“Yes,” Jamie said. “That is correct.”
“My symbiont is from the Great Pool,” Jon said. “And it carries Antikitheri DNA. Logically, the Great See’er’s symbiont would have also carried Antikitheri DNA.”
“What of it?” Tallos said.
“I think the symbiont was the anomaly,” Jon said.
“The symbiont and the host are one,” Tallos said. “If there is truth to this anomaly explanation, then their union created the anomaly.”
“Could that be what happened to me?” Jamie said.
“You have not merged with a symbiont,” Tallos said dismissively.
“That’s not what I meant,” Jamie continued. “Something happened when the Erinyie entered my mind. Perhaps that contact similarly triggered something.”
“There, you see?” Tallos said to Jon. “He attempts to draw parallels between himself and the Great See’er.” Tallos turned to Jamie. “Your experience bears no similarity to the Great See’er’s. All your abilities are borne of evil and darkness. You are not an anomaly.”
“Tallos-” Jon said.
“You are an abomination.”
“Tallos!”
Tallos turned to Jon. “If you value our alliance, Admiral, you will not allow the Great See’er’s revered name to be uttered in comparison with this Chaanisar.”
“Come on, Tallos,” Jon said. “Settle down. We’re just trying to figure all of this out. But fine, no-one will bring up the Great See’er again. Isn’t that right, Jamie?”
“I never intended to draw a parallel between myself and-”
“Jamie!”
“Of course, Admiral. I will refrain from mentioning the Great See’er’s sight from this point on.”
“There, you see, Tallos?” Jon said. “It’s settled. Okay?”
“Very well,” Tallos said.
“Now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with this information. That is why I brought you here, Tallos. The Cenobi said that what Jamie saw was a potential future. So how do we avoid it?”
“The vision does not seem to have any immediacy to it,” Tallos said. “We observed similar longer-term prophecies. Some were favorable, some not. We used these visions as guides to aid our decision making. Such a vision is like a compass. It is a navigational aid.”
“That’s all well and good,” Jon said. “But I don’t see how we can prepare for what Jamie saw. If the Erinyie and the Antikitheri return with enough firepower to destroy the Cenobi, there is nothing we can do to stop it.”
“There is nothing you can do now,” Tallos said. “That is correct. However, circumstances will change. This information can guide your decision making as you move forward. It is in your power to manipulate the future. Sometimes this is a simple task, at other times it is near impossible to change the course of events. You will find that some threads unravel easily, while others are fastened with an impossible glue. In the end, it is up to you whether you prefer being proactive, or reactive. We always opted for the former.”
“Does that mean you tried to control events to avoid a prophecy?”
“Yes, or to encourage one. We discovered that we could actively steer our ship to arrive at our desired destination, but to also avoid rocks that might sink us.”
“Which one was humanity?” Jon said.
“There were indeed prophecies regarding your race, and you in particular, Admiral,” Tallos said. “It is why we took such an active interest in the Sol System. Were it not for the Great See’er’s prophecies regarding your race, you might still be living under Juttari occupation.”
“Are you saying you would not have liberated Earth otherwise?”
“The Sol System became a strategic priority when the prophecies came to light. Before the prophecies, the Sol System’s strategic value was minimal. It was considered nothing more than an isolated backwater region of the galaxy.”
“Well thank the stars for the Great See’er and her prophecies,” Jon said sarcastically.
“Your liberation was inevitable,” Tallos said. “But if we had not intervened, it would have happened much later and under less desirable circumstances. This was not a favorable outcome for Diakus.”
“Goddamn Diakans,” Jamie said.
“This Chaanisar seeks to antagonize me again,” Tallos said.
“No,” Jon said. “He just said what I was thinking.”
Tallos shook his head at the foolish humans. “Do you have any idea of the resources that Diakus invested in securing your freedom? A little gratitude would be in order, don’t you think?”
