Forge a New Blade (The Laredo War Book 2)

by Peter Grant

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Very well. This meeting of the War Council is adjourned until ten tomorrow morning. Admiral, please remain behind for a moment.”

  Stasanor waited until the others had left, then approached the Satrap as he sat slumped in his seat, staring at the tabletop as if he expected it to suddenly light up with answers to the crisis that had blown up out of nowhere. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

  Rostam looked up, shaking himself free of his reverie. “Admiral, my condolences on the loss of Commodore Eschate, as well as another corvette and its crew. If we need to make any special arrangements for their family members, please let me know. Meanwhile, you’ll need another officer to assume the Commodore’s responsibilities. I know that promotions to Flag rank must be approved by the legislature, but due to the magnitude of the present crisis I’ll accept your nominee as an acting member of the War Council, with the right to vote in Commodore Eschate’s stead, until such approval can be arranged. Do you have anyone in mind?”

  The Admiral blinked sudden moisture from his eyes. He and Commodore Eschate had developed a close personal friendship over the years, over and above their professional relationship, and his death had hit him hard. He forced himself to be gruffly professional. “Yes, Your Majesty; Captain Kabhara, my Chief of Staff. Our succession plans had included my retiring in two years, upon which the Commodore would have succeeded to my position and the Captain to his.”

  “Very well. You may tell him only, in the strictest confidence, about what’s happened. He’s to attend meetings of the War Council with you from now on, including tomorrow morning’s session.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Thank you, Admiral. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  ~ ~ ~

  SATRAP’S PALACE, SODIA

  Zeba gazed at Rostam in horror as he summarized the events of the morning. “It looks like we’ve lost Termaz for good,” he concluded bitterly. “I don’t see any way we can afford to mount another invasion – not after all we’ve spent on that damned planet already.”

  “But what’s that going to do domestically? Won’t our people revolt at the thought of so many wasted lives and so much wasted money?”

  “They may,” he admitted grimly, “and if they do I can’t blame them at all! If I were a commoner, groaning under the burden of war taxes on top of the normal demands of the Treasury, I’d be ready to revolt too. The fact that neither of us had anything to do with starting the war is neither here nor there. We’re the people at the top of the pyramid. We’re going to be blamed.”

  She nodded soberly. “And the more reactionary nobles, who bear most of the real guilt for the invasion of Termaz, will make sure to deflect as much of the blame as possible onto us in order to save their own skins.”

  “They’ll try; but I think I can nip that in the bud. I’ve already got a couple of people collecting information. After we found so many records had been sanitized, I made sure to get copies of the remaining databases in case it happened again. My grandfather may have taken care to remove the most incriminating evidence against the military, but he didn’t do the same for the nobles who urged the invasion in the first place and colluded in plans to reduce Termaz’ population to slavery. I’ve already begun to drop hints in certain ears, through trusted sources, that I’ve got a little list and a file of evidence. If they try to use the current situation to bring me down, I’ll take them down with me.”

  “Do you think they’ll try?”

  “They’ll never have a better opportunity than the coming year, if that’s what they want. This is going to hit our people like a hammer-blow, and then we’re certain to face United Planets sanctions before the end of the year. That’ll be a second major blow right after the first. Two crises like that are going to stretch us to the limits of our resilience as a society. We’re already too fragile, too over-stressed as a nation.”

  She looked at him in worried silence for a moment, then asked, “In that case, shouldn’t we at least pretend that we’re planning to take back Termaz at some stage? If the hardline nobles and the Army believe that, they may back off the pressure and give us time to reorganize.”

  He looked at her with startled respect. “You know, that’s a really good idea! I’ll call General Demetrias at once and ask him to start preparing plans along those lines. I’ll mention it to the War Council tomorrow as well. I’ll tell them we won’t take immediate action against Termaz – we can’t, due to the more immediate priority of repatriating our troops – but once they’re back here we can re-equip and retrain them and organize another invasion. That’ll keep the Army busy, and divert the attention of the nobles whose industries will benefit from big orders for new equipment. The windfall profits will keep them occupied. Later, once the immediate pressure’s off, we can make a more rational assessment of the situation and try to make the case that it’s not worth the risks or the costs involved.”

