Escape From Redeem, Rise of an Emperor

Earth: Presidential Palace, Geneva

The journey to the audience hall, had taken Defoe an eternity, after the explosion.

Black’s Elite Guard had insisted on taking the President to his underground bunker. He had refused their concerns. He was a leader above all, and wanted to be seen leading the response to this crisis. Defoe walked down the long isle that was flanked by the planets senators, who watched his impressive entrance. He wore his full Battle Dress, so he would appear strong in this hour of chaos.

The light reflected off his gleaming war plate that had seen its fair share of battles. Defoe liked to fight, and would always display his martial prowess when he could. Whether it was crushing a new cartel on Earth or subduing a potential rebellion on one of the many colonies. Defoe would take any opportunity to get stuck in personally. He was once cautioned by Black in this very hall once, for his brutality on a planet called Hydelon Prime. It had been glorious to butcher the rebellious force of colonists, who had sought independence from Earth. He remembered with pleasure, the rows of severed heads that had lined the streets of the planets capital.

Black had considered removing Defoe for this brutality. But a humiliation in front of an audience, much like this one, had been his punishment enough. The President knew and accepted that sometimes, you had to be cruel to rule. It had always come so naturally to Defoe to inflict the Earths judgments onto its enemies.

But Defoe had not forgotten his humiliation by Black and he would soon enjoy sitting in the commonly named Black Throne before him. He stood before the empty chair that was carved from a single piece of jet black granite, which was softened with cushions of the same colour. The murmuring in the cathedral like room, stopped immediately, as President Edward Black strode in with purpose, to sit in his grand audience chair. Flanked by two Elite Guardsmen, he sat and looked beyond the General to Kruger, who was now walking up the isle to join the General and give his report.

He stopped next to Defoe and they both looked straight ahead. They bowed and approached the President.

‘Well General; First Dorn’s disappearance, and now this. I hope you have some answers for this assembly.’

The General knew he would be summoned after the explosion. He now had the perfect scapegoat in the form of Master Kam. The Master Guardsman would now bear the blame for the murder of the Bruce family, and the explosion that had occurred, in the upper stories of the Palace.

‘Mr President, the information I have on this matter is quite conclusive, but also very sensitive. I recommend it would be best if it was heard, by your ears alone. Lieutenant Kruger has filled me in briefly on my way here. Frankly sir, I am quite shocked by his findings.’

Black had summoned the audience to the cathedral like Senate Assembly Hall, so all of Earths representatives, would be included in dealing with this crisis.

But what the General was hinting to was potentially a disaster for public relations, IF something damaging was said in their report.

The assembly hall was closed off to the general public and swept for listening devices, before any assembly took place. But that did not stop the leaks, of any damaging information escaping the many loose lipped Senators.

‘Very well, follow me to my private chambers.’ The three men ceremoniously, marched to a hidden door at the halls corner and then hurried through, leaving the hall of Senators to erupt into conversation about the crisis.

The Presidents private chamber was luxurious in every detail, with its flowing tapestries of ancient battles that hung from the high ceiling and portraits of some of earth’s greatest leaders. They all sat down. Kruger did not keep the President waiting to hear the dire news.

‘Mr President I have already informed the General with this information, on a secure channel. We believe the situation is over. You will be pleased to know that the perpetrator and the murderer of the Bruce family, is now dead. He is also no longer a threat to you.’

Black glared at Kruger, and seemed to burn into his very soul with the power of it.

‘Who is it Guy’?

Kruger had played the loyal servant since he had started at the Academy. All assumed he was a trustworthy and honourable warrior. But in reality, he had lied, cheated and engineered a swift rise to his current rank. Lying had always come easily to him, as he demonstrated the secret skill. It was easy to show mock regret, at the bitter news of a trusted battle brother’s betrayal.

‘With regret sir this horrendous act was carried out by Master Kam. He had tried to recruit me into his plan to over throw you. I led him to believe I would. He then told me of how he killed the Bruce’s and destroyed their bodies at an incinerator. The same incinerator recently burned to the ground.’

Black had not expected this. Of all the Elite Guard; Kam had seemed to have the most honour and integrity, out of his entire bodyguard. He even considered him once to be a potential Captain of the Guard. If it wasn’t for Dorn Bruce’s brilliance, he may well have been.

Kruger could see Black was taking the news badly. It was the first time since Master Tong that one of his own Guards went rouge. Kruger continued gently.

‘I tried to take him alive at our recent meeting. But he must have realised that his escape was blocked and detonated a destroyer grenade, taking his own life. I barely made it out alive myself sir.’

The lies spoken were smooth and seamless. Kruger lowered his head, so it would appear that he felt just as betrayed as Black.

‘I can’t believe he could have done this Guy. Why would he kill his best friend and attempt to kill me, the man who had given him so much?’

Kruger then described to Black the whole plot, of how Kam had been secretly bitter at not being appointed Captain. He had plotted to remove Dorn; his rival, who he had kept close. Kruger then told both Black and a shocked looking Defoe, of a grander plan, which was betraying the President and assassinating him, to create a tyrannical government under the Kam alone.

Defoe thanked Kruger for the bitter briefing and said.

‘Mr President I’m as shocked as you at this news. If there were any accomplices involved in this, then we will find and punish them.’

‘Thank you General.’

