The connection made, the link was in place. From his desk Slav entered the number. Even with a secure link, there was static but this was bearable. Any connections utilising a secure connection were voice only and restricted to one pair of linked communicators.

“Jens, this is Slav, how is the weather in Tihab?”

“Good. Slav have you heard? I have news, bad news.” The two exchanged glances. Slav had gone rigid.

“Is it Lia?” Came out in barely a whisper.

“What? Repeat, the connection is bad.”

“Lia, is it Lia?” Slav practically yelled.

“Yes. It’s Lia.”

“What, is she arrested?”

“Worse, she has been executed.”

Slav sat, stunned. “Dead?”

“Yes, there was a reporter there. The Dark Lord himself gave her a choice, now or later. She didn’t want to wait. Slav, where ever you are, you have to come back.”

“The Dark Lord himself?” Slav repeated.

“Yes, I talked to the reporter and your lawyers. They have your sisters’ body. Slav, the city, the whole Empire is awash with rumors, you need to get back. You are being accused of numerous crimes. The Dark Lord has appointed Ganner Re Dapplell to run Star Builders.”

Trop made an urgent cutting gesture, Slav nodded. “I will get in touch with my lawyers and be back soon.” He ended the call.

Starring at Slav, slumped, crushed in his seat, Trop shook him. “Listen, the Legion is on their way, we have to evacuate now.”

“What is the use?” Slav sat staring at the desk.

“If they executed Lia, that means they didn’t need her. Damn it Slav, we have to get out!”

Slav sat staring at his desk.

“Don’t you want to get revenge? Staying alive is the best revenge of all!” Trop drove the point’s home. “Stay here, I’m going to get the evacuation started.”

The mercenaries in the control room were startled when their commander ran into the control room. Everyone, all three hundred and eleven people in the dome stopped what they were doing and froze when the alarm rang out.

“Attention, attention. The Empire is on its way. We are on emergency evacuation now! Go to red alert, full screens and weapons.” She paused, “Watch’s Red and Blue, get to packing, half a period max. Watch’s Green and Yellow, stand to. We will swap after half a period. We leave in one period.”

Shutting off the comm, she ran back to Slav di Naska’s office. “Get ready.” She shouted at the man still slumped in his chair; coming around the desk, Trop slapped his face, “Get going.” She yelled at him, thinking. I would leave him behind but he is useful and has access to both credits and contacts.

Slav visibly pulled himself together and sat up straight. “It will take me some time to download all the information I need from the main computer. I will put it into a storage cube.”

“How important and how long?”

“A quarter of a period, once I get things set up, and they are very important.” He smiled grimly. “We can kill the computer when we leave.” Standing, he picked up a cube of rislian crystal and moved to the door. “I can do it quicker at the main station, rather than at my desk.”

“Good, I will see to the rest. Thank every god you honour that we have a freighter on station.” Leaving she stopped and looked around as a thought occurred to her. “I will send a small task group onboard to secure the freighter.” Turning again, “Sergeant Major,” rang out.

The rush for the evacuation proceeded with the expected turmoil.

*********

Marshal Ress Lissor was feeling a lot better. The Star Commander was only two days travel away by his last message. General Julia Resonier was settling into her position as Chief of Staff to the Star Commander. And the last known major problem was in the hands of the temporary local task force commander, Vice Admiral Danissa of Christos, an officer in which he had complete confidence.

*********

The task force had been chosen with care. A quad of planetoids accompanied by four quads of heavy and four quads of light cruisers. The Marshall had been tempted to add the IS Sidrat but Captain Krina had recommended against that due to difficulties in cleaning up the computer code. So this planetoid would form part of the local defense forces.

This was fine in Vice Admiral Danissa’s opinion. With the task force she had she was confident that she could handle any possible difficulty. There were no significant forces in the system to worry her space forces. What was concerning her was that she had no idea at all as to what she faced on the planet.

The information gleamed from interrogating those arrested earlier was that there was one large domed living space and some ancillary domes. There was also a limited defence capability using mass missiles only. But there was no hard information on how many people lived in the domes. All that the two security guards could say was it was about a battalion. Lastly there was a satellite transfer station with anti-asteroid capability. Information gleaned from both the comm units and interrogations of those arrested under suspicion of treason gave little of any more use.

