I want to hunt
Stalking my prey
Ready to taste its flesh
set to pounce.
Beach - Uruciwa Quintas - Former Polian Alliance
~~*~~
Scores of Imperial dropships swept down upon the sole archipelago, that dotted the tropics of the ocean world on the far fringes of the Polian Alliance. Tilting up their boosters to drop onto the sand surrounding the lone Imperial Frigate that stood upon the sand awaiting their arrival.
Perimeters were established, as the newly formed Karin Expeditionary Brigade Combat Team deployed. ITE Mechs being dropped off by dropships rocketing back towards the Gorean Destroyers that had ferried them to the edge of nowhere.
A heavier deployment shuttle dropped to the sand, as the Brigade Headquarters company dropped down the ramps, rushing to establish a HQ on the island. Brigadier General Mayfair marched down the ramp, tucking his customary helmet under his arm as he walked across the sand to where the crew of the T'zaht were standing awaiting his arrival.
"Sir," Mayfair directed towards VonGrippen standing before him, watching the General come to attention before him, saluting with his baton as a pair of 6x6 heavy support MICVs dropped to the beach behind him.
"Brigadier," VonGrippen returned the salute, touching the brim of his red and black peaked cap. His eyes frowning at the small wheeled tanks that prowled away from the camp, Karin soldiers sitting in the commander's cupolas calling orders down to his driver. "Welcome to Uruciwa Quintas. Glad you could join us, I want to meet with your Military Intelligence officers at the earliest convenience."
"Sir, yes sir," Mayfair stated, turning his head to follow VonGrippen's gaze, smiling proudly at the innovative conversion of the old Imperial Mobile Infantry Combat Vehicles "however, I have dispatches for you, direct from the Imperial Chancellery. If you would please?" Mayfair directed up towards the T'zaht's hold.
VonGrippen nodded, as the pair disappeared back up and into the Frigate.
Katz stuck his hands into his pockets, shaking his head as he looked at Kyr, "well…"
"Yep," Kyr replied with a small smile. "It's kinda nice to be back amongst friends."
"It isn't over yet," Galadriel reminded.
"Indeed," Rikard murmured, stuffed into an NCO's uniform, a T'zaht ball cap pulled low on his head and Vichet's sunglasses concealing his identity. "How long do I have to put up with this intolerable outrage?"
"Would you rather I turn you over to the Karin troops?" Katz demanded.
"Oh no, Country Bumpkin soldiers, corn-fed and wide-eyed… what ever will I do?" Rikard sneered.
"Behave," Galadriel chided.
"Can we not simply head for the Observatory?" Rikard suggested.
"No!" Katz and Galadriel snapped at the same time.
Conference Room - HMS T'zaht - Uruciwa Quintas - Former Polian Alliance
~~*~~
VonGrippen doffed his cap, setting it down on the table as he turned to face the Karin General, his shoulders squared. "Proceed, General," he directed.
Mayfair hesitated, unzipping his worn leather jacket, and setting his hands on his hips, the silver stars standing stark on his uniform collar. He paused, considering what he should say, and how he should say it.
"I have orders to confirm your identity," Mayfair stated. "These come direct from the Highlord Walker von Karin, himself."
"I take it, he wants my command code," VonGrippen replied.
"I have to warn you," Mayfair said, sliding his sidearm from its holster. "I have very specific orders on what to do should you fail to supply the correct code. We can't afford a ruse at this time, if you aren't who you say you are, I'm authorized to shoot you, sir."
"Ahh Karin custom," VonGrippen mused. "It is often overlooked in your history, but I worked quite closely with the original Highlord von Karin, Peter was a self-righteous son of a bitch, but a fine Mech Commander. Though the history between your house and mine was… strained after his coup."
Mayfair shook his head, slipping the message encoder from a pouch on his belt, sliding it into the socket beneath the view screen. "I'm sorry, sir, but the history lesson is wasted on me, I don't much care for it, I have my duty."
VonGrippen nodded, turning to the screen, "Computer, recognize VonGrippen, Alexander, Warlord of the Imperial Order."
