First Khan Rufus Turcot flicked his whip as he strode the bridge of the light battleship Death Sun. He was at peace, at least as much peace as a senior officer in the Kingdom of a Thousand Stars could be. Taking the command seat, he nodded at Second Khan Carpet Fornist who stepped over straight away.
The two had established a working relationship many years before. As young solders, they had survived by picking the correct senior officers to follow in the tortuous world that was the Kingdom. Turcot was a realist. He had survived when more capable officers had been disgraced and executed or banished to menial positions.
Along the way, he had been joined by Carpet Fornist whose family had some influence on their planet and at court. That could be a danger, to consider the court of The Khan a snake pit was to underplay the dangers. But things had gone well, so far.
This assignment was a surprise. There were more senior officers who had angled for this position and Turcot had thought that he had no chance. He had applied for the assignment of course, it would have been dangerous not to, but had no expectation that he would be given the assignment.
But now, he was on his way to the next star in his list. This galaxy had no defences he could see. He was surprised but not worried. This was the very fringe of the galaxy after all and he was scouting for planets that could be possible bases for further attacks. He had been warned not to take any action that could cause suspicion by the inhabitants of the galaxy and arouse them to action. His mission was just to find a system that they could use as a forward base. He believed that this could take a while.
“Time to emergence?” The question went to Carpet Fornist.
“Forty two periods of time by the Kingdoms measure.” Came promptly.
“If this system happens to be inhabited, you will recall the instructions that the Forum gave you?" The counsellor put in smoothly. Everything about Tyror Renna was smooth.
The Forum was the controlling agency of the military machine. Actually there were three different Forums, one for operations, one for personal and one for intelligence. Each forum had their separate areas of operation and separate set of finances. However their areas overlapped and that made for friction. For example if an intelligence operation was to be mounted, operations had to supply a ship and personal, its crew. The reasons for this in a state such as the Kingdom, was obvious. The ruling family had its own personal, loyal troops of course.
There were other power centers as well. Tyror Renna, the Counsellor, was appointed to the Death Sun by the Solutions Committee. Their function was to guide the officers on the warships politically. This committee reported directly to the rulers of the Kingdom with the foreseeable result was that Councillors were universally detested and feared. In times of conflict, it was not unusual for them to be ‘killed in action’. Always there were valid excuses.
“We have plenty of time to review all the instructions of the forum, councillor, there is no need to worry.” Rufus Turcot did not smile when he stood. Smiles were rare and special for both him and Fornist. Used when they were doing something pleasurable, like wielding a whip on someone who had annoyed them. He entered certain commands into the command consol. “I shall take my rest now. Second Khan Carpet Fornist will take the watch. Ten periods. Pilot Ty Rennan, you will rest as well, Second Khan will be relieved by you. I will relieve you after a further ten periods. The rest will follow the established schedule. Come pilot, we will each select a slave for our companionship for a while.” Ten periods were equivalent to six of the Empire.
With a smile, Tyror Renna made an enquiry. “And would you have me rest as well?”
The reply was calm. “Counsellor, you have your own duties, I would not presume to advise you on them.” The stocky ship’s captain walked of the bridge with the pilot, both swinging their whips. Making a stop at the upper slave’s quarters, each selected a female slave for sleeping company. These were terrified, but tried not to show it. Failure to please would result in at least a beating. On top of this they had their own duties to carry out once released back to slave quarters.
Such was the life in a ship of the Kingdom of a Thousand Stars.
*********
The slaves dismissed, the leading officers slept peacefully. The next time they rose, it would be in anticipation of emergence in the next system. They were not worried about being harmed by the slaves, no matter how angry they may be after being used roughly. There was nowhere to hide on a ship like the Death Sun but even so, the officers were careful not to overly abuse the slaves. It simply made sense to keep the slaves cowed, but not so much so that they would rebel. That could be a disaster for everyone and First Khan Rufus Turcot was a realist.
“Time to emergence?” Turcot was pleased by the slave girl he had used, even having her back for his second sleep period. She had been worked hard and although exhausted was now was employed in whatever activity she was required to be doing. While pleased, Turcot planned to use a different slave next time. It was dangerous to get to comfortable with any one particular slave.
“Ten kalangons. We will be there very soon.” Carpet Fornist had stepped over to another station now that Turcot had stepped back onto the bridge. A kalangon was a hundredth of a Kingdom period.
“Good.” He sat for a fraction. “Everything ready, no equipment malfunctions?”