  “They’re still going to want to pin the blame on someone for losing Termaz. If not you, who?”

  “General Khan foresaw that. He sent me a private, personal report. He’s basically offered himself as a scapegoat. He foresaw the impact this may have on our people, and told me in so many words that if I have to pin the blame on anyone, to do so on him. He says he’s a lifelong bachelor and has no family to worry about, so no-one else will suffer but him.”

  “That’s very… noble of him. Are you going to do as he suggests?”

  “Yes and no. I’ll use him as a scapegoat if I have to, but I’m going to send a private message to the rebel leader aboard the first transport, probably by personal courier to ensure its security. I’ll ask him to give asylum to General Khan if necessary, or allow him to leave for another planet if he so chooses, rather than force him to return here. I’ll also send him funds from the secret account to make a fresh start somewhere else. I think we owe him that.”

  “I agree.”

  “He also told me he’s put Gloria Aldred and a dozen of her principle collaborators aboard the freighter. He said they would have been in real danger if they’d stayed on Termaz, not so much from the rebel leadership as from rank and file members who regard them as traitors for working with us. They probably wouldn’t have waited for legal proceedings against them, but shot them out of hand. He made their repatriation to Bactria a condition of his surrender. What are we going to do with them? We can’t just let them run around freely. As soon as our people learn that we’ve lost Termaz, any of its citizens will be automatic targets for the anger of the mob.”

  She nodded, eyes wide. “General Khan is right – yet another reason to give him a way out of this, rather than a show trial and a public execution. I’ll ask Sergeant-Major Indic to suggest a safe place where we can confine them – for their protection rather than as a jail – and how best to arrange their security. Perhaps he can integrate that with Elislis’ security as well, so the same team can look after them all.” Her eyes softened as she mentioned their daughter.

  “That’s not a bad idea, and it’d provide cover for her. For public consumption, we can let it be known in due course that he’s in charge of the security of the Termaz ‘prisoners’. Everyone will be so nosy about them they won’t think to ask questions about his new wife and their ‘daughter’.”

  “I’ll see the Sergeant-Major this afternoon to arrange that. Can I tell him about Termaz?”

  Her husband thought for a moment, then sighed. “I suppose you’ll have to under the circumstances, but only him and his second-in-command. Thank heaven she’s now his wife, so any pillow talk won’t be an indiscretion! Make sure they know to keep it secret from everyone else.”

  ~ ~ ~

  KHOTAN ESTATE

  Indic wrinkled his brow in thought. “It could work, Ma’am. The walls around this estate were built to be decorative, but they’ll serve to keep people in or out as well. That’s one reason I chose it as our base. How many prisoners are there?”

  “I understand there’s a dozen or so, b
ut don’t think of them as prisoners. They’re more like refugees.”

  “So they won’t have to be closely guarded?”

  “I shouldn’t think so. They’ll be confined here more for their security than ours. This estate’s fifty kilometers out of town. There aren’t many people nearby to see them and not much of a local threat if it comes to unrest or mob violence.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Mob violence? You really expect that, Ma’am?”

  Zeba sighed. “Think about it, Sergeant-Major. We’ve lost something like thirty thousand people on that damned planet. Their relatives and friends have never forgotten them, and many have never forgiven those who killed them – or those who sent them there. Our people and our economy are laboring under a war tax burden that’s half again as high as it should be. The news of the loss of Termaz is going to be a body blow to our entire society. Add to that the near-certainty of economic sanctions from the United Planets later this year, and who knows what might happen?”

  “Sanctions? Ma’am, this is the first I’ve heard of that.” For the first time, she heard worry in his voice.

