Resilience (Warner's World Book 6)

by Dave O'Connor

  “Around about a thousand troops have landed at the spaceport and are fighting what remains of the 2nd Ecrustian Bde. I have reinforcements on the way. Can you destroy these ships? We can deal with the ground forces.”

  “Sounds a fair arrangement. Belay your batteries till I call again.”

  “Will do. The space above is all yours. Oh and by the way there’s a human stealth frigate somewhere out there. It’s on our side.”

  “Right…of course. We’ll launch our attack in a little under two hours. I won’t hail you till then. Out.” Veego turned to Angina. “This Draag, was he Soola’s chief of staff?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Mmm…” muttered Veego. The penny had dropped. He recalled meeting Draag at a Fleet conference years back. ‘Never thought he’d amount to much!’ he said to himself.

  Chapter 29. Neeblo 1010, 16 September

  “Well, well, well” said Felis.

  “And?” asked Kraag.

  “Who would have thought prima donna Paga would have actually defected to the Resistance.” Cheers erupted in the ops room.

  Felis finally got a word in “OK, OK everyone they will deal with the ships above. We have to clean up down here. Bonitis you were going to get me an ETA for the 3rd Bde.”

  “Yes Sir” said an elated Bonitis.

  “Kraag, put a weapons hold on all batteries till otherwise advised and ground all fighters.”

  “You got it.”

  Chapter 30. Batlasan 1205, 16 September

  The reports in from Lewista spaceport were encouraging. Puros now had 1600 troops down on the ground and they controlled most of the rubble that masqueraded as the Lewista spaceport.

  He gave the go ahead for the next insertion. This time it would be the big transport carrying the final reinforcement battalion. It would be escorted with twenty fighters.

  “Incoming” announced the defensive systems officer “we’re under attack from the 2nd.”

  “What do you mean” demanded Puros. He glanced to the holo, saw the tally now showing over 1400 missiles heading his way and realised he’d been duped. “Warp away now” he ordered. “Order the fleet to warp away now.”

  The comms officer went to comply but realised that they were now being jammed. No orders were going to go out. He looked to Puros and shook his head as the watch officer was announcing that they would be warping in one minute.

  Puros knew in that minute that he would get away but he also knew that much of his fleet would not. He had been defeated and it stuck in his craw like a barbed spike.

  Chapter 31. Neeblo 1300, 16 September

  Felis had ordered Selinta to go to bed. Her stay-awake drug had worn off and she had literally fallen asleep at her terminal.

  Kraag was reviewing the battle report from the Eltekin. They had lost one light in the brief exchange with the 1st RIF but claimed four caps, five lights and four transports, including the one fully laden with troops. The rest of the big ships got away. Sixteen imperial fighters were abandoned and surrendered so they could land, along with a dozen light shuttles.

  The abandoned ground troops though still held onto the spaceport but negotiations with their leaders were underway. Kraag expected their surrender in the next hour or so. Already, individual warriors were exfiltrating out of their perimeter and surrendering to the 2nd Ecrustian Bde.

  Kraag looked across at Felis who was cat napping in his chair. He felt a surge of pride. They had done it. They had stymied an entire fleet and held on long enough for the 2nd RIF to deliver the knockout blow. He had been part of that and Kraag felt good about it.

  When Felis had asked him to come on board he had real reservations. He had known Felis for over twelve years, though had lost touch in the last five. He had always liked Felis but now he also respected him. He couldn’t fault his judgement and if there had ever been any doubt about his commitment well it was answered well and truly today.

  Evie popped in and saw Felis asleep in his chair. She came over and put a hand on Kraag’s shoulder, surprising him.

  “Oh it’s you Evie” said Kraag. “I’m afraid your prince is fast asleep. I’m waiting for him to start snoring.”

  “Oh he doesn’t snore that much” said Evie.

  “Well I’ll bow to your superior knowledge on that score.”

