The Price of Peace Read online

  A Faded Star 4

  The Price of Peace

  Michael Freeport

  Copyright © 2019 by Michael Freeport

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  For the Saturday group. You know who you are.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Prologue

  Sunit moved hurriedly down the hallway toward the leadership council chamber. The hallway was typical of Woduur construction, having high, ribbed archways every five or so meters, constructed largely of gleaming, polished metal. The ostentatious architecture was certainly appropriate for a building that housed the Woduur government. He stopped in front of the large, ornately decorated doors. They were made of pure platinum and gold and inlaid with massive gemstones in an overwhelming display of opulence intended to remind all who entered of the importance of the leadership council.

  He paused for a breath before entering. The summons had been quite urgent, but he still didn’t know exactly why the council wanted to see him. His part of the invasion of the Human system was the only one that hadn’t ended in complete disaster. Nearly a hundred dreadnaughts, completely destroyed. Many more so badly damaged that they would require complete reconstruction. The loss in materials and energy was almost more than he could comprehend. Surely, the Humans would live in indentured servitude for at least a millennium before they managed to escape their debt.

  He pushed the doors open and saw the full leadership council waiting in the room. Not just enough for a quorum, but every member filled the rows of desks in the room. He halted two steps into the room and surveyed the area. The council occupied the far side of the room, dominated by the raised rows, giving every member of the council an unobstructed view. The décor almost made the entrance seem pedestrian. Gems and precious metals encrusted every square centimeter of space. He started to move to one of the petitioner’s benches that lined the wall opposite the council members.

  His progress was halted by Afix, the spokesperson for the leadership council. “Sunit. Come forward. Your testimony is of vital importance for our deliberations.”

  He turned and stepped forward to the presentation circle, a spot marked out on the floor by a black ring of volcanic glass inlaid into the metallic surface. “I present myself to the leadership council. I am Sunit, military commander of the Woduur seventh control fleet.” Everyone in the room knew who he was already, of course. The presentation litany was a formal acknowledgment of the supremacy of the power of the leadership council.

  Afix raised his arms, palms facing one another in greeting. “You are here to advise the council on your observations of the Humans during your time commanding the invasion of their planet.” The spokesperson swayed slightly as he waited for Sunit’s answer.

  “I thank the council for the opportunity to speak,” he began. “I found the Humans to be nearly mindless in their willingness to attack superior forces and positions. They came against my dreadnaught three times while it was on the surface, inflicting significant damage to both the outer hull and some sections of the interior. While their motives for such desperation are clear, it is impossible to comprehend their willingness to ignore the chances they would fail at every turn.”

  “And yet, they did not fail in the end, Sunit. Our forces were driven from both the planet and the entire system. Our losses have been extreme against these Humans. How many Humans did you carry from the planet?”

  Sunit checked his built-in interface to bring up the information. The number hovered at the edge of his vision, plucked from the logs of his dreadnaught. “Sixty-one thousand, four hundred thirty-three in total. We anticipate an acceptance rate of three point five to four point two percent. That should give us a total viable breeding pool of two thousand one hundred fifty to two thousand five hundred eighty. Other genetic variables indicate we will have sufficient variety of makeup that this pool of Humans will remain viable for at least three thousand years. A detailed report has been prepared and forwarded to the council for your perusal.” Sunit felt a bit of pride in his accomplishment. He did not, however, include the two hundred new slaves he had taken for his own, culled from the very best of the Humans taken from Lashmere. Such wealth had never before been in his grasp.

  Afix turned and regarded Trini, the chairperson of the council. Trini rose from his seat and said, “We thank you for your report, Sunit. The leadership council has been in deep deliberation today on what to do about the Human threat. Their reacquisition of this technology that interferes with our mental function is most troubling, wouldn’t you agree?”

  “I would, Chairperson,” Sunit remembered the experience only with a sense of fear. The growing discomfort in his brain, followed by lancing pain and then complete paralysis was not one of his fonder memories. “My dreadnaught did take complete scans of the ship emitting this signal. I hope that we will be able to construct a counter signal or a type of shielding that will protect us.”

  “That is one option that has been considered during this morning’s session,” Afix replied. “There are others to consider, however. Current calculations of the conflict with Humans have shown the efficiency of possible replenishment of expended resources approaching negative ninety-five percent. The likelihood of Humans ever managing to balance their indebtedness to us will soon be virtually impossible if we continue on our current path.”

