Exodus: Empires at War: Book 06 - The Day of Battle

by Doug Dandridge

  I almost wish we could fight the entire battle with robots, he thought. But no one was willing to make autonomous ships anymore, something with the firepower to destroy the surface of a world, run by the heartless brain of a computer. As much as he wanted to use more robots, despite the threat, he was not willing to go that far. Such was the terror that was still ingrained into the human psyche after the machine revolt that had killed billions, more than two centuries before.

  So we fight it with fragile humans, who have better things to live for, because they are reliable.

  The Emperor decided he had spent enough time ruminating on what might go wrong. Time to be positive, especially in front of the spacers. He walked through the personal door that led from his office to his living quarters, coming into the dining room. The fish tank was in perfect condition, as usual, with the exotic fish looking active and healthy. Killer sat on the shelf that continued away on from the area that held the aquarium, looking wistfully at the fish he would like to be eating.

  “Get away from that, you monster,” said Sean, swooping in and picking up the kitten and pulling it into a cradling embrace. The cat struggled for just a moment, then settled into a relaxed curled position, purring loudly. “Well, at least someone isn’t concerned about what tomorrow is going to bring.”

  “And who is that?” asked Jennifer from the living room, her voice coming through the Asian style partition that separated the rooms.

  “The one nonsentient in this apartment,” said Sean, carrying the cat into the other room. “The only one too stupid to know what’s going to happen.”

  “He is not stupid,” protested Jennifer, a smile on her face as she saw the cat.

  “How was the translation?”

  “Hell, as usual,” said the woman, and he could tell that the color still hadn’t returned to her face. “I wish the damned Fleet would handle translations like civilian liners.”

  “They reject from service those who can’t handle translations,” he said, sitting on the couch next to her and putting the cat on his lap, stroking the soft fur. He looked into her eyes, seeing the fear that lived there when she had to experience something that made her feel so weak and helpless. But she faced it, because she had to. “I could order the ship to do a single translation at the hyper VII barrier from now on.”

  “That would add too much time to our trip,” she said, shaking her head.

  “Not all that much,” he said, thinking about the problem. “It’s not like I’m out of touch by being out of a system, like pre-wormhole days.”

  “They really have changed everything, haven’t they?”

  “Oh, not completely,” he said, his mind now jumping to that subject. “We’re still moving around in spaceships, for the most part. The Fleet is still operating thousands of ships out of com for weeks at a time. Most planets are still getting their com and news the old fashioned way, by hyperwave net, or courier. But yeah, the changes are here, and they’re going to get bigger and bigger. Our children might never be out of touch with any of the planets under their rule. They might never have to step on another interstellar transport.” He reached over and touched her on the side of her face. “They might never have to suffer from translation nausea.”

  She smiled for a moment, then her face scrunched up and she started to cry.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, putting the cat aside and reaching for her, pulling her close.

  “Are we going to be able to have children,” she said, looking into his eyes with her tear filled ones. “I mean, is there going to be an Empire left for them to live in?”

  “I think so. No, I hope so. But if you want me to tell you I know so, I would be lying. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we do, but I can’t guarantee it.”

  “And if we beat them here, will it be over?”

  “No,” he said, shaking his head. In his mind, he visualized the future. One campaign after another. This campaign, then the one to take back Conundrum. Then to eject them from the Empire, and probably beat off some more attacks. Then on to the next one, and the one after, until they marched into the capital of that far off Empire. “No. It won’t be over. It will last for a hundred years or more. Generations. I’m afraid, Jennifer. I am really afraid.”

  “That we’ll lose? That we’ll be wiped from the Galaxy, and from memory.”

  At least she’s not crying, he thought, looking into her eyes. Nothing takes a woman’s mind off her problems like getting handed someone else’s to deal with. “I am afraid of that, honey. That’s a very real possibility. But even if we win, we’re going to have to change. This war may be the end of our free society.”

  “But, you’ve avoided martial law. We still have freedom of the press, freedom of speech.”

  “All the things we take for granted,” he said, shaking his head. “But those freedoms are causing insurmountable problems with the war effort. We may have to reform our society to be dedicated totally to war. Like ancient Sparta in the history books.”

  He stood up and walked toward the bookshelf, his eyes scanning the titles, not knowing why, when he could call up all the information he wanted from the ship’s databanks, and any it didn’t have through the wormhole link to a planetary net. Maybe it’s part of being human, he thought. Wanting to actually hold a tangible piece of history in the hands. But the book he was looking for was not there. He turned around, looking at Jennifer, who at the moment was the symbol of all he was fighting for. If he could make her understand, it would all be better.

  “I wanted to go down in the history of the Empire on the level of Constance the Great. The savior of the Empire, revered for all time, statues erected to my memory. Oh yes, I have an Ego. It’s not all selflessness and butterflies. I want to do good by my people, and to be remembered as one who did good. Now, I’m afraid I’m going to be compared to Claudius the Mad. Or even worse, Cassius the Terrible.”

