Knight of the Empire
Chapter 7

I woke and shook the slumbering figure beside me. “Get up Tony you’re on duty in an hour.

Tony groaned and clambered out of bed only a pair of shorts covering his lower regions. He yawned and stretched as I admired his well-muscled body.

“I’ll grab a quick shower before I get dressed if you don’t mind,” he told me.

“Mind, I don’t mind at all. I’m just admiring the view,” my reply was genuine.

Tony turned and flashed me a smile. “As I do.”

I wondered if I was doing the right thing sleeping with him. Whatever I might have thought it sure felt good. What had started with an apology dinner, which Gena had cooked from stuff she had scrounged from stores had changed to something more intense. I had to admit Gena was a very good cook unlike my disastrous efforts. When I was in the CGF tasks were assigned to officers as well as privates. One time it was my turn to cook for my company but that had gone so badly they had to close the canteen for redecoration and my CO stated that I was never to touch a stove ever again and to never mention the incident to anyone.

I rose and slipped into a robe. Tony would be out in a minute or two. On schedule he was out. Still dripping wet he gave a peck on my cheek as we passed.

“See you in a minute,” he laughed giving me a pat on my rear. Had anyone else done that I would have punched them.

My shower was more leisurely and I revelled in the feeling. Showered and dressed I headed out of the bedroom. Gena was waiting for me in the living room of my quarters a slight smile on her face.

“Breakfast’s ready my lady.” She was always formal around Tony. Although we had both told her it wasn’t necessary.

I felt my stomach rumble as I surveyed the food on the table. Which had been set up behind the sofa in the centre of the room. Gena had surpassed all expectations again. “Oh Gena this is lovely.” I wasn’t trying to be nice I knew how good she was.

“I did my best lady you know what rubbish they’ll serve up on Confederacy ships,” seeming to forget that I was originally from the Confederacy.

Tony was already seated and eating. He glanced at us and smiled. My heart fluttered for a moment as I smiled back. In a few hours the ship would exit from hyperspace. Hopefully a Confederacy ship would be waiting for us. I seated myself and let Gena serve me. The food was good but all too soon it the time for Tony to leave.

“See you later,” he said as he kissed me.

As much as I liked this domestic bliss in a few hours I would back home in the Confederacy. I watched him go my heart heavy torn by my love for the Confederacy and the want to be with Tony. I sighed, a deep sigh and turned back to face Gena. “I’ll help clean up and then we need to pack?” I gave Gena a look regretting having to agree to take Gena with me. “You are going to be alright?”

“I’ll be fine Sandra.”

“We’ll be leaving the Empire I’m not sure when or even if we’ll be back.”

“Wherever you go I’ll be with you. I have pledged my oath to you.”

I hadn’t wanted to drag the younger woman with me but Tony had asked me to take Gena. Not out of any sort of malice Tony seemed convinced that I needed Gena’s help. My only other regret was leaving Tony behind despite our rocky start I really liked Tony, liked him a lot. Suddenly I halted my emotions conflicted. Would I ever see him again? Melancholy filled my heart but I hid it well.

Alice was waiting for me as I stepped into the corridor outside my quarters. After my stupidity we slipped into an easy friendship. I suspected it was more to do with her not being able to read my mind. I was her island of calm in the turmoil that surrounded her. She often complained of headaches with so many other thoughts traipsing through her mind.

“Alice?”

“Heading to the bridge?” she said and smiled.

“It won’t be long until you’re rid of me,” I told her. She knew I would be on the bridge when we came out of hyperspace.

Her smile slipped a little I thought I’d put my foot in it again. I was getting used to using Terran colloquialisms they didn’t have any in Galactic.

“It is good to have you around. Tony won’t be the only one that will sad when you leave.” Alice at least understood why I had to go.

“I know I can be a bitch at times. I have tried to keep those to a minimum.”

“Not all the time that’s true.” Alice put her hand on my shoulder. Like me she wasn’t the touchy feely type another Terran expression I had picked up. “I didn’t want to alarm you but Tony’s worried.”

“About the Confederacy? We don’t hold grudges.” It was true in most cases. I was an exception my hatred was the Orsini they murdered my father.

“Not that I don’t think he told you how we were attacked by the Rhosani.”

