War Without End (Fall of the Terran Empire Book 1) Read online

  “Two minutes.”

  Reynolds nodded, leaning back in his chair, and returning his attention to the many displays positioned in front of him. Already his mind was working on different versions of how the Zeta contractors mutinied, and were even in league with the Pallians. Of course, there was no evidence, but then none of it could be disproved either. What could be proved was that the contractors disobeyed a direct order and abandoned their post. That insubordination would be enough to exonerate him. Zeta had sent faulty contractors. They were solely to blame.

  As the Valiant closed in on the enemy, a blinding flash of light filled the main viewscreen. The destroyer’s core had detonated, and the ship had blown apart. The Pallian cruiser had succeeded, and now they would suffer the consequences.

  To Reynolds’s surprise, it didn’t try to run back to the main Pallian line. Instead, it barreled straight ahead, moving in to take on the Valiant. Good, thought Reynolds. Let’s see what you’re made of, you son of a bitch.

  “We are now in weapons range,” said Travers.

  “Fire all weapons. Erase that cruiser from my sky.”

  “Aye, Sir. Firing all weapons.”

  Multiple crimson plasma beams shot forth from the Valiant with lethal precision. Another salvo of missiles followed, accompanied by sustained bursts from the Valiant’s rail guns. The cruiser took direct hits across the full length of its hull.

  The Valiant’s fighters continued to swarm the large warship. With no fighters of its own, the heavy cruiser was forced to rely on its gun batteries to deal with the marauding assault craft. The defensive fire managed to thwart only a fraction of the attacks, leaving the big ship vulnerable to punishing strafing runs.

  But the heavy cruiser was no pushover. Built to withstand damage, it returned fire, lashing out at the Valiant with its full arsenal. Plasma beams and missiles hammered the mammoth UEDF warship. Tremors shook every deck. Crew members struggled to maintain balance, and stay focused on their duties. Some decks reported structural damage, resulting in several injuries, some life threatening. Others reported downed systems, and power outages.

  “Hull breach on deck nine,” said Travers. “Emergency containment fields are in place.”

  The Valiant would have to endure its share of bruises. But it was clear that the enemy would fair far worse. The Pallian cruiser was simply not their equal. The Valiant was larger, had more guns, and a thicker hull. Hell, Reynolds used to command a heavy cruiser just like the one in front of him. This engagement would soon be over, and then they would begin to pick off the remaining ships. With any luck, the Pallians would come to their senses before then and surrender.

  “Jump gate is active!” announced Commander Travers.

  “I didn’t know Earth was sending more ships,” said Reynolds.

  “We haven’t been notified of any reinforcements,” said Travers.

  “Identify. Who’s coming through that gate?”

  Numerous ships streamed through the tear in space, into the Pallian system. As they did, they began to fire on the UEDF force.

  “It’s the Tran!”

  “The Tran? What the hell are they doing? They have no alliance with the Pallians.”

  “Picking up multiple jump points.”

  “Where?”

  “On our rear flank.”

  Chapter 7

  “Can you hear me, little brother?” came G325’s voice over Danny’s comm.

  “Yes,” said Danny, as he floated in the vacuum of space, his powered armor the only thing keeping him alive. “How many survived?”

  “Most of us, from what I can tell. We were lucky we ejected when we did.”

  “Even luckier that the first shot didn’t destroy our shuttle.”

  “I still don’t understand it,” said G325. “Why would the Valiant fire on us?”

  “They do not value our lives, sister. They do not think of us as humans.”

  “Should they?”

  “You don’t think you’re human?”

  “I do not know what I am, little brother. All I know is combat. That is my purpose.”

  “Is it? Or is that what Zeta programmed us to believe?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know. Something the Pallian captain said to me.”

  “The Pallian captain? You know better than to listen to the pleadings of someone about to die.”

  “She wasn’t pleading. She had accepted her fate. Even when I told her to come with us, to save herself, she refused. No, she meant every word.”

