Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) (28 page)

“Zaltule
battlecruiser is down,” confirmed Lieutenant Hertz.

“We’re
beginning to exit the Zaltule formation,” reported Commander Greerman with
obvious relief in his voice.

It took a few
more minutes for the rest of the now shattered Alliance cylinder to emerge from
the Zaltule battle line. As ships emerged, they quickly made the transition to
Fold Space and set out for the rendezvous coordinates. Fleet Admiral Rivers was
keeping the
Independence
at a safe distance and monitoring the Alliance ships as they emerged from the Zaltule formation and made their escape. He knew
from what he was seeing that he had lost a lot of valuable ships; more than he
could afford. However, in order to keep the Alliance together as a viable
military force this sacrifice had to be made.

“We have about
thirty ships with damaged Fold Space Drives that can’t make the entry into Fold
Space,” reported Commander Greerman as he listened to the frantic messages over
the ship-to-ship comm channel. “They’re turning around to reengage the
Zaltule.”

Rivers watched
grimly as the ships made the supreme sacrifice. They couldn’t escape and their
commanders were refusing to surrender their vessels to the Zaltule. Instead,
they turned on their attackers with renewed ferocity. They were led by the
Human heavy battlecruiser
Pacifica
under the command of Commander Alicia
Stork. The
Pacifica
was heavily damaged and just before the end managed
to ram a Zaltule battlecruiser, destroying both vessels in a massive fireball.
Other ships tried to do the same though most were destroyed by the Zaltule
before they could ram.

“Let’s go,”
ordered Rivers, knowing the battle was over. “We’ve done what was necessary,
and we now have a fleet that’s been tested in battle. We’ll call some of the
sub-fleets in to replace our losses and then wait and see where the Zaltule are
heading next. There will be more battles in the coming weeks.”

Moments later,
the
Independence
made the transit into Fold Space and rapidly left the
Callenda System behind.

-

Admiral Zahn
of the Callenda defense fleet gazed stoically at his ship’s tactical screen.
The last of the Alliance ships that had lost their Fold Space Drives had died
as the Zaltule battlecruisers mercilessly destroyed them. He had watched as one
of the Human vessels rammed a Zaltule battlecruiser, destroying both ships. It
had shown him just how fearless the Humans were in battle. He was determined
his death would be equally as fearless. He had eighty ships under his command, and
he expected to lose all of them in the next hour.

“Zaltule have
reformed their fleet formation and are advancing toward Callenda,” reported
Second Commander Xanth. “They will be in engagement range in ten minutes.”

Zahn nodded.
“Prepare the fleet, for today we die for the future of our world.” Zahn was
glad nearly sixty percent of the crews of his warships had been evacuated down
to the surface. Someday they might be needed again, and there was no point in
sacrificing their lives when it wasn’t necessary.

-

Harmock was
pleased with the battle so far. He had eliminated a good third of the defending
Alliance fleet, forcing them to flee into Fold Space. Now the Callenda
defense fleet was all that remained between the Zaltule and the waiting planet.

“Energy cannons
are their primary weapon,” reported Gareth as he turned away from his
instruments.

“I want a full
bombardment of antimatter missiles and then finish them off with our pulse
fusion beams,” ordered Harmock in a cold and merciless voice. “There is one
large space station in orbit; destroy it also.”

-

The Zaltule
fleet continued to advance and upon entering engagement range, both fleets
fired their weapons simultaneously. However, nearly ten thousand Zaltule
battlecruisers launching antimatter missiles was overwhelming against a fleet
of only eighty vessels. In the defending fleet massive and bright fireballs lit
up space as the Callenda fleet was obliterated in a matter of seconds. When the
light died down, there was not a trace of a single Callenda warship or of the
orbiting space station.

The Zaltule
fleet then went into orbit over Callenda, only to hastily withdraw as the
powerful planetary based ion cannons opened fire. Seven Zaltule battlecruisers
exploded as the ion beams tore the ships apart. After determining where the
weapons had fired from, the fleet returned once more and launched antimatter
missiles at the locations of each cannon. Before the cannons were destroyed,
they managed to take out four more Zaltule warships.

-

“Ion cannons,
and extremely powerful ones,” reported Salten, the
Warrior’s Fires
weapons officer. “We’ve eliminated all of them.”

