Bloodmancer : A Military Space Opera Series (War Undying Book 3) by N.D. Redding

Author:N.D. Redding [Redding, N.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2021-10-18T16:00:00+00:00

19

“Attention human ship! Identify yourself!”

The order came before we had established visual contact on the holo-screen. Arrogant, I thought, as always. The Imminy behaved as if every other species was but a cog in the giant clockwork of their supreme rulership. I decided to play along.

“This is the Crimson Death, flagship of the Dusk Ascendancy and I’m the War Marshal Richard Stavos. You may know me as the Bloodmancer.”

The Imminy absolute didn’t say anything for several long seconds, and all I could hear was the shallow breathing of my bridge’s crew.

“This is Oresh Haxarian the Mender, Imminy Absolute. I wish to speak to you, War Marshal.”

War Marshal? Interesting. They never addressed me by any other title than Bloodmancer or something demeaning. I liked where this was going, though I was certainly somewhat itchy.

“Let’s talk, Imminy. I think you have a lot of explaining to do.”

“In person, on our ship.”

Arthur looked at me and shook his head. Nah, there was no way in hell I’d go into the lion’s den out there.

“That is out of the question. If you want to talk in private, it can only be aboard the Crimson Death. This is not up to discussion; I think we both know I could just pack my things and go.”

“These systems are swarming with our forces; you wouldn’t get too far.”

“Something is telling me I would, Imminy. Now, I’m a little eager to get out of here. If you want to talk in person, I’ll be waiting in my ready room. The Crimson Death has plenty of space.”

Communications went silent for a minute and then dropped. Arthur snickered.

“He’s coming over, I’m sure of it.”

“Wanna bet?” I asked, not quite sure the Imminy would be as dumb. But lo and behold, several minutes later I was waiting for an Imminy Absolute in my quarterdeck. I left Birch and Arthur on the bridge, and what few drones remaining scanned the system. The entire ship was on high alert and all precautions had been taken. They could have easily burst into the system with their fleet and attacked us, but the pointless cat-and-mouse game would have just continued.

Oresh Haxarian the Mender came escorted by two other Imminy which was also highly irregular. To see an Imminy without its Orros escort crew meant one of two things: the Imminy was of no import, which in this case certainly wasn’t true, and secondly because for some reason the Orros shouldn’t be privy to the Imminy’s words, which again was very suspicious because the Orros usually couldn’t grasp much of what was said anyway.

The two Imminy in escort were armored in nanite-mesh gear, which seemed heavier and more robust than what the usual Imminy would wear. Oresh Haxarian, however, wasn’t armored at all. He came in full diplomatic gear wearing just a simple water-robe which enabled the Imminy to walk on land but offered zero protection.

“Imminy guards,” I said as they stood behind their superior in front of the oblong table. “How does an Imminy handle the drudgery of being a guard?”

“I’m sad you reach for insults so soon, War Marshal.

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