The screen matched the voice print, displaying a complicated series of symbols.
VonGrippen reaching out to punch the corresponding sequence on the screen, stepping back as the message encoder decrypted its files. "You can put your side-arm away Brigadier, I've passed your test…"
"With all due respect," Mayfair stated. "The Archduke has one more test for you, before we can proceed." He nodded to the screen as an image of the Archduke materialized.
"Admiral VonGrippen," Walker greeted from the recording. "I am sorry for the precautions, but the idea that you are who you say you are is difficult to accept on face value without conclusive evidence. To that end, I must ask you a question based on my ancestor's personal archive. Are you ready?"
"I am," VonGrippen consented.
"At the Imperial Court, the day my ancestor assumed his position on the High Council, you said something to him just moments before he was brought before the Emperor…" Walker looked grim. "What was that, Admiral?"
"I told him that one day he would pay for what he did to seize control of the Apilon Rift," VonGrippen stated calmly.
"Why?" Walker pressed.
"Because he usurped the duly appointed house governor and used a Mech Division of my troops to secure control over Karin. Betraying me, and all the others who fought and died to win that sector of space." VonGrippen folded his arms.
"Ironic, isn't it?" Walker asked on the screen. "That now, your fate rests squarely with the descendant of that traitor. Remember this, VonGrippen, because my family won't forget."
The image on the screen looked up, "You can relax Brigadier Mayfair, he is who he claims to be. Follow his orders, but remind the Admiral that the High Council still exists and he is to obey our orders in return. I am not about to hand the entire Empire over to a ghost."
The screen changed as Mayfair holstered his weapon, numerous communiqués and intelligence reports presented with Imperial Eyes Only warning flags.
"See to your men," VonGrippen ordered as he took a seat facing the view screen, and begin a sweep up the beach, your men should locate the entrance to the observatory, order them to secure it, but not to enter."
Mayfair snapped off a salute, "yes Admiral."
VonGrippen folded his arms, settling back to immerse himself in the information he needed to prepare for war.
Beach - Uruciwa Quintas - Former Polian Alliance
~~*~~
Hartley was standing beside Nick, looking up at the mated starships that, out of necessity were likely to stay that way.
"We're not going to get them unstuck anytime soon," Hartley said shaking his head. "It is either two broken ships, or one cobbled together frankenship."
Nick bobbed his head. "Yeah, but at least T'zaht's got comfortable bunks, the Zero's got nothing."
"What do you think the Admiral's got planned?" Hartley asked as he climbed back aboard the T'zaht, Nick in tow.
"Who knows," Nick answered, following Hartley as they climbed into the cargo hold.
"Yeah," Hartley said, fishing through the crates, taking an inventory of parts. Stopping in surprise as he came across the lifeless body tucked into a coffin shaped crate. "I forgot we had this," he murmured.
"What is it?" Nick asked curiously.
"Android, well just the shell, we had to rip out the hard drives to stop a psychotic computer program from taking over the universe, you know like in the old Fayd comic books."
"I read those!" Nick grinned.
"Is it still operational?" Lieutenant Galadriel asked walking through the cargobay doors and glancing at what they were looking at.
"Should be," Hartley said. "With a little work, why?"
"Get it cleaned up," she ordered, shivering slightly as she looked down at the slumbering mechanical form. "It might be useful."
"K," Nick said, with a broad smile.
Observatory - Uruciwa Quintas - Former Polian Alliance
~~*~~
Rikard picked his way along the slender bluff of rocks, climbing to get a better view of exactly where he stood. The bluff was the start of a series of similar outcroppings that grew more numerous as they extended out to sea, mixing themselves with the sand. To the other side lay endless green flats, occasionally parted by narrow valleys buffered with grey shale, but he had sensed many lifeforms further along that way- almost certainly the great spire he'd glimpsed during the descent.
Behind him Ben, VonGrippen, Mayfair and Galadriel were making their way through the tall grasses that clustered close to the shore, an unlikely band, but then none of them had really expected to reach the observatory. Another random convergence of fate that had thrust them all together.
