Stand or Fall (The Omega War Book 4) Read online

  Perez grinned at Rains. “We get sixty-minute increments. The guys that wanna play soccer go first, then do their calisthenics. We swap.”

  Perez jerked his head at some free weights on a bench and walked over to them. Rains followed behind him a couple of paces. Perez kept talking over his shoulder. “You said you gotta ride? Who you looking for, maybe I can help?”

  Rains closed the distance. “You.”

  “Yeah?” Perez bent down and grabbed a set of fifteen-pound dumbbells. “Why’s that?”

  “Where’s Tara Mason?”

  Perez stiffened. “What did you say?”

  “You know who she is. I’m trying to find her.”

  Perez laughed, a choked, barking sound, and stood up. He didn’t have dumbbells in his hands, he had what looked like the center handles of the dumbbells with the weights removed. Pointing down from his hands were small, sharp blades. “Fuck you, Rains. That bitch left Karma right before they locked it down. Left my ass here, and the guild threw us all in jail. It’s okay now, though. They said you was coming, and all I had to do was kill you, and I’m a free man.”

  “We don’t need to do this,” Rains said but it was too late. A ring of men, four or five deep, surrounded them, and there wasn’t a guard in sight. Peacemakers were supposed to stop fights unless there was no other option. Rains thought about Calx’s words and realized he was on a stage and didn’t have a script.

  This is a fucking setup, and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

  “Too late, asshole. Ten minutes, and I’m out of this place. All I gotta do is get through you.”

  As a first-year Peacemaker candidate, he was better in the combatives arena than most of the students and one of the top Human candidates. Against their instructor, a massive Besquith called Thrash, Rains made it past the two-minute mark before succumbing to the unending attacks and superior strength. Lying on the mat, Rains had looked up at Thrash, who smiled toothily down at him and asked how he’d lasted so long when the others failed.

  “Rage,” Rains had said. It was the same rage he let boil up as he faced down Perez. Once again, the guild had set him up to fail. No more bullshit. No more restraint. Rains relaxed as much as he could and lowered his eyes to stare at Perez. Based on Perez’s stance and the way he grasped his weapons, Perez believed he was a superior fighter, but there was an anxious fear in his eyes. It was the kind of fear Rains could use to a deadly advantage. With no guards in sight, if Perez wanted to play this out, it was okay with Rains.

  He looked at Perez and nodded. “Bring it on, motherfucker.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter Thirteen

  Emergence Point

  Victoria Alpha/Bravo Binary System

  <>

  Zero gravity showering had come a long way since the days of Skylab, and while she could have used the showering wipes and waterless shampoo she packed for the journey, the idea of hot, fresh water and steam surrounding her was too good to pass up. The Besquith knew how to travel long distances, and Dreel’s yacht was as impressively furnished as it was diplomatically capable. Aside from the intelligence collection gear and weapons Jessica knew were there but couldn’t see, it was a comfortable vehicle. She could have gone down to the larger thrust vessel or intermingled with the six other small ships mounted on it, but Jessica chose to spend her hyperspace time preparing for the eventuality of war. No amount of planning could prepare her for what they faced at the emergence point, and, try as she might, Jessica couldn’t look beyond the worst possible situation.

  Victoria Alpha and Bravo were a binary planet system of nearly-identical bodies. Victoria Alpha was tidally-locked, lifeless, and looked more like Luna than anything Jessica could find in the archives. Bravo was a vibrant planet protected by an atmosphere with a composition so close to Earth’s that the casual observer would assume it was terraformed. The two planets orbited a barycenter high enough above them to keep them orbiting each other, yet the two worlds were inexplicably stable, which was surprising as binary systems normally produced extreme gravitational forces. Victoria Alpha and Bravo were solidly connected and habitable to the extent each world could be. Mining operations on Alpha supplied copious raw materials to the cities on Bravo. Access to a thriving rare earth materials production facility and some of the more exquisite alloys and elements in the universe gave Victoria a very clear position in weapons and armor development. The planets were regular stopping points for Earth-based mercenary and long-haul companies and held a variety of equipment in various states of repair. They were perfect targets.