“Why don’t we stop rehashing the past and look to the future,” Jon said. “If there is nothing we can do about this vision, then unless something changes, I’m not going to spend more time on it. But Jamie, if you see anything else, I want to know about it.”
“Understood.”
“Now let’s focus on the task at hand. Tallos, are your ships ready to get underway?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“Good. All UHSF ships are ready too. I will let Emperor Kriss know that we can begin the invasion of the Dvorkan Empire.”
Chapter 34
Emperor Kriss stood on his flagship’s bridge, waiting anxiously to reach the Dvorkan jump gate. His trip to human space had taken longer than he had expected, and he worried that he would not find his Taymati fleet waiting for him when he arrived. The Taymati were the finest warriors in the Empire, but General Tok had the Antikitheri on his side, and Kriss feared that their support would tip the scales in Tok’s favor.
Despite his anxiety, he had faith in the Taymati. So long as they remained loyal to him, he believed that they would hold the gate and push back any attempts by General Tok to take it.
He would soon buttress his forces with a human and a Diakan fleet. Once those fleets joined his Taymati, he would be unstoppable. General Tok would then pay for his crimes and disloyalty.
“Admiral Pike is requesting our jump status, Majesty,” Captain Neek said. This would be the final jump in their journey to the Dvorkan gate. The moment of truth.
“Tell him we are jump ready,” Kriss said and turned his attention to the main viewscreen. Admiral Pike’s flagship had been the lead jump ship on this journey. All other ships’ jump systems in both fleets were synchronized with his. So Kriss waited for the Admiral to order the jump. Soon he would know the status of his Taymati.
The allied armada jumped and landed in the target system with cloaks engaged.
“Scans are not picking up any Taymati warships, Majesty,” Neek said. “If they are here, they will have their cloaks engaged. Shall I send an Imperial command signal?” The flagship would send out a coded signal informing the Taymati of the Emperor’s presence. If the Taymati were here, they would respond. If anyone else were here, they wouldn’t know what the signal meant.
“Go ahead, Captain,” Kriss said, gritting his teeth.
“Transmitting,” Neek said.
Unable to sit still, Kriss began to pace back and forth, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the viewscreen. Where are they? he thought. Why aren’t they answering?
Kriss noted the odd glance in his direction and wondered how much of his anxiety showed through. I shouldn’t be here. I should be in the throne room. They will think me weak. I will lose their loyalty. Kriss stopped pacing and took a breath. I am being foolish. What would my father think?
His father often lectured him on an Emperor’s disposition. “The Emperor should never show emotions,” he would say. “The only thing Dvorkans should see when they look at their Emperor is strength and unwavering resolve.”
Kriss straightened his uniform and adopted a more regal disposition.
“We are receiving a response, Majesty,” Neek said. “Taymati warships are decloaking.”
The Emperor remained stoic but kept his eyes glued to the viewscreen. There he saw a squadron of Taymati battleships appear. He still controlled the gate. His Taymati had remained loyal. “Advise Admiral Pike that
our ships can safely decloak. Explain to the Taymati stationed here that the humans and Diakans are now our allies and will be treated as such.”
“Yes, Majesty,” Neek said. “Transmitting your commands.”
The human and Diakan fleets decloaked, their vast numbers filling the flagship’s main viewscreen. Kriss again felt a pang of doubt. Was he doing the right thing by bringing these aliens into the Empire? Would they betray him and take it for themselves? What would the Dvorkan population think about aliens destroying Dvorkan warships?
Kriss pushed the negative thought aside. He had committed to this course of action. No point fretting about ‘what ifs’.
“We’ve received a situation report, Majesty,” Neek said. “I am forwarding it to your station.”
Kriss returned to his seat and pulled up the report on one of the displays. As expected, General Tok had returned and tried to retake the system while he was gone. The Taymati lived up to their reputation, however, and Tok suffered considerable losses before he scurried away, good and bloody. The Taymati had again proved their loyalty and their prowess in battle. So why did he continuously fear their rebellion?
