Earth Gambit, page 3
“Just how powerful did you make Athena?” I said, wondering whether we now had to worry about the AI.
“Don’t worry, Jack,” Flavinus said. “Athena is on our side. In fact, she is on Earth’s side. Think of her as your secret weapon.”
“What do you think about all of this, Jessica?” I said, noting the worried look on her face.
“I think it’s your decision,” Jessica said, and I sensed that she wanted to say more but held back. I decided not to push her on it.
“Well, you’ve given me a lot to think about, Flavinus. Now, what’s for dessert?”
Chapter six
I spent the next day thinking about what Flavinus had said. The part about Athena hacking into this Klichton’s backup was all well and good, but the problem was how to get close enough to take out the bastard. I also thought about putting together a team to kill the warlord, but I always saw myself included. The truth is, I took the threat personally and wanted to be the one who pulled the trigger. Maybe I was crazy, but I felt like this was my responsibility.
I met up with Kosta and Sergeant Jameson and told them all I knew. I wasn’t surprised to see that they were on the same page as me.
“We have to do it ourselves,” Jameson said. “This is too important a job.”
“I agree,” Kosta said. “We will only get one chance at this. If we fail, the alien will tighten his security, and we will not get another chance. We are Black Company mercenaries. This is what we do.”
“I knew you’d see things the same way as me,” I said.
“I know this, Klichton,” Jameson said. “Black Company has done some work for him before. He is not careless. Killing him will not be easy.”
“Yes,” Kosta said. “We have to get him when he is not on his home world.”
“Athena is already on it,” I said. “She found out that Klichton is meeting a rival for some high-level talks. They are using a space station as a neutral location for the meeting.”
“He’ll still have security,” Jameson said.
I smiled. “That’s the best part. I found out that the Schrik mercenary, Bothar, is providing security for someone else at the station. He can probably get us the intelligence we need.”
“Why would the Schrik help us?” Jameson said. “You beat him to a pulp in that duel.”
“He’ll help me,” I said. “I ran into him last year, and he called me his brother.”
“So what?” Jameson said. “I bet he’d jump at the chance to give you a permanent death.”
“I don’t think so. He respects me because I’m the only one to ever beat him in a duel.”
“I agree with Sergeant Jameson,” Kosta said. “You are putting a lot of faith in this Schrik. How do you know he won’t just sell us out to Klichton for a reward?”
“I understand what you’re saying, but I’m sure I can trust him,” I said.
We discussed the matter for a while, but both Kosta and Jameson were skeptical about relying on Bothar for help. The problem was, I didn’t know how else to get the intelligence. I could ask Flavinus to pull some strings for us, but that risked implicating him and the Imperium. I decided that the only option was to go ahead and contact Bothar myself and see where I really stood with him.
I opted for an in-person meeting with the Schrik commander and convinced Ilsa to take her ship. We had both been very busy over the past few months and hadn’t spent a lot of time together, so I convinced her that this was the perfect opportunity to do so while also conducting official business.
There had always been a spark between us, and that spark had turned into a romantic relationship over the past year. We spent time with each other every chance we could, but Earth’s defense came first, and that meant long stretches apart. Ilsa was tasked with building out Earth’s fleet, and she not only took care of warship acquisition but spent most of her time overseeing the modification of the ships we purchased, ensuring they were all customized to her exacting specifications.
Conversely, I spent most of the past year training Earth’s troops for the realities of war in the Imperium. Of course, I didn’t do it alone. Kosta, Sergeant Jameson, and the rest of the Black Company mercenaries who had decided to stay on Earth were a great help and more experienced in Imperium combat than me, but, for whatever reason, Flavinus had put me in charge. Still, if I was going to stay in the military, I preferred to fight, and I think that is why Flavinus gave me this assignment.
After a year of training, we had put some good systems in place and were better able to delegate the training of Earth’s troops. The professional soldiers all adapted quickly, and the brain implants allowed all the different nationalities to communicate seamlessly, eliminating that obstacle to their integration into the new Earth Defense Force. So, I delegated my responsibilities to a worthy successor and prepared to deal with Klichton. Kosta and Sergeant Jameson did the same.
Earth progressed at record speed, but it just wasn’t fast enough to take on the battle-hardened forces of an Imperium warlord. Even without the expected political infighting, we simply needed more ships and more orbital defenses. A battle station or two wouldn’t hurt, either. All that required Imperium credits, and while we had the capability to make a lot of money by selling Earth’s resources, we just couldn’t do it fast enough, not if we were going to lose Imperium protection.
We had no choice. If Earth was going to take its place in the Imperium, we needed to kill first. We couldn’t sit around and wait, hoping that one day we’d be strong enough. The warlords of the Imperium needed to know the cost of attacking humanity. We would be no one’s slaves. That was why, despite our weakness, we adopted an aggressive strategy targeting anyone who threatened Earth with assassination. Klichton would only be the first of what I expected to be a long list.
When we finally got underway to find Bothar, I stood on the bridge beside Ilsa’s Captain’s chair, happy to get started.