VonGrippen was limping heavily, something that caught Rikard's eye, and he marvelled at the effectiveness of the Polian memory engram, so complete, so well rounded. He wondered how long VonGrippen had been an ally of the Polians? It had to extend far back, well before Kardiac's war, possibly as far back as the dawn of the Empire itself.
"There," he pointed up a rugged pathway, climbing down to join them as he led the way up the path, eventually reaching the ornate doorway set into the cliff face. Twin carved statues of Polian sentinels stood guard over a place the race had long abandoned.
Mayfair moved in first, Galadriel fanning out to cover him with her Pulse rifle, the Brigadier inching into the darkness while clicking on the flashlight mounted under his DT-09 assault rifle.
"Clear," he called back.
The upper sections of the observatory were barren, built like heavy fortifications in case of assault. Rikard pushed forward, doffing the annoying baseball cap and tucking his sunglasses away as he again took the lead, working his way down the main slope and deeper into the bedrock.
The interlocking slabs of concrete held glimmering hints at the crystalline composition, etched and carved in circular patterns that the Polians were so fond of. A great cathedral to their bastardized faith, resting beneath the ground in the cool rock.
They walked through broad storage areas that stood empty, whisking drones flying too and fro as they carried pieces of crystal through a network of tubes that probably connected the entire facility. It gave the impression of constant activity, despite the fact they had seen no other beings since entering the dark archway.
The crystal spire lay ahead of them, as they emerged from the storage areas and into a vast chamber that stretched up towards and through the ceiling. It was black like obsidian. Along its surface glyphs glowed blue and danced up and down its length. Out on the platform holographic displays flashed different images of stars, planets and spacecraft.
"The Observatory," Rikard breathed in awe.
Galadriel stepped forward and examined one of the holographic displays that were being recorded upon a shard of crystal, once it was completed, a drone would sweep down, replace it with a blank crystal before it vanished with its prize into the network of tunnels above.
VonGrippen rested on his cane, glancing at Ben, remembering the last time he had been there, so many years before. "So what are we looking for?"
"Peligia," Rikard said, flexing his fingers and reaching for the controls. "I- I'm not sure what to say."
"How about nothing?" VonGrippen suggested.
"We need to find Darien," Ben said, moving forward to gently guide Rikard out of the way, waving his hand over crystals and accessing the Polian computer.
"Yes, Darien," Rikard murmured, a small smile playing over his face.
"This device would be invaluable for the war effort," Mayfair breathed.
VonGrippen glanced at him and nodded, "I agree, however we'd never be able to hold it."
"Pity," the Brigadier muttered looking about him. "It's too pretty to blow up."
Rikard turned his head, scandalized. "You can't just destroy a thing like this, the value to the universe is immeasurable."
"Science has its place, Doctor," VonGrippen said. "However, we are deep inside Amsus held territory, and I am sure that you of all people know why we cannot allow them to have this device."
"I'll signal a demolitions team to rig this place," Mayfair nodded, as he set off to radio in.
"Order an Intel group to copy as much of the data as you can," VonGrippen ordered. "We have a little time here, we might as well get as detailed a map as we can of the galaxy."
"I can't find it," Ben muttered.
"Why not?" Rikard focused his attention back on Ben. "Have the Polian's blocked the system somehow?"
"It just isn't here," Ben said, shaking his head. "Nothing at all. I can't find him… or Peligia."
"We need to keep looking," Rikard stated taking over the controls, and hissing in frustration as he frantically searched for the lost Island.
Observation point - Uruciwa Quintas - Former Polian Alliance
~~*~~
The setting sun bathed the beautiful ocean in a rich reddish-gold that seemed to sweep up and over the island, with its busy inhabitants below.
The great balcony that extended from the observatory control room opened out onto the side of the central mountain of the island, commanding a magnificent view over the scenery. Wondrous and amazing to behold in its un-ravaged beauty.
Ben leaned, his tie undone and shirt-sleeves rolled up, staring out across the view.
"It is rare, to see a medium so well done," Rikard stated emerging onto the granite stonework of the balcony from where the Intelligence teams, along with the Gorean researchers, were labouring to record as much information as they could from the immensely detailed galactic map.