The Taymati were not unscathed in the battle, though. They had also suffered losses, though not as great as Tok’s. Many ships had been damaged in the fighting and crews worked around the clock on repairs. His fleet had been banged up a fair bit but was about to be reinforced.
“Captain Neek, send word to the Taymati on the other side of the gate that we are about to cross through. Ensure all defensive weapons know about the human and Diakan ships. I don’t want anyone firing on our allies by mistake.”
“Yes, Majesty.”
“Advise Admiral Pike that our ships will lead the way through the gate,” Kriss said. “The aliens can follow once all our ships have crossed over.”
Taymati warships entered the jump gate followed by the Imperial flagship. More Taymati warships followed the flagship protecting its rear flank. Once through, the Emperor surveyed the fleet he had left behind. Despite any damages sustained, they remained an imposing display of Imperial might. With them, Kriss felt certain he could take any system in the Empire.
“The humans are now coming through the jump gate, Majesty,” Neek said.
Kriss turned his attention to another display and watched Jon Pike’s ships come through. Now that he was back in his Empire, he felt his confidence return. General Tok could keep the Antikitheri. He didn’t need them anymore. Neither did the Empire. And he was going to rid his beloved Empire of their influence once and for all. No matter the cost.
After the humans the Diakans came through, their hulking battleships awe-inspiring. Kriss did not trust General Tallos or his Diakans, but he could easily see how they came to govern large swathes of the galaxy.
He had also learned that they did not lose their star systems to the Juttari. Rather, the Erinyie had crushed their planets and handed them over to the Juttari. That ran contrary to the popular Dvorkan perception that the Diakans were a weak race that crumbled before Juttari forces. That narrative was widely accepted in the Empire, and Kriss felt confident that those views would change once the Generals were pitted against these monstrous battleships.
A comm request came through from Admiral Pike, and Kriss accepted. Pike’s scarred face appeared on his comm screen. “Hello, Emperor,” Jon said. “From the looks of things, I’d say we are off to a good start.”
“Yes,” Kriss said. “I had no doubt that my Taymati forces could hold this system. Their military prowess is unparalleled.”
“This is your Empire, and we are here to help, so what are your plans?”
“I am facing a coup. Several high-ranking generals have turned against me, and they command the bulk of the Dvorkan military. Their ships hold several key star systems. I believe that we need to retake these systems first.”
“Understood. What about the planets?” Jon said.
“I believe if we defeat the rebels in space, that the planets will not resist. My people can round up the collaborators afterward.”
“Which star system do we target first?”
Kriss pulled up a star chart of the Empire showing all the star systems connected through the portal network. He highlighted one of the portals and shared the chart with Admiral Pike. “We will target this one first. I want to give my forces some time to finish repairs and then we can begin the invasion.”
“Okay, this is your show. Pike out.”
Chapter 35
Rebel warships attacked the Taymati squadrons the moment they crossed through the jump gate. This star system had fallen to General Tok and was first on the Emperor’s list to take back. The rebels had deployed anti-cloaking measures around the gate to prevent surprise attacks. These measures took down the Taymati cloaks when they entered the system.
The rebels launched jump bombs at the Taymati and followed up with their energy weapons. Taymati shields held against the barrage, deflecting the incoming jump bombs while absorbing the energy bolts slamming into them.
Instead of immediately returning fire, the Taymati vanguard initiated short-range jumps and landed directly behind the rebel defenders. Taymati energy weapons raked the rebel shields, followed closely by clusters of missiles. The Taymati simultaneously irradiated the surrounding space, disabling any rebel cloaks within range. New contacts appeared in large numbers on Taymati tactical screens as the bulk of the rebel force became visible.
Fresh Taymati warships continued to stream into the system and immediately initiated their own short-range jumps. They engaged the new contacts, but the rebels were confident in their defensive position and stood their ground, opting to go toe-to-toe with the Taymati.
