Resilience (Warner's World Book 6) (10 page)

Ursoola was looking at the head cam of the lead in the team she had sent up to Jebna’s office. She could see his body slumped forward over the terminal. “They have killed the Deputy” she advised. “We’ve just beaten back an armed assault at the front. They look like FIA troops.”

“Fuck. It’s started.”

“What do you mean it’s started? What’s it? Oh don’t bother. Just get down here pronto.” Ursoola hung up because though the firing had stopped out front she could now see a lone figure out there with its arms up holding what looked like a badge. She used the controls to zoom in. She did not recognise the person but she did recognise the badge. It was definitely FIA.

The figure began broadcasting from speakers emanating out of one of their vehicles behind which their troops were taking cover. She cursed as she tried to activate the audio. Finally it cut in. “…and lay down your weapons. I repeat. This is the FIA acting under direct orders from the First Consul. Cease all resistance, lower the barrier and lay down your weapons.”

“Whatever you do don’t do that” said Milus from behind her. Ursoola turned to confirm his presence but then refocussed on the figure in the street. It took a tentative step forward but was greeted by a burst of pulse fire. It had to dive back behind the vehicle.

“Why not? What the fuck is going on Milus?”

“The First Consul is initiating a coup.”

Ursoola turned to face him with a very dubious look on her face. “What, to oust himself?”

“No, to take full control from the supreme council. He wants it all. We’ve known about this since the 24
^th
.”

“And what, my pay grade is too low to be brought into the inner circle.”

Milus just gave her a withering look that said ‘don’t be childish’. “Look we detected this list of names” and he held up his communicator and showed her the message they had intercepted. “There are thousands of names on it. Look right up here is the Director and Deputy. They have just killed Jebna and probably the Director too. I haven’t had time to check.” Milus just realised something and then added “We should do that.”

“Yeah we will. Go on.”

“Well we didn’t think they would jump so soon. Many of those names are in the extended territories or even further out in the conquered realms. We thought we’d have at least a fortnight.”

“To do what?”

“Launch a counter coup of course.”

“Oh, of course. Why didn’t I think of that” said Ursoola in a mocking tone. “You say that like its routine. This is the fucking First Consul you’re talking about here. So he wants a little more power. The security situation is worsening. We could do with some more power.”

“And you wonder why you were not brought in. Look, your choice is pretty simple. Open those doors and let them in or be part of the solution that sweeps away this mess. Oh, one thing to bear in mind, there’s an Olasso on this list.”

“Let me see” she said thrusting her hand out. He handed over the communicator. She did a search on her surname and there it was. It wasn’t her but it was her uncle, who headed up the 33
^rd
Army Brigade (Bde). The colour drained from her face. She managed to bleat out “But why?”

“Probably pissed off someone he shouldn’t have. So what side are you on?”

Ursoola swallowed. She sat there for a moment unsure. All her life she had been on the side of authority. If she had been asked the day before she would have sworn she didn’t have a rebellious bone in her body. But now… With the flick of a synapse she picked up her communicator and hailed on the security wide channel “If that son of a bitch outside pops his ugly hands up again shoot him.” She then turned to Milus. “Good enough?”

Milus smiled. “Good enough for me. Might want to ask your uncle if he can get his troops over here. Now would be good.”

“Yeah, now would be good.”

On the rooftop of the Konit tower not more than 300m from the ‘complex’ a frustrated Torine looked down through the scoped rifle at the stalemated scene. “Fucking amateurs” she said scathingly. She put down the rifle and hailed Raitah. Raitah was in her command centre in the basement of the FIA HQ. She too was fuming. The video feeds said it all. She had just sacked the commander of the troops out front and was scratching her head as to what to do now.

“Yes I know they’ve fucked up. I need you to go and see the First Consul now. It’s time he used his influence to get us some real military muscle to take down these clowns.”

“That’s not really my job Director. Good luck with that one” and she hung up before Raitah could get a word in. ‘Maybe I’ve chosen the wrong side?’ asked Torine as she threw the sniper rifle into the hopper and jumped in. It was airborne before the door was shut.