“To tell the truth I’ve never pressed the issue. Not since I tried to attack him on the bridge. I wasn’t at my best at the time. I have enjoyed his company since then.”

“As he has yours.”

I knew that was true Alice would have read it from his mind. I blushed thinking of Alice privy to our intimate moments. She was too loyal to the both of us to wave it in our faces.

“I am discrete,” she said with a nod.

“That’s between us,” I told her. “And Gena I don’t think she’s as green as she makes out.”

“Gena is clever but in that regard she keeps her thoughts neutral. That wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about. I just wanted you to hear the full story.” She indicated the door back to my quarters.

We moved back inside and sat on the sofa.

“Ok Alice spit it out.”

“We were about 45minutes from Pluto when Tony called me to the bridge. It’s better if tell you in his own words.”

Tony.

I sat in my chair my eyes on the holo of the ship in front of me my mind heavy with regret too much had happened lately. I could have stopped James before he had hardwired the alien device directly into his brain. I shuddered at the thought that in his madness he had cut a hole in his head and placed it directly onto his exposed brain. How the hell he hadn’t killed himself doing so was a mystery and had his doctor perplexed.

“Sir!” a voice called out breaking from my thoughts.

“Report helm?”

“You wished to know when we were forty-five minutes out from the Pluto beacon.”

“Slow to sub-light at fifty thousand k’s from the beacon.”

“Aye sir!”

I pressed a button on my wrist comms link. “Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg to the bridge.” Suddenly a pulsing headache hit me. Through my blurred vision I could see I wasn’t the only one effected. A number of crewmembers within range were rubbing their foreheads. “Report!” I barked.

“Sir!” the sensor operator at the console stuttered clearly unsteady. I could see the pain clearly in her eyes. The same look on the faces of most of the bridge crew. Those damn headaches were affecting all the bridge crew. “We’re being scanned.”

“By what?” My headache made it difficult to think straight.

“Some sort of probe a spherical object twenty metres across. I never registered until it started scanning.”

As quick as it started my headache was gone. “Where is it now?”

“Moving away from the ship sub-light speed. Do we pursue?”

“Negative go to yellow alert!” I saw crew scramble to the gunnery stations. Alice slipped in beside me breathing hard.

“Weapons online, missiles loaded into the tubes,” the gunnery officer shouted.

I considered calling Central Command but my orders were clear. The shuttle in bay six was on a special mission. Its crew had never left the shuttle. It was imperative that I delivered the shuttle and its contents to a Confederacy ship waiting outside the system. Orders had been specific no out going comms.

“Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg I want distress beacons primed and ready to launch.”

“Aye sir,” she replied then said to the crew. “Come on people the clocks running and this is no drill.”

“Helm,” I said my voice loud over the hubbub of the bridge. “Slow to combat speed.”

“Sir!” the woman on the sensor station shouted. “Sensors picking up a disturbance of unknown origin.”

I sat up straight in my seat. “Where?”

The sensor operative looked at the ceiling. “At ninety degrees above our hull.”

“Red Alert, put the image on the holo!”

The image flickered showing the unfamiliar lines of an alien ship. The shape reminded me of a fried egg with lots of lumps.

“Sir I’m reading an energy spike from the alien ship!”

“Raise shields, power weapons!” I yelled. The alien ship was too close to ours.

The holo showed a red beam of light lancing out from the alien vessel aimed at the Jakarta. The ship shook.

“Damn it where are my shields.”

“Captain that beam went straight through the shields,” Alice shouted back.

“Return fire.”

“No effect!” Alice remarked. “Firing missiles.”

“Damage report!” I couldn’t have felt any more helpless.

“Direct hit to bay six.”

“Another energy spike.”

“Manoeuvring thrusters, combat speed. I want the main gun online.” I was certain the main gun of the Jakarta would give us a fighting chance.

There was another flash of red on the holo.

“Hit to engineering,” Alice informed me. “We’ve lost the hyperdrive. We still have FTL and thrusters.

I knew we would be dead if we couldn’t score an effective hit of our attacker. The massive railgun ran the length of the ship. Its three ton shells fired at near light speed would vaporise anything smaller than a frigate shields and all. Even a ship the size of the Jakarta would suffer significant damage.

