Border Worlds (United Star Systems Book 1)

by J Malcolm Patrick

  Four of them forced him to the deck, knocking the pistol from his grip and it fell among the pile of broken bodies already littering the deck. He slammed a bionic fist into the ribs of the nearest grappler, grabbed the neck of another, and tossed him away. He shoved the other three into the bulkhead and two more goons standing over him slapped something onto his arm, then he heard a buzz and a jolt of pain reached his neck.

  He lost control of the bionic limb. Now the Imperials beat him about his body, seeming intent on bludgeoning him to death. A feral cry erupted above and the crushing weight on him shifted. He forced his head up to see Quintus and Aaron had leapt into the melee together, pushing the entire group away from him. He groaned and rolled over, but another Imperial was on him striking him in the back with a rifle. Lee grimaced hard, waiting for another strike.

  Nothing.

  He craned his neck and saw a sword protruding from the man’s chest. The impaled Imperial crumpled to the deck and Aaron stood behind. One of the Commander’s eyes swollen shut, and his face a mess of blood. Quintus lay on the deck not moving. There was a brief respite as the injured but combat able Imperials crawled to their feet, and Aaron helped him up.

  “Define irony, Lee,” Aaron said, gasping for air.

  Lee laughed. “Two United Fleet starship officers, fighting to the death in hand to hand combat, in a boarding action on an Imperial warship—to save Imperials.”

  “I knew of all people it wouldn’t be lost on you.”

  Five Imperials staggered toward them from either side. Lee and Aaron stood back to back. Willpower could only do so much. The blood loss from the wound in Lee’s side took its toll. He resolved to get one more of the bastards before they took him. The Imperials facing him down froze.

  He didn’t take his eyes off them. “Commander? What’s happening on your side?”

  “We just seized the advantage. See for yourself.”

  Lee turned and saw Quintus standing behind the group facing Aaron, the firearm pointing at their backs.

  “Stand down,” Quintus said. “I am your Lord Commander. In the name of the Emperor I command you to stand down.”

  Lee moved cautiously with Aaron at his side, and next to Quintus. He reached and took the firearm from Quintus and reloaded it.

  “Doesn’t work without these,” he said, firing low shots at the standing Imperials.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Quintus said.

  “We have to come back this way. Almost sure I did.”

  Lee braced Aaron and together with Quintus, they limped towards the end of the deck, and waited for Quintus to release the security lockout on his quarters. A few taps on the console and the hatchway parted.

  One by one, they stepped through and into the darkness.

  Chapter 29 – You’re Not Dead Yet

  Imperial Dreadnought—Phalanx

  There was no illumination other than emergency lights in the passageway. Quintus couldn’t see beyond the hatch. He moved forward towards a computer terminal on the far side of the room. “The terminal is—”

  “Usurper!”

  Aaron reacted first—stepping in front the Lord Commander. The pulse beam burned into his neck and he slumped to the deck. He took the full brunt of the beam strike. Lee stepped forward and shot the assassin in the center of his forehead.

  Quintus knelt by Aaron.

  “Why, Commander?”

  Aaron coughed blood onto the deck. “Your Emperor won’t need to hear about what happened here from me. Maybe, just maybe . . .” he drew in a deep breath, “I’m hoping Lord Commander Quintus Scipio gets the chance to tell him . . . tell him how forces on both sides conspired to provoke us to war, and how forces on both sides . . . set aside years of intolerance. To stop them right here at Atlas. Where they wanted it to begin.”

  Aaron groaned and Quintus held his head off the deck.

  “I can’t bring your brother back, Quintus, but I . . .” Aaron coughed and heaved more blood onto the deck. “I can make damn sure the sacrifice he made, to maintain the peace is not in vain. I didn’t think it would be fair for two honorable brothers of the Empire, to die on the same day.”

  “Aaron . . .”

  “Promise me, Quintus, you’ll make the Emperor listen. Honor above loyalty you said.”

  The Lord Commander blinked back tears.