However she had plenty of troopers to deal with any possible problem. All the legions ship were fully maned due to the current crisis so each planetoid carried two divisions of armoured infantry. That was plenty, but all commanders were aware of the need to limit casualties, both to their men and to any civilians who may be in the combat area, although these last were unlikely to be present here.

Before transiting into hyperspace, Admiral Danissa spoke to all her corps commander’s and ships captains in a conference call. To one corps commander she gave the responsibility of drawing up plans if a single corps was needed. To another, if a division was needed, A third pulled the task of planning for a brigade assault and the last, if all four corps were needed.

In the conference call the captains and quad commanders were given specific instructions for scouting. They were warned about the planets anti-ship capability and the anti-asteroid capability of the satellite and were ordered to use their stealth capabilities until the anti-ship threat was removed.

Finally, all captains were spoken to.

“I know that this is not by the book, but there is no time for a preoperational recon so we are going in blind, standard procedure has to be discarded. Everyone, keep on your toes. This has to be fast, if Slav and his team have the news of his sisters’ arrest, they will run, that means we have no choice. Good luck everyone.”

Having laid her plans as best as she could, Admiral Danissa confirmed her order to advance to the planet Sag XIV B and arrest Slav di Naska of Star Builders and everyone with him.

In a perfectly synchronised movement the task force completed its advance to the hyper threshold and disappeared into hyper space.

*********

Commander Trop was pleased, everything was progressing nicely, the two watches had swapped and the freighter and the transfer station were under guard. The freighter had been unloaded and was ready to receive passengers. She keyed her comm for broadcast.

“Attention, we will commence loading in point zero five, repeat, loading in point zero five.” She turned to the scanner operator.

“Stay on task, we will be the last to load and I need you to cover the system. The freighters scanner is not nearly as good as yours.”

“Yes, sir.” The operator kept his thoughts to himself.

“We won’t leave you, you will board with me.” Trop smiled as she reassured the operator.

She turned as Slav di Naska walked in. “Ready?”

“When you are.”

“Got all your programs safe?”

Slav patted his jacket pocket. “All safe, and I have a few ideas.” He gave a nasty smile. “A few ideas for revenge, that is!”

Trop smiled right back. Her plans had disappeared with the return of the Dark Lord as well. She keyed her comm again, but before she could speak…

“Alarm, alarm, hyper source. Multi sources … consider this a Legion task force.”

Trop cursed, so close. Well there is only one thing left to do, she thought. She spoke into her comm.

“You hear that soldiers? A full task force. Well there is only one thing to do, which is make a decision. They are going to come for us, so we have two choices. One, we surrender tamely and face the empires justice and we already have an example of that,” everyone had been told of Lias execution, “Or two, we fight and show them what we are made of. I am going to fight, who’s with me!”

There was a growl of approval.

“To stations everyone!” There was a lot of rushing around, the kind that affects every organisation in an emergency but all defense positions were soon manned.

Slav had just stood and watched, turning to Commander Trop, he asked, “Where can I go?”

“Anywhere you want, do you want to die quickly or wait till the bitter end? This is my station as commander.” Trop waved her hand around the control room. “It is well protected.”

*********

“Ship is fully operational sir, all ships have reported in and are holding at agreed points. Recon quad moving in. Any orders sir?” Captain Turec of the IS Nebula Black reported to Vice Admiral Danissa. Besides being the captain of the planetoid, he was also acting as Vice Admiral Danissa’s chief of staff.

“Good, I have been thinking.” The Admiral smiled. “Send Golden Lady and Burning Sun to the side of the planet below the domes horizon.”

Captain Turec was smart, all the ships Captains were. A fractions stare, was followed by a smile. “Shall I also tell them to warm up the assault shuttles sir?”

“Of course, but tell them to hold off launch until recon is complete.”

Turning to scanners Admiral Danissa requested an update.

“Captain Karle is moving in carefully, keeping the transfer station between his ships and the dome. Stealth mode not possible here sir, except for areas closer to the planet.”