Harmock gazed
with a steady look at the viewscreen, which now was showing the planet. “An
unexpected development. I suspect we’ll find more of these ion cannons on the
other Alliance worlds, probably many more than were here at Callenda. This
system only recently joined the Alliance.”

“What now?”
asked Gareth. “Do we send our Zaltule warriors down and place the collars of
obedience around the leaders of Callenda?”

“No,” answered
Harmock, shaking his triangular shaped head. “We will initiate repairs and then
proceed on to our next target.”

“I have a
message from the leaders of Callenda,” reported Dalock from Communications.
“They are offering a full and unconditional surrender.”

“Ignore them,”
Harmock ordered. “We will make our repairs and then set out for our next
target.”

“Which Alliance world will that be?” asked Gareth, shifting his gaze to the Supreme Military
Overlord. “Or will it be the Humans’ home system?”

“Not an Alliance world,” Harmock said in a cold voice. “We will attack the Humans’ home system and
destroy it. Once it has been eliminated this war with the Alliance will come to
an end as I doubt if any of the Alliance worlds will be willing to fight our
empire without the Humans. It’s time we put an end to this menace once and for
all.”

Captain Ryan
Nelson was in the small Command Center of the Marine assault cruiser
Deliverance
.
In another hour, they would be dropping out of Fold Space into the Solar
System. This had been a difficult mission, and many of the crewmembers and
Marines were still adjusting to the disastrous events that had struck the
fleet.

“It’ll be good
to be home,” commented Captain Marcus Durham from his command chair. “I know
you’re anxious to get Corporal Adams the medical treatment she needs.”

Ryan was just
relieved they were so close to home. He knew Commander Symington had used the
FTL transmitter on board the heavy battlecruiser
Callisto
to inform General
Mitchell that what remained of Seventh Fleet would soon be arriving in the
Solar System. It would be a dismal homecoming since they had failed in their
mission and suffered horrendous casualties at the hands of the Zaltule. They
had lost Admiral Adamson and his flagship, the heavy battlecruiser
Constellation
,
four of six battlecruisers, nine out of sixteen light cruisers, the troop
assault ship
Defender
, along with Major Winfrey, plus one of the Marine
assault cruisers.

Lauren was
still in the ship’s small and well-equipped med bay. She had suffered some
serious internal injuries from the energy beam that had penetrated her armor.
The medical nanites had worked miracles, repairing her injuries and keeping her
alive. She still needed to be taken to one of the larger medical facilities in
the Solar System to finish her recovery.

“Where will
the fleet be dropping out of Fold Space?”

Durham looked over at Ryan. “Just outside of lunar orbit. They’ll have a medical shuttle
standing by to take Corporal Adams and some of the other wounded over to
Centerpoint to receive the appropriate medical care. I suspect the entire fleet
will eventually be docking to the station. There’s going to be a lot of intense
debriefing over this mission. Some very important people are going to want to
know what went wrong and why it happened. You don’t lose over half of your
fleet and not suffer repercussions.”

Ryan didn’t
mention that since both Admiral Adamson and Major Winfrey were dead, it was
going to be difficult to determine the exact cause of the mission’s failure,
particularly as both men had been excellent and well-qualified commanding
officers.

“Any word on
whether the Zaltule have launched any attacks yet?” Ryan and the other Marines
had been deeply concerned that since their mission had failed, the Zaltule may
have already begun their attack upon the Alliance.

“No,” answered
Durham, shaking his head. “So far there has been no information as to what
the Zaltule are currently up to. We’ll know more when we reach Centerpoint.”

“I’ll go tell
the others that a medical shuttle will be waiting to pick up Lauren,” Ryan
said. They had all been worried about her ever since the attack on Anglesh.
Ryan knew from talking to Casey that she was very upset about Lauren’s injury.
She had come so close to losing her best friend.

-

Reaching the
med bay, Ryan went inside to find both Alexander and Casey at Lauren’s bedside.
Alexander had very seldom left Lauren since they had returned to the
Deliverance
.
Due to the seriousness of Lauren’s injury, she had been kept sedated for the
entire journey back to the Solar System. The doctors in the med bay had
privately informed Ryan that if not for the medical nanites her battlesuit had
injected her with she would have died down on the planet.

“How is she?”

Casey stood up
and took Ryan’s hand. “The same. The doctor says once she receives treatment at
one of the big medical facilities she should make a full recovery.” She looked
at Ryan with a very intense and worried look. “I can’t believe how close we
came to losing her.”

