The Ninth: Invasion (48 page)

Galen’s nose wrinkled as a new,
fouler
, odor covered the others.  He glanced around but couldn’t discern what was causing the odor.  The foul sent grew stronger.  It was all Galen could do not to vomit at the pungent stench.  A fat man pressed through the other pirates.  He was obviously the source the horrid smell.

“Duda,” Klaus said, seemingly immune to the odor.  “Been a while.”

“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face around here, Mr. Schweitzer,” The fat pirate said.

“Please, call me Klaus.  I didn’t come here to cause trouble.”

“I’ll remember to add that to your obituary.”

“And miss a chance to make a killing?  Figuratively speaking.”

“I’m listening,” the fat pirate rubbed the folds of flesh under his chin.

“As I see it, you’ve got two options,” Klaus said, eyeing the armed pirates.  “On the one hand, you could have these fine pirates put a bunch of holes in me and my friend here.  Maybe you could get rid of my ship for a few credits and get a nice pat on the head from the Circle for getting rid of me.  But that’s about it.  There’s too much chaos in the Commonwealth for you to really get much out of my hide.”

“And the other hand?” Duda asked.

“I pay you a large chunk of my hazard pay as a, let’s call it a toll for entering your fine Freeport.  Beyond that, my friend here is a director of the ITU with a good reputation.”

“That means nothing to me.”  Duda spat toward Galen.

“Right now, sure.  But think about the future.  Once this whole war thing settles down, the ITU is still going to be rolling in credits.  It would be a shock if a
businessman
such as yourself couldn’t arrange a nice little . . . transportation fee when they want him back.”

Duda smiled and started nodding as he thought about it.

“One thing though, he stays with me,” Klaus said flatly.

“And why would I agree to that?” Duda asked as he narrowed his eyes.

“These fine associates of yours look a little trigger happy.  Do you honestly think they could watch
either
of us for the duration of this war without
accidentally
putting a hole or two in us?  Holes decrease ransom amounts, you know that.”

Duda turned to look at the armed pirates around him, and laughed after kicking one over.

“Fine, but I’m charging you two rent,” the fat pirate said as he started to saunter off.

The pirates lowered their weapons reluctantly and then followed after the fat man.

“Looks like we just bought ourselves a nice place to lay low until this all blows over.”

“All blows over?” Galen half-shouted.  “The fate of humanity is at stake!  There might not be anything left when this
all blows over
.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you have a flair for the dramatic?” Klaus said quietly as he surveyed the crude structures for a place to stay.  “You are going to give yourself a heart attack if you keep on like that.”

“The Shard are back!  How can you be so calm about this?”

“You don’t get to be an old merc like me without learning when to pull out and leave the rest to the fools.  I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  We humans are pretty stupid.  You think we won the Great War through clever tactics and intelligence?”  Klaus laughed a single time.  “The truth is we are too stupid to realize when our time is up.  Nothing in the cosmos is more powerful than human stubbornness.”

“But . . .”

“Listen here, Director Serena.  I will bet you every last credit that I have ever earned on the fact that at this very moment, out there somewhere, some fool is coming up with a hair-brained scheme that has
no
chance of succeeding.  It is what we humans do.  And succeed or fail, that hair-brained scheme will inspire the next one and the next
and the next
.  The Shards won’t win this because we are too stupid to
ever
give up.”

Brent thought things had been bad before.  In the time he had been unconscious, the Commonwealth had gone from desperate to circling the drain.  Like a dark fog, the Shard had completely covered the Commonwealth, and somehow he found the pleasant task of escaping that fog firmly placed in his lap.  Every world was fighting for its life against the merciless machines of death.  Citadels had landed on every world, unleashing the terrible machines they carried within them.

The only reason the Commonwealth hadn’t fallen already was because the ITU had gotten the ground defenses warmed up.  When the Shards poured out of the Citadels like locusts, they found the human forces heavily entrenched and ready for a fight.  However, things were still grim.  The best estimate had the Commonwealth managing to survive for another two months.  After that, the human race would be all but extinct – and that was the optimistic version.

He reviewed his available forces again and let out a deep sigh.  The Navy was down to six working ships with another
almost
space worthy.  Alden was very good at keeping secrets.  The CI forces that assaulted Reloas had been limited to massive tradeships.  He had an entire working battle fleet to offer, but compared to the number of Shard Citadels, it amounted to a drop of water against an ocean.

An unlikely source of additional ships was the remnants of the ITU.  Apparently code “Omega Black” meant run like hell.  Most of the ITU fleet had managed to escape to Eos, the only safe world.  Brent smiled when he thought about the irony.  The only world in the entire Commonwealth safe from Shard invasion was made that way by an act of the Shards themselves.

