by Kal Spriggs
“Of course,” Alicia said sharply.
The man looked away. “Then he has forsaken the Empire and set himself up as warlord. This little farce is no doubt some part of his punishment for me. I see it all now.” His tone was one of resignation.
“No,” Alicia said. “He is one of the senior officers of Nova Roma who survived its fall. He is working with Emperor Romulus to oppose the Chxor. And as far as some kind of punishment...” Alicia frowned, “If my people have no idea who you are, how do you think he would?”
“He knows,” the prisoner sneered. “There's no way he couldn't know.”
Alicia rolled her eyes, “Why is that exactly?”
“Because,” the prisoner said, his voice empty of hope. “I am the man who ruined his life... and I'm his sworn enemy.”
***
“He is Admiral Valens Balventia, he's the son of Duke Balventia... probably the Duke, himself, now,” Lucius said, his voice soft. He saw that Alicia Nix looked puzzled and he gave her a grim smile. “His family and mine have a... history. His grandfather was the younger brother of Emperor Romulus II, which would mean he's a cousin to the Emperor... and to me, through my father being his grandfather's half brother.”
Alicia's face still showed confusion. Lucius looked over at Kate Bueller who had accompanied the head of the FIB to the meeting. She was here to learn about any foreign policy issues rather than any real suspicion of the importance of the prisoner, Lucius would guess. Kate's blue eyes showed as little understanding as Alicia's brown eyes. That only makes sense, Lucius thought, no one here on Faraday had any interest in the lineage of the Nova Roma elite before now and I hardly encourage discussion of my own family.
Lucius sighed. “Short version: he's my cousin, but his family has a long term grudge against my own... because my father was Emperor Romulus I's illegitimate son... his firstborn son.” He saw some understanding begin to dawn in their eyes as he continued, “More to the point, my father rebelled against Emperor Romulus III, turned traitor and led his fleet in a coup attempt.” Lucius sighed, “And to top it off, Valens and I were in the same class at the Nova Roma Military Academy... where, my junior year, he brought charges of cheating against me to get me expelled.”
He saw both of them blanch. “Exactly. We are hardly good friends. More to the point, while I was expelled, he was promoted up the chain of command. He probably has seniority over every other officer we've found from Nova Roma thus far... short of Admiral Mund, who has already retired twice and has made no bones about the fact that he wants to leave this fight to a younger, healthier man.”
Kate sat down slowly, “So you're saying he's their third most senior officer, right after the Emperor and Admiral Mund... and he's your sworn enemy?” She looked over at Alicia, “I'm somewhat tempted to ask that he disappear in custody, if only to prevent the diplomatic incident.”
“Don't even suggest it,” Lucius said. He shook his head, “As it is, we'll never convince him that this wasn't done on purpose. For that matter, half the Nova Roma officers we've released will suspect it was intentional. His family's grudge against me is something that has been talked at various levels.” They slowed my promotion, Lucius remembered, but they also threatened officers who worked with me and went after the careers of those who stood with me. He thought of Anthony Doko, who would have never risen above the rank of Commander due to his history aboard the War Shrike as Lucius's Executive Officer. “And, as much as I hate to admit it, he's a capable and skilled officer.” Lucius grimaced, “I can't say I like the man in the least, but his record doesn't lie.”
“So...” Alicia said, “What you're saying is that he'll be useful to the Nova Roman's, but he's going to poison our relationship with them?”
“Worse than that,” Lucius grunted, “But the sooner we inform the Emperor that we have him, the better.” Lucius took a deep breath. “And as little as I like it, there's probably one thing I can do to help ease the situation.”
“What's that?” Kate asked.
Lucius grimaced, “The one thing I really don't want to do... give him a personal apology and appeal to his hatred of the Chxor to put our rivalry in the past.”
“You think that will work?” Kate asked, a look of surprise on her face.
“Absolutely not,” Lucius said. “But it's worth a try.” He sighed, “If nothing else, it will assuage his pride enough that he'll at least pretend to be civil.”
