by Ashley West
On the monitor, both the new and old enemy ships sat silently, mocking them with their presence.
"I have our shields at full strength again, but our long-range cannon needs further repairs."
"Noted, chief." Kai needed to think, and the constant interruptions from his crew were distracting.
Kai had been incredibly happy a few months ago when the Emperor gave him command of a sector flagship, a responsibility that usually went to a much older warrior. His crew felt pleased by association. They were proud to follow a member of the royal family. Who was Kai to remind them that officially he was still a commoner?
It didn't matter to them, anyway. When the Emperor ordered his stepson to the front lines of the war, it showed his confidence in the Anquera war effort. The Emperor wouldn't intentionally send Kai to his death. The move was politically savvy and rewarded Kai for service to the empire.
Kai felt humiliated that he was failing.
The Earth ships appeared to use signal deflection technology to mask their presence. But it only worked if the ships maintained their position. Had they waited for days or weeks until a hapless Anquesh battle group crossed their path? Kai's squad was on a standard border patrol when the Earth ships struck them in a move that surprised all his officers and crew.
One minute empty space stretched in front of them. In the next, a barrage of laser fire blasted into the unsuspecting Anquesh battleships.
Five ships of the line were disabled in that skirmish and were currently dealing with failing systems. The ships that remained battle-worthy were scrambling to complete repairs before they encountered the enemy again.
They had run out of time.
Kai looked at the battlefield map projected on the holoscreen in the center of the command deck. Ten more enemy ships had appeared. But where did they come from?
Did Earth have a new cloaking technology? A faster, better engine? Anything was possible, but Anquera had heard no rumors of surprises from Earth.
His ships positioned themselves in a semi-circle flanking his vessel, the Ruvien, but half of them were too damaged to fight. His hands passed over different places on the map, magnifying the view of the enemy fleet and bringing various locations into focus.
The Earth ships remained in their original position. It was a clear stretch of space. There were no planets, asteroids or nebulas to hide reinforcements. Where did they get ten additional ships?
Humans fought differently than the Anquesh, and Kai found it difficult to put himself in their shoes. Most Anquesh commanders would rush all their ships into battle immediately, but the Earth fleet wasn't moving. They must be damaged.
He continued to study the map as his officers reported on each ship in the sector group. Kai heard defeat in the voices of his officers. The arrival of the new Earth ships didn't only provide reinforcements. Their sudden appearance was meant to demoralize their enemy. And it was working.
But there was no way they could be there.
An enemy round of laser fire jolted the Ruvien. It was a relatively weak blast, but Kai fell against the base of the holoscreen rising from the deck. His hand passed harmlessly through the holoscreen.
"Jod, order our functional ships to follow us. Tell the damaged ships to hold back. They only have one long-range weapon and its charge must be weak. Otherwise, they would have continued attacking all our ships. We're going to take this opportunity to strike at close range. I don't think the extra ten ships exist."
"We have definite signatures on all the engines."
"Then they're very clever holographic projections, or something designed to trick our sensors. They can't be there, so they aren't."
"Yes, sir!" Jod said reluctantly. Kai was sure the man questioned his sanity, but he was confident the soldier would carry out his orders. Kai hoped that the rest of his crew would follow the chain of command, despite his failures of the past few hours.
He listened to the orders and various reports of the Ruvien's repair status. They put the shields at maximum strength by taking power from the life support systems. A third of the decks were evacuated and sealed.
Many crew members were injured, but the medical bay operated under triage protocols and only accepted people with life-threatening injuries. Anyone with medical training was being pulled from their regular duties so they could attend the wounded.
Time slowed down as Kai watched his embattled sector group advance on the Earth ships. It was a slow dance that would end in death. If the Anquesh emerged victoriously, it would be by the will of the gods.
The battle board flashed as they arrived at the engagement point. It was a far point from the enemy ships, but their weapons could hit their targets. Kai didn't want to wait.
"Fire!" His voice rumbled through the communications system of his ship. Blue laser blasts hit the lead ship, causing explosions and making the Earth vessel start to list.
A cheer went up around the bridge, but Kai knew better than to join in. He saw the forward ship recover quickly when the Ruvien moved in for the kill. The enemy ship fired for the first time, attacking the Ruvien. The Anquesh vessel groaned, and a new round of electrical fires ignited on the bridge.
An explosion tossed Kai in the air, and he landed awkwardly on the deck. He smelled the chemical scent of bulkheads melting. Kai lifted himself up from the deck to survey the damage. The bridge crew was already moving to put out the fires, but the smoke made it difficult for everyone to breathe. Wincing, Kai dragged himself to the command chair and dropped heavily into it.
"Commander, we're receiving an incoming communication from the enemy ship."
"Put it on screen," said Kai. It didn't matter what the humans wanted to say. The conversation would allow his crew to recover for a few minutes.
