The Imperialists: The Complete Trilogy

by H. T. Kofruk

  “Yes” replied Paul flatly.

  “So is it the defeat or the snow that has made your troops look like a bunch of retarded pigs?”

  A Catholic soldier next to Paul was about to spit something out but Paul put his hand up for silence. “My men have managed to gain the equivalent of one third of Orthodox territory in the span of five months. I think we may have earned a slight respite.”

  “All thanks to our air power and orbital protection, you might add. We are behind schedule on our ground advance. I want preparations done for the next assault in three days” demanded the bureaucrat.

  “How can we be ‘behind schedule’? I am not aware of any strict planning for the invasion. I thought you’d be at least satisfied we gained this much land since Orthodox ground troops seem to have left their testicles at home” said Paul with his own smirk.

  Colonel Aramian looked taken aback by the insult. “I would watch my words if I were you, Camileri. You are merely disposable cogs in the Orthodox war machine.”

  Paul laughed. “As you are to the Chinese machine.”

  The face of Alexander went purple. Although covered by their visors, Paul was sure the same was happening to the other Orthodox soldiers. He had touched a sensitive nerve regarding the Orthodox’ relationship with the New Han Empire. And he couldn’t give a damn if he did. He was too stressed and still deeply affected by Adam’s death to be diplomatic to the snivelling bastard. The same air was being radiated by the other Grey monks in the vicinity.

  Everybody sensed the tension in the air as the two officers stared at each other. Finally, a smirk broke out of Alexander’s face. He had obviously calculated that a confrontation here would surely mean his death.

  “Three days, Camileri. Get your men ready or you can say goodbye to the pigsty Constantine” he said before swivelling around on the ball of his foot.

  “I haven’t dismissed you, colonel” said Paul in a dangerous voice. The frustration and emptiness he felt suddenly exploded into a quiet but deadly rage.

  Alexander stopped and froze. He heard the knife in the Catholic’s voice. “What?” he exclaimed without turning back.

  “Get me Lordswroth” he said to a monk next to him who scurried into the tent. His living blade was in his hand within seconds.

  When the metallic sound of the sword being unsheathed rang in the area, the Orthodox colonel turned around. One of his men attempted to lift his weapon but was immediately halted by Alexander. He was well aware of what Catholic knights were capable of doing with their melee weapons and was afraid that he had crossed a certain line.

  “In the last battle, I didn’t get the chance to use Lordswroth, colonel” he explained. “Did you know that our swords are made organisms?”

  “No…sir.” Alexander strained to say the last word.

  “Well, like every organism, Lordswroth needs to be fed. Do you know what he likes? His favourite food?”

  “No, sir.” This time it came much more easily.

  “It’s blood, colonel, blood. Particularly the blood of well-fed, lazy, bureaucratic opportunists.” He walked to the colonel and grabbed him by the dark blue scruff of his uniform. The twelve accompanying Orthodox soldiers lifted their weapons at Paul, only to find themselves at the ends of the barrels of many more pulse rifles as the Grey Monks stood in solidarity with their leader.

  “We lost a great knight yesterday, a much better man than you’ll ever be. Every single man we’ve lost is a better soldier on the field than these feeble idiots you brought with you. If you want our cooperation, you give us the proper respect. Is that clear, colonel?” He resisted the urge to slice the liaison officer’s neck just enough to bring a fountain of blood.

  Alexander clearly saw the madness in the knight’s eyes. The blade was strangely warm against his neck and he could feel his artery pulsating against it. Any movement would sever it and he would be dead in minutes. “Yes, sir” he managed to whisper to prevent the skin of his neck sliding against the blade.

  Paul let him go and walked swiftly back into his tent. He grabbed his bunk and threw it towards the entrance with a growling shout. With Lordswroth still in his hand, he started slashing everything he could, the walls of the tent, the bunk, his fibre-plastic case, the inflatable desk, everything. In a few minutes, he was fully visible from outside as the tent was reduced to ribbons. The Orthodox troops had left in a hurry after Paul had entered the tent but the Grey Monks stood and stared at their leader’s aberrant behaviour with worried looks.

