Chapter 10
"...And Thou Shalt Bruise His Heel."
Mon 16 Mar 968 (5th of Sixthmoon, 6 Charles 9)
HIMS Serpens Ignitus, Orbit of Miravel
While he did not interfere with Captain Liong running the ship, Admiral Globus liked to be on the bridge. He spent most of his career as a staff officer and never got to command a ship of his own. This was the closest he would get to the experience, so he was annoyed when Kommodore Khang, the Fleet's Director of Intelligence and Information Operations, called him away to meet in the Admiral's office.
Kommodore Khang was in the waiting room when he arrived. Both he and the Admiral's secretary stood at attention when the Admiral stepped in.
Wasting no time on pleasantries, Kommodore Khang said, "Shall we be going, Herr Admiral?"
"Not even going to lube up first, huh?" the Admiral grumbled. "Alright, come on." He then told his secretary, "Unless it's the Emperor himself, no disturbances. You got that?"
"Yes, Herr Admiral," the secretary replied.
Admiral Globus went into his office and sat down at his desk. He motioned to one of the chairs and said, "Take a seat, Kommodore."
"I would prefer to stand, Herr Admiral."
Of course he would. The man was stiff as a board and about as much fun to be around. At least he was competent in his duties or else the Admiral might have shot him out the airlock.
"Suit yourself," he said. "So what's so important you had to drag me over here? 'For your ears only', you said."
Kommodore Khang's jaw tensed a little as he said, "Herr Admiral, there is no other way to say this. Our liaison in the territory known as Palatinia, Brigadegeneral Hickham, has been taken captive by the locals. All of his complement are presumed dead."
The Admiral's hand started to quake as he slowly raised it to hold his head. Struggling to restrain himself, he asked Khang, "What do you mean 'presumed dead'? Don't you have their biometrics?"
"We have seven confirmed fatalities, Herr Admiral, based on the biometric data. The data from the other six, including Brigadegeneral Hickham, indicate their trackers were removed while they were still alive. Their current status is uncertain, but only Brigadegeneral Hickham was mentioned in the abductors' statement."
Admiral Globus gritted his teeth.
"What statement?"
"King Seleuceus of Palatinia is demanding recognition of his nation's sovereignty, the immediate withdrawal of our forces from his territory, and a cessation of all electronic surveillance and signal tampering. If we do not reply, not only is Brigadegeneral Hickham's life forfeit, but our other personnel on the planet will be targeted for reprisal."
The Admiral stared at Kommodore Khang for a moment. When he opened his mouth to speak, he practically choked on the words.
"He... demands?"
His fingers slowly curled to make a fist.
"He... demands!?"
Kommodore Khang took a discrete step back. He knew what was coming.
Admiral Globus sprang to his feet and slammed his fist down on his desk, bellowing, "WHO IN THE EVER-LOVING FUCK DOES THIS GODDAMNED LITTLE PISSANT THINK HE IS TO BE MAKING DEMANDS OF ME!? OF ME!?"
He proceeded to pound away at his desk screaming curses that quickly grew more and more incoherent to the point it was little more than bestial howling. Probably if anyone was within arm's reach, he would have beaten them to a bloody pulp.
Though his rage was by no means expended, his stamina was quickly burned down by his tantrum. Red-faced and breathing heavily, he looked like his heart could burst at any moment or he might blow out a blood vessel in his brain. However, all this did little to dampen the ferocity in his eyes when he looked back up to Kommodore Khang.
"Get Bram in here. Their capital burns now."
"What of Brigadegeneral Hickham, my lord?" Kommodore Khang asked.
"What about him?" he Admiral growled.
"Need I remind you, Herr Admiral? It is the policy of His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces to recover captured or killed personnel by all means necessary. Is that not what separates us from the savage Martians and the heartless Jovians? Besides, to abandon a general officer and member of the Political Officer Corps would be particularly egregious and expose you to charges of dereliction of duty."
"Are you threatening me, you yellow bastard?"
"I am warning you, Herr Admiral," Kommodore Khang replied. "You are an exceptional servant of His Majesty the Emperor. Losing you to some rash action would be... inefficient, a waste of resources."
"And when did you become a goddamned logistics expert?"
The Admiral drew in a long, ragged breath through his nose, winding himself down somewhat. Only somewhat.
"Twenty-four hours," he said. "They have 24 hours to return our men, along with their false king. Their capital burns either way. If they fail to comply, we burn another city every hour."
"Will you authorize Search and Rescue, my lord?" Kommodore Khang asked.
"If we can find and extract our men ourselves, fine. Any team sent to the surface is free to use any and all means necessary to achieve their mission. Collateral damage is no object."
"Understood, my lord."
"And one more thing."
"Yes, my lord?"
"If they don't hand over their king, I want you to track down his family members, every one of them, and I want them here. I want them alive. We're going to take our time with them."
"The sins of the father will be visited upon the son, then?"
"'And upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me.'"
"I do not expect there will be a fourth generation."
The corner of the Admiral's mouth twisted into a hateful grin.
"That'll all depend on him."
"I shall coordinate with Kommodore Mashal and the other relevant members of the command staff," Kommodore Khang said. "Would you like to brief them on the mission details, Herr Admiral?"
"I've just told you, haven't I? Are you going to tell me you forgot?"
"No, Herr Admiral."
"Then make it happen."
"Aye-aye, Herr Admiral. By your leave, Herr Admiral."
Before Kommodore Khang could leave, the Admiral spoke up again.
"One more thing, Khang."
"Yes, Herr Admiral?"
"On your way out, tell Liebowitz to send me an Epsilon unit."
"Do you have a preference, my lord?"
"Does it make any difference?"
"That is a question for connoisseurs, I suppose."
"Just tell him, dammit. And make it quick."
"Aye-aye, Herr Admiral."
As Kommodore Khang exited the office, the Admiral cracked his knuckles. He had a lot of stress to work out. They might have to scrap the Epsilon unit after he was done with it.