Due to Imperial One’s vast size, the Emperor and his contingent required a high-speed ferry to reach the hangar bay. Once there, they boarded the Imperial shuttle and headed for the station. Like all Imperial transports, the shuttle was heavily armored, with its own armaments. For additional protection Taymati fighters flanked the Imperial shuttle as it left the hangar bay.
The Taymati battle group was an imposing sight when it arrived in any Dvorkan star system, but in this instance, it was hard to outdo the dominating presence of the penal station. Riddled with weapons, the facility seemed impenetrable, and could easily double as a fortress if necessary. With both the station and the Taymati battle group together in one system, you would be hard-pressed to find a safer location in the Empire.
Once his shuttle had landed on the station, Emperor Kriss stepped out onto the hangar bay where General Tal and a cohort of Taymati in menacing black armor waited. Being a penal station, Tal would have her own troops, but Kriss knew that the Taymati would demand that they alone ensure the hangar bay’s security.
“Welcome aboard, your worship,” said Tal, bowing deeply before the Emperor. “It is a great honor to be in your presence.”
“Arise, General. If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to dispense with the formalities and see Consul Kang immediately.”
“Of course, your worship. The prisoner is in the infirmary, although I must warn you that she is presently in an induced coma.”
How convenient. “What is the nature of the Consul’s illness?”
“It is a bit of a mystery. The prisoner fell gravely ill, and a coma was induced to protect her life. Our medical team is still trying to ascertain the cause of her illness.”
“I see. Well, I’d like to see her regardless.”
“Yes, your worship. Right this way.”
When they arrived at the infirmary, the Taymati moved in and ensured the location was secure. Several prison guards were removed in the process, much to their displeasure. Upon entering the facility, Kriss was met by the penal station’s chief medical officer, Dr. Seng, who gestured to the prone body of an unconscious Dvorkan woman.
“As you can see, your worship, prisoner Kang is in no condition to be interviewed,” said Seng.
“Yes, I see that. Tell me again why you had to induce a coma,” said Kriss.
“For her safety, your worship. She may have died otherwise.”
Kriss looked from the doctor to the general and decided that both were lying to him. “Wake her up,” he commanded.
Seng and Tal exchanged worried glances. “I’m afraid that is not possible, your worship.”
“Arrest Dr. Seng,” said Kriss, and two Taymati seized Seng, wrenching both his arms behind his back.
“What… what is happening? Why are you arresting me?”
“Under Dvorkan law, anyone who willfully disobeys an Imperial order is guilty of treason. Do you know what the punishment for treason is, Doctor?”
“But I wasn’t disobeying, your worship!”
“Really? It certainly sounded like it to me.”
“No, your worship. I merely meant that waking the patient could kill her.”
“I see. Well, that would be unfortunate… for you. Now listen to me carefully. You will wake this patient up, or you will be charged with treason. If this patient dies, you will be charged with treason. The penalty for treason is summary execution, which I will ensure is carried out immediately. Am I understood?”
“Yes, your worship,” said the trembling Dr. Seng.
“Good. Now wake her up.”
At first, Kriss was unsure about what had happened next. There was a flurry of movement. Several of his personal guards forced him out of the room as the distinct sound of General Tal’s screams echoed inside.
“Stop! Where are you taking me?” said Kriss.
“Your life is in danger, your worship,” said one of his Taymati. “We need to get you off this station.”
“What? In danger from who?”
“General Tal, your worship. She tried to kill you.”
Chapter 13
Emperor Kriss fruitlessly tried to resist the armored Taymati. The were briskly moving him away from the infirmary. “Release me this instant! That is an Imperial command!”
Though the Taymati loosened their grip, they still held him protectively. Kriss attempted to get his bearings. He soon realized that the Taymati had activated their personal cloaking devices, rendering their entire group invisible to anyone not on the same cloaking frequency. They were currently in the corridor outside the infirmary. He noted that the prison guards they encountered earlier had been taken down and disarmed. Taymati had spread out, taking defensive positions at both ends of the corridor.
“Your worship, with respect, we must get off this station,” said Lieutenant Vass, commander of his Taymati personal guard. “We don’t know whether there are more assassins on the station.”
“You’re saying General Tal tried to assassinate me?”
“Yes, your worship. She drew her sidearm. Her hand was severed before she could fire.”
“Severed?”
“With an energy blade. I took the hand myself.”
General Tal had been a fool to think she could catch the Taymati off guard. But why would she even try? Even if she succeeded, the Taymati would have killed her. It made no sense. “Is she still alive?”
“Yes, your worship. She has been subdued, but not killed.”
“Good. I want her questioned. Bring her and Consul Kang to Imperial One.”
Vass relayed the orders through his communicator, and General Tal emerged from the infirmary moments later, bound, and held by two Taymati. She glistened with perspiration and looked as if in shock. There wasn’t much blood, which was unsurprising. Energy blades had the advantage of cleanly severing limbs, while simultaneously cauterizing the wound.