  After a few minutes of rage-induced slashing, he finally came to the wooden cross he had carried from Constantine. Lordwroth had become an axe in the flurry of movement and it stopped less than an inch away from the crucifix. He stared at the simple intersecting pieces of wood with wide eyes as if it was the first time he had encountered such a device. Slowly, he put his axe down and leaned on it. He had let his temper get to him, something he had never done.

  The frustration of the situation weighed him down. He and his troops were being used by the Orthodox and the Chinese. With virtually no air-power and no space-faring vessels, their destiny was decided by the whim of the Orthodox leaders. If they stopped fighting and dying, the Catholics could easily be bombed into submission or worse, see their loved ones become hostages on Constantine. And Adam’s death had done nothing to change that.

  He sighed heavily. Despair and resignation radiated from him. “Prepare for battle in three days. You know what to do” he said quietly to the scores of soldiers staring at him.

  Chapter 8: Sentience

  ‘Humanity was at its strongest. No one suspected that it was also at its weakest’ – Han Rhong-zi, Chinese historian, great-grandson of Emperor Han Ching-Diu, , year 3072

  Most historians would later write that the crowning ceremony of Emperor Han Xiao was the most flamboyant in history. It didn’t matter much to Xiao that the ceremony was held during the forty-nine day mourning period of his father’s death, nor that several hundred Chinese soldiers probably died in the fields while he was being crowned in the affluent capital of the New Han Empire.

  These things, plus the fate of his missing brother, did occur to Xiao when he planned the great ceremony but to him, it was all justified by the fact that he would become the greatest Emperor in history. After all, it wouldn’t be fitting if the future greatest monarch of all time had a minimalist ceremony just because of a few details.

  A flood of twenty million people came to witness the events in the Imperial Capital which was really only designed for its ten million inhabitants. The relaxing, regal ambiance of Huanjing suddenly gave way to a plethora of people partying, drinking, gambling, having sex and committing crimes. The city infrastructure creaked at the additional twenty million people and the security forces were stretched to almost breaking point. Additional personnel were called in from Shanghai, Xin Beijing, Hong Kong, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Xijing.

  The ceremony itself was witnessed by about a million people who had gathered in the Earthly Square beneath the Heavenly Tower while the rest of the Empire watched it live through holographs and v-reality experiences. Communication wormholes were opened throughout the colonies to broadcast the event to all subjects. The wearing of Imperial Yellow by the common people was permitted this day for those who had purchased permits, building up the imperial coffers. The sale of Imperial Roses, Dragon Wine and Golden Pearl jasmine tea, all products owned by the Imperial Family, increased by more than ten thousand per cent. The people splurged money, already forgetting the death of the previous emperor and oblivious to the fact that a major war was being fought. That was one of the privileges of being an Imperial Citizen.

  The three hour ceremony commenced with a lengthy speech carried out by the High Priest, during which Xiao was tempted to smack the bald cleric on his shiny head. The presentation of gifts from government officials, generals, admirals, mayors of major cities and appointed governors of major planets followed. A veritable mountain of jewels, exotic animal hid
es, medicines for sexual potency and longevity and sophisticated devices accumulated. The ceremony continued into a very unorthodox segment; a speech by Chow Kilung, the v-reality martial arts superstar of whom Xiao had been a fan since his youth. This was followed by the official crowning by the High Priest, a lengthy ritual during which the million or so subjects all bowed in unison at certain points. It ended in the young monarch’s own bow to Heaven and the Cosmos and a short ritualized speech.

  When he came back to the Heavenly Tower, he threw off the Imperial Cloak and sat heavily on a silk couch. His new head bodyguard, Colonel Bo, stood near the doorway, promoted after killing Colonel Qin. A young, low-ranking concubine entered holding a tray with a teapot and a teacup. She put the teacup on a table and poured some pu-erh tea. The newly crowned emperor looked up at the girl.