Alicia nodded and straightened, “Thank you, Baron. If that's all, then I'll get back to work. Kral the Chxor has arranged for the first few thousand Chxor prisoners to head to the colony we've established on the ice moon.”
“Thanks, Alicia,” Lucius said. He waited as she left and then quirked an eyebrow at Kate. “So, what else did you want to discuss?”
“Well, I'll need some time to contemplate the repercussions of this little incident,” Kate said with a smile. “But I also wanted to bring up that offer from the Shogun to see if you had time to think on it.”
Lucius cocked an eyebrow, “His emissary getting impatient?”
“No,” Kate said. “He's actually quite comfortable discussing minor trade issues at the moment. What I'm worried about is that we might miss a window of opportunity.”
Lucius sat back, “Oh?” He thought about the recent raid and he wondered suddenly if the Shogun's emissary had known about it ahead of time.
“We know that the Colonial Republic is on the verge of collapse,” Kate said. She leaned forward in her chair. “An alliance with one of their most powerful factions would be a sign of strength. As it is, most of the diplomats and emissaries we've received have suggested that they're shopping around already. We know that the Centauri Confederation is basically a dying beast. We could establish ourselves as a safe harbor for other worlds to flock to... or we could end up being a target for everyone, the prize being our technology, resources, and, especially, the Dreyfus Fleet.”
“You've a point,” Lucius said. “Yet I'm not certain we can uphold construction on the scale of supporting our own war effort and still provide ships for export to even one ally, much less multiples.” The shipyard under construction was designed for their own use. Granted, no one had thought, until now, that they would need to build more. That would require more shipyards, more infrastructure, and most importantly, more time.
“I understand,” Kate said. “But even if we refit captured Chxor ships or Republic Liberation Fleet ships, the Shogun might still feel it's a good deal. For that matter, Faraday has long produced smaller ships on the ground. Most of those facilities are intact. We could upgrade those easily enough to build up to frigate size... or so Matthew Nogita told me.”
Lucius smiled, “Doing some research, huh?” He nodded slowly, “That's not a bad option, actually. Alright. I'll meet with this envoy of the Shogun, but I'd like to go into that meeting well prepared. Give me a week to get some better estimates of what we can supply at what options.” His smile grew broad, “Oh and you get to wade through diplomatic legalese to see what we can actually agree to as some kind of alliance, both if they remain members of the Colonial Republic and if they break away.”
Kate gave him a nod and Lucius let out a sigh, “I didn't want this job, you know.” He looked out the window at the night sky and his eyes sought out the brighter specks of light, the hulls of ships in orbit. “I never wanted to worry about alliances and diplomacy and all the rest. I just wanted to command a ship in battle.”
He looked back at her chuckle. The smile on her face and the blue twinkle in her eyes spoke just as well as her words about her feelings on the subject, “Well, keep doing the job you're doing, Baron, and I think we'll get through this just fine.”
Lucius grimaced, “I want to take this fight to the enemy. Preparations are underway, but all the rest of this feels like a side show.” He saw a look of hurt go across her face and he waved a had. “I'm sorry. I know this is important... but the Chxor are killing millions of people. The current rumors say the Balo
r have halted their advance, but that doesn't tell us what is happening in the systems they've conquered... which if General Mira is to be believed, is too horrid to describe.”
“But this is just as important,” Kate said. “We're building something here. We're laying the foundation for a strong, vital nation. You can't rush a foundation or you end up with crap, just like the Colonial Republic or the Centauri Confederation. They were dozens of different star systems thrown together when Amalgamated Worlds started to fall apart.” Kate waved an arm, “Hell, I'd say the main reason half of humanity lives under dictators and the other half in anarchy is because there was no transition, just a power vacuum that people rushed to fill.”
