Prophet and the Blood March (Prophet of ConFree) (40 page)

"Who's running the government now?" Arie asked.

"It's martial law. Military rule, until things stabilize. We've divided the Aztlan continent into Military Districts. The rest of the planet is keeping real quiet, and the PJ elements overseas are bailing out and disappearing. A wise move. Because we know who they are."

"I suppose you heard the asteroid Pacifica rocketed past Earth with plenty of room to spare."

"Yes. I feel good to have been a part of that. You Delta people are saints."

No, I thought. We're not saints. We're just soldiers.

Δ

"No decisions have yet been made," the Prof said. "That's the first thing I wish to stress. We've sent a very detailed report to Galactic Info and on to the DG and everybody else that has the need to know. This is cosmic secret, so not a word outside this room, folks." We were standing around a large circular holo starmap generator in a briefing room. All of Delta was there and Ambassador Wester was standing by the Prof. The Prof activated the device and the lights cut out in the room and a huge glowing ball of light formed over the unit. Hundreds of silvery stars glowed in the vac, floating in a violet haze. Tendrils of glowing golden gas were coiled around the stars, embedded with tiny colorful jewels.

"I recently received a most interesting briefing from His Excellency Martial Breakblade. Bees interpreted for me." The Prof appeared to be very serious. "Breakblade gave us a glimpse of what is coming. And I want to share it with you all, now that we've sent our report off." He raised a laser pointer and poked it into the holo.

"As you can see, this is the Gulf. You are all familiar with this pestilential slice of the galaxy. First, the Asumara Holy Commune, and the capital world Asumara. More than fifty years ago, ConFree punished Asumara severely for their terrorism against our nationals. It doesn't seem to have made much difference. Next we have the Gulf Union – the two principal worlds are Nimbos and Yidah. And finally, the Pegal Stelcom, the People's Egalitarian Stellar Commune, principal worlds of Angaroth and Kotazh. All three of these Gulf slave states are totalitarian dictatorships in which their populations have no rights and are kept alive solely to serve the state. Some of them are so brainwashed that they believe they are working for a benevolent government, but some of them are so hopelessly oppressed and ground down and sedated and starved that they must realize – in the backs of their brains – that they are slaves and are doomed to die an early death. Out in the Gulf frontier, free of slave state control, we have the world Galinta, where we all successfully repulsed a Demon invasion."

The Prof paused, as if choosing his words carefully, then resumed. "Breakblade told me that the recent Demon attacks on Galinta, Traunair, Dajusdevon and Veda were just the first wave of attacks planned by Satan into our universe and galaxy. He states that Satan is the leader of the dark forces that control and animate the Demons and the other alien races that will be arrayed against us, and against God and the forces of light. Now, whether or not you believe in Satan or even God, you'd best pay attention because, whether or not Satan and God are real or spirits, or imaginary, the Brights and the Darks both believe in them and that's important.

"Yes, I said Darks. We have not met these creatures yet. These are the angels that were tossed out of Haven by the Brights. They follow Satan, and control the Demons. They instructed the Demons to flee into our universe, the Others as they call it, and it appears they let the Demons do this on their own. The first wave was like a test – a sacrifice – to see what they were dealing with. And our strong response, and the Brights' intervention, must have been a nasty surprise to them. But the Darks did not interfere.

"All right, back to the Gulf. ConFree policy has been to ignore these subhuman slave states, so long as they do not turn their attention to us. We'd love to wipe them from the map, to sanitize the galaxy and exterminate the oppressors like vermin, but we are not the galaxy's police force and we don't think those bastards are worth the life of a single Legion trooper. So we've left them alone. This may be changing.

"Those of you who have studied the Gulf may have wondered how such evil can be perpetrated by a government on its own people. I thought it was because mankind is capable of great evil. But the Brights have another answer for us. Breakblade says all three governments are now effectively controlled by Satan and his minions. Bright agents have confirmed that most upper-level government officers in all three regimes are possessed by Satanic spirits. That does not mean that the targets are even aware of what has happened, but it does mean they can be easily manipulated by the parasite spirits that possess them. Especially if the spirits are just reinforcing the natural inclinations of the subhuman target.

