Imperium: Coda: Book Three in the Imperium Trilogy

by Paul M Calvert

  The apparent simplicity of the plot and the speed at which it was put into effect had profoundly shocked Alexander, and he realised why the Bridge crew of the Battleship had been so taken aback at seeing him alive, for they had believed him dead. On sharing this with Admiral Frith, she too had been stunned by the unexpected news. In the hours that followed, the subsequent questioning of the captured rebels had been shared around the fleet, the news of Frederick’s duplicity in using the Navy’s own loyalty against it having hardened hearts and strengthened everyone’s resolve to bring him down.

  Back in the present, Alexander took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, then walked to the door and exited the room, his two Marine Bodyguards leaving their station by the door and following silently behind him as he headed towards the Bridge and Admiral Frith.

  Earlier, the naval engagement between his new fleet of ships and the defending rebel forces had been an unexpectedly long drawn out affair, and not the quick, decisive battle he and Admiral Frith had hoped for or expected. Although his fleet’s superior manoeuvrability, improved weaponry and armour had initially given it an advantage, the rebel commanders had adapted their tactics quickly, bringing their ships together and fighting en masse, rather than the more usual ship on ship engagements. Fighting had been bitter, the two sides firing and launching everything they had at each other at almost point-blank range in a battle of attrition, no different to those fought millennia ago on the high seas between wooden sailing ship.

  Despite their enormous size and significantly increased fighter capacity, his new carriers had proved a disappointment in this engagement, the close-in nature of the fighting making it simply too dangerous for the fighters to risk flying through the hail of fire passing between the two battling sides. As a result, they had been left with a subordinate role of finishing off any stragglers or badly damaged ships that had fallen out of position. This unexpected turn of events had caused both Alexander and Frith to wonder if they had created nothing more than extremely expensive white elephants.

  Eventually, as the fighting progressed, the superior numbers and armour of the loyalist fleet had begun to tell, as one by one, rebel ships were critically damaged, their shields overloading and failing, allowing the beams, missile swarms, and railgun slugs to finally reach their intended targets. It was only as the fighting had reached its climax, and it became obvious the battle had been lost, that parts of the enemy fleet had sought to flee. They had broken into small groups that accelerated away, chased by the faster and better armed Imperial counterparts, leaving behind a tough core of battleships and heavy cruisers defending what was obviously the rebel commander’s flagship. It was at this point that Alexander, overruling a clearly concerned Admiral Frith and a frustrated Vimes, made the seemingly reckless decision to board the rebel flagship and end all resistance.

  As Alexander had fought his way to the Bridge, in space almost all of those that sought to run were caught by the Imperial ships, their superior acceleration allowing them to easily catch the fleeing enemy, like wolves chasing down their prey. A few ships had sought the temporary security of the planetary defences but were all caught and destroyed long before they could close the distance. Several of these critically damaged ships were allowed to continue towards the planet, gently nudged with planes of force to ensure they would crash into the atmosphere above the rebel-held bases and cities, adding to the destruction and providing a warning of what was to follow later when the fleet arrived to take back the planet.

  What remained of the enemy fleet had been divided into two; on one side, former Imperial ships which had followed the rebellion, on the other, ships from alien or other human empires that had decided to throw their lot in with Duke Frederick and take up arms against the Imperium. As he walked to see Admiral Frith, Alexander knew he would soon have to make several hard choices, perhaps even ones that history might come to view as the deciding moments of his reign. Usually, such things as his legacy would have been of concern to him, but as the blackness of his mood and anger gnawed at his mind, he cared little for what others might think of his actions.

  With everyone on his flagship either at battle stations or safe in hardened shelters, the corridors were currently almost empty, and the sounds made by the heavily armoured footfalls of Alexander and his bodyguards echoed briefly off the walls as they walked the short distance to the Bridge. It took them only a few moments to reach the entrance, at which point they paused and had their credentials checked by both the Marine guards stationed there and the ship’s AI.

  Checks completed, the guards saluted and Alexander entered, nodding to them in recognition. Everyone not directly involved in the fighting stood to attention as the AI announced his presence. He waved at them to sit down as his two bodyguards took station by the entrance, allowing him to approach a command chair currently forming out of the floor, next to Admiral Frith. She stood up to greet him.

  As Alexander approached, a troubled Frith looked closely at his face, looking for clues on her friend’s face as to his current mood. She knew him well, perhaps better than anyone outside of his immediate family or Duke Gallagher, and could clearly see the pain and anger he was trying to hide. She too deeply felt Christine loss, Vimes having informed her when Alexander almost collapsed on the Bridge just as the battle started. No-one else knew, not even Adam, as neither she or Vimes wanted there to be any distraction from the fight, needing everyone to be focused on the job at hand, particularly since this would be the Crown Prince’s first taste of battle in command of his own ship.

  Frith nodded a greeting, keeping everything formal between them, not wishing to show any concern.

  “Sire?” she asked, dipping her head a little in greeting.