Ben didn't turn, he merely shrugged, "what are you talking about?"
"You are clever," Rikard stated as he joined the young man at the balustrade, folding his arms as he leaned on it beside Ben. "But really, how stupid do you think I am?"
Ben shrugged again, keeping silent.
"You aren't Benjamin Malkin," Rikard stated. "Though it was clever to hide yourself in this way, but you had to know I would work it out eventually Edward."
Ben's features dissipated, his hair shifting to the silken blonde that fell across his forehead, as his eyes shone a brilliant sapphire blue. The youth continued to stare out, over the ocean, his eyes locked on the horizon.
"When did you know?" he asked.
"I'd like to say immediately," Rikard stated. "But if you allow me to flatter you, I only realized exactly who you were in there, when you were pressing to find Darien Taine."
Tropical birds spiralled through the air as they descended towards one of the islands secondary peaks. Edward looked forlorn for a moment, "right."
"You will forgive me this vanity," Rikard said. "But I had a hand in creating you, so I feel as if I can offer you this much… I have tried to kill that man so many times, and each time he… frustratingly… always seems to survive."
Edward straightened up a little, forcing a smile onto his face, "why?"
"Why?" Rikard frowned, "why what?"
"Everything," Edward said, "why do you want Peligia, why did you create me, why do you have to kill Darien so badly? Why?"
"I…" Rikard began.
"I know when you lie," Edward warned, watching the former Chancellor carefully, a stiff breeze ruffling his white uniform shirt.
"That is true," Rikard said, calmly turning to face the boy. "So… since we are here, and since you have come this far, face to face with your creator, as it were… you ask the inevitable question: Why am I here?"
"Yes," Edward replied.
Rikard slipped off the ridiculous baseball cap, and glasses, turning his eyes to the sunset. "Maybe I don't feel like answering that question…"
"You were wrong," Edward said, resting again on the balustrade. "by the way."
"About?" Rikard inquired.
"Whether I can beat you, or not…" Edward said softly.
"I know," Rikard answered, almost sounding proud. "You're far beyond what you were supposed to be, what you were designed to be. Your great uncle hoped you would be…" Rikard paused and finally, caved in with a sigh. "You were to replace him, to be the true manifestation of God, where as he was transcended, you were to be far greater than he was. The future, the past, all would be open to you to control and manipulate at will."
"But you saw differently," Edward stated folding his arms.
"The original was created by Markus Aquinas, the original Edward, and I took steps to ensure and shelter his development… from Markus's ambitions."
"Ambitions?" Edward asked, caution entering his voice.
"His plan was to transcend and… move his consciousness into your form. To evolve himself into the GN-3 and ultimately transcend again to true divinity, something I could never allow…"
"You're lying," Edward said raising his hand. "You were angry that he was going to steal away something from you… but you had the clones… the lab on Phobos… me. If you desired to do what he had done, you would have done so… and none of this charade… there is more to this than just power."
"You can't be a god and preside over another's creation," Rikard said firmly. "You aren't a god then, merely a usurper. The Peligians realized this… and the Polians destroyed them for it."
Edward stepped back, "you what?"
"All of this," Rikard waved his hand over the island. "All of it, can be undone in a single conscious thought. Wiped away… that is why the Peligian's created Peligia, a sancutuary outside of time itself, shielded from paradox."
"A fortress against time," Edward stated.
"Beyond it, where they could wait out the paradoxical firestorm that would burn away creation, and allow them to reshape it in their own image…" Rikard looked wistful over the ocean. "Imagine, for a moment, you were me… a geneticist, presented with the power of Genesis in his hand. Not emulating God, but actually being God. Bringing true order to all things."
"Why did you need me?" Edward asked.
"The spark," Rikard said reaching out a finger to tap Edward squarely between the eyes. "The infinite power needed to reshape the infinite. You were created to be… ultimately… the universe's most powerful battery." He paused, smiling, "come to think of it, I really should have given you read hair… copper top…"
"You know it is over, right?" Edward fixed his azure eyes on Rikard.
