Birthright: Battle for the Confederation- Consequence (8 page)

              Both crewmembers nodded, already back into their tasks.  Elco had needed to run half shifts for the bridge crew, rotating people out much more often than normal.  Following the Primans around in their own territory was nerve wracking at best, suicidal at worst, and the strain on the crew was starting to show after a couple days of it.  Regrettably, he knew it was far from over.

              Two days to go until the big jailbreak, and Web was already restless.  He had received another interrogation session, though this one was more about stressing him than in looking for answers.  Halley had been the unlucky recipient of two such sessions, and she had confessed to him that the Primans were working on a new interrogation drug.  Their reactions and stress levels would become data in the program's trials.  She also assured him that they'd be long gone before the interrogators got too far along with their experiment and put them in any real danger.  Web was not entirely reassured by this, but there wasn't exactly a way to opt out so he'd just shrugged.

              Halley, Mithus and Web strolled leisurely around the perimeter of the yard.  Their routine walks allowed them to survey their surroundings and the guards.  Web was becoming increasingly agitated with the waiting, a condition made worse when he commented to Halley that she now had a slight limp that seemed to be with her constantly.  She'd confessed that her nanites were basically used up and couldn't fix all the damage she'd subjected herself to these last few weeks.  Even the ones she'd transferred to Web before his capture in order to keep track of him were an inferior lot, mostly replicated in his body and subject to the same limits as Halley's; the most effective nanites by far were the ones loaded in at a Confed facility, made of exotic materials and custom programmed.  The ones that were replicated inside the body were a second-tier solution, meant to supplement the better units until replacements could be obtained.

              "So what's the endgame with the Senators, then?" Web asked as they completed another circuit.

              "Well," Halley confessed, "I haven't gotten too far into that phase yet.  I was worrying about the part where we escape without dying.  But, to oversimplify things a bit, I was hoping to get them back to Delos and swap these guys out with the cronies and collaborators that Senator Dennix has put in place.  I'm sure the prisoners here in this facility will not be too pleased with the Senator Dennix's policy of giving up Confed to the Primans.  We strengthen our government, get Confed back together, and go from there."

              "Inspiring the rest of the galaxy to band together and defeating the Primans within days," Web said confidently.

              "Might take a bit longer than that," Mithus replied with a chuckle. 

              "Hey, if Halley says 'jump', the galaxy knows it better cooperate."

              "There are rumors," Enric Shae said gently, "that we have lost more ships to the Independent Alliance."

              Senator Dennix bristled at that, cursing softly to himself.  Enric Shae tried to not look perturbed with the man.  Ever since the civil war had been declared, the Senator had become less effective and more unstable.  Shae had taken to simply delivering some orders and edicts on his own initiative.  Dennix was less interested in hearing the real facts than in how things might turn out.  Shae had scheduled a meet with his latest Priman handler on Delos about this.

              "A skirmish?" asked the senator.

              "No; a small task force just failed to return from an exercise and was last seen headed towards a breakaway sector."

              Dennix grunted and leaned back in his chair.  He hadn't left his chambers in weeks, and often didn't even change clothes until there was a press conference or visitor to greet.  "We're going to lose the ability to even control our own populace if this keeps up."

              "They don't have to know about it, of course," Shae replied smoothly.  The populace wasn't aware of a great many things, in fact.

Five

              That evening, Enric Shae stopped by his apartment in the upscale area of town where Senator Dennix also lived.  In contrast to the senator, though, Shae spent most nights there.  He even had a small list of lobbyists, contributors and representatives of various interests that were allowed to visit him there.  His security detail was openly disapproving of the policy, but he wasn't a pleasant person when people told him 'no'.  Whereas in the government buildings people underwent just short of a full medical exam before they could see him or Senator Dennix, these more off-the-books appointments were more casual.  Security checked for weapons and ran a quick background check, and if it panned out the visitor was allowed in.

              Among the exclusive people with private access was a stunning lobbyist from a real estate group that specialized in vacation and investment properties.  Unfortunately for them, most of their holdings were in contested places; systems claimed by the other side of the civil war, held under Priman control, or simply blacked out and unable to access communications.

              It was a not-too-well kept secret among the security detail that the woman barely even worked for the company in question.  They knew she'd only worked there for a matter of months and had no real business lobbying for them.  They also knew that she was a very attractive human female who visited Enric Shae at his home every week or two.  It wasn't exactly scandalous since Shae wasn't married and she didn't appear to be, either, but the cloak-and-dagger nature of it all was just par for the political game.

