Rumors of Wars: The Askirti Chronicles - Book 2

by Danny A. Brown

  The ACPs had been a great idea, but in actual battle, they were found lacking. Jackie and flag officers of the fleet had been expecting more, but many of the little machines just failed when they got stuck to the target warships. They found that only in forty-percent of cases there were enough that successfully made it to the target to fully subdue an enemy warship. Either they needed to fire more of them, or these little trinkets needed to be improved upon. She figured it was a horrible expectation to field test this new weapon during the largest battle of recorded history and expect perfection. A forty-percent success rate meant many thousands of enemy warships that were taken intact and even turned on their comrades.

  The Westerly Federation, for its part, was making a huge impact with the linked battle network. They now had many thousands of ships which were now acting in a coordinated fashion using more modern military tactics developed by Jackie.

  But best of all, no more nukes were getting through to the planet below, at least no more after those last two did.

  I’m going to be sick.

  So far, the estimated dead on the planet were around four billion, with possibly another billion from all the after effects in the weeks to come. But that still left three billion hapless souls who needed saving. That was the part that made the sacrifice all worth it. Though this was not home for the Askirti nor the Commonwealth, none were going to turn their backs on such wholesale slaughter of civilians.

  It was quite mesmerizing watching the destruction taking place on the wall screens that surrounded the flag bridge. Death and destruction, space-born combat on a scale most never imagined. A swarm of fighters overwhelming a cruiser here, a battleship coming apart over there, chunks of warships blowing in all directions, and thousands of missiles at play every given second since the engagement began.

  “High Queen,” a marine said, coming up from behind her. “Lieutenant Shepard.”

  “Emilia,” Jackie said with a pained smile. “I read the marine’s full report on what happened. I’m sorry I was not able to get you out, leaving you to suffer as you did.”

  Emilia was looking around at the wall screens, and then at the hologram at the center of the room. The sheer scale of the battle was beyond her.

  “I thought after what all happened, I would be arrested,” Emilia said with tears coming down her cheeks.

  “My AI found out the truth when we came here, and it was able to link up to some of the remaining Westerly systems. I know the terrible part your mother played in this, but I also know your hands are clean.”

  “Billions are dead because of my mom. I not sure what that makes me.”

  “A victim. It makes you a victim,” Jackie answered. “She roped you into her games early on, recruiting you into the secret police. Yes, I am aware of that bit.”

  She hung her head in shame. The secret police were used by ‘The Chosen,’ by her mother, to arrest or murder most Westerly military leaders thereby substantially reducing the nation’s ability to respond to threats such as the Zikars. Emilia had no knowledge they were being misused for such purposes, not until she was fleeing Loyola Sentra with her mother.

  “Is there anything I can do to help, I feel…useless.”

  “I think there are more battles to come. You can stay here to observe if you like or go to the guest quarters I have for you. But I did want to ask you to join me, join my military...I don’t need an answer now, just think about it.”

  Jackie had extended an olive branch to her. With the large-scale of death and destruction taking place all about, she made time for her old friend. Emilia would never forget that when she came on board the Mars, she had no reason for her heart to beat even one more time, her own mother responsible for so much evil. But instead of receiving judgment, she was welcomed with open arms. As of that moment, Emilia knew she had only one purpose for living, and that was to serve her former best friend and now High Queen of the Askirti Federation.

  ##

  Eigor could not believe his eyes. The greatest armada of all time was being soundly defeated. Enemy ships were taking such a beating, far more than any ship could take, and they just kept coming.

  “Abdul, prepare the capsules,” he said.

  Abdul opened a compartment under his command chair, removing a bottle. He hated for it to come to this, but they could not be taken alive. The mighty warship, UZS Liberator, the pride of the fleet, was dead in space. The weapons no longer responded, the engines were quiet, even the life support seemed to be cutting on and off. Not only that, they were now unable to communicate with any other ship. They had heard reports of small spider-like bots crawling through the interior of some of the other ships when the engagement began, and that these bots may be responsible for sabotaging this ship. The bots that crew members approached exploded as if on a proximity fuse, killing all those nearby who were unlucky enough to be near it. See all was lost, Eigor wished to blow the Liberator, but even the self-destruct was broken! That was simply not possible!

  And then there were those soldiers. The invaders were more than a match for his soldiers, and those robots they brought with them were flooding the corridors, mowing down all who opposed them. Thousands of faithful crewmembers were slaughtered defending the great ship, but their sacrifice was not enough to save it.

  The hatch to the bridge was closed and locked, but camera feeds showed the enemy had made it here. It was only a matter of time before they came charging in.

  “Yes, sir. I have them right here,” Abdul answered his admiral. The bridge crew were watching carefully, each of them knew what was to come next. The capsules would work within seconds, paralyzing their nervous systems and causing respiration to cease. And if that was not enough, some of the contents formed a special acid when absorbed into the bloodstream, so what little of it made it that far turned the person’s blood into an acid that ate away their blood vessels at once. Ingestion of this meant death, whether it was quick or slow, the outcome was a guaranteed one.

