The Leonis Ultio slammed into the Caliphate juggernaut and her reactor overloaded. The explosion followed the interior of the Ultio into the juggernaut and caused secondary explosions inside the massive Caliphate warship. At least two pieces of the monstrous Caliphate ship separated. There was nothing recognizable in the back of the massive ship now that the engines were destroyed. The Caliphate juggernaut was dead if not dying.
The CIC erupted into cheering.
"Launch the Supakas at the nearest cruisers," Bruce said smiling. "One each. Let's even the odds, because I know damned well Luke wouldn't have left any functioning Caliphate ships behind him. We got this. Scan for lifeboats."
"Aye, aye Captain," Erica said.
Four Supakas shot out of their missile bays and four Caliphate cruisers died. Surviving cruisers and frigates fled toward the wormhole.
"Life boat detected," Erica said and replayed a frigate's course, noting its course change. "I think a Caliphate frigate sees it too."
"Flank speed, kill the frigate," Bruce said. "Launch everything we have. Ranging shots with the lance, ring their bell."
"Aye, aye, Captain," Erica and Kevin replied as one.
Losing Luke now would be a disaster. That would be twice Luke had saved New Alamo. Heroes were not supposed to die after the battle was won. Not like this, massacred while they were helpless.
"We can't get the range," Erica said.
"Max speed," Bruce said.
"Shit," Erica whispered.
"Red line the engines," Bruce said wishing he had saved a Supaka.
"I've asked New Alamo to divert fighters," Erica said more loudly.
"Good call. If they can only distract that frigate for just a little," Bruce said staring at his screen willing the pod to survive.
Bruce watched two fighters red lining their engines to get within range of the frigate. The fighters fired, but they didn't slow down as they arrowed toward the Caliphate frigate. One drone was tapped by the frigate's laser but slid back on course.
Staring at the plot Bruce grasped his arm rests. The damned fighters were going too fast, they needed to decelerate before they passed it. When the drone fighters got close all three ships went gray, indicating they were dead.
"They rammed it," Erica said and Bruce let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Ramming worked, a waste of drones, but effective
It had been too close. Bruce knew if he had not been in this sector, the frigate would have killed Luke, and nobody would have known.
"Good catch Erica," Bruce said. "I think Commander Kishi owes you his life."
"Thank you, sir," Erica said with a smile.
Looking over the battle plot Bruce smiled at how the Caliphate formations had fallen apart and become a route. They were valiant if they thought they could win. With the destruction of the juggernaut, their flagship, their morale must have plummeted.
"Move to pick up the life pod," he ordered. "I think this battle is over, but continue to target and destroy any vessels that do not broadcast unconditional surrender. I want everything that is even remotely hostile to be killed. Don't take any chances. Ammo is cheap, enemy lives are cheaper, they aren't even worth a scratch to the paint on my ship."
"Aye, aye, Captain," Erica said. There was nothing in range that could hurt them anymore. The few cruisers that could flee had already changed course to do so, and the fighters were cleaning up the frigates that could not. There was still a battle going on near Athena as the New Alamo fleet and their Caleet allies tried to destroy the assault shuttles before they reinforced the troops on Athena, but the fighting would be over before the Proud Infidel could get there anyways.
"Also, sound general quarters," Bruce said and leaned back in his seat and took off his helmet. Damage control would take care of things. The human crew could relax. "Good job everyone. Outstanding."
"Comm, try to raise the life pod," Bruce said to Kevin. "Let them know we will pick them up."
Bruce looked at the destruction and smiled. It could have gone the other way but now the enemy was dead and dying. Victory belonged to New Alamo and her forces much to Bruce's surprise.
Bruce looked forward to taking the battle to Earth., but first his former executive officer needed to be sent to the brig where he would stay until Bruce could send him back to New Alamo.
CHAPTER TWO
The Fall
Tal Shum opened his eyes and stared at the featureless soft blue wall. The experience had been another life. Past or present, there was no easy way to tell yet. The other life was a warrior, a conqueror, and a destroyer, a high-ranking member of an aggressive and destructive society. That kind of life sang to Tal Shum's soul, it called to him with a seductive song; it stirred something in him that had been dormant and suppressed for too long. It was the melody of a challenge, a change, and a justification for living.