  “You must be happy” said Evie. Kraag nodded. “We should be getting a shuttle coming in from the Eltekin. Admiral Paga and Angina Slirinus will be on it. Please try not to shoot it down.”

  “Do I wake him or you?”

  “I’ll do that” and she smiled.

  Chapter 32. Neeblo 1400, 16 September

  The meeting had been going now for almost half an hour when a knock on the door came and one of Meelanda’s staff poked their head in and said she had an urgent message for Angina. Everyone remained silent while Angina read it.

  “It’s a request from my head of communication, Milus Olasso. It’s from yesterday. He says they are still holding out in Slidwon but need urgent intervention in force. He also says that volunteers are flocking in to join their militia but they are short on heavy weapons and the enemy fighters are wreaking a terrible toll.” Angina looked to Meelanda. “Istridium could be ours if we support them now.”

  “Won’t that mean abandoning the defence here” asked Meelanda.

  “The human ships will be here in five days, correct?” Angina asked Julian.

  “Well yes” said Julian “but I was going to propose signalling them so they can return to Qwantum. Remember we have prior obligation there.”

  “Things change in war Commodore” responded Angina. “We have uprisings on three home worlds now. There is real momentum and a great opportunity. Qwantum was yesterday’s front line. It’s moved on. The flashpoints are now here, Raidom and Istridium. Securing the Mintoslum facility is vital to everyone’s security. We must commit to that but we could win the war on Istridium.”

  “I concur” said Veego. “We need to act before the resistance there is crushed.”

  “Excuse me” said Julian forthrightly “but have you forgotten just how close we came here to losing. Do you not think they will try again to secure this technology?”

  “What do you think Felis” asked Meelanda.

  “A vexed issue for sure” said Felis. “Angina and the Admiral make a good point. But much will depend on the other fleets and which side they will support. We have bought some time for sure. How much I don’t know. We can restock our missiles and fighters from our own production here but we lack ships.” Felis then turned to Julian “Given the demonstration we saw earlier with the Phantom I’d be confident we could defeat another single fleet with the assistance of your ships. But without them we should retain the 2nd Fleet here.”

  Meelanda turned to Julian “Well Commodore it looks like the prospects for an early victory are in your hands.”

  Julian felt the weight of all these rogan eyes upon him. “All right then we will let the arrangements stand. But please bear in mind that Captain Warner will only probably get my original signal later today. They won’t be here for five days.”

  “The Venlin group should warp back in tomorrow” said Felis. “We should be able to cope till your ships arrive.”

  Julian looked decidedly anxious. It just didn’t feel right. He could see the effects of euphoria on the faces of the recent victors in front of him. They seemed ready to conquer all. But he was not so sure. He sank back into his chair and thought ‘the die is cast now.’

  Part 3

  Resurgence

  The surge comes in and overwhelms

  You’re flung back to the shore

  Dazed and dashed you’re on your knees

  You’ve never been beat like this before

  You’ve been caught off guard and knocked for six

  But that doesn’t mean you’re out of tricks

  You pick yourself up with steel in your eye

  and resolve in your heart

  You charge back in for a bra
nd new start

  You’re coming back now more powerful than ever

  Resurging through to reign forever

  Chapter 1. Cornucopia to Polaris 1500, 16 September

  Charles had missed his session with Merry. She had had to work back. She had sent him a message begging off. It had ended with ‘will try to see you later.’ When she didn’t show by lunch he knew she must have gone straight from the medbay to her cabin to crash. He was disappointed. He had come to look forward to talking with her each day. In fact he had to admit that she had prised him open. He was more in touch with his feeling now than ever before. And he particularly longed to hold her in his arms.

  Part of him though still held back. He anguished over his inability to show his true feelings. ‘What was it May Lin had said?’ he asked himself, referring to a woman he had once courted. ‘Oh yes’ he remembered ‘There’s a trap door over your heart held down by a powerful spring.’

