Crossroads of Fate (Cadicle #5): An Epic Space Opera Series (14 page)

“We thought it fitting,” Taelis responded. “Please, take a seat up front.”

I don’t think this is just a graduation…
Wil realized. He took Saera’s hand and followed Taelis toward open seats in the front row facing the podium.

“Hi, I didn’t expect to see you,” Wil said to Banks as they passed.

Banks smiled back. “This was well worth the trip.”

Wil and Saera sat down in the two open spaces at the center of the front row, with half the Primus Elites to either side.

Michael, next to Wil, was examining everyone like there was about to be some major revelation. “Why are we here?”

“Impromptu graduation ceremony, I think,” Wil replied.

“Attended by this many senior officers?” Michael asked. “Either we’re way more special than I thought, or there’s something else going on.”

The speculation was cut short as Taelis moved into position behind the podium. All attendees in the room immediately ceased their conversations and gave the High Commander their full attention.

“Thank you all for joining us on such short notice,” Taelis began. “For as long as any of us can remember, we have been at war. Generations before us fought the Bakzen, and there has never been an end in sight. All of that changes tomorrow. The Cadicle—our first Primus Elite Agent—will move to the frontlines and finally bring an end to the fighting. We need to rally for this one final push, and then we will have peace.

“For the last five years, a group of twenty officers have trained under the Primus Elite designation. Today, every one of them graduates with a CR above 9.0—an achievement unrivaled by any previous cohort. Under the Cadicle’s leadership, this group, combined with our veteran forces, will make the TSS unstoppable. We
will
defeat the Bakzen, and the victory will be swift.”

Taelis took a step to the side, and Banks rose to join him.

“As the war comes to an end, the TSS needs to be united,” Banks declared. “For years, we have had a divide between the Headquarters in Earth’s moon and the Jotun division here in the rift. With two High Commanders bearing equal authority, we have never been able to act as one.”

Wil tensed in his chair.
This is it…

“So,” Taelis continued, “we will now declare a Supreme Commander of the TSS: Williame Sietinen.”

Even though he had braced for the announcement, Wil’s heart leaped. He’d been acting in a leadership role for years, but somehow the new title made it more real.
Everyone is looking to me. I need to end the war.

After a moment, Wil realized that the two High Commanders were staring at him expectantly. He got up to join them by the podium, his heart pounding in his ears.

“Wil, do you accept the position as Supreme Commander and the responsibilities it entails?” Taelis asked.

I have no choice.
“Yes, I do.”

“Will you lead the TSS to the best of your ability until we are no longer at war?”

“Yes, I will,” Wil stated.
Or until I die in the process of trying.

“I grant you command of the TSS forces under my jurisdiction in the Jotun division,” Taelis declared.

“I grant you command of the TSS forces under my jurisdiction throughout the Taran colonies,” Banks echoed. “With this transfer of authority, you are now Supreme Commander of the TSS. We await your instruction.”

Wil wished he could shrink back from the hundreds of eyes watching him from within the room and the thousands more certainly viewing the events over the video feed.
Of course it wasn’t just going to be a graduation. But that’s why they called me here, so that’s what I’m going to do
. Suppressing his nerves, he stepped up to the podium. “Thank you for placing your trust in me. However, I wouldn’t be here without the support of my colleagues, my wife, and my parents. We have always faced past trials together, and so we will again as we embark on the most challenging battles of them all.

“I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the graduates today. Not only were their scores unprecedented, but they completed the training program in just five years. I am honored to have had the chance to train with them, and I am confident that they will serve as fine officers in the coming battles. I ask that you trust each of them just as you place your trust in me. Thank you.” Wil took a step back from the podium, and Banks inclined his head with approval.

Applause spread throughout the room, initiated by the Primus Elites. Wil motioned for his trainees to join him up front.

Some of the men shook their heads bashfully at first, but the Captains took the initiative to heed Wil’s direction and the others followed. The applause swelled as the young men lined up along the wall.

Banks and Taelis moved to the left of the line and began working their way to the right, shaking each Primus Elite’s hand in turn with various expressions of “Congratulations.”

When they were finished, Wil returned to the podium. “Thank you for your time. I look forward to joining the frontlines in the morning.”

The clapping ceased almost at once as the attendees filed out of the room.

Wil took a deep breath.
Tomorrow is the big day.

“So, what are our scores?” Ian asked as soon as the spectators were gone.

