“The way I interpret the law, my dear little princess, is that the king's authority overrides your authority. So my plan is the one that will be implemented,” Sir Baric responded.
Something isn’t right, Trent realized, the anger Sir Baric showed before having been replaced by an overbearing confidence.
“Sir Baric, I thought I was clear about this already. My authority is absolute in this star system, even over the king's,” Knight Captain Quinn said, sounding more frustrated than angry.
“Ah yes, the special protectorate of Earth,” Sir Baric spat with obvious disgust, “I am sorry, Quinn, but your theoretical authority ended when you called for help from Alutia, which of course, is currently under my authority, no matter what Lady Sasha claims,” the air left the room as Sir Baric’s venom filled words struck the ears of the stunned officers.
“He's lying again,” Trent felt the response come unconsciously to his lips, “he knows Sasha has the real authority. He just doesn't want to admit it.”
“How dare you dishonor me again!” Sir Baric flew from his seat and pointed accusingly at Trent, spittle raining halfway across the table.
“No! How dare you, Sir Baric!” Sasha exploded to her feet in response, slamming the table with both her palms, while Terra hopped onto her shoulder, squawking angrily alongside. “I've had quite enough of your foolish claims that you are not under my authority! You will cancel whatever it is you are planning and start to show the respect that I and my office deserve!”
Sasha and Baric stared at each other across the table, like two gun fighters dueling in the old west, neither blinking, neither moving. Trent felt the tension mounting; smothering him, like the air itself was becoming thick. But he kept his wits, watching Sir Baric's men, whose hands rested on their holsters, eyeing everyone warily.
“It is too late to cancel the plan and my authority is from your brother! You question me, you question him!” Sasha’s chin dropped, eyes falling closed, trembling. Trent tried to reach out for her hand, but his muscles locked. Whatever medicine he'd been provided by Quo’Moy, had already started losing its effect.
“What is this plan?” Knight Admiral Bhool asked in place of Sasha, noticeable irritation tingeing her words, but also a touch of fear; which surprised Trent. She didn't seem like someone who would be scared of anything.
Sir Baric glared at Knight Admiral Bhool with disdain in his eyes; a small, evil smirk, spreading across his darkening face.
“The only plan capable of resolving this situation, Lady Bhool,” he paused, glaring at all who opposed him.
“The destruction of Earth,”
Shocked gasps and cries echoed across the room as Sir Baric’s words registered.
“That is beyond your authority!” Knight Captain Quinn bellowed, rushing to his feet, knocking his chair into the unlucky TSB officer who was seated behind him.
“But not Prince Kohan's! Who gave me permission and full authority to destroy Earth, which will be happening within moments,” Sir Baric cried with a sick glee, one filled with the pleasure of destruction, of his own authority, and, in his own mind, of being right.
“You will cancel that order immediately,” Sasha demanded, voice trembling, no longer trying to control her emotions. Trent wanted to move to her, support her, but he couldn't, his muscles didn't want to work. Why now...why at a time like this!
“No, I am in the right, Lady Sasha, you are in the wrong! Prince Kohan will hear about this...this....travesty to my honor! And I will demand satisfaction!” Sir Baric’s composure, having been held by a thread, left him when Sasha gave him a command he would not follow.
“Then you leave me no choice. Knight Admiral Bhool! Place Knight High-Admiral Baric under arrest for treason!”
Her words were a spark.
Sir Baric drew his laser arc alongside the officers who lined the wall behind him, aiming his directly at Sasha. After the millisecond it took Trent’s mind to register the sight, he heard a snap, but not through his ears, and everything went white.
“Lady Sasha, you will accompany me back to-,” a laser bolt sizzled across the room from Trent's hand, burning straight through Sir Baric’s head, which vanished in a puff of blood. At the same moment, Trent grasped Sasha and Tiana, pulling them towards the floor. Tiana, who was in the process of lunging for Regalia, dragged her down as well, causing them all to tumble as one. Trent climbed atop Sasha and her ladies, covering them as laser bolts flew overhead, scattering against the walls. Within seconds, silence filled his ears.