With agonising slowness the Jakarta turned. The alien ship remained in position if daring us to do our worst.

“Fire the main gun as soon as you can target the enemy,” I ordered I wasn’t sure if we would damage the alien ship even if we could score a direct hit.

Alice didn’t even wait for my permission she fired as soon as she could.

I saw the holo of the alien ship move as the shell hit it. “That did something,”

I muttered then added louder. “Comms send out a distress call.”

“Negative sir we’re being jammed.”

“Launch comm buoys, full dispersal.”

“Comm buoys launched. Sir the alien ship is targeting the buoys.”

“Sir!” the sensor operator suddenly shouted. “Multiple signals inbound.”

A shiver passed through my body. “We’re dead?” I thought.

The sensor operator’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Sir, the enemy ship is moving away?”

I looked at Alice. “Shall we pursue?” she asked me.

“Best speed continue to harass the enemy keep us in line with the main gun.” I was certain now the other signals were the First Fleet. Briefly I wondered how they got here so quickly but I hadn’t the time to speculate

Suddenly the space around my ship was full of Imperial Cruisers.

“It’s the First Fleet!” someone shouted sounding relieved.

A ragged shout of glee arose from the bridge crew.

“Helm get us closer. Alice keep those weapons targeted on the enemy.”

A beam of red light flashed out from the alien ship destroying a frigate that had placed itself between the Jakarta and the alien ship. As one the fleet fired every single railgun and missile targeting the alien ship. A nimbus of purple light tinged with streaks of black surrounded the alien ship and then it was gone.

“Did we destroy it?” I could hardly believe what my eyes had seen.

“Negative,” Alice replied disappointed. “They turned tail and ran.”

“I want a full damage report all sections,” I felt tense.

“Aye sir.”

“Sir comms are back up.” The crewman manning the station reported. “Message from the Rome.”

“Put it on the holo.”

“Aye sir.”

I was expecting to see Admiral Jones another face stared from the holo. “Admiral Wen Ju?” I saluted my old mentor.

“I’m coming aboard. I’ meet you in your office. Rome out.”

I sat in my office worried. The shuttle had been destroyed, the hyperdrive was out of commission and thirty of my crew were dead with another dozen badly injured. One of the dead was James he had suffered a major cardiac arrest and the doctor could not save him. I wasn’t sure what I would say to the admiral when he arrived. I jumped a little when the door chimed. I hadn’t realised I was that tense.

“Enter!” I called out standing as Alice and the admiral entered the room. A strange pale skinned woman with equally pale hair and bloodshot eyes followed them in. The woman wore an imperial dress uniform with medical insignia on her shoulders.

I saluted instantly coming to attention. “Admiral Wen Ju, sir!”

“At ease Captain Miller! Please be seated.”

Admiral Wen Ju sat in the chair in front of the desk. Alice came and stood beside me a troubled look in her eyes her focus on the pale woman with the admiral. The woman’s hand rested on the admiral’s shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind it was there.

“This is Lieutenant Davies. I’ll get to her contribution later,” Wen Ju said as if it didn’t matter.

“Sir our mission failed the aliens destroyed the shuttle.” I hadn’t time to compile a full report yet.

Wen Ju nodded thoughtfully. “First off I must apologise. We’ve deceived you. There was no one on the shuttle it was a remote.”

“Sir? I don’t understand?”

“We used you as bait to draw out the Rhosani.”

“They were that close to earth?” I had heard the rumours that the old Emperor was under the influence of these Rhosani. I was shocked and a little angry. “But why me? You could have at least told me?”

I saw Wen Ju glance towards Alice. “The Rhosani are telepathic they would have picked the deception out of your mind.”

I had an inkling of an understanding.

“Telepathic?” Alice blurted her face going pale.

“Yes Commander Heisenberg,” Wen Ju said to her.

“Commander?” Alice stared at Wen Ju.

“Your promotion which in my opinion was long in coming.” Wen Ju regarded me carefully. “Captain Miller you have a question?”

“But why pick me surely you have better captain’s out here?”

“Several reasons, which I now know were correct. You have been around the palace lately?”

“Yes sir?” I replied wondering where the questioning was going.

“You took an interest in the Empress’ cousin Lady Sandra Locke?”

