Tides of Mars (Omnibus Version) Read online

  “Sure, I’ll tell you everything I know, but I need to warn you, it really isn’t much,” Argus replied. “But I do know how many ships came with me, this time.”

  “This time?” Hs'ean asked.

  “It’s not my first trip to this system, Admiral. I could do nothing before this because of the keepers the guild forced on me. This trip, I still had a keeper, but I was given far more leeway,” Argus explained.

  “Made my old keeper mad as can be when I suggested putting in the cryo units. He was one of those that enjoyed ‘playing’ with the ‘slaves’ during the trip back.” He shuddered. “I would have gotten spaced over it too if it hadn’t yielded a higher return by ensuring more slaves made it to market, without the expense of food, and extra guards,” he said sadly. “I was just trying to make sure the people didn’t get raped, beaten, and starved on my ship. It was all I could think of to do at the time. It turns out it was such a good idea, the Baron gave me Jess as a reward, and now all the freighters have cryo units.”

  “Baron Otwold?” Ariel asked, just to make sure they were talking about the same person.

  Argus nodded. “Yes, Baron Uhri Otwold. He was the man I worked for slaving. When I got to the LaPas Markets, the auction took my cargo out of cryo, checked them over and then they went into pens with his name on them. The Baron deducted my ‘Pay’ from what I owed on the ship, and he covered all of my expenses. The crew worked for him, so I didn’t have to worry about paying them.”

  “What kind of pods are they using?” mKail asked in her scary-quiet way.

  “ACP one-oh-nines. They stuck with the exact system I installed. As far as I know, no one has figured out there are cheaper units. I explained it to the Baron as, if something happens to the ship, then the cargo would at least be recoverable. I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach, he thought I was a hero.”

  At the smile on mKail’s face, Ariel raised an eyebrow in a silent request for information.

  “Highness, ACP stands for Armored Cryogenic Pod, model One-Oh-Nine. What that means is even if something destroys the ship, the slaves would be safe, since the pods are self-contained and will act as an escape pod. This is how they were billed when they were first released.”

  “So if we waited to attack until the transfer ship gets loaded, we could recover the kidnapped people,” Ariel said thoughtfully.

  “Yes, Highness. I can even tell you where to shoot to do the most damage, even with shields,” Argus confirmed.

  “Highness, this is great news, I’ll pass it along to Imperial Command immediately!” Sean offered.

  “Wait, Admiral, we don’t have all the information for the other ships yet,” Ariel said, stopping the rising Admiral. “Captain, what can you tell me of the fleet that has attacked this system?”

  “Well, it was mostly capture-ships, and only about fifteen freighters. The capture-ships carried the assault pods since our holds are full of the Cryo-pods. The freighters were to land at predetermined locations, spread far apart. That way, if one of us got captured, the rest wouldn’t be compromised. Once the capture ships dumped their cargo of pods, they followed us in, and started rounding up as many people as they could, as fast as they could.” He handed Hs'ean a small crystal. “This is the briefing crystal on the entire operation, along with maps and areas of responsibility.”

  Hs'ean handed the crystal to her aide. “Get this down to Intel, have them get it disseminated and plan strikes. Coordinate with the other ships. The Marines can have the freighters, but they should let the wings have the capture ships. Execute as soon as they finish, I doubt we have a lot of time to get these assholes!”

  “Right away, Sir!” the young lieutenant saluted and was out the door before anyone knew she was moving.

  “Now, I’ll get the word passed to Command. If you’ll excuse me, Highness?” Hs'ean said as she stood.

  “Hold on, Admiral. I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Ariel said stopping her. “As soon as we share this information, the slavers will change tactics, and we’d be right back to square one.”

  “Highness? Are you suggesting that Command has been compromised?”

  Argus snorted. “You are joking, right? Admiral Ramies’ wife is the grand-niece of Duke Hallowstun. You might as well put out a public broadcast; fewer people would hear it!”

  Hs'ean looked troubled. “I hadn’t thought of that. I wonder why no one else has either.”

