The Rise of The Dominion: A Dominion War novel

by D. M. Marshall

  Of the twenty two individuals manning the corvette, only two were blessed by the Astrals. Those, she left alone, unsure whether she could overpower them, and hopeful that she wouldn’t need to. She began with the closest, and commanded the person to sleep. Three seconds later she felt the person slip into unconsciousness. Elenore smiled. Now this was fun! Just over a minute later all twenty non-Astral-sensitive Skave were fast asleep, slumped in their places. She felt wrath boiling from the remaining two Skave. She sent them a joyful but mocking Astral call and then powered away from the now mute corvette. She knew that there was a chance that the two Skave might be able to activate a weapon and target her but there was nothing else she could do. She headed directly towards Graz and watched the distance between her and the corvette increase.

  It was then that she noticed a small fleet of Shining Dawn Grazan battle cruisers heading towards her, a swarm of Visage starfighters flitting ahead of them. She turned her wonderful little shuttle towards them. Her comms channel pinged. She it.

  “Hello,” said Elenore cheerfully. “What took your time?”

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Stood on the bridge of her new flagship, the Vang, Adami smiled. “And so it begins, Captain. The Dominion and the Commonwealth are truly at war.”

  Before them lay the planet Icaneresh, along with the first sizeable fleet that the Commonwealth had been able to array against them, other than partisan home defense forces that capitulated as quickly as was decent. Due to the rapid expansion plans requiring her forces to assault multiple systems at once, Adami’s group of vessels was only comparable in numbers to the Commonwealth fleet. Fortunately half of them were enhanced with Zhur Thoggu tech. It would be interesting to see just how quickly the Commonwealth fleet fell.

  Captain Domovero nodded. “Yes, Admiral. It is a privilege to serve you as you bring glory to the Dominion.”

  “Thank you, Captain. Carry out the battle as agreed. Minimal losses, please.”

  “Sir!” he said, spinning around before marching off towards the stairs down to the lower level, where all her officers worked furiously at their stations.

  Adami retired to her ready room to contemplate her glowing future. She was disturbed barely thirty minutes later by the good Captain.

  “Captain. An update?”

  “Yes, Fleet Admiral. We have received a full surrender. What little remained of the Commonwealth fleet has retreated to hyperspace. The planetary authorities are signaling their request to join the Dominion. Apparently they have no stomach for further casualties.”

  “Our losses?”

  “Just one Constellation class cruiser, unmodified.”

  “Excellent. Signal our acceptance, would you, Captain? The Dominion grows stronger by the day.”

  “At once, Admiral.” He turned, almost ran from the room. She almost laughed. Morale was at an all-time high. There was no better tonic for the soul of a stalwart Imperial than expansion and conquest. She would not stop until the entire galaxy lay in the palms of her hands, and all Imperials worshipped her.

  Nate Shepherd was teaching a pair of Edo apprentices in the centrally located open-air training grounds of the Edo base when he began to feel distinctly uncomfortable. He signaled for the pair to stop dueling with their training weapons that looked real enough to be mistaken for actual Astral projections but were only a powered composite plastic construction that incorporated an energy field that made them nearly indestructible but only inflicted a painful zap, just enough to help you learn to block them, and quickly. The taller of the young pair, an already powerfully built Fassen, got one final quick zap in as the shorter Edo, a beige-colored Maladorni disengaged.

  “Hey,” she shouted, hopping away and rubbing at her side. “Mushur Shepherd ordered us to stop.”

  The Chen just laughed. “Sorry, Magli.”

  “Remember to stay wary until you are out of striking distance, Magli,” said Shepherd, distractedly. The feelings were increasing, filling him with dread.

  “Quickly,” he said to the pair. “Go and round up as many other Channelings and apprentices as you can. At the first sign of trouble you come straight back here, ok?” He looked directly at Forska Waganur, the Chen. “Don’t get any ideas, clear?”

  They both nodded worriedly and dashed off, Channeling efficiently to boost their speed.

