Showdown: Rise Of Mankind Book 10

by John Walker

  They had the next three shifts to indulge themselves and relax, a much needed exercise considering. As they found a set of chairs large enough to accommodate them all, they settled in to some quiet banter. Everyone around them sought the comfort they needed after their various actions. Meagan hoped it would be enough.

  Lord knows we’re about to enter the lion’s den.

  ***

  Clea and Gray stepped out of the room with Kale. The others, Adam and Athan, planned to stay behind and spend time with their subordinates, grieving with them. Unfortunately, the two commanders had briefings to attend and Clea’s own meeting with Siva couldn’t be delayed. Everyone had a lot to do.

  “Good words,” Kale said. “Thank you for addressing the crews with me.”

  Gray waved his hand at him. “Of course. I only hope we managed to bring some comfort to them.” He turned to Clea. “Where are you off to?”

  “A meeting,” she felt her cheeks blush. “I…can’t say where.”

  Gray chuckled. “Welcome to intelligence, huh?”

  Clea nodded.

  “We have our own special meeting to attend,” Kale said. “Off to high command.”

  “Indeed.” Gray nodded. “I’ll catch up to you later, Clea.”

  “Maybe for lunch.”

  Kale smirked. “If I’m right about where you’re going, you won’t be free for a while, Miss An’Tufal. But we’ll hope for your company.”

  Clea watched them depart and sighed. They might be right. She had no idea what Siva had in store for her. They were supposed to meet at the flower shop and go from there. As she headed for her shuttle, she tried not to think about the future or the past. Busy work came to her, like the bills she had to pay and where she might stay when she left her berth on The Behemoth.

  Life will be changing dramatically. I wonder if I won’t have to travel as much. I might get to see my parents more often.

  Thinking of them brought to mind her sister. She’d probably never see Vora again and the notion made her stomach flip. No, they hadn’t gotten along but the first holiday she spent with her family, they’d all feel the absence. Now, at the end of her term of service with the military, she had time to worry about gatherings and socializing with her own people.

  I missed it while I didn’t have it but now, I’m dreading the loss of what I have. I’ll miss these people I’ve worked with. Olly, Gray, Redding, and even Hoffner…they became good friends. I wonder if I’ll ever see them again.

  The universe was a big place and chances were slim they would return to the kielan home world again. Likely, the next Earth ship would be dispatched with a new crew to break in to intergalactic politics. Hopefully, they’d be as open minded as Gray’s group had been otherwise, there’d be a lot of tension.

  And humans are nothing if not stubborn.

  Clea arrived at the flower shop some hours later and shuffled inside like a zombie. The day only barely began and already proved somewhat overwhelming. As she nodded to the person behind the counter and entered the back, the elevator took her down to her new post, the headquarters she’d likely be stationed out of for the foreseeable future.

  Trellan sat in the lobby as she stepped off the elevator and he stood when he saw her approach. He looked no worse the wear though he was clean shaven with shorter hair. The rugged appearance suited him okay but Clea found him exceptionally handsome with a more civilized veneer.

  “Welcome,” Trellan said. “We’ve been expecting you.”

  “The shuttle was a few minutes late thanks to a confusion at the docking bay,” Clea replied. But I think I’m still a little early.”

  Trellan nodded. “Yeah, but Siva’s impatient I guess. I haven’t seen her yet today but she asked that we head into her office as soon as you arrived.”

  “After you then, Mister En’Dal.”

  “Trellan, please. I’ve been through entirely too much to be called mister by anyone. Especially at this stage in my career.”

  They fell into pace beside one another. “I thought you were looking to retire.”

  Trellan shrugged. “Not just yet. I’ve got a couple more things that need doing before I shrug off the yolk of service.”

  “Such as?”

  He grinned. “I’ll tell you in the meeting, huh?”