  “Simple, because no one dares challenge royalty. If you do, you get a visit from a Guardian. Uh, no offense intended, Highness,” Argus replied. “May I speak frankly, Highness?”

  “Please do, I think we all might need to hear this,” Ariel replied.

  “None of you royals really know how bad it is out there. If a planet decides that their patron isn’t taking care of them, and they appeal to the Senate, they get a visit from a Guardian, who promptly executes the leadership of the planet, and installs a leadership that will ensure the population stays pacified. If that doesn’t work, then the patron and Guardian quarantine the planet, and all of the food it produces, it if produces any food at all, is loaded onto transports and shipped off planet.

  “Most people are decent hard working citizens. There are enough that have questionable ethics, or are simply trying to curry favor that the royals have no problems finding the right people to rule in their name. Hire a bunch of knuckle-dragging, genetic mutants to keep the population inline, and you have a planet full of obedient slaves.

  “No one trusts the royals unless it’s the Emperor, but even then, they know he’s in the same boat as the people are. He’s simply out-numbered, and out-maneuvered by the other, greedy nobles. People are losing hope, if they haven’t lost it already.”

  Ariel knew he was speaking the truth. Cr’ale knew of the problem, so did she, but she hadn’t realized it was as bad as Argus was saying. Looking at her companions, Hs'ean looked troubled, but defiant, and mKail remained aloof, as if she’d known about this all along.

  “Thank you, Captain, for telling us this. I knew there were problems in the Empire, but I don’t think I realized just how bad it really was until now. Admiral, now that we have prisoners, please report their capture. We’ll try them in a couple of days, and then hang them. In the meantime, please inform all the project heads I want a status report by the end of the day,” Ariel ordered.

  “I will do as you command, Highness, but are we not supposed to return all prisoners to Aldus Forward for public execution?” Hs'ean asked playing her part.

  Ariel almost grinned at the set up. “No, Admiral. We will not send them back so the so-called Nobles can minimize their crimes! Ten years public service as punishment for kidnapping, trafficking in slaves, and smuggling? No, from now on, these bastards will swing right here. If I have my way, their fucking bosses will be swinging right beside them!” Ariel said angrily, causing Hs'ean to take a step back.

  “Bridge to Princess Ariel,” Gr’eis voice issued from the room speakers.

  “This is Ariel, go ahead, Captain.”

  “Highness, there is an Ophuchian trader requesting permission to enter the system. They claim to have a personal message for you,” Captain Gr’eis replied.

  “That’s odd. Please allow them to continue, and have them land at the villa. I’ll meet them there,” Ariel said.

  “As you wish, Highness.”

  “Oh, and Captain?” Ariel said.

  “Yes, Highness?”

  “Thank you.”

  Ariel could hear the smile in the voice that answered her. “You are most welcome, my Lady.”

  Ariel turned back to Argus. “Captain, thank you for all the information, I know you didn’t have to tell us, so I appreciate your candidness. Once Jess has been healed, you are both welcome to come down to the villa for her convalescence.”

  Argus bowed. “Thank you, Highness. Uh, I might be way out of line here, but if you decide to do something more direct, you may count on my and Jess’s assistance.”

 
“What do you mean, ‘more direct’?” Hs'ean asked him sharply.

  “Nothing of consequence, Admiral. Her Highness understood what I meant, that’s all that’s needed,” Argus said holding his bow while he answered her. “By your leave Highness, I’ll just go check on Jess if I may?”

  “Of course, thanks again,” Ariel said dismissing him.

  “So, you’re going to use this to begin the ‘rebellion’?” Hs'ean asked once they were alone.

  “Yeah. If things are as bad as he says they are, we need to get on the ball. I’m just afraid we’ll have to take the whole damn Empire by force,” Ariel said.

  “You won’t, Milady. What Captain Tyrr told you is the truth; however, if you can give hope back to the people, you will have an unstoppable army. In a way, you’ve already started on that,” mKail replied.

  “How so?” Ariel asked.