When the image of the human flashed in front of him, Kai was surprised at the sight of the alien. He could never tell the ages of humans. Most were the size of a large child. This one's hair was white and black, with more light than dark in it. Blood trickled from his forehead.
"This is Commodore Jeff Bretland. I respectfully ask for a conference with the commander of your battle group." He spoke in reasonably good Anquesh, which impressed Kai.
"That's me," said Kai, replying in Standard. "Commander Kai Imwaden."
"So it's true. They sent a member of the royal family."
"I am commander of the battle group, and that's all you need to know."
"There's no need to be an ass."
Bretland spat out a word in English. Kai's communications officer spoke the translation in his ear piece. "It's a pejorative in their language, sir."
"I know what it is," muttered Kai.
"I came here specifically to speak with you. All of our other attempts at communication have failed. We hoped that by communicating directly with a member of the royal family, someone will hear our proposal."
"You are speaking many words but not saying anything, Commodore."
"You're right. I'll get to the point. I would say we've fought this battle to a draw. It's what we intended."
"You did?" Kai did not believe Bretland was telling the truth.
"Yes. We know your culture values strong warriors. If we came to you with our offer without being willing to fight, you would classify us as weaklings. We'll never back down from a fight, but we don't have the resources for a perpetual war. Commander Imwaden, we believe Anquera is in a similar situation. If we continue fighting each other, we think it plays right into the hands of one of your allies. They're pretending to be your friend, but secretly they want to see you exhausted and unprepared to fight on a second front when they decide to attack."
"Who is it?" growled Kai. "Say the name of the betrayers." A cold shiver ran through his body when he realized the humans had access to intelligence that should be classified. How did they know his name?
"I will happily share information with Anquera if you accept our peace proposal. Commander, any race that wants to conquer you won't stop there. They'll go after Eart
h as well. It only makes sense for us to cease hostilities and work together to prevent our mutual destruction."
The bridge crew stared at Commodore Bretland. Some began to talk among themselves. Others gripped their workstations tightly until their knuckles got white. Kai pursed his lips.
"I do not know how the Emperor will feel about the notion of peace. I'm not his emissary. But I am willing to speak with him."
The human looked relieved.
"You'll have to come with me. Wait for my communication."
Kai signaled his communications officer to stop the data stream. When the video stopped transmitting, Kai's crew turned to him blankly.
"Get on with your duties! You heard everything. We're going home, and we're taking the Earth spaceships with us."
Kai sank into his chair. The pain in his shoulder started to spread up his neck and sparked a headache. But a small injury was better than a large one, and life was preferable to death. He would take these Earth soldiers home and let someone else deal with their strange proposal.
Chapter 4
"Damn it!" Jenn fumbled the key in her lock. As she shifted her weight and tried to force the doorknob, her grocery bag ripped open, spilling the contents onto the floor. Sighing, she bent over to pick them up. Her hair fell from behind her ears to the front of her face. When she swept it back, she saw two pairs of legs in front of her. She stood quickly, examining the two men who had appeared at the top of the stairs.
The first wore an expensive-looking black wool coat but looked a little rough. His predatory gaze swept over her slowly, like he wanted to eat her. Jenn immediately felt uncomfortable. The second man, who stood behind the first, didn't have the same sense of fashion as his friend. He had a hardness in his eyes that made Jenn shiver.
"Can I help you?" she asked, working hard to keep her voice as steady as possible.
"I'm looking for Anton Meliknec. Someone said he spends time here."
Spends time here? Jenn thought that was a strange way to talk about the place where Anton lived with his wife.
"I suppose he does, but he's not right now."
"Anton's never around when you need him. Do me a favor. Tell him Jimmy is looking for his money, and he don't have much time to come up with it."
A million questions flew through her mind, but she knew better than to voice her concerns. Who was Jimmy? And why did Anton owe him money? It was true that things were going badly in Anton's construction business. The state hadn't paid a dime yet for his road construction project. Even if these people were suppliers looking for their money, that didn't give them the right to come here and bother her. Jenn had enough financial problems just paying the apartment bills. She hoped these men would leave her alone.
"Like I said, he's not here. I'd appreciate it if you didn't come back."
The man snorted. "Did you hear that, Guido? She doesn't want us to come back."
Jennifer had never known a nice man named Guido. He grinned in a manner that reminded Jenn of a gargoyle on a church roof.
"We won't have to return if Anton comes up with the money, boss." Guido's tone sounded snarky, and Jenn realized she couldn't stop them from returning if she tried. As the wool coat man descended the stairs, he looked back at Jenn with anger in his eyes.
"Do yourself a favor. Tell Anton he needs to pay up, and fast."
What the fuck? thought Jenn in alarm. What the hell is going on here?
The encounter had shaken her so much that she could barely get her key in the door again. When she finally managed to open her apartment, she gracelessly stumbled into it. Jenn immediately shut her door and turned the deadbolt. After she placed the groceries on the kitchen table, she tried to call Anton, but he didn't answer his phone.