  They entered a large room off to the right of the main area. Siva sat behind a massive desk, staring at her tablet. A painting broke up the endless gray of the wall behind her, a shelf containing ancient books stood on the right. She also enjoyed a kitchenette and a private bathroom but for the most part, the area had very little personality.

  Clea took it in while waiting to be acknowledged. Even her personal quarters aboard the Behemoth held more character. She wondered if Siva didn’t want people to guess too much about her by her choices. It did give some clues about her. She was a very private person who liked old things, hence the books.

  The painting was of a landscape, somewhere on the southern hemisphere Clea guessed. It was done with warm colors, a field stretching to the horizon where it met blue sky. That felt out of place. Perhaps it hung there merely to throw off the privileged few who would ever see it.

  The desk went beyond practicality. It was a solid wood affair with all the technology built in. A few papers littered the surface but she kept it immaculate otherwise. Two cold, metal chairs sat opposite her and she finally gestured to them without looking up. “Go ahead. You don’t have to stand around. It’s unnerving.”

  Clea smirked at the peevish comment before taking a seat. Trellan flopped into his, throwing a leg out and practically basking in the uncomfortable thing. He yawned and let out a sigh, drawing a withering glance from the spy master. He grinned in response and shrugged, as if challenging her to address him.

  “I see you two are impatient.” Siva set aside her tablet. “First off, what do you want, Trellan? I thought our conversation suggested you were no longer interested in working with intelligence.”

  “On the contrary,” Trellan said. “I need to perform a final mission.”

  Siva sucked a breath through her teeth. “I think they teach you never to say final in spy school. It tends to be fatal.”

  Trellan shrugged. “Nevertheless, I need to go. And I believe Miss An’Tufal can help me.”

  “Do tell us what this last mission is then,” Siva said, “since you’re not asking for one, you clearly feel you’re entitled to make your own up.”

  “I want to go with The Behemoth,” Trellan replied. “I’m going to help them initiate the plan you’re about to tell us about.”

  Siva leaned forward. “And what do you know about that?”

  “Everything.”

  “And how?” Siva insisted.

  “Trade secret?”

  “You’re impossible. You spent too much time among those pirates and thieves. Are you telling me you hacked into my personal device?”

  Trellan shook his head. “I didn’t tell you anything, coincidentally.”

  “Yes, well…don’t you ever do whatever you did again.” Siva sighed. “You’re giving me stomach pains. Fine. You want to go, I’ll instate you as a…” She turned to Clea. “What would be an appropriate rank for him to perform a military operation with the Behemoth? I’m assuming he’ll want to be somewhat autonomous.”

  “Vinthari should suffice, ma’am,” Clea replied.

  “You see how she addresses me, Trellan? You could take a page from her book.”

  “She’s new,” Trellan said. “You won’t get that from her for long. And Vinthari sounds lovely. It’s better than I was when I performed in the actual military.”

  “First class,” Clea clarified. “Otherwise, he’d be below the person you’d send on a ground mission but…I was under the impression we were not invading their world with ground troops. I’d heard a rumor of bombardment…to force them to surrender.”

  “There’s another mission that needs doing if we’re going to succeed. I’ve got better intelligence than our friend
s out there. After watching the military debate what to do next, I’ve found a glaring hole in their plan. One I intend to fill with The Behemoth. It may be safer…or more dangerous, I have no idea.”

  “Explain?” Clea asked.

  “You gave me the piece to this puzzle. When you engaged the enemy all those years ago and found that the enemy vessels were communicating with a larger ship that sent a message home. When they do a serious operation, they send those big ones. But back home, that represents a space station. A transmitter allowing them to operate as one…to crush their enemies in perfect unison.”

  “What will that matter?” Clea frowned. “We’re sending an overwhelming force against them.”

  “And the most disciplined of those fleets is our own but even we do not fire at the exact same time for maximum shield damage. Durant’s additions to the ships won’t help against that kind of firepower. Plus they can bombard constantly because their recharge times are synched. My intelligence suggests that they have trained with this advantage in mind.”