The weapons this other warrior used were more primitive, although Tal Shum could not place them, the ship classes or star systems. He had not seen all of the other life, just parts, fragments and emotions. Now that the experience was over, Shum felt something else, a sadness and a longing.
All Tal Shum did was train for war that rarely occurred. Almost every hour, of every day, he was training for something that had not happened in hundreds of cycles. There was plenty of violence and fighting, but as a member of the Topa's war forces, he was rarely called out, and even then, it was against an inferior and ill-prepared foe. The Tal were an overwhelming force, a statement of merciless brutality. The Tal had not been challenged in Tal Shum's long lifetime. He was a master of every weapon in the Tal's arsenal but mastery seemed pointless.
There were no worthy foes for Tal Shum in all the Conglomerate, while it indicated peace and prosperity, it dulled the edge of the warriors responsible for defending it.
"Topa Suresh requires your presence at your earliest convenience," his digital assistant informed him, turning Shum's blood to ice.
Tal Shum stared at the wall the DA had spoken from. When a Topa called upon the Tal, it was to unleash them. Tal Shum despised slaughter, he wanted a real battle, a worthy challenge. Topa Suresh was one of the Master Weavers of the Conglomerate, a Pral with many skills and many lives, Topa Suresh was one of the more mystical manipulators of the massive alliances that spanned the region of civilized space called the Conglomerate. Suresh was a living legend among the Pral.
It was said Topa Suresh sensed both the future and the past as if it were a screen in front of him, but even Tal Shum knew the fallacy of that. Some of his warriors might believe it, but as a high-ranking Tal, he did not.
"I will make haste," Tal Shum said standing up. His armor flowed up onto his body, leaving his head uncovered and he picked up his battle staff. A wall turned to a mirror, and he glanced at himself. Tall, thin, his massive black pupils surrounded by the green of the warrior caste. His gray skin almost blending in with the silver of his armor. He was a commander, a leader of Pral and had never failed in his duty. As he looked at himself he removed the emotions from his face as befit his high station.
If the Topa called upon one of the warrior caste, then there would be battle and death. There was only one reason a Topa of Conglomerate would call upon a Tal. It was the way of things.
A glowing blue warp portal, masking the destination in a mist of blue, appeared before him when he was ready. Stepping through it, he found himself aboard Topa Suresh's ship. The ship greeted him and linked with his cybernetics. He had been unaware Suresh was here in Ubashi but he didn't keep track of the Topa.
Before him stood Suresh, looking at the holographic star field that surrounded him. It was a more focused area and Tal Shum did not recognize it. Around them stars glittered. If Tal Shum looked, he would see ships and stations. This was not Ubashi or any of the nearby systems and Tal Shum wondered how distant the new enemy was.
Topa Suresh turned his eyes to Tal Shum, and he could see there was a sadness, perhaps fear in the Topa. This did not surprise Tal Shum,
he knew of how much Topa Suresh cared about the other races, how much the Master Weaver sought to minimize the death, violence and shattered lives. Topa Suresh would not call upon a Tal unless he had no choice, and Tal Shum would do his duty. It was the way of the Tal.
Another portal opened and through it stepped Topa Saka. Then other portals opened to deposit Topa Sanda and Topa Salan onto Suresh's ship.
Tal Shum bowed to each of them. They were all Master Weavers, all influential and respected in the Conglomerate and Tal Shum had never heard of them coming together like this. He could hear the fear whispering in his ears. This was unprecedented. Was the ancient enemy returning? Had one of the races discovered a weapon so powerful it could tear apart the fragile peace of the Conglomerate? Would this be the challenge he sought? Now he regretted his earlier thoughts and his desire to be more like that other warrior, free to accept challenges. Why weren't other senior Tal officers being summoned?
