Wrath of Axia (The Arcadian Jihad) (28 page)

“Mount up. We’re going out to attack the enemy Grand Fleet on the ground.”

Blas almost grinned as he saw their astonished faces. “The Victorious has landed, Bartok’s flagship, together with the rest of his fleet. They’re unloading their armor to attack our people. My plan is simple. We’ll ignore the armor and go straight for the head of the snake. If we can knock out Fabian Bartok, the rest of them will just give up. He’s the gun pressed to their heads to terrify them into continuing the fight. Get rid of him and they’ll pack it in. Let’s go.”

He didn’t wait for any questions. He climbed aboard with his crew and Saffron right behind him, shouting at the driver to move fast. He flicked on his tactical screens. Good, the enemy fleet was just visible at extreme range. They lay between him and their armored force assembled on the surface, so he had a chance, a slight chance to give them a nasty shock. He looked closer and saw President Tell’s armored force, commanded by Harris, deployed in a tight formation, hull down to the enemy. They were dwarfed by the mighty fleet that had landed next to them, but that was to be expected. His intention was to smash the chains of obedience to the treasonous regime, to open men’s minds to what could be done by just a few, good men. When they saw his vehicles charging the flagship, intent on destroying it, they would come after him. He hoped. He saw Smetana’s vehicles begin the attack on the far side, where the enemy was deployed. It would keep them occupied for the time being.

“Enemy flagship at eight miles. Sir, I don’t think they’ve seen us yet.”

“Good. Driver, full speed, I want to ram that bastard, if we can get near enough.”

“Sir, they’ll have ground defense weapons deployed, we need to be careful.”

“I know. Keep going.”

He was past the bulk of Harris’ unit now, heading towards the first of Bartok’s fleet. Lasers started to flick out towards him, but he was moving fast. More of Bartok’s ships started to fire at the impudent vehicle that challenged their mighty fleet. Then two things happened. Tell’s voice came over the guard channel, exhorting the Tricon men to hold their fire. They were supporting a treasonous thief, Fabian Bartok, a man who had stolen everything from them. They were to hold their fire and wait for their rightful President to speak to them and present evidence that they had been deceived. Do not shoot at the very man you voted for! At the same time, Harris’ armored group started to move, racing to full speed after Blas’ tiny force. The incoming fire intensified and Blas’ vehicle started to rock as burst after burst impacted on its armor. Then the firing slackened. Tell’s message was getting through. Smetana was caught up in a huge firefight, outnumbered three to one by the Tricon armor. Yet the fire began to slacken to as his opponents pulled back and waited for some clarification. Blas made his driver forge ahead at full speed. Now, the only ships firing at him were the Victorious itself, Bartok’s flagship, together with four of his escort ships, light cruisers. Everything else was silent. Something was wrong, and they needed to know exactly what. They swerved continually, avoiding the worst of the incoming fire. Saffron sat calmly inside the hull, and she seemed to be far away. No doubt she was directing her thoughts at the gunners on the enemy ships. The fire had eased off as they drew nearer and then missed them completely. But three of his vehicles had been smashed by the heavy gunfire. It was going to be a near thing.

“Enemy flagship half a mile.”

“Keep going, driver, ram the bastard.”

The driver grunted and kept at full speed.

“Enemy flagship at six hundred yards.”

Blas keyed the microphone. “I want every vehicle with me to aim for the flagship. Ram the bastard! Let’s finish this here, on the ground!”

“Enemy flagship at four hundred yards.”

The vapor that poured out of the Victorious was almost an anti-climax. The giant ship abruptly left the ground and slowly, majestically started to take off, heading for space. Alongside it, the four escort ships started to take off. Blas was too late for Bartok’s ship, but they managed to smash into the side of a light cruiser, damaging the delicate parts of the ship that kept it on a straight course. Two of his surviving vehicles clipped two more cruisers, preventing them from taking off, the fourth managed to claw its way into the air. Blas watched the Tricon disaster with disbelief.

