Opening Moves (17 page)

“
You don't want to conquer the Rasenni, subjugate them to your will?” Tear'al frowned.

“
What sort of question is that? Of course we do!” Merr'Quan said loudly with a deep barrel laugh. “But we are a patient race, my friend. And there's a difference between 'want' and 'can'. We don't have the resources to launch a full scale war against the Rasenni and actually hope to
win
the confrontation. And that'll probably be the case for many years yet to come. The Rasenni Empire is huge, Strategos. Brittle, decadent, and centered on its domestic affairs, but huge nonetheless. Even as fertile as my people are we won't be able to challenge them yet, not in my lifetime, maybe. But we Ukhuri have learned the virtue of patience. We will bide our time, slowly increase our holdings and build our strength until we have a fleet to make the stars dim in fear. Then, on that day, we will teach the Rasenni the meaning of revenge.”

Tear'al leaned back and stared past his guest and down on the cloud-covered planet below. “Fine, so be it. Contrary to your people we Ashani are not the most patient of races. We do believe in settling our debts quickly.”

“As we will all soon see!” the Ukhuri laughed again. “You're an ambitious race, I give you that. But also very clever.” His face turned serious. “Very clever, indeed.”

“
We know our enemies,” the intelligence chief admitted. “Our campaign in the Pact will be swift, and when it is concluded we will be a greater power that others won't dare to challenge, and with powerful allies at our side.”

“
Oh, I agree with that.” Merr'Quan smiled and drained his glass. “The Council will formalize our non-aggression pact as soon as I return. Rest assured that your border will be safe from us, in return for the border territories within Tuathaan space.”

“
My government hands them to you with gladness. We've always respected the Ukhuri. You have spirit and vision, and we look forward to a productive and mutually beneficial future.”

“
As do we. We will toast our future over the fires of conquest, and the settling of old debts.” Once again the Ukhuri laughed heartily, and Tear'al sipped his cool drink in amusement.

* * * * * * *

Corr'tane had not forgotten Tear'al's earlier failure, and even as he briefed his fellow strategoi on the successful Ukhuri treaty he regarded him with cold eyes. Despite the High Strategos' strategic plan, he still blamed him for letting the Érenni get a good look at the Toklamakun assault force, and in doing so recognize the true strength of the Dominion's navy. Since then the Érenni and Tuathaan had instituted a massive build-up of forces which would make the opening campaigns a lot more difficult than they ought to have been. Tear'al's misjudgment would cost many lives, maybe even his own.

Assembled around a steel table the other leaders applauded him as he finished and sat down. With the Ukhuri border safe and the Rasenni consumed in their own agenda there was nothing now to interfere with the invasion plans.

“Strategoi of the Dominion.” Kalla'shan now stood and surveyed his subordinates. “The time of destiny is at hand. Each of you knows what is at stake, the great secret and curse of our race. Today we change that. Today we begin our great crusade to bring deliverance to our species. Today the age of the new Ashani Dominion begins.”

Corr'tane clapped politely with the other strategoi, but his mind was elsewhere. The Tuathaan Clanholds' fleets had grown considerably during the past year, and while a large force was guarding the Ukhuri border many ships were ready to respond to an attack from the local sectors controlled by the Dominion. The latest reconnaissance showed major fleet concentrations of several of the Tuathaan clans at Dunnan Gal and Ath Dairn, with the main force deployed as a reserve in the home system. The fact that the usually so fiercely independent Tuathaan clans had chosen to combine some of their military might was a more than obvious indicator that they were taking the threat the Dominion posed very seriously. It was a force which could severely slow the assault, and speed was certainly of the essence in this war. As far as the members of the Pact of Ten Suns went, Tuathaan were by far the biggest threat.

“You men and women will be leading our people,” the High Strategos continued. “It is you who will shape our destiny, who will drive the will of the Ashani like a blade into our enemies' hearts! Each of you has earned this right through your skill, your dedication and your overwhelming desire to serve our race and see it survive and prosper. Now we will have that chance.”

Corr'tane was also concerned about the Érenni. The traditionally so peaceful race had recently built their first major offensive warships. While they were not really a match for the highly aggressive Ashani fleets which fielded far more dedicated – and heavier – designs, the data gathered by the Naval Intelligence Directorate indicated they were well defended. Given Érenni priorities they would most likely to be used as mobile defense elements rather than fleet units. The republics had fortified a few key worlds, including their home world and its closest neighbor, as well as the main colony at Senfina. Recon data showed the defenses to be a multi-layered system with an almost impregnable network of mines, satellites and even battle stations. They had even gone so far as to install early warning sensor platforms in foldspace. Any assault on those planets would be mired in their own blood and there was little hope of surprise.

“Go now to your fleets,” the great leader extolled. “Go and prepare. We will not meet again like this until we have achieved our primary objectives in the coming campaign, the seizure of forward bases for the continued progression of the war. You all know what is expected of you and your fleets. Go, and always remember, you are the Ashani people's last, best hope for survival.”

The strategoi stood, bowed, and then headed for the door.

“Strategos Corr'tane, a moment if you please,” Kalla'shan said as he stood.

Tear'al gave him a cold glance which he responded to with a wide grin. He was the favorite of the old leader and he made sure his would-be rivals knew it. He was better than they, and when Kalla'shan passed they would take their orders from him.

