by Blaze Ward
“Pity,” Jessica sniffed. “I rather liked her.”
“As did I,” Wakely replied. “Let me contact Ulaffson Redyert and see if he has other contacts we can exploit.”
“I will leave it in your hands, Governor,” Jessica said. “Let my staff know what you need.”
Jessica cut the line and got back to the aftermath of battle.
When she was a young pup cornet, just out of the Academy, it had still been a time when two battle squadrons might put on martial displays and threats, and then back off after a few shots.
She was reminded of spring bucks showing off.
In the twenty years since, the Great War had gotten more intense, more violent. More expensive.
Four years ago, First Lord Kasum had told her in secrecy that Aquitaine was losing. Slowly being pushed back by Fribourg one planet at a time.
Everything she had done since taking command of the original Auberon had been military effort focused on economics. Bleed the Emperor and his government. Make them pay a greater price.
Force them to a standstill while Aquitaine got back on her feet.
Today had been a high price to pay for Aquitaine. But Fribourg had suffered twenty times as bad.
Somewhere along the way, she had turned into a demon from their darkest nightmares. Being a woman in command could not fully explain it, even as it did play on some of their darkest cultural touchstones.
She was the monster in the night that was coming for them.
Hadn’t she just proved that?
Below her, Thuringwell was going back to being boring. Reports from Legate Burdge confirmed that Colonel Dieter Haussmann had been killed in battle, and his force shattered into isolated bands that Fourth Saxon was either rounding up or hounding deeper into the forests.
And Fraser Cydelmynster had survived, according to the reports. That might go a long ways towards making Thuringwell a viable planet for the Republic, assuming he could be brought round.
Some men never came back from being pirates.
But that was tomorrow’s problem.
All of her squadron had been damaged, but everything could still fight, save Shivaji. However, Jessica had no doubt that Alber’ d’Maine would be at standing on the bow in an emergency suit, with a pulse pistol in one hand if he had to, should another Imperial force arrive to contest local space. And more help was coming.
If she could hold another two or three months, Thuringwell might forget that it used to be an Imperial world. That was one of the reasons she had chosen it in the first place.
She stood up and opened a line.
“Bridge, Keller,” she said. “I’m going to get dinner and a shower. You have the flag.”
Tomorrow’s problems.
Epilogue: City of Saxilby
Date of the Republic August 14, 396 Mine #14, Thuringwell
It weren’t City of Brani. That Engine were too badly killed to be repaired in any sort of useful time. Maybe not ’til Moirrey took it apart up on Auberon later.
Instead, Moirrey had put her foot down and told Digger to get City of Saxilby ready.
Just because they had blowed up her first chariot didn’t mean Moirrey weren’t going to do this, even if they did hafta delay things a bit fer security, cleanup, and preparation.
It were a good thing, too. Yonin Port’s yard were nothing but slightly singed fighters right now, parked kinda ragged and slowly being lined up fer storage and maybe transportation.
That were a wee silly trick, maybe selling th’Emperer back his own stuff.
But today were about City of Saxilby. And Mine #14.
She really would have to work on makin’ ’em give places right proper names. Silly, and poetic, and more inspirational than another durned hole in the ground with nothin’ but a number.
Wouldn’t do, no sir.
Moirrey enjoyed the view as she rolled slowly down the track. Digger was resting in the other pilot’s chair as City of Saxilby approached the party, but Moirrey were driving the big beast.
Two iron rails, disappearing back into the trees. Lots of trees.
Up ahead, everything slowly cleared out and then it were tailing piles everywhere.
Beside her as she rumbled down the rails at a slow jog, six big, ugly tanks from LVIII Heavy rolled, three on each side as honor guards. Behind and around them, near a hunnert boys and girls on horseback, like some of the better parties back home in Lincolnshire.
Scout Patrol, First Cohort.
Vo Arlo and all his friends. And maybe a girlfriend, if rumors were true. She dinna ask yet. Everybody deserved a little happiness, now and again, and Vo more than most.
Moirrey smiled over at Digger and considered a roll in the hay later. Might hafta sneak up on him though.
