Dark Fate

  Book 25 – Political

  Prologue – Trade Chat

  (North American System Information Exchange Forum, formerly Community Building and Civil Defense Chat)

  abby_gail, bento, RainyDayze, GringottsGoblin, DoritoMan, D.VaLuvr69, Carion, RadicalEdward, FusionGal, NotACop, Scholar, RamblingWreck, Anonymous4, Anonymous6, RedShift, SevenNationArmy, DarkLord, BagOTrix, White_Queen, Faraday, BackpageGal, FullServiceMassage, daytrader, LinaLuv, Skippy, shadow_clone23, THE_MERCHANT, jenny8675309, Rabbit, Angelus and Tracker are in the chat.

  daytrader: So, whole bunch of ships just showed up at Ceres. Giving off Commonwealth Navy transponders. What gives?

  Skippy: I mean, Earth went and sent diplomats their way, and those diplomats probably had some arrangements to try and send goods home, or start trade deals. With the Incux around, a convoy was probably the smart call.

  shadow_clone23: I wonder what they’re trading for. I mean, they have to have resources and technology we don’t, right? What would they want from us?

  daytrader: Well, we do have System-regulated currency, now. That would probably be worth something, on its own. Just opening a new market for trade would give Commonwealth merchants a shot in the arm. On the other hand, anything we buy from them, we’ll probably still be needing to go through them for, since we won’t have manufacturing for them.

  White_Queen: It is not really a secret, but the former administration sent the US diplomats with orders to acquire consumer technology. Things like alien music players, hair dryers, and so on.

  NotACop: That seems… odd. Why go for something like that?

  Scholar: No, it makes perfect sense, if you think about reverse engineering. You find a power cell in an alien microwave that doesn’t need rare earth materials, or something that transforms ambient mana to electricity, and suddenly electric vehicles are a lot more viable than they were before.

  THE_MERCHANT: I can say that there are vehicles in the System Shop which do not require fuel, so long as there is ambient mana for them to charge with. However, they typically have performance limiters, so that they don’t drain the battery faster than it charges. To bypass the limiter, you need to supply more mana.

  abby_gail: The car company that solves that problem first is going to make bank. Probably would also work for reducing costs on rail, sea, and air travel, as well, assuming you don’t care about getting there as quickly as possible.

  FusionGal: If this is possible, why haven’t any of the car companies jumped on this?

  RamblingWreck: Because that’s a lot of R&D without having any idea of where to start. Getting examples of existing technology would cut out several layers of guesswork and expensive prototyping and iteration. That is not a small thing for any business, especially when the economy is still skittish with all the changes.

  Anonymous4: Ironically, the Russians might be the ones most interested in pushing public money into that research. With the Panama Canal closed to them, distribution of Russian goods to large parts of the world got massively more expensive.

  FullServiceMassage: I wonder what it would take for the Russians to get off of DarkLord’s naughty list?

  DarkLord: Oh, I told the Russian Ambassador this directly. Russia’s leaders will have to choose between their money, and their pride as men. In order to ensure that they have fully learned their lesson, the ban on Russian ships through Ceresan territory will continue until the new president, the legislature, and the fifty wealthiest men in Russia at the time of the decree complete one of two tasks.

  SevenNationArmy: I’m guessing these tasks are going to be something that they very much won’t like doing?

  DarkLord: Indeed. The first task would be for the men on the list to accept a [Slave Brand], with their wife or daughter being their new Mistress. The second would be to take a [Sex Change Potion], get impregnated by any demon, and carry the child to term, raising it as their own. Either will suffice, and the restrictions will remain in place until the entire list has completed one of the two.

  RadicalEdward: Woah. That’s evil, man.

  DarkLord: They sent a biological weapon of mass destruction without any warning or declaration of war. They are lucky that most of their government was not aware of what was happening, or maps would be getting redrawn, now. And this was still far more merciful than what I would have been well within my rights to demand.

  SevenNationArmy: Like what?

