Galaxy Undone, page 13
"Of course, Your Highness," Bellet agreed.
"Any of you who don't want to take part in my new government, are free to go. I will accept your presence as a silent promise of loyalty. I will meet anyone who breaks that promise with swift and violent justice."
Not a single noble moved from their place on the floor.
"Very well. On your feet. We have a war to win."
CHAPTER 23
Caleb knew with Fitz’s defeat that Crux might send additional warships to the Combine. Immediately following the meeting with the nobles, he and Bellet worked with the head of the Combine's small military to position their fleet around Primary Station. While Bellet had originally expected Castra to remain on Callus, the planet was too poorly defended to risk keeping her there. They could probably handle two or three Specters with Jack and Amali's help, but anything more and they would need to run, first into the belt and then into hiding elsewhere. Thankfully, their ability to communicate through the Collective allowed them to update Haas and the resistance in real-time despite the distances involved. If they did need to leave the Combine, Castra and the rebel ships could move almost immediately.
Maybe Crux and Iagorth would understand how difficult it would be for them to take him by surprise and catch Castra. Perhaps they might choose to wait for a better opportunity to challenge her rule. It was no secret she would eventually move on Atlas. They could sit back and wait her out, bolstering the planet's defenses in anticipation of her attack.
Whatever the reason, the Combine remained free of the Legion five days later, allowing both Caleb and Ishek time to fully recover from their exhaustion and injuries. Castra as well had had time to settle into her role as heir to the Empire, which she did quickly and fervently. While Haas had originally suggested she might be useful as a figurehead for the Spiral to rally around, she had already proven herself to be much more valuable than that. Within a day, she had made good on returning all the belt miners to their respective planets and reassigning all the Combine's recruiters to making better use of the resources the nobility had long hoarded. She was a natural leader, not only because her experiences in the belt had made her both strong and compassionate, but because she realized what she didn't know and wasn't afraid to lean heavily on those with more experience.
She leaned most heavily on Caleb, but he didn't mind.. From the moment he met Castra, he'd felt a protective kinship to her, like that of an older brother or even a father. The feeling seemed mutual. They spoke as comfortably as he had with anyone else he'd ever known, including his best friend, John Washington. She was inquisitive, intelligent, and most importantly, her own person. The damage to her face had given her a thick skin and an ability to ignore negative attention, and she didn't feel any pressure to be the type of Empress her mother had been. In fact, she outright rejected it, remaining determined to do things her way, and Caleb appreciated that.
"So, let me get this straight," Castra said. "You and Abraham are Centurion Space Force Marines, which is like the Royal Guard, but on Proxima Centauri, in what you call the Milky Way Galaxy."
"That's right," Caleb answered.
"He and another Marine named Jii Kwon were with you, looking for Pathfinder when you crashed into a wormhole and traveled through spacetime."
"We didn't crash. We flew into it intentionally."
"Right. And Pathfinder is the ship the Spiral's founders arrived in. Only nobody knows it because an Ancient Relyeh named Iagorth arrived with the ship, along with the khoron who became the first members of the Legion. He worked to erase the history of humankind's travel from Earth. Your homeworld."
"You have an impressive memory," Caleb said. "I still have trouble keeping all that straight."
"That's because you're almost three hundred years old. You're pretty ancient yourself."
Caleb laughed. "I sure am."
A light shudder drew their attention from their conversation to the doors leading to Primary Station’s Docking Arm Three. They could see the front of the freshly docked shuttle from here, and further in the distance, the outline of the warship Lo'ane.
"I'm excited to meet Ham," Castra said, her constantly tapping foot confirming her eager anxiety.
"I'm excited to see Marley," Caleb replied. "I haven't spoken to her since—"
"The Guardian Corps captured you on Galatin."
"I didn't think you were listening when I told you that story."
"Are you kidding? And miss the exploits of the greatest hero in the Universe?"
"I’ve never claimed that title."
"If you aren't in the running, I don't know who is."
"That's because you never met Sheriff Duke. I've never seen a man do more with less with greater tenacity, myself included."
"Maybe I'll get to meet him one day, too."
"Considering he hasn't been born yet, that might be difficult, but you never know."
They both straightened as the door leading further down the arm opened, revealing the retinue from Lo'ane behind it. General Haas fronted the group, Amali and Jack just behind him, along with Istari, Ham, and Marley, whose face split into a huge grin the moment she saw Caleb.
Castra had dressed in the same simple white uniform she'd worn to confront the nobles, only this time she left the face mask behind, her disfigurement in full view, daring Haas and the others to react. The General barely batted an eye, taking a single step forward before dropping to a knee and bowing his head.
"Your Highness," he said as he and his retinue reached the Princess and Caleb. "General Emerson Haas, your loyal and humble servant." Everyone behind him, including Ham, followed his lead.
"Rise, General," Castra said. "Rise everyone. Welcome to Primary Station."
"Your Highness,” Haas said as he rose, everyone behind him following suit. “I've served the Lo'ane family faithfully for nearly forty years. I'm honored to continue my service."
"Thank you, General. Caleb's told me a lot about you.”
