Without Mercy Read online

  Without Mercy

  Book 12 of The Pike Chronicles

  G.P. Hudson

  © 2022

  Thavma Press

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  The Pike Chronicles:

  Sol Shall Rise – Book 1 of The Pike Chronicles

  Prevail – Book 2 of The Pike Chronicles

  Ronin – Book 3 of The Pike Chronicles

  Ghost Fleet – Book 4 of The Pike Chronicles

  Interstellar War – Book 5 of The Pike Chronicles

  Vanquish – Book 6 of The Pike Chronicles

  Galactic Empire – Book 7 of The Pike Chronicles

  Armada – Book 8 of The Pike Chronicles

  Galactic War – Book 9 of The Pike Chronicles

  Galactic Vanguard – Book 10 of The Pike Chronicles

  Cursed Stars – Book 11 of The Pike Chronicles

  Fall of the Terran Empire:

  War Without End – Fall of the Terran Empire Book 1

  The Tortuous Path – Fall of the Terran Empire Book 2

  Thavma Press

  ISBN: 978-1-990547-17-1

  This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in the book are fictional and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form, other than for review purposes, without the permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

  Cover art by Tom Edwards

  Chapter 1

  Durril Tai, the former Raider leader, sat in his cell meditating on his looming death. He had lived a long life, especially by Raider standards. Despite his many achievements as Supreme Commander, he knew it would end someday. Still, he did not anticipate Sato’s betrayal. Was that due to old age?

  Perhaps it was all for the best. The Raider Nation faced much uncertainty in the coming years. The strange metal planet had come to life, and a creature down there stirred. The Maeficus was awakening. Tai did not know how long that would take or what it meant, but he felt certain that nothing good would come of it.

  Admiral Jon Pike intended to send ships in search of the Raider jump gate. How long until they found it? What would happen to the Raider Nation then? Sato had turned down Pike’s amnesty offer, leaving all Raiders open to prosecution. If a UHSF fleet came through their jump gate, the Raider Nation would be helpless.

  Tai had agreed to Pike’s amnesty offer before Sato had staged his coup, but Sato reversed that decision. Tai shook his head. The amnesty offer was the best option they had. Sato was a fool. And yet, that fool had won and would soon have him executed.

  Tai did not doubt that Sato would turn the event into a spectacle. He’d broadcast the execution on every Raider ship, ensuring that everyone saw the mighty Durril Tai killed. That would cement Sato’s position as Supreme Commander of the Raider Nation.

  Tai was born strong. Even in his earliest memories, he had been stronger than those around him. That strength nurtured the inherent confidence that served him so well in his rise to the top of the Raider food chain.

  While strength and confidence were indispensably important, they were nothing without intelligence. Tai performed well in school, but it was his shrewd understanding of those around him that propelled him to the top.

  He had a knack for reading others. He often knew what people were thinking or what they were about to do. That insight helped him secure his leadership and foil any conspiracies before gaining traction. The most troubling aspect of the coup against him was that he had not anticipated Sato’s movements.

  Why? Was it his age? His physical strength was not what it used to be; did the same apply to his mind? Or was there something else at work?

  Tai’s thoughts turned to the Guide on the planet below and the waking being called the Maeficus. Could the Guide have something to do with this? He had seen evidence of mind control when he ventured below the surface with Jon Pike. Could the Guide be manipulating his mind, preventing him from seeing the conspiracy unfolding around him? Had the Guide influenced the conspirators into taking action?

  The idea seemed far-fetched, yet Tai felt convinced that he was onto something. He focused on that thought and tried to find something, anything to confirm the hypothesis. He examined his mind, looking for clues. Nothing. If the Guide had done something to him, he could not identify it.

  Why did he think he could? The Guide and its master, the Maeficus, represented something ancient, even primordial. Who was he to try and match his wits against such beings? Outsmarting his fellow humans was one thing, these creatures another.

  Did it even matter what brought about his downfall? It would all be over soon, his life nothing more than a mile marker in Raider history.

  Footsteps pulled Durril Tai out of his thoughts. They were coming his way. He looked out through the bars of his cell at the guard standing in the corridor. The footsteps had caught his attention too, and he stared in the direction of whoever was approaching.

  “Good day, Constable Fitzgerald,” the guard said. “What brings you here?

  “I am here for the prisoner,” Fitzgerald said. “Supreme Commander Sato wishes to interrogate him further.”

  “Of course, Constable. Please wait a moment while I confirm.”

  “Take your time,” Fitzgerald said.

  The guard had kept a hand on his sidearm during the encounter but now let go as he moved to open a comm. Constable Fitzgerald seized the opportunity and drew his weapon, firing without hesitation. The blast slammed the guard into the cell’s bars. The man slumped to the floor, a look of surprise etched on his face, along with the scorched hole in the center of his forehead.

  Tai jumped to his feet, unsure if he should feel threatened or saved. Fitzgerald entered his security code and unlocked the cell.

  “I have men waiting outside,” Fitzgerald said, waving a hand. “We need to go.”

  “After you, Constable,” Tai said, feeling more than a little surprised. Constable Fitzgerald had always performed his duties with integrity. Tai had relied on him to enforce the law on board but never considered the man a loyalist.