  Jennifer ran to him and put her arms around the man she loved. “Now listen here, you obnoxious bastard. I read my history too, and you are not the monster Cassius was. You never could be. And Constance had to take some truly drastic actions to win that civil war. You might have to also, but that will not make you a monster.”

  Sean thought about that. She’ll keep me from becoming a monster. By all that is good in the Universe, she will keep me balanced.

  “I think we have both been through the emotional ringer,” she said, looking into his eyes. “We both need a refreshing of our spirits.”

  “And how do you do that?”

  “Come into the bedroom and I’ll show you,” she said with a mischievous smile on her face.

  Later, the Emperor fell into a dreamless slumber, just what he needed. It was still not long enough. He realized that as the priority com came through on his link.

  “Sorry to interrupt you, your Majesty,” came the voice of Rear Admiral Kelso, his Flag Captain. “But I knew you’d want to hear this news. The final piece has arrived. They just translated out of hyper a minute ago, ready for action.”

  “I’ll be right up,” he said, almost laughing as he realized what a play on words he had just made, though Kelso wouldn’t know it. I’m young enough where I could get it up again, he thought, looking at the sleeping face of his fiancé, a smile on her lips. But duty calls, with a harsh, strident voice.

  He was on the flag bridge in minutes, his ever present Marine guards at his back. Not ever present, he thought with a smile. At least they don’t climb into bed with me.

  “Emperor on the Deck,” yelled the first officer to see him step onto the bridge.

  “At ease,” he said, walking to his chair and sitting, looking out over the large central holo that showed the entire system, and beyond. He saw that Augustine I and her consorts were moving into the system on a least time trajectory to the planet, just where he wanted them.

  “Put the commander of Task Force Four on the com,” he ordered. A holo sprang to life on the deck to his right, revealing the s
miling image of one of the smartest women in the Fleet, Admiral Chuntao Chan, head of Naval Research and Development. Her four stars gave her the rank to command a large task force, though she had never commanded anything larger than a cruiser squadron in the distant past. It was another risk having her out here, though her force would be at extreme range when they launched, and there would not be much of a problem escaping if the battle went badly. And she deserves the bone of seeing her project come to fruition.

  “Your Majesty,” said the woman with a small bow. “I’m so glad to have gotten here before the show.”

  “I am also, Admiral. Without the chorus, it might have been a flop. And how is your command?”

  “Ready and raring to go, your Majesty,” said the Admiral. “All ships are in top condition.”

  “And your squadrons?”

  “Trained and ready. The only thing they lack is combat experience.”

  And that’s a big deal, thought the Emperor, knowing that no unit’s quality could be judged until it had actually been under fire. “Is this going to work, Chuntao?”

  “I think so, your Majesty. I, of course, can’t say for sure. And I can’t say our part of the battle will result in victory by itself. But we will kick some Caca tail. All of my people have a lot of experience flying fighters, and some even have extensive combat experience against other opponents. They will not let you down, short of dying.”

  Sean stifled a laugh for a moment. It was really humorous hearing the diminutive woman, who was now more scientist than line officer, talk about kicking tail. He knew she had been a line officer earlier in her career, rising to the command of a warship, then a squadron, before her obvious talent in science and technology called for her reassignment to R and D, something she had fought tooth and nail.

  “I know you and your people won’t let me down. And I leave it to your discretion to know when to launch your people. They may only get the one pass, so make it good.”

  The Admiral went off the holo, leaving Sean alone with his thoughts for a moment. They had two days to make it to orbit around the planet, and the enemy fleet was scheduled to arrive one day later. So three days till we’re in it, he thought, feeling doubts. We can still evacuate the system, leave it unpopulated, except for the natives. Let them come and go. But we might not ever have another opportunity like this. Think of the opportunity, not the risk. Opportunity.

  “Get me Mgonda on the com,” he told his Com Officer.

  A moment later he was looking into the brown eyes of the dark skinned Duke. Behind him stretched the flag bridge of his ship, one that had stations stretching off into the distance. Each of those stations was manned, something the Emperor had demanded after listening to the preposterous idea when it had been presented to him. That was the backup station for command and control, in case something happened to Augustine that robbed her of that function.

  At first the Emperor had wondered about the wisdom of placing that control center so far from the action. Until his subordinates had educated him about the necessity of keeping at least one backup command center out of the line of fire. Mgonda would not be in that line on the first day of the battle, so his flag was the perfect platform.

  “Is everything ready, Duke Taelis?”

  “It is, your Majesty. All ships up and running. We’ll be ready when they come.”

  “And your main force?”

  “Also ready to go. Everyone knows their place in the plan. Every captain, commodore and admiral.”

  “You know this isn’t going to be a cakewalk, Admiral. We’re going to get reamed here in the system, so the other force can get their shot.”

  “I sort of figured that, your Majesty. It’s what we get paid for, and why we swear our oaths.”

  “We’ll have a virtual conference later on today,” said Sean, wanting to get everyone together once more. Or at least three or four more times, until he was sure everyone was thinking on the same wavelength. “Sean out.”

  “Now get me Vice Admiral Montgomery,” he ordered the Com Officer.

