Price of Imperium

by Dave Robinson

  "It looks that way," Tam frowned. "It's odd though, four light cruisers are no match for us. Any one of them would have completely outclassed Talon but it doesn't make sense for someone looking for us aboard a destroyer to attack a battle-cruiser."

  "Unless something gave our identity away," Jayne replied. "Say, sending a message that we've returned."

  "Of course," Tam's hand moved as if he were about to smack himself on the forehead. "At least they weren't expecting a battle-cruiser. There's comfort in that."

  "Captain, they're firing missiles." Thorn interrupted. "Request permission to return fire."

  "Permission Granted."

  Jayne watched her screen as little specks left the oncoming ships and closed on the icon that represented their own vessel. Numbers and symbols cascaded down the right side of her screen telling what was going on, but it did not make much sense to her. She caught something about point defense, and hit percentage.

  The ship rocked as one of the missiles got through. Alarms screamed and Jayne clapped her hands over her ears, only to discover it was coming from her implant, inside her head as well as outside. Sections of the display went red and her shock-frame closed around her body.

  "I want this ended, now." Tam said. "Take us in closer and see how they like the feeling of capital hammerbeams."

  "Aye aye sir," Thorn replied.

  Jayne could feel the whole ship heel over as they accelerated towards their attackers. None of her previous flights had felt like this, and she winced when she realized her fingernails were cutting into her palms.

  "Damage report, Commander Morraien," Tam's voice came to her ears.

  "Less than a dozen casualties, Captain," the woman's voice said. "We have six compartments open to space, but combat power is unimpaired. I am seeing some fluctuations in the inertial shielding, but all within safety levels."

  "Get engineering on that immediately."

  "Yes, sir," she said.

  Jayne leaned back in her seat, there did not seem to be much else she could do while held there by the shock-frame, and watched her screen. Another image split off from the main one and she tried to make sense of what was going on. The main image still showed the battle, while the secondary one showed what she assumed to be their ship. There was a huge gash running down one side, but none of the lights along the side were flashing.

  The ship rocked again, and another gash appeared along the side, this time she knew it was a missile hit. The lights flickered and red ones came on, but the alarms did not return.

  "Helm, bring us closer," Tam's voice cut into her attention. "Tactical, fire as we bear."

  "Aye sir," Thorn replied. "Firing."

  This time Jayne barely felt anything, just a slight ripple as Indestructible's main batteries fired. Less than a second later the ship they had fired on was a crumpled mess, as if a sumo wrestler had stepped on a coke can. The other three ships did not last much longer. Indestructible raged among them like a lioness among Chihuahuas casually swatting them aside and leaving twisted air-bleeding hulks that had once been ships.

  "Incoming message Captain," something about Commander Morraien's voice caught Jayne's attention. "We've been ordered to stand to and await boarding by order of the Council."

  "By order of the Council?" Tam scratched his chin. "Since when did the Council issue orders to single starships? Send a report that we have repelled what appears to be a pirate attack and are making for home. Do not mention our passenger."

  "Aye sir."

  "Also, send a message to Admiral Calthran, tight beam and scrambled. Let him know where we are but don't tell him about the passenger either." Jayne was sure she saw an apologetic look in his eyes. "I think our communications are being tapped and I don't want anyone to know more than they have to. Not yet."

  "Does that include me?" Jayne asked innocently.

  "No," Tam shook his head, "I'll tell you what I can."

  "I'm glad," she laughed, "I do like knowing who I am."

  He glanced at her quickly, then she saw him realize she had been pulling his leg. "Thanks, I needed that."

  "I'm here to help."

  "I know, and trust me, we appreciate it." He swiveled his seat all the way around to face her, and she felt her own shock-frame retracting. "I'd like you to be my aide if you would. I think Tavrolan has something to do with this, and I don't want him to know who you are until you have a chance to get that authentication." He grimaced. "I don't think he would be above arranging an accident for you."

  "Somebody already arranged one for us," Jayne said. "I don't think a second one is that farfetched."

  "Neither do I."

  "So, what do I have to do to pretend to be your aide?"

  *

  Jayne sat in one of the chairs against the edge of the room, watching Tam pace back and forth. It was ten days since they had returned to the system, almost as long since they were attacked, and a week since they had been ordered to place themselves under arrest for the crime of defending themselves. Officially it was just an investigation into the incident, but the officers conducting it were not wearing Fleet uniforms, and none of them would look her in the eye.

  They had been forced to stand to just off the station for almost three days before they were allowed to dock. Every single attempt to communicate had been blocked until they were finally assigned a docking bay.

  As soon as they had docked at the station the guards had come aboard. Armed and armored they had moved through the ship as if they'd drilled it for years. Five minutes after they had docked the ship was secured and a man was coming up to Tam.

  "Captain," he said, not saluting, marking title with only the slightest hesitation, "please come with me. The rest of your crew should remain aboard until we have concluded the investigation."

  "Very well, Major," Tam replied. "However, I would like to bring my aide. I still have a great deal of paperwork to do."

  Jayne stood to the best attention she knew. The major took one look at her before turning back to Tam. "She's fine, there's plenty of space on the shuttle."

