Never Surrender (The Empire's Corps Book 10) (29 page)

“Ed,” Gaby said, as he walked through the inner door.  “I rarely see you here in working hours.”

Ed smiled.  Their relationship was the worst-kept secret on Avalon - they’d been lovers for over three years - but they had to try to keep it professional.  They both had political enemies watching them closely for any signs their relationship was colouring their judgement.  He kissed her forehead, then sat down facing her.

“We have a situation,” he said.  “The Governor’s wife is a spy.”

He outlined the bare bones of the story, then waited for Gaby to finish considering the implications.  She had a more twisted mind than he had, as well as a better appreciation of the political realities. 
And
she’d been the leader of the Crackers before the Battle of Camelot and the political settlement that had ended the war.

“Shit,” Gaby said, finally.  “The Governor is quite well liked, Ed.”

“Now he’s powerless,” Ed pointed out.  “Was he so well-liked when he was the Empire’s representative on Avalon?”

“He was always largely powerless,” Gaby said.  “The Old Council saw to that, I think.  He was just the figurehead for a loathed system that eventually abandoned us.”

She sighed.  “We can’t let this continue,” she added.  “The war alone is placing a great deal of stress on our political system.  If this gets out ... all hell will break loose.”

“I know,” Ed said.  He frowned as a nasty thought occurred to him.  That damned reporter would have to be silenced, particularly if Hannalore agreed to cooperate in exchange for not being executed for her crimes.  “Colonel Stevenson would like to covertly take her into custody, then make a deal.”

“It sticks in my craw to let a spy go unpunished,” Gaby said.  “But ... hell, we have precedent.  There was a general amnesty for just about everyone after the war, wasn't there?  And we gave the same offer to Admiral Singh’s lower-ranking personnel.”

“That was then,” Ed said.  “This is now.”

“The old crowd will understand,” Gaby said.  “We all did things we’re not proud of during the war.  Some people ... just found themselves caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.  We liked willing cooperation, but we were quite willing to threaten people when we couldn't count on their patriotism.  A threat to a person’s family can ensure cooperation.”

“Hannalore wasn’t threatened,” Ed said.  “She
chose
to betray us.”

“We don’t know that,” Gaby said.  “You
assume
she merely wanted a return to power and status, but you could be wrong.  She could have been threatened, or blackmailed, into cooperating with the enemy.  It sets a very bad precedent if you allow someone to be backed into an inescapable corner.”

Ed winced.  “If she’s being blackmailed,” he offered, “it has to be bad.”

“Or merely silly,” Gaby said.  “There’s nothing illegal in
our
relationship, but I wouldn't be very happy if someone released recordings of us in bed together onto the datanet.  She could be having an affair, one that would rip her marriage apart if it ever became public ... she might not be
arrested
for it, but she would certainly be embarrassed.”

She took a long breath.  “Have your officer take her into covert custody,” she ordered, “and interrogated thoroughly.  If she is willing to cooperate, we can deal with her afterwards; she won’t have a chance to return to power, but she will be alive.  If not ...”

“Kill her,” Ed said, flatly.

“Yeah,” Gaby said.

She looked past him for a long moment, her eyes haunted.  Ed understood; he’d been a Marine, fighting in the open, while Gaby had been a freedom fighter against a dangerous and powerful enemy.  She would have been called a terrorist, he knew, if she’d lost the war; the Crackers might have tried to fight decently, but they'd done their fair share of terrorising people who weren't openly inclined to support them.  And Gaby and her people had to live with what they’d done.

“I have two years left as President,” she said, slowly.  “Do you think I could retire afterwards?  Would you come with me?”

“I don't know,” Ed admitted.  Part of him liked the idea of a rest, part of him knew he was being stupid - and selfish.  He had a comfortable office, a comfortable bed and all the food he could eat, while some of his subordinates squatted in foxholes or stood guard in the freezing cold.  Had he reached the point where he could move people around as easily as icons on a display?  “There’s still work to do.”

“Knitting the remains of the Empire back together will be the work of generations,” Gaby said.  “God alone knows how much is left of the Core Worlds ... let alone the worlds on the other side of Earth.  Our grandchildren might be the ones who put the finishing touches on the next empire.”

She smiled.  “Do you want children?”

“One day,” Ed said.  Children had always seemed like hostages to fortune for him; it had been rare to see a serving Marine with children, not when a serving Marine could find himself shipped halfway across the galaxy at a moment’s notice.  But now ... if he wanted children, he could have them.  “But after the war, I think.”

“The war may not end soon,” Gaby warned.  “Life goes on.”

“I know,” Ed said.

He sat back in his chair and smiled.  “But I do have an idea to put in front of you,” he added, seriously.  “One that could shorten the war.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

That isn't to say that the Empire mistreated them.  Most foot soldiers were simply rounded up, then dispatched to a penal world.  The Empire calculated they would be unable to affect the struggle on their homeworlds - and, in addition, they might manage to make the penal world habitable. 