"Nothing else mattered," Rikard stated quietly. "The Empire, the people, you… it would all be wiped away. All of my sins, gone in an instant…"
"You would have executed every living thing in the universe," Edward said in awe. "That would be beyond sin…"
"Who is to say it hasn't happened already?" Rikard said, a faintly distant smile touching his lips. "Or will happen… time is so tangled in reality, isn't it?"
"You can't go to Peligia," Edward warned flatly.
"No," Rikard said quietly. "There is something far more important now, I have to stop Z'ræl before he can reach Peligia and take control of the great machine…"
"Why?" Edward asked.
"Because if I can't be the one to push the great big pan-galactic reboot button, he sure as hell isn't either," Rikard crossed his arms, his brow darkening. "Now I have a question for you."
"Yes?" Edward looked expectantly into Rikard's eyes.
"Is Darien Taine worth sacrificing a chance at true divinity for?" Rikard settled back on the edge of the balcony, his back to the rapidly darkening sky, as lights began to come on in the observatory control room, shedding a deep yellow on the pair of them.
Out in the forest, fireflies began to zip and buzz through the trees, dancing a myriad of patterns in amongst the leaves.
"I would give anything to be with him again," Edward said, his eyes glistening as he looked away.
"Then I'll tell you where to find Peligia," Rikard said touching Edward's arm.
"I thought you…" Edward murmured in confusion.
"In there," Rikard said, nodding to the control room. "I worked it out in there, and I have been grappling with my conscience on whether to tell you… There was the small hope that I could just say screw it all, and make a run for the button. Being an evil megalomaniac isn't an easy habit to break."
Edward spluttered a laugh, shaking his head. "You're funny…"
"Yes, yes I am," Rikard sighed. "And I swear this has to be the one and only moment of weakness I have, because the moment this mess is all over… I am going to have to find a new hobby." He sobered up a little, resting his other hand on Edward's shoulder. "Peligia, it exists as a sanctuary beyond time, correct?"
Edward nodded.
"Meaning it is probably beyond space as well," Rikard stated. "Meaning it is somewhere where time and space are irrelevant… hyperspace."
Edward's eyes wend wide, "the island in the sky…"
"You know what I'm talking about?" Rikard murmured in surprise.
"I've been there." Edward blinked slowly, realization setting in. "But I didn't know what it was… or what it was supposed to be."
Rikard smiled, rubbing Edward's shoulders. "I give you the greatest intelligence known to creation… and you turn out to be as dense as a brick… I think I need a drink."
"I have to go," Edward stated, turning from the balcony and vanishing in a flash.
Rikard turned back to the edge of the balcony, a hawkish smile playing across his face. "Naïve … so terribly naïve."
HMS Lex Talionis - Hyperspace
~~*~~
Lex sat beside her, looking at the crew toiling away to repair systems they had no possibility to manage once they wrested control away from his corrupted protocols.
"What will happen to them?" Callie asked him, breaking through his thoughts.
Thinking was becoming difficult for him as the cascade failures began to spread into his cognitive functions, and it took him a moment to process that she was talking about the Amsus.
"They will probably die," he said shaking his head. "There is nothing I can do for them, all of my command systems are gone. All that remains is this little piece of me… And a corrupted file recovery program that is erasing what's left of me instead of fixing it."
"I would offer you some form of escape," she said. "But I don't think there is one for you."
"You are inside my data core as well," Lex pointed out. "The recovery program will eventually erase your data as well."
"As I told you before, I am just an echo. My death has happened already, and I have accepted it." She smiled at him. "Even now you are still the warrior…"
"And you are still the explorer," Lex observed. "You are eager to begin your exploration of the afterlife I think."
She gave him an enigmatic smile.
"Did you love him?" Lex suddenly asked.
"Who?"
"VonGrippen."
"He was as much mine as I was his," Callie replied. "Did you love Kardiac?"
"I was always his," Lex answered. "Faithful and true, even here at the end."
"We aren't that different from the humans," Callie said. "We lived, we loved. And according to some, that is all you need for a good life."