"Falla Shum," Topa Suresh began, his eyes piercing Shum's soul. Shum could not breathe, could not speak, his body had become numb as his mind heard Topa Suresh's words. His implants informed him the ship had dropped him from the network, most of the data links being severed. Shum was no longer a Tal, no longer a leader of the warrior caste. He was now an outcast, a mote on the solar wind, a nothing.
Standing there Shum could only ask himself h ow had this happened? How had he disgraced himself?
Shum stared at Topa Suresh, unsure. There was no longer a constant stream of incoming data and he was severed from Pral society.
"I'm sorry," Topa Suresh said. None of the other Topa looked surprised. Their emotions and thoughts were unreadable now as never before. Shum sensed certain functions of his implants disabling or destroying themselves. It was not painful, but it was like living in a world full of color and then everything became a different shade of gray.
Shum had seen the rise and fall of races and empires in his long career as a leader of the Topa's war forces. He had always followed orders, always respected life, always sought the peaceful path. What had he done? His vision of his other life came back to him. That other self had reveled in war and combat, seeking glory and recognition through war. His other life had known the honor and glory that Shum never could, and now Shum was to be cast out and abandoned. Discarded.
Falla Shum nodded to the Topa. There was nothing Shum could say, nothing he could do. The Topa would explain or they would not.
"There is a different path for you on the tapestry," Topa Suresh said.
Falla Shum nodded, it was all he could do?
"You will be a cornerstone," Topa Suresh said, but Falla Shum barely heard him as his mind raced for answers.
The Topa around him nodded. Never in his life had Falla Shum heard of something like this happening. A high officer of the war forces being discarded and thrown out, cast from the race of Pral to wander the Conglomerate without purpose, without authority, without a future. Executing him would have been merciful, this was the worst punishment imaginable.
"I will do my duty," Falla Shum said, not knowing anymore what that was. There was no questioning the Topa.
Topa Suresh nodded.
"Do you wish to regain your rank as Tal?" Topa Suresh asked and Falla Shum looked at the Topa. What trick was this?
"Yes, Topa Suresh," Falla Shum said.
"Then accompany me," Topa Suresh said. "I will introduce you to your destiny."
Falla Shum bowed.
CHAPTER THREE
Proud Infidel
Luke had not been very talkative as the Proud Infidel locked onto the life pod and brought it aboard. There were four life forms aboard and one droid, along with room for one more passenger which bothered Bruce. Couldn't Luke have saved more of his droids? Bruce stared at the board as the magnetic lock latched on and drew it aboard as gently as they could. Erica was doing a good job and Bruce was looking forward to again meeting the hero of Naantali and now Josaka. Perhaps this time he might find out what made the rebellious maverick what he was.
Four people aboard the life pod? Bruce thought Luke worked alone, as far from other humans as he could manage. There were no rumors that had said otherwise. An anti-social, independent warrior who surrounded himself with droids and warbots instead of people. Bruce smiled, there had to be a story. Maybe he could get one of the passengers to talk more about Luke. Bruce had read numerous after-action reports from Luke but while they were brilliant, and often suicidal, they lacked character and flavor, revealing nothing of Luke's personality and motivation. Only his history of Naantali was available, and that was the only emotion Bruce had ever seen or heard of Luke displaying.
"I thought he worked alone?" Erica said, mirroring Bruce's thoughts. He glanced at her. She was married to her career and made an excellent officer. She would get her own command soon if Bruce could arrange it. Maybe in another year Bruce would make that recommendation, see how she managed as a mercenary captain.
"Maybe they are Caliphate prisoners," Alex said. "He had a Caliphate ship embedded in his when it came out of the wormhole."
"How did that happen?" Erica said. "Unless he had to push through a graveyard of Caliphate vessels to get to the wormhole. From what I've heard of him that is most likely."
She brought up a screen nearby that appeared on everyone's cybernetic InnerBuddy display. It was a recording of the Leonis Ultio coming out of the wormhole. Surrounded by a small cloud of debris and wreckage, Bruce remembered when it had been the beautiful pride and joy of the fledgling New Alamo fleet. As it drifted out and fired Bruce was sure it could have been repaired despite the damage.
