Intel suggested the Imperium carried at least ten of the Igni missiles, yet thus far it had used none of them. It was a hulking tank of a warship, and no AEGIS weapons were touching it, including Sabres. A negative energy bomb couldn’t touch it—though twenty-two such bombs surely would, as the obliteration of the Provision Network Gateway had demonstrated. But they couldn’t get close enough.
The source of the problem and the cause of all these failures was an impregnable physical force field encasing the Imperium. It stopped any missile, energy or vessel cold a hundred meters out from the hull, yet allowed the ship’s own weapons to pass through unhindered.
His hand came to his jaw as a certifiably crazy idea popped into his head. What if….
“Major Ettore, how would you like to take a whack at the impossible?”
“No such thing any longer, sir.”
Wasn’t that the truth. “Let’s try to prove it. See the Imperium out there? Tell me where we need to be situated so that, when it fires on us, our Dimensional Rifter will send its fire back out through an exit rift which will open about five centimeters off its lower stern hull. Right where the schematics we have say the weapons bay is located.”
Ettore whistled. “Captain Casales, you have full weapons control for a minute. We’re going to be a bit busy.”
“Copy, Major.”
It took almost twenty seconds—an eternity for a Prevo—but a set of coordinates appeared on Malcolm’s primary screen. Ettore stood and came up beside him. “As the Imperium moves, these are going to change slightly. We can adjust on the fly, but I need to have navigational control during the attack.”
“Understood.” Malcolm paused. They’d explicitly been given free rein to act as they saw fit, but…. He activated one of the many comm channels operating during the campaign.
Brigadier Jenner: “Commandant, I have an idea for a way to take out the Imperium. Major Ettore, the Saratoga’s Prevo, thinks we can pull it off.”
Commandant Solovy (Stalwart II): “Will you be sacrificing yourself in the process, Brigadier?”
He needed to survive and get back home, as he had a date, an apology and a slate of soul-baring confessionals to finish—but if he wanted to survive to do those things, he didn’t dare dwell on them now. He’d forced thoughts of Mia from his mind when the first shot was fired, and they had to stay there until the last one landed.
Brigadier Jenner: “Not part of the plan, ma’am.”
Commandant Solovy (Stalwart II): “Excellent. Then I won’t delay you asking for details. See what you can do—”
Alexis Solovy: “Wait! You can’t blow up the Imperium!”
Malcolm’s brow creased in surprise. “Alex?”
SIYANE
MILKY WAY SECTOR 41
Commandant Solovy (Stalwart II): “Alex, what do you know?”
She eyed the Kat currently gracing her cabin. “There’s some kind of black hole generator weapon onboard the Imperium.”
The silence before her mother responded lasted less than a second. “Hold on.”
Then, still on the command channel: “Admiral Rychen, you have fleet command. I’ll update you momentarily. Brigadier Jenner, back off of the Imperium. I will loop you into a holocomm in ten seconds.”
It only took eight, during which time Alex played observer to Valkyrie prioritizing and cross-referencing two universes’ worth of knowledge on black holes, their creation, destruction and weaponization while Caleb flew them out of the fray, to the extent such a place of safety existed.
The holocomm request came in, and they moved to the data table.
Miriam looked to be in the office situated off the Stalwart II’s bridge, but she hadn’t taken the time to sit. “Can I assume a ‘black hole generator’ is more or less what it sounds like?”
“Yes, but it’s worse than that.”
“Alex, how could it possibly be worse than the enemy opening up a black hole in the middle of the battlefield?”
She laughed; it had been a hellacious two days, and she just couldn’t help it. “Apparently, this weapon doesn’t merely create a black hole—it then fuels the black hole so it grows larger and larger, enabling it to draw the surrounding space into an ever-expanding vortex.”
“Oh. I see. That is worse. Is there no way to shut it down?”
“No way we have for damn sure. But allegedly the Anadens do have a way to halt its growth, which is why we need to consider the possibility that they will use it should they decide the battle is unwinnable.”