“Yes?” I had to admit that I had a feeling they already knew so there was no point in hiding it now.

“The Rhosani would have picked up your interest in her from your mind.”

“Why would they do that?” I felt confused.

“She has given them cause to fear her. The deception was quite simple, make them believe she was aboard.” Wen Ju frowned. “You’ll have to release Guerro from the brig.”

“There’s a connection there is there?” I guessed. “Her lady, is Lady Sandra?” It all made sense now. “She believed so strongly that these Rhosani had to take the bait. Wait what about the device?”

“Until you found it we had no way of knowing it was aboard the ship. I am glad you did it would have screwed everything up.” I saw him nod to Alice as Lieutenant Davies removed her hand from the Wen Ju’s shoulder.

Suddenly I made a startling guess about the Lieutenant. “Lieutenant Davies is a telepath?” I had heard that most Confederacy ships carried counsellors who were reported to be telepaths.

“Yes, although I can’t go into details for operational reasons.”

I drew a deep breath I was in way over my head. “What happens now sir?”

“You will return to Earth and make a personal report to her majesty.” Wen Ju’s eyes flicked to Alice. “Commander Heisenberg is a latent telepath. Lieutenant Davies confirmed that when we came aboard. She will report to the Medical Corps for further training.”

“Do I not get a say in any of this?” Alice demanded.

“You are an officer in the Imperial Navy you go where you are ordered. We need every telepath we can lay our hands on. There is too much to risk. You of all people should know what danger the Rhosani are to the galaxy?”

“Yes sir!” Alice saluted stiffly.

“I’m sorry,” Wen Ju apologised. “There was no other way.” He stood. “Get your ship back to Earth Dock at best speed. We’ll replace our own way back.”

I sagged back in my seat after they had gone. “Give me a full damage and casualty report.” Alice had not moved from her place at my side. I knew that she wasn’t happy with the situation but we were both in the same boat.

“Yes sir.”

“Commander now, you do deserve that promotion.”

“Bribe you mean?” Alice scowled. “So I’ll have to go on that training scheme they made damn sure I have to attend.”

“If it helps to stop these Rhosani it’s not so bad?” I consoled her.

“That remains to be seen,” she replied. “Once I’ve got those reports I’ll help you compose yours for the palace.”

“Dismissed Alice.”

Watching Alice leave I sat straight in my chair suddenly Earth seemed a long way away.

Sandra.

“Wait! What’s this about a device?” I blurted out. Alice’s telling of Tony’s story seemed so real then again she was a telepath.

“James Craven our Chief Engineer found a an odd cube in engineering.”

“This device what was it doing on your ship?”

“Commodore Pulaski was one of those Rhosani replacements.”

That I could relate to that I had encountered one on Melanos. I killed that one then promptly passed out. The next when I woke up I was on a Terran ship heading to Earth.

“He disappeared. All that anyone could replace was his crumpled uniform and a pile of dust.”

That fitted with what Camelia told had happened to Colonel Franklin and the Rhosani in the throne room. “This device.” I wanted to know what Alice had discovered.

“Was attached to the sensor system. We really didn’t know what it was and how it was related to later events. Simony thought it some sort of monitoring device so he handed it to Craven to study,” Alice shook her head. “I’m still unsure how it never effected him. Simony that is.”

I had met Lieutenant Simony, the young Martian reminded me of the Ezaran he had their natural abilities when handling tech. “Fifth or sixth generation Martian?”

Alice nodded. “One of your people now as Duchess of Mars.”

I didn’t say anymore on that subject. I felt uncomfortable about the title Ellie had thrust on me. “The device?” I prompted Alice back on to our original topic.

“Craven became obsessed by it. We thought it just an object but we didn’t know what it was really capable of.”

“What did it do?”

“We’re unsure until Craven decided to attach it to his brain.” Alice shuddered. “I was there when he barricaded himself into his workroom. We had to cut our way in.”

“That goes beyond normal behaviour?” I wasn’t going to dwell on my own irrational behaviour at times.

“That it does. He tried to take control of the ship. Simony had to cut all links to the workroom.”

“And?”

“I wasn’t alone Tony ordered two squads of Marines to accompany me.” She gave me a pained looked. “He fought like a man possessed which I guess he was. He killed one Marine and injured another before we could subdue him.”

