The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion
by AJ Marks
Part 3
Jezic looked over the bridge of the carrier Cimal and thought that the name for the ship seemed a bit too pampas but realized that was exactly how Emperor Henry operated. They managed to complete the ship before the evacuation of Cimalius ahead of the Alliance heading there.
“Admiral, is everything to your liking?” Captain Adad asked breaking Jezic’s train of thought.
“Yes captain, the Cimal should make a fine flagship for the first fleet, and quite an honor for you as well,” Jezic answered back to the man who appeared pleased.
“Yes sir,” Adad stated. “I was surprised when I was selected for the command, but I won’t let either you or the Emperor down. I wasn’t aware the Emperor made such decisions.”
“Yes, well he took a personal interest in you after some small problems in other ships were made known to us. He wanted to make sure the Cimal had no problems in operations,” Jezic said not stating anything else, like why they had problems.
“I shall make sure the Emperor’s trust is not misplaced,” Adad said back to him, with a slight bow.
“I’ll make up my report and inform the Emperor that he ship and crew are in good hands,” Jezic said, then with a salute the captain turned and headed back to his duties as Jezic left the bridge for what would become his office on board the ship.
Sitting down at the desk he looked over everything and sighed at the work he had to do now. He was now the Fleet Admiral, the highest rank he ever made and with each rise in the rank the paperwork increased. Part of him wished for the old days when he worked in the field doing what he did best.
He reached over activating the communicator, waiting for the Emperor to answer the call. He looked over another report on the crew and trials of the ship seeing they performed adequately. The communicator chimed indicating the Emperor was read to hear his call and looked up to see Henry’s face.
“Emperor,” Jezic said automatically.
“Admiral, I hope this is an update,” Henry said.
“Yes sir, the Cimal is fully operational and passed her trials. The crew has met all expectations and any who didn’t have been transferred to other, less important, ships,” Jezic answered with the standard operating procedure. He didn’t have to say that those other, less important ships would probably be the ones quickly destroyed in battle or which needed overhauls.
“Good, very good,” Henry replied back to him. “What is the status of the fleet?”
“All fleets are reporting read Emperor, they are awaiting orders,” Jezic answered wondering if the emperor had an order for them.
“And the rumors?” Henry asked changing the subject on him.
“Already being countered,” Jezic replied. “Intelligence is spreading the word that Meia is a traitorous pilot who was won over by the Alliance with promises of money and power, which include ruling over an entire planet. It’s a powerful lure for some.”
“Yes it is,” Henry replied. “Keep an ear out for any new rumors. I expect the Alliance to try again, and use Meia again like they did the previous time.”
“And the orders about her?” Jezic asked, knowing that Meia might be a traitor but she still held the rank of Alpha Supreme, and the punishment for killing one of her rank was death.
“Death on sight, by my orders. She is a traitor to the Empire and must be dealt as such,” Henry replied simply.
“By your will Emperor,” Jezic replied as the communications ended. He looked over another report when a chime indicated he had another message. Frowning he activated the screen a bit surprised when no face appeared on the screen, instead a simple test message.
Which is more dangerous, the fly or the spider. The spider, but if the fly is small you need an intricate web to catch said fly. The emperor’s web is too complex and the fly is too small for the web to catch.
Jezic read and reread the message unsure about it. He reached over to delete it and paused before activating another button. He only had to wait a few seconds before someone answered.
“Admiral?” Adad’s voice said.
“Send a tech to my office, someone of a higher class,” Jezic said. “I have a message I want them to try and track.”
“Yes sir,” Adad replied.
Jezic minimized the screen and went back to work while waiting for the tech. He only hoped the person who sent the message could be tracked. Whoever sent the message seemed to know what the Emperor had planned, and that person must be tracked down at all costs.
*****
Meia glanced around seeing that everyone was looking at her, waiting to hear what she might have to say after Randy had finished speaking. She understood once she spoke she had no way to back out this time.
“It the Alliance goes in and conquers the Empire, it will only reinforce what they’ve been calling you for years,” Meia said. “Eliminating the Emperor will only create a power vacuum which might lead to more death and destruction and resistance to the Alliance, or any partnership with you. I’m also not sure me going in with Alliance support will work either.”
“Well then, that eliminates both of our planes little lady,” Admiral Jack White said to her. “I hope you’re not suggesting we do nothing.”
“I can say the citizens of the Alliance won’t stand for that,” Amy said speaking up.
“No, there is a third way which might work,” Meia said, knowing how risky this plan would be. “Civil war within the Empire.”
She watched as the group looked back at her. She wasn’t able to make out if they liked or hated her plan from the looks she received.
“A civil war, for who?” Amy asked speaking up first.
“The Empire,” Meia replied. “There is already factions within the Empire who might be able to help, and start this. We only need to find these groups. I know of three people already who can help.”