  Jayne leaned close to Tam, bending over to pick up a 'pad that was by his seat. "Who are they?"

  He glanced down at the 'pad then whispered, "Tavrolan Sector Guard, not sure why they're in charge, but it can't mean anything good."

  Jayne fell in behind him as they left the bridge, keeping her mouth shut as they took the transport car to the shuttle bay. The less you say, the less they have to question. She was sure anyone who took any time to look at her would have plenty to question. The rank tabs on her uniform were Lieutenant Thorn's and from the way they had been attached she was sure they were at least a little out of place. Her blouse was sticking to her back, and she hoped the sweat would not show through to the back of the uniform jacket.

  Tam, walking ahead of her, looked completely calm and collected. She wasn't sure how he was doing it. At least at the back of the line she did not have to worry about leading the way. She had been to the shuttle bay precisely once since she had been aboard, and was fairly sure there was no way she would be able to find her way there on purpose.

  Once aboard the shuttle, their escort, it was a nicer word than guards, made sure they were securely buckled in then left them alone. Jayne turned towards Tam, but he was leaning back in his chair, eyes closed.

  He opened one eye for a moment. "Don't disturb me til after we land. I could use a nap."

  Jayne could have sworn his eye snapped shut with an audible click. "Yes sir."

  That left her to her own devices for the flight. The seats were comfortable, even with the tight belts, and she thought it might be a good idea to catch a nap of her own. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Less than a minute later her eyes were wide open and she was sitting straight up. Tam looked perfectly relaxed beside her, but it was not something she could pull off.

  If he's actually sleeping I'm amazed, the thought crept into her mind. If he isn't that relaxed I don't ever want to play poker
with him.

  She shifted a little, one of the cross belts was putting pressure on her breast, then took a look out the window. They were coming down at night, and the planet was lit like it was its own sun. Cities were everywhere, shining like constellations against the blackness of the planet's night surface. After a few minutes, they crossed the terminator and passed into daylight. Up ahead Jayne could see a city built around a miles high tower. Less than ten minutes later they were on the ground.

  The guards were back as soon as the shuttle landed. Without a word they unfastened the safety harnesses and helped Tam and Jayne out of the shuttle and into the back of a vehicle that looked like a wheel-less van hanging about six inches off the ground. The seats they were directed to were comfortable enough, but the way they were watched as they sat and strapped themselves in did not make Jayne at all comfortable.

  It was a short ride, Jayne would have looked out the window but as soon as they took off it darkened so she couldn't see a thing through it. A glance at Tam showed that he was still showing his relaxed face to the world, and she had no desire to show her own nervousness by letting anyone hear it in her voice. So she just sat back and waited, hoping the trip would end soon.

  After no more than ten minutes they were let out. The van, as she thought of it, was inside the equivalent of a parkade, and they were hustled through a set of sliding doors and into a transport car like the ones on the ship. Moments later, they were down a hall and into what looked like a hotel sitting room.

  One of their escort turned to them once they were in the room. "Someone will be along shortly. In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable." He smiled, "If you need anything, just ask, someone will be along to bring it."

  "Just ask?" Jayne could not help repeating it.

  "Just ask." The smile on his face did not change and Jayne finally realized what he meant. The room was bugged. No sooner had the door closed behind him than Jayne found herself a place to sit, in one of the chairs against the wall. She was sure it would be a long wait.

  It was. The sitting room opened up onto two bedrooms a kitchenette, and a small bathroom. Meals were delivered on a regular schedule by a silent soldier, and the rest of the time they were left completely alone. There were no books, only the imperial equivalent of television, and computers that Jayne barely knew how to use.

  Jayne squirmed on the chair. Even though these imperial chairs were very comfortable, there was something about the enforced idleness that made it impossible for her to sit still for any length of time. Tam was pacing again , but she had seen enough movies to know that it just wasn't appropriate for an aide to pace too. She wanted to ask him what was going on, and several times she almost opened her mouth to speak. Each time though, she shut it just as quickly.

  If this place is not bugged six ways from Sunday I don't know what bugging is. The voice pickup the guard mentioned will only be the half of it If it had been on Earth and they were playing for these sorts of stakes it would have been bugged and their every motion videotaped. There was no way the Imperium with its superior technology would have failed where any Earth country would have succeeded.

  So she sat still, unsuccessfully.

  Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. When they came up with it everyone seemed to expect that Tavrolan did not have the fleet under his control. That didn't seem to be the case, and they should have realized it when they thought of the fact that it had been one of his sector guard officers who had been placed in command of the Interdiction Force. That would not have been possible if the fleet had been listening to its own masters.

  What it meant for the rest of the fleet, she wasn't sure. She was no expert and her only interest had come after agreeing to marry Jhon. The only thing she did know was that their enemies seemed to be in full control of the system.

  The sound of the door opening interrupted her musings. "I am a member of the Council, as well as your superior officer, so I have every right to be here." She turned towards the door and voice to see an older man in an imperial guard uniform enter the room, with one of the guards trailing behind him.

  Jayne saw that Tam was bracing to attention in front of the newcomer, and belatedly realized that she should be doing the same thing.