  DarkLord: Double the GP cost of the projected damages to the canal, Panama in general, shipping, loss of lives, and so forth, including the costs from the Juvenile Krakens that were born in the canal’s waters. That would also include both insurance claims and reconstruction costs. A conservative estimate says that they would be paying me roughly a third of their total GDP for the next decade to cover that tab. Assuming there wasn’t interest on the debt.

  DarkLord: And even that is merciful, compared to what some other Demon Lords would demand for such an assault. People need to realize that even the so-called superpowers of Earth are small potatoes now, compared to what is out there in the wider galaxy. Even Ceres is a little fish compared to some of the sharks out there.

  Scholar: Speaking of the wider galaxy, I don’t suppose you got any news about the Incux from the Commonwealth visitors? An omnicidal threat is something to keep watch on.

  DarkLord: There have been updates, yes. The Incux launched an assault on an agricultural world, probably to try and secure a new food supply, given how my forces have been destroying their cattle worlds.

  Rabbit: Cattle worlds?

  DarkLord: Worlds where they keep beings as barely sapient farm animals who worship their insect gods. Kept in their billions, waiting for the slaughter. At least my forces give them a quick death, rather than them being eaten alive.

  Rabbit: Oh, god.

  DarkLord: Yes, it is just like it sounds. It also led to a bit of a close call.

  RainyDayze: What do you mean?

  DarkLord: I gain XP when my forces destroy enemies on my orders. I went up several levels at once. While ‘entertaining’. Gaining almost two hundred points of STR in an instant while engaged in ‘strenuous activity’ has a lot of ways that it could go bad, very quickly, as you literally have to relearn your own strength.

  Anonymous6: Given that you said ‘close call’ instead of ‘unfortunate accident’, I’m assuming you managed?

  DarkLord: Well, one of the women I was in bed with has foresight abilities, and saw it coming. So, yes, an unfortunate accident was avoided.

  Scholar: So, what does that mean for the Incux threat?

  DarkLord: They’re on the back foot, for now. The Commonwealth has room to breathe, rebuild, and prepare for a counterattack, since the Incux are now overextended without reliable food supplies. The war isn’t over, but for the Commonwealth it just shifted from a slow march to inevitable defeat to the possibility that they might actually win.

  Carion: And what about Ceres?

  DarkLord: Well, I did just sign an agreement to sell them some Outlaws and reconnaissance craft. Should help with their attempt to push forward and retake some of the worlds that the Incux took from them during the war. And it lets me field test the new stealth fighter.

  White_Queen: Stealth fighter?

  DarkLord: Oh, don’t worry about that.

  White_Queen: Don’t give me that! What is this about a stealth figher?

  DarkLord has left the chat.

  Chapter 241 – Return

  (Main Bridge, CRN Mercurial, Sol System)

  Captain Griboyedov Ivan Tikhonovich breathed as the stitch-sickness finally fell away. Blinking his eyes clear, he called out to the room. “Time?”

  A half-groggy, half-nauseous voice answered him from the sensor station. “Stitch completed four minutes and thirty-three seconds ago. All ships reporting in, all systems green.”

  Griboyedov nodded once, slowly enough that it did not affect his own head, which was still recovering after the stitch. Just over four and a half minutes to get back to his senses. That number was higher than when they first set out to Ulora and the Commonwealth, back when he was only Tier 1, but not as high as the King’s recovery time. Which only served to show just how powerful the King was, even before he rose in Tiers.

  But that kind of musing could wait. He was in command of these ships, after all, so he better act like it. “All hands, secure from Stitch positions. Sensors, what do we have?”

  The Lieutenant at the sensor station looked up. “Captain, we are in Sol System, as projected. Fleet is currently holding steady at the L2 Lagrange point between Pluto and Charon. Picking up a CRN sensor installation on Charon. Automated IFF signals recognized. Naval Command, at least, knows we’re here, and who we are.”

  Griboyedov straightened up in his chair. “Comms, are we being hailed?”

  “Yes, Captain. Looks to be an automated message, welcoming us home and requesting communication when we emerge from stitch-shock.”

