Legion Of The Damned - 01 - Legion of the Damned (40 page)

Norwood felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t so sure about the Emperor, but the rest was true, or could be true. What if the Hudathans believed him? What if Poseen-Ka was replaced? The Hudathans would bypass planets like Frio II, devour the empire in huge bloody gulps, and annihilate her race.

Of course Poseen-Ka might win the war as well, but his strategy provided for at least the possibility of a defense, and something was better than nothing.

Spear Commanders Two and Five testified after that, risking their careers on the strength of promises made by Moder-Ta, and echoing each other’s comments. Neither seemed very enthusiastic.

But enthusiastic or not, they allowed Moder-Ta to put them through their paces, endorsed his point of view, and added their weight to the opposition. The fact that they dared to oppose Poseen-Ka, or were desperate enough to do so, would damage his credibility. Of course Spear Commanders One and Four offset their testimony to some extent, sitting as they did on Poseen-Ka’s side of the room, staring balefully at their peers.

Poseen-Ka struggled to hide his anger and swore a silent oath to deal with Commanders Two and Five later. Assuming he was alive to do so.

Dal-Ba squinted in Moder-Ta’s direction. “Do you have anything to add?”

Moder-Ta made eye contact with each member of the court in turn. “Yes, I would like to say that your decision will influence more than a single officer’s career. If War Commander Poseen-Ka remains in command, and continues his present strategy, we could lose the war. Millions of Hudathan lives could be lost, but worse than that, the survivors would be little more than slaves. The outcome is up to you.”

Hoskins had learned a lot about the Hudatha since Norwood had walked in out of the snow, and was filled with admiration for Moder-Ta’s skillful use of racial psychology. If the other Hudatha were even half as paranoid as Norwood claimed they were, his arguments would have a telling effect.

Dal-Ba looked especially sober. “Thank you, Lance Commander Moder-Ta. You may return to your seat. The time has come for War Commander Poseen-Ka to present his arguments. You may proceed.”

Poseen-Ka stood and moved away from both his chair and the vulnerability that it signified. He drifted towards Isam-Ka and made eye contact with Dal-Ba.

“Thank you. I would like to open my arguments by providing the court with a summary of the war effort.”

The lights dimmed once again and darkness filled the room. A three-dimensional diagram appeared at the center of the room. In contrast to the mix of computer simulation and actual video used by Moder-Ta, this presentation was entirely symbolic.

Clusters of red spheres represented human-controlled planets, clusters of green spheres stood for Hudathan worlds, and a scattering of blue deltas symbolized Spears One, Two, Four, and Five.

Poseen-Ka started to talk as soon as the model was in place. He told the court about the attack on Worber’s World, and on subsequent worlds, and how the fleet had won each battle. And as he talked red spheres turned to green, each one giving silent testimony to the effectiveness of his strategy, and adding weight to his arguments.

“And so,” Poseen-Ka concluded, “my actions can be justified with a single word, and the word is ‘success.’ Yes, mistakes were made, yes, I
lost Spear Three, but consider the overall context. Think about an overall casualty rate below computer projections. Look at the worlds that were part of the human empire and now glow green. Consider the fact that our backs are protected by Hudathan-held planets, that our supply lines are unchallenged, and that our homeworld is safe. Furthermore, if it were not for the fact that my commanders are here testifying both for and against me, we would have even more victories to celebrate.”

The officers looked, and couldn’t help but be impressed, because the green spheres were like a wedge pointing at the heart of the Human Empire. Not even Pem-Da could deny what Poseen-Ka had accomplished, and momentarily wondered if the other officer was right. But no, an ambush always looks good until you’re in it, and then it’s too late. Besides, he had committed both his honor and his prestige to pulling Poseen-Ka down, and there was no backing out. He frowned.

“An excellent presentation,” Isam-Ka said, signaling his support and filling Dal-Ba’s veins with ice. If Pem-Da was opposed to Poseen-Ka, and Isam-Ka had decided to support him, then where did that leave him? With the deciding vote, that’s where. A vote that could cost him everything he had worked so hard to achieve. Which officer had the most supporters within the high command? In the triad itself? The questions whirled through his mind and caused his hands to shake. The lights came up and he slid them under the table.