  Nate Channeled to heighten his senses. He couldn’t sense alarm from anyone, or any intruders, so whatever was going to happen had not yet started. That was something. He pulled out his communicator, setting it to the open channel.

  “Anyone listening? I feel a disturbance.”

  “I feel it too, Mushur Shepherd,” said Lani Carmenco.

  “As do I,” said Nenotuul.

  “I’ve sent a pair of apprentices to gather as many others as they can find and return them here. I suggest we all gather here in the training grounds. There is plenty of defensible high ground here.”

  “Agreed,” said Lani.

  Nate Shepherd put away the communicator and then sent an Astral-call, urging everyone back to the training grounds. He found some high ground, then loosened his heavy plasma pistol in its equally oversized holster.

  Rumor had reached their ears that the Dominion had put a bounty on all Edo and so it stood to reason that it was either bounty hunters or Skave that were about to attack. As far as he was aware, the Skave did not yet know how to hide from the Astral plane and obviously non-Astral sensitive bounty hunters couldn’t even if they wanted to. And yet he could sense neither party, despite that his danger sense was screaming at him. How could that be? The only way to mask someone’s presence was with… Peledramin crystals. Of course. Quickly, he reached out again, but this time searching for voids in the Astral plane, areas of eerie quietness.

  And there they were. Perhaps a hundred or more bubbles, surrounding the base and in some areas, already within. Where several bubble converged the bubbles expanded out considerably. Great. With just him, Danze and Lani, Nenotuul and Hallowwyrn there were only five Edo Masters along with three Edo Askari, nine Neophytes and twenty five Channelings. Ordinarily, a group of Edo would be able to defend a position almost indefinitely, as they’d shown back on Himdel when Adami had ordered the Mercenaries to attack the Edo Temple. But with that many people carrying Peledramin crystals their ability to use the Astrals was going to become unreliable, at best. Eight full Edo without their powers against one hundred well prepared opponents didn’t conjure up good odds.

  He pulled out his communicator again. “Everyone, they’re carrying Peledramin crystals. Roughly one hundred intruders, some already within the complex. Please do not engage, return to the training grounds immediately.” He didn’t wait for the responses, closing off the communicator immediately and then jumping down from his vantage point to meet with Gery Savignsor, one of the Edo Askari, and a group of Channelings. They were obviously frightened but the slender human Askari had them quiet and orderly. Shepherd and the young man shared a look that spoke volumes. Savignsor visibly paled, but stood tall.

  “Find the best hiding places you can for them, Gery. Use an Edo blurring technique to help keep them hidden.”

  “Yes, Mushur,” said Gery. He ushered the Channelings off with him, directing them here and there, helping them find the best spots he could find. If the adults were defeated it wouldn’t really help them much but at least they’d avoid taking any hits until then.

  Nate took a second to wish that they’d agreed to Syrene Frost’s offer of Grazan security guards. Their firepower would have proven invaluable. Bit too late to worry now.

  More Edo returned to the training grounds, including the Carmencos, Hallowwyrn and most of the Neophytes and Channelings.

  “Anyone seen Nenotuul?” asked Shepherd, only to be answered with nonplussed shakes of heads. Nate began to have a bad feeling. He searched the complex with the Astrals, looking for the Entilean’s characteristic presence. She was in the east section of the base, with several young Edo. Worryingly, the
East section was also the most overrun area. He could sense her concern for the Channelings. He tried to com her but there was no reply.

  “Danze,” he called, “Nenotuul needs our help. Grab a training weapon, you’re going to need it. Lani, Hallowwyrn, stay and defend this area. We will be back.”

  Nate used to the Astrals to leap over obstacles and boost his speed, getting to the east exit of the grounds quickly. Danze was close behind, Astral weapon in hand. He could sense that Nenotuul was now engaging with the intruders, the Astral plane-vacant bubbles dangerously close to enveloping her.

  “Quickly,” he cried, racing down the corridors and through common areas. A prickling sensation that was quickly cut short gave him just moments to forward roll to a stop behind a series of equipment lockers, with Danze crashing down next to him, neither as graceful nor as athletic as Shepherd.