Malcolm had been conferring with an officer but now returned his attention to the conference. “All the more reason to destroy the Imperium before they have a chance to make that decision.”
Miriam shook her head. “They’re already losing. Once the command ship starts to take damage, they may go ahead and activate the device.”
“No, our idea would in theory destroy it quickly enough the captain won’t have time to react.”
Caleb leaned into the table. “Alex got the download from your Prevo. It’s a brilliant tactical move, Colonel—sorry, Brigadier. We’ve been gone. But you can’t risk the attack while this weapon is on board.”
Malcolm stared at Caleb in something akin to surprise for a second, but shook it off. “You’re afraid the device will activate, detonate, explode, whatever it’s designed to do, when the ship does. But if they’ve been flying around with it in the hold all this time, it has to be reasonably stable, doesn’t it?”
More blue-white lights marked Mesme’s arrival; it was beginning to resemble a damn circus in the Siyane’s cabin. She lifted her hands in question. “Where have you been?”
Occupied. The Anadens include among their number many skilled and knowledgeable scientists. However, my colleagues in the Idryma know more about manipulating cosmic forces than any Anaden who has ever lived. They apprehend several ways to deliberately bring about the creation of a black hole. None are free of risk and most are highly volatile. However safe the Anadens believe their device to be, they are incorrect.
It was a forceful speech, but in typical fashion Mesme had circled around the crux of the issue. “So if the ship blows, the device will blow?”
Without knowing what method they have devised to power this Tartarus Trigger, we calculate at 36.21% the likelihood of this occurring.
Malcolm ran a hand through his hair. “And if the ship blows because the Igni missiles detonate?”
Their antimatter weapons? The likelihood approaches one hundred percent.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought you were going to say.”
Miriam drummed her fingers on the edge of her desk. “So if we ignore the Imperium and eliminate enough of their vessels to be considered victors, they may use the device, presumably ordering someone else to get here and shut the black hole down before it consumes the rest of the galaxy. Alex, as you pointed out earlier, they consider themselves expendable.
“If we destroy the Imperium, we probably set off the device and it destroys all of us at a minimum and possibly everyone. And we aren’t so expendable.” She sighed. “I’d like to hear Rychen’s opinion, but someone’s got to fight the damn battle underway out there. Brigadier, don’t say Field Marshal Bastian—I’ve never seen him in action before, and I don’t trust him enough. Not yet.”
Malcolm looked as if he was trying not to smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Miriam surveyed those present. “Ideas?”
Valkyrie?
All my potential ideas thus far end in widespread destruction when a simulation is run.
Awesome.
Caleb was pacing with notable fervency, popping in and out of their holo projection. “Jenner, do you have any viable plan to get a team onto the Imperium? Even a stealth team of three or four people?”
Malcolm chuckled wryly. “Harper would dearly love to try it—but no. The force field is both physically and energetically impenetrable. Opening a rift inside the field is the only means of entry I can see and…well, I don’t think
we’ve figured out how to send people along for the ride quite yet.”
“True.” Caleb rubbed at his jaw. “Okay, what about—”
I will do it.
Everyone turned to Mesme, but Alex asked the obvious question. “Do what?”
The vessel’s shield is indomitable here in physical space, but it is not pandimensional. I will access the vessel, locate the device and transport it away from the conflict.
Miriam frowned. “You can move so large an object? I mean, I assume it’s fairly large.”
Caleb nodded. “Mesme carried the Siyane through two Mosaic lobbies, a portal and a planetary atmosphere when…it was disabled.” He stepped back, out of the holocam’s range, and winked at her.
Alex was utterly gobsmacked. She had never imagined he would forgive her so completely. She hoped the kilometer-wide smile she flashed him said all she couldn’t right now—then she hurriedly tried to look grave for the others. “Mesme, where will you take it?”
Away. The location is not important for now.
Given the nature of Mesme’s existence and physicality, it should be a safe endeavor for the Kat. It didn’t feel safe. “Are you certain?”
