ALTERNATE
TALES OF THE STAR FORCE
STAR BLAZERS---A STRANGE INTERLUDE…
Being the fifth part of THE
NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz
This Act is being completed with the
Cooperation and Assistance of Derek A.C. Wakefield (as usual)---Freddo
ACT SIX: THE MELEZART
CONFERENCE
I. PREPARATIONS
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Planet Melezart
Derek and Nova
Wildstar’s Villa
Thursday, October 16,
2206
0700 Hours: Earthtime
Commodore
Wildstar awoke the next morning (after a wonderful night with Nova) to find her
side of the bed empty.
Confused,
and feeling a bit scared for her, he got up, pulled on a pair of gym shorts and
an undershirt, and he walked around the villa calling Nova’s name.
“In
here, Derek!” she said.
Derek
stuck his head into a side room to find Nova sitting there in a halter top and
shorts. A window was slightly open, and a warm breeze blew in as Nova sat at a
desk under a bright worklight. She was taking apart the dagger she had taken
from the reception the previous night with fine tools with a jeweler’s
magnifying glass in one of her eyes.
“Derek,
did you know this thing is a syringe?”
“A
syringe?” replied the befuddled Commodore.
“You’re
going to need some of my coffee before you get back to the ship. And
breakfast,” said Nova. “I can oblige with both-they’ve left us food. I need to
leave an hour early to report my findings to the President and to Desslok.
Maybe we should call off this stupid conference.”
“Why?”
“They
are playing very dirty. This dagger was designed to inject some kind of poison
into its victim. I think they were trying to kill us last night, Derek. And I
would not put it past them to try it again.”
“Why
call off the conference?”
“Why
negotiate with treacherous snakes who want to kill you?” hissed Nova. “And that Invidia? Do you believe the nerve of that woman, trying to make advances upon me? I believe if
people want to….go that way, that is their business, but please, don’t force it
down my throat! That woman is sick!”
“I’d
never bow down to her if that’s the price of peace, either. If that’s the way
she feels, and if they are so arrogant, let us fight it out on the
battlefield,” snapped Derek. “They started this. And if Desslok can take over
that rat’s nest of that
“Now,
you see what I mean,” said Nova with a smile.
The
phone rang again. Derek picked up and listened. Finally, he handed it to Nova.
“Desslok,” he said.
“Good
morning; ready for the conference? Or, ready to watch our backs?” said Nova.
“Maybe we should call it off and tell Invidia where to shove her conference.”
“Hmmm…strong language from you, Nova? But it is
fitting. I have been inclined to agree, but Astrena talked me out of it.”
“Why?”
said Nova. “Desslok, I discovered what that dagger was…these things are made to
inject poison! They were just out to kill us last night! They’ll probably say the had the daggers to defend themselves, but you don’t
defend yoursef with a poisoned dagger!”
“My
technicians also found the same,” said Desslok. “I have already lodged a
protest with the Cometines. A message came back that this matter would be
considered at the conference. I will tell them what I think at the conference.
So will the others. Incidentially, Lord Cha’rif told them that he will withdraw
from the conference as a protest if this matter is not resolved. While I do not
like the idea, since it may fracture our united front, I do not disagree with
the man. Especially since one of them also tried to openly kill his wife last
night…”
“What?” cried Nova.
“The
Laady Mikala was walking by herself down a beach not far from the city watching
the stars in the evening when two men in black clothing assaulted her. She
escaped only because she knows how to fight and has some of her husband’s
psi-abilities. She killed one of the men. He turned out to be green. She also
reported finding circumstantial evidence that another couple had been at that
same beach earlier that night, and that they were being stalked by the
enemy…but got away just in time by boat…”
“My
God,” said Nova as the thought that their intimate rendezvous the previous
night was possibly being watched hit her. It made her feel sick. “I’m talking
with the President later. As far as I’m concerned, maybe we should withdraw
from the conference.”
“Maybe
we should,” said Derek. “Especially since I’m scared for you being there…”
“
“I
hope so,” said Commodore Wildstar. “Nova, I hate the thought of not being there
with you…”
“I
know,” said Nova. “I’ll see what the President has to say about this…” Nova
looked down at herself. “I’d better put on some more clothes soon, too. I don’t
want to be seen talking with the President of Earth dressed like this. I’ve got to get my uniform on…”
“Makes
sense,” said Derek. He stroked her hair for a moment. “I like seeing you like
that…though…Mom…”
Nova
smiled. “Thanks..Dad…”
Later
that morning, Nova sat in her Star Force shipboard uniform, boots and peacoat
in her cabin on the
“I
asked Desslok to confront them already. He spoke with a General Austereatz from
their side this morning, sir, when the Gamilon Empire lodged a formal protest
on behalf of Rikasha.”
“And?”
Nova
sighed. “The Cometines told Desslok that the assassination attempt on the Lady
Mikala of Rikasha was part of a rebellion by “uncontrolled elements” in the
Empire who are being punished for it.”
“How
are they explaining the daggers that Invidia and Dyre had, Lieutenant Commander
Wildstar?” asked the President.
“They
said they carry them for self-defense….but do they have to be poisoned knives?”
“Wildstar,
you will explain to Desslok that you will not meet again and negotiate with
them again unless your safety can be guaranteed by another party, such as, say
the Melezartians.“
“Thank
you, sir,” said Nova. “I think the others are coming to that conclusion, as
well. I’ll make sure the Gamilons tell the Cometines where we stand…”
In the meantime, Stovall sat alone
in a park in Sterlent after breakfast. He had managed to steal away to
“meditate”…but his quiet time was really a talk with the malign ghost he had
been keeping company with lately.
“I say, Lord, we should help the
Cometines and kill them now,” said Stovall as he stroked the Crystal Sphere.
“Patience, child,” said Ekogaru in
his mind. “I am having too much fun observing both sides of the coin, so to
speak, in this war. I am not on anyone’s side, even though R’Khell is allied to
the Cometines as a matter of mere conveniece. As I told you on Earth…wait until
the time is right. Then let me act. I can create more chaos than you would
think.”
