For Glory, page 2
“Fleet is within jump bomb range of the battle station,” said the tactical officer.
“Order the fleet to launch nuclear jump bombs,” said Tallos.
“Initiating nuclear strike.”
Moments later, thousands of nuclear jump bombs detonated amid the Juttari defenses. The first wave was absorbed by the Juttari shields which rapidly changed color under the weight of the assault until failing. But the second wave of nuclear bombs had already launched, and those Juttari ships that did not manage to jump away were obliterated.
The battle station flooded the area with ionizing radiation, disabling the Juttari cloaks, but they had accomplished their task of enabling their first strike. The battle station’s defenses were more robust, and it managed to return fire from its numerous heavy weapons. Several Diakan ships took punishing blows, and their shields were substantially degraded, but even the powerful battle station’s shields soon collapsed. Nuclear jump bombs then detonated inside the mighty structure, annihilating entire sections and creating enormous hull breaches.
Impossibly, the battle station kept firing, incorporating its own nuclear weapons. Those took down the shields on several Diakan ships, but the battle station’s arsenal had been severely disabled. After another wave of nuclear jump bombs, it too blew apart, a structure the size of a small moon now nothing more than space debris.
Tallos gazed at the destruction without emotion. It was as it should be. This was one of the last remaining Juttari star systems, and its fate was sealed. The fact that they had not lost any ships was a bonus.
“Advance on the main planet,” ordered Tallos. With the battle station and most of the system’s warships eliminated the rest would be simple enough.
The fleet jumped to within range of the orbital defenses and methodically destroyed them, too. The Diakan battleships then entered orbit and began destroying any planetary defenses left. The Diakan military believed in defanging the snake before destroying the body, and this campaign was no exception.
“General, we are being hailed from the surface,” the comms officer said.
“On main viewscreen,” Tallos said.
The view of the planet below was suddenly replaced by the dark green, scaled face of a Juttari. Intelligent, cat-like eyes stared at Tallos, and the Juttari hissed out one word, “Surrender.”
“We are well beyond surrender at this point, don’t you think?” Tallos said.
The Juttari tilted its head to the side. Tallos saw understanding in the creature’s eyes, and it said, “It is fated.”
“Fated?” Tallos said, incredulous at the response. “Is that what you believe?”
“We have known our fate for some time. We attempted to intercede and alter the outcome. It mattered not, and here we are.”
“That is your justification for what was done to our worlds? You tried to alter fate?”
“Not just your worlds, Diakan. Everything we have done was with the final outcome in mind. We knew our fate long before our civilizations encountered each other. Long before we enslaved the humans.”
“How did you know?” Tallos said, intrigued by this information.
“You had your prophet. We had ours. In the end, what was written has come to pass. It is inevitable. For you and for us.”
“What do you mean, for us?”
The Juttari smiled, revealing sharp teeth that seemed too long for its mouth. “Yes, your prophet is no more. It seems you will have to stumble forward in darkness until your end, Diakan.”
The reference to the Great See’er infuriated Tallos, and he locked eyes with the alien and said, “Initiate nuclear strike.”
“You cannot hide from fate, Diakan,” the Juttari said. “Your reckoning will come soon enough.” The display went black after that and reoriented to show the planetary view from orbit and the mushroom clouds blooming below.
Tallos watched with grim satisfaction as his ships eradicated the population below. How many Juttari had he killed now? A hundred billion? More? Would it reach a trillion by the time he was done? He wondered how he’d be remembered once this was over. Would future Diakans think of him as a hero? Or as a necessary monster? It was a curiosity, nothing more. It would not deter him from his goal.
When the main planet was reduced to a radioactive wasteland, the fleet moved on to the lesser planets and reduced them to ash as well. They were meticulous in their duty, ensuring nothing was left to chance.
When that task was finally accomplished, Tallos looked upon the destruction and said, “By Her will.”
Chapter three
Admiral Jon Pike stood in the Mountain Complex Command Center, analyzing the galactic map hologram before him. It showed the latest Juttari star system that the Diakans had captured, and Jon knew that meant the slaughter of all Juttari life there. Jon acknowledged the fact, but felt no pity over the Juttari deaths. Having grown up in the resistance during the Juttari occupation, he had seen the Juttari atrocities committed on Earth first hand. The Juttari were ruthless monsters who would have happily done the same to the Diakans or the humans and had even nuked Earth at one point.
So, there was no love lost between Jon and the Juttari, and many on Earth probably cheered their extermination. Jon, however, felt that humans should not turn into the same monsters that had once enslaved them. Was there a time that he thought otherwise? Of course. After he lost his wife and daughters, he wanted nothing more than to kill every Juttari he could. But many things had changed since then, and he now believed that it was important for them to retain their humanity. There were greater forces out there pulling all their strings, and Jon had committed humanity to what he hoped was the right side in that competition.