Black run his hand through his thick, dark curly hair. The weight of his office seemed to be getting to him, which was no surprise. He had invested so much into the Young Caleb. And to lose two Masters in this drama seemed too much for the man.

‘We live in sad time’s gentlemen when a man of Kams pedigree turns on us. I still can’t conceive this horror. I must confess I hoped beyond hope of Dorn and his family still being alive.’

Black said, standing and making his way to a tapestry that portrayed the last world war of Earth, in beautiful stitch work that had taken years to complete.

He then looked across to a work of art that he had commissioned personally, to commemorate the first century without major war. It was a statue of pure bronze of him, holding a large hammer over his cloaked shoulders. His other hand was held out and in its palm was the small globe of Earth. He had always told people that the statue had represented the rebuilding of the human race.

Black knew that the true meaning of the piece was that to sustain peace, you needed the power to crush your enemies, with a ruthlessness that had been unpalatable to him in recent years.

He grasped the bronze planet before him and knew what he had to do. His grip should tighten traitors would suffer the hammer of his office. Black needed a show of strength that would annihilate any co-conspirers. Dorn’s murder could not be avenged on his killer now, so he would have to make meaning of his death, by punishing all who dared challenge his authority.

‘Yes General. You will, find me anyone who has had any involvement. And you will bring them to me and the Senate in chains. Anyone suspected of treason shall pay, for risking our world’s eternal peace. Let it be known that Dorn and his family were killed in that explosion. We can’t let the people know of this treachery.’

’Yes sir. But what shall we say about Kam and his betrayal?

Black considered this briefly.

‘Tell everyone who knew about Dorn’s disappearance that they are sworn to secrecy.’

Black removed his tight grip, from around the bronze globe and looked at the finger marks that now dented the small planet. Super strength was another of the President’s secrets that Defoe had always marvelled at.

‘Tell the assembly that an attack was carried out by terrorists and the Bruce family were killed in the attack. Say also that Master Kam died in the explosion.’

’But Mr President should we not expose Kam as the traitor he was? Why lie?

Never before had Black been betrayed by someone as close as his own Master Guardsmen and to admit this to the people may raise questions as to why?

‘We do not need another scandal General, not one as close to home as this. Find and bring to me any accomplices, but cover this up for the sake of peace.’

‘It will be done sir.’

***

Solar System

The journey to the ship that Tristen had commandeered had been swift. It needed to be, to avoid detection.

The Sleek vessel Tristen had chosen was the EZT-11 Shadow. It was extremely manoeuvrable and fast. Its sub warp engines could dart around a system undetected. It was often used for hit and run or extraction missions that would sometimes arise, on one of Earth’s ever expanding colonies. Unfortunately the vessels warp engine was only capable of a modest speed. The designers of the craft felt that sacrificing speed and stealth in real space was worth it, compared to the bulky engine that would have enabled a shorter journey time, when travelling through Warp space. It would take roughly one standard year to reach Redeem. They could have taken a faster space craft, but this one also had advanced cloak technology that could avoid detection once they arrived at the planet. Stealth had now become their most important ally. They would need to arrive at Redeem un-noticed and the EZT-11 was perfect for missions just like this one.

All they longed for was to return to the betrayers den and launch an all-out attack on Kruger and Defoe. Even if it meant the price of that insane valour was their lives. But they were Guardsmen and that meant more than physical prowess, and shinning war plate. To become one of the Presidents Elite Guard, you also had to be adaptable and intelligent. For one day, you could be protecting the President or one of Earths many Senators. The next, you might be leading an infiltration mission, to take down a defection force on another world, in all the terrains that could be imagined.

Kam just hoped that Caleb was still alive and that their search would not be in vain.

Whilst in orbit they watched news reports showing Kam and the Dorn family’s demise. The reporter went on to say, how they had tried to diffuse a terrorist bomb unsuccessfully. They had covered this whole mess up perfectly. They also added that the Bruce family who were caught up in the explosion, along with Master Kam, were going to be given a full state funeral, for services to mankind.

‘So I am dead then. Well this at least buys us some time.’

Kam activated the thrusters to leave the solar system, where he would make the first warp jump to Redeem.

‘Why have they betrayed us Master? What do they want?’

Tristen had always found it hard to temper his feelings; he was young at eighteen but he was a big muscled young man from a mixture of good genetic stock and years of brutal training at the Academy.

Sometimes he found it hard to keep that temper in check. Master Kam allowed this slip of emotion in the current circumstances. He knew the answer to his own question but still felt it had to be asked.

‘I do not know the full extent Tristen, but I swear we will get to the bottom of this, and right this horrendous wrong. Stay in Battle dress until we jump to warp.’

‘Yes Master.’

The door to the flight control room hissed open. Both Guardsman turned, and went into an attack posture in one movement.

In the doorway stood a large warrior, clad in grey glossy armour from toe to helm. The doorway was over two metres high and just as wide. The figure staring down at them, encompassed most of the space with his immense form.

In his right hand he carried a double headed war axe, which most men would not be able to lift let alone fight with. He pointed the weapon at Kam, with an ease of a child’s toy.

As soon as he started speaking, Kam recognised the bass tones of the giant standing before them.

’It appears I have stowed away on a dead man’s ship. Tell me Master Kam. Why does a dead man flee on one of my vessels?