  Merry had been awake for a good twenty minutes now. She was tired. It had been a gruelling shift with two emergency procedures. But it wasn’t these that caused her to wake early. No it was her promise to Charles. Missing this morning’s breakfast with him had left her hungry on two counts. The sandwich she had devoured before hitting the sack only satisfied one of those.

  She had to admit to herself that she cared for this damaged soul but bitter experience had taught her that caring was not enough when it came to personal relationships. What she had been tossing and turning and churning over these last twenty minutes was whether her feelings for Charles amounted to more than caring.

  ‘I certainly lust after him’ she admitted to herself. ‘But is this love?’ She reflected on her previous ventures and then thought ‘I don’t want to get burnt again. I’m done with that.’

  She rolled over onto her right side curling up into the foetal position. Her left hand rubbed against her leg. ‘Oh fuck it. I need him’ she said to herself. She sat up grabbed her communicator and texted a message to him. ‘Do you want to see my tomatoes?’ and appended her room number. She smiled at her handiwork and hit send.

  She started to have second thought about what she had just set in train when there was a knock at her door. She cursed herself for her own weakness but opened the door anyway. “Hi” she said.

  “Hi” said Charles.

  She saw his eyes scan her and only then realised that she was still in her PJs.

  “Oh sorry Charles I should not have sent you that message.”

  Charles smiled at her knowingly. “That’s OK, I think I understand.”

  She came onto her toes and pecked him on the cheek. “Thanks” she said. She came back onto her heels and then said “Oh, you’re here now, do you want to see my tomatoes. There real. I wasn’t joshing you.”

  “Sure” responded Charles. She ushered him in to her little suite. He entered her living space where she had a desk, a small two seater lounge and coffee table and over against the far wall a fairly large hydroponic unit. The artificial lights above it were currently turned off but Charles could see that they must really brighten up the place.

  “Their massive” he said as he admired the plants climbing up the creeping poles.

  “There not bad. I have to cut them back or they take over the place.” She walked over and put her hand around one of the tomatoes that looked like it was ready to be eaten. “Shall we?” she asked. “On toast?”

  “Why not!”

  Twenty minutes later, Charles wiped his lips. With a content smile he said “delicious.” He placed his plate down on the coffee table and cast an eye at the time on his communicator. “Aren’t you supposed to be on duty in a few minutes?”

  “No. I have the next two days off.”

  “Oh” he said and they both went quiet until a minute later when Charles said “I suppose I better be going. Thanks for the tomatoes.”

  “Is there anything you would like to say to me Charles?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “About how you feel towards me?”

  Charles felt his neck stiffen. He knew he was clamming up. He didn’t want to but the reaction was so ingrained. Merry could see his struggle etched on his face. Her ego would have been justified at being hurt by this seeming rejection, but Merry was better than that. She reached out her hand and took his. “It’s all right Charles. I know you care for me. I just wish you could say it.”

  Her touch was sending a powerful signal to his brain. It was competing with another from a cold, cold place deep within. She reached with her other hand and gently stroked the side of his face, sending a shockwave through his being. It overwhelmed everything and tears began to run.

  He gave a partial shake of his head as he looked into her eyes. He was in unchartered territory but he surrendered to the emotion anyway and began crying out loud. She took his head into her shoulder and stroked the back of his head as he sobbed.

  He sobbed for some time but eventually stopped, content to be held in her arms. His breathing returned to normal and he regained some composure. “I do love you” he said softly.

  A smile came over Merry’s face. She continued to stroke the back of his head. “And I love you.”

  Chapter 2. Resolute over Q2, 1900, 16 September

  Dave reread the message from Pious. The decision wasn’t any easier for the second reading. He showed it to Ivan who was sitting on the other side of Dave’s desk in his office.

  “Wow” said Ivan. He looked at Dave, saw he was looking to him and then reread the message himself. He took his eyes off the console and said “Big call!”

  “Well thanks for your contribution” said Dave. “What do you think?”

  “Safe option is to stay here as ordered. But the Commodore is recommending you disobey those orders. He’s Johnny on the spot. We know his judgement’s good. I’d back it.”

