His message continued. “Today I have destroyed three of your battleships, and ruined a fourth. You just attempted to kill the peaceful and rightful leader of the Dominion. I stopped you.”
Adami saw several of her bridge crew give side-long glances at each other. So be it. The Dominion has always been ruled so, the people understand that the Dominion thrives, that they thrive when there is strong leadership.
“You will fail, Adami, as you always do. Even your insane dealing with the Zhur Thoggu will not help you. You will fail again, only this time I will see to it personally that you die. Until then, Admiral.”
“The Nebula fighters have entered hyperspace, Admiral.”
Her mouth was dry, she needed a drink. She looked around to see Captain Domovero watching her closely. She had to try and show that Nordin’s words had not shaken her. She stood as tall as she could.
“Empty threats are of no concern to me, Captain. See to it that the surrendering forces are neutralized as quickly as possible. Have our most loyal officers assume control. We have won a fine victory today, Domovero, and your quick thinking saved many lives. You will be well rewarded.”
“Admiral,” said the Captain, brightly enough. She turned to the communications officer. “Have a channel set up to Doyen Weststar in my personal quarters at once.”
She turned away without waiting for a response. Nordin would need to pay dearly for his threat. She could not allow an insult like that to go unpunished, else she would look weak to her people. All Edo would pay for his temerity.
An emergency Doyen Council meeting had been called. Many of Weststar’s supporters were there, along with Doyen Niettha, who had been quiet in the day since the invasion had concluded. Most of the few remaining Doyens who were still Brams supporters had decided to be present only via hologram. Weststar didn’t blame them especially, though he’d make it quite clear to them that he’d rather earn their trust and ultimately their support than have them expelled from the Council.
He sat in the very seat that Riccard Brams had sat in not one week earlier, the last time Brams would ever address the Doyen Council. He was dressed in full formal Doyen uniform, its gray material perfect measured for his still-trim physique. He had decided that it would be the last time he would wear a Doyen uniform. This moment had been a long time coming and it felt every bit as good as he’d imagined. Except for the look Doyen Niettha was giving him. As per usual, he did not look pleased. They had a private meeting scheduled for later in the day. Weststar had decided to see how Niettha acted during that meeting and then decide on what he would do with the man.
Amos raised a hand and the room quickly became quiet. He paused for effect, then smiled, victoriously.
“It feels like there’s somebody missing,” he said, pretending to look confused. The others laughed. Whether dutifully or actually appreciating his humour, he didn’t care in the slightest. All that mattered was their loyalty. Laughing along to his jokes was just symbolism for their support.
“The Dominion has always been ruled with a firm hand. The Dominion has survived where other, less orderly civilizations have been utterly destroyed. Democracy and Republics will always fail. They are for the weak, for those who fear responsibility and cower behind group decision making. Had Riccard Brams remained High Doyen - might I mention how I hate that term being used for a leader of the Dominion - he would have singlehandedly destroyed the Dominion from the inside out.”
Brams looked around, the Doyen’s nodding away or listening intently, except again for Niettha, who looked disinterested. Weststar ignored him.
“I have taken back control of the Dominion. Admiral Adami in now in control of the fleet. A ceremony will be held in two days to formalize my ascendancy where I will be crowned and once again the Dominion will be ruled by an Emperor. It will be a return to our Imperialism, a return to our glory and the beginning of fulfilling the destiny of all Imperials. We will rule this galaxy.”
Niettha raised a hand. Weststar nodded. The lean and extraordinarily handsome man stood. Was his skin a slightly different hue today? Something looked a bit off about him. It frustrated Weststar that he couldn’t identify exactly what it was.
“On behalf of my fellow council members I would like to congratulate you, Emperor Weststar.” He began clapping. The other Doyens stood and joined in. Amos basked in the applause.
Finally, he raised his hands and the Doyens reseated themselves, except for Doyen Niettha. Weststar frowned.
“You have more to say, Doyen Niettha?”