              "Mister Shae," the mysterious woman said as the door closed behind her after she'd entered Enric's apartment.

              "Operative Sonesta," Shae replied with a nod.  He offered to take her jacket and hung it in his hall closet.  She strode purposefully to the grand windows in the main sitting area.  They looked out on an amazing night time view of the capital city of Delos.  This high rise was one of the tallest in the region, enough so that she couldn't see through all the tiers down to ground level.  She counted four levels below and then the rest was lost in darkness.

              "You said you have an urgent request."  She turned to him and his heart raced.  She was truly a beautiful woman, and even though he knew she was wearing a prosthetic mask to appear human it didn't matter.  He'd seen her without the disguise and his opinion was no different then.  She was a hair taller than him, physique perfect in that way Primans seemed to have; they were the idealized human form, and it was obvious at times like this that his people were definitely descended or at least related to them.  He knew the security detail thought the two of them were involved, and once he'd mentioned it to her and tried to subtly suggest they go through with the real thing in order to make the situation authentic.  The look of disdain on her face had said it all; she'd tried to hide it, but he knew what she thought of him.  Still, some part of him wasn't completely over her.

              "It's about the senator," Shae replied.  "He's become more erratic.  I've been conducting much of the business of the office on his behalf.  This civil war has affected him.  You must know that when I was with your people we talked about me replacing him, and I think it's time to go through with that.  I worry he will become ineffective, or at worst he will lose control of what's left of the Confederation.  We need a strong hand right now."

              "And you are ideally suited to the task?" she asked, bemusement in her voice. 

              "I've been prepared for this.  We, your people and mine, have a grand plan in place.  We can't lose it because the senator has lost touch."

              Sonesta merely nodded and turned back to take in the view outside.  Truthfully, she'd been told to expect this, both the pressure from Shae and the reality that Dennix might crack and become useless to her people.  She was surprised it had taken Shae this long to make his play.

              "I have instructions to agree to many of your requests," she began, taking note of the eager expression on Shae's face.  "However, at this exact time we cannot have the government just turn over its senior leadership.  We will place you in charge of most aspects currently held by Senator Dennix.  I will send him a message to that effect, and if he knows what is best he will agree to them without hesitation.  But know this: Senator Dennix must still appear to be in charge.  You will make the decisions, he will be the figurehead.  In due time, he will fall and you will take his place."

              "You won't regret this," Shae said with confidence.

              "Another matter, as well," Sonesta continued.  "I have been asked to inquire on your search for Avenger.  Apparently the Commander takes a personal interest in her destruction."

              "Other than being declared enemies of the Confederation, I have nothing new to report.  We have the combined Third and Ninth Fleets operating near your border in the region where she was seen last.  If we find any leads, we will take appropriate action."

              "I have... news," said Representative Terir.

              Commander Tash looked up from his desk in annoyance.  Terir was normally very decisive; it seemed at times as though he actually relished giving him bad news.  So why the hesitation?  "Well, what is it?"

              "Representative Velk was seen on a planet in the Moor system."

              Tash tried to talk and swallow at the same time; the noise that escaped was not something a dignified Commander should have made.  "Where is he now?"

              Terir continued solemnly.  "Military forces learned about his presence through some sort of signals intercept, we believe.  I am still waiting for a full report from our people there.  He was captured by planetary security before we could arrive on scene."

              "Who was in charge of planetary security there?"

              "Representative Ravine's family holds that system."

              "Excellent," Tash replied.  Velk was now in the hands of the Priman leadership.  With any amount of luck, nobody important knew of this turn.  He looked at Terir and his heart sank.  He knew something wasn't right about the situation.

              "There was also a human, a Confederation soldier, captured with him.  Security footage passed through our database identifies him as the Executive Officer of Avenger."

             
Now that is distressing
, Tash thought.  Avenger was at the top of the navy's most-wanted list.  Why were they in Priman space together?  Velk was supposed to be dead, assassinated on his own orders.  Avenger was likewise supposed to be out of the picture, sidelined by Senator Dennix to backwater assignments and away from the front before he'd declared them traitors and given a shoot-on-sight order for all Confederation ships.

              "What is their status?" Tash inquired.

              "Representative Ravine's family has informed the Council of their capture and is bringing the Representative and Avenger's XO here to Callidor.  The Council will have their opportunity to question Representative Velk on his whereabouts these last few months and our military will no doubt interrogate Commander Stone as well."

              Disaster.  Velk could upset everything.  From an attempted assassination to his potential influence over the Council, he couldn't be allowed to gain an audience with the Priman leadership.