Lucius snorted, but he didn't argue. The tyranny of Amalgamated Worlds had been terrible, but their bureaucracy had at least provided some governance. Their collapse, almost a century ago, had left the more technologically advanced colonies to band together into the Centauri Confederation while the frontier worlds had formed the Colonial Republic. Some handful of systems declared their own independence or, like Nova Roma, established their own empires. Most of those nations had fallen apart in the time since, with the exception of Nova Roma and one or two other, smaller nations.
“Baron, we're creating something new... a baby of sorts,” Kate said with a smile. “And just like your daughter, don't expect things to be easy... or to happen overnight.”
Lucius shook his head at that, “Alright. But, don't expect me to be here all the time to shake hands and kiss babies.” Lucius's dark eyes went cold and hard, “I owe it to my homeworld to do what I can to protect them, to liberate them from the Chxor. For that matter, I owe it to their new Emperor, who has helped us in freeing Faraday.”
“Of course,” Kate said. “That's what you do... it's who you are. And we wouldn't have elected you as leader if you didn't feel that way. Just as long as you don't forget your loyalties and duties to us.”
Lucius sighed and for a moment he thought about the long, late nights where the crushing responsibility kept him awake... and the worries that he wasn't up to the task. “Trust me, it's not something I can forget.”
***
Lucius stepped into the comfortable suite with a slow pace. He had thought that he would be able to put his pride and past behind him for this meeting. It was humbling, in more ways than one, to find that he couldn't, quite, manage to do that.
He stopped before the desk. Admiral Balventia did not stand from his chair. “You wished to see me, Captain.” He purposely left off his title, Lucius knew, and from the smug tone in his voice, he knew that Lucius would know.
Lucius managed a polite nod, “Lord Admiral Balventia, I wish to express my sincere apologies as to your treatment and processing.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I had not known you were a prisoner aboard the Chxor station. I've contacted Emperor Romulus IV and informed him of your survival and that we've moved you to more comfortable quarters, pending the Nova Roma contingent finding quarters for you.”
The polite expression faded from Valens' face. “From your apology, either you didn't realize they had me or you didn't expect the potential fallout from my detainment, either way, I can't say I'm surprised at the level of incompetence that suggests.”
Lucius felt his face go rigid. “Understand, Duke Balventia, that while I am still a landed Baron of Nova Roma, I am also the head of state for a nation with its own military. A nation which is the ally for the government-in-exile of the Nova Roma Empire.” Even as he said the words, Lucius knew it was a mistake to let his anger get the better of him. Still, over fifty years of rivalry was not something he could easily put aside.
“You can play your little game with the puers out here,” Valens said. “But we both know how little meaning that has. And truthfully, pretending to have found the Dreyfus Fleet? Please, I might be impressed if I didn't know you well. But I've taken your measure, Giovanni. You've half the ability of your father and every bit of his ambition and bitterness. I'm certain it must have pained the Emperor to have to rely upon you, as his senior officer. I wonder how much you threatened him with the possibilities of a coup that he bent his head to acknowledge this alliance?” Valens smirked, “I wonder just how long that meaningless document will last now that he has someone ever so much more trustworthy and capable to rely upon?”
“Longer than you might think,” Lucius said, his teeth gritted. He had hoped that an apology might go some distance to maintain at least some measure of discretion between them. Valens Balventia's words, however, were a shot across the bow. The other man would not rest until he undid everything that Lucius stood for... because to accept anything else would be to admit a personal defeat. He didn't know how the Admiral had discounted the evidence that the United Colonies was strong and that Nova Roma itself had fallen. Lucius wondered if his imprisonment had... damaged the other man. Yet because of their shared history, that suggestion could not come from him or anyone tied to him. Otherwise it would be discounted as slander or worse.
He took a deep breath and gave peace something of a try. “Valens, despite our personal differences, our families' heritage, we need to work together. This is a fight for the survival of our species.” He saw some shift of emotion in the other man's face and he continued. “I know you are an enormously capable officer–”
Admiral Valens Balventia burst out into harsh laughter. He waved a hand, “Oh, this is just too precious... how desperate you must be to try that course to make peace with me. This is too absurd. How it must have tempted you to have your people quietly kill me. It must have gnawed at you, those weeks of my imprisonment, knowing you had me, yet you didn't dare to kill me, not when the Emperor, no doubt, would find out.”