“And what would we do in the
chaos?”
“Laugh, Michael, as everyone’s
house of cards comes crumbling down on their heads…and we wait in the Chaos for
me to show myself openly again.”
“You said you wouldn’t make me do
that yet?” whispered Stovall as he trembled.
“Did I not promise you eternal
life?” whispered the Dark Lord. “Letting me have your body when the time is
right is just a step in that greater good. And I would make sure you lived on
in a new body.”
“Would you?”
Ekogaru chuckled at that.
1120 Hours, Earthtime…
”What?” hissed General Dyre as he read
the note that General Talan had handed him in the empty meeting room in the
Great Hall of the People on Melezart. “Does this explain why the others have
not arrived yet?”
“You
caused the danger, I am sure,” said Talan. “We will not accept any deliberate
attempt on your part to humiliate or harm Emperor Desslok. And, as you will
see, neither will the others accept any attempt to harm or humiliate Lord
Cha’rif, Lieutenant Commander Wildstar, Empress Astrena, Princess Astra, or Concillor Janlits. This official
protest was signed by all of the
“This
is a grave insult, Talan,” hissed Dyre. “You always were the arrogant one, but
this reaches a new low.”
“We
are more insulted by your attempts to
kill one of our representatives and two honored heroes of Earth and Rikasha
last night.”
“I
did not lay hands on that pregnant woman from Earth!” snapped Dyre. “Not even I
would do that! What do you think I am,
Gamilon?”
“Then
why did she take a dagger from you?” retorted Talan. “And a Cometine dagger? The Earthlings
have their shortcomings, but I know they cannot duplicate your technology.
Desslok had one of the daggers dismantled aboard the Farushar earlier, and we proved it was your handiwork. The
Earthlings confirmed that.”
“All
right…Invidia ordered me to do it,” said Dyre as he sweated.”You are in a
similar position to my own, Talan. You know that we must follow orders. I
understand Desslok is no more forgiving than Invidia in those regards.”
“Do
not sully the name of Leader Desslok by mentioning him in that context again!”
yelled Talan as he made a fist. “Those are our demands. We have most of the
Cometine security replaced by Melezartian security, and no one is permitted to
bring any weapons into the conference except security personnel. If those
conditions are not met, we end the conference now.”
“You
realize that also ends the truce,” said Dyre.
“Why
should we be afraid of that?” said Talan.
“If
I were in your boots, Talan,” said Dyre as he wiped sweat off his brow, “I
would be very afraid. I will consult
with Invidia, and see what she thinks of this…demand.”
At
that, Dyre left.
So
did Talan.
In
an anter-room, the other representatives waited, along with
“What
do you think?” said Nova.
“It
sounds reasonable,” said Deke. “I almost wish that they’d just wash their hands
of this so we can have a good old straight fight.”
“That
isn’t very progressive,” said Astra.
“No,
but it makes a lot more sense than wondering if they’ll keep their treaty or
not,” said Deke.
“Astra,
after last night…I do not trust them at all,” said Nova as she straightened
some of the campaign and medal ribbons on her navy blue and red peacoat. “You
mean to say you cannot pick up their duplicity?”
Astra
was about to answer when Talan came into the room. Desslok looked at him with
eyes that burned like coals. “What did they say?” said Desslok.
Talan
replied, “They said that they have to ‘consult’ with Invidia. I do not know
what they are planning.”
“If
they do not accept our terms, we leave,” said Desslok as he clasped his hands
together. “I don’t particularly care
about how many of them we will have to exterminate afterwards in the battle.”
Desslok laughed in a cool chuckle that chilled Deke. However, a moment later,
he had to admit the Gamilon bastard had some style when he brushed his gloved
fingers against the tabletop and said, “As far as I am concerned, those men and
women are vermin. Does not one
usually exterminate vermin that
infest their home?”
“Interesting,
considering that you once considered us to be vermin that infested your new
home, Desslok,” said Nova as Deke took in a deep breath. She told me I’d risk being shot for back-talk to him?
Desslok
laughed that maddening, low laugh again. “Oh, yes, Nova. Thank you for
reminding me. I changed my mind about you and your Terran compatriots after
that meeting on the Gamilstadt almost
five years ago. But, the Cometines truly are vermin. Never did you Earthlings
seek to plunder and conquer worlds for no good reason other than to make
yourselves richer on the back of others. We Gamilons use the resources of other
worlds, but we give back peace, security, protection, and prosperity in return.
I see no good in Invidia and her sort at…”
The
room went silent when General Dyre came in.
“The
Princess has made her decision,” said Dyre. “Desslok, Talan, she awaits your
pleasure inside. Please come in.”
Desslok
shook his head. “Not without a witness from the others. If she says something
to me, she can say it to at least one of the others.”
Dyre
nodded. “We choose the Earthlings. Let Nova Wildstar, Deke Wakefield, and
Michael Stovall come in with you. The Princess will address all of you.”
Nova
and Deke looked at each other, nodding as Deke quietly made sure he could draw
his Astro-Automatic. Even Stovall made sure his weapon was free as he glanced
at Nova and took a place at her left while
With
Talan walking beside Desslok, they went in to meet Invidia.
Desslok
sneered slightly when he saw that Invidia had ordered a portable throne set up
at the edge of the large conference room.
Gorse
came in and saluted, stating, “Princess, the fleet is ready, regardless of
whatever transpires here.”
Invidia
nodded. “Thank you, General. Desslok, Talan, Nova….I have considered your
position, and have decided, for our own reasons, to accept your request for the
sake of continuing with the negotiations.” Invidia gestured wth her hand.
“Three-quarters of the guards in here are now Melezartians, and I agree not to
bring in any more weapons.”
“Why
did you bring in the daggers to begin with?” asked Desslok.
Deke
was not impressed by Invidia’s haughty voice and strange accent when she
replied, “They were to protect ourselves from you, and from the Earthlings. We
all know Earthlings are barbarians. And I know damn well that you held a gun on
me once, Desslok, you ever-so-noble Leader! But, for the sake of your paranoia,
we will agree to disarm ourselves.”