  “Gather around,” Eigor commanded, everyone doing as they were told. “Today, the Zikar Empire has suffered a setback, but I am confident of our final victory over the heathen! We will be victorious! We will liberate the oppressed amongst humanity! We will...”

  BOOM!

  Marines ran in quickly stunning the entire bridge crew.

  Chapter 22

  Lenox System

  In high orbit around Lenox-5

  ARNS Mars

  “It is the position of the Westerly Federation that we ally ourselves with the Askirti Federation,” Josh said.

  The conference had been going on for days as the relief efforts for Lenox-5 continued in earnest. With almost four billion people on the surface that were now living in substandard conditions, the need was great and immediate. Millions were dying every day from the aftereffects of nuclear warfare. Dysentery and starvation were going to become real problems on a core world.

  Already the Commonwealth, the Reslorians and anyone else who could pitch-in was there helping. Food, medicine, shelter, the basics of life were needed as so many no longer had anything.

  Bunker-buster nukes destroyed the military high command along with the bunkers for the Westerly leadership, including its president. The nation’s leadership situation was so dire, Josh found himself at the very top.

  “A bold claim, Admiral Waters,” Jackie said.

  Indeed, it was bold. Not long ago the Askirti Federation did not exist. The only territory it owned was a few thousand acres on Avalon, if the secret enclave of San Agustin was not counted, not to mention the black sites the Askirti Federation was laying claim to in the form of rogue planets.

  “Bold times. I waited too long to retire, now they want me to make the tough choices,” he said to an amused crowd.

  It was early evening, and everyone was exhausted. Jackie had ordered alcohol to be served with dinner as this was Josh’s favorite venue for talking business. And after the mass-murder on a grand scale of Westerly citizens, nobody was going to den
y him simple pleasures.

  “Times are changing, and we need to change with them. Besides, dozens of our worlds are still being held by the Zikars, and we need partners if we are going to retake them.”

  “Josh,” Jackie started, “nobody is going to make any conditions about that, it’s already part of the plan.”

  The look of relief on Josh’s face was palpable. The man looked like death warmed over after the recent events. Tens of billions were dead, and the Westerly Federation was no longer a major player.

  “What’s your take, Admiral,” Josh said, looking his best friend dead in the eye.

  Jackie’s fleets were expanding so fast, she needed competent people at every level, including the admiralty. As such Jeri jumped two ranks, bypassing commodore. After all, how many ranks had Jackie skipped?

  I don’t have a grade other than “head-honcho,” Jackie mused.

  <>

  I know, I know. Sometimes the “highness” of it all gets to me, especially right now when there is so much suffering.

  “Josh, I’m not going to tell you what to do, but you see where I am,” Jeri said.

  “I know, but I can’t jump now. Not retirement nor the Askirti Federation.”

  “What I mean,” Jeri said, “is let her lead. If you want to get back on your feet, it is time to follow.”

  The general agreement set forth put the Askirti Federation in a more direct role than that of multinational military force. While it did not involve direct governance, the Westerly Federation would have to adopt certain guidelines as to how things were to be done as a member state of the Askirti Federation, thereby reducing corruption and encouraging much more cooperation with other member states. These guidelines had been worked up by the Commonwealth and the Reslorians, despite the former having an elected leader, and the latter being a monarchy, their actual laws and systems of governing were virtually identical.

  “I agree,” Josh said, nodding his head in agreement. “I just don’t know what we can offer. We are bankrupt and now a borderline backwater set of worlds.”

  “We need to come together before the Darkness comes for us,” Jackie said. “We will help you take back your worlds, and modernize your fleets.”

  “What is this ‘Darkness’ stuff. The Zikars were pretty dark.”

  “We are not entirely sure,” Jackie admitted. “All we know is the most challenging of times are ahead of us, not behind. It is possible for us to stand as one people in a just society, and I intend to see that happen.”

  A just and upright society was very much on everyone’s mind as his nation had been so corrupt. With Josh now calling the shots, there was a real opportunity to reform the government of the now chaotic nation. And if there were larger obstacles ahead, they would need all the help they could get.

  ##

  Julie was looking in the mirror, her hand on the side of her face, tears running down her eyes. Though the nurses had redressed her after her surgery, she undressed in front of the mirror, looking at herself.

  “I-I forgot what it was like to be beautiful,” she remarked.

  “The burns on your face and body were quite easy to remove,” said Doctor Ana Novak.

  “Why is this technology not shared? So many women in the Zikar Empire are scarred!” she said with a little heat in her words.

  “Julie,” Ana said, “the technology to do this was invented by the Zikars many hundreds of years ago. Back then your people were leaders in both technology and medicine.”

  The look of utter shock was evident on her face.

  “What?! They lied to us?! How did this happen?!”

