The Prodigal Emperor (The Shadow Space Chronicles Book 3) Read online

  “Thank you, Captain Franks,” Captain Wu said cheerfully, her face polite and attentive. Even so, her words instantly put Lucius's back up. Knowing that she was senior in the conspiracy, he distrusted almost everything she had to say. “As you can see, gentlemen, we have some limited intelligence based upon deep space scouting runs.” Lucius nodded at that. The extensive Chxor sensor network did not extend much past the inner system, but the Nova Roma sensor network extended almost to the outer limit of the outer system… and the Chxor had full access to that with occupation. Those two sensor networks would detect the emergence of a ship from shadow space anywhere within the system and quite a distance outside. The only way around that was for a ship to emerge in deep space, well outside the system and to coast along the edges of the system with its systems on standby or to use one of the vessels equipped with stealth systems to creep through the system and back out into deep space. “We have confirmed some of what High Commander Chxarals transmitted as well as giving us some idea of where their forces are deployed.”

  “The problem there,” she said, “is that we have identified over seven hundred of the Chxor 5-class dreadnoughts and three thousand of their 10-class cruisers. Worse, they are operating in cohesive groups and adjusting their positions. That eliminates the prospect of jumping in on top of any one force in a surprise attack.” Lucius grimaced, because that would have made an attack much easier. Normally the Chxor kept their ships at standby status until an enemy arrived in system. It was easier on their systems and it lowered maintenance costs. Most human nations, on the other hand, would maintain active drives in at least some percentage of their ships in a war situation. The adjustment by the Chxor commander was not one that Lucius approved of... he'd much rather fight an incompetent enemy. Even a marginally competent enemy can get far too many of my people killed with seven hundred dreadnoughts at his disposal, Lucius thought.

  “While we have no way to confirm the presence of bombs or nerve gas in the habitats and stations throughout the system,” Captain Wu continued, “There is little reason to suspect that they would need to lie about that in their broadcast to us.”

  “In all, the Chxor outgun us and have eight billion hostages which they have threatened to kill if we make a move on the system,” Captain Wu said.

  “Very well,” Lucius said. “Now that we have that out of the way, I want everyone in this room to focus on one goal: a successful liberation of the Nova Roma system from Chxor occupation. I want every parameter investigated: infiltration, raiding, a full attack, everything. The end state is saving the eight billion people in the system, destabilizing Chxor control throughout the region, and assisting our Nova Roma allies in returning home.”

  Lucius's words met with silence. Most of the faces around the conference table were thoughtful, men and women who had already begun to work on the problem and to whom this was merely a case of openly stating what they already expected.

  Some faces, however, held rather different expressions.

  Senior Captain Ngo spoke up, “Baron Giovanni, I can't help but note that you have set us with an impossible task. Any battle plan we undertake will pose not only massive risk for our own forces but also inconceivable risk for the inhabitants of the star system.”

  “Excuse me?” Lucius asked.

  “Well, Baron, we have all seen High Commander Chxarals's broadcast. The Chxor are willing to kill every man, woman, and child in the star system if even one of our ships enters the system. The important thing is, however, that they're willing to cease their attacks, to establish a permanent border. If that is the case, and if we can perhaps work out some sort of lasting treaty with them, then we might maintain the safety of the people in that system without risking their lives and our forces.” Senior Captain Ngo said the last with a tone of eagerness, as if he had solved some problem quite handily.

  Lucius stared at him for a long moment. “That is dependent upon two factors which we have no reason to believe to be true: one, that the Chxor will abide by any treaty for a longer span than they see some advantage in breaking it and two, that we would betray our word to allies who have put themselves at risk multiple times to defend us.” Senior Captain Ngo opened his mouth to argue and Lucius stared the man down until he closed his mouth. “Regardless of what we do, be assured that the Chxor will kill every man, woman, and child on all the worlds they control. They will do that because they see themselves as a superior race. They have killed hundreds of millions here in the Tehran system with systematic violence and utter disdain for human life. They will continue to kill humans until we can either shatter their empire or force them to reevaluate their fundamental principles.”

