Alien Courage (Rise of the Empress) (37 page)

The realisation of the value of the detailed information
regarding the incident with the Earthman and the T334 incident on Ennack became
very apparent to both men. “Let’s keep this between ourselves at this time.
There is much to do to ensure our immediate survival. Let’s get that tea and
return to the communication’s console, there’s work to be done.” The
Administrator said quietly. Both men now aware they possessed the most
dangerous and sought after secret in the Confederacy if not this sector of the
universe with an unknown alien race involved as well.

The Administrator and Torquay made their tea and went
back to the communication’s room. The blue illuminator was flashing and the
Administrator went to it and put his arm close. He read his screen. “The Chief
White Priest was found dead. Died of unknown causes and the Captain of the
Palace Guard kidnapped the Emperor, murdering three guards in the process.
There was a full Confederate search being mobilised but was officially scaled
down until the unknown nature of the circumstances of the lost Battle Cruiser
can be clarified.” The Administrator lowered his arm as that was the entirety
of the message but added, “Will that stir the Trigeals into unpredictable
action?”

“Possibly,” Torquay answered but he seemed far away in
thought. “What benefit would be gained for the Confederacy to be beaten in a
war with these aliens?”

“I don’t understand the question, all would be lost,”
the Administrator answered confused by such a question.

“No, wait… think about this for a moment. If something
is confusing, consider the opposite of what is wanted. No matter how ridiculous
it appears. It can clarify many things,” Torquay persisted. “The Trigeals we
can now assume are aware of the extent the Houses are secretly massing forces
for an assault against them, they actively encouraged it. Therefore, it is no
accident Irrimus was intervened to such an extent. Lord Ambrae was very much
the chief negotiator between the Houses. It also demonstrates the Trigeals can
bring a House to submission rather quickly.”

“Ambrae who is now conveniently out of the picture,”
the Administrator replied joining Torquay’s method of logic.

“Exactly,” Torquay agreed. “But let’s look a little
more closely at this,” he said sipping his tea and sitting down. “It is indeed
fortunate you have such a method of gaining information.”

The Administrator nodded, “the Trigeals certainly
don’t like Norfians.”

“Yes, I can see why,” Torquay replied and resumed his
theorising. “Maybe the Trigeals realise their hold over the Confederacy is
tenuous and they require assistance to squash a potential rebellion. Android
technologies, as well as weapons have advanced rapidly despite Trigealian
intervention to the contrary.”

“Smuggling has increased proportionately to the
advancement in black market cloaking technology,” the Administrator added now
seeing a broader picture Torquay was trying to envision.

“Indeed,” Torquay agreed. “But what is puzzling is the
use of nuclear fission as a weapon on Earth. The Trigeals banned the use of that
technology since the inception of intervention within the Confederacy. Yet they
allowed it to develop on a planet like that, away from the influence of any of
the Houses.”

“You’re right! The Houses have been raiding Earth as
often as they like for thousands of years. A lot of its citizens, plants and
animals have been taken and farmed elsewhere. Even this planet has a primitive
race of Earthmen here.” The Administrator explained reading the data from his
arm console.

“Wasn’t Earth banned from House interventions and
recently placed in quarantine by the Trigeals?” Torquay asked.

The Administrator worked his arm console. “Yes, it was
but Volen smugglers don’t adhere to Trigealian decrees all that often. They
lose a lot of smugglers but they don’t care. “As far as quarantining Earth the
Emperor mentioned it and he got his information from Confederate Space Command.
So I assume it must be, maybe to contain the possible proliferation of nuclear
weapons made available to Confederate smugglers.”

“More precisely, I believe for the supply of nuclear
weapons,” Torquay said sitting more upright and sipping the last of his tea.
“The Volen could be stopped instantly from smuggling if the Trigeals desired
it. A couple of T334s would soon put order into that House. No my friend, I
believe the supply of nuclear fusion technology and the weapons themselves have
been nurtured.”

“For use against the aliens?”

“Quite possibly, that would be a suitable assumption
with the data we have at present. What other weapons does Earth possess?”
Torquay asked.

The Administrator worked his arm console. He blew a
small whistle in surprise and his eyes flickered as he read his console, a
feeling of cold fear shivered through him as he realised that Volen smugglers
may have smuggled these items into the Confederacy. “Just about everything the
Trigeals and the Imperial Court have independently outlawed they have
developed,” the Administrator grimaced as he realised the array of weapons.
They have, apart from an expanding nuclear fusion agenda, biological weapons of
bacteria and viruses capable of infecting whole civilisations and a huge array
of chemicals that negate all life. Even a substance called nerve gas – it kills
very quickly and is atmospherically dispersed. Earth is truly the workshop of
death.” He read further and realised he had downloaded this data from his
colleague in Space Command but had never read the detailed files. “They are
also developing methods of population manipulation based on crude methods of
mind control. False information by broad based media and intelligence
suppression in educational facilities in conjunction with plans for widespread
psychotropic drug use, proliferated by governmentally sanctioned medical
institutions. It is also believed they are developing a dietary approach to
subdue the growing populations of nearly all countries. More than a third of
the population of Earth are undernourished and sustainable food production is
suppressed in favour of financial domination. Interestingly, sugar is now
dominate
in most diets especially for adolescence
populations, creating major health issues. Massive alcohol and pharmaceutical
drug production is now sanctioned and profited on by nearly every government on
Earth. The profit of financial institutions seems to govern all political
decisions.”