"Breakblade says that Satan has always specialized in subverting people internally and then having them do his will in all things. He is patient and resolute. The patient subversion of the Gulf states was his first step to cement his new foothold in the Others. The demon invasion was the next step, but it failed. The next invasion will be launched from within the Others, and will involve the Darks, the Demons, human armies from the slave states and a host of other evil forces, including phantom spirits from other dimensions.

"Oh man!" Arie broke in. "What do we know about the Darks?"

"All we know so far is that there is not much difference between Brights and Darks except the Darks have lost that skin glow that the Brights have. But they used to be angels. So they can do whatever the Brights can."

"Oh man."

"We'll get a full briefing before the action starts, don't worry."

If the Darks have all the power that the Brights have, how the hell are we going to fight them? I thought.

"All right. Again, the Gulf. Should our policy change? What are the Brights planning? The Brights are planning to attack the Satanic forces before they launch their next attack against us. Because the Dark objective is to control the entire inhabited galaxy, for Satan. And we have no idea where the next attack or series of attacks will be targeted. It could be anywhere. ConFree, the AC, the UMC – anywhere. The Brights want to hit the Darks before they can organize their attack. And they told us Satan's base is right here, in the Gulf. Breakblade did not tell us exactly where the main base is, but he said they would welcome assistance in taking on the human armies that will be arrayed against them – and us.

"That means Asumara, the Gulf Union and the Pegal Stelcom. All of them."

"None of those states are militarily powerful, are they?" Doggie asked.

"No, they're not. Their military is focused on crushing any opposition from the population. But if the Darks are going to be participating in the campaign, it is not going to be a walk-over, that's for sure.

"Now, as I said when I began, no decisions have yet been made regarding anything. If ConFree does ally us with the Brights in the upcoming bloodfest, the B's are probably going to want to use Delta Research as interpreters with their human allies, so I imagine we'll be pretty close to the Bright knight leadership and not just kicking in doors and gunning down Demons like the last time, but – well, that's speculation."

"Assuming all this is true," Scout said, "the B's are right. We should certainly attack the enemy first – before they attack us. Put them on the defensive. And keep attacking."

Δ

We soon had evidence that Satan had been hard at work, and his efforts were paying off. Galactic Info intercepted a Pegal Stelcom propaganda broadcast presumably designed to terrorize their citizens as well as galactic neighbors, and we watched it on a panoramic d-screen on the wall of Conference Room A. The view showed a massive wave of A-suited troopers, armored and armed, stomping past a reviewing stand in the heart of some bleak smoky industrial city, under dark grey skies. The troopers were eight abreast, rolling past the reviewing stand like some unstoppable armored tidal wave. We could practically feel the earth shaking. The A-suits were a dark grey with dull green faceplates. They carried weapons I had never seen before, battle rifles of a strange design. Up on the reviewing stand, the merciless despots in charge of life and death watched the show impassively, except for the occasional grim smirk of satisfaction. The roadway was lined with civilian spectators clad in dull colors. It was cold – they were all bundled up. Screeching martial music filled the air, punctuated with deep bass booms that were synchronized with the troopers' footsteps.

The cameras panned the marchers. Their faces were hidden by the dark green faceplates. They could have been robots. The massive column of armored troopers stretched into the distance. Thousands, certainly. A very impressive show of force. Overhead, flights of armored aircars shot past – five, then ten, twenty, thirty – more. And more.

"I thought their military was just set up to control the population," Doggie said. "What the hell is this? Those aren't Systie A-suits. Where did they come from?"

"These A-suits are brand-new," Prof commented. "We have not seen them before."

"What about those battle rifles? What are they?"

"Also new. Galactic Info has never seen them before."

"How about the aircars?" Arie asked.

"Based on the Systie Pterosaur design," Bird responded. "But a new model – looks to be an update."

"I thought these people were broke. Where did this army come from?"

"Obviously someone has been helping them."

'Well, they can't have trained all these troopers already, can they?"

"They've got plenty of warm bodies, but you're right. Chances are they are mostly inexperienced. No matter how sharp they look."

"We could wipe out this entire column with one pass from a phantom," Bird said.