“Civilized
peoples usually do not try to kill women,” said Nova with a polite nod of her
head. “Nor do they attack women walking on the beach at night watching the
stars.”
“You
be quiet!” snapped Invidia as she pointed arrogantly
at Nova with her usual pointer. “I did not ask your opinion!”
“Where
I come from,” said Nova. “It is usual to be courteous to envoys, Your
Highness.”
“I will
say this for Earthlings,” said Talan. “They do not take well to diktats, Princess! You would do well to
remember that.”
Then,
to Deke’s surprise, after standing in thought, Desslok walked towards Nova. “Do
you accept that we should go on?”
Nova
stood in silence for a moment, staring at the deck. Then, she said, “I accept
it…if you do.”
Desslok
responded with a nod. Then, he shook hands with Dyre. “I’m glad you could see
reason.”
“Good,”
said Dyre with a laugh. “Talan, please tell the others they can come in. Let’s
get started. Gorse, Austereatz, show them to their seats. Then, we’ll get
started.”
Desslok
and Nova sat down at the large round table, followed by
Finally,
Janlits stood up and said, “As President of the
Invidia
nodded back. “We are glad to be here, Janlits. For the sake of peace, we will
negotiate, even though some of those here are criminals, cut-throats, and
brigands. Perhaps we can make you enemies of the Comet Empire into friends.”
Over my dead body, thought
Deke as he drew in a deep breath.
At
that, Invidia began to talk.
Eight Hours Later….
A
very relieved Commodore Wildstar met Nova back aboard the Argo in the Captain’s Quarters when she came back aboard. “How did
it go?”
“Awful,”
said Nova as she pulled off her boots to relax. “Invidia spent most of the time
treating us with contempt. She listened to the first three points of our
proposals, but then she responded how we were best fit to be slaves of theirs
and how Cometines were superior to everyone else and how we should drop our
defenses and enjoy the protection of their Empire. When I report to the
President later, he won’t like it.”
“What
did she say she’d do if we insisted upon our sovereignity?”
“They
would be forced to attack, and in greater numbers,” said Nova. “Why do I have
the feeling they are stalling? Stalling for what?”
“Time? Time so they can bring in more
forces?” said Derek.
“Maybe,”
said Nova thoughtfully. “I asked the President, you know,
if we could stop negotiating, and he said “no.”
“So
what will you do, Nova?”
“Tomorrow,
I’ll continue by presenting the points I helped them lay out,” said Nova. She
also dabbed at her outfit. “And I’ll wear a skirt again. I never guessed it
could get so hot in there! Whew!”
Derek
laughed as he kissed his wife again. Then, she pulled on her boots and said,
“I’ll need the Argo’s Communications
Room to call the Megalopolis.”
“Of
course,” said Derek.
II. THE SECOND DAY
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Planet Melezart
The Great Hall of the
People
Friday, October 17, 2206
1148 Hours: Earthtime
On
the second day of the conference, Nova, who had been elected as the
Astra
noticed with particular discomfort that a Cometine media crew of some kind was
filming (or broadcasting) the conference with cameras of some type, and that
they sat under bright lights today. She wondered how Invidia was using this
coverage for propaganda in her House.
“We
do not desire dominion over the Comet Empire, nor do we desire to humiliate you
or have any sort of revenge.” She glanced at Desslok and said, “It would be our
perfect right to demand revenge because you have harmed us and have killed
millions upon millions on our side on our worlds due to your war of
aggression.”
“We
are fighting you because you are rebelling against us,” hissed Invidia. “You
have also caused the deaths of many people from our race. If you had
surrendered and accepted the protection of the Comet Empire five years ago,
this never would have happened! Why cry about war, Earthling? You brought it
upon yourselves!”
“You
could have accepted defeat and left us alone, and none of this would have happened,” retorted Nova.
Desslok
laughed. “It appears, Princess Invidia, that we are at
an impasse.”
“If
we are, it is your fault,” hissed
Invidia.
“Your
war against us, in particular, was utterly unprovoked,” said Cha’rif. “Rikasha
never had any dealings with your Empire.”
“No,
I will say that,” said Dyre.
“I
do not care,” said Invidia. “You and your proposals are laughable.”
“Princess,”
said Nova after taking a deep breath and tensing herself up so much that Deke
could see her teeth clenching, and her fingers gripping the edge of the table,
and her sandal-clad toes gripping the floor before she regained her calm.
Invidia
looked at her generals and glared at Nova in hateful silence. “All right. We will consider it.”
“Do
you need time to consider things now?”
“What
we need time to do is to think about your proposals,” said Invidia. “We have
talked enough for today. We shall meet again at 0900 Earthtime tomorrow. Then,
we shall give you our answer.”
“And,
perhaps,” said Desslok. “Perhaps we shall have counter-proposals to give you at
that time, as well.”
“Perhaps,”
said Gorse as he rose with the Cometine delegation and turned his back to them.
Then, they left, followed by their guards, and even followed by their media
crew, who turned off their lights, packed up their cameras, and left.
“What
do you think of that?” said Nova as she looked at the others.
“Verrantz!” yelled Cha’rif as he banged
the table. “For those not conversant with the R’Khesh tongue, the word is
translated roughly as ‘scum-masters’.”
“I
assume you mean the Cometines,” said Astrena as Astra sat in silence, looking
as if she was about to cry.
“I
mean them,” said Cha’rif. “I can pick up sneering, laughing, gloating thoughts
in their minds. That sickening band is up to something. Desslok, I strongly advise you to have your fleet on
full alert tomorrow. I think we shall be in for some fighting.”
Desslok
sat in silence. “I agree with your idea, Cha’rif. Nova?
Can you have Commodore Wildstar take off in the Argo at dawn, accompanied by the
“That’s
a good idea,” said Nova. “I can certainly have him do that…but will it arouse
their suspicions?”