“I do, apologies, my Emperor, but there are already rumors circulating in my sector that Admiral Adami’s invasion force utilized Zhur Thoggu technology. I would like to know how you would like me to respond to the misgivings that this has caused?”
Weststar fumed. Maybe he didn’t need to wait until their meeting to decide on the man.
“Doyen Niettha, I appreciate that you were only recently elected to Doyen status but do I really need to instruct you on how to manage your sector? Or would you prefer I have someone else do it instead?”
Niettha’s eyes tightened up. “No, my Lord. My desire was only to bring this issue to your attention. I will have the perpetrators dealt with.”
“See that you do, Doyen Niettha.” Weststar gazed around the room. “I would have preferred not to use the Thoggu technology but I felt that leaving the Dominion in Brams’ hands was the greater crime. Admiral Adami will be retrofitting the ships at her earliest convenience.”
A few of his more loyal Doyens nodded away in agreement but most looked unconvinced. Tough. He couldn’t imagine that Emperor Gallitene ever worried how the Doyens felt about his decisions.
“You are all required to attend the ceremony. In person. Until then govern your sectors firmly whilst the Dominion transitions over to my rule. Thank you all for your support and for sharing in my vision of a Dominion returned to its previous glory. I will be issuing my first directives later today, I trust many of you will be pleased with them but should any of you wish to see me individually please arrange a meeting for tomorrow.”
He stood, and smiled at them all. “Thank you, gentlemen.”
Chapter Twenty
The Grazan converted freighter-carrier Mote’s Eye jumped into the Ewa’ganas system as neatly as a fish slipped into water. Only hyperspace distortions signaled their arrival. Star-spangled Recon Nebula fighters burst forth from its hangar bays, and the huge ship seemed to radiate pride, like a mother releasing her cherished children unto the universe.
Val’s Paladins flights two and three formed up in a loose diamond formation, accelerating from the already maneuvering mothership. The Ewa’ganas system, deep within The Wilds, was not on any major hyperspace corridor but still had a thriving population in the billions spread across two planets and multiple habitats. The planets did not have a unified government, let alone the habitats, who fiercely defended their independence. The population in general were hard working and prosperous, which, along with the out-of-the-way location, meant that black market trading thrived, bringing with it all the various sundry members of that shadowy world. Smuggling and piracy was rampant, so it was no real surprise that one of the ships that the Skave had pirated had been reported in this system.
“Mote’s Eye departing. Good hunting,” commed the freighter’s Grazan Captain Teynin Nasturn. With a flicker of pseudo motion the freighter made the leap into hyperspace, leaving the eight fighters alone high above the ecliptic plane of the solar system.
Edo Mushur Joakim Falk led them down towards a habitat orbiting the second planet, Esiltooine. The habit, officially Esiltooine H3, known locally as The Spud due to its rather ugly exterior, was industrial - a micro-gee manufacturing facility that manufactured high precision exotic components for hyperdrive systems. Presumably the Buderimian light hauler that the Skave were flying was smuggling components in or out of the habitat. Data indicated that the vessel had made repeated visits ever since it was originally hijacked.
&
nbsp; “Paladins, hold here, I’ll approach for visual recon,” said Joakim into his comms. The other seven Nebula fighter slowed to a relative stop as he continued on. The habitat slowly grew from a pea into a potato and then details about the externally docked spaceships began to emerge.
His X4 unit squealed, its message appearing on Falk’s screen.
“Thanks X4.” He chinned his comms, “One of the docked ships appears to match the freighter, closing in for a better look.”
Sure enough, scarring and scorch marks seemed to match visual data on the ship. “Looks like the one. The Skave are here. I’d like to try a different tactic this time. Rather than a ground assault we’re going to wait for them to leave and then follow them as best we can until they lead us to a sizable Skave holding.”
“Sounds like a plan,” said Nathan Bircheno. “Can I suggest we have one person at a time on sentry and the rest of us enter meditation trances? We’ll save air and be more alert when we need to be.”
“Agreed. I’m already here so I’ll take first shift. Nathan, you will be second.”