  “Thanks, Lucille. Please alert Tirr and have him join me on the bridge.”

  <>

  Jessica smiled. She’d been right to bring him on the mission. Tirr was a competent commander and experienced leader. His counsel had been wise throughout their brief time on Weqq and at every moment they’d shared since. He was a friend in a situation where Jessica had been warned not to expect friends. Being a Peacemaker, her instructors said, was a lonely proposition. True friends, the ones who would always be there, were few and far between. Tirr was such a friend, as was the TriRusk, Kurrang, on Weqq. And so was Tara Mason. Thinking about her made Jessica’s chest ache. There’d been no updates on the search for Tara or her father in weeks. While Jessica believed the Peacemaker Guild would find her father before the Mercenary Guild, the waiting was pure agony.

  Jessica dried her skin with the towel and slipped into her base layer garments, which were more like shorts and a tight tank top than actual binding underwear. The blue coveralls came next, and Jessica decided to trigger the loop of yellow at her left shoulder. The Peacemaker logos on her shoulders and the shining platinum badge on her chest caught just enough of the cabin’s light to bring a small smile to her face. The citizens of Victoria would recognize her in an instant, exactly as she intended.

  After tugging on her boots, Jessica snaked her arms through the one-shoulder bandolier and attached it around her waist. It took a few minutes to dry her hair and pull it back into a low ponytail at the base of her skull. Zero gravity played hell with long hair, and she didn’t want to look like Medusa in her first conversations with the Victorian government. Satisfied with her preparations, she left her quarters and made it to the bridge just as the thrust core and its attached vessels prepared for emergence.

  “Peacemaker on the bridge,” the Pendal pilot said. “Emergence in seventeen seconds.”

  Tirr nodded at her. “We’re ready to open broadcast channels the moment we emerge from the gate.”

  “How far away from Victoria is the emergence point?” Jessica asked.

  “About one hundred and thirty million kilometers. Arrival at Victoria will be at least eight hours after emergence, but with direct laser communications, any delays will be manageable.” Tirr replied. “

  “Emergence.” The Pendal pilot said. Jessica mashed her eyes shut and held onto the nearest console tightly. There was a strange falling sensation, then the world slowly righted itself. No sooner had she opened her eyes and blinked several times to clear her vision than the Pendal pilot spoke again. “Proximity warning, forward quarter.”

  <>

  “Do we arm our weapons, Peacemaker?” The Pendal pilot asked without taking his eyes off the forward Tri-V screens.

  “Negative. Slow down and be prepared to communicate with them.”

  “Understood,” the Pendal replied. Jessica looked across the bridge at Tirr. The MinSha’s antennae waggled in a mixture of concern and uncertainty.

  “What is it, Tirr?”

  “It would appear they are prepared for attack, Jessica.”

  Jessica nodded. “Maybe, Tirr. They could have ships out here and nothing of consequence on the planet
.” No sooner had the words come out of her mouth than she regretted them. The presence of two Titans was something extraordinary. The heavy weapons platforms were few and far between among Human mercenary companies. That two of them were here and prepared, by all appearances, to defend Victoria was not coincidental.

  <>

  A deep, Human voice with an Eastern European accent boomed through the channel. “Incoming Besquith vessel, this is Commander Alexei Znevski aboard the Polyarny. State your intentions and prepare to be boarded.”

  Jessica’s eyebrows rose. “Open the channel.”

  <> Lucille replied through Jessica’s earpiece.

  Jessica took a deep breath and kept her voice calm. “Commander Znevski, this is Peacemaker Lieutenant Jessica Francis aboard a Besquith yacht anchored to the thrust core. You’ll be able to trace my signal and locate my transmitter. I am here on official business with your planetary government and all available defensive forces.”