  As usual with wormhole coms, it took only a very short time to get in touch with the vessel in question, not more than a few seconds in most cases. And normally, when the recipient found out it was the Commander and Chief on the other end of the com, they presented themselves as soon as possible.

  “Your Majesty,” said the red haired woman. “By the Goddess, it is so good to see you again.”

  Sean nodded, remembering that the Admiral was a staunch Neopagan. He didn’t believe that her pantheon of gods existed, but in the Empire freedom of religion was a given, as long as it didn’t harm anyone. And Neopagans had a reputation as good citizens, good parents. He had a special affection for this woman, who had saved him several times, destroying a Caca task force while picking him up, then saving him during his ill-advised mission to Sestius. He also felt he owed her a debt after getting most of her command destroyed.

  “How is the shadowing going, Admiral?”

  “We have them held close and tight, your Majesty. We have ships strung out along the path in normal space, where they can’t detect them, making sure they walk the straight and narrow. And forces on both sides following them along.”

  “Who’s in charge of those forces?”

  “Commodore Lei,” said the Admiral with a smile. “Another of your close associates. You elevated her to Duchess, did you not.”

  “I did. You knew that, Duchess.”

  “Are you running out of patents of nobility, what with making all of these Dukes and Duchesses at the drop of a hat.”

  “I am, uh, reining in my zeal just a bit. Only one duke or duchess a month. Though I still have the option of making more counts.”

  Mara laughed at that, and Sean found himself laughing along with her. It’s no wonder I like this maverick scout commander. She’s outrageous in all respects.

  “And Mei is keeping her distance?”

  “That was the order. And, as far as I can tell through the wormhole, she is following that order. And the enemy is keeping the schedule we set. We’re jumping our other ships into hyper after they are well past, so we can have the plug in place.”

  Not much of a plug, thought Sean. Twelve squadrons of battle cruisers, the same number of lights, and fourteen of destroyers. Three hundred and twelve ships, only forty eight of them light capitals. Even with some of those ships equipped with wormhole launchers, if the enemy force turned on them they were gone. Except….

  “And the decoys?”

  “In place, your Majesty. Though the enemy has yet to strike at them. I’m really curious to see how they work.”

  “If they don’t go for them, they don’t. Don’t make them act stupid just to get a reaction.”

  “I won’t, your Majesty. And may the Goddess grant you good fortune, and good hunting.”

  That night the Emperor had another dream. In this one he was much older, with lines of worry etched in his face. He was striding the flag deck of a ship that made the new dreadnoughts look small. Ahead were balls of spreading debris and plasma, the remains of the enemy fleet, mingled among what was left of many of his own ships. A world he had never before seen was ahead, a heavily industrialized planet with an orbital ring around its equator. It was the capital of the Ca’cadasan Empire, and the war was about to be concluded.

  His ship fired a spread of missiles at the world that was only light minutes away. Only a couple of them, lancing through the Caca defensive fire as if it didn’t exist. The missiles struck, not really going that fast. With bright flashes they detonated, and rings of fire sped around the planet, destroying everything in their path. In five minutes it was over, and the surface of the world that had ruled a ten thousand year Empire was lifeless.

  People on the bridge were cheering, and Sean turned to look for the one he wanted to celebrate with. The smile left his face as he realized that she no longer was, and suddenly the victory felt hollow. He woke again in a sweat, with Jennifer, the woman he loved, who no lo
nger existed in his future, holding him and asking him what the dream was about. And this time he didn’t answer.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  ELYSIUM CAPITAL SPACE. NOVEMBER 17TH, 1001.

  “What in the hell is the hold up?” yelled the General, staring at the Knockerman who was the acting captain of the Brakakak light cruiser. “Has something gone wrong? Do they know we are here?”

  “Believe me, alien,” said the heavy reptilian in his deep ponderous voice. “If they knew that you were here, this ship would have already been reduced to plasma. We are merely waiting for a slip to open on the station.”

  “And why are they so full?” growled the General. “Is this normal?”

  “These are not normal times,” said the Captain. “The revolt by my people was just put down, and there were many of the Birds’ ships destroyed, and many more damaged.”

  And now a major portion of that fleet is heading into the human Empire, to fight my people, thought the General, pacing the deck with his head ducked to avoid the ceiling that was just a little bit too low for his horns. We need to get onto that damned station and destroy it, and here we sit, helpless.

  The system was crowded with ships, mostly civilian traffic, but there was a considerable military presence as well. And other docks, which worried the General. It would be a disaster if they were ordered to one of those other docks, where his troops would be discovered when the engineers came aboard.

  “Maybe we should just storm the station in shuttles,” said the General in a low tone, voicing his thoughts. “And use our battle armor to bridge the gap.”

  “They will see you coming, alien, and the resistance will grow tenfold. No, the best plan is to wait until we are in a slip, where your people can infiltrate the station, before launching your assault.”

  He is correct, of course, which does not make it any easier to wait. The males are getting impatient, and they must be released, and soon. Every day we waste there are more chances of being discovered. We are the only chance of getting that station, and we must be successful. Or these vermin might just win this fight.