  Alexander looked at her, and for a brief instant Frith thought she could see a glimpse of the man instead of the Emperor trying to reach out to her, but this vanished, leaving her to wonder if it had been only wishful thinking on her part.

  “The bombardment of the planetary bases, what’s your assessment?” he asked, cutting to the heart of the matter, wanting to hear it from her personally instead of relying just on the data coming in from the ship’s AI.

  Frith sent a command to the AI and pointed to the holographic tank in the middle of the Bridge as it instantly changed to show a real-time projection of the planet. Numerous domes of force, each covering several square miles of the surface, ringed a much larger dome that protected the capital city in which Duke McEvitt and most his rebel hierarchy were holed up. Frith pointed at the display.

  “As you can see, Sire, the Palace and city are protected by powerful force domes, none of which are showing any signs of collapse.” She paused for a moment, letting the display change again to show a cross section of the city appear in the tank. “In fact, it is our belief that the planet’s core is being used as a store for the surplus energy being absorbed by the shields. Normally, once they have reached a point where they can’t absorb any more, the dome and shields would begin collapsing, but in this case, the energies are instead being shunted down into the planetary core.”

  Alexander nodded slowly. “Go on,” he said, not turning to look at her, focusing on the graphic and expecting to hear the worst.

  “At current expenditure levels, our supplies of conversion material will run out long before we can hope to see any adverse impact on the main shield dome. The planetary core is simply too massive for us to have any meaningful effect on it within reasonable timescales.”

  Alexander took a deep breath, then let it out slowly as he turned to face his Admiral, resigned now to what he must do if he was to take back the planet and crush the rebellion in this Sector.

  “Ready the weapon and move the ships into position in case we have to use it,” he ordered. “I’ll offer terms to Duke McEvitt and hope he takes this chance. In the meantime, order a temporary ceasefire.”

  Without hesitation, Frith nodded and began giving instructions for his instructions to be carried out and the weapon to b
e readied. Below, on the planet’s surface, the bombardment ceased, yet the firestorms and destruction caused by the energies released would take many hours to abate. Remaining next to Frith, Alexander instructed the ship’s AI to open a channel with Duke McEvitt.

  It took several minutes before an image of the Duke appeared in front of Alexander, and he instructed it to appear in the tank and across all the ships in the attacking fleet so that everyone could hear what was about to be discussed. The two men looked at each other, neither giving anything away, each trying to dominate the other by making them speak first. Finally, Duke McEvitt blinked.

  “I don’t have the time for these games, Alexander, what is it you wish to discuss? You know these shields can hold out indefinitely, and it’s only a matter of time before your supplies run out and you must leave. The longer you stay in this system; the more Sectors will slip from your grasp elsewhere.”

  For a moment, Alexander didn’t speak and just stared at the Duke’s face, for all the world looking as if he was a biologist examining an animal spread out on a table, ready for dissection.

  “I know all about the shield dome and the planetary core, McEvitt, but you’re not the only one who has some surprises. For the sake of your planet and its people, I’m offering you a way out. Surrender and I personally guarantee the safety of you and your family, together with safe passage off-planet. Providing you leave the Empire and forfeit your title, you are all free to go with whatever you can cram onto your ship. However, military commanders will stay and face trial by their peers. I know now what you and the other Rebel leaders have done and how you lied to the populace.”

  Alexander interrupted the Duke before he could come back with a response. “Think carefully, McEvitt. Know well, that before you give me your answer, this offer will not be repeated. As you will have seen, you are not alone in having new technology, and I will take this planet back, even if I must destroy it, and everyone on it, to do so.”

  Alexander’s eyes held those of his erstwhile Duke, and beside him, Frith could sense that Alexander was nearly at breaking point, his body almost radiating the tension held tightly within him that was threatening to break loose at any moment. She noted that Prince Adam was trying to contact her from his ship, his attempts at speaking with his father being blocked by Vimes while he was engaged with Duke McEvitt. She allowed him through.

  “Admiral Frith,” Adam’s voice sounded in her mind, “respectfully, why has my father offered that bastard a way out and what’s going on with those ships taking position around the planet?”

  Having known Adam since he was a small child, Frith overlooked his tone and familiarity this time, but a part of her made a note to have a private word with him about it once the battle was over.

  “Commodore Doone, both your father and I are busy,” she responded, the tone of her response making Adam realise he had almost overstepped the mark, “and there are proper channels for requesting information. Given the circumstances, however, rest assured I will ensure the Emperor speaks to you once he is free.” Her mental tone softened for a moment as she wondered how the young man would react to the news of his mother’s death. “Be patient, Adam, there are things going on which you will shortly be made aware of. Frith out.”

  She cut the link and instructed the ship’s AI to handle any further messages from the young Prince, focusing her attention back to the unfolding power play between the Emperor and Duke just as McEvitt responded.

  “Bah, you know as well as I do, Alexander, that your threats are meaningless. Your energy conversion reserves will run out long before you can breach these planetary shields. Stay here and waste your time or go, the choice is yours, for I care little either way. The only way you can take this planet is to destroy it, and that’s something a man like you would never do. The thought of all these innocent lives on your conscience is something you could never countenance.”