  As they approached the exit, Fitzgerald said: “It needs to look like you are my prisoner.”

  “I understand,” Tai said.

  Fitzgerald nodded. “Hands behind your back.”

  Tai complied and felt restraints clasp around his wrists.

  “If you yank hard, the restraints will release, but leave them on for now, or we’ll arouse suspicion.”

  “This is your show, Constable.” Tai’s old instincts returned, and he felt certain he could trust the constable.

  Fitzgerald pressed his weapon against Tai’s back, the muzzle still warm from the energy discharge. “Let’s go.”

  The security door slid open, and they stepped outside, where several deputies waited with a flitter. They all climbed aboard, and the flitter took off.

  “Activate cloak,” Fitzgerald said.

  Tai turned to face the Constable. “You have a cloak?”

  Fitzgerald smiled. “They are extremely useful for undercover work.”

  “Why didn’t I know about this?”

  Fitzgerald shrugged.

  Tai glared at the constable and wondered what else he didn’t know. “Why are you helping me escape? You must know this puts you in great danger.”

  “You have always been a fair leader and never interfered in the way I performed my duties.”

  “I see,” Tai said. Sato wouldn’t just interfere; he would fire Fitzgerald and replace him with his own man
, someone Sato knew he could trust. In fact, there was a strong possibility that Sato might have Fitzgerald arrested on trumped-up charges. That was a humiliation a man like Fitzgerald could not tolerate.

  “Sato should have killed you quickly,” Fitzgerald said.

  “Is that so?”

  “It is. Keeping you prisoner was a grave miscalculation. He sought to make a show of your execution but instead gave us the opportunity we needed.”

  “I understand, Constable. You are safe under my command. But what is your plan for getting that command back?”

  “We kill Sato. Once he is dead, the rebellion will be leaderless. You will then address the Raider nation, informing them that the great Durril Tai has prevailed once again. Most will accept you as Supreme Commander as that is all they have known. We’ll eliminate the rest.”

  “I’ve just developed a newfound respect for you, Constable. But how do you plan on killing Sato?”

  Fitzgerald smiled once more. “Did I mention I have a cloak?”

  Chapter 2

  “My deputies have been keeping a close eye on Sato,” Constable Fitzgerald said.

  “Is that where we’re heading now?” Durril Tai said, referring to the cloaked flitter they traveled in. So far, the cloak had worked perfectly, allowing them to travel unnoticed.

  “Yes, we need to act fast before Sato realizes you’ve escaped.”

  “I agree with your logic, Constable.”

  “Here, put this on,” Fitzgerald said, handing Tai a small device.

  “A personal cloaking device?” Tai said, examining the object.

  “Correct.”

  “We are going to have a little chat when this is all over, Constable.” Tai suppressed his anger at Fitzgerald’s secrecy. He needed the man right now and could not afford any recriminations. But once this was all over, and he was back in power, he would set Fitzgerald straight about a few things. Fitzgerald had been a constable for as long as Tai had been Supreme Commander. That the man created his own little fiefdom should be expected. That said, secret cloaking devices betrayed his trust on too many levels. Tai did not doubt that Fitzgerald had spied on him just like he spied on Sato now. That was going to change.

  “We can have as many as you like once Sato is gone.”

  “Do you have a weapon for me?”

  “Of course. Here, take this.” Fitzgerald said, handing Tai an energy weapon.

  Tai took the weapon and smiled. Up until this point, he didn’t dare believe they had a chance. He just figured it was better to die this way instead of a public execution. Now, a surge of optimism took hold. Part of him fought it, knowing the odds were still against them, but it did feel good to have hope again. The cloaking devices gave them an edge. With any luck, it would be enough.

  The flitter approached the narrow corridor leading to Tai’s former personal quarters and came to a stop. The low ceilings meant they needed to go the rest of the way on foot.

  Sato had not wasted any time moving in. He wasn’t sure why that surprised him. If Sato was trying to fill Tai’s shoes, it was only natural that he move into Tai’s residence. Still, Sato had commanded his own ship and had his own residence there. Why uproot himself?

  There was no law dictating that he should move to Tai’s ship. No, his actions revealed his insecurity. He may have been bold enough to plan and execute the coup, but that didn’t make him bold enough to lead the Raider Nation.

  If not for his imminent execution, he might enjoy watching Sato fail. It certainly wouldn’t be long before a rival overthrew Sato. And that was the difference. Tai had brought stability to the Raider Nation. Sato brought chaos. Without Tai, the Raider Nation would stumble from bloody coup to bloody coup until they were nothing more than a fractured group of warring tribes. He could not allow that. He had to succeed, for everyone’s sake.

  They passed a few of Satos’s men without difficulty. So far, the cloaks worked as expected. Sato had moved men in from his ship. What would their reaction be? Would they accept Tai as leader once Sato was dead? Or would they try to seize power for themselves? They had nothing to lose. Tai would execute the lot of them, and they knew it. He needed to take them all out while they were off-balance.