"True," the Prof replied. "But when we meet them in battle, they're not going to be lined up neatly for your convenience."

A flight of needle-nosed fighter craft shot overhead, trailing sonic booms.

"Damn! What was that?"

"Those are new," Bird said. "We know nothing about their capabilities. Not yet."

"Where was all this stuff manufactured?" Ice asked.

"Galactic Info is scrambling to find that out. Likely it was manufactured right in the Pegal Stelcom – either Nimbos or Yidah."

"THE PEOPLE'S COMMUNE IS UNITED AND RESOLUTE AND WILL DEFEND THE REVOLUTION TO THE DEATH!" the speakers boomed out over the scene. "THE MERCENARY CRIMCON HORDES ARE FRANTICALLY PREPARING FOR WAR BUT THE PEGAL STELCOM WILL RAIN DOWN DESTRUCTION ON THEIR WORLDS IN JUSTIFIABLE WRATH! HAIL THE COMMUNE!"

The crowds lining the roadway lifted their arms weakly and shouted, "Hail the Commune!"

"What’s a Crimcon?" Arie asked.

"Come on, Arie, didn't you study history?" I asked. "The CrimCon is the Criminal Conspiracy. That's what the Systies used to call ConFree."

"Ah yes. I knew that. So we're mercenaries?"

"Mercenary hordes, Arie. Hordes."

"The preparing for war part is accurate," the Prof said. "But so are they."

It had started raining over the march. A cold and bitter rain, it appeared. The sky was darkening. The troops kept marching, ignoring the rain. Hordes, I thought. Endless hordes, from the bowels of Hell. A rainshade slid into place over the reviewing stand, but the people lining the streets had no shelter.

"IF THE CRIMCON SAVAGES DARE TO ATTACK US THEY WILL DIE FAR FROM HOME IN A HOSTILE LAND! EVERY HAND WILL BE RAISED AGAINST THEM! THE PEOPLE'S COMMUNE IS UNITED AND RESOLUTE AND WILL DEFEND THE REVOLUTION TO THE DEATH! HAIL THE COMMUNE!"

"Hail the commune!" We could barely hear them over the roar of the downpour. What must it be like to be one of them, standing there in that icy rain, waiting for the damned parade to end? Did they really believe the propaganda? Would they fight us if we appeared? But they knew only what the government told them. If alien soldiers dropped from the sky, would they fight to defend their families, the women and kids? Or would they welcome the end of the cursed dictatorship? I had no idea. I sent a silent prayer to Deadman, thanking him for making me a ConFree national.

Δ

"Here it is, gang," Ice said. "It's on the Legion Tacmap. Damn it. Oh, damn it."

Ice and Saka and Bees and I were in the Bright embassy cafeteria, having breakfast in preparation for another busy day. I had just sat down with them and hadn't even had time to activate my news scanner. I set it up and sipped at my morning calansi. The front page of the Legion Tacmap featured an action scene from the recent Unity meeting, showing a whole slew of overstuffed, bemedalled high-ranking military overlords, in a bewildering array of colorful uniforms, embracing each other enthusiastically, seemingly overjoyed almost to tears, raising glasses on high to toast the event. The grim headline got right to the point:

SLAVE STATES UNITE!

Special from the
Legion Tacmap
. Harmony, Asumara – CGS 385/11/11, SS 1517/15/15 – In a serious and completely unexpected major political development, the three Gulf slave states today announced they are going ahead with plans to unite the three nations under one government. The announcement was made by the heads of state of the Asumara Holy Commune, the Gulf Union and the People's Egalitarian Stellar Commune. The result culminated the Unity Conference that has been ongoing in Asumara. These talks are yearly affairs that have never before made any progress because of the deep enmity that has always existed between the three slave states. In past years, delegates traded insults and threats while trying to remain awake through hour-long speeches by the heads of state about economic development. This year it was different. The new nation has been dubbed the Gulf Stellar Commune. A power-sharing Politburo will initially set up the new government and unite the three armed forces.

ConFree Ministry of Interstellar Affairs officials privately admitted they were blindsided and stunned by the development, although they would not be quoted for the record. Galactic Information sources refused comment.