“You look overjoyed,” Ilsa said, looking up at me from her chair.
I grinned. “I’m glad to be doing some fighting rather than just teaching it.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Jack, but I doubt we’ll be doing any fighting on this trip.”
“I can hope, can’t I?”
Ilsa shook her head and returned to her command displays. I could tell that she was happy to be on a mission too. We both took pride in our work and were very motivated to get Earth’s Defense Force up to par, but, given a choice, we both preferred being in the field.
When our ship was far enough away from Earth and its moon, Ilsa ordered the opening of a jump point, a naturally occurring phenomenon that allowed for rapid transit over long distances. In this case, we headed toward the Schrik home system where Bothar was currently located.
The Schrik were an older Imperium race and were known for their warlike qualities. They were not a species anyone wanted to toy with, and their battlefield record spoke for itself. They also produced some of the finest mercenaries anywhere in the Imperium and were in high demand among the many Imperium warlords.
Given the Schrik’s militant nature, Ilsa ensured that our ship would exit the spatial conduit at a respectful and unthreatening distance from the Schrik home world. We were aboard a former Imperium destroyer, after all, and we didn’t want to send the wrong message.
The jump point formed, and our ship slid into its dark tunnel. We couldn’t have spent more than ten minutes traveling through the conduit, but its empty, oppressive nature made it feel much longer. I never liked these conduits and felt like I had been swallowed by some invisible beast. Even in the vacuum of space, you knew there were planets teeming with life out there, whereas none of that existed in these conduits, just the dread of the jump point’s collapse and the certain death that followed. Relief washed over me when we finally exited, and I could see stars again.
Within seconds multiple Schrik defense installations locked onto us. In response, we remained passive, showing no hostile intent and waiting for the inevitable Schrik hail. When it came, a Schrik officer appeared on the main viewscreen, its eyes menacingly taking us all in.
“You are human,” the Schrik said finally. “Why have you entered the Schrik home star system in a warship? And why should I not destroy you for doing so?”
“I am Captain Ilsa Blake, the commander of this vessel. I apologize for any misunderstanding, but our intentions are not hostile.”
“What exactly are your intentions?” the Schrik said.
“We are here to speak to the Schrik mercenary commander known as Bothar.”
“Bothar is well known. He has not filed notice that he is expecting your arrival.”
“He did not know we were coming,” Ilsa said. “But he will welcome our arrival.”
The Schrik stared at us with open hostility but said nothing.
“You said you know who Bothar is,” Ilsa said. “Then you will also know that he is not to be trifled with. Trust me when I say that he will not be happy if we are turned away.”
The Schrik officer glared at us for a while longer and disappeared from the holodisplay.
“I think that went well,” I joked.
Ilsa smirked. “With any luck, we won’t be vaporized. I’ve grown fond of this ship.”
Moments later, Bothar appeared on the holodisplay. He looked around until he spotted me. Nodding, he said, “When I was told that a human ship was here to speak with me, I knew it had to be you, Jack Rhodes. I am happy to see you again.”
“Hello, Bothar. I’m happy to see you as well.”
“Your need must be great to risk entering the Schrik home system in a warship.”
“You could say that. Can we speak privately?”
“Of course. But I must insist that you and Ilsa visit me on the surface as my guests. We can speak then.”
“Sure,” I said. “I look forward to seeing you in person.”
“As do I,” Bothar said and disappeared from the holodisplay.
Ilsa looked up at me with a raised eyebrow.
I shrugged. “I couldn’t exactly say no to him, could I?”
Ilsa shook her head. “We better not keep him waiting.”
Chapter seven
Ilsa and I took a shuttle to the surface to meet Bothar. Our ship was ordered to stay where it was, and only Ilsa and I had permission to visit the planet.
“The military presence here is ridiculous,” I said as Ilsa piloted the shuttle toward the planet.
Ilsa nodded. “It’s why no one even dreams of attacking the Schrik, but they’ve been working at it for a long time. If we could get Earth’s defenses to even a quarter of what the Schrik have, we’d be in good shape.”
“The Imperium’s lucky the Schrik don’t rebel. They’d have quite a fight on their hands if they did.”
“The Schrik won’t rebel. They are as loyal to the Imperium as anyone. The Imperium has made them incredibly prosperous. Why would they give that up?”
“That’s a good point. The warrior ethos really seems to work for them.”
“Earth could be like the Schrik,” Ilsa said.
“In what way?”
“We are a warlike species. Always have been. We may not have sharp teeth, and claws like the Schrik do, but we’re no less vicious. If we were properly armed, few species could stand against us.”
“So you’re saying we should become a planet of warriors?” I said. “A futuristic version of the Spartans?”
“I’m saying that we’re just as fierce as any other species in the Imperium and more so than most. We leverage that, just like the Schrik did.”
“Well, if we can pull off this assassination, we’ll certainly send a message.”
“Looks like the Schrik are sending us a message,” Ilsa said. “Two Schrik fighters have flanked us.”
“Nice of them to escort us,” I said with a grin. The Schrik didn’t need the fighters to destroy us. If they wanted us dead, they would have killed us already. The fighters were likely just ensuring we didn’t take any detours.