“That’s bad.” I knew all about battle rage. I had been affected by it on Anoxi. In battle rage there was no way of stopping it once you were enthralled.

“One of my team pulled the device off Craven’s head. It was then that we saw how far he had gone. Hr hard cut a piece of his skull out to put that thing in.”

“The device made him do that put it in his head?”

“That’s the mystery. He should have been dead.”

“The device was keeping him alive?”

“Barely. Simony shoved it into a secure container. The ones we have for hazardous materials.”

“So it was safely out of the way?” I had to ask the question I didn’t think that would be the end Alice seemed to want to say more.

“Not really I could feel it.”

“Feel it?”

“Somehow it woke my telepathy.” Alice hesitated. “I took the container to Tony I wasn’t sure what we should do with it. I felt it try to influence Tony. He wanted to lock in safe storage but I could feel it waiting. I didn’t want it on the ship.” She shrugged. “I deliberately misinterpreted his orders.”

“You did?” That surprised me Alice seemed to be by the book kind of person.

“He told me to put it safely where it wouldn’t harm the crew. I couldn’t risk it replaceing someone to let it out.”

“You make it sound like a living thing?”

“I can’t really describe how it made me feel. So I placed it in a missile and launched it into space.”

“You did?” I thought about what she had said. “I would have done the same.”

“But you wouldn’t have attached it to a nuke and detonated it.”

“Don’t judge me I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid. You did the best you could have done to protect the ship and the crew. Well done,” I said and I meant it.

“But you wouldn’t have placed yourself under arrest.”

“That’s true.”

“Tony gave me the gears for being out of uniform while on duty. I think he agreed with my decision but he couldn’t do so officially.”

“What happened to Craven?”

“He died when the Rhosani attacked.”

“Oh?”

“He never recovered from his injury. The doc said he died from massive coronary heart trauma.”

“Ok.” I glanced at the chronometer on the wall. I had to get up to the bridge. Alice had given me a lot to think about.

Tony was seated in his chair slightly leaning forward and staring at the empty holo projector at the centre of the bridge when we stepped onto through the door. I slipped in beside him and saluted.

“Colonel Locke reporting in,” I said. Even on a ship of this size I’m sure everyone knew I was sleeping with him.

“Be seated colonel,” he replied giving my hand a light touch as I sat beside him.

Alice slid into the seat on his other side. “Helm report!” she barked sounding professional.

“Exit in forty ma’am.”

It seemed like Confederacy standards were settling in. Tony must have said something. I felt my heavy heart lighten at that.

“Comms?” Tony asked sitting back in his chair. “A quick burst signal on exit.”

“Aye sir!” The comms officer replied.

Minutes ticked by each seeming to last and eternity.

“Exiting in 5,4,3...” the helm, said.

The light flickered we were back into normal space after travelling weeks in hyperspace. The holo projector quiescent all those weeks sprung into life showing an image of the ship and the nearby system.

“Where are we?” I asked I wasn’t familiar with the system showing on the holo I couldn’t make out any planets.

“The designation is Altair 479 also known Kalimares by the Confederacy and uninhabited system on the edge of Confederacy space,” Tony told me.

“Full of barren airless rocks.” Alice added. “Lots of asteroids.”

“Any sign of a Confederacy ship?” I asked.

“Negative,” the sensor operator replied with a glance to Tony.

“Helm take it slow and steady,” Tony said his eyes never leaving the holo image.

“Aye sir slow and steady.”

I found myself drumming my fingers on the chair arm. I stopped when Tony glared at me. “Sorry,” I apologised.

He nodded in my direction and turned back to the holo.

“Sir!” sensor operator called out. “Picking up a signal, no make that six signals.”

Tony glanced to me. “We were told to expect only one ship.”

“Perhaps something has changed?” I didn’t want to think of the alternative.

“May be so,” Tony said warily. “All stations to yellow alert, stand ready no one is to arm weapons until I order it.”

I saw crew scramble into position.

“All stations ready!” Alice said standing.

“Sensors, ID on ships,” Tony spoke his voice carrying across the confines of the bridge.

“Aye sir!” the sensor operator replied then added. “Sir cannot comply.”