The Edo had gone through five changes of observer before Harper Ko watched the freighter, now bizarrely transmitting its ID as The Ever Pretty, detached from its docking port and began to move away from The Spud.
Harper reached out, touching the minds of his almost-unconscious colleagues. Except for Amaeh Towpine, the Singronian Edo Neophyte, who took a while longer, they snapped back to full consciousness immediately.
“They have departed from the habitat. My robot is monitoring their trajectory and will notify us of any likely systems or hyperspace jump points that may be likely destinations for them.”
“Excellent work, Harper,” commed Joakim. “Get your ships ready to transition into hyperspace, everyone. We need to follow as closely as possible so that we can still feel them in the Astral plane whilst in hyperspace.”
Their Recon’s followed the ship, its occupants seemingly oblivious to their pursuers.
“They’re spooling up their hyperdrive, about to make the transition,” said Harper. “My X4 says there is only one likely destination, a hyperspace jump point that is the standard one for when seeking to return to the main hyperspace lane from The Ewa’ganas system. We already have the co-ordinates, calculations will be done momentarily.”
“Let’s hold back slightly,” said Joakim. “It’ll take them a while to realign once they reach the jump point, no need to follow too closely.”
The freighter made the jump, one moment there, the next vanished into the strange realm of hyperspace.
“Calculations complete, feeding them through now.”
“Edo,” came Joakim’s deep, resonant voice. “Ten seconds till jump.”
Phan Ursox, the Chief Prosecutor for the State, turned towards the jury and shook his head. The Pemapaani, dressed in a very expensive dark suit, looked every bit the part. His fur was gloriously conditioned to the point where it seemed to shine with its own light source. His eyes, however, were a deep black and combined with his lightly colored fur they gave him a powerful stare. Many people within his courtrooms had buckled under the pressure of his gaze.
“I am sorry,” Phan Ursox said to the jury with contrived attrition. “I am sorry that I have to make you listen to these reports. It pains me to see how badly they affect you all.”
He turned and pointed at Sord Okarachebe, who was seated alongside his lawyer Tomasa Iwu at the front of the massive courtroom, just before the Judge and directly in front of the jury. Behind them sat nearly one thousand observers and reporters, with their vidcams floating around them, vying for the best view.
“Reviewing the actions of the Edo affects me too, but we must put ourselves through this pain to ensure that never again will they harm our peace-loving Commonwealth.” The Pemapaani’s fur rippled across his face and neck.
“Today you have heard how the Edo have interfered in Commonwealth matters. You have heard how they have seen to their own needs at the expense of the public. You have heard of the part they played in the Farwarden fiasco. You have heard how Tyler Blake nearly brought our fine civilization to its knees. You have heard how the Edo brought the wrath of not just the Zhur Thoggu upon us, but the Skave too. There are other incidents, large and small, that have affected the Commonwealth. Whether these other incidents are used in the prosecution depends on both you the jury and the honorable Judge Quechina.” He paused to turn and nod his head towards the stern looking human Judge. “How much evidence will you need to hear before you are certain of Mushur Okarachebe’s guilt? It will take hundreds of hours to go through it all. Perhaps Mushur Okarachebe will admit his guilt under the weight of it all. I can only hope.”
He turned and bowed to the jury. “Thank you all for your patience. I know that you will be honest and truthful to yourselves, and that you will do the right thing.” Ursox turned and thanked the Judge before returning to his seat, next to three lesser lawyers and aides.
He looked very pleased with himself, thought Tomasa Iwu. And quite rightly too. The entire jury already look convinced of Sord’s guilt. His only hope lay in reminding them of all the good that the Edo had done for the Commonwealth, and that any damage caused was despite their efforts, not because of them.
“Mister Iwu, your opening statement, if you please,” said Judge Quechina, not bothering to hide her displeasure.