“They ranged from 9.0 to 9.3,” Wil replied. “I’ll send your individual results to your handhelds. I’d caution you to avoid direct comparison—each of you know the others’ strengths far more than this test captures. Rely on your history together.”

“We will,
Supreme Commander
,” Curtis said.

Wil cracked a smile. “Hey, now, I didn’t pick the title.”

“ ‘Almighty Supremely Awesome One’ is more like it,” Ethan joked.

“One Commander to Rule Them All,” Saera added, to which Michael laughed.

“All right, all right,” Wil cut in when he noticed a growing expression of horror on Taelis’ normally impassive face. “You’re Agents now—the image of poise and dignity.”

Ian grinned. “Uh, I think we may have skipped over that part on our accelerated timeline.”

“Bomax! I knew I missed something,” Wil jested back.

Just outside the group, Taelis crossed his arms. Next to him, Banks observed the antics with reserved amusement.

“All right, let’s head back to the Conquest for the night,” Wil suggested. “Get in a little relaxation before we get down to business.”

There were enthusiastic nods and cheers all around.

“Go ahead. I’ll be there soon,” Wil told them before turning his attention to the High Commanders. Saera accompanied the Primus Elites toward the ship.

As Wil approached, Taelis uncrossed his arms. “They treat you like one of them.”

“The best friends I could ever hope for,” Wil replied. “They’re serious when it matters.”

“We’re counting on you,” Taelis said.

“We’ll deliver,” Wil assured him, then focused on Banks. “Are you sticking around?”

“No, I was just here to hand over command. I’ll be back at Headquarters—the facility is short-staffed enough as it is.”

Wil nodded. “I appreciate you coming. I know it must have meant a lot to the Elites to see you here.”

“Yes, I wouldn’t want to let them down,” Banks said, but Wil sensed the unspoken meaning to the words—that Banks didn’t want to let Wil down, and that he never would.

“Thank you,” Wil replied to the hidden statement.

“Now,” Banks continued, “I believe you have some celebrating to do.”

Morning came too swiftly for Wil’s liking. The afterglow of the night’s festivities faded as he and Saera approached the Command Center of the Conquest to report for duty. No more practicing, no more margin for error—his commands would be binding and the results permanent.

“Good morning,” he greeted the other officers, who were already at their posts. Each of the Primus Elites wore new black uniforms.

“Good morning,” Michael replied. “All systems check out. We’re ready to head out on your order.”

Wil took his seat in the center of the room while Saera situated herself at the front control console next to Rianne. He gripped the handholds on his podium to access the scan results for verification, as was his obligation as captain. Everything looked good in his secondary review. “Okay, this is it. Any final comments before we head out?” he asked his friends.

“‘Go team?’” Ian suggested.

“Works for me,” Michael agreed.

I hope they’ll always be able to find the light side of a situation.
“All right, then. Go team!” Wil rallied.

“Go team!” the crew repeated in unison.

“Now, our first task will be to disrupt the Bakzen supply line through the transit corridor near Scilla. Do we have the go-ahead from the Vanquish and Nova?” he asked.

“Yes,” Rianne confirmed, “the Vanquish and Nova are standing by, along with the complement of tactical attack vessels under their commands.”

Wil took a moment to let the battle scenario play out in his head. His father on the Vanquish and Lead Agent Ramsen on the Nova would be important backup firepower if the rest of the fleet got into trouble. It would be best to have them hang back to catch the Bakzen by surprise. “Have them accompany us to the remote observation site at Scilla II.”

“Aye,” Curtis acknowledged.

“Saera, prepare to jump,” Wil ordered, getting to business. “Ethan, have the Primus Squad wait near Scilla IV.”

Ethan’s eyes became distant as he relayed the telepathic command.

“The jump path is laid in,” Saera announced.

Wil took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

The Conquest was enveloped by the shifting blue-green shroud of subspace. The ship floated in the ethereal light for nearly a minute before dropping back into the echoed starscape of the rift.

Next to the ship, the gravity signature of an orange planet formed a mirage in the blackness of space. The Vanquish and Nova appeared from subspace just beyond the gravity well of the planet.

“Bring up the map of the corridor,” Wil instructed Rianne.

A holographic map appeared around the front of the domed viewscreen, illustrating the beacon network connecting three planets with Bakzen territory. Just beyond the Defense Barrier, a Bakzen-controlled outpost was illuminated in red.