Tal stumbled with each step, but the Taymati ensured she stayed upright. Following closely behind came Consul Kang, still unconscious wheeled on a gurney. The Taymati extended the cloak to each of them, and the group proceeded toward the hangar bay. They didn’t get very far before encountering another problem. This one in the form of a locked security door. Through it, came the distinct sounds of combat.
“Blow that door,” ordered Vass and two Taymati advanced. While the group took cover, they placed explosives on the door. “They’re jamming our communications,” Vass told Kriss. “I can’t reach Imperial One.”
“Surely Captain Rath will realize that something is wrong,” said Kriss.
“Yes. As soon as he does he will dispatch a strike team.”
The group ducked as the door blew open in a powerful blast. His Taymati escort opened fire and energy bolts sailed over their heads. The firefight albeit brief was ferocious. The prison guards on the other side of the door already had their hands full with another Taymati squad. Once sandwiched between them, and Lieutenant Vass’s group, they were quickly mowed down. Kriss and his Taymati rushed forward, careful to step over the dead prison guards to join their Taymati peers.
“They ambushed us, Sir,” said one of the men. “The security door closed, and the prison guards opened fire on us without warning.”
“Any casualties?” said Vass.
“Negative, Sir. Several of us took hits due to the initial surprise, but our armor withstood the attack.”
The station suddenly shuddered. “What is that?” Kriss searched for the cause.
“The station’s guns,” said Vass. “It must be firing on our ships.”
Kriss turned to face a rather satisfied looking General Tal. “Order your forces to stand down.”
“No. You will die here, Emperor.”
In a blindingly fast move, Vass seized Tal’s arm wrapping an armored hand around the bloody stump. Tal howled in agony as Vass squeezed the wound with iron fingers. “Your Emperor gave you a command,” he said.
“They won’t listen,” Tal shrieked.
“Try,” said Vass, app
lying more pressure, inducing more of her anguished cries.
“Stop! Please stop! I will try,” said Tal.
Vass nodded. “Proceed. Try anything clever, and you will experience more pain than you thought possible.”
Tal nodded and was allowed to open a comm with the station’s Command Center. “This is General Tal. Cease your attack. Stand down that is an order.”
Quiet followed, and then a voice responded. “I’m afraid I cannot follow that order, General, as it countermands your previous orders.”
Vass raised Tal’s now bloodied stump, indicating that he would resume his torture.
“I am aware of that,” Tal said quickly. “The situation has changed. Now stand down immediately.”
“I can’t do that, General,” said the voice, and the comm was disconnected.
The station shook anew, this time with more force.
“The battle group is returning fire,” said Vass. “They will target the station’s weapon systems. It will take time to disable them. Once we get to the hangar bay, we will have to wait until it is safe enough to depart.”
“Unacceptable,” said Kriss.
“With respect, your worship, if we try and leave, the station will shoot us down the moment we leave the hangar bay.”
“That’s not what I meant, Lieutenant. This development leaves us with only one option. We must take the Command Center.”
Chapter 14
“Your worship, we are your personal guard,” said Lieutenant Vass. “Our job is to protect you. We cannot do that and take the Command Center.”
“You are also Taymati. Elite Dvorkan soldiers. How many ships will we lose if we simply sit around and wait for the battle to end? How many Taymati will lose their lives as a result?”
“All Taymati accept death, your worship. It is our way of life.”
“Yes, I am aware of that, but I don’t accept their deaths. Not when we can do something about it.”
“But if we leave you to storm the Command Center you will be vulnerable. Our first duty is your protection.”
“I understand,” said Kriss, as a wave of adrenaline surged through his body. “That is why I am coming with you.”
“Coming with us? Into combat?”
“Why not? I’ve been trained by the Taymati since I was a child.”
“Forgive me for saying so, your worship, but training and actual combat are two very different things.”
“Do you think I’ll freeze?” Run away screaming?”
“No, your worship. I did not say that.”
“No, but you thought it. It’s alright, Lieutenant. My Taymati instructors often told me that one never knows how they will react in a combat situation for the first time. Don’t worry. I’m tougher than I look. We are taking the Command Center, and I am coming along. That is an Imperial command.”
“Yes, your worship.” Vass looked over at the men securing General Tal. “You,” he said, pointing at one. “Remove your armor and give it to the Emperor.”
“Yes, Sir,” said the man. Without hesitation, he tapped the controls on his arm, and his powered armor split open, allowing him to step out.
“You need armor, your worship,” said Vass. “These men will remain behind and guard the prisoners.”
Kriss eyed the vacant suit of armor for a moment before stepping inside. Tapping the controls on his arm, the suit closed around him, sealing him in. A smile spread across his face, and he felt practically giddy at the sensation. The boots fit, he thought. “Lead the way, Lieutenant. You have command.”
“Yes, your worship. Thank you. Our first priority is still your protection. As such, I would ask that you remain at the rear.”
“Of course, Lieutenant.”
Kriss put on his helmet and was handed a vicious looking assault weapon. He looked over the arsenal that came with the battle armor and had to suppress another wave of excitement. Ever since he understood that he would eventually become Emperor, he had let go of any childish ideas of becoming a Taymati. But now he realized that the childhood dream had remained, and he was about to live it.