  Trini spoke next. “This represents a catastrophic loss for the Woduur Consortium when we consider the material loss of so many destroyed or critically damaged ships. In addition, we have a loss of life that is approaching twenty thousand positive profit citizens. Considering that Human productivity, once properly trained, is equated at forty-three percent of Woduur average, and that their useful lifespans are rated at nine percent of the average Woduur, it is virtually impossible to recapture the loss.

  “It sounds as though the council has nearly reached its decision, then,” Sunit observed.

  “We are close, Sunit,” Afix said. “With the probability of loss being in total now higher than ninety percent, we have decided to eradicate all Humans everywhere. Without a wild stock to occasionally repopulate ours and the long-term instability of captive breeds, they have become more trouble than they are worth.”

  Sunit raised his hands, palms out in objection. “Chairperson, I must object to this course of action.”

  “And why is that, Sunit?” Trini asked.

  “I have made an agreement with the military commander of the Alliance that I would not allow the wholesale destruction of the Humans on Lashmere. This is a secondary piece
of information I intended to share with the council this morning. This is why I requisitioned materials to construct a level seven outpost for the long-term treatment and control of these Humans. This agreement is such that I am compelled to provide a maintenance treatment for all Humans infected with the plague. Thus ensuring our mastery and control over them indefinitely. Without regular treatments, they will surely all perish.” He was about to continue with he was interrupted by Afix.

  “Stand by, Sunit,” Afix said. A quiet hum filled the room, and a shimmering barrier of displaced air became visible in front of Sunit. The barrier blocked out sound while the council deliberated.

  He watched impatiently. He had never considered the agreement he made with Ktenu, the alliance commander, would be problematic. The deal was well within his authority to make as the commander of the invading force. He crossed his arms and began to tap his left front leg against the hard, metallic floor. Even with the council, his patience had limits.

  After a moment more waiting, the barrier dropped, and Afix spoke. “Sunit, describe the terms of your agreement with the Alliance commander.”

  “I agreed not to eradicate the Humans on Lashmere, but rather to control them through another means – regular treatments to stave off death from the plague. In exchange, I procured the indentured servitude of their supreme military commander for five standard years.” He clacked his front two legs together, again. Such prestige, having a servant from such a rarefied height of political and personal power.

  Afix cocked his head at Sunit for a few seconds before responding. “This places us in a difficult position. Withdrawal from the current conflict is not an option, given the intractability of the Humans. It may be impossible to honor your agreement.”

  To Sunit’s mind, there was no issue. “We must honor the agreement.”

  Afix nodded and said, “Yes, we must comply with all agreements made.” The Woduur did have a mechanism for resolving agreements that conflicted with one another, but those were a rarity. “With whom did this Ktenu have the agreement? You personally, or with the commander of the military forces?”

  “It was with me personally, Spokesperson.”

  “It is vote two, then.” Afix looked down at his desk and tapped out a short command. A hush filled the room as all of the council members turned their attention to their desks to enter their votes. A moment later, Trini looked over the tallied results before turning and nodding at Afix.

  “Sunit, your agreement conflicts with the best interests of the Woduur people. The most expedient means of resolution by the terms agreed upon is to abrogate the pact, either by mutual agreement or,” He whipped a long pistol from his belt and fired. The point blank shot pierced Sunit through the head, killing him instantly. “By your death.” Afix replaced the pistol in his belt and turned to nod at Trini. “The eradication of the Humans can now begin,”

  Hundreds of lightyears away, at that same moment, the collar Commander Ktenu had been forced to wear since his encounter with Sunit fell to his desk with a clatter. He stared at it in wonderment, not comprehending why it had just come off.

  1

  Aden Patho felt a trickle of perspiration run down his neck. The main plot was dimly lit in front of him, the low lighting signaling stealth mode aboard his ship, the Gorgon. The previous two systems he’d scouted had been relatively quiet, but this one had a single Woduur dreadnaught picketing it. There was also strong evidence of an extensive sensor network based on his passive intercepts so far.

  He turned to address his Executive officer, Glen Hilleman. “Exec, what do you make of it?”

  He scratched his chin for a moment before he replied. “We’re going to have to get closer if we want to make a complete passive scan of the system.” He leaned back in the secondary command chair.

  Patho studied the main plot mounted to the forward bulkhead of the bridge just to the right of the helm station. “I agree, what I’m worried about is the passive detects we’ve been getting on the system sensors. If we trip an alarm, that dreadnaught might make our lives pretty tough before we can get away.”

  “Dreadnaught or no, we have to recon this system. Without a solid scan, we won’t know if there is a significant manufacturing facility or stockpiles of raw materials here.”