“Talk to me?” Tony asked the sensor operator.

“All ships have the same energy signature.”

“What?” Tony sounded perplexed.

I had an idea but I felt uncomfortable about expressing my thoughts feeling I might be betraying Confederacy secrets. “There’s only one ship the others are decoys.” I would have to deal with consequences later.

“Decoys?” Tony asked. “Sensors?”

“That makes sense sir.”

I slipped out of my seat and hurried over to the comms console. “Give me a general broadcast all comms channels.”

“Aye ma’am,” the comms officer leaned over to give me control of the console.

“Confederacy ship this is Major Locke 43rd GF ready for transfer. ID code...” I rattled off my ID code hoping it would work. I had serious doubts that they would answer according to Com Ops I was on an extended leave of absence.

“Sir,” the sensor operator called out. “All but one of the signals have vanished.”

“ID on the ship?” I asked.

“Unknown but appears to Manta class.”

I had to translate the Terran designation into Confederacy terms. It meant the Confederacy ship was a heavy scout like the Havok although I doubted that they would send the Havok. It would have been nice to see Marsha again even though she had never replied to any of my messages. “I’ll get myself down to the shuttle bay, captain.” I saluted Tony.

Tony returned my salute. “I’ll accompany you there. Heisenberg you have the conn.”

“Aye sir,” she said adding to me. “Good luck out there your grace.”

A gentle reminder that I was considered to be a Terran Duchess.

We headed to the shuttle bay halfway down Tony put his hand on my arm. I was so deep in my thoughts that it took a moment to register it there. “Tony?”

“You will be safe?”

I noted he was asking a question and not making a statement. “That I don’t know.” I had to be honest. “The Rhosani must be stopped.”

Tony pulled me close and kissed me long and deep. I didn’t want to make a fuss but I melted into his embrace. Finally I pulled away and straightened my uniform. “We must get to the bay they’ll be waiting.” With that we continued our journey.

I stepped into the shuttle bay and for the first time reluctant to leave. My mind was full of confused feelings and it would have been easier if Tony hadn’t been at my side. Marines and my personal guard lined the door to the shuttle. I had seen little of my guard on the journey through hyperspace. I expect the message had finally gotten through to them that I didn’t need protection. Although I sincerely doubted that was the case. Tony had them reassigned to his Marine commander for the duration. I was certain of this when I spent my idle time training with the Marines. Gena was with them. I knew my duty and inspected the honour guard. Normally I relished the routine but now I wasn’t so certain. I was leaving Tony and that weighed heavily on my mind. Finally it was over.

“Very good Captain Miller,” I said it wasn’t what I really wanted to say but duty came first.

“Thank you ma’am,” Tony was formal. I heard a slight catch in his voice. It made me feel worse.

“Get yourself aboard,” I told Gena. She would have to come with me I wasn’t going to abandon her after what Alice had told me.

“Yes my lady,” she answered boarding the shuttle and sitting down.

I knew my duty a speech was expected although I’d never been any good at those. All my speeches were written for me. I took a deep breath and spoke. “We go to stop the Rhosani not for the Empire or the Confederacy but for every man, woman and child. Our actions will attempt to build a brighter freer future for all of us.” I wasn’t going to mince my words. There was a good chance this could go all so very wrong and I still didn’t know what the Guardians wanted from me. I turned to Tony and saluted he was my biggest regret. “Keep the empress safe!”

“We will your grace,” he used my official title.

Before he could say more I hurried aboard the shuttle and sat down next to Gena. The younger woman looked tense.

“Ok Gena?”

“Yes my lady.” She looked as if she wanted to say more but my guard entering and taking seats flanking me stopped her.

“You do know there will be no room for you aboard the Confederacy ship.” I told my guard commander. Another regret I hadn’t got to know them all that well.

“We know that ma’am,” he replied as respectful as normal.

Tony peeked in.

“I will be back,” I said we both knew it was an empty promise.

“Yes your grace,” he replied and banged on the hull. “Get this shuttle going.”

The door slid shut and I felt my heart wench. The die was cast, another of those human expressions I had picked up. After a while the shuttle powered up. There was a slight lurch as the shuttle launched. I was going home but it didn’t feel like it. The shuttle rumbled on to its destination and my destiny.