  “The Legend you’ve created. In the eyes of those that have heard the retelling on your feats; you’re a hero. Which is something the people desperately need right now. Hero’s create hope, even if it’s only fictional. In the back of their minds, the people will still believe, and they’ll back you. Once you start taking planets away from the other nobles, and restoring true civilian rule, news will spread like wildfire,” mKail said.

  “I’m afraid I have to agree with her, My Lady,” Hs'ean said. “Do you remember when you first came up to the ship, and I asked you to change clothes?”

  Ariel nodded. “Yeah, you said something about bootleg images of me being circulated and how we’d need that in the long run. I still don’t see how almost naked images of me will help our cause one bit.”

  “Those images, combined with the mostly true rumors about your exploits so far, will set the stage for the civil uprising we’ll want in order to free the rest of the Empire,” Hs'ean said.

  When mKail touched Ariel on the shoulder, she turned to see what she wanted. “Ariel, I was given your file when I was assigned to take care of, and protect you. I admit, at first, I thought I’d been asked to babysit a spoiled noble.

  “But as I read how you’d been raised in total ignorance of your heritage, and how you were directing your life, always focusing on a goal, I was impressed and more than a little relieved. Bri’tell was supposed to introduce us the night that piss-ant noble D’espie attacked you.

  “We responded as soon as we knew of the attack, but by the time we made it across the bay, and overrode the door lock, all the fun was over. However, we escorted you to Corporal Ahm’min’s quarters so you could personally perform the duty for him. I think that’s when I began to admire you.

  “Later, after we returned to the ship, I pulled up as much info on you as I could find. I’ve never heard of anyone outside of the guards doing anything like what you did to that armored Marine. You figured out the survival-training scenario after you proved you had the intelligence to survive in an emergency, and then confirmed it by asking if that was enough.

  “I’m not sure when I began to have such great trust in you, Highness. But I find my loyalty is no longer with my duty, but to you. By admitting this, I have signed my own death warrant, but I’ve wanted to tell you the truth for some time now,” mKail finished.

  “So you are a member of the Guild of Death,” Hs'ean said.

  “No Admiral, the guild is a myth created to frighten people. I am of the Regulan Guard,” mKail answered.

  Ariel held up a hand to stop the questions from the Admiral. “We can talk more about this later. Right now, I need to get down to the villa. You and I are going to have a talk during the decent, mKail.”

  “As you wish, Highness,” mKail replied, smiling.

  “Sean, as soon as you feel comfortable leaving, you’re welcome to come down as well. I’d like to introduce you to my parents,” Ariel said.

  Guardian Stealth Assault ship, I.A.S. Tides of Mars.

  Interplanetary space; Earth orbital insertion vector

  Sol System, Horon-A Sector.

  Princess Guardian Ariel Parker-Moran, Commanding.

  “Okay, mKail. The first thing you need to know was that shot that killed the Marine was complete and total blind luck. The second is that when I spoke to my testers during survival training, I honestly didn’t expect an answer. I was hoping it wasn’t real, but if it had been, then no one would answer, and no one would have known I asked. So I asked, tricking the testers into thinking I’d figured it out before asking.

  “Everything else is just hype. I’m no one special, mKail. I’m just a girl in very unusual circumstances, trying to do the best she can, with what she’s been given,” Ariel said.

  “I know you won’t believe me, but there are no things called blind luck, or coincidence. Everything that happens, happens for a purpose, Ariel,” mKail replied. “Even capturing the Merchant’s Profit had a purpose; bringing us Captain Tyrr and his information.”

  “It sounds like you believe a person’s fate is predetermined,” Ariel said.

  “No, not really. But I do believe a person creates their own personal reality as it pertains to the universe. It gets really complicated when people’s realities clash. Fortunately, yours fits with a lot of people's hopes and dreams. So things go well for you,” mKail replied.

  Ariel smiled. “We’re getting sidetracked into a metaphysical discussion. What I really want to know is why you say you have so much trust in me?”