  “We are not computers, little brother.”

  “And yet, knowledge is downloaded into our minds, as are instructions.”

  “You are over-thinking. Our brains are augmented, allowing for easy transfer of information. That is all. We are not programmed.”

  Danny wasn’t sure. Nor was he accustomed to this nagging doubt. Off in the distance, the battle between the UEDF and Pallian forces raged on, and he allowed himself to be distracted by the show. The ship they’d fought to capture had been destroyed, and now the Valiant had closed with the Pallian heavy cruiser.

  Even from this distance, Danny could see that the cruiser didn’t stand a chance. The Valiant outclassed her in every way, yet she stubbornly fought on. The Valiant pounded her hull with plasma beams, missiles, and projectiles, as its fighter squadrons wreaked havoc with relentless strafing runs. Danny was surprised the ship hadn’t succumbed to its injuries yet.

  The other capital ships had followed the Valiant’s lead and were also moving in for the kill. They had outflanked the Pallians, and now they were pressing their advantage. Caught in a vice, it was clear that the Pallian fleet would be annihilated before the day’s work was done.

  “Little brother, look,” said G325. “The jump gate.”

  Danny’s visor registered the tear in the fabric of space, and the flood of warships pouring into the system. His visor quickly identified the new combatants. “The Tran? Why?”

  “I don’t know, little brother, but it seems that the Pallians have friends. They must have forged a secret alliance with the Tran.”

  It was a surprising development. The Tran had gained independence from the Empire early on. Part of the so-called Frontier Alliance, they had banded together with many of the other systems on the outskirts of the empire, and seceded together.

  With the Empire crumbling, Earth did not have the resources to intervene. After the slaughter of an expeditionary force, Earth chose to let the upstart worlds go. This decision emboldened other systems, and many took the opportunity to claim their own independence. For Earth it was too much, and they chose to take a stand before the entire Empire fell apart. Years of galactic warfare followed.

  But the Tran intervention was something new. The Tran had been spared the bloody civil war that had gripped the rest of the Empire. Yet now they openly entered the war on the side of the Pallians. Had the Pallians joined the Frontier Alliance? Would it be enough to turn the tide of the battle?

  “Little brother, look behind you. New jump points are forming.”

  Danny turned to see normal space ripped open once more. Only the largest of ships could form their own jump points, and the behemoths coming through those tears did not belong to the UEDF. His visor quickly identified the nationality of the new arrivals. The Volsung, the Mergids, and the Avars.

  “The Pallians have joined the Frontier Alliance,” said Danny. “It is the only thing explaining their intervention.”

  “I agree,” said G325.”

  “Earth has lost, sister.”

  “Yes. Without reinforcements, they have no hope.”

  “This is why the Pallians refused to surrender. They knew the Frontier Alliance would intervene all along.”

  “Impressive,” said G325. “I have to give the Pallians credit. They took substantial losses to convince the UEDF that they had the advantage.”

  “An effective strategy.”

  Where the UEDF forces had the Pallians s
urrounded only minutes earlier, they now found themselves caught between the Pallians, and the Frontier Alliance. Where the UEDF ships were squeezing the Pallians in a vice, the Pallians now pushed outward with intense zeal and savagery. At the same time, the Frontier Alliance ships ravaged their UEDF counterparts.

  Danny floated in space for hours, watching the battle unfold. Every now and then his visor would darken to protect his eyes from the blinding light and radiation caused by exploding ships. More and more, those losses belonged to Earth, as the defenders gained the upper hand.

  “New jump points are forming,” said Danny.

  “New arrivals?” said G325.

  “No. There goes the Valiant,” said Danny, as the capital ship escaped into the safety of metaspace. The other UEDF capital ships followed through their own jump points.

  “Good riddance,” said G325.

  “I think the rest of the UEDF fleet is surrendering,” said Danny, as the guns began to fall silent.