  Dave smiled approvingly. Ivan smiled in response but then added “Is leaving two frigates the right option though? I’d be inclined to leave the Maelstrom here. We would need to leave some fighter here anyway and she doesn’t have a full complement. She’s also a drag on our options – not being stealth.”

  “My thoughts exactly” said Dave.

  “The leaders down there are not going to be happy.”

  “No they are not. Someone’s going to have to explain things to them. That’ll be down to me I suppose.”

  “By all accounts Hec Shoebridge did a pretty good job last time.”

  “Nah, bad news is best delivered from on high.”

  Ivan chuckled. “I did offer an alternative.”

  “Noted. Call a conference of ship captains and XOs. We need to get underway soon. Let’s aim for 2100.”

  Chapter 3. Cornucopia to Polaris 0300, 17 September

  Merry’s internal clock was all screwed up by her shift work. It told her that this was the time to be up and about - hence why her eyes were wide open. She patted the hand that draped over her midriff and glanced across at the dark shape that was Charles’ head. She smiled. Their lovemaking had been really sweet. They both had been tender and gentle.

  But now she felt something else, something primal, and something more robust. She moved her hand down to her groin. He moaned a little at the disturbance. She began rubbing herself as she fantasised about making love with Charles again. With her other hand she stroked his thigh. He moaned and began to stir.

  She pushed his hand that was on her midriff up to rub against her breast and let out her own pleasurable moan. This definitely woke Charles up. “What?” he asked in his half-awake state. She extended her hand down to his groin and began stimulating him to the point where Charles rolled onto his side, cocked his leg over her and began to hoist himself on top of her.

  She grabbed him by the buttocks and clenched hard forcing him into her parting legs. “Oh” he said out loud.

  “Give it to me” she begged. She began to laugh with sheer pleasure as he thrust into her. She pulled his buttocks tighter feeling him grind down on her mount
venus. “More” she uttered. Charles was breathing heavily with the exertion. He had never made love with this degree of intensity before. The emotion overwhelmed again and he let out an “Oh yes…I love you…I love you.”

  She felt him come and she surrendered to the pleasure herself. A wave of ecstasy swept over her. She stroked the back of his head and supported it as he rolled off of her. She laughed and said joyfully “now that was a good fuck!” Charles laughed briefly. A minute later though the little death claimed him. As he fell back into sleep, Merry never felt more alive.

  Chapter 4. Lewista 1100, 17 September

  “Must be half a million” shouted Erkum in an effort to communicate with Meelanda before she was to go forward to address the rally. They were on the same balcony of the Ripple building from where they had begun their political campaign. Meelanda had insisted it be here. This was where her father had paid the price for opposing the imperialists. It meant a lot to her.

  Last time they had barely mustered ten thousand. Now as far as the eye could see there were people occupying every bit of space in the main concourse between the huge towers. There were huge banners playing on the walls of the towers, where once advertisements and propaganda played.

  The MC was geeing up the crowd and soon a chant of “Twenty Four no more” began to overwhelm all the other sounds. It reached a crescendo as Meelanda took the stage. She raised her arms up and out and eventually the voices subsided.

  “People of Lewista, people of this great world of Cheklin and people throughout the rogan territories I hereby declare that the 24th Plenium is no more in control of this home world.” A huge cheer went up and Meelanda had to wait a minute before she could hear herself. “The imperialist flag flies no more over Cheklin.” Another cheer went up. “This is the beginning of a new era, a republican era. The 25th Plenium has begun.”

  There followed a string of speeches, including one by Evie about the forthcoming elections. As Evie stepped down after her speech she realised that she had never participated in an election in her entire life. It was hard for her to come to terms with what was happening. As she sat back down on one of the seats setup for the dignitaries, with the giant digital banners dominating the vertical space around her and the male voice of the latest speaker trying to speak over the dull roar of the huge crowd, Evie had to shake her head to comprehend it all.