              "I believe we need to ensure the former Commander doesn't reach Callidor," said Tash slowly.  "His ties to the Council could jeopardize our plans for this galaxy.  After all the effort we've expended to make sure our conquest goes according to our plan, we can't have him upset that.  Do you agree?"

              "I know what to do," Terir replied solemnly.

              "It is truly regrettable," Terir said, a downcast air hanging over him.  He looked at the captain of the ship on the holo screen.  "The ship was taken while near Confederation space.  Most of the crew are human agents disguised as Primans.  We believe they have kept enough alive to help run the ship, but our reports indicate a boarding party killed off and spaced most of the crew.  We must assume there are no recoverable Priman soldiers aboard or that the Confed forces will not allow our people to be rescued.  Much as it pains me to require such an action, I need to order you to intercept and destroy that Priman vessel.  We are not interested in survivors."

              Loren, Velk and Ravine's father (who had still not given a first name to use when addressed) sat around a table in the salon adjacent to the room Loren had woken up in.  It was well appointed, as Loren assumed would befit an important family in Priman culture.  He noticed a lack of material possessions, though, which was understandable considering the thousand year exile imposed on them.  There were a handful of ancient looking items; an old fashioned gear-driven mantle clock, several real paintings, and a full dinner service in some sort of silver metal displayed in a glass case near the hatch to another compartment.

              "As you can imagine," Ravine's father had told Loren when asked about the sparse decorations, "we did not have much time or material to devote to comfort, considering almost every resource went into the repair and manufacture of our motherships.  Though this cruiser is new, the design is relatively unchanged in the last hundred years.  The furnishings are new and not recycled, a luxury not all Priman vessels have been afforded.  Our few family heirlooms were transferred with me, but this is a typical vessel; working ship first, home second."

              "After being in space so long, how do you think your people would cope with settling on a planet again?" Loren asked.

              Velk responded.  "I cannot speak for everyone, but the concept was disturbing at first.  As I spent more time on Callidor and other planets, though, I came to appreciate it.  The fresh, unprocessed air, rain, temperature changes.  I for one am ready."

              Velk looked at the elder Ravine for a response but stopped.  Loren felt it, too; the jarring shudder of a ship coming out of hyperspace, though he had to admit the Priman ship seemed to revert more smoothly than Avenger did.

              "There already?" Loren asked, confused.

              "No," Ravine's father said confidently.  "We are almost ten hours away from Callidor.  I do not know what the reversion was for."

              Loren was about to say something when he felt another familiar sensation: laser blasts impacting the hull of the ship.

              "They're what?" Elco asked incredulously as he spun in his chair to look at Lieutenant Caho.

              "Under fire by two other Priman vessels; one light and one heavy cruiser."

              "Dropping out of hyperspace, Captain," the helm officer stated, dropping into realspace so they didn't run up into the Priman gathering up ahead.

              Elco looked at the main tactical holo in the front of the bridge as it populated with the rapidly-incoming sensor data.  There it was: a formation of two Priman ships facing the cruiser Loren and Velk were on, with a small blip marking Avenger's location far behind.  Other than a beacon marking the mine which generated the mass shadow that had ripped the Priman cruiser Avenger was following out of hyperspace, there were no other ships or objects of note within sensor range.  There were no witnesses to the scene other than Elco and his ship.

              The ship rocked again, and Loren heard the creak and groan of strained alloys and heavy laser fire hammered away at the ship's hull.

              "Is this a Confederation trap?" asked the elder Ravine, accusation in his eyes as he glared at Loren.

              "Hell no!" yelled Loren over the crash and snap of structural members being destroyed.  "Confed wants us to succeed as much as you do!"

              "Who else would fire on us?" asked Velk

              "Bridge!" yelled the elder Ravine as he stabbed an intercom bracelet on his wrist.  "What is the meaning of this?"

              "We are under attack from two Priman ships!" came the strained response.  "They fired on us before our shields were up.  We are in extreme danger."

              "You think?" Loren muttered to himself.  He wondered if Avenger was too far away to see what was happening.

              Captain Elco was beside himself.  Two Priman ships were firing on Loren's vessel.  He could order a microjump and intervene, but that would potentially shred what credibility Loren might have.  If whichever Primans were transporting Loren and Velk knew that they'd been shadowed this whole time by a Confed ship, the deal might just be off.  On the other hand, if Loren's ship was destroyed by these attackers, that sort of made the whole mission moot to begin with in the first place, didn't it?

              "Range?" he asked the helm officer.

              "One hundred twenty thousand points," the woman replied.