Alexander was
sitting next to Lauren’s bed, holding her hand. “If I had only been a little
quicker none of this would have happened.” He was still blaming himself for
Lauren nearly dying.

“It was war,”
Ryan said, walking over with Casey to stand next to Lauren looking down at her
and noticing how pale she was. “We can’t control what happens in combat. People
get hurt, and some even die. At least Lauren survived, and if you hadn’t acted
when you did she wouldn’t be here.”

“How soon
before we dock to Centerpoint?” asked Casey, looking at Ryan. It had been hard
on her seeing Lauren lying so still for such a long amount of time. It had been
ten days since that fateful battle on Anglesh.

“We’re
dropping out near the Moon and a medical shuttle will be sent out to remove our
injured and take them to Centerpoint for treatment.”

Casey switched
her eyes over to Alexander. “When Lauren wakes up I’ll be sure to let her know
how you’ve been at her side through all of this.”

“Don’t you
dare,” stammered Alexander, his face flushing. “If Lauren finds out that I’ve
been sitting here holding her hand, she’ll throw me out the nearest airlock.”

“I don’t think
that’s the reaction she’ll have,” replied Casey with a gentle smile. “She
hasn’t had the opportunity to see this side of you, at least not like I have
the last ten days.”

Alexander let
out a deep and regretful sigh. “She doesn’t care for me in that way. We’re
friends, and that’s all we’ll ever be.”

“Things can
change,” Casey responded. “Lauren suffered a serious injury and nearly died.
You may find that when they finally awaken her, she may look at you a little
differently. After all, you did save her life.”

“I don’t
know,” Alexander replied doubtfully. “I’m just thankful she’s alive.”

Casey squeezed
Ryan’s hand and turned to face him. “I’m glad we’re nearly home. It’s been so
difficult staying apart while we were on this mission.”

“That ends
now,” Ryan said. “Once we disembark at Centerpoint, I’ll see if I can swing us
a few weeks leave and we can go to Vesta to see Wade and Beth as well as my
parents. Perhaps Lauren and some of the others can join us once she’s released
from the medical facility.”

“I would like
that.” Casey looked quizzically at Ryan. “What about some alone time?”

Ryan allowed
himself to smile. “There will be plenty of time for that too.”

-

Near the
Kleese core systems, Supreme Overlord Xatul stood upon the Command Pedestal of
his flagship, the battlecruiser
Empire’s Dawn
. Today was the day he
would take back his empire.

“Report!”

“Fleet will be
dropping out of Fold Space into the home system in forty minutes,” answered
Cabot, the Kleese who was standing in front of the navigation console.

 “They will
doubtlessly detect our approach,” cautioned Minor Overlord Labatt, who was
second in command of the
Empire’s Dawn
.

“Let them,”
Xatul replied sharply. “It will do them no good. From the messages we’ve
received from the loyal members of our clans in the empire, we know that
Military Overlord Harmock is preparing to attack the Alliance and the Humans.
War Overlord Tetus is away from the core worlds with a major portion of the
reserve Zaltule fleet searching for a Human force that has been attacking
former nonaligned worlds. Drusiid has sent many other Zaltule controlled
vessels out across the empire searching for us. Now is the time for us to
attack.”

“It is indeed
time,” agreed Labatt. His cold multifaceted eyes turned toward the ship’s
tactical screen, now beginning to display the home system.

-

Council
Overlord Raluth was standing at the front of the large stone table in the
massive building that housed the recently rebuilt Great Hall of the Council of
Overlords. There were ten Overlords standing upon their six legs around the
stone table. Four, including Raluth, had always been members of the council;
the others were new members. Seven members of the council had died in the Human
attack upon the capital city, which had destroyed the original Great Hall.
However, the Zaltule no longer recognized the council’s authority. They so
disdained the council that not even Darthu, Harmock’s military science advisor,
ever attended the meetings anymore.

“A member of
my clan has notified me that the Fold Space detectors in the shipyards have
located a large fleet of vessels inbound,” Raluth informed the others in a sharp
and cold voice.

“Who would
dare to send such a fleet without permission into our space, particularly to
our home system?” demanded Martule. “The Zaltule will destroy any such
interlopers, particularly if they’re Human.”

Raluth looked
at the faces of the other Overlords before making his announcement. “It’s not
the Humans. Supreme Overlord Xatul is returning at the head of a fleet of
Kleese and Strell warships.”