A
moment later, General Fraken of Gamilon bowed and entered the room. “I have
seen the Cometines leaving the hall, Leader Desslok,” he said. “My squadron has
also noticed that fifteen more Cometine space battleships have joined their
fleet…in just the past hour. The Eritz
Gatlantis now has a larger fleet around her.”
“Fraken,
speak to Talan as soon as possible. Tell him to order in the Fourth Carrier
Group and the Twenty-Sixth Battle Group from the Kolg Battle Area. I want the
Twenty-Sixth because I want the first of the new Garuman-design ships out there
on line. I want you to assume command of the Fourth Carrier Group. General
Dagon will do well with the Twenty-Sixth.”
“Yessir,”
said Fraken as he saluted, bowed, and left with a swish of his cape.
Astra
was crying a moment later. “What is the problem?” said Desslok.
“We
were about to have peace, when this began to happen…Desslok…why must it always
be war? Mother was right; you are an
uncivilized bully!”
“It
is not I who is plotting to attack,” said Desslok as he stood and put his hands
on the Iscandarian’s shoulders. “They are.” He stood in silence for a moment.
“I would love to suggest an attack now, when they would, perhaps, least expect
it…but, I would also like to see how Invidia responds to my proposal.”
“Astra,
even we are taking action to defend
ourselves,” said Nova as she stood up, followed by
Nova, unlike this peacenik from
Iscandar, you’re a realist, thought
Deke.
III. RADNAR’S REACTION
Deep Space: The Edge of
the Andromeda Galaxy
Radnar’s Fleet Flagship
The Cometine Dreadnought
Purification
Friday, October 17, 2206
1510 Hours: Earthtime
“
“Good,”
said the bearded religious fanatic. “May Arishna be praised.
Interesting that Invidia again allows some priests and priestesses free reign
in her fleet. She considers us beneath contempt. She is not as wise as her
atheistic father, I will grant you that.”
“What
about the Earthlings?” said Tendor.
“The
matter of whether we let Earth live or sacrifice it to Arishna is secondary,
right now, to the matter of punishing Invidia for her lese majeste to the Grand Emperor, her refusal to obey orders, and
her blasphemy to Arishna,” Radnar said as he scratched his beard. “I had even
thought of capturing the Argo after
the holy war with Invidia is over and using her wave motion gun to wipe out
their Tokyo Megalopolis. Too bad that damned Gernitz got to
“Interesting
plans…,” mused Tendor.
“The
goddess provides,” said Radnar as
“Lord,
I am about to send you a video taken today and transmitted through the HoloNet
by Invidia. It is a video of clips from the peace conference. Read the notes I
appended therein, Lord. You might find them interesting.”
“Interesting?”
said Radnar.
“I
have learned much to our advantage,” said
“Gamilons?” hissed Radnar. “You mean the
nasty little blue muck-rakers?”
“Yes.
I have spies in their ranks. We’ve stolen a little bit of information that I am
providing to you. It is a message from the past that might help us.”
“I
do not think much of Desslok, but….he does have a deep hatred for Invidia,”
said Radnar in a meditative fashion. “I met the insane little blue lad briefly
before Zordar exiled me. Atheistic and heretical, but a bloodthirsty fellow, he
was. I hear tell he is somehow using Earth’s Star Force for his own ends. I
wonder how he accomplished that? As Zordar said, “here is a most unusual man…””
“Listen
to the material from the Conference, first. A Cometine interpreter of ours was
speaking in our language over the Earth woman to “translate” the words. False translation. Usual tactic. Of
course, what the interpreter is saying is made-up propaganda. Read the woman’s
lips. What she really said was much
more interesting…” said
“I
will listen,” said Radnar. “Transmit.”
A
while later, Radnar sipped some liquor as he sat with Tendor in the anter-room
of his suite on the Purififcation. “Now,
this is the usual,” he said to Tendor in their own tongue. “They picked a woman
who sounds like that Terran, Nova-Whatshername and they spoke over her and put
words in her mouth. Listen to this…”
Radnar
let the video play and the dubbed Cometine voice on the soundtrack that spoke
over Nova’s actual English said, in Cometine, “We cannot be reasonable,” said “Nova” in the voice of the
interpreter in Cometine. “You read our
proposal, didn’t you, fool? In return for centuries of reparations paid to us
to repair our worlds and to extract our lump of flesh from your backs, we offer
you the right to live. You will become slaves of Desslok, whom we have agreed
to kneel to because of his greatness, for a century under a one-hundred year
pact, and trade, currency exchange and exchange of slaves will proceed on our
terms. Won’t you consider it? Do that and we may let you live…”
“Sounds
badly scripted,” said Tendor with a chuckle. “Invidia needs better writers.”
“It
is meant to fool the lower-ranking military drones, commoners, subjects, and
slaves of House Gatlantis’ worlds, of course,” said Radnar. “Listen to this
commentator…”
A
male Cometine announcer then said, “For
two days, our noble Princess Invidia has had to sit listening to this arrogant
garbage from the so-called Galactic
A
shot of the inside of a Terran cathedral showed on the screen next, and the
Cometine announcer continued with, “As
you see, the deluded Earthlings pray to some god made of stone who is hanging
on a bloody execution implement. In the most popular religion on Earth, to my
knowledge, the Earthlings wear that barbaric execution implement around their
necks. In their second-most popular faith, they believe in some mad
warrior-prophet who said that the infidel has to be slain, and in another one
of their popular faiths, they worship dirty, smelly animals and guard sacred
cows while refusing to eat them! Idiots! The Earthlings have no culture. They
are a bizarre race who will do better under our guidance. Their scientfic
skills are great, but they need the guiding hand of discipline to make
something useful out of them. Deluded idiots! I almost feel sorry for them.”
“Stop,”
said Radnar as the film stopped in freeze-frame. “You’ve seen the usual
news-holos they put out. However, I did some post-production and figured out
what the Terran woman was really saying. Here is her voice, speaking her native
Terran, which Zordar had us learn for the conquest and administration of these
primitives. As you will find out, they are more subtle than we thought; or than
Invidia gives them credit for. Computer, reverse, remove first soundtrack
layer, play original unprocessed audio layer from Frame 970 with repeat of
video. Proceed.”
