Empire's Ashes (Blood on the Stars Book 15) by Jay Allan

Author:Jay Allan [Allan, Jay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-29T23:00:00+00:00

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“Bring your ships forward, Gaston. My forces will destroy the rebel fleet, but it is up to your ships to engage and destroy the Montmirail defenses. I believe that will serve our purposes better than my own forces blasting them to atoms at long range. We want your people to see you as a liberator and a hero, not an invader.” The Highborn didn’t say anymore, but the words, ‘and a coward’ seemed to hang in the air.

Villieneuve listened to Percelax’s words on the comm. The Highborn was making sense, of course…but Villieneuve had been completely prepared to allow his new allies to crush all of his enemies. Denisov’s fleet was the largest danger, certainly, and the Highborn ships would almost certainly crush any defense the rebellious admiral tried to mount. But the fortresses around the capital were far from insignificant, and his ships would have a serious fight on their hands. He had no doubt Ciara had seen to sweeping out any of his loyalists who’d remained. Treachery seemed unlikely, but perhaps fear could accomplish something similar. Perhaps he could secure the surrender of at least some of the fortresses. But then he shook his head.

They know too well not to expect mercy when I reclaim power…

His reputation had long been useful, the fear that billowed out before him everywhere he went had won many victories for him, without even firing a shot. But it didn’t exactly encourage his enemies to surrender…

“Of course, Commander Percelax. My people will be in position and ready to assault the fortresses, as soon as you have destroyed Denisov’s fleet.

Villieneuve hated Andrei Denisov. He’d imagined the admiral’s death, always in excruciating detail, a thousand times, and he’d promised no shortage of horrors he’d inflict in the exceedingly unlikely event the officer fell into his hands still alive. But what he didn’t let anyone else see, what he tried to hide, even from himself, was that he was terrified of the admiral. Denisov was a gifted tactician, a strategist far beyond the mediocre talents the Union’s system tended to produce. Before the Highborn had come, Villieneuve had endured months of waiting…waiting for the final attack, for Denisov to come and destroy what remained of his fleet, and to hunt him down. Those thoughts had grown into something like a stark, almost uncontrollable terror. He would face the fortresses, if only to maintain his standing in the eyes of his new allies. But he would wait, and allow the Highborn to rid him of Denisov first. Once the admiral was gone, morale would collapse throughout his fleet, and likely on the fortresses as well. Perhaps he could manage to secure their surrenders with promises of amnesty. It would be foolish for any of them to accept his assurances, of course, but it was an error others had made before…and the terrifying might of the Highborn, combined with Denisov’s death, just might push at least some of the station commanders to yield.

If they didn’t, he would have to destroy them.

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