Up ahead, a cute little reviewing stand had been throwd t’gether from rough–cut timber, with a glitter–splattered Welcome banner she had made herself slung across the front.
If’n ye were gonna have a party, ya gots to do it right.
Glitter.
And Unicorns. ’Cause, you know, unicorns.
Lady Keller were there, along with a whole heap of marines and more cowfolk. Doctor–Governor Wakely, too, along with a bunch of locals, and yahoos, and other misfits.
At least they had strung a proper piece of blue crepe paper across the rails, a finish line fer her great big iron horse to cross first, ahead of the other iron horses, and then the fleshy ones.
Just fer fun, she sounded the horn again.
The civilians jumped way higher than the horses did.
The cowcatcher caught the paper tape first and sliced it neatly. Jes like it were supposed to.
Railroad engines were big things that went through little things, especially when you was pulling near to fifty empty ore cars to load up and deliver back to Ramsey Starport for export.
One of these days, a smelter would be there, and all the rock would just be turned into bars right here and shipped off. Hopefully, that would make a little lady from Lincolnshire rich.
Moirrey let go the dead–man–switch and leaned forward into the brake lever. They weren’t going fast, but there were a lot of tons of push behind her that needed to settle down and behave.
The brakes screamed worse than the air horn had, but City of Saxilby ground to a quick halt.
Moirrey grabbed Digger’s hand and made to drag him to the hatch, but he made her emerge first with a smile and a warm hand on her shoulder.
She liked to blush sumthin’ fierce at all the cheers and whistles as she did come out. And people chanting her name were just weird.
Still, she had done this thing. And other things.
She climbed down Saxilby’s steps as Lady Keller come up close. Her sister were good for a big, fierce hug, which made all the rest okay. Even the Doctor–Gov’nr hugged her, which was weird, but worked, too.
Digger went to give her his hug, but she wrapped him up and snogged him pretty good while everyone else watched.
And maybe they cheered a little louder when she did.
Goddess of War Cast List
Auberon
Name
Rank
Position
Jessica Marie Keller (F) Fleet Centurion Commander, First Expeditionary Fleet. Margrave.
Marcelle Augustine Travere (F) Chief Jessica’s Personal Aide
Enej Zivkovic (M) Centurion Flag Centurion
Wakely Okafor PhD Palsgrave
Denis Jež (M) Command Centurion Commander, Auberon
Tamara Strnad (F) Senior Centurion First Officer
Tobias Brewster (M) Senior Centurion Tactical Centurion
Aleksander Afolayan(M) Centurion Gunner
Nina Vanek (F) Senior Centurion Defense
Nada Zupan (F) Senior Centurion Pilot
Daniel Giroux (M) Senior Centurion Science Officer
Vilis Ozolinsh (M) Command Engineering Centurion Chief Engineer
Moirrey Kermode Centurion Engineer, detached duty
Phillip Navin Crncevic (M) Command Marine Centurion Dragoon
Vo (Vojciech) Arlo (M) Centurion Marine
Nadine Orly Yeoman Flag Marine
Jackson Tawfeek First Rate Spacer Marine
Nicolai Aoiki (M) Master Chef Master of the Wardroom
Pilots, Auberon
Name
Rank
Position
Iskra Vlahovic Command Flight Centurion Flight Deck Commander
Jouster / Milos Pavlovich Command Flight Centurion Flight Commander
Uller / Friedhelm Hannes Förstner Flight Centurion Jouster’s Wing
Vienna / Avril Bouchard Flight Centurion Jouster’s Wingmate
Bitter Kitten / Darya Lagunov Flight Centurion Wing Commander
Hànchén / Murali Ma Flight Cornet Bitter Kitten’s Wingmate
Furious / Cho Flight Cornet Bitter Kitten’s Wingmate
da Vinci / Ainsley Barret Senior Flight Centurion Scout Pilot
Gaucho / Hollis Dyson Senior Flight Centurion Commander, Cayenne
Takouhi Taline Nazarian (F) Yeoman Loadmaster, Cayenne