  Patho sighed. The orders had been clear. Scan five strategic Woduur systems to determine if they were support facilities. “Alright. We’ll come up to ten percent acceleration. I want as much safety margin as possible. Bring us in over the fifth planet and get a good scan of the population center on the surface. Then we can move further in the system and get a look at those orbital facilities next.”

  The helm acknowledged, and Gorgon cautiously nosed in past the orbit of the Dreadnaught picket. Gorgon was fresh from a major refit. The bulky manufacturing ring was gone, and the entire power generation and accumulation system had been overhauled, giving a potent defense against the Woduur primary weapon. The remaining space was devoted to additional mine and drone launch bays. The railgun system had been optimized for stealth shots.

  “How long until we have sufficient sensor resolution on the surface?” Patho asked.

  Lieutenant Holden Guiles, the operations and science officer, looked back at his commanding officer. His brown hair was slicked down with sweat. Most of the ventilation system was secured during stealth operations to keep the power signature to an absolute minimum. “Another twenty minutes at least, Captain. That dreadnaught is closing up behind us as well.”

  “Increase acceleration to seventeen percent, Helm.”

  “Aye, sir,” the helm acknowledged.

  “It’s not enough,” Guiles said. “He’s still gaining on us. He’ll be at detection threshold in six minutes.”

  Patho fought off the urge to grind his teeth. “Full system power down. Maximum energy signature damping. Bring the reactor down to minimum power. Make us a hole in space, Mister Guiles.”

  “Aye, sir,” Guiles said. He began passing rapid orders to the engineering deck. Fans, already operating at low speed were shut off entirely, and most of the consoles on the bridge also powered down a few seconds later. The Gorgon continued to drift on its inertia, but the engines would need more than a minute to come back online sufficiently to provide any kind of thrust.

  “Time to closest point of approach?” Patho inquired.

  “Eleven minutes, sir,” Hilleman said. He was watching the passive sensor plot with rapt attention.

  Time ticked by with everyone waiting in silence. The dreadnaught passed almost seven hundred kilometers abeam of Gorgon but showed no signs of having detected their presence. The entire bridge crew let out a collective sigh as the range began to open.

  “Prepare to bring all systems back to minimum power levels, Exec,” Patho ordered.

  “Aye, sir,” Hilleman said. He started to key the comm to engineering.

  “Sir,” Guiles said, “The Dreadnaught is slowing and turning towards us.”

  “Crap,” Patho said to no one in particular. “He may just be moving along his patrol route, but either way, we have to get away from him. Get our engines online fast.”

  “Grav-slope drive is charging. Maneuvering power in forty-five seconds, sir,” Hilleman reported.

  “Plot a course to maximize our separation, Exec.”

  The Gorgon began to sluggishly turn and move away from the massive Woduur vessel. The acceleration it could generate after a full shutdown was quite low for several minutes until the drive’s generator achieved a saturation charge. Using it to propel the ship before it was fully ready increased the time it took for the drive to reach that level of operation as well.

  A tense few minutes later, the Woduur ship was falling appreciably behind. Gorgon made a wide turn to move back toward the planet they were there to scan. Everyone on the bridge began to breathe easier when the ventilation kicked back on, relieving them from the stifling heat that built up in the hull while the reactor was still active.

  Patho scrubbed sweat
from his eyes and said, “Time until we’re in scanning range of the planet?”

  “Nine minutes, Captain,” Hilleman said.

  “Good. Let’s get this scan and then head to the fourth planet. I want to get away from that dreadnaught.” He tried not to think about the last time Gorgon had been forced to face off against the Woduur. The ship had nearly been caught between three of the ships, and that would have spelled the end of the comparatively tiny Human craft.

  Moments later, the passive scanners started getting sufficient resolution to make usable data interpolation. “Scan is nearly complete. Looks like a population and commerce center. I’m not detecting any large scale manufacturing facilities or materials reserves,” Guiles reported from the science station. “We can begin our transit to the fourth planet, sir.”

  “Very well,” Patho acknowledged.

  Hilleman stood and stretched before turning to Patho. “Sir, do you want anything to drink? I’m going to run down to the galley and get some water.”

  “No, thanks. Holden?”

  “Nothing for me, sir,” Guiles replied.

  By the time Hilleman made it back to the bridge, Gorgon had built up considerable speed and was about to begin braking towards the fourth planet. He settled into his chair and glanced over the displayed data at his console. “Prepare to reverse thrust, helm,” he ordered.

  “Aye, sir,” the young enlisted man said.