  Tirr leaned over a console and toggled a switch. The forward Tri-V became a video screen and showed the stern-faced, bearded man with an unlit cigar between his teeth. Znevski frowned at her.

  “Peacemaker Francis, your presence here is noted under the codicils of the—”

  “Stop, Commander. Please. I know why I’m here and you obviously know why I’m here.”

  Znevski’s eyes searched their bridge. “I will say nothing more to you with an enemy of the Human race aboard your vessel, Peacemaker. You have—”

  “Enough!” Jessica roared. The man flinched, and his furry eyebrows rose a fraction in surprise. “Lieutenant Colonel Tirr of the MinSha Queen’s Guard is my legal deputy, Commander. He is here with my permission to provide insight on what we suspect is a MinSha fleet operating under the command of Major General Drehnayl. Their mission is to attack and eliminate Human settlements in the outer rim territories. I am here to ensure your government and your defenses are prepared for impending attack.”

  Znevski chuckled. “Can’t you see we have taken precautions, Peacemaker?”

  Jessica nodded. “Two Titans is a good start, Commander.”

  “We have done much more than start.”

  Jessica smiled. “Good. Please relay my communication signal to your planetary governor. I’d like to discuss—”

  “You will do no such thing, Peacemaker.” Znevski removed the cigar from his mouth with a meaty hand and jabbed it toward her. “As long as that insect is on your ship, you will not be permitted to discuss anything with our government. It is not welcome on Victoria. We have noted your assistance, but do not require it. You may transit to the gate and have priority for immediate departure. You may exceed our system velocity parameters to leave immediately.”

  Jessica pointed at the screen. “Let me be clear, Commander Znevski. I am here to coordinate the defense of your planets.”

  “And we do not want or need your help, Peacemaker. Perhaps you should coordinate your defense somewhere else. Should the MinSha come here, we will defeat them soundly before they reach the surfaces of our planets. Exit the system now or we will open fire, laws and regulations be damned.”

  Sonuvabitch!

  “I am a Peacemaker in the performance of my duties, Commander. I have the right to—”

  “Go to hell, Peacemaker Francis. Your guild and your union turned their backs on humanity. You are no different, as your performance on Weqq indicated. As I said before, go to hell, Peacemaker. Znevski out.”

  The connection snapped off, and Jessica became aware she was holding her breath. She let it out slowly, looking at Tirr across the bridge. His antennae vibrated. “We appear to have chosen wrong, Peacemaker.”

  Jessica nodded but didn’t speak, as anger threatened to overtake her ability to vocalize anything beyond pure, incoherent rage. She swallowed it and took a deep breath. A flurry of thoughts raced through her head. There was bound to be a time when Humans, especially those with combat experiences and solid capabilities, would look beyond the usefulness of a Peacemaker, and they would doubt her ability to do anything against the larger powers of the union. As much as it infuriated her, it also saddened her. Humans were already losing the battle to fear. Hope was a precious commodity.

  “Set a course for the gate, as fast as you dare,” Jessica said to the Pendal flight crew.

  “Destination?”

  “Danube.” Jessica touched her earpiece. “Lucille, get us there as fast as you can.”

  <>

  “Good. Let’s just hope there’s a Danube when we get there.”

  * * *

  Approaching the planet Danube

  Bishop System

  Chee arrived on the Shendil-Ya’s bridge as Drehnayl gleefully finished reading the transmission from Lieutenant General Chinayl congratulating the MinSha mercenary forces on their victories at New Persia and Dresden. Instead of pushing onto the main bridge, Chee waited until the applause ended, and Drehnayl ordered them back to their stations. As Chee entered the bridge, Drehnayl’s words caught her by surprise and almost stopped her in her tracks.

  “All crews to Stage Zero combat stations. Prepare for offensive operations commencing on Danube in thirty-six hours.”

