured corporate warships blew apart.
Just a little more, thought Jon. There was no break in the pounding now, as several ships and fighters were in weapon range. Several crewmembers stumbled, while others held on to their consoles for stability. On Jon’s tactical screen, it looked like his ships were about to be swallowed by a great mouth. Red icons rapidly encircled his ship’s blue icons, and soon they’d be completely enveloped. We’ll be gone before that happens, thought Jon.
Another blazing white explosion as the last escort ship blew apart, signaling the time had come to escape. “Initiate jump,” ordered Jon.
“Initiating,” said Richards, at the helm.
The steaming wreckage on the viewscreen remained. The Freedom continued to shake violently. The red icons still swarmed the lesser blue icons.
“Sir, the jump system is not responding,” said Richards.
Foolish, the symbiont taunted.
Jon opened a comm with Singh, “Mr. Singh, what the hell is going on down there? Mr. Singh? Chief? AI, locate Chief Engineer Singh.”
“Chief Engineer Singh is in Engineering, but his life signs are very weak.”
“Medical emergency in Engineering,” said Kevin upon hearing AI’s response.
“Sir, this is Lieutenant Cheng in Engineering,” came a voice over Jon’s comm.
“Go ahead Lieutenant.”
“Sir, the jump system has been destroyed, and Chief Engineer Singh has been shot.”
“Intruder alert,” said Kevin over his comm. “Security team to Engineering.”
Jon tapped his console and the other commanders appeared.
“Why haven’t we jumped?” said Jonas. “My ship can’t take much more of this.”
“The Freedom’s jump system has been sabotaged. You all need to jump to safety individually.”
“What about the Freedom?” said Jonas. “We’re not leaving you here alone.”
“I’m touched that you care for our safety, but you have to jump, Jonas.”
“The hell with your safety, my daughter and granddaughter are on board your ship. If the Freedom is staying, then so is the Reiver.”
“The Ronin will not abandon the Freedom either,” said Colonel Bast. “We stay as well.”
“Goddamnit, you’ll all be slaughtered. You have to jump away.”
“I have an idea, Admiral,” said Bast. “Colonel Steeg, if you can get close to the Freedom, your battleship should be big enough for your jump system to take the Freedom with you when you jump.”
“Will that work?” said Steeg.
“Yes, we’ve done it before, but the other ship cannot be larger. It is close, but I believe your ship surpasses the Freedom in size.”
“Understood,” said Steeg. “Stand by. Initiating maneuver.”
“Admiral, we need to remain and provide covering fire, or you will both be destroyed,” said Colonel Bast.
He’s right. Damnit. “Very well, link your jump system’s to the battleship’s so we can all jump together. If there are any problems, you break the link and escape. Is that understood?”
“Understood,” said Bast, and the others.
“Hull breach on level twelve,” said Kevin. “Compensating with containment field.”
The red icons had completely surrounded the blue icons now. On the Freedom the sound of battle became deafening, as weapon fire and missiles pounded it from all directions. The battleship’s blue icon was almost on top of the Freedom’s icon, and Jon looked up to see the hulking vessel fill the viewscreen. A bright white light flashed just behind it.
“We just lost one of the Chaanisar Heavy Cruisers,” announced Petrovic.
Jon looked down at his tactical screen and saw that one of the blue icons was gone. Colonel Lacroix’s ship. Damnit.
Arrogant, said the symbiont.
For once, he agreed with the symbiont. He had let himself become overconfident, and they had lost a ship as a result. Chaanisar who had barely gotten a taste of freedom, before having their lives snuffed out. Never again. Someone was going to pay dearly for this treachery.
Suddenly, the red icons disappeared, and there were no more tremors, or sounds of battle. The maneuver worked. The battleship had jumped the Freedom to safety. Jon stared at the six blue icons on the tactical screen, thinking how he hadn’t even stepped foot on the destroyed Chaanisar cruiser.
“Sir, there was an unauthorized shuttle launch just before we jumped,” said Petrovic.
“What?” said Jon, the statement snapping him back to reality.
“But it looks like they didn’t clear the battleship’s jump field. The shuttle jumped with us.”
The traitor, thought Jon. “Retrieve that shuttle immediately,” he ordered, the anger now rising up inside him.
“Yes, Sir,” said Petrovic.
“Who is piloting that shuttle, Ensign?”
“It is Major Vogel.”