  “Open a channel, then.”

  “Connecting now, Captain.”

  The main screen flashed on, and the Ceresan Royal Navy logo was quickly replaced by Fleet Admiral Andrei Jordan, the head of the Ceresan Navy (after the King, naturally). Behind him, it looked like the command center of the Ceresan Royal Navy was going about business as usual. No signs of crisis, then.

  “Ah, Captain Griboyedov. It is good to see you and your squadron back. Emperor Greene was saying that you’d finished your last strike just u
nder a week ago, so we’ve been expecting you.”

  Griboyedov blinked, but rallied quickly. “It is good to be back, Admiral. But what is this about the King being an Emperor now? And he was expecting us?”

  Jordan laughed lightly, and said, “Well, he is still King of Ceres, but much like how the reigning monarch in Great Britain is King of England, while also being sovereign of the British Empire. Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia have all petitioned to join with the Kingdom of Ceres, forming the Ceresan Empire. There was a spot of bother with a Giant Kraken that was set on the canal by Russian intelligence operatives, but the Emperor took care of it, along with his companions.”

  “Ебать!” Griboyedov cursed, without thinking. Then, realizing he was still on the line with the Admiral, he coughed once, and said, “Excuse me, Admiral. Does Moskva still stand?”

  Jordan chuckled. “Perfectly reasonable reaction, Captain. And yes, Moscow is untouched, though the Emperor had the President, along with the intelligence branch responsible, captured and brought to Ceres for trial by combat. Which he conducted personally. With that, he declared the matter resolved, though Russian ships are still barred from Ceresan territory, including the Panama Canal.”

  Griboyedov cradled his head in his hands. “Well, at least it wasn’t the worst-case scenario. Still, what could have possessed them to do something so foolish?”

  “To their credit, they did try to hide who was behind the attack. They simply weren’t aware that the System Shop keeps records of items sold between star systems. Or that those records can be searched, for a fee. Once the Emperor broadcast the information, there were few people jumping to Russia’s defense. Televising the ‘trial’ made certain that no one wished to get involved.

  “As for why they decided to strike? It seems that they were concerned that Ceres gaining control over the Panama Canal would give Emperor Greene too much influence over Earth’s economy. Considering that Russia’s economy has been badly hurt by its ships not being allowed through the canal, I can’t say that they were wrong, but the way they went about things was profoundly stupid.”

  “Пиздец. Well, there’s no use closing the gate after the cattle have already escaped, I guess. But you said that the Emperor was expecting us? We haven’t sent any communiques ahead, even through the System Shop. And we did not stop by one of the Commonwealth bases on our way back.”

  “One of the Emperor’s skills, [Mutual Might], granted your entire squadron an extra 10% experience gain, yes? Well, part of the skill gives him a portion of the XP you earn, in addition to titles like Admiral or King applying to you. Emperor, as well, now, though it apparently did not apply to you because you left the system before the Empire was declared.”

  “Ah, then, when we hit each of our targets?”

  “The Emperor got a great deal of XP as a lump sum, yes. As a note, he is now a Tier 3.”

  “A mere couple years after the System turned on? That kind of leveling speed cannot be normal. Though I guess I shouldn’t complain, since there isn’t anyone in the squadron who isn’t well into Tier 2, by this point.”

  “We expected as much, to be honest. Fortunately, the Emperor has confirmed that, barring emergencies, your entire squadron is due some time off for rest and recovery. Also, there will be mandated sessions with the counselors for everyone.”

  “I would have asked for it, regardless,” Griboyedov nodded. “While the task was necessary, and we were certainly giving those souls a cleaner end than they would have otherwise had, someone who could do as we did, and not be affected by it is someone to keep a very close watch on. Preferably in a location far from any weapons. Certainly not someone you would want having access to military hardware.”