  “For the reasons I just said, mostly. There is also the fact that I’ve been conditioned to have utmost trust in the Imperial line by the training I’ve received,” mKail explained. After a moment of thought, she continued, “You have my complete and utmost loyalty, and I would follow you to the ends of the Universe.”

  “I can accept that. One more question before we land. What is the Regulan Guard?”

  “That is actually a very closely guarded secret, which can cost me my life to tell ...” mKail began, only for Ariel to interrupt her.

  “Unless I need to know, then don’t risk it. My curiosity is not worth your life,” Ariel instructed, using what mKail called her ‘Princess’ voice.

  “I know mKail isn’t your real name, and I know you’re not from Tigress. May I know your real name and where you’re from?”

  “I was born in the Fortress on Aldus Forward. A state sponsored orphanage raised me and from a very young age, I was trained and educated for a position in the Guard. I officially began my service at the age of eighteen. Since I looked so young, my first assignment was as a doxie in one of the pleasure houses frequented by high-ranking officials, both civilian as well as military.

  “I was to serve the Emperor by reporting any seditious activities or discussions. I personally stopped four assassination attempts on the Emperor, two against your mother, and one plot to destroy the peace between the Empire and the Ophuchian Cluster.” mKail paused.

  “The night I was pulled out of the pleasure house, it was destroyed by a bomb. It also destroyed three bars, another brothel, four regular businesses, and two twenty-five story apartment buildings. I lost a lot of friends in that blast.

  “I was given genetic cosmetic alteration to hide my identity, and introduced to the Imperial Court as the daughter and only surviving relative of a recently deceased, wealthy businessman. Incidentally, he had been supposedly killed in the same blast meant to kill me. I was to continue in my duty of gathering information by any means, only this time, I wasn’t to risk my cover unless I discovered a direct threat to the Empire.

  “On the first evening, I was shocked when Duchess Hanya took me aside and thanked me on behalf of her cousin the Queen. She assured me my cover was still safe, but my handlers flipped out. I think the Emperor intervened because all the questions suddenly stopped, and I returned to the Court.

  “In the three years I was there, I didn’t gather much more information. My handlers were deciding where to shift me, when I was suddenly reassigned as an embassy guard at the Imperial Mission to Mineias Fri. My orders were simple; protect the interests of the Em
pire.

  “After two years as a guard, Vice-Duke Alaig took me along to a meeting he was having with Crown Prince Jherell Noi. I was close enough to overhear their discussion. Aliag was selling the classified shipping routes for the two closest sectors to the Prince.

  “I shot both of them in the head, and recovered the information. Since I had violated about a dozen treaties, not to mention killing a Noble of the Realm, I was taken into custody, and sent back to Aldus Forward in chains.

  “In order to save relations between the two realms, as well as our own nobles, I was publicly ‘hung’ in the court of the Imperial Tower. Some criminal had been selected to undergo reconstruction, made to look like me, and then hung in my place. In the meantime, I was getting a new identity again. My new assignment was to the Imperial Guard. My mission was to protect the Emperor at any cost.”

  “I’d discovered two of the Guard that had been working for one of the Dukes as spies. Before you ask, no, it wasn’t Altrov.” She grinned. “I called it in, and the two simply disappeared. No one ever connected me to it.”

  “Then the day came that his Imperial Majesty sent for me and gave me a new mission in a frontier sector, far from Aldus Forward. I was to ensure the survival of his only remaining, viable heir. My contact would be another member of the Guard that was already in place. A Master Chief in the Imperial Marines who had been serving on the Command Carrier Divine Light.

  “I’m sure you can remember the rest. I was never given a name, just a designation; MKL-nine-six-two, hence the name mKail.” She shrugged. “Every new identity I’ve had comes with its own name, so I don’t claim any of them as really mine.”

  “Highness, we’ll be landing in about two minutes,” the pilot said from the speakers. Causing mKail to grin.

  “Thanks Jergen, we’ll be right out.” Ariel said. ‘Feeling’ the link close through Cole, she looked at mKail. “Come on, we’re landing.”

  Chapter Two