Vass was not taking chances, however, and assigned four Taymati to babysit him. He also made sure that Kriss held his position way at the back of the pack. In fact, the way things were shaping up, Kriss doubted he would see any combat at all. A little disappointed, he couldn’t blame Vass for it. He knew that he had put the Lieutenant in a challenging position. If anything happened to the Emperor, the Lieutenant would take the blame. Kriss made a mental note to ensure Vass received a promotion when they finally got off this station.
The Taymati stalked through the station’s corridors, meeting little resistance along the way. They easily subdued the few guards they encountered, and Kriss began to wonder how many of them were part of this conspiracy. And what precisely this conspiracy was? The beginnings of a coup? Were the same people responsible for his father’s murder? He did not doubt it now. His father was murdered, and he was going to find out why.
He wished he had more time to question General Tal, but events had moved too quickly, leaving little time for an interrogation. General Tal would provide answers, though. He would find out exactly how many were involved in this conspiracy, and those responsible would pay for their crimes. He would make his ancestors proud, and root out all the traitors.
As they progressed through the station, they scanned continuously for anomalies. Just as the Taymati were all cloaked, there was no reason to think the prison guards would not be as well. While it was difficult to see a cloaked guard if you didn’t know the cloaking frequency, a scanner could spot anomalies which indicated that a cloaking field was being used up ahead. As the command came down the line to stop, it became apparent that the scanner had found just that.
Lieutenant Vass’s silent orders were displayed on the visor of each Taymati’s helmet, calling for an anti-personnel energy grenade strike. A Taymati grenadier rushed to the front of the line, shouldering a heavy, automatic launcher. The grenadier rapidly fired several rounds down the length of the corridor. Between the eruptions, screams could be heard at the other end of the passage. After several sustained energy blasts, Vass ordered an end to the strike, and they advanced.
Uncloaked bodies now littered the corridor, and Kriss wondered again how many of the dead were part of the conspiracy. Unfortunately, there was no way to know. While he understood it couldn’t be prevented, he regretted that some of the dead may well have been loyal Dvorkans in the wrong place at the wrong time. It seemed incomprehensible that everyone on this station was a traitor. He didn’t think it possible that a conspiracy could grow that large without being noticed. Or, maybe his father had noticed, and that was what got him killed?
They continued to advance on the Control Center until there was another order to stop. At first, Kriss assumed they had discovered another anomaly. Then he heard it. The sound of a charging herd. Something substantial was coming for them, and every Taymati raised their weapon. Staring down the barrel of his own, Kriss clenched his teeth as the stampede came closer. Then it came into view. It wasn’t the prison guards. It was the prisoners, and from what he could see it might have been all of them.
Chapter 15
The Taymati quickly formed a firing line, ready to gun down anyone who got too close. They disabled their cloaks, giving the prisoners a clear understanding of what they were up against. If they had more room, they might have chosen to remain cloaked and just stepped aside. But this corridor was far too narrow for that, and the group would be overwhelmed by the stampede.
As recognition set in, the prisoners slowed their advance. Being a military penal station, these prisoners would predominantly be former soldiers and would know the lethal expertise of the Taymati.
“Stop right there, or we will fire,” shouted Lieutenant Vass. “This is your only warning.”
“You can’t kill all of us!” came the reply, but the crowd slowed to a stop.
“We can kill enough. Turn around, go back t
he way you came, and you will not be harmed. We have no quarrel with you.”
Emperor Kriss found it interesting. Lieutenant Vass had enough restraint to not only refrain from firing into the mass of prisoners but to also indicate that he did not wish them harm.
“What is the Taymati doing on this station anyway? You’re supposed to be protecting the Emperor,” said a voice in the crowd.
“They are,” said Kriss.
“Your worship, no!” said the Taymati next to him.
“It’s alright, I am the Emperor,” Kriss shouted. “These Taymati are protecting me.”
The crowd murmured excitedly, and Kriss briefly wondered if he had made a mistake. He would make a great hostage after all.
“I need your help,” he continued. “An attempt has been made on my life, and those running this station have fired on my ships.”
“Why should we help you?” said one of the prisoners. “We are prisoners of the Empire.”
“You all know the skill of the Taymati. They would kill scores of you before you came close to doing the same to us. I don’t want that. Now I understand that the prospect of going back to your cells is not appealing, and we can’t make you do that without a bloodbath. So, I propose another option. Help us.”
“Why should we? We each swore an oath to protect the Empire, and they jailed us for our troubles.”
“Let’s not pretend that you were all wrongfully accused. You committed crimes and ended up here. That much is clear. I can’t change what you’ve done, but I can give you a second chance. Every Dvorkan who proves their loyalty, and helps us take the Command Center, will receive an Imperial pardon and be set free.
“Why should we believe you? You’re wearing a Taymati uniform. How do we even know you are really the Emperor?”
Kriss took off his helmet, to the increasing distress of his personal guard. “Do you believe me now?”
The Pike Chronicles - Books 1 - 10 Page 160