Lucius locked his jaw and stepped back. “Valens, you stupid fool, if I wanted you dead, I'd have a dozen men and women willing to kill you and bury your body in the mass graves that litter this world from Chxor occupation,” Lucius snapped. “Our stupid little rivalry is a waste of focus on both our parts. We are at war! The Chxor will exterminate our entire species if we don't find some way to work together. What part of that do you not understand?!”
Valens opened his mouth to speak, but Lucius cut him off. “You can play your petty games of politics all you want. I will do my damned duty... and if you get in the way of that, I will bury you. I will see to it that, despite your skill and ability, you won't command so much as a tugboat. And Emperor Romulus, knowing what I bring to the table, will call you out on it for irritating me.” Lucius took a deep breath, but it didn't restore calm, instead it just seemed to fan the rage, “Not a damned person out here cares who your great-grandfather and my grandfather were, nor do they really care about rank and position and lineage. The people who are left care who can defeat the Chxor, who can defend them against the raiders and other scum that want to tear things down. While you were hiding under a false identity on a Chxor station, I destroyed eighteen Chxor dreadnoughts with one battered battleship. You have to realize one thing, Valens, about your little game of prestige... I'm beyond it, I just don't care anymore.” Lucius stared at the other man's angry face for a long moment. He wondered if anything he said would penetrate the other man's preconceptions. Finally, after a moment of silence, he said, “I'll do you a favor, just this once. I'll let you talk things over with Admiral Mund and Emperor Romulus and I'll forget this conversation happened.”
If he hadn't been so furious, Lucius would have treasured the look of consternation and shock on Valens Balventia's face. Instead, Lucius turned away and headed to the door. As he stepped out, he heard Valens final response, “You may forget this, but I never will, Giovanni.”
***
Chapter IV
Faraday System
United Colonies
August 16, 2403
Baron Lucius Giovanni sat down at the briefing table with a subdued sigh of resignation. What he wanted, yet again, was to command a ship or ships in combat. The endless briefings that had come with his new position had
grown almost intolerable. He was a man of action... and it felt like the only progress they made since the defeat of the Balor was incremental, at best. For that matter, as he'd expected, relations with the Nova Romans, while not icy, had become discernibly cooler. Lucius glanced down at the end of the table, where Emperor Romulus IV, Admiral Mund, and Admiral Balventia sat.
“Baron, thank you for making time for this meeting,” Admiral Dreyfus said. “I know how busy you've been of late.” He turned, “And thank you, our allies, for also making this meeting.”
“Of course,” Valens Balventia said. “How could I miss such an important meeting with our most trusted allies?” He managed to put a mocking edge to his tone.
“Yes, quite,” Admiral Dreyfus said. He gestured to the end of the table where his chief of staff stood, “Captain Franks will brief.”
Captain Franks nodded impatiently. “Gentlemen, I've got two parts to cover. First, I'd like to go over what we've been able to find out about our latest attackers.” He activated the briefing table's holofield and a missile appeared on the screen. “This, is the one missile we recovered. It was one of their normal missiles that took a glancing hit from an interceptor, just enough to damage it. We've been able to match the serial numbers to a lot of munitions manufactured in the Garris Major system.”
He looked around expectantly, “Yes, gentlemen, we were attacked by Colonial Republic ships.” Lucius shifted impatiently and thought, is that all they've found after almost two weeks? Captain Franks looked somewhat disappointed that no one exclaimed at his skills. He cleared his throat, “We, uh, have also matched the emissions from at least two of the ships to vessels which we believe were assigned to Garris Major.”
“What about the stealth ship that attacked the array?” Emperor Romulus IV demanded impatiently. The young man looked stressed, this attack had pushed their attack preparations back as they reorganized to protect Faraday from other such surprise raids.