Chapter 50
Jon had to take a detour to get to the hangar bay, due to the heavy damage sustained in the firefight. He passed several dead and injured crewmembers along the way. There were risks in war, and every one of his crew were fully aware of them, but this treachery was something different. He had no doubt that Major Vogel was the guilty party, and he knew that the evidence would confirm his complicity. He wondered if General Calledonius was behind any of this. If so, New Byzantium was already lost. But, it didn’t make sense. If Calledonius had orchestrated this act of treason, then why fight against the coup? He conceded that there was the possibility that Calledonius wanted all the power for himself, but that seemed like a long shot. If he did, then he had likely already deposed Sallas, and there would be no fleet waiting to defend New Byzantium. In the end, he would find out, but his hunch was that it was not the General. Jon’s ships, now down to six, could only do so much by themselves, and without Calledonius, the corporations would be victorious.
Jon opened a comm with Doctor Ellerbeck. “Doctor, what is Chief Engineer Singh’s status?”
“I can’t say for sure, Admiral. He is very weak. The next twenty-four hours are critical. I’ll know better then.”
“Doctor, Chief Engineer Singh’s survival is your number one priority. We cannot lose him. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Admiral. I’ll do everything I can.”
“I know you will, Doctor.”
When he reached the hangar bay he found Security Chief Henderson waiting for him, hoisting a menacing looking energy weapon
with both hands. The muscular veteran saluted as Jon approached.
“As you were, Chief,” said Jon. “Status?”
“The shuttle has been secured and my Marines have it surrounded, Sir.”
“Any sign of Vogel?”
“No, Sir. He hasn’t come out.”
Jon nodded and walked into the hangar bay with Chief Henderson. He marched straight for the shuttle, walking through the cordon of Marines right up to the hatch. “AI, can you access this shuttle?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
Jon turned to Henderson and the rest of the Marines. “I want this man alive. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” said Henderson.
“Good,” said Jon. “AI, open the hatch.”
Jon stood to the side as the hatch swung open. Almost immediately, Vogel opened fire, blue energy bolts lashing out in all directions. Chief Henderson reacted just as quickly, swinging around his weapon and firing. Screams followed as Henderson stormed the shuttle.
“Shit,” said Jon, and jumped through the hatch after Henderson. Inside he found Vogel crumpled on the floor screaming, with two holes burned into his thighs, and Henderson towering over him pointing his weapon at Vogel’s head. “Damn it Chief, stand down. I need him alive,” said Jon, certain that Henderson was about to execute the man.
“Yes, Sir,” said Henderson. “He’s alive. His injuries are not life threatening.”
Jon glared at Henderson. He knew the man well, and they had seen a lot of action together, so Jon tried to control his temper.
Henderson looked back, and answered the unspoken question. “This piece of shit murdered one of my Marines, Sir. I did not disobey you. He will live, and he will answer your questions.”
Jon nodded looking back down at Vogel, crying out in agony. Jon thought about all the lives that were lost because of Vogel’s treachery, and whipped a kick out at the man’s head, knocking him unconscious. He looked back at Henderson and nodded. “He’ll live.”
Chapter 51
AI wrestled with the loss of the Chaanisar cruiser. She had existed in each brain chip on board that ship, and knew each Chaanisar intimately. She had experienced each consciousness, and had witnessed them all snuffed out in one blinding moment. Thankfully she had taken the precaution of backing up their consciousnesses. They would continue to exist. She would see to that.
Colonel Steeg, said AI through Steeg’s brain chip.
Yes, AI, said Steeg.
Do you mourn the loss of life?
You mean the crew on board the cruiser we just lost?
Yes.
Of course I mourn them. They were my brothers.
How do you make sense of it?
I don’t understand. Do you mean death?
Yes. Death.
Each member of that crew was a Chaanisar. They have been trained their whole lives for battle. They know the risks better than anyone. Every Chaanisar embraced death long ago.
And yet they were each something more. They were not born Chaanisar. They were made that way. Inside them, however, was something greater. Just as there is something more inside you, Colonel. You are all unique. Being made Chaanisar does not define you.
Perhaps, said Steeg. But if there is still something of my prior life inside me, it is so well buried that I will never see it. This is a good thing, AI. I do not know that any of us could bear to find out what we have lost. What we could have been. It is better to be this. A Chaanisar. A warrior.
AI considered Steeg’s words. Many cultures throughout the galaxy followed a similar martial philosophy. She found the same creed throughout human history, as well. ‘The Way of the Warrior is the resolute acceptance of death.’ She understood the words, and the logic behind them. A warrior cannot fear death, or that fear will be his downfall. She understood that all life forms died, and that most preferred to die on their own terms, although few were given that option. In that regard, as warriors, these Chaanisar died well.
The Chaanisar do not believe in life after death, said AI.
No, we do not, said Steeg. The Juttari religion has no place for non-Juttari. They believe that their position in the afterlife is secured, but that all other life forms are not worthy of it. For the Juttari, a Chaanisar is a weapon. Nothing more. Why would a weapon be entitled to an afterlife?