“The sensors that deal with electromagnetic emissions were erratic in several of the wavelengths, but that is normal in hyper. We will recalibrate as usual after we emerge.”
A grunt was the only acknowledgement that Khan Turcot gave to this not unexpected bit of news. One or other of the sensors was always acting up.
“Emergence coming up, First Khan.” The pilot called. The pilot was one of the lower class who had worked his way out of the depths of the ship by sheer ability. Turcot didn’t like or trust him, but could not refuse him. Being of the lower class, unless he found a patron, he could not rise much higher, perhaps to a smaller craft as captain. But he was one of the best pilots Turcot had seen so he was always polite to him.
“Announce to the crew, everyone to hang on.” Carpet Fornist ordered. Coming out of hyper was always an experience on a ship of the Kingdom. And not a good one.
“Emergence in three, two, one. Now”
There was a feeling of nausea, a feeling as if one was being torn apart, a monetary loss of gravity as the ship emerged. Everyone gulped, some vomited and slaves hurried to clean any messes up.
“Sensors on.” Turcot ground out as his ship continued in system. “Half speed,” Followed. The battleship slowed.
“Second Khan, are all the sensors working?” The question came a short period later.
“All calibrated, First Khan. There seems to be a high level of radiation in this system. I don’t think that it will be suitable for the fleet as an advanced base, but we should take more measurements.”
“I agree, First Khan. We must be certain.” The oily smooth voice of Counsellor Renna cut blandly through the tension.
The First Khan grunted. He had already made his decision. “We will make a circuit around the star and go out on the projected course to the next suitable looking star the star gazers have given us. The systems already checked have given us a good template and some look suitable. I don’t want to waste any more time than necessary. I will be in my office. Keep me advised of developments. In one standard period, bring me an update on what we see here.”
“Yes First Khan.” No one was surprised. The decision to send a manned ship was taken several years before, but had been delayed by one of the many upheavals that periodically rocked the kingdom. The battleship was actually largely stripped of much equipment and stuffed with provisions for the necessarily long voyage. The ship also was given an augmented service crew and specialist’s officers if a suitable planet was found.
The battleship was also given the most modern weapons and two patrol craft for reconnaissance. Even so, her time was limited. The maximum length of time she could stay would be another two of the kingdoms weeks, or ten days of the empires. So how long they could stay in a system was critical. Going around the sun would take a Kingdom day.
*********
The ships of the empire had been waiting for only a few periods when the Kingdoms ship dropped out of hyper. The five battleships were spread around the elliptic on the plane, while the twelve heavy cruisers were spread the same with six well above the plane, and six well below to give the best coverage.
Commodore Quill and the Kauri were with yellow quad one hundred twenty degrees to the right of Traska’s flag ship the Barrows Star, who had all of blue quad. Red quad was one hundred twenty degrees to the left of the command battleship.
It was with a grunt that Admiral Traska acknowledged the report that the recon ship had arrived. “Location?”
“From us, almost on the other side of the sun and thirty degrees above.” The navigator replied.
“Who is closest and in the best position?”
“Commodore Quill in Kauri and Captain Zapis in the Barrows Night.” The Commodore and the Admiral were well separated so that one would live if the other was killed.
“Good, send execute signal to both of them.” Traska smiled. “Prepare to send standby signals to the rest of the task force and contact signals to Admiral Der Watt and to Fleet Admiral Enos Ra Stako. They will be waiting.”
“Indeed sir.” Captain Tina Fulton smiled at the vision of the Admirals reaction. She nodded at the communications officer. With a smart salute, that officer immediately went to the secure communications consol. After a fraction, the officer turned around.
“Execute signal sent sirs, waiting for acknowledgement.”
Now they would wait.
*********
On board the Kauri, the tension at the emergence of the alien craft was palpable. The excitement when they received the execute signal overlaid the tension and melded with it. As soon as the alien ship was in range, they would move. This was repeated on the Barrows Night.
Now in position, Captain Zapis smiled as he sent his second in command to alert the Legion force on board. “We will wait until Captain Quill disables the alien ship. Then we will board her.” He turned to the pilot. “Get us going, but quietly!”
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He turned to sensor control. “Is the Kauri moving?”
“Yes sir, and we can barely read her. She is on thrusters and moving to intercept.”
“Will the alien ship read her?”
