Komi Syndicate (Dark Seas Book 6)

by Damon Alan

  Sarah smiled. Seto was right. It was strange.

  “Mister Algiss, lock onto this spot,” Sarah requested, marking the mining station she’d stayed at so many years before with the Korvandi military. She smirked at the small blotch of red on the map. “And fire when the Captain is ready. Two missiles, I want them inside ten meters.”

  “We have lock,” Algiss confirmed as the weapon station tone backed him up.

  “Fire,” Harmeen ordered.

  Sarah thought for a moment Navin might actually giggle. She remembered her first authorization of a nuclear launch. So much power. It could easily impact how one thought.

  “Missiles away,” Algiss said. The forward view showed two exhaust plumes jutting ahead of the ship, then suddenly turning downward toward the moon’s surface.

  “Data recording on the impact point, Commander Seto,” Harmeen ordered. “We want the admiral’s test preserved for the techs back on Refuge.”

  “We’re being scanned, from the surface,” Seto announced.

  If the Hive were capable of being shocked, that scan would certainly do it. They’d get a reading on forty ships, their sensor return indicating the vessels were trying to hide behind an ECM screen.

  “How long until impact?” Harmeen asked. “And put it on screen.”

  “Thirty seconds,” Algiss answered.

  Seto put the airlock dome and the glass landing pad where Sarah had departed the station for the last time up on the main viewscreen.

  Sarah tried not to gasp as she realized what was finally happening. She was ending the Hive’s exploitation of her friends and countrymen, and in some way providing closure for Widdis.

  The bridge crew waited, gripping their gravcouches.

  “Ten,” Algiss announced.

  “Magnify the screen,” Harmeen ordered.

  “Five, four, three…”

  Sarah watched intently as thin white threads darted toward the surface.

  Impact.

  A kilogram of antimatter and matter turned to pure energy, and while much of the energy created was lost as a neutrino pulse, the effective explosion was two or three dozen megatons in size. Immediately followed by another as the second missile was shredded by the initial explosion, spraying its antimatter into the surface of the moon.

  Ignis station, and more importantly the bodies of the miners who lived there, were vaporized. Although their essences were gone long before that moment, their remains would no longer be used by the enemy. After years of being haunted by the failure of the Korvandi Monarchy at Zelan, Sarah Dayson found a moment of grim satisfaction.

  “Rest in peace, Widdis,” she whispered.

  “The weapon tested perfect Admiral,” someone said, penetrating her reverie.

  “Transfer us back to our original point, let the decoy run,” she heard Harmeen order.

  The cleansing. It has begun both in the Tapestry, and in your mind, Salphan thought.

  Sarah grinned at the thought. It’s just the first step. There will be years of cleaning ahead of us.

  For both you and the Tapestry, he replied.

  The sky shifted once more.

  Chapter 20 - Admiral’s Personal Log

  AI Lucy82A recording, Admiral's personal log, personal archive: Galactic Standard Date 23:17:04 14 SEPPET 15332

  Personal log entry #1951, Admiral Sarah Dayson, origin Korvand, Pallus Sector.

  Current Location: Deep space, Zelan System

  Today we struck a blow. A tiny blow, but one that will be remembered as the day the Human/Hive war turned in favor of the good guys. Or at least in our favor. With people like the Komi around, I’m not sure I can say we’re the good guys. You’d think, after twenty-five thousand years of civilization, we’d be… well, civilized.

  At the frontier of Hive space, within two hundred-light years of their expansion front, we hit them. For the first time since the Korvandi Royal Navy fought here so long ago, human munitions rained onto the enemy.

  And I’m glad. That attack meant nothing strategically. But it meant everything to me. I won’t indulge myself like that again, but we just proved we can bring the fight into territory the Hive could previously count on to be safe.

  [A six second pause]

  They aren’t safe anywhere now. The next step is to bring this system to an end, and sterilize it as we do.

  [A sound 84% likely to be a fist hitting a palm]

  Success!