Tendor
sat in shock as he heard Nova’s real voice speaking and she said, ““Be reasonable. You read our proposal. In
return for reasonable reparations paid to us to repair our worlds, we offer you
a one-hundred year mutual non-aggression pact, trade, currency exchange,
verification of each other’s offensive space fleets, even the right for you to
maintain listening posts at the edge of the Milky Way if you allow us to
maintain a listening post here on Melezart and perhaps other listening posts to
observe your domains in the Andromeda region. We ask only that you respect our
territorial integrity and return to Rikasha and Gamilon the worlds and
territory your people plundered from them. If you really want peace, I am sure
that is not an outrageous set of demands. It is called détente, Princess. It is
an honorable peace. Won’t you consider it?”
“STOP!”
barked Radnar. The video stopped.
“The
girl really said that?” said Tendor.
“They’re more subtle than we thought!”
“They’re
a primitive lot, but they don’t have any guile,” said Radnar with a smile. “We
have our own version of the “noble savage” myth. The Black Nebulans were like
that. That is why Zordar integrated them into the Empire’s system with little
bloodshed. Maybe the Earthlings are noble savages we can use?”
“Would
Arishna accept that?” said Tendor.
“They
fought for the honor of their world, and I wanted to do them the honor of a
clean and efficient extermination,” said Radnar. “Now, if we let them live, and
a reconstituted House Gatlantis under my leadership signs an
alliance…hmmm….Arishna might not mind a sacrifice by way of service…maybe their
détente is not a bad thing, eh? Now, let us see what our spies stole from the
Gamilons…”
Another
visual came up as Radnar and Tendor again watched the original White Comet,
heard the anthem, and then heard Zordar as he began to speak from beyond the
grave, “Desslok. I intend this message
for you. I left it aboard your flagship for you. If you are now seeing this,
you have your flagship left, and I am sure you have succeeded in your quest in
settling matters against the Star Force, whether by violence, by guile, or by
subtle diplomacy…I do not know, and honestly, I do not care. I know you better
than you know yourself. If you are now seeing this, I am also now quite dead…”
“Obvious
he’s dead,” said Tendor irritably. “I hope Arishna is having fun tormenting him
in the Hall of Iniquity…”
“Hush,
Tendor,” snapped Radnar. “Let’s hear what the damned atheist had to say.”
The
message continued, and the two men’s mouths fell open slowly. Finally, Radnar
was shaking his head as the message neared its end and he heard, “Act well, Desslok. I am praying in the Name
of Arishna that your efforts will succeed, and that Arishna will bless you. If
you need aid in this endeavor, seek out General Radnar, a kinsman of mine and
priest of Arishna that I deposed after a quarrel. He has the same hatred for
Invidia that you share for her. Act well, Desslok. From the next life, I wish
you glory, and success…”
“A
deathbed conversion for Zordar?” sneered Tendor as the message ended.
“Arishna
provides. Arishna forgives,” said Radnar as tears ran down his cheeks. “So,
Zordar must have decided to forgive me. That is useful. Maybe by his
repentance, Zordar found his way into Arishna’s Bosom after all.”
“Desslok
was named as his heir?” sneered Tendor. “How can that be? He is not of our…”
“Invidia
herself is a half-breed and she sits on Zordar’s seat as a slut,” sneered
Radnar. “Gamilons, at least, are a little more noble and bloodthirsty than the
race Invidia’s mother came from when she slept with Zordar. And she gave her
daughter her own morals…I heard…rumors of incest with her own father and taking
her own mother’s place, tales of open and brazen bisexuality, sleeping with
people like a cat in heat, all sorts of interesting perversions that Arishna
hateth. If I was to go back, I would rather bow my knee in fealty to Desslok
than Invidia.”
“Are
you serious?” said Tendor.
“If
the Grand Emperor gives us leave to conduct the holy war, which I am sure he
will after we see what they do at the conference,” said Radnar as he looked at
a text file. “Ah…assassination attempts. Nice work, Invidia. Playing right into
my hands, are we? Have you ever heard of being the power behind the throne,
Tendor?”
“Yes,”
said Tendor.
“If
the Grand Emperor lets us prevail, Zordar may have just given us the key, from
beyond death, to controlling House Gatlantis and letting us run things…under
the word of our noble new Prince Desslok, of course,” said Radnar with a
twisted smile. “House Eriitara has an intelligent alien Prince as ruler that
they control. Why can’t we?”
“Lord,
you would swear to…?”
“Isn’t
that what I have just said, boy?” hissed Radnar. “But it can be to our
advantage. I don’t think Desslok will be terribly interested in hanging about
the borders of our Empire if he becomes Prince, do you? I have heard the lad
prefers his rebuilt crypt on Gamilon to being out here. If he is a homebody, oh
how convenient.”
“And?”
said Tendor.
“If
I rule in Desslok’s Name as Regent, we can have a perfect Theocratic House at
last. Arishna be praised!” laughed Radnar as he began to laugh like a maniac. “If
this works, we will legally control House Gatlantis by right of legal accession
and by right of conquest, behind the
little blue sock-puppet’s back, of course!” And, at that, the rather mad Radnar
laughed like crazy.
Later on
that day, at the request of Melezartian authorities, the Argo was moved to an underground dock next to one of the Earth
cruisers.
Wildstar
and Venture were a little puzzled as to why they had both been summoned to the Argo when a request came from the
newly-arrived EDF cruiser
…with
Commanding General Singleton himself in tow!
“The
Commander?” someone said.
“Is
the Commander assuming personal
command of Second Fleet?”
“What
is going on?”