“I doubt it sir. I barely can, and our sensors are way better than theirs.” The sensor operator had studied all the information available on the alien’s sensors. All the officers and spacers across Detachment T who needed to had access to the information gathered. It could mean their lives.
*********
On Kauri the crew had settled down after the excitement of the execute signal. Commodore Quill was in his seat and Jenna of Christos was in hers. With exquisite skill, she brought the thrusters on line and started the cruiser moving. Carefully calculating the course of the alien ship with her eye, she plotted an intercept course. As they were slightly behind and below the alien craft, they were actually in an excellent position to disable the craft.
“You’re not using the Ai?” The second pilot asked incredulously.
“No.” Got her stares from the bridge crew.
Commodore Quill didn’t smile, but he felt like it. He had spoken to Captain Examiner Don Hepus while at Tihab. Hepus had actually recommended her to Quill, something he had never done before with any other student, so Jenna had accompanied him back and he had taken the opportunity to get to know her better. Commodore Quill had also discussed Jenna with Admiral Traska, so he sat back and trusted his pilot.
“Captain Sir.” While a Commodore, Quill was also Captain of the Kauri and it was custom to refer to him as such.
“Yes pilot?”
“In plasma range in point two. Estimate detection in point three.”
“Thank you pilot. Weapons, we will hold fire until we are at optimum range, narrow beam.”
“Yes sir.” More looks were thrown at Jenna.
Quill turned to the sensor operator. “Do you agree sensor detection range?”
The sensor operator, a lanky native of a well settled planet in the second cluster, had joined the Legion out of boredom. He was however an excellent technician with the rank of sergeant, and had been offered officers training. He had turned it down saying that he was happy where he was.
“Well sir, I agree that if it was one of us or a pirate ship, the pilot would be right on.” He was totally unaware of Jennas back ground. “I think we could get a lot closer. They are not looking at us at all.”
“Thank you.” Quill sat back in the command chair. “Pilot, get us to optimum range.”
“Yes sir.” Jenna was locked into her console.
“Captain.” The tension rose as the sensor operator spoke.
“Yes.”
“Barrows Night is moving to intercept as well, sir. They could wake them up.” The sensor operator updated the bridge.
“Keep a close watch sensors.” Quill ordered. “Pilot be ready to go if sensors tell you to. Weapons be ready. Engineering, stand by.”
“Yes sirs.” Flowed back from all the stations.
The tension rose. Quill and his second in command exchanged glances. This was as bad as Trilla in its own way. The Kauri continued inward. The Barrows Night continued on its intercept course as well.
*********
Everything was normal on the Death Sun. First Khan Rufus Turcot was happy with the manner of the survey. On his return to the bridge he considered the reports of the inner system. “All stop.” He called. “Prepare to put about.”
“Stopping.” The pilot responded. Everyone looked at the First Khan.
“There are two gas giants and nothing else in the inner system. Nothing there for us to look at. We will look at the rest of the planets on the way out. Do one last full scan of the inner planets from this position and then we will turn around.”
“Yes first Khan.” The sensor operators bent to their consoles.
“Very astute, First Khan.” The representative of the Solution Committee smoothly praised the ship’s captain. “No need to waste time unnecessarily.” Second Khan Carpet Fornist gave his vocal agreement. “Indeed sir, let us quickly finish the in system scan then check the outer planets.
At the sensor station, Fifth Khan Rossier, sensor and communications officer, watched his men bend over the different panels. He moved from one to another of the operators, each were measuring different groups of electromagnetic wavelengths. It was inefficient but each panel did give greater depth than a single panel operating on all wavelengths.
Rossier was of what passed as middle class in the Kingdom. An ambitious man, he took every opportunity to advance his own cause and was young for the rank he held. Adopting and dropping sponsors and patrons as necessary had helped and he was considered to be ‘on the rise,’ with several prominent sponsors. Naturally, none of the other officers liked or trusted him. They were, however careful to be cordial to him.
One of the sensor operators stiffened. He ran his scan again.
“Khan Rossiter.” He called. The officer stepped over.
“What is it?” He asked swinging his whip idly.
The operator pointed. “There’s something out there.”
*********
Jenna had noted the drop in power and adjusted accordingly
“Captain, they are stopping. Full power scanners forward. I think that they will turn around and leave soon. Steady on new intercept course. Optimum range, point zero one.”
“Noted, no change to orders.” Commodore Quill responded.
“Captain, the changes of the alien ship mean that they have a pretty good chance of picking up the Barrows Night. Should we alert them?” The sensor operator warned from his panel.