Chapter 33. Slidwon 1630, 12 September

Emilius Quazor wasn’t happy. He wasn’t happy that Raitah had failed to secure the ‘complex’ in a relatively bloodless manner. Not that shedding blood ever concerned him but he did so want to avoid the media circus that was now bound to happen. He also wasn’t happy to hear the reports that the 33
^rd
Army Brigade had left its barracks. But what really pissed him off was that the agent that was supposed to deal with its commander had failed.

He knew he had a real fight on his hands in the middle of the capital. What he needed right now was some loyal troops, the type that family, influence or graft can buy. He hailed Nestor Quazor.

“Nestor my boy. How are you?”

“Fine uncle. What do I owe the pleasure?”

“How are the trials going?”

“Very satisfactory.”

“Wonderful. I hereby declare your unit fit for action and I have an immediate task for you.”

“Yes?” queried Nestor, somewhat suspiciously.

“I want you to deploy to the capital post haste and secure me the ISS ‘complex’. You will also have to deal with the 33
^rd
.”

“What’s happened…a coup?”

“You could say that. The bad guys are the ISS, and the 33
^rd
seems to have joined them. I need your Division to crush them.”

“My walkers are not designed for urban terrain. Hell, they have hardly been tested for open terrain.”

“They will do just fine.”

“Maybe fine in the streets but you can’t use them in buildings.”

“Then you’ll have to that the old fashioned way Nestor – up close and personal. Are you a warrior or do I need to get someone else?”

“Don’t get yourself all worked up uncle. I’ll do it. But I want that third baton now if I am to have the authority over all military assets in the region.”

“You’ll get it when the job is done.”

“No. I won’t move without it.”

“OK. You may think you have me over a barrel Nestor but you better be very careful and you better not fail.”

“Don’t worry Uncle I’ll save your bacon for you” said Nestor. He hung up, smiled and hailed his operations officer. “Training’s finished. We’ve got real work to do.”

Chapter 34. Cornucopia 0815, 13 September

“So what is it that you are expected to do when you get back?” asked Merry.

“Do the rounds with the media” said Charles. “First, I’ll be interviewed about my brush with death, combat, war all that stuff. Then gradually I’ll be eased into providing commentary on military and then political events and then I’ll be nominated to run. Well that’s what my mother has in mind.”

“Run for what?”

“The Chief Minister.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

“Shit!” said a surprised Merry. “Wow…” She sat back in her chair, the marmalade dripping from the piece of toast in her hand.

Charles managed a chuckle at seeing her like this.

“What?” You just find that normal?” she asked.

“Well yes.”

“You live in a different world to me Charles. But let me tell you. That is not and I mean NOT normal.” She looked at him like a school teacher correcting an errant pupil.

Charles just laughed. “You know you look great when you are all fired up.”

She smiled back but then went serious. “You’re not going to get away like that” she said and shook her finger at him across the table. “So tell me, you’re supposed to run for next year’s elections?”

“Yes” said Charles trying to be equally serious.

Merry saw past his seriousness and saw something quite different. “Do you really want to do this?” she asked.

Charles swivelled his head to the side briefly, a nervous reaction that afflicted him whenever he is blindsided and this question certainly blindsided him. His focus withdrew inside as he asked himself the same question ‘Do I want to do this?’

He finally started shaking his head and answered “No, I don’t. I don’t want to do this, not one bit really.”

“Then why do it?”

Again Charles pondered but he couldn’t think clearly. He had a confounded expression on his face. He felt Merry’s hand take his again and he felt relief. He eased the strain on his face and in his posture. “I need to think on that” he finally said to her.

Merry nodded. “I better go. Tomorrow?”

Charles smiled. “Yes” He looked her straight in the eye and said “I enjoy these talks.”

Merry smiled and left.