  “So you want us to take out the transmitter.”

  “While the rest of the fleet handles the straight forward combat.” Siva stood up and paced to the kitchenette, pouring herself a drink. “You see, Earth is contributing only one ship to this cause. They want to play in intergalactic politics but right now, they’ve done some odd jobs at best. If they participate in the front line battle, they will be one of many.”

  Clea nodded, “but if they do what you’re proposing, then they will actually stand out.”

  “That’s how I intend to sell it to Captain Atwell. I’ve already got buy off from his senior here.”

  “He may resent it.”

  “Why? He still gets to go and blow up bad guys but he just has a more focused target.” Siva chuckled. “If he wants battle, he’ll have it.”

  “And how do you come in?” Clea turned to Trellan. “What’s your part in this?”

  “I intend to go in with the marines to take the station. They’re going to try to blow it up but I think I can shut it down, which would be a lot more certain.” Trellan winked. “Call me precise.”

  “I see…” Clea heaved a sigh. “I understand the plan and I believe it will work.”

  “Splendid!” Siva returned to her desk. “Shall I leave it to you to sell to the good captain then? He might rather hear this from a friend, you know?”

  “I can,” Clea said. “Do we have backup?”

  Siva waved her hand dismissively. “Please, there will be multiple fleets out there. I’m sure someone will come to your aid should you require it.” She turned to Trellan. “You’d better find yourself a uniform and some armor if you’re going to pass as a soldier. Even with the hair cut, you look like a wreck.”

  “Always happy to see you too, Siva. Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Siva narrowed her eyes. “Get out, Trellan. I need to speak with Clea alone.”

  “Rather unceremonious,” Trellan grumbled as he stood. “See you later, Miss An’Tufal.”

  “Um…bye…” Clea waved at him as he left and when the door closed, Siva practically grunted.

  “I’m glad he’s back, thrilled he survived but I cannot stand his cavalier attitude sometimes. He’s a bit too laid back about everything. Perhaps it came from constantly being in danger out there or maybe those criminals wore off on him.” Siva’s eyes widened. “Maybe he wore off on some of those criminals…Fates, that would be a problem.”

  “What was it you wanted to talk about?” Clea asked. “I’ve got a lot going on the rest of the afternoon.”

  “Oh, don’t you start adopting some attitude too,” Siva admonished but the look in her eyes suggested it was playful. “I want to implore you one more time not to go on this mission. I know what it means to you but your survival is important. I need you, Clea. You’ve already proven yourself invaluable to me.”

  “I couldn’t live with myself if I waved at them from the shore, as they say. I need to be there. I can help and based on what you want them to do, they’ll need it.”

  Siva let her head droop but she nodded finally. “Understood but you must be careful. I want you back in the same condition you leave in, understood?”

  “Perfectly,” Clea replied. “Believe me, I do not want to do this. The war…the fighting, I’m not desperate for it but as you are aware, when duty drives our actions, it can interfere with self interest.”

  “Yes, more than you know.” Siva gestured at the door. “Trellan will be useful. Make sure your human friends understand that he’s good at his job. They shouldn’t have to order him around. And ensure your captain understands his part as well. As an intelligence representative, you might have to pull some strings.”

  “I’m pretty good at negotiating now.” Clea clasped her hands in her lap. “Do you think this will be the end of it? This battle?”

  Siva shook her head. “No, not at all. Even if the devarans surrender, they have ships still out there in the galaxy that will need to be hunted down. It could take months…or years…to get them all. That is if they don’t adhere to their government’s call to stand down. Then we’ve got pirates still…criminals…other nations stirring. You witnessed a civil war yourself.”

  “That’s why we have a job, right?”

  “Exactly. Because there’s always a new threat around the corner, waiting to waylay us and cause grief. That’s why we exist. To stay on top of those and ensure our way of life survives…even if it is decadent at times. And unruly. And difficult to predict.”