It was over.
Trent painfully pulled himself to his feet and took in the scene of carnage. All of Knight High-Admiral Baric's men were dead or wounded...mostly dead, and the two ABF Battleguards, who were on duty at the door, had fallen. Two TSB officers were also wounded severely, while Knight Captain Quinn and Vice-Commander Daiyu, both still alive, clutched a laser arc in each hand. They, like Trent, had been prepared for the worst, having drawn their laser arcs at the same moment as he. Satisfied that they were no longer in imminent danger, he nodded to the two TSB officer's before collapsing across the table, pain and darkness enveloping his fading mind.
*********
Sasha lay frozen to the floor, unable to comprehend exactly how she had arrived there, though little did it actually matter.
Why had this happened? The question kept repeating in her mind. She couldn’t understand why Sir Baric thought he had authority over the Alutia Duchy...over her. It made no sense. Unless, she wondered, her brother really provided Sir Baric permission to destroy Earth, and convinced him he had authority to do just that. The last thought brought her mind storming back to the present.
The pressure of Trent on her back subsided as he stood, allowing Sasha to clearly see Tiana cradling the crying Regalia on the floor beside her, Vickie kneeling just beyond, closing the eyes of the two ABF Battleguards who lay dead by the door. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight and tears started forming in her eyes, knowing they had died to protect her.
“Trent!” Daiyu shouted, pulling Sasha free of her momentary melancholy. She gathered her feet, climbing to Trent's side as he started collapsing across the table. Daiyu rushed to assist, helping Sasha ease him into a chair. Trent's eyes shot open, a relieved smile crossing his lips when he recognized her. She smiled back gently, unable to fully hide her worry, looking over him for wounds, but finding none.
“Just a little pain,” he wheezed, “I moved too much...too fast, I'll be fine. How are your ladies?” he asked, breathing heavy, but Sasha knew he was alright, showing more concern for others than himself. I’ll have to scold him later. She placed a hand tenderly to his cheek, garnering a peculiar look from Daiyu.
“Could you watch him for me?” Sasha asked.
“Of course, Your Grace, I owe him my life.” Sasha smiled her thanks, then hurried to her ladies who had gathered in a corner away from the carnage. Vickie, who cradled Regalia in her arms, looked up as she approached, the argument of the previous evening long forgotten.
“Remind me never to point a laser arc at you,” Vickie said dryly.
“Was it really him? It all happened so fast,” Sasha asked, suddenly horrified of the thought of Trent taking Sir Baric’s life. Vickie looked up, an amethyst flame erupting from her gaze, causing her to cringe.
“Sasha,” Vickie growled, “I do not know, or pretend to know, what goes through that innocent little mind of yours, but will your feelings for Trent change if you know he did? That he did not think twice to protect his loved ones through any means necessary? Think on this, Sasha, think of what would have befallen if you ended up in the clutches of Sir Baric, before you judge him too harshly,” Vickie stated what Sasha already clearly knew. She knew that what he did, he did to protect her, protect her ladies, from a man who was clearly irrational. But the thoughts did still emerge; did he really have to kill him? Was there no another way? She smacked her cheeks, clearing free the line of thinking that she knew, if she accepted, would mean the days of
her ruling Alutia would be short.
“You are right, Vickie, Trent did what was required,” she responded, and at that moment she realized, she would have done the same. If anyone ever aimed a weapon at any of her friends or family she would not hesitate to protect them...by any means necessary. A sobbing cry rose from within Vickie’s embrace, where Regalia and Tiana huddled together.
“Could you escort them back to my apartment?” Sasha asked, running her fingers through her young ladies disheveled hair.
“Yes, that would be for the best. This place suddenly smells of rotting filth,” Vickie raised her nose towards the far side of the room, where Sir Baric and seven others lay dead.
“Your Grace, a word,” Lady Bhool called from across the room. As she started around the table, emergency medical teams rushed through the door, treating the wounded without question. Lady Bhool stood with Sir Quinn and Vice-Admiral Sys'Kol along the wall, their command staffs shuffling past, leaving the conference room in haste.