“Thank you, Sector Marshal Isam-Ka, but my strategy has been questioned. Lance Commander Moder-Ta sees no need to protect our backs, to defend our lines of supply, and urges us to leap blindly forward, striking at the enemy’s heart while preempting the Intaka. But such a view presupposes that the humans have been inactive, and I intend to challenge that assumption.”

Hoskins shifted his weight from one side of the oversized chair to the other and wondered if he’d done the right thing by providing the information the Hudathan was about to use. Favoring Poseen-Ka over his opponents was akin to choosing one dire beast over another. Both wanted to devour you; the only questions were where to start and when to do it.

Such distinctions might seem valid now, and had been sufficient to save the survivors of Frio II, but how would they look at his court-martial? Assuming he lived long enough to have one. Then it would be
he
rather than Poseen-Ka who faced a court of inquiry and awaited the outcome.

The lights dimmed only slightly this time as four documents appeared on the wall opposite the court. There were two originals, both of which were in standard, and two translations. The Hudathan script consisted of pictograms similar to those that Norwood had seen throughout the ship.

Poseen-Ka had hit his stride by now and seemed more like a commanding officer briefing his staff than a defendant pleading his case, a stratagem that made him seem part of the court rather than the subject of it. He pointed a small device at the wall and an arrow appeared.

“As you can see, the first document, the one from NAVCOM Earth, instructs the forces on Frio II to withdraw and head for the inner planets, an order that could suggest either cowardice or a gathering of forces, and would be consistent with what human forces have done up until now.

“Interestingly enough, however, the second document, the one from LEGCOM Algeron, instructs them to ignore the first set of orders and hold. This in spite of the fact that LEGCOM Algeron is a subordinate command structure that normally takes directions from Earth.”

Poseen-Ka turned towards Hoskins.

“Lance Commander Moder-Ta saw fit to call on human testimony, so tell us, Major Hoskins, how do you interpret those conflicting orders?”

Hoskins swallowed the lump that had formed at the back of his throat. A hand went to the translator that hung from his neck. “I have no way to know for sure, but I assume that LEGCOM Algeron favors a different strategy than that advocated by NAVCOM Earth, and has decided to go its own way.”

Poseen-Ka could have asked a follow-up question, but didn’t, preferring to let the news sink in instead.

All three of the judges looked at each other in alarm. This was a brand-new piece of information, carefully hoarded, and used to great effect. A split in the human command structure! Even the triad itself would take notice. But what did it mean?

Pem-Da was furious that Moder-Ta had allowed himself to be outmaneuvered and said so with a scathing look. The energy was wasted, however, since Moder-Ta had aimed a similar expression at Baldwin, who had turned white as a sheet.

Poseen-Ka was well aware of the discomfort that he’d caused but pretended to be above such things. The questions continued.

“Describe the planet Algeron.”

Hoskins felt cold all over. He sat at attention. “I refuse to provide you with information about the planet or its defenses.”

Poseen-Ka looked stem. “Nor did I ask you for such information. Tell the court what LEGCOM Algeron means. I ask nothing more.”

Hoskins shrugged. “It means Legion Command, Algeron.”

“Yes,” Poseen-Ka hissed softly. “Legion Command, Algeron. Headquarters for the Imperial Legion! A world already under surveillance by our long-range scouts. A well-fortified planet, with no civilian population to worry about, that intends to fight us. Why? And in cooperation with whom?”

Poseen-Ka turned and pointed an accusing finger at Moder-Ta. “Tell us, Lance Commander Moder-Ta, is this the kind of world you would have us bypass? Is this the kind of world that you would leave between our fleet and the homeworld? Is this the kind of world you want me to deal with later?”

Moder-Ta opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Completely in command now, Poseen-Ka whirled towards the hatch and rapped out an order.

“Bring him in.”