The last officer left, closing the doors behind him and leaving the High Strategos and his student facing each other across the table. Two generations separated them. Kalla'shan had fought long and hard to reach this position, while Corr'tane had advanced with lightning speed thanks to his enormous talent and ruthless nature. They were in many ways opposites, but shared a unity of purpose and respect for each other. Both knew they couldn't trust anyone else except each other and that bond was central to their working relationship.

“
Are you ready for this?” he asked breaking the silence.

“
More than anything,” Corr'tane replied confidently.

“
This is total war, my friend. The attacks on Toklamakun and Aeta were quick and painless, well, for us at least,” he allowed himself a brief smile. “But we cannot fall into that easy trap and mistake them for a blueprint of what is yet to come. This campaign will be made of a string of very bloody affairs. Hundreds of thousands of Ashani will die. You will lose friends and confidantes. You will lose ships, flotillas, divisions. You will sometimes lose battles. Can you be sure you will not lose hope?”

“
Losing hope is something I simply cannot afford, sir. I know what's at stake. We have less than half a decade remaining to our species.” Corr'tane spoke gently, the constant fate hanging over them all had shaped his life and choices. “We cannot barter and bargain with fate. I won't be able to always choose the battles I'll have to fight, but whatever the odds, I will push onwards to victory. There just is no other way.”

“
Good,” he smiled. “You remember my teachings? What are the main principles of modern warfare?”

“
Aggression, discipline, planning, adaptability, technology - and money. If one is lacking or ignored, all others will suffer and we will be defeated.”

“
That is correct. You will notice that most races in known space display a few of these traits. But each of them lacks something,” the old strategos explained in the same tone he had used in his lectures at the academy. “The Tuathaan are fearsome warriors as long as they fight within groups belonging to one clan, but their lack of discipline and the mistrust of other clans ingrained in their society will be their undoing. The Érenni, advanced and stoic, but too passive, too reactive to drive us back. The same is true for the Komerco. The Ukhuri and Rasenni possess all these abilities but do not exploit them fully. And they've got each other to worry about. We are the only ones who have mastered all the tenets of modern war. Numbers are irrelevant, purpose is irrelevant, victory goes to those who master war – and victory will go to us. Seek out weaknesses and exploit them in your enemies, Corr'tane, and you will never lose a battle.”

“
Yes, master,” he bowed respectfully. “I will not fail. I have never failed.”

“
I believe you, my young friend,” he grinned. “Your fleet is my silver bullet. You will go where the fighting is fiercest and remedy the situation using whatever means necessary.”

“
It is my honor to serve, High Strategos,” Corr'tane said sincerely.

“
Then go. Your fleets are massing on the Tuathaan border. In a week we will take the measure of our enemies and drive them to ruin. To the future, Corr'tane.”

“
To the future, my great mentor.” He saluted and with military precision marched out of the room leaving the High Strategos alone.

Kalla'shan paused before following him, contemplating these last few hours of peace in the galaxy before the noise and chaos of war. This was one of those odd moments of total clarity when everything seemed absolutely perfect. He could see every single aspect of his future and the present. It was a great mechanism of cogs and gears which at this moment was synchronized to perfection. The warships and armies were poised, the enemy apparently oblivious to the attack. The Ukhuri and Rasenni were on a collision course and the Pact was its usual divided self.

The way ahead was completely clear, a long straight road stretching to the horizon with no visible obstacles on it. All they had to do was go forth and kill everything they saw around them. Ten long years of planning and preparation had come to this one single moment of perfect vision. The galaxy would never be the same again.

HUMAN COLONIZATION

The history of human colonization of the stars is one racked by both setbacks and disasters on the one hand and great achievements on the other hand. First efforts at interstellar travel were undertaken during the second half of the 22
nd
Century after the shock waves of the
Khanate Wars
had ebbed with the death of 
Bega Amjut Serak
at the
Battle of Samarkand
and the subsequent collapse of the
Khanate
. The first colony ship, a cryogenic sleeper vessel christened
PROMETHEUS
, started its trip from the orbit of Luna to
Alpha Centauri A
in 2172 C.E., transporting five thousand carefully pre-selected volunteer colonists in stasis pods. The voyage took the ship twenty-nine years through uncharted territory – astronomers had a pretty good picture of the Alpha Centauri binari system, but no technological means existed to scan for the space between star systems – and when the message of the successful landfall reached Earth in 2205 C.E. it set in motion a colonization boom.

With launch costs per kilogram having reached the point of being negligible a vast number of nation states, corporations and private enterprises set out to claim interstellar real estate, leading to the first wave of interstellar colonialism by sub-light ships. The majority of disasters stems from this gold rush period, usually being the result of lackluster planning and wishful thinking. Technical malfunction and hostile environments proved to be the great killers. Even today, eighteen colonial expeditions are unaccounted for, never having arrived at the designated target.

Most colonized star systems within 150 light-years of Earth have been settled by these types of sleeper ships. The last sublight colony vessel to be launched was the
ANATOLIJ REVSCHOV
in 2444 C.E., carrying twenty thousand stasis pods and achieving a top speed of .82 c.

The second wave of colonial expansion starts with the invention of the foldspace drive in 2503 C.E. It has ebbed off after an initial phase, with the last colony founded by a dominant nation being
Van Halen's Star
, the outermost M-class planet settled by the
North American Union
at a distance of more than 500 LY. Colonies situated even farther away from Sol, founded by independent efforts also exist...


                       
Encyclopaedia Galactica, 2792 C.E.