Chapter 35. Washington DC 0915, 13 September

“Belinda!” shouted Malissa. Belinda was getting mighty sick of Malissa’s recent practice of shouting for her rather than hailing and asking for her in a normal tone. It was at times like this she wished she wasn’t in the next office.

“Yes Chief Minister” said Belinda looking none too impressed as she entered the spacious office. She had already spoken to her boss about this practice and how it bordered on abuse.

Malissa shook her head. Yes she knew she shouldn’t but with the war in full swing now her days were becoming more and more frustrating. “Sorry” she blurted out, almost dismissively. “Look what Pious and Yomoto have agreed to.”

Belinda came around and leaning over Malissa’s shoulder she read the message on her terminal about the ‘supportive’ role of the Federation Fleet. “What’s wrong with that?” said Belinda cocking her head and looking down at Malissa like a frustrated teacher at a slow student.

“Don’t you give me that look” said Malissa. “It’s bad enough that I am in effect a bystander while these fleet officers fight my battles…”

“Our battles” corrected Belinda.

“Yes, our battles. But having to wait for a whole week to find out that they are making key political decisions here…” said Malissa with a frustrated expression on her face as she struggled for the right words.

But Belinda wasn’t going to wait. “We already went through this and you agreed that because of the time differences Pious would represent us on political decisions. I bet Yomoto has stewed over it too. But his staff would have persuaded him that it’s the right thing to do.”

“Oh and you think it’s the right thing to do too?”

Belinda just gave Malissa one of her ‘what did you expect’ looks.

“Do you know how much blood and treasure we are spending on this war right now?” asked Malissa.

“Yes I do actually…”

“Well you should appreciate that our people, our voters, are not going to be pleased when they hear that despite all that sacrifice we will be playing second fiddle to a rogan ragtag resistance outfit. Have you thought about that?”

“That is a natural emotional reaction but not a sound rational one. As it says there…” said Belinda as she took the liberty of scrolling the message down a little further to the Analysis section. “The consequence of not following this course of action is that we’ll probably have to fight another war down the track. So the wise long term option is to swallow our pride and go along with this. I am sure you can bring the people along on this.”

“Oh you are, are you? Have you seen the latest polls?”

“Yes and they show an increase in your approval rating.”

“We are still in negative territory and if it hasn’t escaped your notice we have an election just a year away.”

“Oodles of time” said Belinda. “Thanks to Warner we now have a base in rogan territory…”

“It’s going to be unusable this time next year…right before the election. It’s not going to look so terrific then” said Malissa with a rising degree of tension and frustration.

“If we agree to this we’ll have one of their friendly home systems” said Belinda trying to remain calm but finding that more and more difficult. “Things are going better and faster than we envisaged. We need to stay the course and we need to keep an eye on our long term interests. Forget the elections.”

“What?” said Kaito Tanaka, Malissa’s Chief of Staff (COS) who had the room on the other side. With the voices rising, he decided it was a good time to stick his nose in.

Malissa showed him the message. Kaito began pulling on his chin, which he did when thinking deeply. He was doing it more and more these days.  He finally finished reading and stood upright. He looked at Malissa and then Belinda to whom he asked “And you think this a good idea?” She nodded. He turned back to Malissa and asked “You don’t?”

Malissa gave him a wan smile and then responded “It’s probably the right thing to do for the long term, but I am worried about the short term…the elections.”

Kaito nodded and then pulled on his chin again. “A lot of water’s going to pass under the bridge before those elections. Things could still go either way. If they go south and we agree to this proposal then we’ll be seen to have abdicated leadership. That won’t be a good look. A strong political leader such as yourself could probably survive and carry the day based on our good standing in other areas. But…a new leader, with less cred behind them…well it’s going to be real tough.”

Warning bells sounded inside Malissa’s brain. She knew what Kaito was angling for here. “That kite has already flown Kaito. I’m not going to be contesting the next election. I’m sticking to the regulation two terms.” She gave him her most serious look.

Kaito nodded. He was content to chip away for now, though he knew that he had to convince Malissa to run by next February, otherwise they faced annihilation at the polls.