“Not one of the more pleasant locations in the
Confederacy. Indeed that poisoned planet will one day seek her revenge,”
Torquay said slowly, “but what do we do with our Earthman now? If the aliens
learn of him I dare say he would be the most sought after being in this and
whatever sector of the universe they come from.”

“What do you know of them?” asked the Administrator.

“We don’t know anything actually.”

Suddenly a high pitched siren sounded throughout the
complex. The Administrator stood up and worked the console. Data flashed across
the screens and a series of space ship images flashed. He found the right key
and initiated it, the siren ceased. Two space ship images flashed and remained
stationary on the screen, a Starfighter and a Class D supply ship.

Toormis rushed into the room and stopped beside the
Administrator looking at the screen.
“How many?”
He
asked calmly.

“Standard formation of eight
Starfighters and two support vessels.
It’s a Confederate Space Command long range combat patrol by my analysis,” the
Administrator answered but added so Torquay would know, “they have just entered
the system and by their present speed and course will enter Zion’s orbit within
this time frame.”

“Are you positive they are heading here?” Torquay
asked.

“Oh yes, indeed they are,” Toormis replied studying
the screen.

“Well, I assume we can’t leave by the transport ship.
Do we have any options available?” Torquay asked

Toormis turned to face the Administrator. “I have no
idea what to do. Do you have any tricks Administrator?” he said with raised
eyebrows.

The Administrator turned to look at Toormis and locked
eyes with him saying nothing. Toormis half smiled and said, “We will probably
die side by side quite soon. I see no reason why we can’t be at least, well…
nice to each other. Can you?”      

The Administrator’s eyes softened and he replied
diverting his eyes back to the screen, then to his arm console, his fingers
dancing on the small screen. He flicked the transmit switch as he put his arm
close to the communication’s console. Almost immediately his arm console hummed
with a reply to his message. “It seems a Confederate Patrol was diverted here
to investigate a thermal occurrence with an explosive spectral signature just
off the atmosphere of the forth planet. They also have orders to check this
installation for any organically based life forms, as this is an Irrimus
planet,” the Administrator said now looking at Toormis and raising his eyebrows
in disbelief.

“Can you get your friend at the other end of your
communication line to order them someplace else,” Toormis said feeling a bit
embarrassed about his tactical incident in setting the upper atmosphere on fire
on the forth planet.

“No. Unfortunately he can’t do that. He can observe
but not participate.”

Toormis brightened, “we can buy some time by shutting
down the magnetically charged corridor. At least they can’t enter the
atmosphere and will never be able to land. It would make us more or less
prisoners though. Also, they would almost certainly deploy a drone security
device in orbit that would report anything that moved in or out of the
atmosphere. It would probably be a model which will try to shoot anything that
tried to leave,” Toormis added.

“At least they won’t know who is here but they will
notice the beam has been switched off manually and suspect it was done because
they were approaching,” the Administrator added.

“True,” Toormis replied but I don’t, including Cassy
have a home to go to. At least here we may be able to work something out. The
alternative is a Confederate prison, well… we might even end up being given
amnesia and sent to some worker moon or somewhere as equally horrible.”

Both the Administrator and Torquay grimaced at that
thought and agreed to shut the beam off. It took only the flick of a switch and
it was gone. Almost immediately a voice was heard out of the speakers of the
communication console.
“Zion base.
This is the
Commander of Confederate Patrol 4221 acknowledge over.”

The three men stood around the communication’s console
and realised their fate was sealed. The message from the Commander of the
Starfighter patrol repeated over and over until at last it ceased. Then a new
message sounded.
“Zion base.
By order of Confederate
Space Command you are ordered to energise the atmospheric landing beam and
stand down any and all activities and prepare for Confederate inspection,
Failure to carry out these orders may result in the commencement of hostilities
against you.”

Toormis leaned forward and switched the communication
console off. “Boring fellow,” he said, “I’m going to tell Cassy. I suggest we
meet in the space dock in 5 to work out our situation and decide what to do.”

“Oh Toormis before you go,” the Administrator said
walking over to him. “A Confederate Battle Cruiser was destroyed by enemies
unknown, some sort of alien invader. The Trigeals are believed to have captured
one of the alien craft. It appears the Confederacy as a whole is at war with an
unknown invader. That’s all the data I have.” He didn’t mention that Irrimus
ships were sent out as first defence.

Toormis closed his eyes briefly and opened them.
“That’s just great. If we don‘t have enough problems.” he said frowning and
left the room.

Torquay sat comfortably in a softly padded chair
looking into his tea. “I think we should wake our Earthman up. At least try to
get some sort of data from him that might be useful to barter with, it just
might save our lives. If the soldiers above work out how to get to us at least
we’ll have the data. We will lose our access to him if they catch us. How about
your friend at Space Command, could he use the data on our behalf in
negotiations?”

“He will do whatever he can to assist me,” the
Administrator said. “Let’s go to the space dock and see if we have any options
there first, Toormis is working on his Starfighter, and then we’ll see to the
Earthman.”