“Good, excellent tactics.” I must remember to commend him on that move. The admiral thought. “All ships bulletin, prepare to receive orders once recon is complete, estimate point two five period.”

*********

“What are they doing?” Slav asked.

“It seems that they don’t know what they are getting into, because they had to lay the operation on fast. So they are holding back until those recon cruisers have completed their scans. Good thing that the stellar radiation interferes with both scanning and stealth screens.”

“So we have a chance?”

Commander Trop gave a bitter laugh. “Against four planetoids?” She took a breath, “That Admiral, I bet that it is Vice Admiral Danissa of Christos, has the equivalent of an eight divisional army at her disposal. But she had to act fast as once you got the news, she knew that you would run. It takes time to put all that force together, organise both the departure and the safe arrival. She was sweating arrival just as much as I was leaving. She won, damn it.”

“That group, those moving off to the side. What are they doing?” Slav spoke much too calmly for Trops comfort.

“Not sure, have to wait and see.” Torp leaned forward, activating her comm as she did so. “Station MM fifteen, I think that you have an angle on that trailing cruiser, she will be in range very soon!”

Mass Missiles launched from a planet’s surface had a limited range due to having to burn through the atmosphere. Hyper missiles had to be launched from space due to the need to be launched in a vacuum.

Air has mass which messes up the arrival coordinates of a hyper launch. So only mass missiles are used from a planet’s surface when ground emplacements are installed. There was a plan to install satellites with hyper missiles but that floundered on the difficulty of obtaining the missiles. The Legion kept a VERY close guard on them. Mass missiles were easier and could be obtained from more sources.

*********

In his ship an angry Captain Karle was watching his quad closely. Learning on arrival that stealth mode was not possible, had him grinding his teeth as the radiation also made it necessary to get close to get good readings. This made him vulnerable to mass missile fire from the ground. Seeing one cruiser not quite on station brought a predictable reaction. “Tell Kaneias to get in tighter.” He switched back to scanners. “Anything from that station, has she powered up weapons at all?”

“Nothing sir, wait …” an alarm sounded and the operator leant forward. “Ground station active … launch!”

The mass missile burnt through the atmosphere in a tiny fraction. It flashed past the transfer station, impacting hard on the Kaneias shield.

The impact seared the shield, circuits inside burned. The horror of all spacers appeared, fire on board.

*********

“Hit!” Hissed Trop. “Get another one flying.”

The crew set to work reloading with a will.

*********

Captain Turec started, “Admiral.” Came urgently.

“I see it, get those shuttles flying. Communications, Captain Karle, now!”

“Karle here.”

“Give what you have on the gun emplacements to the Golden Lady and the Burning Sun now. Whatever you have, they have assault shuttles flying.”

“Will do and will update!” Captain Karle responded.

*********

On the Kaneias the crew went to work with practised speed, augmented by the reality of fire. With a word, the Captain turned the ship around.

“All the power to rear shields.” He ordered. “Damage control, report.”

Another missile snarled past, barely missing the shield.

*********

“That one missed, now let’s see what they do.” Trop leant back in her chair. Slav grunted.

“Commander, we are being scanned. Deep scan, all our secrets are being revealed.” The scanner operator reported.

“That’s their next move.”

Slav grunted again. “So what happens next?”

“They attack, that’s probably what those two planetoids are working on right now.”

*********

On the armoured planetoid Burning Sun both the troopers and crews all ran to board their respective shuttles, armed and ready for battle inside a building, they were wearing light general purpose armour as opposed to the heavy specialised camouflaged type. All the troopers had been fully briefed and knew that the leaders of the attempted revolt were in that dome. They were all eager to be the ones to perform the capture, but they were also professionals, and knew their jobs.

All movement on the Shuttle hanger deck came to a shuddering halt as a tall figure walked towards the lead stealth shuttle.

The Fifty Ninth battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Reni Lukas, slowly keyed her comm. “Bridge, we have a visitor.”

Lady Luca looked stunning in a silvery red body suit, her long sword swinging at her side. The members of the battalions lead company were transfixed as she walked up to Major Lukas.