Murphy Alexandru (M) First-Rate Spacer Tower Gunner, Cayenne
Branca Antía Rocha (F) Flight Centurion Commander, Petron
Anastazja Slusarczyk (F) Senior Flight Centurion Commander, Necromancer
Leila Ketevan (F) Flight Centurion Commander, Damocles
Command Wing (RAN)
Name
Rank
Position
Tomas Kigali (M) Command Centurion Commander, CR-264
Hường Haukea (F) Command Centurion Commander, Abbotsford
Tódor Zviadi (M) Command Centurion Commander, Achaemenes
Cruiser Force (RAN)
Name
Rank
Position
Alber d’Maine (M) Command Centurion Commander, Shivaji
Cruz Jo Bösch (F) Senior Centurion First Officer, Shivaji
Zoya Najafi Centurion Science Officer, Shivaji
Lauma Ikeda (F) Centurion Gunner, Shivaji
Saša Ufuoma Perko (M) Centurion Defense, Shivaji
Komal MacInerney (F) Centurion Asst. Tactical Officer, Shivaji
Amala Bhattacharya (F) Centurion Marine, Shivaji
Robertson Aelieas (M) Command Centurion Commander, Nyamboya
Doriane Matveev (F) Command Centurion Commander, Ishfahan
Kanda Lungu (F) Command Centurion Commander, Ballard
Elzbet Aukley (F) Senior Centurion First Officer/Science Officer, Ballard
Escort Force (RAN)
Name
Rank
Position
Teuta Uzodimma (F) Command Centurion Commander, BrightOak
Yezekael Jarogniew (M) Command Centurion Commander, Rubicon
Siranush “Siran” Akpabio (F) Command Centurion Commander, Vigilant
Tonći Östberg (M) Command Centurion Commander, Andover
Calista Katsaros (F) Command Centurion Commander, Albena
Ionuț Yannic (M) Command Centurion Commander, Advocate
Support Force (RAN)
Name
Rank
Position
Waldemar Ihejirika (M) Command Centurion Commander, Mendocino
Illiam Kovack (M) Command Centurion Commander, Duncan
Anne Holgersen (F) Command Centurion Commander, Andorra
Guiomar Zelenko (F) Command Centurion Commander, Ladysmith
Enfys El-Amin (F) Command Centurion Commander, Wombat
The Grand Army of the Republic: Fourth Saxon
Name
Rank
Position
Declan Burdge (M) Legate Commander, Fourth Saxon Legion Cavalry
Eko Tri (F) Cohort Centurion Primus Pilus, Fourth Saxon
Dashyl Mitja (F) Patrol Centurion Patrol Commander, First Cohort, Scout Patrol
Tariq Arazola (M) Decurion First Lance, Scout Patrol, First Cohort
Aoibhín Hult (F) Curator Cornicen, Scout Patrol, First Cohort
Alban Charpentier Curator Draconarius, Scout Patrol, First Cohort
Hovsep Khachaturian (M) Curator Ballistarius Gunner, First Lance
Magdalena Borislavov (F) Centurion Commander, 2nd Squadron Scout Patrol
Hawne Sherazi Decanus Castle Lance, 3rd Squadron Scout Patrol
Yağmur Küçük Trooper Pioneer, Castle Lance, 3rd Squadron
Equine Forces of the Republic
Name
Rider
Troop
Göll Dashyl Mitja Scout Patrol, First Cohort
Shevi Vo Arlo Scout Patrol, First Cohort
Mitra Hawne Sherazi Scout Patrol, First Cohort
LVIII Heavy
Name
Rank
Position
Rebekah Kim (F) Cohort Centurion Commander, LVIII Armored Ala Heavy
Chea Tola Soun (F) Trooper Gunner, Freefall
Ki Jun Choe (M) Senior Trooper Driver, Freefall
Marina Soto(F) Trooper Loader, Freefall
Bong Park (M) Centurion Commander, Bloodhound
Construction Ala
Name
Rank
Position
Anton Wolanski (M) “Digger” Senior Centurion Commander
Eric Musial (M) Centurion 2IC, Construction Ala
Imperial Forces
Name
Rank
Position
Dieter Haussman Colonel Imperial Security Bureau
Otto Vollelk Orbital Traffic Officer Thuringwell Station
Jacob Arnholdt Captain Commander, Thuringwell Station
Gunter Walsh Lieutenant Commander, CML-1596
Yanis Koppanen Lieutenant Commander, CML-1688
Edgar Horst Master Sergeant Platoon cmdr, 189th Division Honor Guard
Metthias Assassin, Imperial Security Bureau
Saveliy Kozlov Admiral of the White Thuringwell Task Force
Nelson Amavaraia Captain Commander, Hokkaido
Iohan Pavelovski Captain Commander, Europa
Dietrich van Aakken Captain Commander, Novo Daysahn
Alain Toma Captain Commander, Wintergold
