by D. J. Holmes
“Yes, of course,” Angela said as James turned to leave. “Admiral,” she called out after him.
“Yes?” James asked as he turned back.
“Thank you,” Angela replied. “For the second chance,” she explained when James frowned. “And for not trying to use my sister to convince me.
James nodded. “I figured she’s already in the back of your mind. You don’t need me reminding you of what happened to her. Just don’t let us down.”
“I won’t,” Angela promised in a very serious tone, surprising even James.
As James turned and walked away, he couldn’t help but smile. He had read Angela’s sister’s file. She had been a promising Lieutenant, someone who had been earmarked for command. If Angela was anything like her, which James strongly suspected was the case, then she would be a valuable asset to the fleet. Of course, they had to survive New Delhi first.
Chapter 19
If possible every Imperial couple has sent one of their offspring into the Imperial Navy and another into the Imperial Marines. Even if they don’t rise through the ranks to hold senior commands, their experiences and training equips them well to serve the Empire in other capacities.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.
IS Ferret, New Delhi system, 12th November 2482 AD (three days later).
“Well?” James asked Captain Stalker as they sat in Ferret’s bridge.
“It could be her,” Stalker responded. “Certainly, she is on roughly the right heading. Though it is only roughly.”
James turned to Angela and raised his eyebrows.
“The freighters coming back and forth from their outer asteroid mining operations often have slight variations in their courses, it could be our freighter, she may have begun her journey in system from an unexpected refinery,” Angela answered.
“So you think we should go?” James followed up. Angela nodded. “All right then,” James said as he jumped to his feet. “The mission is a go. I’ll see you in a few days Captain. Make sure you take yourself back to a safe distance once the shuttle returns.”
“Yes Admiral,” Stalker said in a less than enthusiastic tone. No one liked the idea of James going on this mission. Fisher, his Flag Captain, had argued with him until she was red in the face. Even Stalker was upset at having to pull back. Ferret would have to be at least an hour away from New Delhi to remain undetected. Far too far away to come to his aid if something happened.
“Very good,” James said. “Good luck to you all,” he added loud enough for the rest of the bridge officers to hear. He turned to Johnston. “Shall we?” he asked as he gestured for Johnston to proceed him.
“Against my better judgement,” Johnston growled. James held his tongue. When Johnston had insisted on joining the mission, James had wanted to argue. Yet how could he demand that Johnston remain behind because he was too important, when he himself was going? All too aware of the hypocrisy of such an argument, he had silently let Johnston insert himself into the mission.
When he, Angela and Johnston got to the shuttle, the rest of the team were already there. Johnston had selected six of his best special forces marines to accompany them. All were dressed in the casual wear of New Delhi. Though underneath James knew they were wearing combat suits. Not as effective as their combat armor, they at least provided some protection from melee weapons. “We are all aboard I see,” James commented as he dropped into one of the shuttle’s seats and strapped himself in. He activated his COM unit. “We are ready to go when you are Lieutenant,” he said to the shuttle’s pilot.
As the shuttle took off, James looked around. Everyone’s face looked the same. Expressionless. It was the marine way. All of the marines Johnston had picked had seen combat several times before. They all knew what might be ahead of them. Angela, on the other hand, looked apprehensive. Indeed she might, James thought. The success of what they were about to do depended almost entirely on her.
Two days ago Ferret had slipped in close enough to New Delhi for the destroyer to send the same covert message Angela had used to get in touch with her contact last time she had approached the colony. After waiting more than four hours, James had been ready to give up. The Imperial Loyalists were no doubt very suspicious of Culthrapori’s militia trying to trap them. Especially after Angela’s first attempt at an exchange had failed so spectacularly. Yet after six hours, a reply had come through. It had simply been a time and place. The shuttle James and his team were in was on its way there. According to Ferret’s passive sensors there was only one ship that had a chance of making the rendezvous in time. With luck, the mineral freighter they had detected would pick them up and take them to New Delhi. Of course, that would only happen if Angela could convince them to let the shuttle dock with them. Having second thoughts, James glanced around at the shuttle’s empty cargo deck. Johnston had suggested they bring a shipment of plasma rifles so that Angela could use them to show her good intentions. However, James had refused. If things went belly up, he didn’t want to be responsible for giving weapons to an unknown group. If the Imperial Loyalists turned to using terror tactics, he would not be the one who armed them.
“We are at the coordinates Admiral,” Flight Lieutenant Carmichael reported thirty-five minutes later. “Passive sensors aren’t picking up anything yet. According to the last track Ferret had on the freighter, it should be no more than ten minutes out.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” James replied. He turned to Angela. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be I guess,” Angela responded.
“Well get yourself to the cockpit then, it’s time to look like you’re in charge,” James ordered. Unstrapping himself, he followed Angela to the shuttle’s cockpit and sat in a seat behind Carmichael. The co-pilot unbuckled himself and moved out of Angela’s way allowing her to take his place. “Remember,” James said to the two pilots, “Don’t say anything unless Angela invites you to. You are her crew.”