  "At ease, Commander, at ease." The officer extended a hand, "it's good to see you back, and there's no reason to stand on formality."

  "Thank you sir," Tam turned towards Jayne. "Admiral Calthran, may I present my aide, Lieutenant Jayne."

  Admiral Calthran's eyebrow raised a millimeter and he gave a microscopic nod towards Jayne. "Thank you Commander, Lieutenant."

  "Thank you sir," Jayne was glad the Imperium did not salute indoors, she was sure she would not be able to pull it off correctly.

  Calthran's eyes moved from one to the other. "So Commander, perhaps you can tell me why I sent you off in a destroyer, and you have returned in a battle-cruiser."

  "The order was confirmed by Admiral Torrens sir, it's all in my report." Tam gestured towards Jayne. "Lieutenant Jayne has everything in her 'pad."

  "Very good." He reached towards the 'pad then pulled his hand back as if considering. "It looks like you will be here some time longer though, Commander. The Council as a whole wants to consider your situation and so you are going to be confined until the next meeting."

  Jayne tried to keep her voice level. "When is that, sir?"

  "It's in another four days."

  "By the way Commander, were you able to fulfill your orders?" The way the Admiral looked at Tam made Jayne think he had dismissed her from his thoughts.

  "The majority of them sir," Tam nodded towards Jayne. "Lieutenant Jayne has all the details."

  He paused for a moment. "I understand that I'm confined here, but what about her? She would be able to provide you with a thorough debriefing and I can assure you that she was not in a command position at any time."

  "I suppose I could do that." The admiral lent a cold look to Jayne. "Very well, Lieutenant, you're with me; and for the Founder's sake stand up straight."

  Her back straightened reflexively and she found a very quiet voice for her answer. "Yes sir."

  "Good," he looked her over. "I wish I knew what they were teaching junior officers at the Academy these days.

  "No matter," the admiral turned back to Tam. "I'll be back before the meeting, don't worry about a thing Commander."

  "Yes sir."

  He turned to leave, "you're with me, Lieutenant."

  Jayne found somewhat more of her voice, "yes sir."

  He led the way out the door and Jayne followed. She swallowed nervously as she slipped through the door, but the guard didn't seem to pay her any attention.

  Admiral Calthran was a tall man, and he walked like he had to get to a bathroom. Jayne had to hurry to catch up, then fell into step behind him. At least her shoes were flats, she was sure she would not have been able to keep up in heels. He did not look back, so she just concentrated on keeping up.

  After a few minutes, his pace slackened, and she was able to keep up without as much effort. Her legs were aching, but she tried to ignore it. Unfortunately, the only way to ignore the pain was to think about her situation, and that was not exactly promising. She was in a strange city, she did not know anyone, she was pregnant, and the man she was following seemed to hold her in exactly as much regard as a dust mite.

  Even when they got into a transport car he did not talk to her. She stood beside him in the car but all he did was look her up and down again and say "Humph."

  For just a moment she thought he spoke English, but then realized it was a sound used for both English and Imperial. Apart from that he was silent, and the look on his face kept Jayne from wanting to initiate conversation. Her heart was beating faster in her chest, and her legs still ached but she was not willing to show this man that she was either nervous or hurting. She forced her back straight and stood upright, looking straight ahead at the far wall.

  The car hissed to a stop and Admiral Calthran
strode out, still without speaking. She followed him across a smooth and reflective floor with what she guessed was some coat of arms embossed in it. The sound of his boots was harsh and authoritative, just like his personality she thought. He was obviously one of those career military men who had no idea of human kindness and she wondered how she would be able to explain the situation to him.

  Jayne could see it now; standing at attention trying to explain who she was and why Jhon had sent her while he sat at a desk, going over paperwork and whatever was on that 'pad. He might even have her thrown in jail for impersonating an officer. It wouldn't surprise her in the least.

  Two clear glass doors opened in front of them and they walked through into bright sunlight. Jayne shaded her eyes for a moment to let them adjust, then hurried down the stairs after the admiral. They looked like a cross between stone and concrete; seamless like concrete but with the crisp edges of stone rather than the softer and rounded edges of concrete. She did not see many people about, though there were a few coming and going. Vehicles filled the air. The equivalent of cars and trucks passed by above her head with a sound that reminded her of nothing so much as the viaduct back home.

  One of them dropped out of the air in front of them, and Admiral Calthran led her to it. An officer got out of the front and held the door for the Admiral, and when Jayne hesitated Calthran fixed her with that look. "Get in girl, Garlos has held doors before and will again."

  Jayne nodded and ducked her head into the car. The inside was spacious and well-upholstered with seats facing both directions. Admiral Calthran took one of the big seats facing forwards, and Jayne slipped into one of the jump seats facing him. Garlos followed her in and took the other jump seat.

  "Sorry about that." Jayne leaned forwards in startlement at the Admiral's words. His whole face had softened along with his tone.

  "Excuse me?"

  He smiled, without breaking his face, to her complete surprise. "I was apologizing for being such a hardcase in there. I didn't want Tavrolan's men to get any more suspicious than they already are."