Flipping through battle plans, he let out a frustrated sigh.  It was hopeless.  It didn’t matter what scenario he worked up – things always ended the same.  They had the ships to liberate a world, maybe two, but once the Shards took notice, the Citadels would wipe out their entire fleet.  The Shard had established a massive base of operations in the center of the Commonwealth.  It was a large metal moon he called their hub world, but it was completely impregnable.  Even if he had had the entire Navy from before the ITU ambush, he doubted they would be able to seize that world.  Even if by some impossible turn of fate they managed to capture that world, it wouldn’t accomplish anything.

Brent had spent hours working out the courses of the Citadels, and he was convinced somewhere
other
than the hub world was controlling them.  The hub world’s purpose was to refuel, repair, and rearm – not command.  Of course, working out an effective battle plan was the least of his problems.  Assuming he ever figured one out, he still had to convince someone to follow it.  He had Alden’s complete support, of course, but Admiral Shen and the newly elected Grand Executive Catala wouldn’t be so easily swayed.  Alden wouldn’t be any help with the others either.

Admiral Shen was furious at Alden for concealing his knowledge of the Shards and blamed him for everything from the destruction of his fleet to continental drift.  Brent had to admit he couldn’t really fault Shen, as he had felt just about the same when he first found out.  As his thoughts drifted to Cassandra, Brent shook his head and glanced over the ITU forces.

Grand Executive Catala was dealing with having command of the ITU foisted on her.  She had been an obscure captain and the least likely to ever get a position of such power.  However, when the ITU survivors found out their last leader was a Shard in disguise, they didn’t trust anyone who had once held an administrative position.  The decision of the others had completely surprised her, and at first she tried to escape the job.

Brent couldn’t even be sure she could be counted on to continue leading her remaining forces for much longer.  Although, there was one thing he had no uncertainty about, she hatred of both Alden and Shen.  Her hatred of Alden made perfect sense.  It had taken him a while to understand her loathing of Shen.  The Navy fleet had disabled several of the ITU battle group approaching Reloas.  Several of those captains lost were dear friends to Catala.  He recalled their early meetings – they always degenerated into brawls.

“How are you, sir?” Dante asked.

“You know, you’ve been the first visitor I’ve had all day,” Brent said with a smile.

“The others just want to give you some space.”

“You sure they aren’t terrified of me?  A
thing
from the past with a violent streak – sounds like something right out of a 3P,” Brent said, ashamed of his outburst.  “A poorly written one at that.”

“I’ll admit they are shaken up, but terrified isn’t the word.  Liz is worried sick about you sir.”

“Really?”

“She has yet to say a single sentence that hasn’t related to you in some way since you woke up.”  Dante took a seat opposite him.  “She wants to see you in the worst way, but she’s terrified she’ll remind you of . . . well you know.”

“And you’re not worried you’ll remind me of them?”

“I never said that, sir.  But I have the feeling you’re not the kind of person to run away from your problems.  I doubt you really
want
to forget them.”

“You sure you’re not a Weaver?” Brent asked with a forced grin.

“If I’m anything, I’m an Anti-Weaver.”

“Yin and yang.  I suppose everything needs an opposite.  So how is everyone else?”

“Overall, pretty well.  We thought we’d lost all of you.  It took about fifteen days before we could send proper search parties, and another day after that until they found the remains of the Harbinger.  You guys barely had any power or breathable air left; it was nothing short of a miracle you all survived.”

“Fifteen days!  Why so long?”

“Those Shards wouldn’t leave.  It was almost like they were taunting us.”

Brent sat forward from his relaxed position.

“Sir?” Dante asked.

Without answering, he shifted through the pads until he found what he was looking for.  Quickly scrolling through the information, he found it.  Reading as quickly as he could, he jumped to his feet.

“Assemble the squad,” Brent said, still half reading.  “Tell Alden I want to meet with everyone in one hour.”

“What’s going on?” Dante asked standing.

“We are going to win this fight yet,” he said with a confident smile.

As soon as Dante left, he got to work.  It was a long shot, but it was the best one they had.  Working out all the details took him longer than he thought, causing him to arrive at the conference room a little later than he hoped.  The various leaders were already assembled and at each other’s throats when he entered.  The security forces were keeping peace, but just barely.  Shen and Alden instantly went silent when they spotted Brent.  The others didn’t share their reverence.

“We all know why we are here, so let’s get right down to it.”  He addressed the leaders.

Not one of them stirred.  Apparently, they were too important to deal with a young trooper, even if he was in a Weaver’s uniform.  Alden tried to quiet everyone down, but that only angered them further.  Brent tried to slam his fist down on the podium to get their attention, but nothing happened.  He glanced down and was instantly reminded he had lost his right arm.  He still wasn’t used to missing his right arm.  He pushed the bitter emotions that flooded into him to the side.

