The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion
by AJ Marks
Part 25
Dave made his way to the meeting point as Greg instructed. He wondered if the mysterious contact would even be there this time. He made his way on over and leaned up against the wall in a dark area looking around to make sure no one else was around. It seemed awfully quiet at the moment, even more so than usual.
“You’re late,” the voice said causing him to jump slightly not expecting her so soon.
“Been busy,” Dave finally replied to be greeted with a chuckle.
“Things are heating up quickly, we must move now,” the voice said to him.
“What?” Dave asked unsure about this.
“Meia’s little military has been spotted, you’ve run out of time,” the reply came back. “Now is the time to move.”
“We’re not even close to ready,” Dave said.
“Assault the palace only, that’s all that’s needed, and you have friends in the palace,” the reply came back.
“And how will we know whose friendly?” Dave asked.
“Simple, they will be wearing a blue armband,” the answer came back.
Dave thought about it for a few seconds wondering if he could actually believe this or not. It seemed to simple to him. “Won’t the Emperor notice?”
“He’s too focused on Meia right now, he doesn’t noticed it right now,” she replied.
“So, you’re saying some of the guards are already wanting change?”
“They know the truth about the emperor.”
Dave considered that, true if Meia was the true heir she was the rightful ruler. The guards were trained to be loyal to the emperor, or empress.
“So, will they know when we attack?” he asked.
“The best times are sunup and down,” the voice said. “That’s when most of the loyal troops are on duty, they will help out.”
“I’ll let the resistance know,” Dave said. “They wear a blue armband?”
“It represents Meia’s hair color, they are waiting to help out.”
“I hope so, cause if you say we’re out of time, we’re going to need all the help we can get,” Dave said.
“Then you better hurry, you need to attack tonight.”
Dave turned and headed back to the house to speak with Greg and hoped he could come up with something in such a short time.
*****
Meia sat down along with the rest of the command staff, and the other ship captains who had logged in from their ships. She spotted Yvette who was on the screen waiting to hear what the news was. Meia recalled her from her time on board the Akagi during the invasion even as Randy walked in and sat down to start the meeting.
“Thank you all for attenting, we need to discuss thing quickly,” Randy said to them. “We have a large problem that most of you know about, the Cimalians probably know where we are, and I just recently received word from our contact on Cimalius that the Emperor does know we’re here.”
Meia’s eyebrows rose at that bit of news, something she had not expected at all.
“It appears their contact in the palace gave them that bit of information, and that some of the guards are loyal to Meia, and that she is the true ruler.”
Meia still had a hard time believing that but stayed quiet at the moment listening to what else he had learned. She had time to make her unease known about this.
“We’ve planned a simple assault with General Porkins, with the main, and only objective being the palace and the Emperor. The fleet’s job is to prevent the military from helping in the battle and providing a path for the ground forces,” Randy said to them. “The shuttles will head on down, Meia will be flying her fighter down and be part of the lead group, we think if she heads down first they won’t expect that. They will be thinking she’ll head down in later shuttles or already be on the surface.”
With this a map appeared in the center of the room allowing everyone to look on.
“The battle-cruisers will set up a perimeter around the space above the planet, the troops arriving will help out the resistance and be under the command of Lieutenant Meia,” Randy said. “According to the information we have the Emperor is in this area of the palace, the resistance will try and capture these two points which we can land at and use as staging areas. Once those are secure its only a matter of time to find the Emperor.”
“What are we do to if we find him,” Frank Jorkins asked.
“Meia?” Randy said turning to her looking for the answer.
“Well,” Meia replied having to think quickly. “I doubt you’ll be able to take him alive, but if you can do so. He’ll need to stand trial for his deeds against the Empire.”
Meia understood the risk they took taking him alive, but had some ideas if she was to take over and he could be useful. She noticed Randy’s eyes held a look that he didn’t quite agree with her but said nothing else to counter her order.
“All right, now the Akagi will take up a position here,” Randy said as a spot lit up on the map. “The Warspite, Hood and Bismarck will take up position here, here, and here.”
Meia watched as Randy positioned the fleet to maximize the defensive abilities of the fleet. She knew the goal and despite what she said, her goal was to kill her uncle and lead the empire the way her father would have, or so she hoped.
*****
Jack rubbed his eyes before looking over at the clock. “No wonder I’m so tired,” he said to himself. “Ten till midnight, Mary’s going to kill me.”
He turned to activate the screen when Chad’s face appeared on the screen. The young lieutenant looked as tired as Jack felt.
“Chad, go home and get some rest,” Jack ordered the young man.
“Sir, this just appeared on the news,” Chad stated. Jack watched as the screen changed to a video of a report as the two senators who continued to hound Jack appeared on the screen talking to reporters about how the military had a fleet including two battel-cruisers ready to invade the Cimalian Empire.