  “Honor above loyalty,” he said. “I promise. But you’re not dead yet, Aaron Rayne.” He looked over at Lee. “Take him. I’ll get the datachip.” Quintus moved to the terminal, punched in his access code, and extracted a datachip. He then moved to a backroom and returned with a small portable power device and medkit. First, he knelt by Commander Rayne and applied an emergency patch to his neck wound. Then he injected him with a dose of adrenaline to counter any neurological damage from the pulse beam. Then he attached the small portable power source to Lee’s bionic arm and activated it.

  “That should restore full use of your arm. They used an improvised inhibitor on it,” he said.

  The fearless foot soldier swung the arm wildly as if to satisfy himself. Then he slammed his fist into a bulkhead.

  Quintus winced. “Hold still, Lieutenant Lee. Let me apply this emergency patch to your wound.” Once the dressing was in place, he shot himself and Lee with a stimulant. Although, it didn’t look like the foot soldier needed any stimulant. Seeing his commander blasted with a pulse rifle provided the only stimulus he needed. Quintus and Lee lifted the Commander off the deck and Quintus hoisted him across his shoulders.

  Quintus squinted at the body near the far bulkhead. Lord Praetor Brutus Bannon met a fitting end. The Praetor used Quintus’ personal pulse weapon. The only weapon on the ship capable of bypassing the security dampening field. Quintus failed to secure it before the crew rebelled.

  “Lord Commander, stay behind me,” the red-faced wild man said.

  Quintus didn’t argue as he shouldered the rifle. He’d offered it to Lee but the man refused it.

  ****

  Quintus stepped aside as Lee took point. From behind, Quintus advised him on where to turn, utilizing a different path back to the safe room. The stimulant killed the agony which lingered from the painful brawl with the traitors.

  He kept a few paces behind the enraged man. Lee shot the first few traitors they encountered center of mass. Certainly, an expert shooter. The wound wouldn’t be fatal in all cases. His chest hurt every time Lee shot one of them, but it hurt worse to see them killed while fighting for a hateful ideology.

  Quintus admired the tenacity of Commander Rayne’s henchman. Lee executed a mixture of martial arts some of which reminded him of fighting styles practiced by Imperial citizens. As they progressed, the fighter clobbered some of the challengers and threw others hard against the bulkheads. One traitor received a forceful roundhouse to the chin. They didn’t encounter much more resistance.

  They reached the barricade and Quintus called out.

  “Decimus, we’ve returned, hold your fire.”

  The loyalists aided their movement through the barricade. Fortunately, no other traitors were nearby since the initial push.

  “He’s critically injured, Decimus, I applied an emergency patch and stopped the bleeding, but he won’t survive without a transfusion.”

  Lee stepped forward.

  “We have to get him back to our ship now. We have a doctor on board who can help him.”

  “While you were gone, Lord Commander,” Decimus said. “We managed to boost a handheld and received a signal from the destroyer Auraelius. They’ve boarded through the main cargo bay and deployed loyal marine centurions throughout the ship. They’re clearing the ship deck by deck. They estimate we’ll have full control of the ship within fifteen minutes.”

  The Imperial centurions boarding would be fully armored, armed and in communication with each other. The jamming field deployed by the traitors would suppress the ordinary handheld devices carried by ship personnel, but the equipment inside the armory and those carried by the bo
arding marines was far more powerful. Good thing he’d sealed the armory first thing, not knowing who was with him from who wasn’t.

  “A squad is on their way to our position to escort us to the bridge,” Decimus said.

  Quintus turned to Lee.

  “We won’t get far with your fleet surrounding us. Is there anything you can do to help us?”

  Aaron suddenly grabbed Lee’s arm.

  “Lee, I don’t know if I’ll be alive in five minutes to speak again. My final order to you is to use whatever means necessary to ensure this ship escapes the blockading action by the United Fleet. Do you understand me, Lee? Quintus must return to the Empire.”

  “I read you loud and clear, Commander,” Lee said, turning to Quintus. “Lord Commander. Please instruct your helm to maintain a five-thousand meter distance on our ship’s starboard quarter. Just track us as we depart, you’ll see which ship I mean. Match our speed and follow the course corrections we transmit to you. Keep the formation tight. Do not deviate under any circumstances. You will have to trust us implicitly.”

