Heart of Steel: Book II of the Jonathan Pavel Series (33 page)

Fury
was now blind and helpless flying on a uncontrolled trajectory away from the
Fierté.
Had the Colonials fired at that moment,
Fury
would have been unable to stop them. Her kinetic barriers and point defense failing with the power shut down, but the Colonials couldn't fire.
Fury
had been taken to her physical limits, but she had done her job. Both of
Fierté’s
rear reactors went critical and exploded consuming the ship in a ball of fire. No one survived.

Ahead of the battle,
Cronus
and
Liberty Prime
watched as
Fury,
her crew unconscious and her reactors shut down, was swallowed by the ball of plasma and debris. William Trendale wanted to turn around and help his friend with all his heart, but he obeyed the order he had been given.
Cronus
and
Liberty Prime
burned with full speed for the wormway. As they did so, Trendale consoled himself that
Sound of
Fury
could have survived such an explosion, if she had been going fast enough, if she hadn't taken a direct hit from a piece of debris...if..if..if…

Galt System, Tagert,
Roark City

Formerly the Western Reaches of the League now the Galt Freehold

November 30th 844 AE

Henry Francisco smiled as he walked back into the Presidential palace from the main balcony where he had just delivered a rousing speech to the assembled crowd outside, declaring the restoration of the Galt Freehold as an independant nation.

“Quite the response,” Ames said looking out the window at the celebrating masses.

Francisco motioned with his hand dismissing his aides and hanger ons.

“How did you get in here?” Francisco asked. 

The creature had helped to convey him from Freeport back to Galt so he could lead the provisional government after the riots had broken out on Freeport, and the League military units had began shooting at each other. He hadn’t see the creature since landing at the spaceport a few days ago.

The creature smiled. His elongated face seemed more uneven than before.

“Why through the front door. I apologize for the delay, but I needed to pick up a package at the spaceport. It seems to have all come together quite nicely.”

For some reason Francisco was beginning to feel uncomfortable. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. There was something off about the creature, something sinister. Without thinking, Francisco moved away from him.

“Yes, I have to say I am impressed that the League crumbled so quickly. Of course it helped that a few radicals in the military had taken it on themselves to seize the local governments, which opposed supporting the Solarians. That was a happy coincidence.”

The creature smiled and moved toward Francisco forcing Francisco to back away till he bumped into the ornate desk.

“That was no coincidence Mr. Francisco it was the plan. Those officers, young fellows mostly all full of piss and vinegar, had been cultivated for years by the Solarian Office of Military Intelligence as an emergency stop gap against the League sliding into anarchy, or some other such problem. Those Solarians they do love to plan for the worst. All I needed to do was buy the names and codes off an underpaid, under appreciated mid level OMI officer and then initiate the operation. This led them to believe it was the OMI who was contacting them.” Ames laughed it was a dark laugh devoid of any actual humor.

“It worked so well, and now it's time to tie up loose ends.”

Francisco opened his mouth to ask what the creature meant, but Ames moved quickly his claws came out and he slashed open Francisco throat in one motion. Francisco fell to the floor trying to hold the wound close as his lifeblood drained out.

Ames for his part walked back to the window and looked at the cheering crowds. He didn't turn around when the door opened but asked,

“Are we secure Major?”

The Major, a Commonwealth Operations Executive Section 12 Commando said, “Affirmative sir. All members of the Provisional Government are dead or in custody. The Freehold Government is decapitated.”

“And the Fleet?” Ames asked.

“Signal from
CEF Unity.
Task Force and twenty transports inbound. All told, 100,000 Marines and the Army is standing by with an additional 300,000 troops
to help in the occupation. That's just the initial wave. In six weeks, both worlds of this system will host half a million of our troops then we can begin landing administrators and civil enforcement units.”

Ames nodded and turned to the OE-12 commando. Like all members of the Commonwealth military, he had been conscripted at a young age. Service in the Commonwealth military was for life after all. Having been selected for OE-12 training based on desirable physical and genetic characteristics, he would have started training at age 16 completing it four years later when he underwent the final enhancement. OE-12s were genetically and cybernetically modified to be more effective soldiers. The Major’s right eye was a cybernetic implant. His genetically modified muscles bulged and he looked at Ames without any emotion. One of the last procedures they performed on a OE-12 was to rip out the part of the brain that made them human. They felt no fear, no dread, no remorse. Only the desire to serve.

Ames smiled as he looked back to the still cheering crowds. Galt was one of three systems in the Western reaches of the League that together secured a direct space corridor into Colonial and ETO space. Ames didn't doubt that the Colonials were even now occupying the five systems south of here, leaving a rump of six former League systems free. The most underdeveloped least strategic six. This would secure a direct corridor for the Commonwealth Combines and State Corporations to supply the Colonials with vital war material and industrial goods, while also close the most direct route between the Solarian Republic and the Core Worlds. The Solarians were a mercantile nation, and with this trade lane closed their trade with the Core World would have to flow through the Keplar sector.  Now with New Helsinki under siege, the only secure route was through the Taos Dominion an old enemy of the Republic. Ames predicted that the net effect would be a 47% reduction in Solarian revenue, all while fighting a costly war. It would bleed the Solarians and the Colonials, and then when the Commonwealth summoned the political will it could crush both of them easily.

Ames watched the cheering crowds. Soon they would be screaming as the dropships descended and the round ups began. This world would need to be reorganized and that meant years of occupation and military rule as the population was trained to work for the Collective Good.