  “What is your name?” he asked in a silky voice.

  “Mei, Your Highness” she answered submissively.

  “I haven’t seen you before. Since when do you work in the Heavenly Tower, my dear?”

  The young girl had a mortified look as if her mere existence was a crime. “Two months, Your Highness” she replied with her head down.

  A charming smile broke out of Xiao’s face. “Who is your father?”

  “Governor Li from Xin Beijing, Your Highness.”

  “Ah yes. Excellent man. I highly value his service” said Xiao. He had no idea who he was talking about. The girl looked eager to get away from this highly uncomfortable situation. She had meant to pour the tea and leave unnoticed. “What troubles you, child?” he asked again with a voice full of fatherly concern.

  “The other concubines told me that I was not to talk to you” she confessed.

  Xiao noticed her pale white skin, her large innocent eyes and her perfectly shaped breasts under the red dress. “So they’re jealous of the new girl, eh? Women are always weak and jealous, I find. Don’t worry, my child. I am Emperor and I shall protect you.”

  The concubine briefly bowed her head but said nothing. Her long shiny hair rippled at the motion, sending light bouncing off.

  “Sit” he ordered as he gestured to the place next to him on the sofa. She obeyed without speaking. He leaned over to her and brushed the hair away from her ear. “Don’t be afraid, my child. I am a gentle being”

  “Your Highness, I am just a low ranking concubine. I do not deserve your attention” she said in a shivering voice.

  Xiao licked her ear, sending shudders down the girl’s small frame. “I am gentle, but I am also divine. I take what I want” he whispered. He grasped her breasts, provoking a sharp gasp from the concubine.

  “Please, Your Highness. I was just to pour your tea and leave. Please” she pleaded.

  But the emperor paid no heed and started untying the bows in her red dress. “I am divine” he whispered once more in her ear before guiding her hand to his crotch. He grabbed her face and turned it towards him. “I take what I want” he repeated with wide eyes.

  He almost screamed with frustration when the Web-Com communicator sounded. He knew it would only be activated for subjects of extreme importance so he had no choice but to activate the communication. Before he did so he sent the girl brutally away, slapping her bottom as she left while tying her dress back up.

  “What is it?” he asked irritably to the holograph of an Imperial Army colonel.

  “May you live ten thousand years, Your Highness” the colonel said. “You asked to be notified when the genetic modification was ready, your Highness. It is ready.”

  The irritation in Xiao’s voice disappeared instantly. “When?”

  “Three days ago, Your Highness” answered the middle-aged soldier.

  “Three days?” repeated Xiao. “Why wasn’t I notified earlier?”

  The man in the holograph looked slightly embarrassed. “We took the liberty of giving you some time to prepare you ceremony, Your Highness.”

  “My ceremony? Do you think I give a shit about my ceremony?”

  The colonel was about to say something but then thought better not to. “My apologies” he simply said.

  Xiao turned off the holograph and screamed for his personal shuttle to be prepared. A certain feeling of unfinished business took over, however. “Get me Mei” he shouted to whoever was listening to his commands.

  Two days later, he found himself walking along the tunnels of Kongxing with four Shadows trailing him. Soldiers and research personnel who saw him bowed low as the new emperor swept by. He wondered what happened to his two former bodyguards, Zhu and Mindao. As the emperor, he was now entitled to personal protection by Shadows. His father’s death also meant that the Shadow organisation was completely under his command. He remembered how the two men had saved his life from a carnivorous tsatay attack. But just as easily, he decided he didn’t care about them enough to dwell any longer on the subject.

  He found that he was no longer accustomed to the slightly higher gravity on Kongxing and was tired after a few minutes. The low humming sound of a pulse-glider soon became audible as the installation commander hurriedly went out to welcome the unexpected imperial delegation. General Yang was a tall, thin man in his sixties, fit as crane despite his advanced age. He was a highly decorated soldier who came to command the Imperial Biological Weapons Division as a sort of early retirement after almost four decades in the Imperial Army.

