A New Day (11 page)

When Ben contacted Gail to inform her of the Council's decision, she had been getting worried about the state of the galaxy. The Empire had not been prepared for this, but they were recovering quickly.

Admiral Yolinar had placed his fleets in protective positions all along the border with lizard space, but the weakest place was still at the Capitol. Admiral Tyrel's anti-Destroyer fleet was still in transit when the Rangers reported that the enemy fleet in the Vega Nebula had begun moving. The data was relayed to Admiral Tyrel, and he adjusted his course. Intercept would now be just outside the Hyclarion system of Draconis; the Capitol of the Empire, in just under twenty-four hours.

"Mother, please have the Dalphine moved to the side of the hanger. Activate our combat drones and get them loaded in as many of our assault ships as you can. Let me know when they’re ready, and I'll tell them where to drop them. Call in all of our drone pilots and support personnel and get them ready for combat. Assemble our strike teams and get them geared up and ready to go. Maintain stealth protocol, but please activate and ready all military offensive and defensive systems with the exception of the heavy stuff. Activate the global defense network."

"Alert is issued, General," Mother replied. "Most of our people were in bed. Full readiness in fifteen minutes."

"Understood, Mother. That's why I'm having you wake them up now. Set Defense Condition three; let's make sure our people are all in their pods and restrict travel to local only," Gail replied. "Inform the Prime Council as well as His Majesty’s guards."

"Understood, transit system is shutting down; all cars are proceeding to the nearest pod groups," Mother intoned. "Global Network is complete; all systems are functional. Defensive systems ready, Offensive systems are loading. Completion in ten minutes. Full alert status in seventeen minutes - mark."

"General, I need to address the Empire. While I do so, please do not let any of your people enter the pickup range of the camera. I would keep this location secret as long as possible," Yolinar said, once she had finished giving her orders.

"Of course, Admiral, but why do you need to address the Empire, isn't that the Emperor's duty?" Gail asked in curiosity.

"He will, I'm sure. However, before he can do that, I need to make the announcement that the Empire is in danger. It prepares our nations for the words of the Emperor. My primary duty is the protection of the Empire first, and to the Emperor second. As such, I have not only the duty, but also the obligation to inform the Empire of all threats. I have the ability to declare a limited state of war as well, which is what I am about to do. By limited, I am restricted to defensive actions only until such time as the Emperor officially declares war. At that point, I am given full offensive powers as well. However, the Emperor cannot declare war on any nation without either approval of the senate, or by my declaration of hostilities. I need to make this announcement so the Emperor has the power to declare war on the Lizards." He shrugged. "Such is the way of Hyclarion politics."

"Actually, it makes a kind of sense; it means that no one person has the power to declare war, not even the Emperor," Gail replied.

Yolinar nodded agreement. "However, if the Emperor wanted to declare war on a nation, the Senate would most likely agree with him. Wars are good for business. The Senate is still made up of corporate leaders and business moguls left over from his father's reign. That lot cares little for the value of a life that is not their own. Although trade with the Lizards has been profitable, war is even more so. There was a faction in the Senate that was lobbying for the relaxing of the strictures prohibiting the ownership of humans in Lizard space. However, since it was an Imperial decree, there was little they could do to get it repealed short of convincing the Emperor to change his mind." He shook his head. "I got side-tracked. Communications, is the link with High Command ready?"

The operations officer waved the guards down to block the area behind the Admiral so no one accidentally wandered into pickup range of the holo-camera. Yolinar nodded approval of the action before turning back to the point of light representing the 'camera'.

"Citizens, I am Admiral Yolinar of Imperial High Command, Hyclarion. It is my sad duty to inform you that a state of open hostility has been declared against us by the Lizard Dukes. At present, we do not know if all of the Dukes are involved. However, we believe that enough of them are involved as to threaten the security of the Empire. As is my duty to you as your protector, I have ordered our military into a defensive posture in order to prevent attacks against you. I have ordered all military forces into a state of readiness and recalled all units currently on leave. I am also ordering all planetary militia and reserve units to active duty. If you are a member of one of these units, please report to your local armory or base immediately for further instructions and orders.

"Citizens, this is a dark time. The potential for loss of life is once again upon us. Remain calm, remain resolute and do not lose hope. Together, we will see this through and emerge stronger because of it." Yolinar smiled bravely. "Together, we will prevail. Long live the Emperor, long live the Empire!"

The tell-tale blinked once to let him know he was no longer being broadcast. He turned to the guards. "Thank you, please resume your duties."

The guards saluted him and returned to guarding the Command Center. Yolinar sighed, "There, that was the last step to getting our defenses activated. At this point, the Lizards will know we are on to their plots. Tammerain will have to move now, or lose the advantage."

"Admiral, the Emperor is on the com for you," the comm tech said.

"Thank you, please put him through," Yolinar replied, and bowed to the 'screen' "Majesty, I am here."

"Good, have you declared war yet?" Hjoolous asked.

"I have only just issued the formal statement. We have taken casualties, Majesty," Yolinar replied. "The enemy has been positively identified. It is also very clear they had intended to fire on and destroy our ships and Marines." He paused. "It is beginning."

Hjoolous nodded. "We understand, Admiral. We are ordering Commissioner Holdst to send down his Rangers to arrest Duke Tammerain for treason. We expect the Duke will not allow himself to be arrested. We would like you to work out a plan with the Commissioner to ensure the success of this mission. Failing that, Duke Tammerain must not be allowed to issue the orders for the attack on this planet or on Hyclarion. Do you understand, Admiral?"

"Duke Tammerain will be either taken into custody or destroyed, Majesty. However, we have received reports that the fleet threatening Hyclarion has begun moving. There is a better than average chance he has already given the order."

