Sword of Axia (The Arcadian Jihad) (4 page)

“Keep the fission thrusters at maximum. We need to clear this part of space fast, they’ll launch pursuit squadrons to hunt down the men who destroyed their ships. Keep maximum thrust for another twenty seconds, Commander, you can engage the fusion drive accelerators as soon as we have an interstellar destination.”

The screens were clear as they hurtled out towards the edge of the Vega System, theoretically they were travelling too fast and were too far out to track, but theory was not always to be trusted. Only after they’d gone into hyperspace and travelled out of the system could they be certain that they were clear of any pursuit. For the time being all they could do was wait. He turned to Tell.

“Sir, I’m about to spool up the fusion drive accelerators, the navigating officer needs an interstellar course to key in, where are we headed?”

The door to the bridge hissed open and a woman walked through. She was wearing a simple robe, the dress of the Orphexians, inhabitants of the planet of Orphex credited with possessing powers of mind control, much more powerful than simple telepathy. Like most of their women, she was very striking despite being less than five feet tall. She had an elfin face with magnetic, dark green eyes that shone with warmth and intelligence, a wide mouth and long, dark hair that fell in glossy, glistening curls. When she spoke, her voice was both gentle and commanding. “I can answer that.”

Guide Tell looked at Blas. “May I introduce Sister Serena of Orphex?”

Blas was surprised. “What is an Orphexian doing on this ship, do we have an alliance with them now?”

The women of Orphex were a mysterious guild who had a tradition of avoiding politics. They were reputed to spend their time in the search for scientific and philosophical truths. And further developing their mental powers. Little was known about them and as a result they were feared by many people for their uncanny mental prowess.

“She is my new Deputy, Captain Blas. Sister Serena is a full voting member of Res Publica, the controlling council. She was recently appointed Vice-President of the Rescom Federation.” He looked at Serena. “Please explain to Captain Blas where we are going.”

Blas’s mind reeled with the implications of an Orphexian in such a position of power, but she ignored his stunned expression and continued.

“We are heading for the Planet Isolde, the...”

“The naval shipyards?” he interrupted. “That’s crazy, it's one of the most heavily defended planets in the Systems.”

“The Planet Isolde,” she continued, “where we will make a completely normal landing as a scheduled flight, it’s already taken care of.”

“But how...”

She smiled. “In the same way that we took over this ship, we have many friends in many places.”

He felt himself becoming irritated that she kept answering him before he’d finished the question. Then he understood what she was doing, what the Orphexians were doing. He glared at the tiny but elegant woman who stood before him.

“You’re using your powers of mind control to infiltrate and take over parts of the Axis organization. You’re using it to read my mind now.”

“Our planetary charter forbids us from using mental powers for any kind of political gain, but desperate times do call for desperate solutions. When the future of the human race is at stake, we cannot stand idly by. You know the rule of our order, ‘Born to Serve’,” she smiled sweetly. “But as for your questions, you are very obvious, Captain Blas, I’m afraid I tend to formulate an answer without hearing you out. It is no trick of the mind, believe me. But it is not polite, I’m sorry.”

He decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. For now. He was intensely suspicious of an Orphexian in such a powerful position, although he had to admit that without them he would almost certainly be heading for Nabucco I and a hell of a long prison sentence. A long sentence choking out the last years of his life in that toxic hell. Over the years there had been frequent rumors of Orphexian plots to take power in the known universe, so far none had proved to be true. But it would be little use if the Axians were toppled only to be replaced with another, more formidable set of rulers. In the meantime, there were more important matters to attend to, like conning the ship. His gaze swept the instrument screens, taking in the alert postures of the crew, they seemed to know their business. They were ready. He took a deep breath.

“Very well, Planet Isolde it is. Mr. Gehlen, bring the fusion drive accelerators online and set course for Isolde, do you have an estimate of the journey time?”

His first officer checked his screens. “Captain, ETA is three point six four hours at current speed.”

