Empire Turmoil (Gate Ghosts Book 10) by S. H. Jucha

Author:S. H. Jucha [Jucha, S. H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hannon Books, Inc.
Published: 2023-09-17T16:00:00+00:00

18: Unfortunate Discovery

WOOT SYSTEM

IMPERIUM SPACE

After the Imperium’s presiding executor election, Gaketork and Rebtar swapped territories. The ex-presiding executor was aghast that he’d inherited a nearly destitute swath of space. The twin patrol fleets had been chased back to Imperium, and freighters from the grain and produce rich worlds were returning empty.

Rebtar’s first action was to meet with the two patrol fleet commanders. He had every intention of ordering them back to his territory with the freighters, with instructions to protect them at all costs.

“But the conclave has a heavy number of Tridents,” a fleet imperator objected.

“Fight them anyway,” Rebtar had retorted. He was too incensed at losing the election to care about the loss of Krackus life.

As the peacekeeper fleets, accompanied with an abundance of freighters, sailed for the far reaches of the Imperium Empire, the crestfallen commanders discussed their ridiculous orders. Previously, they’d been happy to abdicate the field to the conclave when ordered to do so by Executor Gaketork. The numerous Tridents would have spelled ruin for them.

“What are the chances that the conclave fleet has deserted the territory?” a commander had inquired of his counterpart.

“If they sailed from Helgart in Grageth’s territory, then they journeyed a long way to reach Gaketork’s old territory,” the other commander reasoned. “To me that means they intended to conduct a great deal of business.”

“What kind of business?” the first commander asked.

“A freighter captain shared a message with me. It was delivered to him by a local citizen,” the second commander said. “The female warned him that the return of Krackus would find the entire citizenry up in arms against us.”

“An idle threat,” the first commander responded. “They never fought us during the original landing.”

“Here’s the thing,” the second commander shared. “The female was called Resolute. According to our records, she received an Imperium decree and was delivered to Helgart.”

“That would mean the conclave fleet is returning dissidents to the far edge of our empire,” the first commander surmised. “That doesn’t make much sense. They’ve this massive warship fleet, and they waste it returning a handful of dissidents.”

“It might not if that was the fleet’s only intention,” the second commander pointed out. “Look at the types of ships that accompany us.”

The first commander was silent while he ruminated on the suggestion. “Shutting off grain shipments for Gaketork’s old territory would be hard on our home worlds,” he surmised. “If that’s one of their intentions, then that conclave fleet isn’t going anywhere.”

“And we were warned not to return,” the second commander reminded his friend.

Within Gaketork’s old territory, there had been many developments in one unique system.

The arrival of the Liberation with Tridents had discovered the Dwerve warship under repair. The conclave’s principals had met a strong-willed Woot named Withern. She’d single-handedly convinced the visitors that a synergy had developed between the odd cast of characters that had occupied her system — the sisters, the Dwerves, and a single Krackus.

However, as determined as Withern was, her long-lived heart wasn’t up to the task of continuing.

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