Drawing nearer to the Schrik home world, I wondered about Bothar and his place on the Schrik hierarchy. The Schrik officer knew exactly who Bothar was, and we didn’t have to wait long to speak with him. That implied that Bothar had a fair amount of status. Was it due to his mercenary achievements or something else?
Our shuttle was escorted into orbit, and when we entered the planet’s atmosphere, the fighters flanking us backed off, and two atmospheric fighters took their place. The Schrik were definitely an efficient species and clearly did not take any chances, no matter how small.
For our part, we stayed on course and headed for the coordinates we were given. I gazed down at the sprawling city below us and was impressed by the obvious wealth and industry on display. I didn’t know which city I was looking at, but its buildings reached up into the sky, creating a dense forest of metal and glass. The buildings themselves looked futuristic to my eyes, taking many different shapes and configurations. It was all very impressive, and the buildings all had natural elements mixed in with multiple levels of plants and greenery.
The vegetation seemed to compensate for the obvious lack of any parkland. This, I had been told, was common among the Imperium planets, and many had undergone climate disruptions in their histories. These climate disruptions were a common part of technological evolution, and some did more damage to their planets than others before they adopted newer, less harmful technology. The giant city did eventually give way to nature, however, and that was where we came in for a landing.
“Bothar must be very wealthy,” Ilsa said. “Most Schrik wouldn’t be able to afford living outside a city.”
“Is this his property?” I said, impressed by the lush surroundings.
“Yes, and look, here comes another escort.”
I looked to where Ilsa pointed and saw a couple of Schrik mercenaries in uniform waiting for us.
Ilsa landed the shuttle, and we stepped out onto a landscape that was even more impressive looking up close. The two mercenaries waiting for us were not visibly armed, but I felt certain that they had at least one concealed weapon. They both ignored Ilsa and focused on me, barely hiding their aggression. I didn’t feel hostility coming from them, just a desire to have a go at me. I’m sure they wondered how I could’ve beaten their commander in a duel, seeing as I didn’t have any natural weapons like they did. I’m sure humans looked weak compared to some of these other species. A useful deception.
I flashed the two Schrik a smile that was not returned. “Where to boys?” I said, still smiling.
One of the Schrik grunted and said, “This way. Commander Bothar is waiting.” The two turned and walked away, with Ilsa and I following.
We walked for some time, and I admired the surroundings. Despite their warlike ethos, the Schrik clearly understood aesthetics, or was that just Bothar? Either way, after seeing the sprawling city and how most Schrik lived, I had to agree with Ilsa regarding Bothar’s wealth.
I also noticed numerous armed guards stationed throughout the grounds, all wearing the same mercenary uniforms. It made sense that a mercenary commander would need security, though I wondered what threats there were on the Schrik home world, especially after how tight planetary security was.
Our escorts took us to a great building that looked like it was built into the side of a rockface. We followed them inside, and I was surprised at the size of the building. It literally stretched deep inside the rockface, surprising me. On the other side was a wall of windows giving a stunning view of a vast body of water. When I saw the rockface, I hadn’t realized that the structure was actually built into the side of a cliff like some futuristic stronghold.
“There is my brother!” Bothar’s voice rang out from behind us.
I turned to see my Schrik friend approaching, dressed, like everyone else, in his uniform. “Hello, Bothar,” I said. “It’s great to see you again.”
“You both honor me with your visit,” Bothar said. “I trust you had no problems on your trip down?”
“None,” I said. “Thank you for arranging it.”
“It was nothing,” Bothar said and gestured for us to follow him. The two guards moved to come as well, and Bothar said, “You two may leave.”
The guards were visibly perturbed by the order, but neither had the courage or foolishness to question their commander, so both saluted and left.
“Security is pretty tight around here,” I said as Ilsa and I walked with Bothar.
“An unfortunate necessity,” Bothar said. “There are those who would profit from my death.”
“Other Schrik?” I said, surprised.
“Other Schrik clans. The Schrik may not fight wars against each other anymore, but that does not stop us from assassinating our rivals. As the head of one of the most powerful Schrik clans, I am a lucrative target.”
“You are the head of your clan and the commander of your mercenaries?” I said.
“My mercenaries all belong to my clan. Do humans not function in the same fashion?”
“Not really,” I said.
“Interesting. How can you trust those serving with you?” Bothar said.
“We’re not the same clan, but we’re on the same team, so I guess that is how.”
Bothar led us into a room with a table and chairs and closed the door behind us. “This is a secure room. We can speak freely here without worrying about surveillance,” Bothar said. “Please, sit.”
Ilsa raised an eyebrow but pulled up a chair and sat at the table, and I did the same. I was surprised to see Bothar so preoccupied with security on his home planet. It was something I did not expect.
Bothar sat across from us and said, “I assume this isn’t a social visit, so tell me, what brings you to my planet?”
Ilsa and I explained our predicament, and Bothar listened intently to all the information. “So we need to kill this warlord before the Imperium rescinds its protection,” I said.