  Sorry, I can’t help but be excited. I don’t recall any other time where humanity attacked a Hive installation and the enemy didn’t even get a chance to shoot back. We’re looking at a chance to win. Finally, after so long. The battle for the galaxy is ours now, all I need to do is play it safe and make sure we’re never in range of enemy guns.

  [Laughter, the tone of Admiral Dayson’s voice indicates elation]

  This is far better than wine, far better than seeing the enemy’s ships erupt in destruction one at a time.

  We will get them all. We are on track, we’re focused, and we will get them all.

  [Laughter]

  End the log, Lucy.

  Chapter 21 - Bureaucrat

  15 Seppet 15332

  “No, we need four fleets,” Heinrich argued. “At least eight hundred ships. And that’s just the capitals. The escort and screen ships will push that number over two thousand.”

  The Mayor was a stubborn old gal, and Heinrich wasn’t sure she was going to get her point through. But she’d smash a few fingers and toes to do so if that’s what it took.

  “The Hive aren’t going to respond with their entire military force,” Mayor Jannis countered. “We need to concentrate on living facilities for the people you’re bringing here.”

  “The people are a consequence of the ships we’re taking from the Komi, and to be straight with you, we don’t have enough people to run them.” Heinrich said. “The fact is that too many of the people we bring aren’t willing to stay on the ships and fight. They’re moving down here to be civilians.”

  “Do you blame them?”

  “No, I don’t blame them,” Heinrich answered. “But that doesn’t mean I have to let them.”

  “I can fix the problem with one sweep of the pen in your office,” Kuo added to the conversation. “It’s been the rule in the Alliance for a very long time.”

  “The Alliance is dead,” Jannis replied.

  “This rule didn’t kill it,” Kuo tossed back, looking annoyed that she interrupted his point. “Every person we bring here has to pass the adept interrogation to stay, right?”

  “Right,” Jannis and Heinrich said simultaneously, then looked at each other.

  “Then we simply add a caveat,” Kuo said, crossing his arms as if he’d solved the problems of the universe. “The new citizens have to pass the adept test and also serve two years duty on board the fleet.”

  Heinrich slapped her forehead. Why hadn’t she thought of that?

  “I don’t know…” Mayor Jannis said.

  “Duty to the culture that sustains a person is as old as humanity,” Heinrich said. “No, my XO has hit on the perfect solution to the housing problem down here, and the staffing problem up there. Two years mandatory service, or back to the Komi Syndicate they go.”

  “These people are already forced into service, they don’t need us to abuse them further,” Jannis argued.

  Kuo held up his hands and shook his head. “Abuse them? We’re giving them a chance at freedom, and they don’t have to go on wartime patrols. They work here, in system, except for those that want to go on more active roles against their former masters.”

  Heinrich was eating it up. He had the Mayor, she just hadn’t waved the white flag yet. Instead, Jannis stared at him like his having the audacity to come up with a perfect solution was rude.

  He continued. “I can see you’re not convinced. I understand. Give me a chance to change your mind.” He straightened his dress uniform. “First, in the Komi Syndicate, if you’re selected for service it’s a m
inimum of eight years. Second, they are forced to do it. Third, we’re giving them the choice of going back if they prefer that. They’re not forced. It’s simply the price to pay for admission into Oasian society and freedom.”

  Jannis looked at Kuo, then at Heinrich, then back at Kuo. She sighed deeply. “Do I ever get to win an argument with you people?”

  “You get to win them all,” Heinrich replied. “You’re the Mayor. We’re the military. We just have good ideas, and you get to claim them as yours.”

  “I’m not stupid, Inez,” Jannis huffed. “This isn’t going to be popular. I’ll put it squarely on your shoulders.”

  “It will be popular with the people here who need homes and have waited long enough without squeezing in more people,” Kuo said. “Might even get you reelected when your term is up.”

  “I’m making Sarah Dayson run next time,” Mayor Jannis shot back, looking quite serious.