The hatch hissed upwards and a medic entered the room. He was closely followed by a power-assisted stretcher and a second medic. A third of the stretcher had been raised so the heavily bandaged pilot could sit up. He tried to salute. The first medic helped him complete the motion.

“I give you Flight Officer Norbu Seena-Ra, the single surviving member of Spear Three, the only real battle with the humans. We would know nothing of the final battle were it not for Seena-Ra’s heroic efforts to bring us the news. He’s much too weak to give prolonged testimony, so I will limit myself to three questions.”

Poseen-Ka walked over to the stretcher and placed a hand on the pilot’s arm. The pilot’s burned face had been covered with lab-grown skin. Bandages offered some protection and held the artificial tissue in place. The war commander looked down and made contact with two pained-filled eyes.

“Tell us, Flight Officer Seena-Ra, how did the humans fight?”

The pilot’s voice was little more than a croak and, had it not been for the almost total silence in the compartment, would have been impossible to hear.

“The humans fought like devils.”

“Did they have weapons or capabilities that you would consider to be unusual?”

“They had cyborgs, huge things that could destroy aircraft and troops alike, and stalked the surface like killer robots.”

“One more question,” Poseen-Ka said, “and you can return to sick bay. The soldiers and the cyborgs ... what unit were they from?”

Seena-Ra rolled his eyes. The words seemed to fall from his mouth like stones. “They were members of the Imperial Legion.”

“Thank you.”

Poseen-Ka turned towards the court as the pilot was wheeled from the room.

“So there you have it. Lance Commander Moder-Ta, and those who agree with him, would have us bypass the very world on which many of the Human Empire’s most effective troops are headquartered. And they would have us do so while completely ignorant of whatever traps are being laid. Yes, we must fear an ambush, yes, we must fear the blow of death, yes, we must move aggressively. But
not
by foolhardy leaps into the unknown,
not
by abandoning a strategy that has been successful, and
not
by ignoring the natural conservatism that has protected our race for so long. Thank you.”

So saying, Poseen-Ka strode to the middle of the room, took his seat, and stared straight ahead. He’d left some witnesses uncalled, but their testimony would be assumed, so he felt comfortable with that decision. Yes, Poseen-Ka decided, he’d done the best he could and it was time to quit.

There was a long moment of silence as everyone present absorbed what he’d said.

Norwood felt something akin to victory.

Hoskins worried about the effect of what he’d done.

Baldwin felt rage bubble up from deep inside.

Moder-Ta wondered how many days he had left.

And Pem-Da made the decision to salvage what he could.

Dal-Ba cleared his throat. The choice would be easier than he’d thought.

“Thank you, War Commander Poseen-Ka. Having heard testimony both for and against the officer in question, and having considered all of the evidence, the court is ready to vote. Sector Marshal Isam-Ka?”

“Not guilty.”

“Grand Marshal Pem-Da?”

“Not guilty.”

Dal-Ba gave an involuntary blink of surprise but was otherwise impassive.

“Thank you. And since my vote is ‘not guilty’ as well, let the record show that War Commander Poseen-Ka has been exonerated of all charges against him and restored to his command. This court of inquiry is now adjourned.”

It was then that Baldwin came to his feet, gave an incoherent bellow, and charged Poseen-Ka. The Hudathan was waiting when the human arrived, decked him with a single blow, and ordered his bodyguards to haul the unconscious body away.

Their usefulness at an end, Norwood and Hoskins were escorted out of the compartment and led away.

Moder-Ta, along with Spear Commanders Two and Five, followed. With a war on, and Poseen-Ka in command, their prospects were suddenly bleak.

That left Pem-Da, Isam-Ka, Dal-Ba, and Poseen-Ka himself.

“So,” Pem-Da said, forcing a jocularity that he didn’t feel, “what next?”

Poseen-Ka looked through him as if able to see something beyond. There was no humor in his voice or mercy in his eyes.

“Next comes Algeron, and after that, Earth itself.”

The goal of a legionnaire is the supreme adventure of combat at the end of which is either victory or death.