“This supply outpost is one of five gateways into Bakzen territory,” Wil stated. “It’s their most direct link to the ore mines in the Utan Belt.”

“Eliminate the outpost, slow the supply?” Michael filled in.

“And, eventually, cut it off entirely,” Wil confirmed. “Now, two of our cruisers and a carrier are already waiting here to jump in for a surprise attack,” he pointed to the edge of the mining zone in the Utan Belt. “I’ll observe the setup of the Bakzen defenses, and then the first wave of TSS forces will jump in. Once the Bakzen are engaged, the Vanquish and Nova will jump in to draw fire while the Primus Squad takes out the target.”

“Understood,” Michael acknowledged.

Wil gripped the handhold on his podium. “Prepare to relay commands to the attack units.” The other Primus Elites scattered throughout the fleet would make sure any orders were executed correctly.

The Conquest’s officers took their own handholds to establish the telepathic network.

Clearing his mind, Wil used the ship as an anchor while he slipped into a state of simultaneous observation—reaching out through the rift to his remote vantage of the surrounding space. He floated in the nothingness, waiting for the planes to come into focus. Then, he saw himself on the Conquest, and the other ships nearby. He zoomed outward past the edge of the solar system, passing by the waiting Primus Squad.

There it was: the Bakzen outpost. A shield surrounded the enormous storage complex on the surface of an asteroid, and a transport ship was off-loading ore onto a conveyor that carried the material down to the boxy, prefabricated structures beneath the shield
.
The facility would have made for an easy target if there weren’t four battlecruisers, a warship, and sixty combat jets circling the asteroid.

Fok, this is more than we’ve practiced taking on in training.
Except, in training he hadn’t had access to the full resources of the TSS fleet. He pulled back into his physical self. “Change of plan.”

*       *       *

Cris stared back, dumbfounded, at the image of his son on the front viewscreen in the Vanquish’s Command Center. “You want us to do
what
?”

There had never been a doubt in Cris’ mind that the Vanquish would participate in its share of battles in the final stretch of the war. After all, it was the flagship for the main Headquarters and was equipped with the latest weapons and jump drive systems. However, Wil’s first official orders as Supreme Commander caught Cris completely off-guard.

“Jump in between two of the Bakzen cruisers. Seriously?” Cris clarified.

“I can relay the exact jump coordinates and timing,” Wil said confidently. “The Vanquish can withstand the bombardment—it’ll be distracting for the Bakzen, and totally unexpected.”

Unexpected all right.
“I’m beginning to think we should have practiced with you.”

“We don’t have impact ratings for the Bakzen weapons,” Kate protested from the First Officer’s chair next to Cris.

“The Vanquish is the same design as the Nova, and that ship has faced the Bakzen plenty of times,” Wil countered. “You have your orders.”

He wouldn’t put us—his own parents—at risk, so he must be sure. At least, I don’t think he would…
“All right,” Cris yielded. “We’re standing by to jump on your mark.”

Cris sensed a consciousness reaching out to his mind.
“This is Michael,”
a voice said.
“Telepathically link to your pilot and jump on my order. The timing must be precise.”

“Understood,”
Cris acknowledged.

“They want us to telepathically network,” Cris explained aloud to the Command Center crew. “I’ll serve as a hub and keep Kari in the loop.”

“This’ll be interesting,” Alec commented from the pilot’s console.

“I’ll relay orders to Matt in Engineering, if necessary,” Kate offered. “You’ll have enough to keep track of with us and communications with the Conquest.”

“Okay, here we go.” Cris opened his mind to the telepathic feed from Michael. For the first few moments, he saw only blackness, with a background hum of potential energy. Then, a panoramic image came into view.

The scene was blurry, like a video run through too many filters. However, the key objects were all visible and fully realized in three-dimensions. Cris could navigate through the image with the slightest thought. He took in the scene, noting four cruisers, a warship, and more jets than he could readily count. Two of the cruisers were situated in such a way that the Vanquish could fit in between them and have a direct line of fire to the warship’s propulsion system.
That must be our opening.

“Yes,”
Michael replied, though Cris hadn’t meant to share the thought. Apparently nothing was hidden within the mental network.

“Do you see the destination?”
Cris asked Alec.

“Yeah, but I can’t calculate the jump coordinates based on this image alone,
” the pilot replied.