  “My connection to the Astral plane,” said Danze, looking stunned as his Astrally projected blade disappeared. “It’s gone.”

  “We’re inside the bubble created by Peledramin. We need to - “

  A laser bolt flashed between them, the heat from it singeing hairs from their faces. They ducked down lower. Danze looked worried.

  “Danze, you may not have the Astrals with you right now but you still have your training, your reflexes and your experience. You can do this.” Shepherd released that to anyone who didn’t know them, the sight of a pair of white and gray-haired late middle-aged men preparing to attack people who were probably well equipped and experienced bounty hunters would have been almost amusing. And without being able to Channel were they really anything but a pair of old men, way out of their depth? But no, Nate was an expert marksman and Danze had decades of practice with the melee weapons. Together they were still a deadly foe.

  “Block their fire and I’ll try and take out some of their Peledramin,”

  Danze nodded and then rose, training blade in hand, backing away from the cover to give him more room. Streams of laser bolts and gauss rounds poured towards Danze, who deflected them away, hesitantly at first, but then with growing confidence. Nate looked over the containers, gauging the positions of their foe. There seemed to be four of them. One stood brazenly in the open, a wiry Phalee sporting a Peledramin frame on his shoulders and a huge repeating plasma rifle, obviously trying to make up for something. The Phalee looked to be enjoying himself. Nate took careful aim and then fired. The Phalee flinched momentarily before continuing to fire, oblivious to the fact that his Peledramin crystal had been blasted clear from its stabilizing frame. One down…

  Danze grunted. Nate glanced over to see that Danze now sported a deep burn across his right thigh, but still maintained a strong defensive position and a deeply focused expression. Thank the Astrals it wasn’t worse. The pain might help him focus even more.

  Nate sprang away from the cover and the flung himself towards more. A trail of laser fire followed in his wake. He peeked out and saw one of the bounty hunters, a huge Qweni, ugly even for that species, moving round towards Nate. The Qweni fired from both of its laser pistols, forcing Shepherd back into cover. If the Qweni kept him pinned down then the bounty hunter would be able to circle round and pick him off at its leisure.

  Shepherd tore a chunk of packaging material from the crate in front of him and tossed it at the Qweni. Without the Astrals it flew lazily through the air and the Qweni easily ducked under the spinning object, which gave Nate all the time he needed to put a bolt through the Qweni’s scaly head. He pumped a couple of shots into the Qweni’s Peledramin crystal as he pitched forwards to the floor.

  He heard Danze shout something triumphantly and then moments later the laser fire stopped.

  “All clear,” called Danze. Together they approached the smoking remains of the other two bounty hunters, who’d received their own fire redirected back at themselves once Danze had regained use of the Astrals. Danze’s leg looked bad but he was able to walk still. As they passed Danze efficiently sliced through the Peledramin crystal, immediately causing the Astrals-absent bubbles to collapse. Danze sighed with relief.

  Nate looked at Danze with a mischievous face. “So… what was it that you said a moment ago?”

  Danze hesitated. “Nothing. Edo Masters do not get excited. There is only peace.” Nate chuckled and winked at Danze. Danze summoned his Astral blade with a contented smile.

  Shepherd could sense Nenotuul’s presence but it was intermittently cutting out, disappearing entirely but then suddenly reappearing as Peledramin bubbles encroached upon her. Pain flared briefly from the Edo Mushur.

  “We need to hurry!” said Shepherd.

  “I know, but we can’t run into another ambush like that, Nate. Better late, than never.”

  Shepherd frowned. Danze was right, they’d been lucky to escape with just a flesh wound. “Ok,” he said, “but I’m leading.”

  Chapter Thirty

  The planet, renamed to Zhur’Thogguranti – the glorious Zhur Thoggu - had proven bountiful. It couldn’t have gone much smoother. HK Three Ne’lom was gratified, since surely was a good portent for the future. The years trapped on Expen Prosger had undoubtedly weakened the Zhur Thoggu but clearly they had forgotten little.