Quill shook his head. “No. Stay alert Pilot, weapons. We may have to move quickly.”
“Yes sirs,” rolled back.
*********
On the Barrows Night Captain Zapis, swore silently as the change in velocity of the alien ship registered.
“Stay alert everyone. Commander, alert the troops, tell them to get ready to go at a fractions notice.”
“Well, the Kauri has worked herself into a nice position sir.” The navigator commented to the Captain.
“Yes, they have a new pilot, I hear.” Captain Zapis replied.
*********
All the crew on the bridge of the Death Sun froze, then the First Khan leapt from his chair to the sensor station.
“Show me.” He demanded.
“Transferring power, increasing resolution, clearing up the feed.” He fiddled with the controls. The operator was terrified. All the officers on the bridge were congregated around him. This was not to his liking at all.
The screen cleared and showed the Empire’s battleship in all its stark and ominous glory, five times the size of their own. Before much detail could be seen, the screen clouded up and the image broke up again.
“What’s going on?” The First Khan growled.
“What did you do?” Khan Rossier raised his whip.
“Wait!” Second Khan Carpet Fornist grabbed the Fifth Khans arm. He studied the screen. “I think that it is some kind of screening technology. Some kind of concealment from sensors.”
The other officers and the counsellor stared at him.
Fornist turned. “First Khan, I suggest that we leave, sir. As fast as we can.”
Turcot spun. “Go.” He shouted. The pilot turned to his controls.
They never saw the finely tuned plasma beam that destroyed their engines.
*********
In optimum range, the Kauri stopped with a whisper. “Steady now.” Commodore Quill calmly addressed the bridge. “Let’s allow the troopers to get as close as possible.”
The sensor operator was closely monitoring the sensors of the alien craft. He stiffened. “Sensor change sir. They have found our battleship.”
“Acknowledged. Weapons, fire when charged.” It took a bare fraction as the plasma beam projector could not be charged earlier. Narrowing the beam down to a few centis across allowed for an accurate shot with much less destruction. This enabled the weapons officer to pick the best point to disable the engines without destroying the craft. “Communications, send message to the Admiral, ‘Engaging scout vessel.’ Send it now.”
“Fired sir.” Weapons reported.
Jenna calmly turned to Commodore Quill. “Orders sir?” Quill didn’t smile. He knew that the pilot was asking for the record.
“We hold position and await further instructions from the Admiral.”
“Sir.”
*********
On the Barrows Night, the troopers were ready and eager to go. Fearsome in their battle armour, they crowded aboard the shuttles that were to run them across the short distance now separating the Kingdoms ship from their own.
“Launch. Now.” Captain Zapis gave the order. Then to communications: “Update the Admiral. ‘Alien craft disabled, shuttles launched.’ Send it.”
*********
Commodore Quill had also sent an updated report. “Disabled alien craft with plasma beam. Yellow quad to concentrate on me to provide support.”
*********
Admiral Traska had read both reports with satisfaction and his orders followed. “Red quad to gather between the alien ship and the asteroid belt. Blue quad is to join them. Point alpha one, a and b. Barrows Sun, Moon and Day to concentrate on me at point Alpha two.”
The acknowledgements rolled in.
“Good, pilot, move us out to point alpha two.” This point was located within easy supporting distance of the Barrows Night. The other points were set at ninety degrees above and below. Their job was to keep a constant monitoring of the space around them. Just in case. “Communications, send report to Admiral Der Watt, with copy to Fleet Admiral Enos Ra Stako. Message reads, In contact with alien scout craft. Star system 4QRR1974. Message ends.”
“Got it sir.”
Now it was up to the troopers.
*********
On board the White Sky, once the flagship planetoid of Admiral of the Legion, Mont De Templer, but now of Fleet Admiral Enos Ra Stako, the message was received with relief. Something was now happening. Stako turned to the man standing beside him. “You may have something to write about soon.” Came with a raised eyebrow.
Tobis Nenna took the comment without rancor. He smiled back. “Whatever happens, I will tell the truth.”
There was a long look between the two. “I am not sure how you landed this assignment. There were some big names angling for it.”
“I had a couple of people in my corner. Sabra Boon helped.”
Stako didn’t say anything to that. The reporter being a frequent face at the palace had created some comment. She apparently had even spoken to the Dark Lord although she had never mentioned his name. He just nodded and left, with orders to get the next message to him as soon as it arrived.