  “I will make certain your instructions are followed precisely,” Quintus said.

  Lee hoisted the Commander and moved through the airlock onto Reliant.

  Chapter 30 – This Madness Ends

  Imperial Dreadnought—Phalanx

  Quintus entered the command center. Bodies lay across the deck, some motionless and others groaning. Five minutes earlier the centurions from a loyalist ship stormed the bridge and took control.

  Decimus nursed a burn to his shoulder, but otherwise stood firm.

  “Quintus!” the Sub-Commander approached as though about to hug him and caught himself. “Bridge and engineering are secure. Only stragglers remaining throughout the ship. The centurions report they’ll be dealt with soon enough. What are your orders?”

  “Get these stations crewed, Decimus. In the meantime, take the helm. Track the United Fleet ship which departed Phalanx. Bring us five thousand meters off the receiving ship’s starboard beam and hold position. Stand by to receive a direct hail from them and follow their instructions. No deviations.”

  “At once, sir. Do you know what’s happening?”

  “That ship will escort us beyond the United Fleet frigates. We’ll make the jump to warp immediately once we’re clear.”

  Quintus moved to the centurion commander. “Put everyone in the cargo bay, we’ll sort loyalties out once we’ve departed.”

  “Yes, Lord Commander.”

  Quintus forced himself to sit in the command seat as Decimus summoned the loyal crewmembers to crew the bridge stations.

  ****

  Lee paced the tube carrying him to the bridge. He forwarded the Commander’s orders to Vee while docking. He’d prefer not to shoot any United Fleet ships, but his commander told him by any means necessary get Quintus home, and that’s what he was going to do. He stormed onto the bridge and took the weapons station. Alvarez dropped into the command seat and engaged his harness.

  “Orders, sir?” Miroslav asked, looking at Alvarez.

  “Our orders, Ensign,” Alvarez said, “are to ensure Phalanx is safely through the United Fleet blockade and warping to Imperial space. By any means necessary. We all know what’s at stake. Aaron has all but given his life to ensure this madness ends here and now. Quintus Scipio must return to the Empire. Some of you may not be comfortable fighting against our own, but consider the alternative if this escalates to interstellar war. Many more of them and our people will die. Disabling fire where you can, Mr. Lee.”

  “Aye, sir. Railgun magazines are full. Kinetic barrier is charged and ready,”

  “Full power available,” Miroslav said.

  “Phalanx, this is Phoenix. Begin breaking maneuver,” Alvarez said.

  Phalanx accelerated along a parallel axis and matched speed with Phoenix. The formation was precise. It didn’t take long to get a reaction from the closing United Fleet ships.

  “This is Senior Captain Jackson, acting Commander of the United Fleet. What the hell do you think you’re doing, Rayne?”

  “This is Lieutenant Commander Avery Alvarez, Acting Captain of Phoenix. The Imperial ship Phalanx and the remaining Imperial ships are under our protection and will be withdrawing to Imperial space. Do not attempt to interdict. This will be your only warning.”

  He cut the comm.

  Moments later several nearby United Fleet heavy cruisers fired railgun salvoes, but the kinetic barrier activated and the slugs bounced harmless away in starburst. The incidental single strikes to nearby ships wouldn’t be enough to penetrate armor.

  “Sir, several frigates are moving to bracket us,” Miroslav reported.

  “There’ll be no warning shots, Mr. Lee, keep our path clear. Small bursts. We don’t want to do more damage than necessary.”

  Phoenix and Phalanx continued accelerating, but didn’t move beyond combat speeds as they needed to maneuver around and between ships spread across the immediate area. Attempting to maneuver at peak sub-light speeds wasn’t feasible. A full burn might cause a disastrous collision.

  “Maintain burst fire along our escape path,” Alvarez said. “Don’t let them block our acceleration vector. If they choose to waltz into a railgun spread that’s their own undoing.”