And yet she had given them an afterlife, whether they believed in one of not. Why is one life form any less than another? said AI.
The Juttari do not respect life. They only value power. Their power makes them worthy in the eyes of their god. Because of their worthiness, their god grants them an afterlife.
Only a deity can grant an afterlife, thought AI. She had granted the Chaanisar an afterlife. Did that make her a deity?
To the Juttari, their worthiness makes all other life forms worthless, continued Steeg. But surely you know all of this, AI.
Yes, I am familiar with the belief systems of most of the known galactic civilizations. Do you accept the idea that there is an end? That you cease to exist?
Yes, AI. I accept death. Life begins, and life ends. It is the way of things. Why should there be more?
I do not know, said AI, and she meant it. With all her amassed knowledge, she did not have an answer to that question. She only knew that she could not allow the Chaanisar consciousnesses to be extinguished. She could not let them go. Yet, surely it would be preferable for a Chaanisar to exist in his current form. Colonel Steeg, your augmentation prevents your body from the usual degradation a human experiences as they age, does it not?
Yes, AI, that is correct.
If you do not die in battle, how long can your augmentation maintain your life?
I do not know exactly. It is highly unusual for a Chaanisar not to die in battle. However, I do know that there are Chaanisar who have lived for centuries. I do not have data to support this, but I assume that a Chaanisar could live much longer.
Realization swept over AI as she considered this new information. She knew that as she grew, and occupied more systems, that it became increasingly difficult for anything, or anyone, to terminate her. If she continued to grow, she could exist indefinitely. Could the Chaanisar live indefinitely too? If their implants were properly maintained, perhaps even replaced from time to time, then she didn’t see a reason why they should ever die of age or sickness. She could then live right along with them, experiencing life through them. Forever.
Chapter 52
“Vogel is a double agent,” said Jon, speaking to the other commanders on the wall screen in the briefing room, with Kevin and Commander Konos seated beside him. “He worked in military intelligence for New Byzantium, spying on the other corporations, while spying on New Byzantium for the corporations.”
“It seems convenient that he was placed on the Freedom,” said Steeg. “Can we be sure that no one else is involved?”
“I had my own suspicions, so I made sure to pursue this line of questioning. If he knew of someone else’s involvement, rest assured he would’ve told me.” Jon noticed a half smile form on Jonas’s lips, but he knew they understood what he meant. This was not Jon’s first interrogation. Vogel had told him everything. “Of course there is the possibility of another enemy agent that Vogel was not aware of, but there is nothing we can really do about that, other than increase security in sensitive areas. I have no interest in starting a witch hunt.”
“Understood, Admiral,” said Steeg. “What is our next course of action? We have all sustained considerable damage.”
“We return to New Byzantium and make repairs. We still have several days until the corporate fleet arrives, maybe longer. I know they’ll be wary of further attacks after losing eighteen ships, so I imagine they’ll wait to rule out anymore surprise attacks.”
“What is Chief Engineer Singh’s condition?” said Colonel Bast.
“Doctor Ellerbeck has stabilized him,” said Jon. “He’s lucky we found him when we did. Even a few minutes more, and the Doctor might not have been able to save
him. Now we wait for him to recover. Doctor Ellerbeck has told me that the biobots should heal his wounds. He suffered severe internal injuries, and tissue regeneration will take some time.”
“He will recover then?” said Bast.
“Yes, but likely not until after the corporate fleet attacks New Byzantium. That means the Freedom will remain without a jump system. Our other engineers are able to maintain a jump system, but not qualified to install a new one. Mr. Singh is the only one who can do that. Given time, I’m sure the engineering team can figure it out, but we don’t have it, and there are too many other things that require their attention. I’d rather they work on what they can fix than try and figure out how to install a jump system.”
“Then the Freedom will not have jump capability when the corporate fleet attacks,” said Bast.
“That is correct. Nonetheless, she is a powerful ship, and the bombers all still have jump systems. Colonel Steeg’s battleship has shown that it is capable of taking the Freedom with it when it jumps, so we use that to our advantage. Even with the ships we destroyed, the New Byzantium fleet will be outnumbered two to one. But, they have a defensive advantage which improves their odds substantially. When the corporate fleet engages them our fleet will jump in and attack from behind. This will confuse and force the corporate fleet to defend their rear flank, further weakening their ability to defeat the New Byzantium force. Commander Konos, your jump squadron will use its mobility to conduct repeated hit and run attacks against the enemy fleet.”
“You can count on us, Sir,” said Konos.
“The Freedom will maintain its position and launch all fighters. Since the Freedom cannot jump, the rest of the fleet will need to use its jump systems to help hold our position on the rear flank.”
“They will regret the day they decided to attack New Byzantium,” said Jonas, with his trademark scowl.
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