Iwu stood. “Thank you, your honor.” He looked over at Sord, who sat calmly, hands crossed carefully on his lap. He wore the basic white robes that Edo seemed to prefer. He looked up and his ears turned in Iwu’s direction. He gave Iwu an almost imperceptible nod. He must sense my fear, he thought, not just via the Astrals but from his impressive predatory senses. The thought made him more nervous. He approached the jury.
“The honorable Phan Ursox would have you ready to slit Mushur Okarachebe’s throat right now if it were in his power, isn’t that correct Mister Ursox?”
“I do not enjoy games, Mister Iwu,” growled the Judge.
“Sorry, your honor. I’ll rephrase. The Commonwealth has suffered again and again in recent memory. And perhaps Himdel has suffered as much or more than any other planet. Especially so if you consider only the number lives lost. It is understandable that we look for someone to blame. Someone to be held accountable for all the death and misery we have had to suffer.”
Iwu paused to look at each of the twelve jury members. They included five humans, or near humans, a Pemapaani, a Swaltane, a Towpine, a Maladorni, a Phalee, a Plinteray and an Ekeena. Since there were thousands of different sentients living on Himdel at any time, it was impossible for them all to be present. Instead they had ensued a good selection were within group.
“Mister Ursox will provide you with incident after incident of where much of this suffering has occurred alongside the activities of the Edo. He will blame them for the deaths and destruction. He will insinuate - “
“Objection,” shouted Ursox.
“Granted. Reword, Mister Iwu,” replied the Judge.
Iwu gave Ursox a vexed glance. “Sorry, your honor. Mister Ursox will attempt to show that the Edo have ulterior motives. That they run an illegal cartel, earning themselves a fortune so large that it could barely be counted. He will try to show that they are self-serving, untrustworthy and deceitful. That they care not about the lives and safety and indeed the well-being of non-Edo sentients.”
He shook his head firmly, then pounded hard, fist against palm. “I will prove that none of that is true,” Iwu said with all the conviction he could muster. “I will prove that the Edo are being used as a patsy, that they are being used for political purposes where the only losers will be us - the citizens of this fine Commonwealth.”
He began to pace, forcing the jury, the Judge, the crowd, even Ursox to follow his rapid movements, forcing them to watch him.
“I will show that yes, the Edo are present and involved in all the instances that Mister Ursox will detail at great length. I will show that the suffering was in sp
ite of their efforts not because of them. I will show that the Edo were there not as instigators but as a peace-keepers, intent on protecting the lives of all peoples of the galaxy, despite the great risks to themselves. I will show that the fact that they were present and involved in so many terrible conflicts shows how much they are willing to sacrifice, and how much they care.”
He stopped. Hung his head.
“I intend to show how we have betrayed the Edo. How, despite their order being decimated through their efforts to protect us that we have turned on them. I am ashamed of how we have turned our backs on them.”
“Strike that last comment from the records. Mister Iwu we are not interested in your own opinions. This is your final warning.”
“Apologies, again, your honor. I was overcome with emotion.”
“Indeed, please finish.”
“Thank you, your grace.” He turned to point at Sord.
“Grand Mushur Okarachebe lost his entire world to the Zhur Thoggu. I will show how he almost died in his heroic efforts to thwart the Skave even as the Commonwealth tried to quash the Edo. I will show that Mushur Okarachebe is not a villain, is not a danger and deserves our adulation and respect, not our hatred and distrust. The Edo have always acted as guardians, and we need them now, still as much as ever. We must not let them be used as scapegoats for faceless politicians looking to lay blame at someone else’s door. They deserve better.”
Riccard Brams’ taste in decor left a lot to be desired, felt Amos Weststar. The High Doyen’s personal residence with the Imperial Stronghold on Citadel should have been a glorious representation of the majesty of the Dominion. Any who were privileged enough to visit them should have been left in no doubt to the power and wealth that the Dominion still claimed. Instead, the cavernous suite held a minimum of utilitarian furniture, making it more like the inside of a Battleship than the residence of the soon-to-be Emperor. It would not do at all.
The Rise of The Dominion: A Dominion War novel Page 21