  They approached the door to Sato’s quarters and found two armed guards flanking the door. Tai shot both guards in the head without hesitation and rushed toward the door. Fitzgerald glared at Tai but said nothing. Killing someone in combat was one thing, but cold-blooded assassination was another, especially for a constable. Tai did not care what Fitzgerald thought. One did not lead the Raider Nation by being soft-hearted.

  Tai pushed the door open and entered his former quarters. It was not so long ago that he had shared a meal with Jon Pike and his friend Seiben in this very room. How quickly things had changed. As before, Tai did not hesitate. There were more guards inside who now turned toward the open door. The smarter ones reached for their weapons, but Tai had already opened fire. Despite being older, he was still an expert marksman. That, combined with the cloak, meant the guards had no chance, and Tai dispatched every one of them.

  The constable and his deputies were flat-footed by comparison. Did they expect to make arrests?

  Sato stood up and scrambled for his weapon as his guards died around him. He raised it and blindly fired a few energy bolts. Tai let loose another energy bolt, burning a hole in Sato’s hand, forcing the would-be Supreme Commander to drop his weapon and stumble backward.

  “Please wait! Stop! I’ll give you whatever you want,” Sato said.

  Tai stood in front of the pleading man and deactivated his cloak. “Now, what do you have that I might want?”

  “You. How-”

  “I could ask you the same question,” Tai said. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how you managed to pull your takeover off. To plan such a complicated operation must have taken months. Months without me catching on. You know, they say I have eyes everywhere, and that is because I do. So how did you do it, Sato?”

  “We don’t have time for this,” Fitzgerald said, his cloak still activated.

  “You and your men watch the door,” Tai said to Fitzgerald and fired an energy bolt into Sato’s knee, eliciting a fresh round of screams. “You were saying, Sato.”

  “The Guide! The Guide helped me,” Sato wailed.

  “The Guide? From the planet below?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why would he want you to overthrow me?”

  “He said he needed the Raiders. That you had plans to move everyone back to Sol.”

  “Interesting. What did he need us for?”

  “He wants us to guard the planet while the Maeficus awakens.”

  “Is that so? I don’t believe you. What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I’m telling the truth. He doesn’t want us to leave.”

  Tai pointed his weapon at Sato’s other kneecap.

  “Wait! Don’t shoot!”

  “Do you have something else to tell me?”

  “There… there’s a planet.”

  “Go on.”

  “It’s an ancient place. There is an artifact there. He wanted me to retrieve it.”

  “What for?”

  “I don’t know, but we have to help him.”

  “Really? And why is that?”

  “The Maeficus is waking. We can win his favor. The Maeficus will make us the rulers of all humanity.”

  “You’re right. We should help the Guide find this planet. Do you have the coordinates?”

  “You’ll kill me.”

  “I’ll admit, I was going to kill you, but now I realize that I need you. You have spoken to the Guide, not me. You can be our representative, but only if you agree to recognize me as Supreme Commander.”

  “Yes, of course.” A glimmer of hope flashed in Sato’s eyes.

  “You’ll need to broadcast it to all our ships.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “Good. We’ll clean you up and tend to your wounds first. But I’ll need the co
ordinates of the planet to make sure you aren’t making this all up.”

  “I’m not. I swear.”

  Tai ordered a deputy to access a network console and then instructed Sato to relay the planet’s coordinates to the man. The deputy punched the data into the console, and a holographic star chart appeared.

  “Well?” Tai said.

  “There is a star system at these coordinates,” the deputy said.

  “What about the planet?” Tai said. “We have no data on how many planets orbit this star.”

  “The planet is there,” Sato said. “Why would the Guide lie?”

  “Why indeed?” Tai said and fired an energy bolt at Sato, hurling him backward and burning a quarter-sized hole into the man’s forehead.

  “You murdered him,” Fitzgerald said with shock.

  “I executed him, Constable, for his many crimes,” Tai said.

  “But you told him you were going to let him live.”

  “I did. And he was a fool to believe me. Honestly, I still don’t understand how someone like that could stage a coup against me. Even with the Guide’s help, it doesn’t seem possible. Now, I think it’s time to let the Raider Nation know that I am their Supreme Commander again.”

  Chapter 3

  “But that’s crazy,” Vice Admiral Kevin St. Clair said. “The Diakans freed us and fought with us in countless battles. We can’t just treat them as enemies based on some vision.”

  “Jamie’s visions have come true before,” Admiral Jon Pike said, referring to the Chaanisar named Jamie. The man had experienced a transformation recently and sometimes saw future events. His most recent vision foretold of a war between humanity and its allies, the Diakans. “Look, the Diakans are still our allies. That hasn’t changed. But what if it does in the years to come? We need to be prepared for the possibility. That’s all.”

  “Because Jamie saw it in a dream?” Kevin said sarcastically.

  “A vision,” Jon corrected. “And yes, because of that. Jamie is not just a Chaanisar anymore. Whether we like it or not, he’s become something of a seer. Didn’t the Diakans rely on their Great See’er to help them attain their empire? She guided them every step of the way until the Erinyie killed her. Maybe that’s the problem. If she was still alive, she might tell them to avoid conflict with us. Without a seer, they might become more aggressive.”