Singleton
turned to the crew of the Argo and
said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been sent by the Prime Minister and the
President for what they hope will be the last day of the conference. I am not
here to usurp Lieutenant Commander Wildstar, but…”
“Sir?”
said Nova. “Can you please let us know what is going on? The President didn’t tell me anything about this…”
As
Derek came up, the Commander sighed and said, “They think we’re about to sign a
treaty tomorrow, and the Prime Minister…asked me to sign for the Earth Defense
Forces…”
“Is
he delusional, sir?” said Derek.
“Wildstar?”
said the Commander. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“Sir,
haven’t you heard about the messages I have given the President?” whispered
Nova. “The negotiations are on the verge of coming apart! We might be going
into combat tomorrow, sir.”
“I
was not told that,” said the Commander. “I only saw the President briefly
before leaving last night. Most of my talks yesterday were with Prime Minister
Kopechne, who seemed to be very optimistic about how it was going.”
Derek
sighed. “As we will tell you, his optimism was a bit misplaced. Please come
aboard the Argo.”
Singleton
nodded his head and came aboard.
“So,
he’s trying to make things look good because he’s up for re-election?” said
Derek Wildstar in the Argo’s
Captain’s Cabin as they sat at the small table and heard the Commander’s
strange news about how the Federal Government of Earth was making things look
better for public consumption than they truly were.
“As
you can see, the President and Prime Minister have hidden a lot…even from me,”
said Singleton as he stared at a cup of coffee Nova had made. It was very
strong and bitter, but the bitter Space Navy brew matched the General’s dark
mood at the moment. “Stone eats it up, of course. He is even suggesting I call
you home again soon.”
“We could use the rest,” sighed
Nova as she put her hands over her stomach. “I am awfully tired.”
“Nova,
I won’t make it an order, but I would suggest you come home with me if the Argo and
“No,”
said Nova. “My place is here, sir, either on the
“It
was a suggestion,” said Singleton.
“The
Prime Ministers have always made things look better than they really were,”
said Derek. “Prime Minister Yarnell Acton made things look as good as possible
from 2200 to 2201, when he fell after the Comet Empire came back the second
time under Gernitz’s command before the Rikashans came. Prime Minister Wolfgang
Grossinger wasn’t much better after he took over at the end of ’01, and in
2205, when Prime Minister Dixon Gelder took over, it
was a relief, until he got caught in that bribery scandal, sir.”
“Then,
we got Mister Kopechne at the beginning of this year,” said the Commander. “If
the negotiations fail, there are some in Parliament who will be calling for his
head.”
“Who
might get the Prime Ministership, then, sir?” asked Nova.
“Possibly
the Opposition Leader, Senator Hideki Gonjin,” said Singleton. “That’s providing
President Mendellsohn even gets re-elected. His opponents are pulling a very
nasty negative campaign against him. You really think the negotiations are that bad?”
“I
know they are,” said Nova as she and Derek spent the next five minutes going
over the Cometines’ assassination attempts while the Commander just shook his
head.
“This
does not sound good,” said Singleton. “Now I see why both of you spoke the way
you did when I left my ship.”
“How
would you handle this, sir?” said Commodore Wildstar.
“Increase
your security tomorrow and be ready for anything. I’m going to return to my
ship and order Captain Jankovits to take off at once.”
“The
Argo is taking off at first light
tomorrow morning, sir, followed by the
Singleton
nodded. “I’ll have Captain Jankovits take us to the Fleet along with you two,”
he replied.
“A
good idea, General,” said Nova.
IV. FAREWELL, ARGO
Deep Space: Planet Melezart
Underground Space Dock
Space Battleship Argo
Saturday, October 18,
2206
0120 Hours: Earthtime
A
message had been sent to the
Nova
spent the night beside Derek in the Argo’s
Captain’s Cabin in her old bunk, but there was little romance that dark night.
Both officers were very uneasy and they could barely sleep. They felt very apprehensive about the next day. As
a result, they slept for only four hours. When they woke up, they greeted each
other with a sleepy kiss…
…not
knowing, perhaps mercifully, that because of the events of this coming dark
day, they would not sleep beside each other again for several months.
By
the time the gloomy half-light of Dawn was shining into the underground dock,
the First Star Force was preparing to cast off. The mighty vessel finally began
to creep out of the dock at 0530 Hours Earthtime that morning. The Commander
stood at the dock with a party consisting of officers from the
To
keep her mind off the weight of her duty as the Earth Representative, a
Representative carrying out a task she now felt to be very dangerous, Nova
requested Derek’s permission to man her old post again on the Argo’s
I wish I was staying here, she
thought. I wish I was not going back down
to that planet in a few hours to be with those people. I want to be here, even if we are in combat again…I just want to be here.
I think the negotiations have failed. The Cometines wouldn’t agree to anything.
If they wouldn’t agree…what the heck was the whole point of this farce?
The Argo rose through the grey and cloudy
dawn sky into the gloomy morning clouds that were high over Melezart. Off in
the distance, a few Melezartian fighter planes approached as Nova plotted their
speed, number, and vectors after she identified them; the silver planes, which
looked a bit like old American Lockheed 104-C Starfighter interceptors, flew a
few ceremonial passes around the Argo
as they sent a message. Homer read the message. “They’re wishing us luck,
Captain. It’s a ceremonial escort for Concillor Janlits.”
“Tell
them we thank them,” said Wildstar.
“Speed
is normal,” said Kitano. “Wings are open and locked. We will achieve escape
velocity in ninety seconds.”
“Wave
motion engine is normal,” said Yamazaki.
“One
large object four megameters behind us,” said Nova as the Cosmo-Radar bleeped.
“It is identified as the
“Homer,
tell them to keep on course,” said Commodore Wildstar as he looked at a
stopwatch.
“Yessir,”
said Homer.
Lieutenant
Victoria Becker came up to the bridge to assume her post at the cosmo-radar,
but she was very shocked when she recognized Nova sitting there on watch.
“Ma’am?”
she said. “You’re…?”
“This
gave me something to do for now,” said Nova. “The Captain allowed it…”
“But…,”
said Becker.
“Miss
Becker, please take your tertiary combat station at Time Radar Control on the
second bridge until we call for you,” said Derek. “Our radar is in good hands,
Miss.”