- Professor Leo Caesius. 
The Empire and its Prisoners of War.

Medusa,
Wolfbane System, Year 5 (PE)

“Now,” Jasmine mused.  “
This
is interesting.”

“Is it?”  Stewart asked.  “I would have thought it was awful timing.”

Jasmine smirked.  Stubbins hadn't exaggerated when he’d described Governor Brown’s plans to expand the shipyards at Wolfbane.  There were over fifty slips capable of handling heavy cruiser-sized starships, two that might be capable of building battleships and over three hundred industrial, fabrication and habitation nodes.  Indeed, there was more industrial power concentrated in the giant shipyard than there was in the entire Commonwealth.

“Our old friend Admiral Singh has returned from the front,” Jasmine said.  Pete, after some muttering, had given her access to his private communications links to other independent miners.  They might not have much political power, but they had their ways to keep an eye on those who did.  “Apparently, she’s going to be ...
consulting
with Governor Brown.”

“It will keep them busy, I suppose,” Stewart said, slowly.  “Are they coming to the shipyard?”

“Eventually,” Jasmine said.  “But can we stay here long enough to arrange a proper greeting?”

“We need a diversion,” Watson offered.  “An attempt on the Governor’s life would suffice, I think.”

“Getting down to Wolfbane would be tricky,” Jasmine pointed out, sharply.  “He’s not due up here for another two weeks, assuming he sticks to his schedule.”

“It should be possible to get down without being caught,” Watson countered.  “There are smugglers who get people down to Wolfbane, if they’re paid well.  I could go down with Paula and see what opportunities present themselves.”

Stewart snorted.  “
You’re
volunteering for this?  Don’t you know you should
never
volunteer?”

“I’m the best choice,” Watson said.  “Jasmine shouldn't be risking herself; she’s the CO.  You’re needed to serve as her backup.  None of the soldiers have the right training to get into hostile territory and remain unnoticed until the crunch comes.  I did start the Pathfinder module ...”

“You failed,” Stewart snapped.

“I’m still the best qualified,” Watson said, flatly.  “I go down with Paula.  We make contact with some of her contacts, assuming they’re still in place.  Assuming all goes well, we launch an attack on Governor Brown’s residence in hopes of taking him out - if nothing else, it should provide a fantastic diversion.”

Jasmine frowned.  She couldn't argue with the logic - Watson
was
the best qualified - but she disliked the idea of sending him away.  The odds weren't in favour of him making a clean escape, even assuming he carried out the mission successfully.  And if he were caught, making his way down to Wolfbane, it would be all too revealing.  If nothing else, the Governor’s security officers would start looking for any other discrepancies within the system.  They would
certainly
tighten security around the shipyard.

But at the same time, it
would
make one hell of a diversion. 

“You’re talking about taking Paula with you,” she said, delaying the final decision.  “Do you trust her not to fuck up?”

“I think she’s strong enough to handle it,” Watson said.

“That’s because you’re sleeping with her,” Stewart sneered.

Jasmine had her doubts.  Paula had impressed her, even though she couldn't understand the older woman’s career choice.  There was a strength in Paula that had enabled her to survive five years of imprisonment, even as her superior started to crack under the strain.  She
would
have made a good Marine. 

“I don’t think fucking her is the same as losing my ability to
judge
her,” Watson snapped at Stewart.  “I ...”

“Of course it is,” Stewart said.  “All your blood has run down to your cock, starving your brain of oxygen.  You are talking about taking a civilian on an incredibly dangerous mission.”

“She’s the closest thing we have to a native guide,” Watson said, coldly.  “I think she would be able to operate within the system better than anyone else.”

“But would she pass muster when the security forces sweep past her?”  Stewart asked.  “One hint of nervousness and you’re screwed, perhaps literally.”

“I was unaware that being a Marine was
safe
,” Watson snapped.  “There are times when you just have to gamble.”

“True,” Jasmine said, holding up a hand to keep the two men from arguing.  “Ask her if she wishes to undertake the mission, knowing the odds against escape are poor.  If she agrees, you can plan out how to get to Wolfbane without being intercepted.”

“There are smugglers who visit the asteroids from time to time,” Watson said.  “We could depart this afternoon, if we put out a call.”

“Go ask her,” Jasmine ordered.  “And then see if we can get you down to the surface.”

She watched Watson leave the office, then looked back at the diagrams of the shipyard complex.  The real problem was getting through the outer defences; the designers had ringed the complex with automated weapons platforms and dozens of remote sensor pickets.  Even a dedicated stealth ship would have problems sneaking through the defences, although once it was through the barrier it would have become a great deal easier.  Jasmine had a feeling, judging by the reports, that there were so many different people working on the shipyard that no one knew
everyone
who happened to be there. 

“Risky,” Stewart observed, breaking into her thoughts.  “We could lose him.”