So much work to do. It made Ames smile.

Matosa System, Solarian Republic

On board
RSNS Triumph,
Flagship of the 5th Fleet

December 8th 844 AE
        

“No.” Admiral Hopper said flatly looking up at the young Lieutenant Captain standing before him. The young man’s green eyes flashed with rage, sorrow and disappointment.

“But sir,” William Trendale said.

“I said no El-Cap,” Hopper said cutting the young man off. “I cannot authorize a search and rescue operation into what is now enemy occupied space to look for a single light cruiser, which may or may not have survived its encounter with an enemy battle cruiser.”

“Sir, we just left him there we just...” Will clamped his mouth shut, military discipline causing him not to let loose the torrent that were his true feelings.

Hopper kept his face straight but the young man's words stung him deeply. Captain Pavel had been a bright and courageous lad. Hopper had first thought as much when Pavel had saved the
RSNS Valiant
from an on board fire, despite accidentally leading a mutiny at the same time. Hopper had recommended Pavel for promotion even as he clapped him in the brig. Pavel had proven Hopper’s instincts correct with his stand at New Helsinki, and his maneuver against the Colonial battle cruiser had proved it again. He had been a rising star and in Hopper’s opinion destined for great things. That was why Hopper had trusted him to lead the Tso mission. He had hoped that someone of Pavel’s brilliance could accomplish the impossible with the limited resources on hand. He’d been right again, almost. Pavel had successfully evacuated Tso Naval Station and a good chunk of Whyal’s civilian population. He’d also destroyed a battle cruiser, which was no mean feat in itself. It may very well have cost him his life. Hopper wished he could send more ships and men to know for sure, but the truth was the 5th Fleet was barely holding. Reinforcements were arriving every day and the front was stabilizing, but with the collapse of the League the Solarian flank was vulnerable and the Colonials had the offensive momentum. Cylira was under siege as were several other systems with the Army fighting a series of bloody ground battles even as the fleets dodged and maneuvered. Hopper didn't have the resources to spare for one ship, not even one as heroic as the
Sound of Fury.

Hopper looked up at young Trendale who seemed to be on the edge of losing his composure.

“Look son we’ll keep a weather eye open. As you pointed out, there's a good chance they're still alive. If they can, they’ll find a way to get back to us. If they were disabled, the Colonials will pick them up and they can expect to be treated reasonably well. I know it’s not much comfort, but we owe it to them to keep going. You’ll take the
Cronus
and join the 12th Task Force. If, no
when
there is a counter attack against the Tso system, I guarantee you will be at the front. It’s the best I can do.”

Trendale squeezed his eyes shut then opened them again a passive acceptance falling over his face. 

“Understood sir,” Trendale said his sadness infecting his voice.

Trendale and Hopper exchanged salutes and Trendale turned and strode out, leaving Hopper alone in his office.  Hopper lit another cigar and puffed away. He really needed to cut back on these things, but there was too much to do. He’d mourn for young Pavel, and all the other good men with promising careers who had been lost over the last several weeks later. Right now, he had a goddamn war to win. 

Epilogue

Tso System, In High Orbit of
Uffern
Colonial Occupied Territory

On board
RSNS Sound of Fury,

December 11th 844 AE

Jonathan Pavel opened his eyes then closed them again. God it was so cold.

“How much longer Mr. Okai?” Jonathan asked.

Next to the control panel Harold Okai shrugged and through chattering teeth said “Ummm...bout….ten….minutes.”

“Well hurry the fuck up man,” George said blowing in his hands for warmth.

For almost two weeks now the
Sound of Fury
had been drifting silently keeping her life support powered up at only the most minimal levels running off her auxiliary batteries and emergency solar cells. This meant the temperature had hovered at about 36 degrees fahrenheit. The crew had survived using battery powered heat lamps, blankets and huddling together for warmth. The situation was made more uncomfortable by the fact that the ship’s grav plates were fully depolarized leaving everyone floating in zero-g. What was more, in order to conserve power the electric stoves in the galley had been turned off, so they had been surviving off of canned food and k-rations. These were unappetizing to say the least and served cold. So everyone was cold, hungry and smelled. The vibe showers weren't functioning and water was only for drinking. One advantage for the male crew members was everyone, Jonathan included, were sprouting two weeks worth of facial hair that was at least helping to keep them warm.

“Okay here we go. Pray this works,” Hilper said her face barely visible under the scarf and parka she was wearing.

She finished inputting the commands and threw the switch. At first nothing happened. Then slowly a hum grew and the lights began to come back on.

Okai looked at the panel, “Running diagnostics hold on, wait for it wait...for..it.” Okai’s teeth kept chattering till finally he looked up.

“Sir, confirmed. Both reactors are undamaged and in standby mode.”

Everyone breathed a visible sigh of relief. The internal power systems had been well and truely fucked by the failure of the retro fit, but it was lucky that they had initiated the retrofit, otherwise Hilper wouldn't have been able to shut down the reactors when she did, and they would have likely entered uncontrolled melt down. At the very least, the internal systems would all be burnt out. As it was though, the ship’s internal systems had required some serious repairs but were functional. Only one of the overcharge buffers was well and truly wrecked, but
Fury
could function with the other five. In truth she could function with only one, but redundancy never hurt.

“Are we set then?” Jonathan asked the Chief Engineer.

“We’ll need to go through the systems one by one and run full diagnostics, but yes sir with the reactors running we’re in business,” Okai said.