Pondering what to do, he studied them intently.  He could sense the faint traces of their emotions.  The weakness of the sensation confused him.  He had been an enormous distance from Reloas when he felt the incredibly strong sense of fear erupt from it, but now in the same room he could only feel a wisp from those gathered.  Searching through the light sensation he found a good target.  Focusing everything he had on the man, he worked on his fear until the man jumped to his feet and started screaming.  The room grew silent as they watched the man bat at imaginary terrors while he wailed.  Once he knew he had everyone’s attention, he released the man who instantly fell to the floor, panting.  Brent hated using the man in such a way, but they didn’t have the time to waste any longer.

“Now that I have your attention, let’s focus on the matter at hand,” he said, attempting to hide his fatigue from manipulating the man.

“I refuse to sit in the same room as a Union dog!” one of Shen’s captains shouted.

“Fine by me.”  Brent paused for dramatic effect and to catch his breath secretly.  “If you’d like you can stand, lay down, or hang from the ceiling if you like.  Sergeant, will you please take the captain’s chair?”

The ITU captains burst into laughter as the security forces actually removed the Navy captain’s chair from the room.  The captain knelt, dumbfounded.

“Is everyone else comfortable?” Brent asked sarcastically.  “Because if you are done acting like children, I’m ready for grown up talk.”

“What’s your plan,
Weaver
?” one of Catala’s captains asked with clear venom in her voice.

“At least he’s not a Union dog,” the kneeling captain said under his breath.

“You want to say that to my face?”

“Is that what that is?  I thought you were doing a head stand and talking out your . . .”

The ITU captain lunged at the Navy captain.  One of Alden’s men tried to intervene, only to be broadsided by a punch.  Before long, half the room was in a bar brawl.

“Enough!” Brent shouted in his darkest voice.

Brent lashed out at the security forces, working on their anger and disgust.  The armed guards raised their rifles and pointed at the fighting mass.  He pushed them to the brink of wanting to cleanse the disgusting sight while holding him back just enough that they wouldn’t actually open fire.

“If you are going to act like children, then I have no choice but to discipline you like children,” Brent said, focusing on the armed guards.  “Now, can all of you shut up for a few minutes and pretend you don’t hate one another?”

The women and men nodded emphatically as they noticed the revulsion on the faces of the quivering guards.  As the group calmed down, Brent released the guards while clinging to the podium.  It was all he could do not to collapse after the exertion.  It was hard to stand up straight with only the support of his left elbow.

“We’re listening,” Catala said respectfully.  “What’s your plan?”

“At the academy they teach three principles,” Brent said, trying not to pant openly.  “The first is this: Power is power, regardless of source.  What this principle is meant to teach is that just because something seems powerful, it can still be taken down.  The second is: There are many forms of victory.  The purpose behind this principle is to teach that just because you lose a battle or an engagement, you can still win the war.  And the last and most important for us is the third: Never attack what your enemy defends.”

“And why is that important,
instructor
?” one of Shen’s men asked as rudely as possible.

“Because right now the Shards are defending every single world of the Commonwealth.  Any attack on any one of those worlds will result in their entire defense force jumping in and wiping us out.”

“So, what are we supposed to do?” Catala asked.  “Sit here and wait for the end?”

“Not at all, we simply have to find the right target, the one they aren’t defending.”

“What are you getting at?” Shen asked.

“Right after Alden made his ultimatum to the ITU, a Shard fleet jumped in.  However, they didn’t leave for
fifteen
days.  Can anyone guess why?”

“They liked the view?” the kneeling captain joked.

“Try again,” Brent said, without a hint of humor.

“Obviously you know.  Why not just tell us?” Catala asked.

“Because you won’t learn anything that way.  Think about it.  You’ve just conquered a world, driven off its defenders.  Why would you wait around if you had other targets to go after?”

“Unfinished business of some kind?” A female ITU captain asked.

“The Shard? ” a captain from the Navy scoffed.  “With unfinished business on one of our worlds?”

Brent smiled at the female captain.

“She’s right?” Catala asked in surprise.

“What you are all forgetting is that the Shard had one of their own on that world,” Brent said.

“So they were retrieving her,” one of the armed guards said.

“Exactly right!  Now can anyone guess why it would take a fleet fifteen entire days to retrieve a single person?” Brent asked.

“There is no way it would take that long.  Unless . . .” Shen said, rubbing his beard.

“Go on,” Catala prodded.

“Well, not every ship is equipped with landing craft,” Shen explained.  “Even in the Navy, there are entire classes of ships that don’t have any drop ships.  If the Shard fleet didn’t have the ability to retrieve someone from the planet, they’d have to wait for a ship to arrive that could.”

“That would mean.”  Catala’s eyes widened.

“That fifteen days away is some kind of Shard shipyard or staging point that did have a ship capable of retrieving a single person,” Alden said, slamming his fist into his palm.

“And once we find that point of origin,” Brent said confidently, “we can track their ships, which will lead us right to their core command world.”