“Your Grace, Knight Admiral Gregorio is refusing to comply with your order to stand-down. He is quite adamant that you have no authority over Knight High-Admiral Baric’s battle groups, stating the only orders he will follow are those of Knight High-Admiral Baric, which we are currently telling is meeting with you,” Lady Bhool said, a concern flowing from her words that Sasha had heard on only one previous occasion, when her private starship had been captured by traitors.
“Could you try to fool him?” Find someone that sounds like Baric and have him send the order?” Sasha voiced the first idea that came to mind, realizing it was flawed the moment she finished. A muffled grunt echoed across the room, forcing them all to glance at Trent, who was in the process of getting an injection from a very angry Medical Officer Quo’Moy. Sasha began to turn then stopped herself...she would deal with Trent later.
“I doubt it would work, Your Grace. They have command codes that have to be submitted if they were communicating orders over an open channel, its standard protocol.” Sasha frowned, knowing the only option left.
“This one's alive, he's using his BC node,” a barely audible whisper came from one of the medics. The words seemed important, Sasha tried to grasp why.
“ESS up! Bring the fleet to battle stations! Mark Knight High-Admiral Baric's battle groups as hostiles and engage, repeat...” Knight Admiral Bhool shouted into the combat PDU she was wore over her ear. Sasha stood in a daze, not understanding why the knight admiral had decided on such a reckless course of action.
She slammed against the wall, the starship bucking wildly, like hundreds of asteroids were striking its hull at once. The answer dawned on her as the battle stations alarm blared. The man the medics mentioned, the one who was using his BC node, must have been sending a message to Knight Admiral Gregorio, the man now in charge of Baric's two battle groups, informing him of what had transpired. More alarms blared as the starship continued to shudder, Sasha barely able to keep from falling.
“We need to get to the bridge!” Knight Captain Quinn bellowed, louder than even the screeching alarms. The three commanders started rushing towards the door.
“I am coming,” she said it more to herself then to the commanders, falling in line behind them. As she reached the door, a hand slid under her arm, pulling her back slightly. She turned in surprise, only to find Trent, flush and sweating, standing at her side.
“You can't leave me behind,” he wheezed, pain noticeable in his bloodshot eyes. Sasha was about to scream at him, order him to go back to the apartments and sleep, rest, but Daiyu appeared on his other elbow, supporting him.
“I'll help, Your Grace,” Sasha looked at the woman and nodded, holding her tongue.
They pulled Trent along, after the commanders that had vanished down the wide corridor, bustling with officers hurrying to their battle stations. Trent winced with every step, making her want to smack him as she remembered his promise, which he seemed to forget whenever it pleased him.
“It'll just be another week in bed, so I don't think this can be considered self-sacrifice, can it?” Trent smiled weakly, masking some of the pain. Sasha sighed again...can he read my mind now? They hurried as fast as Trent could move down the corridor, in the direction of the fleet command deck.
“Here! It will be faster,” Daiyu said, leading them into a waiting tube transport.
“Your Grace. Excuse me if this question is rude,” Daiyu asked as the tube started to slow, the fleet command deck within walking distance of the strategy room, “are you and Sir Trent currently in a relationship?” The question Sasha knew would eventually come, but hoped to put off until this entire affair was over, was asked by Daiyu.
“I would appreciate your discretion. But yes, we are currently courting.” Sasha responded, somewhat honestly. She thought she caught a flash of disappointment appear in Daiyu’s eye, but her expression stayed solid, only nodding understanding. Trent had saved her life and Sasha wondered if that may have caused feelings for him to start appearing in Daiyu's heart. She knew something similar had occurred when Trent dragged her around Earth Base, protecting her as they fled from Sir Simwa's followers.
The transport tube door slid open to the ABF Alutia’s enormous fleet command deck that overlooked the starships even more massive bridge. Trent staggered out alongside her, still breathing heavy. The starship shuddered again as Daiyu exited last, looking at her, then Trent, before nodding crisply and rushing to an empty fleet station adjacent the one manned by Knight Captain Quinn.