  “It is commonly taught everywhere but apparently in your nation. The first dynasty wars were devastating to the Zikar Empire, most of the leadership was destroyed, like what happened to the Westerly Federation today. That is when a faction in the priesthood took control. Now, five hundred years later, they are murdering tens of billions of people. That is why we are here trying to help them, so that radical elements don’t take hold of it during its time of weakness, like what happened to your nation.”

  Julie just stood there staring at her body and face in the mirror.

  The half-burned face was repaired, the branding marks and cuts on her body were gone.

  My people invented this healing technology?! They helped people?!

  For all her life, she understood that man’s salvation was the Madonna, and a woman’s salvation was the man. Women were to be owned, to be led, to be told what to do. If the man sought to abuse their woman, it was better than the cleansing the priesthood offered. She privately held out hope that her seemingly unique insights had been a gift from the Madonna to be used to further her master. Now she was not so sure. Then a thought formed in her, it seemed so impossible, but it was getting louder by the moment.

  Perhaps I am gifted to stand apart from a man. Perhaps I am meant to lead.

  She watched in fascination the videoed trials taking place of the Zikar officers who had been transported down to Lenox-5, this was being broadcast everywhere. For weeks, everyone who fired a nuke ordered a nuke, executed a prisoner of war, ordered or participated in a woman being “cleansed” was tried and publicly executed. The Zikar computers had extensive logs, including diaries, which laid out all the evidence. The televised trials were but a sample of the many thousands who were being tried.

  It was interesting to watch the various media channels as there were channels praising the Askirti High Queen, and others condemning her for the mass bloodshed of prisoners of war. She was not aware that dissenting opinions were allowed. But she took comfort in the knowledge that if they could defeat the Zikar Empire, perhaps one day they would help the Zikar people become the people they were before, leaders in technology and medicine.

  How was I so blind for so long?

  “Startling, isn’t it?”

  She turned around, there was the High Queen herself, looking drained.

  “You can redress anytime now,” Jackie said, feeling a bit uncomfortable with this naked woman just standing around in Ana’s infirmary.

  “Ok,” she said, gathering her stuff and redressing herself. “I'm just so used to others having access to my body it isn’t something I think about anymore. I do have to ask, am I being made pretty for my trial?”

  “No, nothing like that. You are not being tried for any crimes.”

  “I have a hard time believing that, especially after how I treated some of the captured officers. What would merit the repairs to my body?”

  “Basic human decency,” Ana said.

  Julie was looking very confused. “Then what do you want from me?”

  “I understand you were one of Admiral Zobrist’s strategists.”

  “I was his only strategist.”

  This time it was Jackie who looked surprised.

  “Well that is surprising, but also helpful. But before I continue, did you in any way recommend these atrocities?”

  “No!” Julie insisted. “I told him we must not do it! He said it was part of our contingency orders. If the supply chain fell apart, we were to sterilize the major worlds.”

  At that statement, Jackie was almost about to fall over and had to be helped to a seat.

  “What does that mean to you?” she asked the Askirti woman.

  “It was my strategy to raid the supply lines. I personally led the major assaults,” she said, with her fingers on the bridge of her nose. “We passed these plans by many advisors, none of them said the Zikar Empire might start nuking planets. We just wanted to slow the war down.”

  “None of your advisors were Zikar. To me it was obvious they would cleanse them. What we cannot have would be denied to the enemy.”

  “Julie, back to why I am here. Once we defeat the Zikars, and we will defeat them, we are going to need help and a lot of it. If taking their core planets are going to be anything like taking these fleets, it is going to be a bloody ordeal.

  “We are at wa
r with your people, but that will not always be the case. Change is coming, and it would be best if Zikar citizens were helping the Zikar people rebuild. Just think about it.”

  “Mighty big words considering I’m a prisoner of war!” Julie said in an exaggerated voice.

  “This war will not last much longer,” Jackie added. “Afterward, there will need to be a healing process and reconciliation with the other nations. Our peoples are not as different as you may suppose. I’ve studied the Zikar religion, and it is a severe abuse from the same beliefs I was raised in. Similar, just altered.”

  The look on Julie's face was of suspicion and surprise.

  “If you don’t believe me, you can read up yourself. Holy texts such as yours and mine are both available in the archives on this ship, including Zikar archives from before the priesthood took over. I’ve also had aids find and make available a wide range of studies about what happened, and just how the religion became so distorted.

  “I think once we eliminate the priesthood, and we will eliminate them,” she added darkly, “there will be an opportunity to retrain your people in the old ways, to be frontrunners and peacemakers, not subjugators.”

  Jackie handed her a tablet and walked out the room.

  ##

  “You can’t!” Emilia exclaimed.

  “But I can,” Jackie responded.

  “Do you know what she did to me?! You of all people should want her dead!”

  Emilia had been certain that Julie’s harsh treatment of her would fall under the umbrella of judgment resulting in execution, as thousands of Zikar POWs were being tried and executed for their crimes.