  “You think you’re going to get her out of the military?” Heinrich scoffed. “Good luck.”

  Jannis smiled. “You two get out of here. Before you con me into something else. I’ll get your plan rolling, Captain Kuo, but don’t let it go to your head.”

  Kuo stood and bowed. “Madam Mayor.”

  When Jannis looked at him like he’d lost his mind, Heinrich grabbed his arm. “This isn’t imperial court, brickhead. Let’s go.”

  Heinrich led him out into the front office, and into the hallway outside the Mayor’s domain. The hallway was deserted. “Did you have that idea before you walked in there? Because it’s brilliant and you should have shared it instead of surprising me.”

  “No, I swear, it just came to me,” he said. “I’m a good XO, I’d never blindside you.”

  Heinrich stepped in close to him, and then leaned even closer. “That is also a good plan.” Her hand slipped behind his head and she gently kissed him on the mouth. The kiss wasn’t long enough for him to get over his surprise by the time she finished, and when she opened her eyes to back away, his eyes were wide open, seemingly in shock.

  “I have more good ideas,” he said, after taking a moment to recover. “If that is the reward.”

  “We need to return to the fleet,” she countered. “I’ll hear these good ideas in my quarters.”

  She gave him her briefcase to carry. A minor kindness to cover his apparent enthusiasm for kissing her again.

  “Your plan will get us back on the attack sooner than I hoped,” Heinrich said as they left the building. “You are on my A-list right now.”

  “Sarah Dayson is one smart woman,” Kuo said.

  “Pardon?” Heinrich asked. “Why are we talking about the admiral?”

  “Oh, I’m just saying. She said you and I were a good team in command of the Stennis. I think she’s going to be quite pleased with us.”

  “Is that why you gave up the Hyaku?”

  “Not at all. I gave up my carrier to be where I could work with you.”

  She reached down and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go work on your ideas,” she said breathily as she picked up the walking pace.

  Chapter 22 - Solutions

  15 Seppet 15332

  Thea walked down the hallway of her sixth floor office. She’d felt a strangeness from Kuo when he and Inez were in her office moments earlier. It seemed as if he were trying very hard to impress his commander.

  When she reached the glass wall at the end of the hallway she looked down at the walkway below, the one that connected the building to the beach. She leaned her forehead against the glass and waited.

  A few minutes later the command team of the Stennis walked into the sunlight, bantering with each other. For a second it looked like Inez was irritated, causing Thea to question her own intuition on matters.

  But then Inez grabbed Kuo’s hand, and led him down the path. She laughed when she realized the XO was trying to not look stupid carrying a briefcase with one hand in front of himself.

  Well, there’s another couple that hit it off.

  She walked back down the hallway to her office, stopping at Mallya’s desk. “I’ll have a write up for you shortly about this meeting, we’re changing immigration policy immediately, and retroactively for those who haven’t found a job yet here in New Korvand. I don’t want to disrupt those already settled.”

  “Mayor?” Mallya questioned.

  “Every refugee or immigrant will be required to serve two years in the Navy. More specifically, in the defense fleet of Oasis. Only those who volunteer for more advanced military missions will be required to leave the system on combat duty,” Jannis explained. “But everyone who wants to immigrate here will serve in the defense fleet.”

  “That’s going to ruffle some feathers, how’d they talk you into it?” Mallya asked.

  “Talk me into it? It’s a great idea. I’m jealous I didn’t think of it,” Thea said. “But if I make them think I like their ideas from the moment they spill them, they’ll quit working so hard to come up with ideas that work. I like my military thinking I’ll be difficult, thank you.”

  Mallya laughed.

  “Oh yeah,” Thea said, remembering something. “Add in that citizenship comes after completion of naval or marine service, not before. And that only citizens can vote.”

  “Don’t we have to change the charter to get that done?” Mallya asked.

  “You’re on top of this,” Jannis said. “Let’s get it out to a vote now. Only let citizens vote on it. It will pass just fine. Our people want to be defended.”

  Mallya laughed.