“What, who’s there?” The bridge squawked.

“It is Luca, Captain.” She spoke calmly. “I ride with your Legion today.” With lithe and deadly grace, she swung aboard the shuttle.

“The shuttles of the Golden Lady are in flight.” Lady Luca continued. “Captain it is time and more that we fly.”

“Lady, I can’t …” The Captain stuttered

“We must!”

On the bridge Captain Tyrell writhed in indecision, then a grim look appeared on his face. “Launch the shuttles!”

The operations commander nodded. “Launch sequence initiated, go.”

Someone whispered, “God speed.”

*********

In the dome, the scanner crew had watched while Captain Karle’s reduced quad took over the space station. None of the squad that had been sent up to occupy the station and the freighter offered any resistance. It had been made clear that any such would be swiftly dealt with and pointed out that the likely hood of any damage to the cruisers was remote.

None of the crew of the freighter had committed any crimes and were sent aboard one cruiser which backed away carefully. The mercenaries were confined in a second while the crew of the station were placed in the third. With the help of the stations crew, both the station and the freighter were shut down and the anti-asteroid missiles were disabled.

One of the two remaining planetoids moved to assist the damaged light cruiser.

*********

“What are you doing, Admiral Danissa? What are you up to?” Trop whispered.

“Maybe they are just waiting? See if we will just surrender?” Slav sat calmly. Again, Commander Trop wondered just what was running through Slav’s mind.

“If they are, that will be waiting a long time.” She paused. “No, while they don’t have to rush, they can’t wait forever. They will be attacking and soon.”

*********

The stealth shuttles, twenty four from each planetoid hugged the contours of the planet. Normally there would have been over a hundred onboard each Planetoid. However, as these ships were in a temporary reduced status for upgrading, many had been removed and left behind due to the urgency of the situation. The shuttles from the Golden Lady were leading with the shuttles from the Burning Sun close behind. These were all the stealth shuttles on each planetoid. The first group were to clear the way by blasting the mass missiles launch sites. The second group were the assault group. Following up if needed were the rest of the brigade, even now being loaded on standard shuttles.

Lady Luca rode the shuttle, standing astride the deck like an old time sailor on a sailing ship, steading herself with one hand on a stanchion. The troopers on board watched her with awe.

*********

A ping from the scanners caught the operators’ attention

“Commander Trop, we are being blocked.”

“So.” She said. Slav looked at her, eyebrows raised. “They are coming, not even a call. They mean business.” Trop replied as she turned to her comm. “Heads up, they are on their way in.”

The mercenaries cast grim looks at each other, they knew; the Legion was on the way in and was not in a mood to debate.

*********

The lead shuttles broke into four groups, each to attack a different part of the perimeter. The six in the center slowed down allowing the other three groups to move ahead and to the sides.

“Update now, here are the locations of each launch site.” The staff of the operations center in the planetoid were on a razors edge of concentration, even more so having heard that Lady Luca was leading the assault. That news had burnt through the task force like an atomic torch.

Admiral Danissa smiled to herself as she activated the comm on her desk in the operations room, thinking, the assault will go in in a fraction. Time for me to make a call.

“Commander Trop, Commander Trop, this is Admiral Danissa, respond please.”

Trop smiled at the image that appeared above her comm, “Nice to hear from you, Admiral, glad that you dropped by.”

“I don’t have time for small talk Commander, surrender or, well, you know what will happen.”

“We all know, Admiral.”

“You don’t know everything, is Slav di Naska with you?”

“He is.” She waved to Slav.

“I am here and ready for you Admiral.” Slav smiled.

“It’s not me you need to be ready for. I just learnt that our Master has sent someone to discuss matters with you.”

There was a shocked silence from Trop and Slav.

“This is your last chance, surrender and I will call off the full scale assault.”

The two exchanged glances. “Go shove your assault where the sun doesn’t shine!” Trop shut the comm unit off with a stab of her finger.

With a sigh, Admiral Danissa, shut down her comm. The officers in the operations room stayed silent, there was nothing for them to say, the assault was committed now.