Gregor Villhaus Captain Commander, Toriyama Sekien
The Republic
Name
Position
Indira (Chastain) Keller Jessica’s mother
Miguel Keller Jessica’s father
Calina Szabolcsi President of the Republic of Aquitaine
Nils Kasum First Lord of the Fleet
Kamil Miloslav Personal Aide to First Lord Kasum
Judit Margrét Chavarría Premier, Republic Senate
Tadej Marko Horvat Senator, Republic Senate, Chairman
Hennigan McCandless Chair, McCandless & Daughters
Petia Naoumov First Fleet Lord. Commander, Home Fleet
Dr. Torvald Kijek Husband to Wakely Okafor
Thana Kijek Daughter to Wakely Okafor
Viriato Kijek Grandson to Wakely Okafor
Thuringwell
Name
Rank
Position
Merryn Teke (F) Captain Commander, Seventh Son
Yan Neumos (M) Navigator Seventh Son
Tyler Yi (M) Gunner Seventh Son
Hao Yi (F) Loadmaster Seventh Son
Fraser Cydelmynster (M) Captain Thuringwell Liberation forces
Conrad Penztler (M) 2IC Thuringwell Liberation forces
Roald Dreyfuss (M) Private
Elizabeth “Eli” Guhathakurta (F) Private
Ulaffson Redyert (M) Shipping Magnate
Justin Hender (M) Shipping Magnate
Jose Wardson (M)
Jeffry Johnson (M)
Miles Gunderson Mayor Yonin Starport
Author’s Note
I’ve mentioned this before. Jessica kind of snuck up on me and took over. The ideas behind the middle act of Queen came to me over a decade ago as part of a larger story, but I didn’t have either end to go with it. Just that amazingly weird space battle over a planet with a bunch of pirates.
And then
Jessica tapped me on the shoulder and introduced herself one day. At that moment, I had the entirety of the first three books (I can’t say trilogy, even as they are, because it will be a very large series and you’re holding book four) in my head and ready to go. Writing them was mostly just the time to actually type the words and make sure I had them all right before going on.
I always knew there would be more of her story, about the time I finished book 1. Somewhere in the middle of book 2, I knew what the rest of the entire series would look like. I won’t bother explaining it now, but somewhere around book 5, the astute reader ought to be able to go back to the exact sentence in Queen of the Pirates where everything else crystalized, like rock candy in hot water.
I certainly knew.
I have noticed that I tend to write female characters that appear to be out of tune with traditional publishing. They aren’t bad–ass, super–wizard, demon–hunting, super–models single–handedly saving the universe from evil. I find that kind of character just as unreasonable as the broken, helpless waif who requires Prince Wonderstud to come rescue her from a bad manicure.
She won’t appreciate it, but one of my reviewers out in the real world paid me the highest compliment she could, as she was trying to insult me. I had all these interesting and powerful female characters running around, but the book she read was “just another space opera war–story.” She was insulted that I wasn’t committing high, feminist literature.
And that’s because she doesn’t know what that is.
Joss Whedon was once asked why he kept doing powerful female characters. His response was because people kept asking him that question. They didn’t take for granted that a woman could be her own self, rather than being defined by her relationship to a man or to her mother, which seems to be the default choice ninety percent of the time.
So I had all these powerful women running around, but they were being characters, rather than feminist icons. I don’t believe feminism will achieve its goals until the gender of the character doesn’t matter. If Jessica was male, and possessed of a grander libido, she’d probably be compared to Jim Kirk. Because if you erase gender from the page, she’s rather just like many of the male action–figure characters you have read about.