"Low speed impact," Bruce said. "You might be right. Must have been one hell of a battle there."
"Ask if he needs prisoner facilities," Bruce said to Kevin. "I'm heading down to meet them."
"Aye sir," Kevin said.
"Commander Desmond," Bruce said. "Will you accompany me?"
"Aye, aye sir," Erica said, almost bouncing out of her seat. She deserved it.
"Negative on prisoner facilities," Kevin said.
"Good. Okay, you have the ship," Bruce said as the hatch opened for him.
"Aye, aye, I have the ship," Kevin said.
* * * * *
Bruce watched the battered, teardrop shaped life pod come to rest on the hangar deck. It looked roughed up, but that was to be expected. Minor damage all things considered. Bruce doubted there was anything left of the Leonis Ultio and he felt that loss. Prime Minister Harrison and Admiral Day would be furious. The Leonis Ultio had been the pride of New Alamo, one of the most advanced and largest ships. He had seen the Ultio but had never been invited aboard her. She had been a majestic ship and Bruce had wanted her. However, the Topa did not value him as much as they did Luke, and he didn't get the profitable missions. When he was honest with himself, he knew he wasn't crazy enough to try half the things that Luke did. Taking risks like that as a mercenary did not make sense.
The pod settled down and Erica had a pair of bots bring out a step ladder. Inside the teardrop shaped pod was a sphere that would orient with gravity. With the narrow end of the pod housing the engines, the fat part housed the sphere.
The hatch opened and Bruce smiled. He had met the antisocial commander on rare occasion in the last couple decades but had never had him aboard his ship. Theirs was more of a passing acquaintance despite there being few New Alamo mercenaries sanctioned by the Topa.
Looking around Luke stood up and exited the pod. At the top of the stepladder he straightened up and came to attention. To the side was the New Alamo emblem, the image of a plain front of an old style building with five windows and a single door on a field of blue. Luke saluted the emblem and then turned to Bruce, rendering another crisp salute and holding it.
"Commander Kishi request permission to come aboard," Luke said.
"Permission granted," Bruce said, returning Luke's salute and stepping forward. Both of them put their hands down and shook. Fleet tradition, not something most mercena
ries understood or practiced. It made Bruce appreciate Luke even more. Old fleet officers needed to stick together out here and tradition was more important than most people realized.
"Looks like you will get another medal," Bruce said with a smile. Luke scowled but Bruce wasn't surprised or discouraged.
"If you don't want them, then stop putting yourself in harm's way," Bruce said as someone else stood up and stepped out of the life pod.
Luke began to say something then stopped himself, which made Bruce stop and look at him. While he hadn't worked with Luke much, something about him seemed different now. He looked tired, his shoulders were not as squared back as usual and it looked like there were bags under his eyes. That didn't surprise Bruce. Luke had likely been through hell and had just lost his ship, but Bruce thought there was still something else. Something he couldn't place his finger on.
"What is the word from Athena?" Luke asked, obviously not what he had been about to say.
The person behind Luke was an attractive lady with strong Mediterranean features and sun kissed skin. She had short black hair and brown haunted eyes that looked around, taking in the hangar. The woman was wearing the familiar brown and orange uniform of the Jupiter Alliance with the rank of Lieutenant. She also saluted the New Alamo emblem before turning and rendering him a salute. Obviously, another fleet officer.
"Lieutenant Ferrero requests permission to come aboard?" she said, following Luke's example.
"Permission granted Lieutenant," Bruce said returning the salute, and she stepped down.
"May I present Lieutenant Leonessa Ferrero," Luke said. "Captain of the JAS Shrike."
"Former Captain," Leonessa said shaking Bruce's hand and unable to meet his eyes.
"Welcome aboard," Bruce said wondering how a Jupiter Alliance officer had gotten aboard Luke's ship. There were bags under her eyes and she also looked tired.
The Darkness: The Conglomerate Trilogy (Volume 2) Page 2