The violence all around us clashes and tears and threatens to shatter the world. It is abhorrent to me, and I ache to flee even now. But you called me brave. I do not know if you are correct, but if I do not step forward and do this, I will surely prove you wrong. Yes, I am certain.
65
IMPERIUM
MILKY WAY SECTOR 41
* * *
ALEX SCOUTED AHEAD FOR MESME via sidespace; it seemed the least she could do. Besides, a bunch of shining lights flickering to and fro would set off alarms followed by a cascade of calamitous events, so someone needed to find this evil little world-ending device before Mesme moved in.
She didn’t have a visual of it to go by, but Paratyr had seen the Tartarus Trigger on one of the Mirad Vigilate’s sidespace windows and had described it in detail. Thirty meters long, twelve meters wide. Shiny chrome. Suspended in a rack. Got it.
In a perfect world, she’d scrupulously observe the inner workings of this crucial enemy vessel, then pass the intel on for use in future battles. Instead, she sped through hallways and careened around corners with her mind, forcing her focus to dash ahead in leaps on the hunt for a single visual frame.
She found the suspension rack in the weapons bay, empty. Well, that wasn’t good.
It only took her another few seconds to find the device from there—in a damn torpedo launch tube. They were actually considering using the yebanaya thing.
Bully on her for insightful analysis in predicting their behavior, but my god their adversary was fucking unhinged.
Valkyrie, mark our spot on the schematic and get it to Mesme. Mesme?
I have the location.
It looks rather tight in this tube. Can you manage to fit around the cylinder?
I can manage much.
She was pretty sure her eyes rolled in the Siyane’s cockpit chair. I assume that’s a yes. The good news is, you shouldn’t be seen, as there are no passages for people or drones down here. Whenever you’re ready.
The dark tube began lighting up almost immediately, but the points of light quavered and cavorted as Mesme struggled to fully envelop its contents. Only a few centimeters of space existed between the cylinder and the walls of the tube…this was going to be close.
Everything vanished. The lights were gone—and so was the device.
Mesme?
She didn’t get a response. But the proof lay in the empty tube.
She opened her eyes and hit the comm. “Malcolm, you’re clear to go. Good luck.”
AFS SARATOGA
MILKY WAY SECTOR 41
“Copy that, and thanks.” Malcolm raced through the checklist in his mind. They’d tried to stay roughly in the orbit of the Imperium while the Metigen worked its vanishing trick, but it had proved difficult what with all the warfare.
“All right, everyone, we are a go. Step One: we need to get the Imperium to shoot at us.” And withstand the storm for long enough to take it out. “Navigation, close to 0.4 megameters distance from the Imperium then turn full control over to Major Ettore. Weapons, open fire on the target like we have nothing to lose. Once it takes the bait, we will pretend to flee and make for the designated coordinates.”
The Imperium quickly grew large in the viewport, and he got his first proper view of the vessel. It didn’t stretch as long as a Metigen superdreadnought, but it was both wider and taller, forming a menacing octagon of destructive power.
He exhaled. “Engage.”
The Saratoga’s weapons fire splashed harmlessly off the force field, and several cycles of continuous fire were required for the Imperium to even notice them. But eventually it trained four of its ten powerful beams on them.
The floor began shaking as the defensive shield held off the fire—then the whole ship lurched as the beams broke through to impact the hull.
Major Ettore’s voice was strained but steady. “Reversing course. Imperium is tracking, adjusting calculations.”
Brigadier Jenner: “All ships. On my mark, get as far away as your engines will carry you from the Imperium. I repeat, prepare to vacate the vicinity of the Imperium at maximum speed.”
They lurched again, harder.
“Hull breach on Deck 6! Sealing off Zones 6-C and 6-D.”
Two modules met at the junction of 6-C and D; gaps and seams continued to be adiamene’s one weakness, though it wasn’t a weakness in the metal so much as a necessary weakness of design. And the Saratoga’s highly modular layout meant it had more seams than most vessels.
“Arriving at coordinates in 3…2…1…full stop.”