“I’ll give the coordinates when it’s time,”
Michael assured him.
“Stand by.”

“Jump drive is primed,”
Alec confirmed.

Cris waited in silence, trying to keep his mind free of random thoughts to avoid any unnecessary distractions to his crew or the officers on the Conquest. The images of the battlefield relayed from Michael ceased while the Primus Elites concentrated on the remaining preparations.

Minutes passed. Cris shifted in his chair, anxious for the fight to begin. He found himself fatiguing as he tried to remain engaged but clear-headed at the same time.

Suddenly, a clear visualization of the battle returned. A series of commands filled Cris’ mind—images more than specific words. Before he had fully processed the instructions, the Vanquish was charging for a jump.

The ship slipped into subspace, bathed in light while the blue-green sea moved around it. All sense of peace shattered as the ship returned to the physical surroundings of normal space. The Vanquish wedged between two of the Bakzen cruisers, with less than a dozen meters of clearance to either side. In front of them, the warship was an easy target.

“Fire!” Cris ordered, both aloud and in the crew members’ minds.

*       *       *

Wil was tempted to watch the Vanquish rip apart the Bakzen warship, but there was the rest of the battle left to fight.

He extended his consciousness outward to take in the cross-section of the space around him, then called the rift into focus. Bakzen jets were darting between the planes, just as he’d predicted.

“Send the Nova into the rift,
” he instructed Michael.

The Nova appeared in the rift at the relayed jump coordinates in a flanking position relative to the Vanquish’s place in normal space. Never before had the TSS been able to so perfectly align their fleet across both planes, to match their enemy’s maneuvers. The Bakzen jets would be under fire no matter where they ran.

Within a minute, the four Bakzen cruisers and the warship were fully engaged with the TSS onslaught, leaving the facility on the asteroid in normal space comparatively exposed.

“Take out the transport ship!”
Wil ordered Ethan and his Primus Squad pilots. The TSS could use the facility if they could capture it with minimal structural damage.

“On the way!”
Ethan acknowledged, his excitement radiating through the telepathic bond.

All the hard work and practice was finally coming together in one coordinated assault. The hunt was on, it was nothing short of thrilling.

*       *       *

“Game time,”
Tom said to his Primus pilot comrades as he pulled out from their waiting place behind Scilla IV. His pulse raced with anticipation. It was their first real fight—no safety net like in the simulations.

He had a clear visualization of the battlefield—relayed from Ethan—but there were too many moving units, enemy and friendly, to track. Jumping into the center of the action was doable, but not without risk. He studied the images playing through his mind.

“We need to move,”
Rey urged.

“I’m looking for the right opening.”
Then, Tom spotted where they should go—a small pocket of open space between the main action and the edge of the shield around the asteroid. He sent a mental image of the location to his comrades.

“Got it,”
they confirmed in unison.

The IT-1 jet purred in response to his telepathic commands, charging the jump drive with an instantaneous thought. In unison, the four jets winked through subspace and reemerged just at the edge of the battle raging in normal space.

A TSS cruiser—which Tom recognized as the Vanquish—was bombarding a Bakzen warship and four enemy cruisers in close quarters. The jump drives of the Bakzen vessels appeared to be damaged, based on his quick assessment of the scorch marks, but there wasn’t time to take it all in.

“You heard Wil, take out the transport!”
Tom rallied the other pilots.

They looped around from their forward flight path toward the shield surrounding the facility on the asteroid, arcing up toward the transport ship at an impossible angle for any other craft. As they came to the relative vertical, Tom opened fire on the connection point between the conveyor and the transport ship. The end of the fragile column shattered instantly, causing the boxy transport ship to rock until the stabilizers compensated. As the ship drifted away from the asteroid, it became a prime target for the Primus Squad to destroy, with no risk of damaging the rest of the facility on the asteroid.

Following Tom’s lead, the four jets first unleashed a barrage of energy charges to disable the vessel’s propulsion. Since it was caught mid-materials transfer, the transport ship’s shield wasn’t deployed, and the blasts hit the engines hard and true. The rear of the ship exploded under the jets’ fire.

A dozen of the nearby Bakzen jets immediately changed course toward the Primus Squad after the explosion, launching globs of Detno toward the IT-1s.

The Primus Squad rolled to avoid the explosive goop.

Tom’s jet shuddered as the Detno exploded in open space behind him.
“Now, another pass at the transport ship. Make it count,”
he told his friends.