“Yessir,”
said Becker as she looked down at her boots. She gave Nova a strange look and
left the bridge.
“What
the heck does she think, Nova?” said
Eager. “You can still do yo’ job!”
“Some
people are very ignorant, Chris,”
sighed Nova as she looked at herself. “Even some women.
Women who should know
better.”
“You
can say that again,” laughed Sandor.
“Thanks,
Steve,” said Nova as she smiled back. “It’s great to be back…even if only for a
few hours. Derek, where’s Mister Wakefield?”
“On
the
Nova
nodded and said, “Second vessel behind us; identification positive; she’s the
“Good.
Homer, tell Captain Jankovits to follow our course.”
“Yessir.”
An
hour later, as IQ-8.9 helped Nova scan the rest of the Second Fleet from Earth
(they carefully avoided scanning the New Comet, which hung far-off in the
distance like some ominous figure of Death), Stovall brought Astra and Janlits
onto the
“Suh,”
said Hardy as he looked at Wildstar. “It’s time.”
Derek
stood. “Mrs. Wildstar, you’re relieved. Mister Eager, assume her post.”
“Yessir,”
said Eager as he got up and saluted. Nova was up, and she stepped away from her
chair and got into her white dress coat as Eager sat down behind the radar. She
looked at Derek and said, “Captain, should I call for Miss Becker to take over
Eager’s…?”
“No,”
said Commodore Wildstar. “Sandor, get Bando up here instead.”
“Yessir,”
said Sandor.
Domon
stood up. “Ma’am…we just wanted to wish…”
“Come
over, Mister,” said Nova.
“I…..oh
heck,” said Domon as he impulsively hugged his beautiful superior.
“Thanks,”
said Nova as tears filled her eyes. Soon, Kitano was up; he hugged her. Sandor
gave Nova a quick hug and turned away. So did Eager. Even though he didn’t know
her very well, Lieutenant Donovan McCloskey, the tall young African-American
who has assumed the post of Artillery Section Leader after the death of Kumyat,
also got up and hugged Nova. “Good luck, ma’am,” he said. “You were on this
ship when I was still in high school. I had a model of the Argo on my bureau at home in the underground city…and a picture of
you up on my wall. Had a hell of a teenage crush on you, ma’am…”
“Thank
you,” replied Nova with a blush.
“Knock
‘em dead, ma’am,” said IQ-8.9 in his down-home voice.
“This
is neat! Who programmed you to sound like Slim Pickens?” laughed Nova as she
accepted the battered robot’s embrace.
“I
was made that way in
Homer
hugged her and said, “Hurry up and get back here, Nova. Either with a treaty or
without it…we don’t care. This ship isn’t the same without you.”
“Thanks,”
said Nova.
She
turned last of all to Derek. Husband and wife stared at each other before she
ran into his arms for a very deep hug and a kiss.
“Come
back to me, Nova,” Derek whispered huskily as he choked back tears. “Come back safe.”
“Derek,
I should be well-protected,” she said as she wiped away tears of her own. “I’ll
be all right….”
“It’s
not just you I’m worried about,” said
Commodore Wildstar. “Swear you’ll be back on this ship today. You…and our kids.”
“I
swear it,” said Nova. She kissed Derek again and said. “See you soon. Permission to leave?”
“Granted,”
said Derek as he looked at the deck.
Nova
turned away and walked beside Jefferson Hardy in silence as Derek watched her
slip out the hatch with the others. He felt a sense of foreboding, but he did
not know that Nova would not return to the Argo’s
bridge for many months.
Right
now, it was better for him he didn’t know it.
Had
he known, orders or no orders…he never would have let her go down to that
Damned Planet.
As
Deke Wakefield met the Argo’s landing
boat and spoke with its pilot, he was very glad to hear who was aboard
commanding the flight.
“It’s
good to hear from you again, sir,” said
“It’s
real good to be heah,
“How’s
our princess, sir?” said
“Miss
Astra’s doing fine; although she has huh nose up in
the air too far in that flimsy nightgown of hers to talk to the likes of…”
“I
don’t mean her, sir. I mean our lady.”
“Mrs.
Nova’s doin’ fine,” said Hardy. “I made sure she was as comfortable as possible
in her seat before we left. Strapped huh in myself.”
“Did
she mind, sir?”
“Fussed
a little, but she didn’t mind my gallantry. She’s a real lady, unlike the Royalty
we got below.”
“Tell
me about it,” said Deke. “Iscandarian peaceniks. We’re
dead ahead on Sterlent,” said the pilot as an instrument beeped on his panel. “Landing in five minutes.”
“I’ll
take huh in first; you follow,” said Hardy.
“Roger,
sir,” said
A
while later, after landing, a Melezartian aircar and driver stood near the Argo’s landing boat as
“I’ll
be waitin’ heah for you to leave,” said Hardy as he stuck his head into the
vehicle.
“Thanks,”
said
“Ma;’am,
good luck,” said Hardy as he shook hands with Nova. “Get back here ASAP, Missus
Nova.”
“I’ll
do my best, Jeff,” said Nova. “Nice to see you again.”
“Likewise,”
he said as he popped a salute. “Treat her like a lady, sohn,” said Hardy in
Deke’s ear.
“I
will,” said
Ten
minutes later, they were back at what was becoming the truly hateful
modernistic alien bulk of the Great Hall of the People of Melezart.
The
EDF anthem played in the background as Melezartian troops snapped to attention
in their green uniforms with gold ascots and shiny silver helmets with their
blaster rifles at order arms.
“How
goes it?” said Janlits as he saluted one of his own men.
“You’re
the last party to arrive, sir,” said the Melezartian sergeant. “Everyone else
is waiting inside. Be careful. They have more Cometine troops here than usual
today. I’d love to know what is going on.”
Nova
checked her wrist chrono for the time. 0930,
Earthtime, she thought. Here we go.
She heard cannon going off in the city along with bells as the Cometines at the
door of the Great Hall of the People saluted her. She stepped inside with
apprehension.