  Senior Captain Ngo looked pained, “Baron, surely this is them doing just that? We have every reason to believe that they have changed their belief system. We've seen changes in their operating parameters and–”

  Lucius cut him off, “Everything we have seen thus far is merely an extension of their current paradigm applied to the problem. Holding an entire star system hostage to our good behavior? Threatening extinction of innocent people while offering us a meaningless peace treaty that will last only until it suits them? The Chxor are merely consolidating their forces and trying to delay us long enough to give them the time they need to return to the offensive. If you believe otherwise, Captain, you are sadly mistaken.”

  Senior Captain Ngo flushed and he opened his mouth to reply. As he did so, alarms started to wail and a voice came over the intercom, “All personnel, battle stations, Chxor fleet inbound.”

  ***

  “Count is two hundred and thirteen Five-class dreadnoughts and six hundred and twelve Ten-class cruisers,” Ensign Camilla Jiang said as Lucius stepped onto his flag bridge. She immediately brought up a holographic overlay that showed their position within the Tehran system. “So far, they haven't begun jamming and they seem to be in a cruising formation rather than battle formation.”

  “Possibly a convoy en route that didn't get the message?” Lieutenant Moritz asked nervously.

  “No,” Lucius said, even as he saw most of the rest of his staff shake their heads. “Chxor capital ships mount ansibles. They're more power intensive than Nova Roma designs but they're good enough for them to be updated the status of their systems. Any Chxor commander coming here would know who holds the system. If it were meant to be a surprise attack, they would have come in much closer. If this were a deliberate attack, they would have larger numbers.”

  He saw the others nod at that. “This is something else...” He pursed his lips and then his eyes narrowed at a sudden thought. “Have we challenged them, yet?”

  Ensign Konetsky shook her head, “Not yet, sir.”

  Lucius took a seat at his station. “Very well, transmit this to them with standard Faraday encryption: Greetings, Captain Kral and welcome back.” Faraday encryption was the code frequency sets that they had used for the Third Battle of Faraday

  Konetsky stared at Lucius for a long moment, before she turned back to her console. A moment later she looked up, “Sir, they've responded with a broadcast, encrypted with one of our codes, I'm putting it up on your screen.”

  “Greetings, Baron, I hope you didn't take our little surprise the wrong way?” Kral the Chxor said. His expression was what passed for humorous, though only weeks of working with him had taught Lucius even that much. I don't even want to think about how his laugh sounds, Lucius thought. This though, was about as good as Chxor humor seemed to get and even then, it was only those handful that embraced emotion and who Lucius had liberated from the Benevolence Council that might try such a “joke” as this.

  “Well, we were in the middle of a staff meeting, but since you nicely highlighted a point I was making at the time, I suppose I can forgive you,” Lucius smiled in return. The rubbery, gray flesh of his only Chxor friend was just as repulsive as he remembered. His waxy, lumpen features and box-like head made him look a caricature of a human, like something created by someone who knew all the
measurements but not quite how they were supposed to go together.

  “Well, it is best to maintain operational readiness,” Kral said perfunctorily. “Still, I have much to discuss with you and, as you can see, I've met with some measure of success in my mission.”

  “It certainly seems so,” Lucius said. “I'll transmit orders to stand down and you can bring your ships in. We've a great deal to discuss, I expect.”

  “More than you realize, Baron Giovanni,” Kral nodded.

  ***

  There was obvious strain on the faces of the Marines who escorted Kral and two of his fellows to Lucius's quarters. Whether that was because they didn't trust these Chxor or simply because they didn't trust any Chxor, Lucius couldn't guess. That didn't stop him from dismissing them out into the hallway.