Jenn switched on the television. Hearing other voices made her feel like she wasn't alone, even if they were noises coming out of an electronic box. She poured a glass of wine for herself and pulled out a cutting board to chop vegetables as a newscast played in the background.
The United Earth Alliance battle group headed by Commodore Jeff Bretland is reported missing in action. Information is sparse on this newest development in the war with the Anquesh Empire, and United Earth Alliance Military have no comment on the matter. There are ten battlecruiser-class ships in Commodore Bretland's group.
Commodore Bretland is a highly decorated veteran of the Anquesh War, earning his first field commission at the battle of Harmony Gate. He achieved the rank of Commodore and took charge of Panther Battlegroup in September.
Jenn tuned out the television. Her thoughts drifted back to the unpleasant encounter with the men outside her door. She picked up her phone and texted Anton.
You need to come home.
Dinner was a Caesar salad with a store-cooked chicken. Jenn couldn't bear the thought of cooking tonight after the long day she had put in at work and wanted something easy to prepare.
Helping injured young soldiers every day was starting to affect her emotionally. Some needed to regain lost function in their arms and legs. Others were relearning to use whatever limbs they had remaining. The worst soldiers she encountered were those broken by their experience. Their eyes looked dead. When she peered inside, Jenn imagined she could see their soul lost in a dark territory between the past and the present.
There were too many soldiers still fighting the war even if they weren't facing the enemy. War was cruel. It stole young men's lives and bodies.
She prepared two plates and put them out on the table. If Anton didn't show up soon, she'd eat by herself, then take a shower and go to bed. Since they married in Las Vegas a couple of months ago, Anton's hours had become irregular, and Jenn wasn't sure when he would come and go. With a wine glass in her hand, she paced the apartment. She couldn't stop thinking about her day at work, the upsetting visit from the strange men, and Anton's inaccessibility.
As she passed the bookcase, Jenn stared at the pictures of their wedding. She looked happy in her rented gown. Jenn wondered when her happiness started to fade.
The sudden sound of a key turning in the lock made her jump. Anton strode into the apartment but didn't look at her. He rifled through the mail while he took off his coat.
"Did you have a rough day?" There was no welcoming tone in Jenn's voice.
"What?" he said distractedly.
"No 'Hi honey, I'm home?'" she said heatedly.
He pulled out an envelope. Jenn recognized the oversized shape. It was the account summary of her trust fund. Why didn't she put it away earlier? The money had become a source of contention between the two. Jenn had told Anton about it after they were married. Instead of accepting it as something she didn't want to touch, he kept asking her about it.
"What's this, babe?"
Jenn walked to her husband and yanked the envelope out of his hand. "Nothing important."
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Are you keeping secrets?"
She scoffed. "One of us is."
"What does that mean?"
"Does the name Jimmy ring a bell?"
He blinked. "How do you know about Jimmy?"
"A couple of his friends dropped by. They said you needed to pay up fast."
"Oh," he said. Immediately the smug look on his face turned into one of concern.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. They shouldn't have come here."
"Well, they did. Explain."
"Let me get you some more wine." Anton carefully took the nearly-empty wine glass out of her hands.
"I don't need wine. I need answers," Jenn snapped.
He quickly returned from the kitchen, holding a refilled glass. "You'll get both. Sit down."
Anton reached for the remote and turned off the television. He patted the seat cushion next to him. Reluctantly, she sat on the couch, allowing Anton to put his arm around her. He drew her close and gave her the wine glass. She didn't drink but held the glass between her hands.
"I told you things were bad in the business. It's worse than I said. I didn't want you t
o worry. Do you remember that I told you about my partner? I just discovered he embezzled all our joint funds, and he's fled the country."
"What?" Jenn sounded shocked. "When did this happen?"
"A couple of days ago."
"Did you report him to the police?"
"Yes, of course, but what are they going to do? The problem here is that someone started a rumor. People think I can't make payroll this week. Jimmy is the union shop steward and must have sent those guys to make sure everyone gets paid."
"Oh my god, baby," said Jenn. "How can you be so calm about everything?"
"It's why I haven't been around much the past few days. I'm definitely not calm. I've taken the time to wrap my head around everything and think about all my options. I'm screwed, and that's all there is to it."
"What happens now?"
"I have to find a way to finish the project, or I won't get paid. Unfortunately, the company is carrying so much debt that I can't get any new loans. I've tried. It looks like I'll have to file for bankruptcy."
Jenn gulped. A bankruptcy would affect their joint credit history. She had worked hard to build up her credit score. It was the only way she managed to live her current lifestyle. So many of her friends, like Nayla, didn't have a hope of getting an apartment on their own with their financial history. "That's awful. Isn't there anything else you can do?"