“Who the hell brought those ships down onto the surface didn’t know their business. Ships belong in space, why didn’t he shuttle the armor down and stay aloft?”

“It was Bartok,” Saffron said. “He’s taken command of the fleet.”

“Thank goodness he did. He gave us our victory almost without having to fight for it. He’ll head back to Axis Nova now, if he get’s past Rusal’s fleet. Driver, turn around, back to Sana City. Go straight to the Magellan. We’re leaving for Axis Nova. It’s time to finish Fabian Bartok once and for all.”

They halted next to the Magellan and Blas ran up the ramp with Saffron. He’d already alerted Berg Smetana and Xerxes Tell that Bartok was running back to Axis Nova, minus almost all of his fleet. Captain Alex Yalonda was waiting for their arrival as they rushed onto the bridge.

“Is that everyone?”

He nodded. “Get her into space, alert Admiral Rusal about Bartok’s escape, although it’s probably no use. The Victorious is too much for his scratch fleet to take on. We’re following them to Axis Nova and will take them there, on the ground.”

She nodded and called her first officer. “Take up the ramp and get us off the ground, set course for Axis Nova. This is an emergency, jump into hyperspace as soon as we’re clear of the planet.”

Within seconds they felt the deck tremble as the ship began to move. Yalonda sent a signal to Admiral Rusal while she kept a watchful eye on her crew. She turned to Blas.

“What are you planning to do when we reach the planet?”

“As soon as we get near Axis Nova, I’m going to shout so loud that most of his people desert him. They must all have someone they know in the military that’s gone over to the rightful President and plenty of others who’ve been hit badly by this government. By the time we land, there won’t be any place for him to hide and no one prepared to defend him.”

“Perhaps it would be helpful to arrange for President Tell to record something you can use?”

“That’s a good idea.” He turned to the comms officer. “Can you patch me through to the surface of Isolde? I need to speak to President Tell.”

It took less than a minute to get through. Tell was still in the armored vehicle out on the battlefield. All firing had stopped, and he was negotiating a peaceful end to hostilities.

“I’ll record a message and forward it to your ship, Constantine. I know exactly what you need.”

“Thank you, Sir. How are things on the ground?”

“Very good. As far as I can see almost all of the Tricon force has switched allegiance to me. The message is going out across space even as I speak. He’s finished, Constantine. Almost no one will turn a hand to help him. Don’t take any chances. I’m going to order Admiral Rusal to detach part of his fleet to support you. As confident as I am, a couple of Heavy Battlecruisers are always a persuasive argument. They’ll catch up with you in orbit over Axis Nova.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“It’s no problem. Don’t forget, Fabian Bartok is a formidable enemy and he still has the Victorious, the most powerful, heavily armored ship in the Nine Systems. Don’t go head to head with her alone, Constantine. You must not lose.”

“I hear you, Sir. I’ll be careful.”

System Standard 2734.1655 Presidential Palace, Lyra City, Axis Nova

Bartok checked to make certain that his guard was posted and went into his personal quarters. He pressed buttons on the control panel and plasteel shutters rolled down, sealing him away from any outside interference. He needed to think. He was the President of the Nine Systems, with a powerful navy to destroy anyone who dared to interfere with his authority. Yet here he was, skulking behind reinforced plasteel shutters inside his own palace. For the hundredth time he cursed that fool Rad Bose who had allowed his fleet to be destroyed. An entire fleet, as well as part of another! He pressed the switch for his secretary.

“Yes, Mr. President.”

As unctuous as ever, did the fool have no mind of his own? “Glekka, has Admiral Bose been dealt with?”

“He is in the death cell, Sir. Sentence is due to be carried out tomorrow morning.”

“Good. I wish to see a video feed of it being carried out.”

“As you wish, Sir.”

After all the misery that Bose had caused him, at least he could have that amount of pleasure out of him at the end of his miserable life. Talk of Bose made him think of his idiot brother, Pieter Bose, the one with the grandiose plans to make them all rich.