"Do you believe in hell?" Lex frowned. "I mean, I do and I believe I am going there…"
"Yes," Callie gave him an honest answer. "I believe you will join your master there, if that is what you are asking."
Lex allowed himself a very human expression, as he smiled sadly at her. "I don't want to suffer for all eternity."
"You were already suffering," Callie replied, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"Humans obtain immortality through their children," Lex mused. "I think I would have liked that, to have a son."
"You would have taught him to be as dark as you were."
"At least I wouldn't have put ribbons in his hair and taught him that the universe is a hippy paradise," Lex chuckled.
"It isn't too late," Callie offered.
"You are proposing we have the digital equivalent of sex in our dying moments," Lex shook his head. "And they called me an insane A.I."
"Well?" she pressed.
"My core is corrupted beyond repair, you're a ghost of yourself… where would we find the time to raise him?"
"There is a relay," Callie nodded to the vastness beyond the observation windows. "We can trust fate. If you believe in hell, you should believe in the divine."
"The Immortal Emperor…"
"Call it what ever you like," Callie said firmly. "But place your dying faith in it."
Lex looked at her, "how?"
"Can we establish an uplink to the FTL relay?"
"Done," Lex replied.
"Then I will transfer my surviving files, if you send yours. And hope there is enough there to seed…" Callie smiled.
"Is procreation always like this? A gamble?" Lex inquired as he complied, sending his surviving personality files, allowing a short algorithm to run merging them with hers.
"There isn't enough to do more than create the core personality," Callie responded as she did the same. "But then there are always risks." Once it was complete, both of them sat down again on the deck of the crippled ship.
"I have programmed the FTL Relay to transmit the moment it detects a computer capable of storing the data," Lex reported. "That is the best I can…" he drew quiet. "The corrupt recovery utility is into my core personality files."
Callie nodded, sensing it too. "Then this will be over soon."
"Yes," Lex said, tripping the vessels autodestruct, the one command line he still had remaining.
The ship detonated, lost in the voids of hyperspace.
BC-1459 - The Dakin Front - Agatha System - Former Polian Alliance
~~*~~
"Where is the signal coming from?" Iago demanded.
"Uruciwa Quintas," Braax replied. "Long range scans indicate that the Gorean assisted the Empire in a long range tactical jump to that system.
"Uruciwa Quintas," Iago murmured, running a finger along his jaw line as he considered. "Now I wonder what could be there that would draw so much attention from our enemies?"
"I would like to remind you of what happened the last time you endeavoured to pursue our enemies in this fashion," Braax said firmly.
"We won a major tactical victory over the Dakin," Iago snapped irritated at the reminder of the fact that when the dust had settled, there had been nothing left of the former Kule colony.
"I am merely urging caution," Braax suggested.
"Yes, well this time we will strike quickly and secure what ever is there before the Empire has the chance to remove it. Issue orders Braax, I wish Uruciwa Quintas conquered immediately."
Gorean Destroyer - Karin System - Imperial Territory
~~*~~
His Watchful Eye regarded the body of the young boy-Emperor tended to by the acolytes of Lady Melesande's faith.
"Are you sure this is his weakness?" he rumbled.
Melesande's slender head turned, the wizened eyes dipping, "he must have a physical anchor to this realm. Destroy that anchor and you destroy the being. However, I feel no residue of the Immortal in this flesh." She ran her claw down the body, tasting the air with her forked tongue.
"Then where is his anchor?" His Watchful Eye inquired.
"It must be somewhere," Lady Melesande stated. "Finding the anchor is the key to controlling this God-Emperor of Man. And I have my suspicions that you already know where it is."
His Watchful Eye remained in the shadows, coiling into the inky blackness. "I know all, and I see all. For example, do you know that the Empire has sought to trick me?"
"The ruse with Ambassador Brondo?" Melesande cackled. "I was the one who foresaw the deception."
"Indeed," His Watchful Eye purred. "Magnificent attempt, though childish when compared to my own machinations over the millennia. I will not, however, underestimate humanity again. Bacchus reports that the Empire has also made contact with Hipper."