He thanked Gehlen. He watched the crew as they busied themselves preparing the ship for hyperspatial travel. The whine of the fusion drive accelerators screamed loud throughout the ship, the lighting dimmed and the gravity compensator slowed, giving them all the feeling of increased weightlessness. Vast amounts of power were diverted into the fusion engines, preparing the vessel for travel at faster than light speed. Finally, there was a slight kick as they jumped, the screens went blank as they began to recalibrate for a new solar system and then the lighting and gravity compensator began to return to normal. Guide Tell was talking quietly with Sister Serena. Blas joined them.

“Perhaps one of you would tell me what you’re planning when we reach Isolde.”

“Of course, Captain,” Tell replied. “It’s quite simple, as you have noted, Planet Isolde is the main naval construction shipyard for the whole of the Nine Systems. We have infiltrated certain parts of the planetary security apparatus already, enabling us to land as a regular supply cruiser. We have our temporary headquarters already established in a secret location, we’ll take you there and collect the reinforcements and weapons we have stored ready. Then we begin to strike out to take the planet and with it, almost the entire Axian ship manufacturing and maintenance capability.”

It was a vast scheme, Blas noted, if it worked it would strike a huge blow against the Axians. But it wasn’t without flaws.

“There are two other shipyard planets that can turn out ships almost as fast as Isolde,” he pointed out.

Tell shook his head. “They shut them down, both of them as well as several of the ancillary facilities. The Axians were so terrified of a counter-rebellion that they centralized everything into the one facility on Isolde that they could monitor closely. We performed a full strategic analysis of their strengths and weaknesses and concluded that it was their biggest mistake, a huge tactical and strategic error.”

Blas smiled. History was packed with accounts of ill-fated wars of conquest launched with boundless optimism and limited logistical support. They had one thing in common. Ultimately they all failed. It was incredible, the Axians had as good as won complete control of the Nine Systems and then made their source of weapons vulnerable to attack. In effect they’d created their own Achilles heel.

“So the damn fools have shot themselves in the foot, they’ve disposed of half of their armory,” he noted with satisfaction.

“That is our calculation, yes,” Tell replied. “After we take Isolde we will have our own fleet, first we take over the existing vessels that are part completed, within three months we’ll have more than four hundred ships of the line operational.”

“The big problem then will be finding crews.” Admiral Rusal had been listening intently to the conversation. “We can scrape around the outlying Systems to find some of the men who managed to avoid the Axian arrest squads, but it won’t be enough.”

“We know it will be a serious problem, Admiral,” Guide Tell replied. “As we don’t have military experience, we were hoping that you would be able to solve it for us.”

“It’s going to be tough. You can’t just bring untrained men in and expect them to crew a Battlecruiser, Guide Tell, let alone a light cruiser like this one. Yes, we can land on a planet and find volunteers willing to serve on our ships, but it won’t be enough. We must have trained men. Ideally what we need is a planet full of experienced crewmen and I’m afraid that such a planet doesn’t exist.”

Tell looked grim. “Are you saying that our counter-revolution is impossible, that we can’t find enough resources to fight back? Have we rescued you from prison for nothing?”

“Excuse me, but you’re wrong,” Blas interrupted. They stared at him.

“Wrong?” he said. “Perhaps you’d better explain yourself, Captain Blas.”

He nodded. “There’s a planet full of trained men and every single one of them would be more than eager to serve in the new fleet.”

Rusal shook his head. “That’s nonsense, Blas, all of the crews were taken by the Axians and imprisoned on...” He paused for a moment as realization dawned on him. “Of course, on Nabucco I. We’ll break them out, every man-jack of them.”

“Can you do it, is it possible?” Tell looked slightly skeptical. “The planets are massively defended, no one can get in or out without proper authorization, that’s why we arranged for the trial on Axis Nova, it was the only way of getting to you. We have no assets on Nabucco I to help us.”

They all looked at Blas. He smiled. “Yes, we can do it.”

System Standard 2728.1218 Lyra City, Axis Nova

“Secretary Kerawan, are you a complete fool?”

Merca Gluck was in a towering rage, Kerawan had never seen him so angry, flecks of spittle flew out of the Grand Pasha’s mouth.