He had once thought that side belonged to the Builders or Antikitheri. In some ways, it did, as they were the opposite of the dreaded Erinyie. If the Erinyie supported the Juttari, then it only stood to reason that humanity should seek out the support of the Antikitheri. But the Antikitheri demanded that humanity worship them as gods in return. The Dvorkans fell into that trap for a time, but Jon refused.
Now, he had other god-like aliens to contend with and had taken the side of the Guardians against the sinister forces of the Maeficus. They had encountered one Guardian so far, and from what he understood, it was the only one in the Milky Way galaxy. Apparently, a great war had been fought between the Maeficus and the Guardians long before the Antikitheri and the Erinyie. The Guardians had won that war in the Milky Way, imprisoning the Maeficus there.
But the primordial Maeficus was awakening, and its forces were rallying, preparing for its return. Those forces included the Mistraan, a powerful race that Jamie had encountered on the other side of the galaxy. The Mistraan were masters of genetic engineering and possessed great telepathic powers. They originally hailed from another galaxy where they created a race known as the Sylian. The Sylian were engineered with the ability to replicate another’s DNA and thereby take their appearance. The Mistraan took their loyalty for granted, and the Sylian rebelled. A great war was fought between them, and both eventually arrived in the Milky Way galaxy.
Jon fought to create alliances where he could, and that included a Sylian tribe and the Dvorkans. But humanity’s oldest allies, the Diakans, troubled him. He had a long and complicated history with their leader, General Tallos, and while they were still allies, Tallos had changed with the death of the Great See’er. Even more troubling was Jamie’s vision of a future where the Diakans and humanity were at war.
“How many star systems do the Juttari have left?” Jon asked.
“The Juttari Empire now possesses two star systems,” the AI said, and those star systems were illuminated on the galactic map.
Jon had tried to block the Diakan expansion by using jumpspace technology to invade a few star systems, but that caused a major incident with the Diakans, and Jon decided to back off and let Tallos take the rest. He even shared the jumpspace technology with Tallos as a goodwill gesture. Jon had realized that by seeing Tallos as a competitor, he was probably fueling the animosity that could eventually turn them into enemies.
The Diakans had once been one of the most powerful civilizations in the galaxy, and there was no reason to believe that they would not regain that status again one day. With the coming struggle against the Maeficus in mind, It was certainly in humanity’s interest to maintain their alliance with the Diakans and not push them away.
As he studied the map, he received a comm and answered. “Sir, we have a long-range comm request for you from the Dvorkan Empress,” said the UHSF officer.
“Patch it through to the Command Center,” Jon said and turned to the comm display. After a short wait, Miira’s face appeared, and Jon smiled. “Hello, Miira, I mean Empress.”
Miira frowned. “Have I not told you to just call me Miira?”
“You have,” Jon said, still smiling. “It’s good to see you. How are you, Miira?”
“Not good. I was recently attacked by Dran shapeshifters.”
“Are you alright?” Jon said, growing concerned at the news.
“Devar and I are both fine.”
“Devar?”
“Yes, the Dran tried to kill him.”
“But your security is always so tight. How did the Dran manage to get close enough to try something like this?”
“That’s why I’m contacting you, Jon. They attacked us at the Winter Palace using personal jump systems. I believe they must have stolen the technology from you.”
The news stunned Jon. The personal jump system was a closely held UHSF secret that was not readily shared. “Are you saying we have been infiltrated by the Dran?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps, or maybe, you have a traitor in your midst. I just don’t know how else they would have obtained that technology. The Taymati discovered a Mistraan warship near the Imperial planet shortly after the attack began, but it escaped into jumpspace.”
“Did you capture any of the attackers?”
“No, the ones the Taymati did not kill died once the Mistraan left the system.”
“The Mistraan killed them?”
“We believe so.”
Jon knew the Mistraan cared little for their genetically engineered subjects. They had created the Dran shapeshifters after the Sylian rebelled and ensured that they could not turn against their masters like the Sylian had done.
“I’ve had enough of this,” Jon said. “We need to go on the offensive.”
“Has something changed? You said we could not damage the Maeficus planet.”
“No, that is still true, but I’m not talking about that planet. I’m talking about the Mistraan. We know where their planet is. I say we create a combined invasion force and hit their home planet. Take them out of the fight once and for all.”
“What about the Diakans?” Miira said. “Will they join us?”
“I don’t think so. They’re preoccupied with their war against the Juttari.”
Miira nodded. “I will discuss it with the Imperial Council and see what they think.”
Jon was afraid she’d say that. Ever since she had become Empress, she had allowed the Imperial Council to run the Empire. To her credit, she had the foresight to place her father on the Council, but that man had his own agenda, and Jon did not trust him. “It is wise to seek the Imperial Council’s guidance, Miira. But don’t forget that you are the Empress. You are not bound by the Council’s decisions.”
“I know that. It is just that the Council has much more experience in these matters than I do. Kriss had been trained since birth to rule the Empire. I am just an academic. What do I know of military matters?”
“I understand what you’re saying, Miira. But can I make a suggestion?”
“Of course.”
“Rather than consulting the Council and being influenced by their opinions, why don’t you go straight to your generals and see what they think. They are the military experts, after all.”