“Glekka, where is Pieter Bose at this moment?”

“I believe he is here in Lyra City, Sir, for a meeting of Security Bureau leaders.”

“Good. Have him report to me here. Immediately.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Bartok waited, daydreaming about all the fools who had caused him so much trouble. There was only one way to deal with them. If a man caused you trouble, kill the man. That dealt with the problem.

He jerked out of his thoughts as a knock sounded on the door. Pieter Bose walked in. He looked apprehensive, as he should do; his brother was in a death cell. But Pieter Bose had another look in his eyes, something Bartok didn’t like. He looked, what was it? Sly and cunning, it was as if he had some kind of trick up his sleeve.

“Ah, Pieter, tell me how things are with our Hesperian ventures?”

“Mr. President, everything is going well. Profits are expected to be higher than ever this year. Provided that we can resolve these, er, military problems.”

“That’s nothing for you to concern yourself with, I have everything in hand. I have called in reserves from all over the Nine Systems. Within a few days I will have enough ships and troops here to smash the rebels, so I can strip every planet and put ten thousand ships into space. More than enough to take care of this scum.”

“Provided that they fight, Sir.”

“Why shouldn’t they fight? They are military men, and they take orders from me.”

“Sir, recent events suggest that they do not always obey orders.”

“You mean those fools on Isolde?”

Bose nodded. “Those, but others too. The problem is that they believe this Xerxes Tell to be the rightful President.”

“Which is stupid, I know I poisoned him five years ago. How could it be?”

Bose paused for effect. It was the first time that Fabian Bartok had ever admitted what he did to bring himself to power. He cleared his throat. “There are some who say that the man you poisoned was an impostor, a lookalike who was part of a plan to seize control of the Nine Systems. They say that the real Xerxes Tell was held as a prisoner for several years. So they say. It could be awkward if it was proved true and confirmation of this fact got out and was made public. That you poisoned the wrong man.”

Bartok shuddered, but he was a past master in this kind of negotiation. Could it be true? Yes, of course it could. It was just a question of containing it. “I trust that you are in a position to prevent that unfortunate occurrence?”

Bose nodded. “I am certain that I can guarantee that nothing comes out, but of course, I will need help in dealing with the people responsible. I was thinking that my brother would be the most useful person to assist me. He is so knowledgeable about these things.”

“It would mean commuting his death sentence.”

“I imagine it would, Mr. President.”

“Very well, consider it done.”

“And his re-instatement?”

Bartok thought for a long moment. Whatever this swine and his foul brother had cooked up, he couldn’t allow them to release anything that proved that Xerxes Tell was genuine. He may be able to fight off the growing insurrection, but only if the secret was kept.

“Very well, I will order Admiral Bose released.”

System Standard 2734.1657 Battlecruiser Magellan on approach to Axis Nova

They came out of hyperspace at a distance from Axis Nova so as not to be picked up by the planetary defense scanners. They were already broadcasting Tell’s message across the whole of the Vega System. They could only hope that enough people listened and more importantly believed in what they heard. The comms officer called over to Blas.

“Signal from Admiral Rusal, Sir. He’s following in his new flagship with the rest of his fleet. They’ll be here inside of four hours.”

Blas acknowledged. Alex Yalonda, Captain of the Magellan was talking to Saffron, and he walked over to join them.

“Captain Yalonda, you heard the message about the fleet. With your agreement, we’ll wait for Admiral Rusal to arrive and start the attack. As soon as the defenses are busy with his ships, I’d like us to slip down to the planet’s surface, as near to Lyra City as possible. It’s time to take care of that bastard Fabian Bartok.”

She nodded. “With one condition, Constantine. Saffron and I will come with you. You’ll need a pair of Orphexians with you. You’ll be up against massive odds as it is.”

“I’m not planning on a full scale frontal attack, Alex. I want us to land as an innocent merchant, so perhaps we can go in with a regular supply fleet. Once on the planet, my plan is to get to Bartok using stealth, not overwhelming force.”