  “I understand my duty better now,” Clea said. “Or at least, what it will be when I return.”

  “You’d better.” Siva stood. “Alright, off with you now. You supposedly have such a busy schedule, I won’t keep you from it. Get out there and do whatever you have to do as a military person. I’ll be holding the fort here, waiting for any report from you. Keep everyone safe on your watch, Clea. I want them all back here.”

  Clea stood as well. “Should I salute, ma’am?”

  “Fates, no! And like Trellan said, eventually you’ll drop the formality. You’re welcome to now. He and I may banter but he’s quite right in how we interact. Lives are too quickly snuffed to stand on form and function, titles and station. I give an order, follow it but referring to me by something other than my name…unnecessary.”

  “Okay…Siva.” Clea nodded. “Good bye.”

  Clea left the room, feeling empowered by the conversation. The mission given to The Behemoth seemed like a better plan than spearheading the assault. It was the ultimate culmination of everything they’d done since they left Earth. A final mission which might tip the scales in their favor. She could think of nothing better.

  Chapter 2

  Gray left the briefing a few hours later, rubbing his eyes to fend off a head ache. Nothing he heard surprised him. The tactics of the invasion were sound. He’d put some thought into it himself when he wasn’t busy, studying what intel they had while en route back to the home world from their last two missions.

  The fleet would be jumping in at multiple points throughout the system, attacking peripheral ships and pressing hard to the planet to commence with a bombardment. Primary targets were identified, what they believed to be military. Depending on how much resistance the enemy put up, they would move on to secondary targets, which involved civilians.

  I hope it doesn’t come to that. High command made it clear they didn’t want to destroy too much infrastructure in the event that they could liberate the Devarans and bring them into the fold of the alliance. Gray could’ve cut the skepticism with a knife. None of the military leaders in that room believed the enemy would surrender or join them.

  These people will fight to the death. It’s almost guaranteed.

  Gray stepped over to the balcony and leaned against the rail, peering out over the vast foyer below him. People milled about, coming and going on various types of governmental business. He wondered how much any of them knew about what was about to
happen, about the dangers their people were about to embark on.

  Probably only what the media has been allowed to say. And I’m guessing that isn’t much. Considering Clea’s own sister proved to be a traitor, God knows how many other spies there might be in our midst. Maybe Siva should direct her attention to rooting those people out. If she isn’t already.

  Kale joined him, remaining silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, he leaned close. “What’re we looking at?”

  Gray shrugged. “The reason we fight.”

  “Yes, the civilians…their right to go about their lives.” Kale nodded. “An honorable reason.”

  “What do you think of what they talked about?”

  Kale frowned. “Invasions are never neat. I’ve studied the various attacks we’ve initiated throughout our military career. They always lead to losses. I understand that your people know the inherent risks as well.”

  Gray looked away. He thought of World War One and Two…of war in the Middle East and the many conflicts in Africa. Even the battle in Antarctica ended with a tremendous loss of life. He drew a deep breath and sighed. “Oh yes. We’ve seen plenty of people die trying to gain a foothold in battle.”

  “I can only hope this attack is the secret that high command believes,” Kale said. “Then it should be easier. However, if they have wind of it…if they’re preparing…”

  “Then we’ll be in a lot of trouble.”

  “Maybe not. After all, we do have more people this time. More ships. The entire alliance has come together. While this is not the sum total of our entire fleet, it’s easily more than any one culture can put together. We’ll crush them…but the cost is the question. How many will we lose in the process?”

  “Especially if they don’t give up.”

  Kale shook his head. “I’m not of the opinion that they’re going to give up. I believe they’d rather die as a race than surrender. Reading the briefings, I chose to look between the lines and frankly speaking, they are religious fanatics. Their zeal makes Orion’s Light look tame. No, we will be forced to do things…that I’m not sure any of us will be proud of.”