Chapter 8
The emperor was reading the latest intelligence summary on the Shas'vsaz. It also included the latest stats on the dead and wounded of the emperor's forces. He sighed. He was starting to have nightmares about this. 103,000 dead and 53,012 wounded.
[There is a better way] His symbiont said.
<What's that?> Responded Richard curiously.
[Simply use the gifts you have. Take the information you need or want from the mind of the aliens.] It responded.
<You know how uncomfortable that makes me. It seems a violation of the very basic individual's privacy.> Richard said, a bit uncomfortably.
[You are astonishing to me. Here I have given you abilities far above those of the average human, yet you refuse to use them. You are EMPEROR. You have a responsibility to your empire. You have a responsibility to your people. Think about it. I will help you if you wish.] The symbiont responded.
Richard did think about it. For several days he agonized over what he was considering doing. Invading another being's mind and ripping out what he needed and wanted to know. His whole being rejected the thought of such an invasion. It went against everything he stood for.
Yet he had done just that three times. In all three cases it was after discovering fellow telepath's within the borders of his empire. Two were men who seemed to use their abilities for the betterment of themselves. The third actually interested him.
She was a young woman named Vonda Preston. She was 36 years old, single and lived only 30 minutes away by air car. She knew she was telepathic, yet did not take advantage of it. She had developed a natural shield which Richard had penetrated only after careful instruction from his symbiont.
He had read all three minds, to ascertain their abilities, wants, and drives. They never knew he had been inside their minds, he was that good. The men were driven by greed and had used their abilities to enrich themselves with the information they gleaned from their illicit mind probing. He felt extremely dirty after each probe into someone's mind.
Vonda was different. She lived a simple life. Had a job she went to on a daily basis. Never intruded unless she felt extreme distress from someone. Was always helpful. He had read the memories of her early life in her mind and her discovery of this ability. For a while she had thought she was going insane. He sympathized with her. It started around the time she hit puberty. To have this ability come out with all the other angst that went with puberty, and to have developed into such a fine person had spoken volumes to the emperor of her character.
The symbiont who had been following this train of thought responded, [She would make a perfect match for you, Richard. It has been some years since the death of your wife and child. You should consider remarrying and giving your empire an heir. It would please both the House of Commons, and the Assembly of Lords.]
Richard sighed. <I know. I got another not so subtle hint about that just last week. The prime Minister has hinted that perhaps now would be a good time to pursue uniting the Caliphate and the Empire together in holy matrimony.>
<Getting back to the war. I guess I know what I have to do. If I can shorten this war, or give us a better advantage, I need to do it. For my people.> Richard said, sighing again.
So it was that the emperor found himself only a week later at Macon Battle Station where three of the alien Shas'vsaz were being held for him. He knew they were two officers and a minor clan subchief. It still amazed him that a system of clans could produce the amount of ships to fight that they did.
It only took an hour and a half to get everything from them that he wanted. He also got associational information that might prove useful in the future. He returned to his ship which then took him back to his capital planet of Marshal. After returning to his palace, he summoned Yami Mitsuko, his Admiral of the Navy, Marian Pennington, his Secretary of War, David Powell, his Prime Minister, and finally General Walter Stein, his Chairman of all Armed Forces.
In the palace was a situation room that had state-of-the-art equipment and a large Holo tank. Everyone was seated and studying the tank as the emperor pointed out locations and gave a monologue of what he had discovered. The Holo tank changed to show different portions of the enemy strongholds and known positions, as well as the new information the emperor added.
"Even with this new information, it will take months to gather the forces needed to give the enemy a decisive blow, your majesty." Yami Mitsuko said.
"She is right. In addition, exactly where did you come up with this new information? I have been briefed daily by our intelligence and I can tell you they have not told me anything of these new systems you're talking about, your majesty." His Prime minster stated.
"Why, I just returned from having asked several Shas'vsaz prisoners several penetrating questions." The emperor replied, grinning.
"I might have known. More of your Hocus Pocus?" Marian asked, rolling her eyes.
"Hocus Pocus? I am hurt." Richard replied, clutching his chest dramatically.
Everyone chuckled at that. Although he didn't advertise his abilities, everyone at the table knew he had them. The meeting shortly adjourned with the emperor inviting all to a party to be held in three weeks at the palace.
"Isn't a victory party a bit premature, your Majesty?" Walter asked.
"Certainly. But since this is not a victory party there is no problem." Richard replied.
"A party? Are you feeling alright? Usually you avoid parties as time wasting. I have to fight tooth and nail just to get you to state functions!" His prime minister, David Powell exclaimed.
"Yes. Well, come to the party. All will be made clear to you then." Having said that, Richard waved and left the room.
Commodore Andrew Hitchcock was silent for a moment. He then tapped his communications pad allowing him to speak on the all ships channel. It would only be heard on the bridges of those ships.
"Hitchcock to all captains. We have three times our numbers coming at us. We are men and woman of the Imperial Navy. I expect nothing but the best from you. We have the better ships, and better trained people. Godspeed to you all. Hitchcock out."
Hitchcock looked at the plot. Forty-five enemy ships were bearing down on them. There was no avoiding it. He on the other hand had fifteen ships. One Battleship, four cruisers, and ten destroyers. Damn it! He pounded his armrest. Silently, the commodore watched as his reinforced squadron deployed.
Finally they were in missile range. All ships launched their pods. According to the plan, 20 percent of the missiles were equipped with ECM. (ECM is electronic counter measures.)
Battleships carried a maximum of twenty missile pods of ten missiles per pod as external ordnance. Cruisers carried fifteen missile pods of ten missiles per pod. Destroyers carried ten pods of ten missiles per pod. When the missiles launched, 1800 missiles flew from pods alone. These were joined by the broadsides.
The enemy launched their own barrage of missiles. A full 4500 missiles flew towards the imperial navy. Decoys drew off hundreds. Still more were destroyed by missiles whose job was to deploy multiple warheads scattered in front of the oncoming missiles and destroying as many as possible in nuclear fury.
Still, over 1500 missiles got through the long range defense. Now it was up to the mid and short range anti missile batteries of lasers and counter missiles to do its job. While the imperial defenders desperately fought to live, their own missiles were decimating the enemy.
Broadside after broadside was fired. Both sides fired mercilessly at one another. It was however, the imperial navy which emerged the victors. Superior weapons and better defense proved the day, and the Shas'vsaz were destroyed. Of the remaining imperial ships, only the battleship, three cruisers, and three destroyers survived the battle. All of his remaining ships had some form of damage.
Fifteen ships had destroyed forty-five ships. While it was a
victory, commodore Hitchcock was shocked. Over half his force had been
destroyed. True, his forces had been out massed. Most of the enemy
ships were 3000 meters in length. Still, to have this many of his
Majesty's ships destroyed, all those lives lost, saddened the
commodore. After having his remaining ships check the area for
survivors, he ordered his ships to make for Lantree.