The foolishness of that decision became evident as more Taymati squadrons invaded the system. Following the vanguard’s tactics, they executed tactical jumps to engage the enemy at close range.
Fighters were launched on both sides along with bombers and drones. The smaller vessels streaked around each other, lighting up the void with their energy weapons, battling in a contest to decide celestial superiority.
The Taymati numbers continued to grow, and the Emperor’s legions began isolating enemy ships, swarming them in greater numbers. More and more, the rebel warships found themselves dealing with two on one, or three on one situations.
The tactic confused the rebels and pushed their forces into disarray. Those concentrating on the gate faced a growing dilemma. Did they continue firing on the seemingly endless stream of ships pouring through the gate? Or did they turn their attention to the squadrons appearing on their flanks?
It was clear that while this system was well defended, nobody expected to face a fleet of this size. The disoriented rebel ships began to break formation, losing their defensive advantage. UHSF ships sailed through the gate into this chaos, followed by Admiral Jon Pike’s flagship, the Freedom.
“Let’s get our birds into the fight,” Jon said, keeping a close eye on his tactical screen.
“Yes, Sir,” Captain Henderson said. “Birds are away.”
Fighters and bombers sailed out of the Freedom’s hangar bay and engaged their jump systems. The fighters vanished and reappeared within range of the rebel ships, going to work on the rebel fighters and drones. Rebel warships launched jump bombs at the appearing fighters, but their shields swatted them away.
The fighters on both sides were equipped with jump systems, but they were both also equipped with jump tracking technology. That negated many previously used jump tactics. A fighter could no longer avoid a dogfight by merely jumping away. If it did, its pursuers would be back on top of him in mere seconds.
But the jump system still had its place, and the fighter pilots adapted, creating new dogfight tactics. A pilot who found himself in trouble could jump away, knowing that he would be followed, and draw his pursuers into a hornet’s nest of his friends, tipping the scales in his favor. Similarly, one could jump near the protection of a friendly battleship, drawing the enemy into it
s line of fire.
The UHSF bombers had a simpler objective. They jumped in close to the rebel warships, fired their heavy torpedoes and jumped back to the Freedom. The torpedoes were heavily armored and capable of withstanding the enemy countermeasures long enough to detonate their warheads against the enemy shields, further weakening them.
Jon watched their progress and made a mental note to follow up with Chief Engineer Singh on the possibility of retrofitting the heavy torpedoes with jump systems. When they spoke last about it, Singh mentioned that he would need to outfit the torpedoes with shields or jump bombs could knock them out before they got close enough to do any damage. Jon wanted to take it one step further and add a cloak to the torpedoes too.
He envisioned an arsenal of jump bombs, missiles, and torpedoes that could overcome enemy shields without compounding casualties. The problem was that jump bombs were ineffective against a shielded ship.
To overcome this obstacle, waves of jump missiles and torpedoes could be used to hammer enemy shields until they failed. Once the shields were down, jump bombs could finish the enemy ship off. Adding shields and cloaks could make the torpedoes and missiles unstoppable. It was high up on Jon’s wish list, and Singh assured him that he was close to developing such an advancement.
The Diakan fleet was the last to come through the gate. Their enormous battleships dwarfed all others in the system. These behemoths were really the final nail in the rebel coffin.
The rebel forces must have realized they had no hope of holding this star system. As their shields began to fail, some of them chose to cut and run and jumped away to escape destruction.
The Taymati and UHSF fleets continued to lay siege to the remaining fleet, while the Diakans gave chase. Using the jump tracking technology, they hounded the crippled enemy, chasing them down and finishing them off. For the fleeing rebels, there would be no respite. The Diakans weren’t just aiding Emperor Kriss. They had a score to settle, and that meant no mercy for the retreating rebels.
Jon surveyed the battle from his console. Inside his belly, the symbiont growled as its bloodlust grew stronger. The creature did not trust the Dvorkans, and Jon didn’t blame it. As the defending ships lost shields, Jon considered his options.
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