“Sire, I don’t understand how the ship could have disappeared. It should have been tracked every step of the way to Nabucco I, it’s simply disappeared.”

“Should have been, should have been, what does that mean, man? Obviously it wasn’t tracked, was it?”

“Sire, it could have been lost in an accident, these things do happen.”

“And how would you know for certain, Secretary Kerawan? Suppose these Rescom scum took the ship? Those three prisoners are the most dangerous men in the Systems. Rusal is their chief strategist and Blas is their most respected captain. If that isn’t bad enough, there is Smetana as well. You know our intelligence people have found evidence that he was Rescom’s most lethal assassin?” Kerawan shook his head. “Of all the men you allowed to escape, those three, by the Prophet. I should have your head for this.”

“Sire, I...”

“And stop calling me Sire, it is a form of address for a King Emperor.”

“The people need a King Emperor, Sire. To them, the title of Grand Pasha is very respected but it is not the same thing, you are our most beloved leader, our de facto Emperor even if you do not yet have the actual title. They need a King Emperor, Sire, they need you.”

Both men understood the game Kerawan was playing. Of course Gluck wanted to be King Emperor, who wouldn’t wish for such a title, to begin a new dynasty that would rule forever over the known universe was the very pinnacle of men’s dreams. Equally, both men knew it was a dangerous game to play. Part of the Axian rhetoric had been criticism of the Rescom Federation leaders, their supposed restoration of a King Emperor who cared little for their subjects. Under an Axian administration there would be no Kings Emperors, they promised, only the Grand Pasha, the anointed of Axia, the only God of the Universe. Many of their most senior leaders, governors, admirals and generals whose men had shed blood in the name of Axia would find the title offensive. And yet, the title of Grand Pasha was not dynastic. To go into immortality as King Emperor Merca Gluck, perhaps Gluck the First, the first of his line, sounded magnificent. Perhaps.

“If they did escape and take over the ship, where would they go, Kerawan?”

“I do not know, Sire. My spies are everywhere, on every System. If that ship still exists it will be found and as soon as it is I will send a fleet to ensure its recovery.”

“I don’t want it recovered, I want it destroyed. The second it is sighted, pulverize it, reduce it to atoms, Kerawan. I want no part of it to remain in existence.”

“Sire, many of the men on board will be our loyal supporters.”

“Pulverize it, is that understood?”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Good. Now, have you finalized the taxation plans? You know the economy of the Nine Systems is in ruins after the war. What have you come up with?”

“Sire, the structure of the jizya has been finalized, the payments from the infidels. There are still billions of unbelievers within the Axian Empire, they will be taxed half of their income to be paid to our exchequer. In this way...”

“Make it three-quarters.”

Kerawan looked alarmed. “Three-quarters could lead to protests, even riots in the streets.”

“In that case deal with them,” Gluck snapped back. “Three-quarters, not a single percentage less, is that clear?”

He bowed. “Yes, Sire.”

“Our own people, they will not be taxed?”

“No, Sire. I spoke to all of our planetary governors, it would help if our own people would contribute but they are unanimous, the unbelievers must pay the entire cost of our administration. The policy is very popular with our followers.”

“Very well. Keep me informed of the progress of the hunt for that missing ship, if it is found I wish to be advised immediately.”

“Yes, Sire.”

It was his dismissal, Kerawan bowed and left. He wondered if he should have told Gluck about his agent on the missing ship. Perhaps it would be best to wait, who knew when information like that could come in useful. The man had been ordered to report to Kerawan on a regular basis, he hadn’t heard from him since the ship went missing. He had his suspicions about the Orphexians, after all, who else would have the power to subvert an Axian warship now that Rescom was thoroughly beaten? He still wasn’t certain of the allegiance of the mysterious women of Orphex, it would be useful to find out while they still had the power to destroy them. Kerawan was aware that he was playing a dangerous game of politics with all factions, but that was the point, wasn’t it? Politics was the best game in the universe, the only game. No matter which side you played on.