“I don’t know that I trust them,” Miira said. “It was a general who had killed my husband, and that was after he fought a civil war against a group of generals.”
“I remember,” Jon said. “And I understand how difficult it will be for you to trust them. But if you are going to be Empress, you need to control the military. You cannot cede that control to the Imperial Council.”
“I have no problem with General Tal,” Miira said defensively.
“That’s because he commands your Taymati Imperial Guard. All I’m saying is that is not enough. Do you even know what your military is doing?”
“They are defending the Empire.”
“How?”
Miira became quiet, and Jon could tell she was thinking. Then, shaking her head, she said, “I do not know. I guess I have not really concerned myself with that information. I’ve been more concerned with improving the lives of Dvorkans.”
“A noble pursuit, without a doubt. Nonetheless, I think it’s time you had a meeting with your generals. Have them brief you rather than the Council. Ask questions. Find out what they’re doing and how ready they are for what I’m proposing. That information is important, regardless of the outcome.”
“You’re right.”
“Also, if the Mistraan can attack the Winter Palace, then think what they can do elsewhere in the Dvorkan Empire. Is the military prepared to respond to that threat?”
“Good point. I will find out. Thank you, Jon. It is always helpful speaking with you.”
“My pleasure.”
“I’ll let you know what happens. Goodbye.”
The comm terminated, and Jon considered what he had discussed. “Hishim, did you hear all that?”
“I did,” said Hishim through nearby speakers. Hishim was the consciousness of a scientist from an extinct race known as the Ithians. He had lived during the time of the first war with the Maeficus, long before humans, Dvorkans, or Diakans existed. He had managed to upload his consciousness when the Maeficus attacked his planet and wiped out his race. The Guardian later bestowed him with special powers, and Jamie had discovered him almost two years ago on his planet. Since then, the entity had gained Jon’s trust, even if he could sometimes be unpredictable.
“If we assembled an invasion force, do you think you could shield the fleet from the Mistraan’s psionic powers?”
“That is unlikely,” Hishim said. “I can protect the ship I am on and perhaps a few more, but what you are suggesting is beyond my powers.”
That was a problem. They had no real defense against the Mistraan psionic powers and he assumed that the Dvorkans were just as vulnerable. When they had found Hishim, the Mistraan had practically disabled Jon’s flotilla with a psionic attack. The only saving grace was that the Chaanisar were not as susceptible to the attack and could counter the attack before it was too late. But if he went into the Mistraan home system with two fleets, there was no telling what kind of damage the Mistraan could inflict with their psionic attacks.
Still, they had to do something. Jon opened a comm with his head scientist, Chief Engineer Singh. The comm display flickered, and Singh soon appeared, looking as flustered as always. “Hello, Chief. I’m just checking to see if you’ve made any progress on the psionic problem.”
“Yes, the psionic problem. We haven’t solved the issue yet, but we are making some progress by adapting the shield harmonics to the attack.”
“How much progress?”
“We can mitigate some of the more harmful effects of the attack. When you last experienced the attack, it had generally incapacitated your crew. We believe that while the attack will still cause suffering, the modifications will prevent the crew from being completely incapacitated.”
“I see. That is definitely progress. Have you consulted Hishim regarding this problem?”
Singh frowned. “With all due respect, Sir, I don’t feel comfortable sharing our discoveries with this alien.”
“You do know that Hishim can block the attack, right? Not just mitigate it. Does it not seem logical to take advantage of any advice he can give you?”
“But we would be revealing vital UHSF secrets to this alien.”
“I understand your concerns, Chief, but Hishim is well beyond your technology, so it is not like he needs to steal it. Consult with Hishim and see what improvements you can make. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Pike out.”
Singh disappeared from the display, and Jon went back to studying the galactic map. He knew Singh was worried about security, but he also suspected that there was a bit of pride involved, too. While he understood where it was coming from, he had no time for it. Now was the time for results, not egos.
Chapter four
“Idon’t think it is a good idea to go off-world right now,” said Rangar Kev, Miira’s father and the head of the Imperial Council.
“Your concern is noted, father,” Miira said. “But if I am to be Empress, I need to behave like it.”
“But this is why you have the Imperial Council. We deal with the military on your behalf.”
“Kriss dealt directly with the military. He didn’t rely on the council.”
“Yes, and forgive me for saying so, but didn’t that lead to a civil war?”
“The civil war was not Kriss’s fault. You know that.”
“Honestly, Miira. What do you know of military matters?”
“Very little, and Kriss has been dead for almost two years. That is unacceptable.”
“Do you expect the generals to teach you?” Kev said with a chuckle.
“No, father. I expect them to advise their Empress in the same way the Council advises me. Look, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going.”
“What if the Mistraan attack you again?”
“They can try, but I doubt they will surprise the Taymati again. Winter Palace security has been increased tenfold, which includes shields. Devar will be safe. I’ll have a large enough escort that trying to attack me would be suicide. So there is no need to worry.”