"Only good things, I hope."
"No, but a man without flaws is a hard man to trust."
Haas smiled. "And what flaws does Captain Card possess?"
"As much as we need him to win this war against Crux, he is far too willing to throw his life away for others.”
"I'd hardly call that a flaw, considering the outcome in your case."
"That remains to be seen."
Haas looked to Caleb, offering his hand. "It's good to see you again, Captain."
"You too, General," Caleb replied, shaking his hand.
"Princess Castra," Istari said, the next to approach. She bowed her head as well. "I'm Istari Draco, Duke Draco's daughter. It's a true honor to meet you."
"You as well," Castra answered. "Where is your daughter?"
"Oh, I left her back on Lo'ane. She's a bit too rambunctious for a place like this."
"A mining station is certainly no place for a child. Caleb tells me that my mother chose you to be her successor as Empress."
The curveball froze Istari in place, face turning beet red. "I...its...we didn't know about you. And, I rejected the request. I don't want to be Empress."
"Neither do I," Castra answered, surprising her again, along with Haas this time. "But someone must. The Relyeh can't be allowed to thrive here."
"I don’t envy the job ahead of you, Your Highness," Istari answered, looking away.
"I'm sorry," Castra said. "I can be a little too direct sometimes. It comes from having to fight for everything I have."
"Except the crown," Istari snapped before freezing. "Oh, I shouldn't have said—"
Castra cracked up. "It's good to see you can give as good as you get. We'll get along just fine."
Istari smiled and nodded, greeting Caleb as Amali and Jack introduced themselves, exchanging brief pleasantries before giving way to Ham and Marley.
"Caleb!" Marley said excitedly, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek.
"Marley, it’s good to see you.” He glanced at Castra and Ham, a little flustered, quickly breaking the embrace. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you," he said, smiling warmly down at her.
"Are you kidding?" she replied. "You're the reason we're all here. Helping you was a hard decision to make, but it was the right one."
“You bet, it was.” Grinning, Ham grabbed the hand of his fellow CSF Marine and tugged him into a hearty embrace that ended with him pounding Caleb on the back. “It’s good to see you, Cap.”
“Good to see you, too. I can see the rebel life is being good to you.” Caleb’s eyes ran up and down Ham’s muscular torso. “You’re even more buff than the last time I saw you.”
“Well, you know how it is. Gotta keep at it. You know how I like to eat.”
“Like is an understatement.” He tugged Ham over in front of the Princess. “Castra has been wanting to meet you.”
“Really?” He looked a bit taken aback as his eyes landed on her.
“Princess, I’d like you to meet my good friend and arguably the best pilot in the Universe, Sergeant Abraham Cortez.”
Ham blushed as he bowed his head. “It’s a pleasure, Princess Castra.”
“Ham…” Giving him her lopsided smile, she grabbed his hand and vigorously shook it. “...it’s so good to meet you, too. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“If it’s good, it’s all true. If not, Cal’s lying.”
Both Castra and Caleb laughed. Castra released Ham’s hand and turned to Marley so the Guardian could introduce herself. Caleb clapped Ham on the shoulder, leaning in close to whisper in his ear. “Tae solved Benning’s algorithm. He knows how to get us home.”
Ham stared at Caleb in shock. “You’re kidding?”
“I wouldn’t kid about that.”
“This day just got so much better.”
“Keep it between us, okay? I don’t completely know who we can trust yet.”
“You got it, Cap.”
Caleb turned to Castra. “Princess, since we have a lot to discuss, we should probably get to it.
“Agreed,” Castra said, looking at Ham again. “I’m afraid we don't have much of a menu to offer on Primary, but I've arranged for a small meal service while we discuss the future of the Empire and how we're going to put an end to the Relyeh threat."
"General Haas, I had thought Duke Draco would be here," Caleb said.
"He sends his regards," Haas replied, turning to Castra. "Especially to you, Your Highness. He's en route to the Thelian territories to speak in person with Duke Thelmos. The Duke remains loyal to the Empire, but has been non-committal. With any luck, your emergence will convince him to commit his military might to our cause."
"If it would help, I can visit him myself," Castra offered.
"There’s really not enough time for that," Haas answered. "But your willingness to meet with him speaks volumes. To be honest, I expected Captain Card to have located an obituary, or a broken soul when I was informed he had found you in the belt."
"So you knew about the belt," Castra said. "And how the nobles populated the workforce out here?"
Haas' expression tightened. He nodded. "I did."
"And did you ever try to convince my mother to put an end to it?"
"No, Your Highness," he answered without hesitation.
"Why not?"
"It wasn't my place to question. Only to serve as best I could."
"Was that your rule, or hers?"
The corner of Haas' mouth curled in a wry smile. "Hers, Your Highness. She didn't appreciate words of advice from her generals that didn't involve military doctrine."
"Never hesitate to share your opinions with me, General. Agreed?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Haas answered. "Gladly."
"Now that we've settled that," Caleb said. "I suggest we head to the mess hall. We have a lot to talk about, and time isn't on our side."
