Wrath of Axia (The Arcadian Jihad) (15 page)

“Resume operations, set course for Cadmus and spool up the fusion thrusters. Have the Political Officer and the Marine Colonel report to my cabin at once.”

“Sir, Colonel Travis was left on Hesperia with all of his men. We took off in too much of a hurry to get them back aboard.”

Damn, he’d forgotten. Never mind, a Heavy Battlecruiser was a powerful disincentive. He’d have to manage. It was what he did best. Managing. And fighting.

System Standard 2734.1638 Battlecruiser Rex Salis in orbit above Cadmus

“Sir, a warship is entering planetary orbit out of hyperspace. No, wait, it’s a fleet.”

“Very well, continue monitoring.”

A few seconds later, the sensor operator spoke again. “Sir, Sensors indicate it is the Heavy Battlecruiser Sword of Axia. I believe it’s Grand Admiral Rad Bose’s personal flagship. There are also two Helios Class Battlecruisers and twenty Hunter Class Light Cruisers.”

“Very well.”

Aboard the Rex Salis, Colonel Rafe Glen swallowed a slight qualm at the mighty fleet that approached them. He was in an untenable position and knew he couldn’t fight them all. They’d just blast him out of space. He’d need to use all of his skill and wits and hope it would be enough to avoid a fight to the death. After all, he was a skilled, senior marine officer, in command of a Heavy Battlecruiser, and that gave him a certain authority. Didn’t it? He didn’t have to wait long to find out if it was enough. The hail from the flagship came seconds later.

“This is the Sword of Axia. Identify yourself.”

He nodded at the comms officer who replied with the ship’s details. The Sword of Axia came back swiftly.

“This is Grand Admiral Bose. What is your mission here, Rex Salis?”

Glen went to the console and looked at the visiconn. The face of Rad Bose stared at him. “I am Colonel Glen. The President is on planet Cadmus. I have been ordered to guard the approaches to the planet.”

He was a soldier, so he’d always understood that when in doubt, the truth normally served best. It didn’t always work, though.

“The man on the planet who claims to be the President is an escaped prisoner, Colonel Glen. He’s an impostor. I’m here to arrest him, and I order you to return to Axis Nova immediately.”

“I copy your message, Sir. But I cannot countermand an order from the President. He is my superior and yours too.”

“Damnit, Glen, I just told you. The man who gave you that order is an impostor, an escaped prisoner. He’s a madman.”

“I understand what you say, Sir. The problem is I’ve interviewed him personally, and I believe he is telling the truth. I cannot disobey his legitimate orders, that would be treason.”

“For the last time, Glen, I told you he is a madman. Forget you ever saw him and return to Axis Nova.”

Glen had never liked Rad Bose. He was an overbearing bully. Besides, he remembered him as the senior military man in the government of the religious fanatics, the Axians, and that he’d helped defeat in the last war. He realized he was almost enjoying baiting the man. Almost.

“Do you have any proof of that, Sir?”

“What?” Bose’s reply was almost a shriek. “What do you mean, proof?”

“Well, Sir. You must have documentation about this man. If he is an impostor, you must know his real identity. Otherwise, how could you know who he is not? Have you checked him out? I need to see evidence, Admiral. As soon as I know for sure that he is a madman I will leave, but until then, I have to assume that I have an order from the legally appointed President. I would point out that you are subject to his orders too, Admiral.”

He hesitated, enjoying watching Bose’s face glowering redder and redder. He decided it was time to administer the final blow. “After all, Sir, if this is the real President, what you say could be construed as treason. The punishment for treason is death.” He let the word hang for a few seconds. Then he added, “Sir.”

He could see people stirring on the bridge of the Sword of Axia. Bose muted the sounds and turned to speak to someone. His expression was not pleasant. Then he whirled back to stare at Glen.

“You’ll suffer for this, Colonel Glen. Hold for further orders. We have a situation here I need to attend to.”

I bet you do, Glen thought. The word is going out. At least he now knew beyond a doubt that he’d made the right call. Not that he’d seriously doubted Rusal or Blas, or the man claiming to be President Tell, but there was always some uncertainty. Not any more.

System Standard 2734.1639 Battlecruiser Sword of Axia in orbit above Cadmus

“What in space do you mean? The men are unhappy?”

The political officer, Chad Moss, stood in front of his Commander in Chief, and his face was a picture of misery. He owed his post to his devotion to the President Bartok rather than any skill in military or political matters, but he wished now that he’d paid more attention during his training course.

“It’s not all of them, Grand Admiral, just a few. Most of them are in the weapons department, a few in engineering. They keep asking me what’s going on. They want proof that this man we’re hunting really is an impostor. I know it’s ridiculous, but it would be treason if President Bartok took power illegally. I told them not to be so stupid, for of course President Bartok wouldn’t do anything illegal. But they want answers and proof.”

“What about the fleet, the rest of the ships? Any trouble there yet?”

Moss looked even more miserable. “It’s just as bad, yes, Sir. Some of them are demanding we return to Axis Nova to sort this out.”

Bose thought furiously. He had to nip this in the bud before it spread, as that was his way. Fight fire with fire.

“Right, here’s what I want you to do. First of all, a blackout between all of the ships, they’re all to cease all communications until I say otherwise, clear? If there’s anything to say, I’ll say it to them myself.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Next, call out the marines and have those crewmen arrested. I want quick trials and executions, and they can all go out of the airlock.”

Chad Moss shifted from one foot to the other. “Sir, about the marines, we left them on Hesperia.”

Damnit, he’d forgotten already. What was happening to him? He needed to get a grip.

“Yes, of course. Call out the ship’s Provost Officer. Use our own men to make the arrests.”

“Sir, that wouldn’t work either. The men are unhappy enough as it is, I don’t believe they’ll arrest their own shipmates. It could even lead to a general mutiny.”