  He didn't recognize the other two Chxor with his friend, but he trusted Kral. Kral might have betrayed the Chxor Empire, but he had done so only after they had murdered his sole offspring and their inept commanders had left him and his ship's crew to die. Kral had held Lucius's life and the lives of his men in his hands on more than one occasion. More than that, he was a consummate professional... he would never allow anyone into Lucius's presence unless he felt certain that they would bring no harm to him.

  Besides, as a show of trust, it would go further with them than any number of words.

  “Baron Lucius Giovanni,” Kral said, “Allow me to introduce Fleet Commander Khron and System Commander Thxun.” Lucius gave them both polite bows, which they returned. “Fleet Commander Khron is from the Garan system and System Commander Thxun controls the Ull system. They are here as representatives of a larger group of senior Chxor officers who disagree with the edicts of the Benevolence Council.”

  Lucius didn't miss the fact that Kral had not used the words 'unhappy' or 'displeased' which in turn suggested that one or both of these Chxor officers were less enlightened regarding their own repressed emotions.

  “I find it efficient that we undertake an effort to organize our opposition together,” System Commander Thxun said. “In particular, I think that mutual self-interest requires that we plan higher level strategy in order to synergize our efforts for maximum effectiveness.”

  Lucius gave the Chxor officer a nod of agreement, “Of course. Am I correct in estimating that you would like a full brief of our capabilities prior to any strategic discussions?”

  “This would be most efficient,” System Commander Thxun said.

  “Good,” Lucius said as he toggled his intercom, “Ensign Jiang, System Commander Thxun and Fleet Commander Khron are ready for your briefing.”

  As Camilla Jiang stepped through the open hatch, Fleet Commander Khron held up one hand politely. “I will be along in only a few juhn, System Commander. I must confer with Fleet Commander Kral and Baron Giovanni in regards to the dispositions of my ships.”

  Thxun gave him a nod of acknowledgment before he followed Ensign Jiang out of the quarters. To Lucius's surprise, Khron gave Lucius a nod and a wink as he took a seat, “System Commander Thxun can be a bit... proper, sometimes, Baron.”

  “Oh?” Lucius asked as he sat down behind his desk. He shot a glance at Kral, but his Chxor friend's face was rather impassive.

  “I apologize for putting you off your guard,” Khron said, his voice far more expressive than any other Chxor that Lucius had encountered. “I believe that I caught young Klar off guard, as well, upon our first meeting.”

  “And how was that?” Lucius asked.

  “I arrested him and several of his crew as they tried to infiltrate the Garan system,” Khron said jauntily. “They had already carried out their infiltration in several other systems and so they were rather surprised when I apprehended them immediately after their arrival. Still, I think it was a larger surprise to Kral when I revealed why it was that I so easily apprehended him.”

  Lucius cocked an eyebrow at that, though he could admit to himself that he was more impressed by the easy way that Khron expressed himself and showed emotions than his statement. “Why was that?” Lucius asked.

  “Khron is my father,” Kral said softly.

  Lucius froze, “I thought that Chxor offspring were raised in a separate crèche and that they never met their parents?”

  “They are,” Khron said. “I have, however, managed to monitor my son's progress. While I could not actively take a role in his life, until now, I have managed to shelter him from some of the consequences of growing up under the Benevolence Council.”

  “He saved my offspring,” Kral said.

  That took a long moment to register for Lucius. Kral had admitted to Lucius not long after his surrender that his offspring would be killed as a consequence of his defeat by 'inferior' species such as humans. He had, however, also stated that the lives of his crew and officers meant more than the life of just one Chxor, which is why he had surrendered. For that matter, Kral had been certain that whether or not he went down fighting, his child would still pay the price for his failure. Lucius clapped Kral on the shoulder, “Congratulations! That is excellent news, my friend.”

  “Thank you,” Kral said. “It was something of a shock. I had not met my offspring – that is, Khrol, until after System Commander Khron captured me, but it was good to finally meet her.”

  “His arrival triggered some of my security protocols,” Khron said. “Which allowed me to capture him and his companions quietly. After I told him why he could trust me, he told me about his efforts and about you, Baron,” Khron said. “Which is what brings us here, as you must realize.”