They lurched in the opposite direction from their momentum, which hurt. Malcolm gave in and grabbed the railing.
Ettore remained seated, eyes closed. “Activate the Dimensional Rifter.”
Brigadier Jenner: “All ships, mark!”
The Saratoga stilled as the Rifter devoured the onslaught for it. The light from the beams consumed the viewport, so Malcolm enlarged a live scanner image of the Imperium.
A flare of florid orange materialized out of empty space directly beneath the ship, inside the force field. The flare looked pitifully small against the hull of the massive vessel, but it represented 1,500 kilotonnes of concentrated energy leveled at a weak junction. Would it be enough?
Right about now the Machim Navarchos was receiving an avalanche of panicked alerts, which hopefully distracted him from noticing his enemies were vanishing from the area.
Did the Navarchos yet realize it was their own fire being used against them? Without prior knowledge of the Dimensional Rifters, the deductive leaps required for understanding the nature of the attack were great indeed.
And the Navarchos was not going to have the opportunity to make them. The time between when the laser fire bloom altered its shape to surge into a hull fissure and when the Igni missiles detonated was too short for a human mind to measure.
The equation parameters for getting the rift to open where it did were such that the Saratoga was already a good distance away from the Imperium. But as space roiled and bucked and the cascading explosions consumed everything in their reach, it didn’t feel nearly far enough.
“Reverse thrusters full!”
They fled once more, for real this time. Malcolm didn’t begin to relax until they were another eight megameters away from the crux of the blast. He indicated for them to slow and come around to survey the results.
In an almost perfect sphere stretching some four megameters in diameter, nothing remained. Nothing but the void.
66
AFS STALWART II
MILKY WAY SECTOR 41
* * *
“SO, WHAT NOW? We won the battle—does this mean we’ve begun a war?”
Miriam contemplated how to answer the Field Marshal’s question, for though delivered in his typically abrupt fashion, it
was a valid one.
The remains of the Machim forces had fled in the wake of the Imperium’s destruction. Her own forces had then retreated to a secret location several hundred parsecs away to lick their wounds, regroup and determine a path forward.
When she responded, she focused on Alex rather than Bastian. Alex and Caleb had invited themselves to the meeting, and she hadn’t argued. She’d take any opportunity to lay eyes on her daughter, safe and alive. If they also had relevant information that could help AEGIS—which they of course did—all the better.
“This was more than a simple victory in a single clash. We demonstrated we can match them—best them—on the field of battle in spite of their superior numbers. When the Machim Navarchos, whoever it is, wakes up in their new body in a medical capsule somewhere across the galaxy, they’re going to wake up feeling something I daresay they never have before: humiliation.”
Miriam smiled. “Given all that, it would be a travesty for us not to give them a proper war.”
“We gained an advantage through trickery.”
“And we can do so again.”
Not surprisingly, she agreed with Rychen’s rebuttal to Bastian’s negativity. “Yes, we can. We came here with full recognition any war would not be won with numbers, so the fact it’s true changes nothing. We will need to use all our capabilities in order to defeat the enemy, of which trickery is unashamedly one.
“Now, I don’t mean to imply any of this will be in any manner easy. We’re in an unfamiliar environment populated with technology we’ve never seen and aliens we’ve never met. We don’t even know what the rules are yet.
“Most of all, we don’t know what victory means. The Katasketousya’s plea for us to ‘defeat’ the Anaden Directorate is vague to the point of meaninglessness. If we’re fighting a war—which I believe we are—then we need to define its boundaries and its goals.”
She clasped her hands on the table. “I realize it’s a daunting task and we’re all exhausted, so let’s start with a few more practical matters. The portal we used to reach Amaranthe is being moved by the Katasketousya as we speak. It and two other portals will continue to be moved every time they are used, so traversals need to be limited and pre-approved. The new locations will be provided to a select group of flag officers on a need-to-know basis.”
Aurora Resonant: The Complete Collection (Amaranthe Collections Book 3) Page 40