“I know,” Jasmine said.

“And there are political implications in trying to assassinate the enemy head of state,” Stewart added.  “They may seek to retaliate.”

Jasmine scowled.  Stewart was effectively her XO; it was his
duty
to remind her of potential issues with her planning.  But, now she’d made the decision, she really didn't want to be questioned.  Watson was right.  They needed a diversion and an attack on Governor Brown was perhaps the best idea they could muster.  States that were ruled by a single person tended to be very sensitive to threats to their leader.  If nothing else, there would be one hell of a succession crisis.

“They attacked Avalon itself,” she reminded him.  She’d caught up on the news from the front on Saltine.  “They made a determined effort to kill Colonel Stalker and the President.  I don’t think they can complain if we return the favour.”

And we might spark off a civil war
, she added, silently.  Everything she’d heard from Stubbins and Paula - and Pete - suggested that Governor Brown was presiding over a patchwork state.  Without him holding the whole edifice together, it might collapse into chaos. 
The Commonwealth would have a chance to build up its might while Wolfbane turned on itself.

She wondered, absently, if Colonel Stalker would approve.  He’d always had an idea of war as honourable, something that Jasmine didn't understand.  There was a difference between clinging to one’s ideals and allowing them to hamper operations.  But, in the end, the decision rested with her.  Governor Brown’s removal might help the Commonwealth win the war and that was all there was to it.

And if Admiral Singh dies too, we might well win quicker
, she thought.  Admiral Singh might have lost Corinthian, but she was no idiot.  And she had a burning lust to prove herself by stamping her will on the universe. 
Who knows who will replace her if she dies
?

“Then we should ensure he has the best possible chance to succeed,” Stewart said.  “Do you have a way to get into the shipyard?”

“I think we have only one option,” Jasmine said.  The old trick of shutting down all emissions and just
drifting
through the defences was not going to work here.  “We need to get them to take us inside.”

Stewart lifted an eyebrow.  “You plan to bribe our way inside?”

Jasmine shook her head.  “There’s an ore freighter docking here tomorrow,” she said.  “We’re going to take it, then load it with ore and set course for the shipyard.  Their procedures insist on any incoming ships being searched thoroughly before they enter the shipyard ...”

“Which will make it impossible for us to sneak through,” Stewart pointed out.

“It will,” Jasmine said.  “They will board us, like they did earlier.  At that point, we take their ship and use it to pass through the defences.”

Stewart smiled.  “And then?”

“We bail out once we’re in the shipyard, then trigger a core breech in the ship’s drives,” Jasmine said.  “That should cause enough confusion for us to get to the habitation nodes without being detected, as we’re already be inside their defences.  From there, we go to the armoury and take control of the missile pods, then turn them on the shipyards.  And then we slip out and sneak back to the freighter.”

“I see,” Stewart said, after a long moment.  “It sounds remarkably complex.”

“It is,” Jasmine said.  “However, I don’t see any alternative.  I don’t know if there’s a self-destruct system on the shipyard, but if there is I doubt they would let us get hold of it.  Any other damage we can do would be wholly minor, given the sheer scale of the installation.”

“There is another possibility,” Stewart offered.  He tapped the shipyard diagram with some force.  “We could deliberately set out to butcher the workforce.”

Jasmine blanched.  It was easy enough to consider assassinating Governor Brown, but she didn't want to think about slaughtering hundreds of thousands of innocent workers.  And yet, didn't Stewart have a point?  The workers would be hard to replace, thanks to literally centuries of damage to the Empire’s educational system.  Hell, even the workers who could train newer workers would be killed.  Wolfbane might not recover for centuries. 

But she didn't want to cross that line.  It would be a step too far.

She frowned as a thought occurred to her.  “You think we could
kidnap
them instead?”

“I don’t see how,” Stewart said.  “There aren't any freighters within the shipyard, as far as I can see, and they wouldn't have any difficulty catching up with us if they did.  I think we have a choice between killing them all, or at least as many as we can catch, and letting them live.”

“We’re not going to become murderers,” Jasmine said.  There were people she would gladly kill - Governor Brown, Admiral Singh - but she wasn't going to slaughter far too many innocents, even if their deaths
were
a tactical advantage.  “Leave them in place.”

“I hope you can live with yourself later,” Stewart said.  “And what about our friends?”

“Good question,” Jasmine said.  Gary and Kailee might come in handy for something, but right now she couldn't think what.  “Maybe they should go with the freighter when it heads to the out-system.”

“Gary
has
been learning to hack,” Stewart reminded her.  He looked at the terminal, thoughtfully.  “Carl actually managed to have a long chat with him ...”

There was a tap on the hatch, which opened.  “Speak of the devil,” Stewart added, as Watson stepped into the compartment.  “We were just talking about you.”

“Ah,” Watson said.  He grinned, openly.  “And to think I was going to ask the doctor for something to keep my ears from burning.”