  “They have no choice. Surrender, or face certain death.”

  “Now that the Valiant is gone, we should activate our distress beacon,” said Danny.

  “Agreed. Zeta does business with the Frontier Alliance. We won’t be harmed.”

  Chapter 8

  Admiral Cherenko hesitated before walking through the open door. The Emperor’s aide looked back at him expectantly. Cherenko took a breath, straightened his uniform, and stepped into the Emperor’s office.

  “Yes, Cherenko. You’ve come to bring me news of the Pallian campaign?” said Emperor Detlev, seated behind an enormous, carved wooden desk. Cherenko often wondered how much that desk was worth. The wood alone was worth a fortune. There hadn’t been any teak left on Earth for generations. The craftmanship, and its imperial status made that desk priceless. To have such a spineless man sitting at it was an affront to anyone still loyal to the Empire.

  Cherenko stopped in front of the great desk and bowed. “My liege,” he said, maintaining the suppliant position for several seconds, effectively hiding his distress, and revulsion, before finally rising to his full height.

  “I don’t like that look on your face, Cherenko. I don’t like it one bit. I am not in the mood for bad news. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, my liege.”

  “Well? Get on with it. How did the campaign go?”

  Cherenko cleared his throat. “I regret to inform his highness that our fleet was defeated.”

  “What?!” said the Emperor, rising from his chair. “You assured me that we could defeat the Pallians. You said they were no match for us. That the fleet would easily outnumber them. Did you not make these assurances?”

  “I did, your highness.” Cherenko imagined the cracking sound of the energy blade being lowered down onto his neck. Despite the Emperor’s shortcomings, he was still dangerous.

  “Then explain why your head should remain on your shoulders.” The Emperor, still standing, wagged a bony finger toward Cherenko’s neck.

  “We would have been victorious, but the Frontier Alliance intervened on the side of the Pallians.”

  “The Frontier Alliance? What business do they have in all of this?”

  “It seems that the Pallians secretly joined the Alliance. We had no intelligence regarding this development.”

  “Intelligence appears to be lacking all around in the UEDF these days,” said the Emperor, returning to his seat, allowing Cherenko a breath of relief. He would get to keep his head for a little while longer. He wondered how long it would take for the Emperor to finally snap, and order his beheading. Were his instincts strong enough to see it coming?

  “So, the Frontier Alliance has declared war on the Empire,” the Emperor continued. “I knew we should have punished them when they first broke away. Now they have become emboldened. They think the Empire weak. The other worlds will think the same, once news spreads. They will also seek to join the Frontier Alliance. We can’t allow it. We need to make an example of the Pallians. We need to show the rest of the Empire that this treachery will not be tolerated. How many ships are left?”

  “Only the five capital ships managed to escape. They are currently undergoing repairs. The rest of the fleet surrendered.”

  Cherenko recognized the hatred in the Emperor’s eyes. The Emperor saw the entire independence movement as a personal attack.

  “We will take back the Pallian system. Once we do, we will make an example of their leadership.”

  “Yes, my liege. But this defeat cost us many ships. To take back the Pallian system we will need to allocate ships from our other fleets, leaving us vulnerable in more important regions.”

  “That is a problem. We can’t have the other worlds thinking us weak.” Detlev paused for a moment, clearly mulling something over. “We could use Zeta Corp ships for the operation.”

  The name Zeta made Cherenko’s blood boil. They were already too reliant on them. If anything was a sign of their weakness, it was their use of Zeta contractors. “Yes, that is an option. But we need to be careful, lest we inadvertently make Zeta too powerful.”

  “See, Cherenko, that is the great thing about Zeta. They are a business, not a government. They only care about profits.”

  “They are mercenaries, majesty. They have no honor.”

  “I’m not interested in their honor. I’m interested in their ships. Had you used Zeta ships in the Pallian operation, we would have merely been out some money. Instead we have lost valuable UEDF resources.”