  He turned to the Crafter. The machine stood proud, basking in the results of his divisions activities on the planet. “You have done well, Jent’i.”

  “We will not fail this time.”

  “Indeed not. Soon every being in the galaxy will tremble before our onslaught.” Ne’lom smiled thinly.

  “I would like to recycle the Imperial vessels.”

  “In time, Crafter. Without them we cannot defend Zhur’Thogguranti. Once we have true warships then will be the time.”

  “Good, I cannot bear to have them here any longer than absolutely necessary,” replied Jent’i. “I have spent more than enough time with the humans and their pathetic technology.”

  “I imagine you have,” said Ne’lom. And you will be amongst them, my dear Creator, if I have my way.

  Judge Quechina glared angrily around the courtroom, waiting impatiently for the rabble to stop babbling. She would have loved to use the sonic pacifier on them again but with the case being so high profile she had been urged not to use it, since too many people (perhaps trillions, with all the reporters there feeding directly into the galactic news channels, viewable across the galaxy) were watching - it would detract from the case itself.

  She’d also been instructed to give the full penalty, not that she’d needed much encouragement. She was excited to see the look on the Edo’s snouted face when she gave out the sentence. It was only a shame that there were not more of the Edo so that she could send them to their graves, too.

  Finally the dreadful din abated. Every set of eyes were focused on her. She basked in the moment, lived for this moment. Power. She held every person watching in her grasp. She could keep them waiting as long as she wanted and dash their hopes or expectations. Or she could give them everything they wanted, to then revel in their delight and approbation.

  She looked at the Edo Mushur, still as annoyingly calm as the first moment it had walked into the courts. The Edo looked back, its ears trained directly on her.

  “The defendant will rise,” she said aloofly, looking away, only looking back when she was certain Okarachebe had stood.

  “This court has reviewed the evidence and the decision of the jury and there can be only one sentence that can truly begin to do justice to the crimes committed by the Edo as directed by the defendant.”

  The courtroom, though quiet before, became deathly silent as each sentient in the room held their breaths in anticipation.

  “This court sentences you to the maximum penalty as determined by the laws of the Commonwealth. You will be put to death, ten days hence.” She tried so hard not to smile, knowing that Vidcams would be recording her, and that it would be replayed hundreds and thousands of times in the future. But a rebellious quiver ran across her mouth and the corners of her mouth rose slightly.
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  Mayhem ensued, with the pro-death people cheering madly to which the opposition faction screamed and jeered. Quickly enough they were pushing and pulling at each other and then it turned into a full brawl once the first punch was thrown.

  Safely ensconced in the courtroom, safely divided away from the masses, Tomasa Iwu turned to his client, and friend. “I am so sorry, Mushur Okarachebe.”

  Sord chuffed gently. “Do not be sorry for something that is not your fault, Mister Iwu. We both know this was only ever going to end one way. If it is my time then so be it. Faith in the Astrals, Mister Iwu.”

  Iwu watched as security guards heavy-cuffed the massive Lifzan and led him away, back to his cell. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever forgive himself for failing the man.

  Nate Shepherd led Danze Carmenco quickly but stealthily down a passageway that led from a meditation zone towards the dormitory that housed the Channelings. The sounds of laser fire and blazing Astral weapons, reached them and glancing anxiously at each other they picked up the pace. The zone of zero Astral plane enclosed much of the large, bed-filled, cavern-like room. Smaller rooms led off from the main area.

  The entrance into the room was within the Peledramin bubble so Nate paused just outside of it and tried unsuccessfully to feel for Mushur Nenotuul. He could hear the Entilean growling, her Astral weapon crackling as she worked it against laser fire. It sounded liked she was in one of the adjunct rooms.

  Danze shrugged at Nate and together they moved to each side of the entrance. Nate poked his head out, and slowly withdrew it. So many bounty hunters. He looked at Danze, already injured and began to fear the worse. Danze looked back, the look on his face showing he understood all that he needed to.