CHAPTER 24
Caleb sat at the table next to Castra while the rest of the group found seats around the tables arranged in a rectangle in the center of the mess hall. It ensured everyone present could see one another when they spoke. Besides Haas and his party, Damian, Penn, Johan, and Naya had arrived from Gorgon, while Bellet and Baroness Kagata, of all people, had ridden up from Callus for the event. The mess was the smaller and cleaner of the two on Primary that the freed miners had normally frequented. It wasn't nearly as nice as the rooms where the nobility would gather back on Callus. Nor was it as nice as the manager's mess hall closer to Primary's center, but to Caleb it was more comfortable than any opulent space could have been.
Atrice and a second cook prepared plates at the open kitchen in the back of the mess, putting together dishes that created scents this part of the station had likely never experienced before. With the first course ready, volunteer servers brought over individual plates to each of the guests at the table. Maggie leaned in between Caleb and Castra to deliver both their plates—gingered vegetables, he knew, was one of Cookie's specialties.
"Thank you, Maggie," Caleb said, returning her smile. Like Mathis, Usef, and Reesa, she had remained on Primary station to support Castra's planned ascent to the throne. "Your Highness," she added, nodding to Castra.
"Thank you," Castra said, smiling as best she could. She lifted her napkin to wipe away some spittle that formed on the damaged side of her mouth.
Reesa delivered plates to Haas and Istari, while Lorna and Mathis took care of the others. The gathering had yet to get down to business; the participants having taken some time to get to know one another before starting the wider conversation. After savoring a few delicious bites of Atrice's cooking, Castra stood up, prompting Caleb, Haas and Bellet to rise too, the only ones who knew the proper protocol.
"Please, remain seated," Castra said, putting a hand on Caleb's shoulder to urge him back down. "I would prefer to keep things as informal as possible. Right now, I'm Empress of nothing."
"Not true, Your Highness," Haas said, dropping back into his seat. "You have the loyalty of the resistance, including the Draconian Duchy, and soon enough the Thalmos Territories. They will be the first of many, I'm sure."
Caleb glanced at Baroness Kagata. The noblewoman sat stiffly beside Bellet, her expression hard. She had tried to hide her not wanting to be there, but it was painfully obvious her loyalty to Castra extended only as far as how it might benefit her.
"The Kallio Combine is on your side as well," the Baroness said after an uncomfortable pause, her tone bordering on venomous.
"Thank you," Castra said. "Be that as it may, I prefer to keep things casual and open between us. You've each been called to this table for a reason. I spent my childhood in an orphanage and the last four years mining asteroids. While I read as much as I could about the galaxy, I haven't experienced any of it firsthand. I'm counting on you to fill in the many gaps in my knowledge."
"We're here because we believe in the Empire," Haas replied. "And in you, Castra." Her name flowed awkwardly from his lips, making it clear he wanted to address her formally while also complying with her request.
"I appreciate your support," Castra continued. "With that in mind, let’s discuss what comes next while we enjoy Atrice's incredible food."
She turned around and waved to him. He smiled and waved back, clearly enjoying himself.
She turned back and sat, picking up her fork. "First, I want to address our greatest challenge head-on. No matter how many nobles flock to restore the Empire to what it should be, the Relyeh Ancient Iagorth; and Lord Crux, with their exceptionally well-armed and prepared military, have spent the last six years burning through the Spiral, taking over autonomous planets. As it is, it will probably take a long time to restore the Combine to what it was. The Combine fleet, as well as Gorgon and Lo'ane, are on high alert while we sit here eating. The potential for a massive attack on this station cannot be overstated." She signaled she was done speaking by sticking a twisting purple root with her fork and taking a bite.
"According to Klim, the latest count of Specters in the Spiral is one hundred thirty-seven," Haas said. "That's barely enough to keep two in each territory."
"And more than enough to keep those territories subdued," Kagata said. "Nothing you have can defeat the raylium alloy. I should know, as I helped Crux locate it in the belt, mine it for him, and smelt it into a usable form."
"That's nothing to be proud of," Jack said. "You helped that bastard kill my father."
"Do you know how much Crux paid for the raylium?" Kagata answered, as if that reasoning would make sense to the kid.
"Coin isn't as important as loyalty," Jack answered, staring her down.
"Technically, coin is just numbers on a screen," Naya agreed, adding to his defense. "It only exists and has value because we all agree it does."
"And yet, you made it more important than people." Maggie added, unable to bite back her own opinion of the baroness’ treachery. "So many of your subjects died for those numbers on a screen."
"Do you expect me to feel sorry for them?" Kagata answered. "I don't." She shifted in her chair to stand. "I came to take part in a discussion on how to return Castra to her rightful place, not to be verbally attacked." She tossed down her napkin and shoved her chair back.
"Baroness, wait," Castra said. "All of you, please. If we're to stand any chance of defeating Crux, we need to put our old grudges, mistrust, and hatred aside. For the sake of the Empire."
"My apologies, Baroness,” Jack said, clearly reticent but resigned to circumstances. "Castra is right. We won’t get anywhere attacking one another."
Kagata froze, her lips thinning. She returned to her seat. "Apology accepted,” she bit out.