“Fuck what you believe, Moss, just do it. No, belay that.”

He realized he’d almost lost control.

“What would sort this out, Moss? What do they want?”

“Proof about that prisoner,” the Political Officer said firmly. “That would clear it up once and for all.”

He told the man to get out of his sight. It was for his own protection, as Bose was almost at the point of shooting him dead on the spot. He shouted after him.

“And tell the First Officer to maintain orbit, but to hold his fire. He is not to shoot at anybody. In fact, it would be best to tell him not to fucking do anything, is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir.”

He had to contact President Bartok on Axis Nova. Maybe he’d know what to do. Two things were certain. They had to deal with this fast before it got out of hand, and then they had to find a way around the one thing they couldn’t provide. Proof. There was no proof, although they could try faking something. But if they were caught out in a lie, it would be enough evidence that the man’s claim to be the real Xerxes Tell was true. He sent out the signal.

System Standard 2734.1639 Arta City, Planet Cadmus

Blas listened to Glen’s voice from the Heavy Battlecruiser above them. When he’d finished speaking he took Smetana and Rusal aside.

“We’re in a stalemate. The word is spreading. There are enough people who believe that something is wrong, enough to get things moving. But we’re in a very vulnerable position. We’re badly outgunned by Bose’s people. They’ll send everything they’ve got against us in an effort to kill President Tell. It would be best to get off this planet.”

“That’ll mean a fight,” Smetana said. They noted his look of satisfaction. He was a master of death, his skills developed and honed to perfection on every battlefield in the Nine Systems.

“Can we beat them? Can we get back to Settler City and off the planet?” Rusal asked.

“I believe we can, yes. I’ll send out the boats now to start an all out assault on the island defenses, or they’ll hit us hard on the way in. Once they’ve been taken out we can start the main assault on Settler City.”

“Can’t we slip back into the city without a fight, Berg?” Blas asked anxiously. “I’m not sure that a frontal attack is the best way to handle this.”

“The whole planet is under martial law hunting for the most wanted man in the universe. That could cause us a problem or two. There’s not much question of slipping in anywhere, and they’re waiting for us. I think an assault is the only way.”

Blas grinned at Smetana. “I guess it’ll be like old times, my friend.”

“That it will. I’ll get the boats away, and destroying the guns on this side of the planet won’t be too hard thanks for the perpetual darkness at this time of year. Once we get nearer to Settler City, well, that’ll be a little harder, but we’ll manage.”

He left them and started barking orders for his men to move. The whole of the ‘prison’ complex of Arta came alive as men rushed to man the assault boats to blast a path back to the city. The first of them surged out onto the sea, so there was nothing to do but wait.

They watched in the control center as sensors showed the attack fanning out across the seas between Arta and the capital. Then the first reports started to come in.

“This is Alpha Team Leader, going in to attack. Everything looking good.”

They exchanged glances. It was a woman’s voice. “That’s Adrienne Frazer, she’s a good leader, as tough as any man and one helluva fighter,” Smetana said. “That’s why we chose her to lead the first wave in.”

More reports came in. “Charlie Team Leader, landing on the island now, they’ve seen us, must have night vision sensors. We’re attacking the….argh.”

The transmission cut off.

“Damn, that was an important target. That gun battery covers the main channel that we need clear for the main attack.” Smetana looked sad. It seemed that he personally knew the Team Leader. Then the control room speaker came alive again.

“This is Charlie Team, Second in Command Sergeant Senta Ras. We’re pressing home the attack, charges in place,” there was an enormous explosion. “Target destroyed, I say again target destroyed.”

Smetana click on transmit. “Sergeant Ras, what happened to Lieutenant Vargus?”

A silence for a few moments, and they thought they’d lost the transmission. Ras came back to them.

“He’s dead, Sir. A direct hit from an automated defense laser.”

Smetana briefly closed his eyes. “Thank you, Sergeant. Good luck, Smetana out.”

“You knew him?” Xerxes Tell asked him.

Berg nodded. “He’s a native Hesperian. I watched him grow up, and his family was our neighbors. Whenever there was a battle, he always volunteered to be first in.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Smetana.”

Berg nodded. “There’ll be a lot more casualties like him before this is over. Let’s make sure that we get it right this time.”

Xerxes Tell looked grave. “It is said that life is very short and what we have to do must be done in the now,” Mr. Smetana.

Berg smiled. “Do you always have a quote ready for every situation, Sir?”

Tell nodded. “I find them comforting in times of extreme stress, yes.”

“A pity we can’t shoot them directly at the enemy,” Berg said with a trace of sarcasm. But his barb fell short of the mark.

“Sometimes these quotations can be as potent as a salvo from a Heavy Battlecruiser, Mr. Smetana. The right words can motivate ten thousand men to fight tyranny.”

“I’m sure you’re correct, Sir. But for the time being I’ll put my faith in laser weapons, I’m trying to run a battle.”

Tell inclined his head. “Our duty is to be useful, not according to our desires but according to our powers.”

Smetana smiled faintly and continued directing the battle.

It took five hours until the first stage was completed. Berg surveyed his section leaders and this time his smile was one of relief.

 
“Gentlemen, we’re on schedule. The assault boats have taken out almost all of their targets. They’re on their way back to Arta to refuel, re-arm and form up the assault group that will take the capital. Might I suggest that we get go aboard? This is going to be a rough ride. President Tell, you must travel in the center of the battle group. Escorts will surround you. Evelyn, would you go with him.”

“I can fight as well as any man,” she said with a degree of truculence. Blas recalled that she was the former Grand Pasha’s daughter, once the most powerful woman in the Nine Systems. Whenever a battle needed to be fought, she stepped up to be in the front line, but not this time.