Lawrence White - Knights of the Chosen

“If we can deal with the Chessori, I can have a core of perhaps ten sectors fully under control by the time Struthers calls the senate into convocation, at least in name,” Veswicki answered.

“What do you mean by ‘fully under control?’” Chandrajuski asked. “Sectors are barely under control even in the best of times.”

Veswicki’s expression hardened. “There will be clear separation of Rebel versus Empire control, that’s what I mean…”

Mike let the experts deal with resources. He had other things on his mind. Just listening to Veswicki and Seeton had widened his horizons immensely. He now truly understood what Otis had been telling him all along: their first job was to protect the Heir. Nothing else mattered if the Heir died. Just listening to the two admirals discuss issues with Chandrajuski clearly demonstrated what having a Queen meant to these men. It meant everything, as simple as that. Everything.

And this was just one sector. He could multiply this sense of rightness many times over as the message traveled from one end of the Empire to the other.

He suddenly understood the power of Chandrajuski’s plan for Krys. She wasn’t just spreading the word that there was a Queen. Her assignment was to weave threads through the Empire, threads that would be turned over to Ellie. When Ellie took over the weaving, the Rebels’ days would be limited.

Before leaving, Chandrajuski made some demands. “I have a temporary base that is adequate until you secure your sectors. Until then, I need ships, men, supplies, and support, as much as you can spare, and in the Queen’s name I ask that you send your best. How many ships can you spare?”

“You don’t want me to risk losing the sectors, do you?” Veswicki asked.

“Definitely not. We must protect our infrastructure.”

Seeton spoke up. “Let me model it before I commit. Off the top of my head, I’d say I could spare ten heavy squadrons, and a lot more after we make our move and consolidate the sector politically.”

“See if you can make it thirty, Harry. What about you, Signio? Can I count on support from the other sectors?”

“Definitely. I won’t commit without their approval, but we’ll scrape together as many as we can. I assume we’re talking about hardship duty.”

“We are. Until the Queen can move out into one of the sectors, I cannot support dependents.”

“What can the Queen do for you?” Mike asked.

Veswicki spoke immediately. “We need regular communications, and I am requesting a summons from the Queen for myself and my senior commanders.”

“She’ll want to Test you, but she’s not up to it yet. Multiple Testings take a lot of energy, energy that she won’t have for a while. I’ll let you know when she’s ready. Until then, you have Admiral Chandrajuski’s support, and that means you have hers.”

“You mentioned something about gleasons, Sire.”

Chandrajuski answered. “Struthers has recruited them.”

“How?”

“I don’t have a clue. There were three of them. Her Protectors took them out, but not before the last one threw a poisoned knife into her heart.”

“And she’s still alive?” Veswicki demanded.

“To make a long story short, Sir Mike killed the last gleason, then sent his Rider to the Queen. The Rider is repairing her injuries as we speak.”

Veswicki turned away, then turned back to Mike. He stared hard at him, but he addressed everyone within the room. “The Chosen have never carried Riders. Does anyone know what effect the Rider will have on her being Queen? Will her Touch still work?”

“We won’t know until she’s strong enough to try,” Chandrajuski said. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. If her Testing fails, she might be able to rid herself of the Rider. If all fails, we still have Alexis who will be named Daughter if she passes her Testing. The circle of those who know about this must remain very small. Understood?”

Solemn heads nodded agreement. “I will inform you when the Queen is ready to Test each of you. She may even come here to do it. That will be her decision.”

“Where are you off to next?” asked Veswicki.

“Admiral Korban is my next stop. You three will be my top commanders.”

“You’re wasting your time if you think you’ll get any help from him,” Veswicki responded. “He’s up to his eyeballs just trying to hold Orion Sector together. He’s in Struthers’ sights, and they’re going after him hard.”

Chandrajuski thought for a time, considering options. “I’d love to teach Struthers a lesson,” he finally said. “Can we offer any support to Korban?”

“We already sent a couple of courier ships. When neither returned, we sent a full squadron. Not a single ship has returned,” Seeton said. “We’re on the verge of declaring the squadron lost.”

“It has to be the Chessori,” Val said. “In addition to their mind weapon, they have some other advantages we do not have. They can track through hyperspace, and they have an interstellar communicator. Beware.”

Veswicki and Seeton looked at each other in alarm. Seeton said, “A dispatch was received from our lost squadron. It, too, claimed a trader tracked them through hyperspace.”

“A Chessori tracked me through hyperspace,” Mike said, “though they’re not actually tracking during the jump. Someone had placed a mechanism aboard our ship that broadcast our jump settings just prior to each jump, so they’re really tracking only during the intervals between jumps. I wonder if any of your ships have been compromised?”

Seeton frowned. “We’ll have to check. What do we look for?”

“I don’t know, but I know who does. We’ll get the information to you.”

“Whatever develops here or anywhere else,” Chandrajuski said, “the Chessori, and hence the Rebels, will know about it if we allow them the opportunity to get a message out. Timing will be everything when we make our moves, and because of the Chessori, we’re not going to be able to move simultaneously in all sectors. It’s going to be one at a time.”

“Sir, we can’t fight on these grounds.”

“You’re not fighting, not yet. You’re holding. Your job will be to defeat the Rebels, and you’re well focused on that, but you can’t act yet. Sir Mike’s job is to defeat the Chessori, and we have a plan. There is a way to defeat the mind weapon, but it’s not something I can discuss. Just know there’s a plan that will take some months to put together.”

He added one more consideration for Veswicki. “Are you ready to give up your position here?”

“Definitely not. I’ve just gotten started.”

“You’d better be looking for your replacement during the next few months. The insight you’ve shown me with your understanding of the big picture is impressive, much better than my own. The Queen does not have access to a lot of political advice right now. She might want you at her side. She’ll let you know.”

Getting help from Earth suddenly moved up on the list of priorities. Struthers had a timetable. Though they didn’t know its details, it most likely included demonstrating to the Imperial Senate that he was capable of taking control of those sectors that resisted. Chandrajuski was determined to do the same in the Queen’s name, and Orion Sector looked to be the place to do it.

In the end, among many other things it was decided that Val would pay a visit to Admiral Korban by himself. His mission, though extremely dangerous, was crucial: in addition to bringing hope to Korban, he was to determine what had happened to Seeton’s lost squadron and what assistance Korban needed to keep his sector out of the hands of the Rebels.