“We understand Admiral,” Carmichael said for the both of them.
With everyone in their new seats, silence filled the cockpit. Then, well before the ten minutes were up, a crackling noise came over the COM channel. It quickly coalesced into a male’s voice. “Unknown shuttle, identify yourself,” it said.
“Acknowledged,” Angela replied and tapped a button to send the second confirmation code she had used in her first meeting with the Imperial Loyalists.
“Those are old codes,” the voice said moments later. “Ones that almost got one of my compatriots killed.”
“They’re all I’ve got,” Angela responded. “And they almost got me killed. But they didn’t. I’m here now. So are we going to trade or not? Time is money.”
The man laughed. “Money is everything to your kind. What have you got for us?”
“Half of what I lost the last time I was here. I expect half the payment though. It’s going to take me a long time to build up enough profits to get a ship like the one I lost,” Angela answered.
“The risks that come with your kind of business I suppose,” the man said without a hint of sympathy. After a couple of seconds of silence he spoke again. “All right, bring your shuttle into our docking bay. You can unload your cargo and be on your way.”
“Admiral,” Carmichael said when the COM link ended. “The freighter has hardly slowed. If we dock with her, it will take us further away from Ferret.”
James nodded. He understood. The shuttle they were in had been disguised to look like a long-range inner system transport shuttle. Like the ones used to ferry passengers between Earth and the Sol system’s outer asteroid belts. That was not the case, however. With Ferret slowly moving towards the outer system and the freighter heading in, Carmichael could end up not having enough fuel to get back. “How long do we have?” he asked.
“At the velocity they’re travelling at, another twenty minutes or so,” Carmichael answered.
“Then you better land this thing quickly,” James suggested.
�
��Aye Admiral,” Carmichael responded. She put action to words as she turned the shuttle’s nose towards the oncoming freighter. Rather than accelerate to match its velocity, she waited. James found himself holding his breath as the freighter got bigger and bigger in the viewscreen. When it looked like the freighter was almost on top of them, Carmichael lit off the shuttle’s engines. James had barely counted to three before she pulled up on her flight stick and squeezed the shuttle in through the freighter’s docking bay hatch. Everyone was flung forward in their seats as the freighter’s internal tractor beam and an inertial compensator relativized the two ships’ momentum.
“All right, you’re with me,” James said as he stood and placed a hand on Angela’s shoulder. “If they see Johnston or any of the other marines they’re likely to shoot first and ask questions later.”
“That I can understand,” Angela said as they walked towards the rear of the shuttle past the marines. Every one of them looked like a spring under intense pressure, they were ready to explode into action at a moment’s notice.
Before the shuttle’s rear access ramp fully descended, the same voice that had spoken to them over the COM unit came roaring up the shuttle. “What in the blazes are you playing at?” the man demanded. “We could have had cargo in here. You could have wrecked it or crushed some of our workers.”
As James stepped onto the shuttle’s ramp, he saw the source of the voice. It was a large burley looking man with a thick ginger beard. Standing around and behind him were at least ten other men and woman. Each one had a weapon pointed at James and Angela. When Angela raised her hands to show she was unarmed, James followed suit.
“Fuel is expensive in these parts,” Angela said nonchalantly. “Given how bare my bank account is at the moment, I can’t afford to go burning it willy-nilly.
The man took his eyes off James and Angela for a few seconds and very visibly glanced up and down the shuttle. “This is no inner system transport. What kind of shuttle is this? What trick are you pulling?”
Angela smiled. “Okay, it’s confession time. I have no small arms to trade with you.” Before she could say anymore, the weapons pointed at her all tensed as the men and women tightened their grips. “I wouldn’t be so hasty,” Angela said in a tone that sounded like she was not in the least concerned, though James had spent enough time with her to pick up how she was really feeling. “This is an Imperial shuttle. On board are seven Imperial special forces marines. If you open fire now, none of you will survive. And you’ll kill the most valuable piece of cargo I’ve ever shipped.” Taking half a step to her left, Angela gestured with one of her raised hands towards James. “I don’t have any small arms, but I have brought you something else. Don’t you recognize your Emperor?
“Emperor?” the man asked as he took a step forward and squinted at James. “He could be anyone.”
Despite the tension, James couldn’t help but laugh.
“What is so funny?” the man demanded.
“You have no idea how long it’s been since someone didn’t recognize me. If you weren’t all pointing guns at me it would be nice to actually go unnoticed for a change,” James explained. He slowly moved his hands to the front edges of the overcoat he was wearing. “If you would allow me?” The man nodded. James reached under his overcoat and pulled out a small portable holo- projector. He searched through it until he found the image he wanted then he slowly set the projector on the ground in front of him and activated it. Springing into life, it replayed one of the speeches he had given on Earth that had been transmitted throughout the Human colonies. James played it for nearly twenty seconds before reaching down again and switching it off. When he looked back up at the leader of the group, the man’s eyes were as wide as saucepans.