  “Your Highness” he bowed low after getting off the glider. “Your visit was unexpected. Please excuse our lack of preparation.”

  Without saying anything Xiao mounted the glider. The bewildered general scurried on after him. “Take me to the Central Lab” ordered the young monarch.

  “Would you not prefer to take the gravity lift, Your Highness?”

  “No, take me the long way so I can observe the progress made so far.”

  The Biological Weapons Division was situated deep under the surface of Kongxing. It was almost two hundred years old, having started as a small research centre for the rich variety of life forms on the planet. After two centuries, the entire lab facility covered an area ten times the size of Huangjing on three subterranean levels. The Central Lab was located on the newest, lowest level, almost a kilometre from the surface. The vehicle glided quietly along the tunnels that soon spiralled down to the second level.

  In the wide tunnels, Xiao could see from afar six columns of brown aliens marching towards him. When they passed next to the pulse-glider, he signalled for the vehicle to be slowed down by raising his hand. He observed how the appearance of the newest batch to come out of conditioning differed from that of their natural-born kin or even the initial batches. They were larger, had thicker body armour and more heavily armoured faces. Their emotionless faces did not even turn to look at their god.

  “Batch nine, Your Highness. They just finished conditioning and we’re shipping them to Heishixing for their last outdoor training and testing. There are one hundred thousand of them, Your Highness” explained General Yu.

  “Impressive, general. How about their resistance?” inquired Xiao.

  “We can’t seem to pinpoint what is causing this heightened resistance to the Solution, Your Highness. We’ve tried many different options but the variable is still unknown” replied the old soldier as he accelerated the vehicle. Xiao grunted his disapproval.

  The entire second level was dedicated to the incubation, breeding and initial conditioning of their Nikruk army. They passed the familiar egg chambers and then the conditioning facilities. As they passed by, thousands of infant Nikruk were being tested, conditioned and sometimes exterminated for flaws. The tunnel soon started descending again to the third level.

  When the tunnel levelled out, a large iron gate appeared. The Web-Com recognized General Yang and slowly opened the thick black gate, creating a creaking sound. The third level was better lit than second with mostly white walls, giving Xiao the impression that he had just entered sunlight from a cave. The most advanced and secretive of Chinese biological and chemical research took
place on this level. And the most important of those took place in the Central Lab.

  Not even General Yang was cleared for entry into the Central Lab so he had to wait outside in the glider like a junior enlisted soldier. Upon recognition of the emperor, the white door slid open with a swooshing sound. “Welcome Admiral Han Xiao” said a female voice using his military title as he entered.

  The lab was vast, covering a quarter of the third level. Hundreds of scientists and researchers were observing, measuring, comparing and chatting, accompanied by hundreds of thin, strangely feminine assistant droids. When the lab computer announced his arrival, all heads turned to him. The buzz of activity and chatter died down. From among the many socially awkward scientists emerged the only man not wearing white overalls.

  The man in the black Imperial uniform turned out to be Colonel Ma, head scientist of the Central Lab. The middle-aged balding man hurried forward to welcome his emperor. “Your Highness, we didn’t expect you this fast. I didn’t have time to make preparation for a proper present…”

  “I am not here to see holographs, colonel” interrupted Xiao. “I am here to see the Treasure.”

  The colonel nodded awkwardly and led Xiao to the clean room. The pressurized door hissed open to let the research coordinator and Xiao through. White overalls hung on the wall and disinfectant gas shot out of air-jets. Colonel Ma was about to put on an overall after disinfection but saw the emperor walk carelessly to the inner door.

  The clean room had a large transparent cylinder in the middle which housed a cylindrical titanium container. Two other scientists were inside and they both bowed awkwardly to the young emperor.

  “Leave” he said flatly, to which they hurriedly complied.

  Xiao knew what was in the container, how he felt in its presence. In the initial days after its discovery, he had gone their everyday just to bask in the pink light. He had almost felt a connection to it as if it was telling him something.