“What?”
uttered Overlord Caselt, rising to his full height and placing his two
seven-digit hands upon the hard surface of the stone table. “Why now? What can
he hope to accomplish? The Zaltule will only kill him when they realize it’s
our former Supreme Overlord who is returning.”

“Because at
the moment, the Zaltule are at their weakest. I received a private message from
Xatul just prior to this meeting beginning. He is ordering us to rise up and
throw off the yolk of the Zaltule and drive them from the empire.”

“Certain
death,” said one of the new Overlords in a harsh and uncompromising voice. “Why
should we die in this battle between Xatul and Harmock?”

“Because if we
don’t, we may die anyway,” Martule said, his multifaceted eyes narrowing as he
considered Xatul’s order. “The Zaltule have established twenty-six nests to
increase the number of hatchlings to add to their warriors. I greatly fear it’s
only a matter of time before they turn on the other clans and demand our full
allegiance. If we refuse they will begin to eliminate those Kleese they find
unworthy of their warrior code.”

“We must fight,”
Caselt said unflinchingly. “We are Kleese and this is our empire. The Zaltule
slept for thousands of years, and since their awakening they have brought
nothing but chaos.”

“They wish to
wipe out all the races they consider vermin,” added Martule. “Many of those
races serve the Kleese Empire in numerous capacities.”

“Then this is
an insurrection,” said one of the other Overlords. “If we fail in our bid to
remove the Zaltule from the empire, we will all die. Even our clans may be
eliminated in the rage the Zaltule will hold against us.”

Raluth looked
over at the others before speaking once more. “There are only twenty-two
million Zaltule in the empire. There are billions of Kleese from all of our
clans. We have hundreds of exploration ships we can call upon as well as tens
of thousands of assault vessels. With the fleet the Supreme Overlord is
returning with, we can defeat the Zaltule.”

“We will have
to destroy their nests,” Caselt pointed out. “We don’t dare leave one in case
the Zaltule rise again and seek revenge for what we are about to do.”

“We know what
worlds their Queens are located on,” Raluth answered. “Some of us have gone to
great pains to discover that information.”

The Overlords
became silent as they contemplated what Raluth had revealed. Then one of the
newer Overlords spoke. “What of the Strell? What guarantee does the Supreme
Overlord have that ensures they won’t fall upon the empire if we manage to
eliminate the Zaltule?”

“He has the
assurance of the Strell Queen that they will turn away from our empire, even
giving us all the worlds in the neutral territory between our two empires. He
also has a number of their Queens still under control of our obedience collars.
The Strell will obey the agreement they have made. It is their way.”

“Then it is
war!” called out several of the new Overlords.

Raluth looked
around the great stone table, seeing agreement in the multifaceted eyes of his
fellow Overlords. He nodded his dark triangular shaped head. “It is war. We
must go now and spread the word to our clans. It is time we take back our
empire!”

-

On the main
Zaltule ship construction yard, Kaluse looked with confusion at the station’s
large tactical screens showing thousands of red threat icons inbound toward the
home system

“Are we
certain there are Kleese as well as Strell vessels in that fleet formation?”

“Yes, it has
been confirmed,” answered the Zaltule at the sensor console. “Our long-range
Fold Space sensors are showing Strell battlecruisers, Kleese exploration ships,
assault ships, and what appears to be a new Kleese battlecruiser slightly
smaller than one of our Zaltule battlecruisers. There are also two much larger
contacts behind the fleet, which we believe to be the two missing trading
stations.”

“How soon
before the fleet drops out of Fold Space?”

“Eight
minutes.”

“Prepare to
activate the station’s energy shield and bring all weapons online.”

“This must be
Supreme Overlord Xatul returning,” stated Minor Overlord Drusiid. “Now we know
where he fled to. He went to the Strell Empire and now he is returning at the
head of a warfleet. Our Supreme Military Overlord will be very displeased when
he receives this report.”

The shipyard
suddenly shook violently and warning alarms began sounding throughout the large
Command Center. Red lights began appearing on the damage control console.

“What was
that?” demanded Kaluse as his eyes shifted to the viewscreens to see who was
attacking them. He knew none of Xatul’s ships had as of yet made it into the
system.

“The two
exploration ships in orbit around the station are firing on us,” reported the
Zaltule at the sensor console. “They’ve raised their energy shields and have
launched a spread of antimatter missiles. They’re also firing their energy
cannons and pulse fusion cannons.”