“Hades,” Jack said getting back to Chad. “Get me Senator Amy Barnes.”
“Sir, that’s not all, “ Chad said, as he walked into the room and ended the conversation on the communicator, his face disappearing from the screen as Jack looked on. “We received word from the Strike Fleet that they’ve been spotted for sure.”
“Hades, this night keeps getting worse,” Jack said rubbing his temples from a headache which seemed to threaten to appear. “What’s their plans?”
“They are going ahead with the attack, in,” Chad looked down at the time, “in two hours.”
“Great, and we have two senators who are going to blow the entire thing. Well, nothing we can do about this now,” Jack said knowing he couldn’t recall the fleet now, not at this point.
“Sir, Amy Barnes is ready for you,” Chad said.
“Put her on,” he said as Amy’s face appeared.
“I take it you’ve seen,” Amy said right away.
“Yeah,” Jack replied drily. “They were the ones who kept digging and asking questions about the battle-cruisers. How did they, wait a second, the fleet was only sighted not long ago.”
“Are you thinking they are connected with the Cimalian Empire, that’s quite a charge,” Amy said.
“No, but how else could they know where the fleet was? It was sighted by a Cimalian ship, not anything from the Alliance,” Jack stated.
“Hang on, that gives me an idea, good thing I’ve already called a press conference as well,” Amy said as Jack winced. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”
The screen went black before he could say anything else. Deciding to contact Mary as he felt this night was far from over.
“Hey,” Jack said when Mary answered, she looked a bit sleepy.
“Hey soldier boy, something’s wrong isn’t there,” Mary replied before he said anything else.
“You could say that,” Jack replied back to her. “I’m going to be burning the midnight oil for sure tonight.”
“So, this is it then,” Mary said surprising him. “Everything’s to be decided in the next couple of hours.”
Jack didn’t say anything knowing his wife’s abilities for sometimes seeing the future, or at a least knowing when things were going to happen.
“I’ll see you when this is all over,” Mary said. “I love you”
“Love you too,” Jack said ending the conversation before looking up at Chad who was waiting.
“Sir?”
“Get everyone on duty, call them in, I have a feeling things are about to get worse,” Jack said. “Then order some coffee, tea, snacks to the command center and tell them I’ll be there shortly.”
He watched Chad nod before heading out of the office to carry out the orders. Jack stretched wondering just how this night would go, and how bad would it get.
*****
Greg looked over the group in front of him and considered the last communications from Meia which wasn’t good and neither had been the information Dave gave him. Now in his office was more people than he liked and had a feeling Liam knew something was going on. He had managed to keep his servant away from everything even as the group in front of him considered the situation as well.
“Are you sure about this?” one person asked. Greg wasn’t sure about the man but he no longer could be cautious.
“We have reliable information that the Emperor knows Meia is the true heir, daughter of Boris, and is worried about her taking the throne from him. That’s our mission, to get her into that position,” Greg said to him.
“Seems too quick for me,” another man said.
“Look, um,” Greg said, hoping to get the man’s name.
“Frank.”
“Frank, we don’t have time to organize anything else. We either go now with what we have or never. Which do you want?” Greg asked waiting for the answer from the man. He noticed he looked over at Ewa before replying.
“All right, I’ve made some bad choices lately, guess its time I actually do something,” Frank replied back.
“What are you proposing?” Terry asked turning the conversation to the situation.
“We need to move quickly, pick up anyone you can who might help and head to the palace,” Greg said picking up a map. “We’ll meet here, I have information that some of the guards are willing to join our side.”
“That worries me,” Terry said honestly. “Palace guards are extremely loyal to the emperor, why would they be willing to go against him?”
“The knowledge that Meia is the rightful ruler could be enough,” Dave said.
“Still, I think we should be cautious,” Terry replied.
“And I understand that caution, but when Meia and her forces arrive things will change very quickly,” Greg said.
“You think she has the forces to do this?” Frank asked.
“Yes I do,” Greg answered back.
“Look, the simple matter is it doesn’t matter what we do, help or watch, this is going to happen. Which side do you want to be on? I don’t like the idea of sitting on the side while someone else fights for a better life for us all,” Greg said to them. “Are we going to help or sit on the sidelines?”
He looked around for their reactions. Ewa appeared calm, Frank and Terry were nervous and a few others seemed ready to head out, like Dave. A few others looked scared but nodded they were with him.
“I suggest we get moving, can’t wait much longer,” Dave said.
“I have to agree, guess we go now,” Terry said.
“I’ll meet you all at the area, bring as many people as you can as quickly as possible,” Greg said. The group left the house and now he had one thing left to do. He went in search of his servant.
“Is there anything else you need sir?” Liam asked.
“No, take the rest of the day off Liam, tomorrow will be a new day,” Greg said to him even as he headed towards the door wondering what the morning would bring.
End part 25