  “I do not believe we can trust Zeta. One of the reports from the Pallian campaign stated that some two hundred Zeta contractors disobeyed a direct order, and cost us a captured destroyer. We don’t know where their loyalties lie.”

  “They are loyal only to the highest bidder. Right now, the highest bidder is the Empire. We need to take full advantage, and use it to put down the rebellion. We will reign in Zeta after.”

  “Yes, my liege.”

  Chapter 9

  “Of course, Emperor. Zeta Corp would be honored to help,” said Ed Masterson, President and CEO of Zeta Corp, to the three-dimensional hologram of Emperor Detlev floating before him.

  “This will be a significant escalation of our relationship. Are you sure you can handle a commitment of this size?” said Emperor Detlev.

  “We have the ships, all of which are state of the art, and we have the soldiers. Rest assured, Emperor, we can handle it.”

  “You will also be required to commit soldiers to a UEDF occupation force. This will cause problems for you with the other systems, as the Pallians have joined the Frontier Alliance. Will there be any conflict of interest issues I need to worry about?”

  “Not if you pay for exclusivity, Emperor.”

  Masterson saw the flash of anger in Detlev’s face, even through the hologram. “It would be wise to tread carefully, Masterson,” the Emperor said. “Contrary to what some may believe, the Empire is still very powerful. One day, these wars will end. It would be best to not have offended the victor.”

  “My apologies, Emperor. My intent is not to offend. I merely seek to specify the terms of our agreement. I would be more than happy to lease my ships and soldiers to the Empire exclusively. Like any business, however, we have very real costs that I need to consider.”

  “Yes, and very real profits.”

  “Business is about profit, Emperor. We merely serve the marketplace.”

  “Are you lecturing me now?”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it, Emperor.”

  “I will pay for exclusivity. From this point forward, Zeta leases only to the Empire.”

  “Thank you, Emperor. Zeta Corp is at your service.”

  “I better not find any indication of your soldiers fighting for any of the rebels.”

  “You won’t. I will recall all of them after our call, and cancel any existing contracts. Our contracts have an exclusivity clause that allows me to do so.”

  “The other worlds won’t be happy with you.”

  “They signed the co
ntract. They knew the clause was there. It is only business.”

  “In this operation, your forces will be under UEDF command at all times. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I have received reports that some of your contractors disobeyed direct orders during the Pallian campaign. Do my commanders need to worry about sedition?”

  “No, absolutely not. Rest assured my people are getting to the bottom of what took place. I am sure it was merely a miscommunication. But if it isn’t and a defect is found, we will ensure that it is eradicated.”

  “Make sure that it is. The Empire is paying you a fortune to get the job done. I will not tolerate incompetence.”

  “Nor should you, Emperor.”

  “Very well. Admiral Cherenko will be in touch to work out the logistics of the campaign. Do not fail me, Masterson.” Emperor Detlev’s face disappeared, and Masterson leaned back into his chair.

  “Exclusivity carries risk,” said Kim Lee, Zeta Corp’s Chief Strategy Officer. “We will anger our other clients.”

  “It also carries serious money. For that amount, we can take the risk. Besides, it’s not like the Empire is going away anytime soon. They may have lost the reach they once had, but they are still the greatest power in the galaxy. If we were to go exclusive with anyone, it would have to be the Empire.”

  “And what if more worlds join the Frontier Alliance? It could grow to become very powerful, and may even challenge the Empire’s dominance. If we have moved against them, things could turn out badly for Zeta Corp.”

  “I believe the Emperor is correct in his analysis,” said Masterson. “We move against the Pallians, and occupy their home world. We make an example of them. Once the other worlds see this, and realize that we are exclusively fighting for the Empire, they will think twice before joining the Frontier Alliance.”

  “Or, their outrage at our action could be so great that they join the Frontier Alliance because of it.”

  “Really?”

  “It’s possible,” Kim said with a smirk.