For several seconds he continued to stare at James until the spell broke. Quickly he turned to those around him and pushed the muzzles of their weapons to the ground. “Put those away, put those away,” he ordered. He turned back to James. For another second he hesitated, then he fell to one knee. “My Emperor, I apologize for not recognizing you at once.”
To say James was taken aback by the large man’s sudden reverence was an understatement. He was even more surprised when the rest of the men and women around him also fell to one knee. James took several steps forward and lifted the man to his feet. “There’s no need for any of that,” he said. “As Emperor, I’m meant to be your servant, not the other way around. Besides, I’m not an Emperor yet. I am only engaged to Christine. New Delhi is not even in the Empire.”
“And yet you are our Emperor,” the man said. He quickly held out his hand, “I am quartermaster Khatri. If you wait just a moment, I’d better contact the Captain and let him know just what is going on.”
“If you don’t mind,” James said before Khatri turned away, “Our shuttle is low on fuel. It has a long journey back to its mothership. Can we unload my people and send it on its way?”
Khatri’s face changed again as another wave of shock passed over him. “You’re planning on staying on board?”
James nodded. “If you and your Captain are happy to have me. I need to get to the surface. I need to speak to the leadership of the Imperial Loyalists and see just what is happening on New Delhi for myself.”
Khatri licked his lips. He then began to speak a lot slower than he had before. “I will definitely have to speak to the Captain. Smuggling arms onto the surface is dangerous enough. But people? Especially you. I’m not sure if that is doable.”
“Well, speak to your Captain quickly,” James responded. “For it is of vital importance. I wouldn’t be here if it were otherwise.”
“Yes of course Emperor,” Khatri replied. “You can take your people off the shuttle at least and I’ll let you know as soon as the Captain has made a decision.”
“Thank you,” James said before turning and taking a step back up the shuttle’s ramp. “Well, it looks like it’s so far so good. You can show yourselves now,” he called to Johnston and his marines. Unsurprisingly, as the marines appeared and made their way down the shuttle’s ramp, the crew of the mineral freighter all stared at them with suspicion. Despite their plain clothes, there was no mistaking the marines for civilians. For a couple of uncomfortable minutes each group stood looking at one another. Then one of the crew pulled out a COM unit. Khatri’s voice was easily recognizable, though James couldn’t hear everything he was saying.
“Khatri’s says the Captain is not very comfortable with having you as guests. But if you want to go to the surface then we’ll do our best to get you there,” the crewmen with the COM unit said.
James nodded and pulled out his COM unit. “Okay Lieutenant, you can take off. Have a safe flight back to Ferret.”
“Aye Admiral,” Carmichael replied. “And safe travels to you too. Try not to bump into the customs officers.”
James smiled at the Lieutenant’s words. He made a mental note to ask for her next time he needed a shuttle. Most of the officers in his squadron were still tight lipped around him, it was nice to be able to enjoy a little bit of informality. “Right,” he said as he fixed his attention back on the freighter’s crew. “I guess you better show us to the bridge. I’m sure your Captain will want to figure out just what he’s going to do with us.”
*
An hour later James was tightly packed into a small five meter by five-meter container. Technically, it was a container within a container. The mineral freighter was designed to carry four hundred containers of partially processed minerals to New Delhi’s orbital refineries. Within one of the containers the Imperial Loyalists had built their own smuggling container. The thick mineral dust that filled the larger container that surrounded the small one they were in would hide them from most customs sensors. At least it had a number of times before.
Beside James, or more accurately squished in all around him were Johnston, his six marines and, to James’ surprise, Angela. When Carmichael’s shuttle had been about to take off she had refused to get on board. In
stead she had insisted on seeing the mission through to its completion. At that point, any doubts James had about recommending her to take the accelerated officer’s course back on Earth had disappeared.
“How long did they say we were going to have to be in here?” Johnston asked, not for the first time.
“Hours yet,” James replied. “You may as well start using one of your marine relaxation techniques. We haven’t even reached orbit yet. And when we do, who knows how long the customs checks will take?”
Johnston let out a sigh and though it was pitch dark; James could sense he was shaking his head. “You navy people are all the same. You wouldn’t know efficiency if it bit you in the ass.”
“If I wasn’t meant to be aloof as your Emperor… And if you weren’t a special forces marine, I’d be forced to give you a thump,” James said. “Comparing the Imperial Fleet to New Delhi’s customs officials is like comparing your special forces marines to one of Alpha colony’s underworld gangs.” All around him, James felt the marines stiffen. “Not that I’m making the comparison of course,” he added hastily.