At first glance the image being projected on the CID in the center of the deck appeared normal. A blue, green, and white planet blockaded by starships in a perfect containment formation. But at closer inspection, enemy starship, highlighted red, with name tags and status updates intermingled with the ally starships, highlighted blue, which were vanishing much faster than the red. Knight Admiral Bhool floated 5 meters above the 15 meter tall projected battle space, shouting orders, while zooming around the projection as the battle unfolded. Trent slid an arm around Sasha waist as the starship shook violently, pulling her towards two seats at the end of the CID without PDU stations, reserved for non-combat guests. They sat, the seats locking them in place, grasping hands, watching as the desperate battle for Earth unfolded.
Chapter 24
It was mayhem.
Confused...unabashed...mayhem, “and you know who is responsible, do you not, Daniel,” a mysterious voice whispered through his BC node.
“I do,” he responded, no longer caring about its origin or if it real. Knowing well only one man could be responsible for these crazy events that kept occurring, one after the other, and the absolute lunacy of what was now taking place screamed of only this man.
The man named Trent.
He’d been aroused from a deep slumber when the battle stations alarm had once again sounded. After fighting his way through the mass of confused officers and crewmen, he arrived at the bridge, only to find half the Alutia Battle Fleet engaged with the other.
It screamed illogic and Daniel knew, with the voice’s constant reassurance, that only one man could cause such an unfathomable event to occur.
The man named Trent.
His tactical display had yet to update friend from foe, so Daniel had nothing to do but seethe in a pool of anger, let it feed the tree of hate for Trent that had sprouted within his heart, no matter how ridiculous he knew his hate may be. “It is not ridiculous, Daniel,” the voice contradicted, and he realized again, that it was right.
“Tactical! Fire at will!” Captain Aysi ordered the moment half the ABF starships projected on his tactical station shifted to red. “Super-capitals and capitals are priority! Keep an eye out for planet killers! They're large and slow, but have thick armor and ESSs!”
Daniel reluctantly targeted the ABF dreadnaught that was maneuvering away from the TSB Reverie, which they were escorting. Why would they need to watch out for planet killers? The question answered itself and Daniel's mind froze, then ticked, fully understand
ing what must have befallen.
Someone wanted the Earth destroyed and somebody didn't. The thought made him cringe. How could anyone consider destroying a planet of 25 billion? “Does it bother you, Daniel?” the voice questioned, making him realize he really didn't care. “Is it not for the best, Daniel?” it continued, providing him knowledge that if Earth was indeed destroyed, then there would be no more need for the TSB. He would be able to choose his own destiny, “and most importantly,” the voice urged, take care of Trent in the process.
“Fire plasma cannon!” Captain Anysi's shout brought him back to the battle and he struck the plasma cannon icon. He would have time to think on that later.
For now, he needed to survive.
*********
Trent surveyed the chaotic scene unfolding around him with anxious fascination.
Directly before him and Sasha rose a life-like projection of Earth surrounded by hundreds of ABF and TSB starships in a perfect lattice formation, highlighted red or blue, appearing like dots when scaled against the Earth’s enormous girth. The projection itself emanated from a 20 by 20 meter CID, with thousands of semi-spherical PDU’s built into its surface, covering the center of the deck. It projected Earth and the surrounding space with such fine detail, Trent could discern tiny beams of green passing between the dots, with much larger purple beams occasionally mixing in, like an elaborate laser show.
Knight Admiral Bhool swooped just overhead, hovering before a blue highlighted starship that blinked, then vanished, succumbing to the rain of green fire that battered its hull. A moment later, she soared around the enormous projection of Earth at a precariously high-speed, swooping high over the bridge in which the fleet command deck overhung. Trent could only catch bits and pieces of the orders she shouted, being no way loud enough for those on the fleet command deck or bridge to hear. He leaned close to Sasha who winced, squeezing his hand painfully, every time a starship vanished.
Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) Page 45