Inside, discordant Cometine music played very
loudly as the Cometines in the halls laughed and clapped their hands while
speaking loudly in their native language, which Nova barely understood any of. I wonder why they’re so happy today? Nova thought uncomfortably as she noticed some of
the green men and women in officers’ uniforms were even holding drinks. They’re acting as if they just won the war
or something….
“Deke, I don’t like this,” whispered Nova.
“Me neither,” said
“You don’t need to. They’re incredilbly happy about
something, Deke,” said Nova. “But…what is it?”
The guards at the familiar heavy doors opened them
as the party passed in and took their places at the table in silence. Nova
noticed a Gamilon holo-projector sitting on the round table, and she saw
Desslok nodding to her with grave courtesy.
We may
have to use that, she thought.
As Nova sat down, she noticed Invidia smiling like a
gargoyle. Janlits looked very uneasy.
“Now, we shall begin,” said Invidia. “Astra of
Iscandar, has word been sent to your worlds that we expect to end this today?”
“Word, Princess, has been sent to all of our worlds.
They eagerly anticipate your response, Your Highness.”
“Good,” smiled Invidia. She picked up a binder that
held in writing all of the proposals that they had presented to her in the past
two days. She opened the vinylite binder…and then, in a gesture of rage and
contempt, she tore it in half down its thin binding and threw the two halves
onto the table.
She then startled everyone as she picked up a dagger
and stabbed the binder, nailing it to the table. “The Comet Empire and House
Gatlantis rejects
your foolish demands for peace!” she snapped. “Have you people
anything else to offer to us, or do
we just waste our time? Or do you wish to return to baseline and accept our
original demands for surrender, possibly surrender with terms?”
“In light of what we have talked about, the
Princess has decided that your surrender today need not be unconditional,” said Dyre. “We do
have a small measure of mercy. Terms of surrender can be negotiated.”
“We do
have a counter-proposal,” said Astra as she trembled.
“For surrender?” snapped Invidia.
Desslok stood. “Princess, we are not saying a word
about surrender. We are speaking of a second proposal!”
“That is?” huffed Invidia.
“We offered you a carrot of peace, as the Earthlings
say.” said Desslok as he pulled off his gloves and cast them on the table as
Talan watched. “Now, Invidia, you shall see our stick.”
Desslok then turned on the holo-projector. The
Cometine anthem played as the Cometines watched the holographic image of the
White Comet appearing in shock.
“Is it some trick?” hissed Marshal Gernitz.
“What are they doing?” muttered Gorse.
“Why are they playing games, sir?” muttered one of the guards.
They sat in shock as the late Prince Zordar
appeared. His deep voice intoned, “Desslok.
I intend this message for you. I left it aboard your flagship for you. If you
are now seeing this, you have your flagship left, and I am sure you have
succeeded in your quest in settling matters against the Star Force…”
“What has he done?’ whispered Gorse. “Princess, he
just knelt to them…”
“This is a fake,” whispered Gernitz as the message
played on. “A Gamilon forgery…isn’t it?”
“We wish it was,” said Dyre as he began to sweat.
“Princess, he kept it. He knows. Damn him, Desslok knows!”
“He knows what?” whispered Gernitz. “You never told
me…”
“Silence!”
hissed Invidia as the message played on. She snarled as she heard her father
saying, “In keeping with my wish, find
attached to this message computer files in my language that serve as a warrant
of adoption of you as my foster-son and heir and a warrant of succession naming
you as Prince and Lord of the House of Gatlantis over the objections of Dyre
and the others. If you live, and find I have died, it is my wish that you will
claim your own, the gift I was aware you wanted. The throne of House Gatlantis
is now yours, Desslok. I charge you with taking whatever action you see fit to
depose Invidia. If she is now ruler of our House, she is an
usurper, an usurper I want dead…”
The rest of the message played on
in utter silence as Astrena handed out folders to each of the Cometines. Dyre
opened the folder and saw hard copies of Zordar’s Warrants of Sucession and
Adoption in their language. He glanced them over. We tried to hide this, he thought. It is legal. By Arishna’s bonnet, this
damned thing is legal.
When the message ended, Desslok
said, “Do you accept the last political testament of your father, Invidia?”
“I deny it,” she hissed.
“You deny its authenticity?” said
Desslok. “We can prove it.”
“Father was mad when he died,”
snapped Invidia. “Therefore, his testament was null, void, and without effect.
I have succeeded to the throne per the laws of the Empire and of our House. Not
you.”
“Your right to rule is
illegitimate,” said Desslok. “Bow the knee to me, Invidia. I strip you of your
command since I am now a reinstated Lord of the Comet Empire, by your laws.”
Desslok clapped his hands once and
a platoon of Gamilon and Garuman foot soldiers in blue and brown armor filled
part of the room as Nova looked on in some surprise, even though she was in on Desslok’s last turn of this
deadly game. “Bow the knee to me and agree to counter-sign our treaty with the
“Never!” screamed Invidia.
Desslok smiled and laughed a low
chuckle. “Gorse, Dyre, Gernitz, I am your new commander. Invidia is now my
prisoner. Arrest her and sign this
treaty.”
“We are
signing nothing,” hissed Dyre. He clapped his hands, standing beside Invidia to
face Desslok from across the large table.”
Invidia then pointed at the group.
“All of you are finished!”
Cometine troopers, far more than
before, flooded into the hall as Nova took a deep breath and stood next to
When the Cometines came in and
levelled their weapons at the others, Invidia pointed at the again party and
said, “Guards, I declare this conference and our truce ended! Arrest those men
and women at once and carry out my sentence for rebellion!”
“What is your sentence?” hissed Lord Cha’rif.
“Are you that simple?’ laughed
Invidia. “My sentence is death. And,
Desslok, you will be the first one to go!” she screamed as she plucked the
dagger out of the table.
And, at that, the universe seemed
to freeze in time for Deke Wakefield as he gritted his teeth in rage.
We’ve been
tricked, he thought to himself. No. Correction. We’ve been screwed.
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