judicator

This next chapter is a little large, so I will post it in two parts.


Chapter Four


In Vivecara, the capital city of Paldar, emergency teams dug through the rubble for survivors and fought numerous fires that threatened whole city blocks. The Coalition forces launched from the Redstorm had not cared one bit about collateral damage.

As long as the mission objective was achieved, lives and property were expendable. The governor of Paldar, Quinten Waid, gazed out the window of his personal hover car. He shook his head at the carnage. All of it was completely unnecessary. Such a waste of lives and infrastructure.

He watched as a woman clawed at a chunk of concrete, trying in vain to move it to one side. She was screaming someone’s name in between sobs. Her clothes were covered with dirt and an occasional streak of blood.

The governor turned away, unable to watch any longer. The hover car turned a corner, heading for the remains of the government offices. He had escaped the city at the last minute, taking shelter in a bunker built into the nearby mountains.

The driver suddenly twisted the wheel and reversed the grav-fields, bringing the car to an abrupt halt on the side of the street.

“What’s going on?” Governor Waid demanded.

“Sir, there’s a military vehicle approaching, and the driver is flagging us down. It looks like a 12th Brigade unit, stationed here during the attack.”

He turned to see an APC roll to a stop next to the car. A hatch opened in the back, and an officer climbed out. His uniform looked like he had slept in it, and he had a two-day growth of stubble.

Governor Waid opened his door and met the officer as he approached.
“Sir, Major Hargrove reporting,” he said with a tired salute. “I have an urgent message for you from global HQ.” He held out a holo-disc.

The governor took it, frowning. “Thank you, Major. I don’t know what could be so important that they would dispatch a military vehicle to personally courier a disc to me.”

The major simply shook his head. “It was for your eyes only, sir. I don’t know what the message contains. I was given orders to get the disc to you as quickly as possible.”

“Very well, Major. Dismissed.” He saluted the man, who returned it and then climbed back into the APC. The governor went back to his hover-car, anxiety building in his gut. He got into the back seat and signaled the driver to get back on the road.

With a flip of a switch, he activated the privacy screens. He trusted his driver, but not enough for something like this. “Your-eyes-only” meant big trouble. He slid the holo-disc into the player in the back of the car.

After watching the contents of the disc for a couple of minutes, he switched it off. Time was now of the essence. He smacked the intercom switch and tried to keep his voice steady.
“Head for the nearest spaceport, driver. Maximum speed.” He snapped his safety harness into place, and then switched the holo-disc back on. Why did it have to be me, he wondered. What did I do to deserve this?

On the small holo-display, the planet Paldar hovered in mid-air. In orbit around her, four battlegroups of starships were taking positions over the major continents of Paldar. In a matter of hours, they would establish a complete orbital blockade.

Well, if they meant to finish the job started by the Redstorm, it wouldn’t take long. The planet’s ground forces and fighter squadrons were still reeling from the savage combined attack of Coalition armor, assault fighters, and orbital bombardment.

The governor entertained no thoughts of holding off a full battle group fresh from the Core Worlds. There was only one option left. Escape this ball of dirt and hope that those remaining behind would have the sense to surrender. He leaned back in his seat and prayed he could get out in time.

* * *

Admiral Andrew Krieg stood at the bridge viewport of his ship, the heavy cruiser Eviscerator. His battle group was moving into low orbit around Paldar, preparing to lay siege to the planet. Two Swarm-class carriers were included in his command, and fighter squadrons were already streaming from the launch bays, forming escort positions among the larger ships. A number of frigates and destroyers were taking positions alongside the heavy cruisers, providing close fire support.

The Admiral’s mind went back to the briefing he had received from Khan Taggert, the Khagan’s own second-in-command. Taggert had been emphatic that a certain rogue Judicator, whose presence had been confirmed as being on Paldar, must be captured alive at all costs.

It was no secret that the Eclipse-class flagship, the Redstorm, had been ordered to leave the system prior to the arrival of his battle group. The reasoning had been that the Redstorm was urgently needed in a show of force to suppress some difficulties with pirates.
It sounded like a lot of double-talk to Admiral Krieg. The battle for Paldar, according to the reports he had read, had gone very well. Most of the planet’s local defense forces had been crushed. All that remained was to keep up the pressure until the governor surrendered the planet to be assimilated into the Coalition.

He had heard rumors that Khan Sandoval was falling out of favor with the Khagan and Khan Taggert, and perhaps they had ideas that he might do something reckless if he captured the Judicator himself. The only reason they had given him command of the Redstorm was that he was the best.

The Admiral had to admire him for his record, if nothing else. At a young age, the Khan had advanced in the Coalition Navy rapidly. The real moment of recognition came with his victory over the uprising in the Utakrah system. His fleet had been outnumbered three-to-one, and he had forced the rebels to back down.

The Khan was the logical choice to bring Paldar into the Coalition’s protection and wealth, by force if necessary. Admiral Krieg saw no reason for him to be recalled simply because a Judicator was located on the surface.

The planet now filled the viewport, a ball of blue and green flecked with white. Not a huge world, by most standards, but large nonetheless. Finding one individual would take time. Measures could be taken to shorten that time, not all of them diplomatic or even fair.