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Authors: William J. Benning
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systems.
“Terra!?” the Empress interrupted, “did you say Terra!? Earth!?” she suddenly challenged, leaping up from her throne.
“Yes, Majesty, the second system,” the confused Batarrien highlighted the second black shape in yellow, “is the Terran system; it has a yellow dwarf star and one inhabited planet called Terra or Earth.”
“Majesty, if we could…” the General who spoke for the Council interjected excitedly.
“Yes, General, if we could,” the Empress smiled, “Officer Batarrien, if we could drive a wedge between the two Alliance blocs, what would the effect be on our enemies?”
“Majesty,” Batarrien began, “politically, the Alliance is still quite fragile. There is no centralised political control apparatus. Other than the military, this Alliance exists only as some abstract concept. If we can split the two blocs, those species such as the Hraxxon, the Ceradors and the Kalthans would abandon the Alliance and sue for peace with us. Withdrawing those species from the Alliance Fleet would seriously weaken their combat power. Many other species would question the wisdom of joining in the first place leaving the rump of this Alliance divided and, militarily, much weakened.”
“Your Majesty, if we could only…” the General interrupted again, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Calm yourself, my dear, gallant, loyal, General Tetherrien,” the Empress soothed her old war horse, “Fate has presented us with an opportunity to smite our enemies and bring glory and conquest to our Imperial forces, but we must lay our plans carefully if we are to succeed.”
“Majesty, I live to serve,” the elderly General bowed lowly, almost bursting into tears.
“Officer Batarrien, you have done well; we shall speak again later,” Lullina promised, “Councillors, go back to your commands, prepare for battle and await instructions. We must meet with our Imperial Strategic Staff,” she dismissed them all.
When the Council had gone, Lullina looked once more at the ragged pathway through the Thexxian territories and wondered why none of her planners had spotted this weakness. Perhaps, it was time for another purge of the intelligence services, she considered, and then dismissed the idea. What had originally been a retribution strike against Caudwell’s home planet was now taking on a much greater significance.
One question still niggled at the back of Lullina’s mind. Would Caudwell defend his home planet or the Alliance frontier? If Caudwell was a weak sentimental human, then the Alliance would fall, the loss of the Imperial Fleet Carriers would be avenged and the hated Thexxians finally exterminated.
It was far too good a chance to pass up, she considered.
Chapter 10
The Star-Cruiser Aquarius
Intelligence Technician (Junior Grade) Marilla Thapes drew in one last anxious breath and sighed heavily. Steeling herself, she stepped forward onto the pressure plate that would announce her presence to Senior Intelligence Officer Karap Sownus.
Clutching three red Intelligence folios in her right hand she wondered, for the dozenth time in the last hour, whether she was making a mistake or not. However, having stood on the red fifteen centimetre square pressure plate, she realised there was no turning back now.
“Yes!?” came the familiar soft and reassuring reply from within his Private Office; the opaque grey force-shielding of the door cleared, allowing Marilla to enter.
“Sorry to bother you, sir…if you’re busy I can…” Marilla began nervously.
“No, not at all, Marilla,” Sownus beckoned her into his work space.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, sir, but there’s something bothering me about some data I’ve viewed,” Marilla drew a deep breath and approached the huge, harshly-lit work desk that was strewn with reports and data folios.
“What’s on your mind, Marilla?” Sownus said in his usual matter-of-fact way.
Marilla Thapes, as one of the Intelligence Technicians
“Terra!?” the Empress interrupted, “did you say Terra!? Earth!?” she suddenly challenged, leaping up from her throne.
“Yes, Majesty, the second system,” the confused Batarrien highlighted the second black shape in yellow, “is the Terran system; it has a yellow dwarf star and one inhabited planet called Terra or Earth.”
“Majesty, if we could…” the General who spoke for the Council interjected excitedly.
“Yes, General, if we could,” the Empress smiled, “Officer Batarrien, if we could drive a wedge between the two Alliance blocs, what would the effect be on our enemies?”
“Majesty,” Batarrien began, “politically, the Alliance is still quite fragile. There is no centralised political control apparatus. Other than the military, this Alliance exists only as some abstract concept. If we can split the two blocs, those species such as the Hraxxon, the Ceradors and the Kalthans would abandon the Alliance and sue for peace with us. Withdrawing those species from the Alliance Fleet would seriously weaken their combat power. Many other species would question the wisdom of joining in the first place leaving the rump of this Alliance divided and, militarily, much weakened.”
“Your Majesty, if we could only…” the General interrupted again, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Calm yourself, my dear, gallant, loyal, General Tetherrien,” the Empress soothed her old war horse, “Fate has presented us with an opportunity to smite our enemies and bring glory and conquest to our Imperial forces, but we must lay our plans carefully if we are to succeed.”
“Majesty, I live to serve,” the elderly General bowed lowly, almost bursting into tears.
“Officer Batarrien, you have done well; we shall speak again later,” Lullina promised, “Councillors, go back to your commands, prepare for battle and await instructions. We must meet with our Imperial Strategic Staff,” she dismissed them all.
When the Council had gone, Lullina looked once more at the ragged pathway through the Thexxian territories and wondered why none of her planners had spotted this weakness. Perhaps, it was time for another purge of the intelligence services, she considered, and then dismissed the idea. What had originally been a retribution strike against Caudwell’s home planet was now taking on a much greater significance.
One question still niggled at the back of Lullina’s mind. Would Caudwell defend his home planet or the Alliance frontier? If Caudwell was a weak sentimental human, then the Alliance would fall, the loss of the Imperial Fleet Carriers would be avenged and the hated Thexxians finally exterminated.
It was far too good a chance to pass up, she considered.
Chapter 10
The Star-Cruiser Aquarius
Intelligence Technician (Junior Grade) Marilla Thapes drew in one last anxious breath and sighed heavily. Steeling herself, she stepped forward onto the pressure plate that would announce her presence to Senior Intelligence Officer Karap Sownus.
Clutching three red Intelligence folios in her right hand she wondered, for the dozenth time in the last hour, whether she was making a mistake or not. However, having stood on the red fifteen centimetre square pressure plate, she realised there was no turning back now.
“Yes!?” came the familiar soft and reassuring reply from within his Private Office; the opaque grey force-shielding of the door cleared, allowing Marilla to enter.
“Sorry to bother you, sir…if you’re busy I can…” Marilla began nervously.
“No, not at all, Marilla,” Sownus beckoned her into his work space.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, sir, but there’s something bothering me about some data I’ve viewed,” Marilla drew a deep breath and approached the huge, harshly-lit work desk that was strewn with reports and data folios.
“What’s on your mind, Marilla?” Sownus said in his usual matter-of-fact way.
Marilla Thapes, as one of the Intelligence Technicians
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