"Mother, has the Duke issued any orders or made any communications lately?" Gail asked quietly so as not to interrupt either the Admiral or the Emperor.

"Not up to this point. However, he is currently speaking to another Lizard Duke who is informing him of their action to this point. Duke Tammerain is very upset, and the two are arguing. I am recording the entire conversation, as it began at the same time the Emperor called for the Admiral," Mother replied. "The Admiral's announcement is being discussed."

Gail nodded. "We'll listen to it as soon as he's finished with the Emperor. For now, what's the status of those drones?"

"Ground assault drones are ready, loading will be complete in four minutes. Aerial drones are armed and ready. The deployment bays have been flooded in the underwater locations. However, not all the pilots have arrived yet. The Siberian, South African, and Australian bases are prepared to finish clearing their deployment areas and missile launch areas. Shield systems are prepared for activation, but in the case of the surface bases, activation will remove the remaining ice cover," Mother finished. "In addition, the Siberian base is reporting clear, but very cold weather. Both South Africa as well as Australia are currently covered by a massive storm system. Temperatures are well below the minimum limits for human exposure. I have ordered all personnel departing the base to be in sealed armor and all craft will carry an emergency survival module."

Gail nodded. "Approved, and good thinking." Seeing that Yolinar was still busy with the Emperor, Gail decided to get to work on the local deployments. "Since the Admiral is still busy, please bring up this base's coverage area in the tank. We might as well begin figuring out where to put the drones. Also, I want you to send a torpedo to the bases we could identify. If you can, target the connections between the base and the ships. If we can keep those troops from getting to their ships, it'll be that many less troops we'll end up fighting."

It had been a quirk of fate that the only bases to remain above the surface of the water had been buried under an ice cap.

While Gail issued her orders and made her plans, Yolinar spoke to his Emperor.

"Majesty, it is my intention to allow these people full access to the systems aboard the Dalphine for the purpose of research into the computer control systems of the craft," Yolinar said after ensuring that this comm was a local only and was secured and encrypted.

Hjoolous looked surprised. "That is a serious breach of security, Admiral. May we know your reasoning?"

"Majesty, these remarkable people have developed computer control and combat systems capable of multi-target operations independent of navigational needs. If they could upgrade our ships with this technology, we would have a very large advantage over the Lizards. Large enough to counter the raw firepower advantage the Lizards now have." Yolinar replied.

"Explain." Hjoolous ordered.

"All warships currently lack the computing power required to engage or perform more than a single task at a time. For example, if a cruiser is under a steady barrage of missiles, the computer is too occupied with shooting them down to plot a firing solution for the cruiser’s own missiles," Yolinar began.

"Yes, we remember that, what does that have to do with letting these people examine the classified systems on our ships?" Hjoolous asked.

"They developed computers that can do multiple tasks at once. Fire missiles while the point defense system is engaged, target, track and engage multiple targets on multiple vectors, and still allow the ship to calculate a hyperspace jump. Our computer systems currently do not have that ability.

"Majesty, in a battle between one of our standard dreadnoughts or even a lizard Super-Destroyer and a cruiser built with one of those computer systems, the cruiser would be the victor every time, simply because if can use its offensive weapons at the same time as it uses its defensive systems," Yolinar explained. "What I do not understand is that the ships they originally arrived in thousands of years ago had such systems built into them, but we did not attain that knowledge."

"That is curious, has the Prime Council agreed to this?" Hjoolous asked.

"Neither myself nor General Greenwold has spoken to the Prime Council, Majesty. I am only trying to get permission if they are to agree to this," Yolinar replied.

"Letting them examine our control systems could be considered treason, Admiral. If we allow it, many in the Senate will accuse us of exactly that," Hjoolous said.

"With respect Majesty, at least they will be able to complain. As it stands right now, I cannot predict the outcome of this war. If the rumors are true that the Lizards have been building Super-Destroyers for the last two hundred years, there will be little we can do to stop them if massed in a fleet. That many missile launchers massed all together would be able to keep any of our fleets in a fully defensive profile until they are pounded into dust.

"We need to have the ability to fight back, Majesty. If we cannot, the Empire will fall," Yolinar finished.

"We will need to consider this, Admiral. We will speak to the Prime Council tomorrow." He paused. "What do you think of these people?"

"They are a remarkable people, Majesty. They have survived against incredible odds. They seem very willing to assist us in any way they can. I have detected no treachery or secret agenda from any of them. I feel very confident taking them at their word. I believe they are exactly what and who they appear to be. Further, I believe they are friends to the Empire," Yolinar replied.

Hjoolous nodded his agreement. "We intend on declaring them a free nation of our Empire, provided we still have one when all this is over."

"I advise simply speaking to the Prime Council, Majesty. Tell him of the issue and the potential problems. At present we honestly have very little to lose by being completely honest with them," Yolinar replied.

"We feel the same as you, Yolinar. We believe Ben Bedouin is a being we can safely trust fully. He worries and cares about beings he has never met and most likely won't ever meet. Although we have not known him very long at all, we believe we could call him friend. The most amazing thing about it is that he is not the only one here like that. Most of those we have met seem to be the same way," Hjoolous admitted. "We doubt the rest of our government and advisers would feel the same way though."

"Majesty, you are the Emperor. In the end, the decision must always be yours," Yolinar replied.

"Commander Halst told us of a suggestion she made to the Prime after he found out how many billions of people he was going to be assuming responsibility for. She suggested to him that he make an offer to construct all the facilities needed to build and maintain our warships in exchange for Imperial assistance and protection. We are starting to believe she might have had a very good idea. Much of the Belisarius system is beyond recovery at this point. However, the position of this system is not the best."