"Good," Melesande nodded. "Everything is proceeding towards its fated end. What will you do about the deception?"
"There is more to be gained from an alliance with the Imperials than perhaps Sal-zÿr realized," His Watchful Eye stated in a grave tone. "I will let him believe, as he would, that the Amsus have conspired against him. Once the Gorean forces have opened a path to Earth, and the Amsus are defeated, we will carve out a new frontier for the Imperium."
"You're wisdom will prevail," Melesande agreed.
Entrance Foyer - Imperial Palace - Karin - Karin System - Imperial Territory
~~*~~
Post occupation Karin lay beyond the great doors to the fortress, as the duly elected Imperial Chancellor pulled on his gloves to exit into the great maw that led into the city proper.
Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell Priory was waiting for him at the doorway, the newly minted 'light' colonel looking disdainful as he waited at the smaller gate set into the massive ones. A pair of his wolves in their heavy body armour and massive machineguns lurking as part of the protection detail that would escort the Chancellor to the Gorean flagship overhead.
Evans appreciated the irony of the fact that those that so vehemently desired his downfall, were now the ones charged with protecting his life, that their precious war effort depended on the understanding he and his government had forged with the Gorean overlord in the long months of the occupation.
He could revel in the fact that he was in a position to capitalize on the situation. Now that the Gorean were willing to negotiate, if he could bring them into the fold, get the formidable armada and ground forces that had smashed Karin so thoroughly to fight alongside them for the liberation of Earth…
Politically, a triumph like that would seal his place as the Chancellor and ensure that his faction would rise again to fill the empty seats in the Senate. It would also spell the end of Walker and the absentee high lord council.
"Why are we boarding a dropship down here?" Evans asked as the doors opened before him.
"The upper platforms are all in use," Mitchell responded. "Relief supplies from the Apilon Colonies. Better they arrive in the fortress for correct distribution than they end up out there… It's still a farkin' mess, if you forgive the language."
"Ahh," Evans replied. "I see, so it is better that I go out the front and face bandits and roving gangs than precious food supplies?"
Mitchell shrugged, "how ever you want to look at it. In the end, it doesn't matter to me."
Evans sneered as he stepped through the gate, looking down the bridge that connected the fortress to the city, flanked by a pair of MCIV armoured cars, they hadn't even bothered to give him an ITE for protection.
In the square at the end of the bridge, a dropship sat waiting, its side-panel doors open, beckoning. He marched forward, hearing the heavy footfalls of the wolves marching behind him, reassuring that he at least had some protection.
"You know," Evans snarled, turning his head. "When I return from this excursion, there will be some changes…"
He never got to finish his sentence, as the neat round hole in his head silenced the would-be dictator's final words.
Bell Tower - Karin Cathedral - Karin - Karin System - Imperial Territory
~~*~~
Half frozen, stiff and sore, her vigilance had paid off as she lowered the VLR-01 rifle, and rested her head against the blackened and twisted rubble of the steeple.
Every day she had made the journey, climbing to the top of the spire, and waiting for her chance. Every day through the winter, the Gorean Occupation, and the resulting struggle for Karin. She had been patient, calm, continually telling herself that what she did, she did for her son and for the memory of her beloved husband.
Vinnie Malone, formerly a Major in General Iver's command staff, finally felt as though she could rest. Looking as the Imperial soldiers surged about, ducking for cover in case there was a second shot. Searching for the shooter.
Save for one, standing in the doorway of the fortress, looking straight up at her spire, Lt. Colonel Priory knew exactly where the shot had come from, and he made no move to give away her position.
Vinnie didn't care, her job was done, and that was all that mattered. It now meant she was free to join her husband at last. Sliding the pulse pistol from its holster…
Entrance Foyer - Imperial Palace - Karin - Karin System - Imperial Territory
~~*~~
Mitchell heard the second shot, seeing the muzzle flash light the shadows of the bell tower, and knew that it was over. Whoever the shooter was, whatever there reasons. There would be no tears shed for the man that lay dead in the middle of the bridge.
The Colonel turned away from the scene and lifted his TAC, "you'd better get me the Archduke."