  “Just so,” Admiral Jordan nodded. “However, I will give you a bit of a heads up. There’s going to be some restructuring of the Fleet, now that recruitment has plateaued to a steady rate. Building more ships than we can crew is foolhardy, after all. Once Home Fleet is filled out, Third Fleet will be getting more ships added to the order of battle. As part of this, you’ll probably have some ships and crew members shuffled around so that we have a cohort of blooded veterans to take the new blood in hand.”

  “Understood, Admiral. I’ll put word out through the squadron, see if we don’t round up some volunteers, before people start getting voluntold.”

  “Which brings me to my next order of business,” Jordan said with a smile. “Captain Griboyedov, there will be a formal announcement later on, as well as a ceremony, but I can tell you that the Emperor has already signed off on this. When you return to Ceres, you’ll be getting a promotion to Rear Admiral, and formal command of Third Fleet as a whole. You were given a monstrous task, and you not only completed it, but I see that your ships have all returned with you. I’d say that you earned this. But, speaking of the squadron, how bad was it? Any casualties?”

  “Invader took a heavy hit during the first raid, before we learned to identify the Incux Surface-to-Space defensive sites from orbital scans. Damage repaired at the Commonwealth’s Halafarin Station. Other ships received some damage during subsequent engagements, but all of it relatively minor. As far as casualties, twelve dead across the fleet, with ninety-seven wounded. We also lost two of Angel Squadron’s fighters, but recovered the pilots, and most of Cinder Squadron is going to need a full teardown and rebuild of the hyperspace engines, from what I’ve been told. Rapid jumps are great for hit-and-run tactics, but hell on the machines.”

  “Machines can be replaced easier than people. We’ll get all captains, seconds, and squadron leaders together for a comprehensive debrief and after-action review. Bring in the boffins, as well, so we can figure out what needs changing, and how to do it. For now, System Control will send you course information so you can get your people that much-needed time off. Communications restrictions for personal messages are lifted, with the normal caveats for classified or operational material. However, be advised, we have guests from both the Ouran and the Commonwealth in system, so public message restrictions are still in place.”

  “Understood, Admiral. We’ll play nice.”

  “Never doubted it. Welcome back, Mercurial. Admiralty out.”

  (Pilot’s Lounge, CRN Mercurial, Sol System)

  “This is the Captain. We have received word from Command that personal message restrictions are now lifted. Communication restrictions on classified or operational material remain in place. There are Ouran and Commonwealth friendlies in system, so public message restrictions remain in place. We are currently en route to Ceres, with an ETA of twelve hours. Captain out.”

  That got a general cheer from everyone in the cantina. Critter excused himself, so he could go send a long-awaited message to his wife. And several others got up and headed out, as well. All those who had family and friends to talk to after a few months away.

  Heretic nudged Goddess with her elbow. “Now that we’ve had a drink to knock back the stitch-shock, we should probably go check in with Master, yes? Your room or mine?”

  Goddess considered for a moment, and then said, “Better make it mine. Hentai will be ‘celebrating’ with the Flight Boss in his quarters. Probably with Mystic, as well, which means that the closest rooms will be empty, right now. I expect they’ll be asking for a ‘change of status’ after we get back.”

  “Oh?” Heretic grinned. “They getting collars, like we did? Or is the Flight Boss going to celebrate being a Master Vampire now that he’s Tier 2 by turning them into his brides?”

  “Mix of both, from what I’ve heard during gossip sessions. Hentai is all on board with being the Flight Boss’s sexy sex slave and blood bag, but Mystic is definitely interested in becoming a creature of the night, and the different benefits that would offer her. And neither of them mind sharing their man, so long as there aren’t any secrets.”

  Heretic chuckled as she stood up from the table. “Well, I guess we can’t really complain, since we’re the first ones who got dicked down so good that we signed our lives away to our Master. Probably set a bad example for our squadrons, with that.”

  Goddess grinned as she looped her arm around the Apocalypse Succubus’s waist as they walked back to her quarters, and said, “Well, at least we have Critter to be a good example to them all, then. But soon enough we’ll be back on Ceres, and able to remind ourselves why we begged our Master to brand us.”