  “We’ve kept it under wraps for as long as possible, but that can’t last much longer. Have you heard rumors about a documentary and book put out by the rebels, alleging Bactrian atrocities on Termaz?”

  “Yes, I have, Ma’am, but they’ve been pretty wild and confused. No-one seems to know exactly what’s going on.”

  “I’ll arrange to have a copy of the documentary sent to you and your wife. It’s for your eyes only, under pain of death if you tell others – and I mean that literally. It’s sickening stuff, and the greatest tragedy is that much of it appears to be the exact and literal truth. Our Army and former Administrations deliberately deceived us all. Those chickens are going to come home to roost real soon now, and we’re all going to pay the price. The rebels laid all their evidence before the United Planets. It’s ensured that we’re going to be the pariahs of the settled galaxy before long.”

  He was silent for a moment, then asked, “What about the Satrap and yourself, Ma’am? If there’s a backlash, both of you are going to be targets. You’re the most likely to be blamed. What’s more, if the nobles are looking for a scapegoat to escape blame themselves, they’ll combine against you.”

  “I understand some of them already are. We’ve heard rumors of at least three cabals plotting against the Satrap. One of them is said to involve senior officers from the Army and State Security, but we’ve not been able to penetrate it to any depth as yet. There was even a whisper that it might have been behind the intrusion into the Satrap’s Guard Research Center, although why they’d have done that I have no idea.”

  “They couldn’t have found out about your daughter, Ma’am?”

  “I don’t think so, but it’s impossible to be sure. That’s why we’re passing her off as your child for the time being. People are only too willing to believe that you and Chief Sergeant Traxiane enjoyed the honeymoon before the wedding, so to speak, and that Elislis was the result.”

  He grinned. “Well, we did, and people know it, so that helps to make the cover story more believable. Still, Ma’am, if things are going to get as bad as you say, I’d be making plans to get out of Sodia quickly and quietly if necessary. Don’t rely on assault shuttles or anything like that – they’re too easily targeted, particularly if traitors from the Army have provided the opposition with missiles and plasma cannon. You need a low-profile exit plan, just in case. Tell as few people as possible about it. After all, you don’t know who might be plotting against you.”

  “I’ll see what can be done. Can you nominate a few absolutely trustworthy NCO’s to form a small, very private security team for us, over and above our regular guards? If worse comes to worst we can have the regulars hold the Satrap’s Palace while the smaller team gets us clear.”

  “I’ll start digging through the records and asking my team for recommendations, without telling them what it’s all about. I reckon I can come up with half a dozen names within a month. I’ll probably send a couple of my people from here to command your team.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant-Major. Oh – one more thing. If things look like they’re about to go bad, there may not be time to co-ordinate our movements with you. I want you to plan on hunkering down here and waiting for us to join you. I’m not going to abandon my daughter! However, have a backup plan to get away from here, with or without us, just in case, and set up a couple of rendezvouses where we can meet you. If you need any more equipment to make that possible, let me know and I’ll arrange to have it sent to you.”

  He nodded firmly. “Thanks, Ma’am. One thing you can get for us right away is a couple of assault shuttles. I know I just said they’re vulnerable to missiles and plasma cannon, but out here we’re not as likely to face those weapons as you are in Sodia. Airvans simply won’t cut it against even lightly armed opposition – a standard rifle will shoot through them from end to end. We need armor to protect those inside, and our own missiles and plasma cannon to carve our way out if it comes to that. I won’t keep the shuttles here, but at the farm attached to the estate. They can be concealed in one of the barns. We’ll fly them in at night, when no-one’s likely to see them arrive.”

  “I’ll see what I can do – or, rather, what my husband can do. Let me have the names of crew members you trust to operate them. I’ll have them assigned to you as well.”