  Lucius did the math, “You have a conspiracy of your own in place already.”

  Khron nodded, “We've been waiting for the opportune moment for some time, now. The strain on the Empire from the war with Nova Roma has pushed it almost to the breaking point. The addition of being able to control our own reproduction without the oversight of the Benevolence Council has given us freedom we had not expected. We believe that we can take and hold over thirty percent of our Empire's worlds, many of them supply and manufacturing hubs. Another thirty percent are recently captured human worlds which we think will be either abandoned or recaptured by human forces.”

  Lucius sat back at that, “Which means the Chxor Empire would cease to be a threat to humanity... if you succeed.”

  “And my people would no longer be locked under the rule of the Benevolence Council as they have for over ten thousand akron,” Khron said. He looked at Kral who nodded.

  “What we aim to do, Baron,” Kral said, “Is to strike a joint blow, against the largest and most loyal force that the Benevolence Council has fielded in the history of the Chxor Empire. We think that if we can defeat them, the rest of the Empire will realize that the Benevolence Council is not infallible... and that there are other options.”

  Khron leaned forward, “We want to help you defeat High Commander Chxarals at Nova Roma.” His remarkably expressive voice showed his excitement and Lucius marveled at the Chxor's self control that he had lived so long in hiding. The Chxor would exterminate any of their own kind who expressed emotions. How had Khron survived so long and risen to such a high position? Was it some measure of the power of his conspiracy or a measure of his own capabilities?

  Lucius sat back as he considered their offer. “I assume that infiltration by Chxor agents will be the main method of support?”

  “We are willing to lend the entire force here under Fleet Commander Kral as support as well as agents already in place and en route to the Nova Roma system,” Khron said. “Through the efforts of some of our agents, Fleet Commander Kral has very authentic orders placing his force under the control of High Commander Chxarals.”

  “Really?” Lucius asked, surprised. “That can be very useful.” An agent on the inside, particularly an agent with two hundred dreadnoughts, would be an asset that Lucius couldn't discount. “How large a percentage of your overall forces is that?”

  “This force represents almost half of the forces that we can actively
muster,” Khron said. “However, we believe that a solid defeat of High Commander Chxarals will swing many System Commanders into our ranks. It is, as you humans say, a gamble. Right now we have many senior Chxor officers who are ambitious but lack true conviction to fight the Benevolence Council.” He looked over to the door, “System Commander Thxun is representative of those. We believe that a solid defeat will show others that the Benevolence Council is weak and therefore, must be replaced.”

  “But all the same, they don't view humans as favorable allies?” Lucius asked.

  Khron shrugged, “To be honest, few of my kind looks upon yours in any favorable light. Only the fact that my son speaks well of you has swayed me this far... but that we discuss this in the Tehran system shows that you can defeat Chxarals. The only way my people will win this is to defeat him, destroy his fleet and show that he and those he supports are inferior.”

  Lucius cocked his head, “And who will end up as the leader of your new nation?”

  Khron gave what might pass for a knowing smile, “This is something that those such as Thxun have put much thought upon. I am certain it will shape out in a way that favors those who have put the most thought into it.” His tone suggested that he would be more than willing to be the leader of that new nation... which suited Lucius just fine. In fact, Lucius didn't care if the Chxor spent the next century involved in an internal civil war, so long as they weren't a threat to humanity.

  “Well, we've much to discuss, then,” Lucius said with a matching smile

  ***

  Ensign Camilla Jiang watched the hatch close behind the two Chxor officers and gave a slight sigh. The arrival of these new allies made Baron Giovanni's position on liberating Nova Roma all the stronger. In theory this should have converted those who opposed that action to his perspective or at least convinced them to quiet their arguments.

  Camilla, however, had a unique perspective on just why this wasn't the case. Her position within the secret organization that ran the Fleet from behind the scenes allowed her to see far more than anyone might have guessed, including her nominal superiors within the organization.