  Chee climbed to her station without looking at her commander. Aware her antennae vibrated in confusion, Chee sought to avoid notice until she could settle behind her Tri-Vs and collect her scattered thoughts. Danube was a vibrant, cosmopolitan planet inhabited not just by Humans, but by many other species. Certainly, Drehnayl didn’t intend a full-on assault against more than seven cities with populations greater than three hundred thousand each?

  “Colonel Chee?” Drehnayl sneered. “Something wrong?”

  “Primary target for attack coordinates, General?” Chee deflected the remark with a request for information, hoping the confusion Drehnayl sensed would evaporate in her commander’s eyes. She looked up from her console. “There are numerous Human settlements surrounded by other alien species. Collateral damage will have to be avoided.”

  “Do you think I care about collateral damage? We are at war with the Humans, Colonel Chee, and every other species on that planet is complicit. They chose to remain in proximity to the Humans. They want the Humans to bring them credits. Let me assure you; there will be no handouts anymore. If a species chooses to align with the Humans, even passively like these communities, they will pay the ultimate price. Our victory will be complete and total.”

  “We risk dividing our allies—”

  “Those are not our allies!” Drehnayl thundered. “It is they who have signed their own death warrants. They know the risks, yet they remain by the Humans. They have taken sides, Chee. We will bombard them as we bombard the Humans. Are my orders understood?”

  Chee acquiesced. “Yes, General.”

  “Good. Set your targets for the population centers of the Human colonies, regardless of their proximity to outlying communities.”

  “Initial targeting scans running.” Chee replied. She looked over the edge of her Tri-Vs and saw that Nyalla’s position was vacant. Drehnayl turned her attention back to the constant crowd of advisors at her command console. None of her advisors, female or male, had ever seen real combat or fired a weapon at an enemy force. Drehnayl kept them around to stroke her ego and prepare her for a career in the political realm of the MinSha regional Queens. For the moment, they distracted Drehnayl, so Chee could look over the fleet’s data to see if Nyalla’s theory was correct.

  * * *

  After Dresden, when Nyalla had messaged her about wanting to talk, it had taken them more than a week to find a moment alone. As they orbited the capital planet, Drehnayl had gone to the surface, leaving Nyalla and Chee on the bridge with a few other MinSha. As part of her rotation at the operations station, Chee reviewed the fleet resupply conditions of dozens of ships
ferrying supplies up from the surface. She’d reviewed the first of the five vessels when an alarm klaxon sounded and indicator lights showed catastrophic failures on multiple decks.

  She looked at Nyalla who keyed the system. “This is a drill. This is a drill. All hands prepare for simulated abandon ship. All hands to your abandon ship stations. For those not on command crew, movement is required. Time to simulated evacuation is three minutes.”

  Chee realized what Nyalla had done. In conducting a required, regular training event, the operations officer created the perfect conditions for them to talk. Chee pointed at the bridge hatches. “All crew evacuate. Nyalla and I have the ship.”

  Thirty seconds of frantic scurrying later, the two MinSha were alone. Chee was the elder and more accomplished staff officer and planner. Nyalla was combat proven. They could not have been more different, but it appeared they had a common goal—or at least a common concern.

  “Nice work,” Chee chittered. “We have three minutes until stand down and return to duty.”

  “Then I’ll be brief.” Nyalla pointed at the empty command chair. “She is going to kill all of us, Chee.”

  “I believe that’s a possibility, too.”

  Nyalla tossed her antennae from side to side. “A certainty. She will continue to select more difficult targets and stretch the combat capability of this fleet, Chee. Against a softer target, we will most certainly prevail, but the first time a Human planet puts up a defense with capable troops and orbital weapons platforms? The odds are not in our favor.”

  Chee nodded. “Drehnayl believes the Humans will run if faced with our fleet.”

  “And what do you believe, Chee?”

  “I believe the Humans will fight us to the death, if pressed.” Chee clicked her jaw. “I do not believe Humans are the enemy Drehnayl believes they are.”

  “Do you believe this because of that Peacemaker’s work on Weqq?”