  With that, Duke McEvitt cut communications, and for an instant, the display showed only static until replaced with the previous scene of the planet. Alexander continued staring at the tank

  as if the Duke was still there.

  He muttered softly, and only Frith heard his words, “You selfish, selfish, son of a bitch. On your head be it.” He turned to look at Frith. “Get it ready, but wait for my command.”

  On the Bridge of his new ship, INS Britannia, a frustrated Adam didn’t know who to be annoyed with most; his father for putting himself in mortal danger by boarding the enemy flagship and refusing to take any calls for the past few hours, Admiral Frith for cutting him off just now, or himself for abusing his position and not following proper channels in talking to the Admiral. In his annoyance, Adam had forgotten to keep his conversation with the Admiral private and, as a matter of course, the ships AI had relayed it to his First Officer in real time, who now looked at him reprovingly, a slight shake of the head a sign he had made yet another mistake.

  Realising he had been somewhat foolish, Adam smiled ruefully. “OK, I didn’t exactly follow protocol, Joge, but you have to admit I have every reason to feel put out. Don’t I?” he asked, seeing another shake of the head.

  “Crown Prince you might be, but from the moment you put on that uniform and the mantle of command you became just one of the thousand or so Captains in this fleet. I expect the Admiral will have a few words to say to you later in private. In fact, I’m sure of it.”

  Adam groaned inwardly at the thought but appreciated his First Officer’s experience and insight. “Any idea what those twenty-four ships moving into position around the planet are going to do?” he asked, looking to change the subject.

  “No, I was wondering the same thing. There’s nothing in Britannia’s database on them either. They seem to be carrying over-sized shield generators that are far larger than normal. Maybe that’s a clue as to their function.” Jogi pointed towards the screen. “Look here, I’ve extrapolated their trajectories, and they will each take up a geostationary orbit outside of the range of planetary defences. It will take them another fifteen minutes before they are all in place, so I suppose we need to be patient and find out then.”

  Adam nodded and turned his attention to what was happening to the remaining ships belonging to the rival empires which had foolishly decided to aid Duke Frederick. The majority had been destroyed in the battle, but these had managed to surrender before being overwhelmed. Duke McEvitt had apparently given instructions they were dispensable, for the enemy had used them as cannon fodder, cynically placing them in the most dangerous of positions, only to abandon them when the tide of battle turned. As with the Imperial rebels, many had tried to flee, only to be ruthlessly hunted down by the faster Imperial ships, but these had surrendered and allowed themselves to be boarded, thereby escaping destruction. Not wishing to risk the lives of Marines unnecessarily, avatars had been stationed on board the surrendered ships to take control. In addition to the avatars, the ships AI’s and control systems had been saturated with rugged Imperial Infiltrator Programmes, effectively turning them into zombie vessels completely under the control of the surrounding Imperial forces. At the first sign of any further resistance or trouble, the instructions given by Alexander to Frith had been crystal clear; the AI’s were to self-destruct, destroying themselves and the ships. In such an event, with only avatars on board, Imperial losses would be minimal. Similar, but not so drastic, safeguards had also been put into effect on the vessels belonging to the Imperial rebels.

  Disturbingly, from the reports he was able to obtain from Vimes, it was becoming increasingly clear to Adam that the majority of rebel Marines and crew had been unaware they had been part of any rebellion against the Emperor and had truly believed they were fighting for the Empire and not against it. It had been the higher-ranking officers who had rebelled, feeding false information to the crew via their implants to mislead them.

  This news, more than anything, gave Adam serious pause for thought. To think the Crown’s strict control it maintained over information was n
ow being been used against itself, was disturbing and reminded him of a conversation he’d had previously with Karen, where she had questioned him on where she could obtain impartial information on what was going on in the Empire. At the time, she’d raised concerns with him, but he had brushed them aside, although now he could appreciate her perspective. The Crown’s total control over information had been skillfully subverted by the rebels for their own ends.

  Seeing his father had finished conversing with Duke McEvitt, he asked Vimes to put him through on a private channel, pushing these disturbing thoughts away for later.

  “What do you mean, you can’t put me through?” he thought when Vimes confirmed his father wasn’t taking any calls, “What can be so damn important that he can’t talk to me?”

  “I’m sorry, Adam, but please know that your father has a good reason, and he will fully explain everything to you when he can. When he does, you will understand.”

  Vimes was torn. In such proximity, separated by only a few hundred miles, the two Vimes were effectively now one entity, updating each other in real-time. Despite not agreeing with Alexander’s decision to keep news of Christine’s death from his son, he was bound by it and would not go against his wishes. However, there had been sufficient latitude in the command for him to work within. He made a decision.

  “Adam, have you read Chapter 12 of the Essays of Francis Bacon? Might be time to do so, as there is an interesting ellipsis towards the end that is worthy of consideration, given your current predicament.”