  “Thanks, Ma’am. Another thing. We’re on the coast, and there’s a fishing and leisure craft harbor below the bluff. I’d like to have a couple of fast boats there, big enough to accommodate everyone. They’ll be another string to our bow, just in case. If they can be armed with a concealed plasma cannon and a couple of missiles, so much the better, but they need to look like regular civilian craft, not military patrol vessels. We’ll need trustworthy crews for them as well.”

  “I’ll ask Rostam to fix that up. Now, let’s go and see Elislis. I’m not coming all the way out here without hugging my baby!”

  ~ ~ ~

  ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, SODIA

  “So you think the Satrap will try to retake Termaz?” The Wazir’s voice was thoughtful.

  “It certainly sounds like it,” General Demetrias replied. “He was angry and frustrated when we spoke this afternoon. He says he’ll raise the issue at tomorrow morning’s continuation of the War Council meeting. We can’t do much while our forces are effectively held hostage on Termaz, of course, but we can re-train and re-equip them as they return, and begin preparing for a new invasion next year. He’s asked me to put my staff to work drawing up the necessary plans.”

  “I’m surprised,” SS General Gedrosia said with a frown. “I’d have thought he’d seize the opportunity to declare it more trouble and expense than it was worth to try to retake Termaz.”

  “I was too,” Demetrias agreed. “Who knows? Perhaps the experience of governing is beginning to knock some of the youthful foolishness out of his head.”

  “I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Khanoum warned. “We haven’t seen any sign of it in other areas. This may be a diversionary maneuver, designed to make us think one thing while he does another behind our backs. However, it may also work to our advantage. Don’t forget, the news is going to have an enormous impact when it’s eventually released. If we can channel the anger and frustration of the mob into a national determination to retake Termaz, we can stop it spilling over into their blaming the Army or pointing fingers at the House of Nobles, which was the driving force behind the invasion in the first place.”

  “What about sanctions?” Major-General Pamir asked. “We’re expecting the United Planets to vote on a resolution within three to six months. If they impose them, where will we get the heavy weapons we need to retake Termaz? Don’t forget, the rebels there captured everything intact – that was part of the terms of surrender. They now have over a hundred assault shuttles, as many armored cars, artillery, guided weapons, plasma and laser cannon – far more than they had when
we first invaded. We’ll need to build up much larger stocks before we reinvade, so as to have big enough reserves to grind down all they have and still have sufficient to win.”

  “True, very true,” the Wazir observed. “I’ve… let’s just say I’ve been taking steps to make sure we have hard currency available when we take over. I don’t expect the Satrap to release enough from the national budget to buy all the weapons we need. However, I own three of the five refinery ships that process the output from our asteroid mines. Last year, after we began meeting like this, I took steps to put trustworthy people into positions where they could program some of the digger units to increase the ratio of precious metals mined in relation to industrial minerals. I’ve had them divert a large proportion of that output into what I might call an ‘orbital reserve fund’, for want of a better term. It’s stored in secret compartments aboard a couple of my ships, off the company’s books and unknown to the authorities. By the end of this year it should amount to almost a thousand tons of gold, plus several hundred tons of platinum, five to ten tons of rhodium, and other metals.”

  His listeners blinked as they heard the figures. “But… but that’s…” Major Kadeh’s voice trailed away as he tried to mentally compute the value of the hoard.

  “It’ll be worth between sixty and seventy billion Neue Helvetica francs, which is one of the standard currency for conversion of gold in interplanetary trade. That makes it almost as much as this planet’s annual budget.” The Wazir smiled. “When we take over, particularly if it’s through… less peaceful means, I expect there to be a temporary shortfall in government revenue due to the political upheaval. I therefore felt it best to ensure that we’ll have enough money to make up for that, so we can spend what we need to solidify our grasp on power before any rivals can organize themselves. I think there’ll be enough for us to buy the weapons we need as well. There are arms dealers and brokers all across the settled galaxy who’ll sell their own grandmothers for the right amount in cash or hard assets.”