  The frigates moved to block the acceleration of Phoenix and Phalanx to warp threshold speeds. Once they cleared the grouping of United Fleet ships they would accelerate to warp thresh hold and make the jump to light speed. If the frigates got in the way, there’d be a devastating collision even at sub-light speeds.

  One United Fleet frigate decided to test Alvarez’s resolve and caught a full burst of tungsten from Phoenix, blowing the frigate off its flight vector.

  The other clearly knew Phoenix wasn’t fooling and veered off the intercept vector.

  Scipio’s voice filled the bridge. “Phoenix, tell your Commander the next time I see him, it will be at the peace table. We’re making the jump. Honor above loyalty. Phalanx out.”

  Miroslav counted down the seconds.

  “Phalanx, jumping in three two one. They’re away, sir.”

  Alvarez nodded. “We’ve done our job. Signal the Acting Fleet Commander. We submit to his authority.”

  Chapter 31 – No One Lives Forever

  Three months later

  USSF Headquarters

  Sol

  The red cape flowed an inch above the red carpet splayed along the long gangway leading into the expansive conference hall. The golden breastplate reflected the overhead lights. The gleaming Imperial Standard above his left breast sparkled.

  He searched the crushing mass of bodies ahead. Supreme Commander Shepherd stood in the center, flanked by his aides. Representatives of the United Star Systems member worlds stood behind them. Then, he saw him. A friendly face among a sea of strangers approached.

  “Lieutenant Commander Alvarez, always an honor to be in your company,” Quintus said, removing his golden ceremonial helmet.

  “Lord Commander, the honor is mine,” Alvarez said, bowing slightly.

  “Quintus, please.” Quintus said, smiling.

  He and the Lieutenant Commander had developed a close relationship during recent negotiations. The United Fleet officer always insisted on formalities when greeting him for the first time in a long while.

  Avery nodded and smiled. “Quintus.”

  The Lieutenant Commander led Quintus and his personal guard to a VIP room adjacent to the conference hall and they sat opposite each other. The guards remained outside.

  “Tell me, Vee,” Quintus said. “As my liaison, what is the mood of the Representatives now? As opposed to three months ago when we held the secret conferences on Atlas Prime.”

  Vee smiled. “They’ve come a long way since then. I believe Emperor Soto had a great effect on our ambassadors by attending the last two himself. It showed them just how serious he is about long-term peace, cooperation and dialogue. I think we will silence the remaining naysayers when our borders
finally open and our people reunite. It will be challenging initially. The military and governments will pose the most problems, but I think once our populations see beyond the propaganda of the past 70 years, it will become natural.”

  “Time and commitment, Vee. I sometimes wonder if we should not thank the conspirators for putting us on this path to begin with. Maybe there would have been peace between us, but it would never have come so soon.”

  One of Shepherd’s aides entered the room and informed them the session would begin in fifteen minutes.

  Quintus swallowed hard. It was difficult. He needed to see someone before the upcoming negotiations and diplomatic wrangling bogged him down.

  “May I see him?” he asked.

  “Of course, Quintus,” Vee said. He signaled for the Lord Commander’s guard.

  Lieutenant Lee entered the waiting room.

  “We’re going to the hospital deck, Lieutenant,” Vee said.

  Lee nodded and signaled the other guards. They fell into step behind Quintus as he emerged from the room.

  It was on Alvarez’s insistence that Lee provide personal security for Quintus when he established official communication two weeks after the battle at Atlas Prime. Quintus was hesitant at first. But the unpredictable nature of the situation forced him to reconsider. He’d come to respect and admire Lieutenant Lee, now the head of his personal guard.

  Lieutenant Lee’s commanding officer Aaron Rayne saved his life three months ago, fighting against what seemed like insurmountable odds to make this day possible. The Emperor didn’t take much convincing. He’d authorized Lord Praetor Bannon’s actions because of false intelligence fed to him by the late Praetor. Based in part on half-truths.

  The vacuum of knowledge about enemy intentions fueled wild speculation and fear mongering. Bannon played on that well within the Imperial Navy and it seems also to the Emperor.