  “What?” Jannis said.

  “You’re getting really good at this politician thing, Mayor.”

  “Someone has to be. There are needs to be met.” She went back into her office to think about any other details she might want on a charter ballot.

  Chapter 23 - Altairias

  16 Seppet 15332

  Andina’s ship floated serenely, ten thousand kilometers from Bannick’s own. If she were hostile, she’d have him at a slight disadvantage, as she had over two hundred ships to his fifty. He hadn’t wasted time bringing smaller ships with him, knowing that he wouldn’t need them here in Altairias and in Komi he’d just lose them.

  Still, he’d breathed a sigh of relief when the two fleets met peacefully.

  His sister’s image filled one wall of his quarters, they were locked in fateful conversation.

  “Big brother, are you telling me that you intend to defy our father?” she was asking, knowing full well the answer.

  “Our father is looking for one of two things, Andina. Either to remove me from my position, and maybe to publicly place blame for Dayson on my shoulders, or he’s looking to see if I have the backbone to follow him as successor.”

  “It seems the solution to either possibility is one and the same, if I’m understanding you.”

  “Yes. Whichever goal is his, you and I both lose if he finds me wanting. You’ve placed a lot of eggs in my basket, assured that when succession came I’d be favorable toward you for it.”

  “I might have made a mistake in doing that,” she pouted. “If I didn’t love you so, I’d probably go running to father like our siblings, mewling at his feet.”

  “Our brothers and sisters could hardly avoid noticing your support of me through the years,” Bannick reminded her. “I’ve never demanded anything of you and I’m not about to start. I’m simply asking you to come with me and stand in Syndicate Hall by my side.”

  “I stand to lose everything.”

  “If I walk away assured of succession, you gain everything. I will appoint you as the Voice of the High Lord to our Home Fleet Navy,” he promised.

  “A fitting position for a loyalist,” she cooed. “Fine, brother, you have my ships if you need them. And my service.”

  “You have always walked the smartest path,” he told her.

  Andina’s expression soured. “What is that I see? Who is that vixen behind you?”

  Her question was where things might go wrong terribly f
ast if he played his hand wrong. His sister had killed more than one of her own lovers in jealous rage. She certainly wouldn’t mind ending one of his. Of course, to her, love and lover were not necessarily intertwined concepts. Both incidents had caused furor in the houses of Komi, forcing father to censure her and putting her at the bottom of succession.

  Which was why she invested so much in Bannick. To regain favor.

  “That is no vixen,” Bannick replied. “That is Lady Palia Amanti, betrothed to Lord Bannick Komi.”

  “You’re taking someone from outside a house as a bride?” Andina asked, incredulous. “Do you want father to shoot you in front of the court?”

  “Palia will stay on the Palidragon while I meet with him,” Bannick said. “And although she has assured me otherwise, I am still Lord Komi. She will obey.”

  “I should say so,” his sister agreed, her face twitching slightly. “Urdoxander will bust a vein. I fail to see why you’d give her a say in the issue.”

  “You said—” Palia commented behind him, but Bannick held up a hand to silence her.

  “She gets no say,” Bannick said. “She is loyal to my commands.”

  That move was effective. Andina, seeing Palia’s acquiescence, asked no more about her.

  Bannick needed to remind his sister of how much she needed him. “By your statements I believe you’re well aware of our father’s state of mind. He’s cruel, he’s plotting only for his own legacy, and we’re just pawns,” he continued.

  “I am nobody’s pawn,” Andina insisted, sneering at him.

  “Of course you aren’t. If Father really wanted total control, he’d have kept us closer and not given us these incredible ships,” Bannick agreed. “But he sees these ships as an instrument of partial control, and not as a liberating force for us. It’s time we rectified his misconception.”

  “I agree with you,” she said. “Which is why I have my fleet assembled and am ready to travel with you,” she said. “But you keep talking.”

  “Two hundred ships?” Bannick asked. “Is that enough? Don’t you feel vulnerable?”