“So we use covert operations to find, and help them start this civil war. Then what, from what I’ve read your uncle will use the military to crush any such rebellion,” Admiral Hayes replied. “If they are beaten than our one shot, as you’ve said, has been wasted.”
“No, there is still more to the plan,” Meia said, and now had gotten to the part which was the hardest part. “We invade with the military.”
“I just thought you said an invasion would only lead to more resistance against the Alliance,” Jack replied to Meia’s plan.
“Its obvious you have more planned than that,” Randy said speaking up on the subject and providing a calming presence in the room to Meia.
“Yes, I said we, not the Alliance,” Meia replied back to them seeing a few unsure looks. “The military would have to act as if it under my control, act and look like it was part of the Cimalian society and military structure. It means pilots would have to dye their hair, more structure in how the crew operates, everyone would be provided a class ranking as well.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Randy asked a bit of a stunned look on his face.
“Yes,” Meia replied. “We make it that I have my own military and have returned to claim what is rightfully mine.”
“I’m not sure I like replacing one dictator for another, even if she is an ally to us and I think many in the Senate will feel the same way,” Amy replied back to her. “We all know you’ve done so much in helping the alliance, but what prevents you from turning around and using this new power against us, or heading away into unknown parts of space?”
“I don’t leadership, I even shy away from command position as I don’t’ like them. I guess I didn’t like my commanders either growing up, most were mean, selfish and uncaring about the people under them. I grew up knowing what’s it’s like to be on the bottom and I don’t wish that on anyone,” Meia replied to Amy.
“All good and true, but how do we trust you?” Amy asked.
“Simple, I’m not really in command, I only look like I am,” Meia said logically. “I’ll still be under Randy’s command, and in John’s squadron, but act like an advisor. Any orders given can be made to look like it came from me. It’s not so much who is in command, but eh structure which is important.”
“And when you take control of the Cimalian Empire?” Amy asked.
That will depend more on what the people do. How will they accept me as the Empress than anything else we do. If we win, then I will enact a way to slowly dissolve the position of the Emperor, set up a council ruling by those who are elected, get rid of the caste system to name a few things. It won’t happen overnight, and there will be some who will resist the changes, and it might even take a few gen3erations,” Meia replied back to them honestly. “But a lasting peace can be forged here and now for the future.”
“You make it sound like we’re friends already,” Hayes said.
“There is so much to do between the empires to ensure a lasting peace, but peace might actually be the easiest thing to achieve,” Meia stated.
“Sounds like you want us to invest time and money into this,” Amy stated.
“Time, yes, money no. The Empire should be self-sufficient, as it has been for over three hundred years. If we become dependent on support from the Alliance it won’t go over well. There are generations of people who think of the Alliance as the enemy and would use such things as a way to undermine any change,” Meia said. “The Emperor’s used the Alliance to stage terror attacks to keep the people in line, or eliminate people who were a threat to that standard.”
“I think I see,” Amy finally said.
“What type of losses can we expect if we decide on your course of action,” another aide asked who Meia wasn’t familiar with.
“It all depends on the ships which are defending the planet. It could be very difficult, and a lot depends on what happens on the surface of the planet as well,” Randy said speaking up. “If Meia’s plan works our losses could be light, if not they could be severe. But is it any different than the other plans?”
Meia watched them all think about that for several seconds before someone else replied.
“Taking ships away for an offensive like this is risky, and we don’t know if they are planning another invasion or not,” the aide said. To Meia it sounded like he was thinking outloud.
“The latest reports are in,” Jack said activating a hologram of the planet. “As you can see, intel places approximately fifteen warships in and around the Cimalian capital planet. We know of two battle-cruiser sized warships, four cruisers, five destroyers, three scout ships and one larger ship which we were unable to identify.”
Meia watched the ship in question appear on the screen and had no knowledge of the ship either as she looked closer. She noticed the absence of missile launchers which were on the Yuliv class and caused so many problems. She noticed only one feature of the ship, four hangers on one side of the ship.
“Can you show the other side of the ship?” Meia asked not realizing she had interrupted a conversation she had been concentrating on the ship so much. She looked over at Randy but it was Jack who spoke up.
“Sorry, the Dragon only managed to capture this side of the warship, we have no other view. Did you see something, or know anything about it?” Jack asked her.
“No, nothing too much, but it lacks the missile launchers of the Yuliv class battle-cruisers, and it’s got four hangers on one side instead of the normal one or two,” Meia said thinking out loud.
“And?” Amy asked her lack of knowledge of such things obvious but still wanted to know.
“It’s a large ship, but not a battle-cruiser, or even a battleship with that many hanger,” Meia said as another thought, or a rumor came to her. “Of course, the carrier to carry the bomber.”
End part 3