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Dane arrived the next day at a large manor house in the countryside, several miles from the Cathedral. Rijkard had explained that it would allow for a “cooling off period” after the trial and an opportunity for he and Axel to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict with General Tannace. Despite the advice, Dane was reluctant to leave. “Go,” Axel had said. “I have work to do here among the Quantari officers. We will need allies.” So he had accepted the situation, and left via Sanctuary Guard military escort.
After three days of hot baths, good meals, massages, and combing the library for anything he could find on Earth history, Dane was impatient for the arrival of his new allies and any word from their negotiations.
The morning of the fourth day brought just such a communiqué. Axel was to arrive at 0900 with a contingent of Quantar soldiers who had agreed to join Dane’s cause. Rijkard stated that there would be a ceremonial war game in two week’s time for symbolic leadership of the Sanctuary Defense Forces. It would be an opportunity for Dane to prove himself as a military commander to the Quantar regulars. It would also be an opportunity for Tannace to seek out his revenge. Dane readily accepted the challenge. Anything was better than waiting around for the winds to change.
Dane burned the time by going on a two mile run around the training grounds. It did not escape his notice that several units of Sanctuary Guard cadets were practicing combat drills on the mist-covered field. After breakfast and a quick shower, he was more than ready for the arrival of his friends, busily pacing behind the main gates in a Sanctuary Guard uniform a full twenty minutes before the hour.
An armored personnel carrier pulled up precisely at 0900 hours. Five men dressed in the blue and orange of Quantar got out of the rear doors, followed by the welcome sight of Colonel Axel Noiman and the mercenary who had guarded Dane his first day on Earth.
“It was all I could get,” she said, hoisting a pack of training supplies over her shoulder while the mercenary and the men unpacked their knapsacks from the back of the carrier. “Tannace has them all afraid of retribution. These brave souls were the only ones who had the guts to challenge him.”
Dane nodded, masking his disappointment at the poor turnout. “And you Colonel? Will you stay and be my Lieutenant?” Dane said. She smiled back at him.
“I can’t, Dane. I must prepare my own unit for the games.”
“But I need you here.”
She nodded. “I know, but I think it’s best for us both if I remain in the Quantar compound. Tannace will accept me back. I can find out more about his plots if I’m close to him. It will be safer for you if I have access to that information. And like it or not, you are still the royal heir to the chair of Quantar, and I am sworn to protect you. The best way to do that is to be as close to Tannace and that little mite Kobin as possible.”
“Axel,” Dane said, turning away from the soldiers and leading her by the arm few steps. “You’re sure it’s for the best? To remain behind? Will Tannace trust you now?”
She looked away from him, thinking. “He will eventually allow me back in, he needs me. And there is something else you have not considered.”
“What?” She looked pensively at him for a moment.
“There is still the possibility that you may be lying. If you are, I’m setting Quantar up for grave misfortune. If you’re not, I’m willing to help, to a point. But you must win them to the Cochrane family flag yourself. That I can’t do for you.”
He crossed his arms. “Can I at least assume then that these six men are an admission that you believe me?”
She nodded. “For now,” she said. “I want to trust you, Dane, but it’s very hard. There’s a lot of history, many emotions- to work through.”
“I know,” he said, eyes fixing on hers. He sensed the deep pain in her again, then she broke their eye contact.
“There is one more thing,” she said. Dane nodded acceptance, preparing for the worst.
“And what might that be?” he asked. Her face held a more sympathetic look this time, as if she wanted to soften the blow of her next words.
“You may never be able to win their loyalty.” He clenched his arms tighter around him.
“In which case I am expendable.”
“Yes, she said, completely emotionless. “The fight must go on, Dane. I’m sorry.”
Dane bit his upper lip, angry at the mere thought of being excluded from the rescue of his home world.
“Then the fight goes on,” he said finally, taking the pack from off her shoulder and hoisting it on his own. “I will see you on the battlefield, Colonel Noiman.” He bowed slightly, then turned and walked briskly away from her.
“I want you men assembled on the training ground at ten-hundred hours,” he yelled over his shoulder at the small group of loyalists.
“Dane,” he heard her call after him once, but he kept walking toward the manor house, firm lock to his jaw, determined not to look back at her.
***
AT PRECISELY 1000 HOURS the six men under Dane’s command stood at attention on the training field. One of them was Layton, the young man who had testified for the prosecution at his trial. This pleased Dane.
“Would you be my Lieutenant, Mr. Layton?”
Layton inclined his head towards Dane before answering. “I would be honored, Sire.”
Dane sensed hesitation in his answer. “Is there something else?” Layton looked down the line at the other Quantar officers.
“Permission to speak freely, Sire?” he said.
“Always, under my command, Mr. Layton, always.”
Layton took a step forward. “Sire, these men and I, all except the mercenary, we’re loyal to the flag, to Quantar. We all have someone to rescue, or avenge. It wasn’t easy for us to leave the Quantar compound. General Tannace and his men are good people, military leaders of the highest honor and skill. It is our desire to see you and the General work together, to free Quantar. We felt that by coming here we could add something to the cause, to try to bring you and the General together. But we took a big risk. We can’t go back. General Tannace said that any man who left the compound could never go back in. We’ve risked everything to come here and follow you. None of them would be here if I hadn’t convinced them to come. And-”
Dane cut him off. “And you want to know if I told the truth, in the courtroom.”
Layton stared Dane straight in the eye. “Yes,” he said. Dane pondered this a moment, looking to each of the men in turn.
“Do you each have your field daggers?” The men all nodded, except for the mercenary. Dane went to him.
“What is your name?” The huge shaggy man raised his head proudly.
“Brake, Sire.”
“Brake. We will get you issued a proper Quantar field dagger as soon as possible.”
“Don’t want one,” He said gruffly. Dane turned back to him, inquisitive.
“A field dagger is the highest honor for a newly commissioned officer in the Quantar military. You don’t want that honor?” Brake hesitated a moment before responding.
“Sire, I’ve seen what this Empire does to people on a dozen different worlds. I hate it. I don’t follow you because I wanna be one of you. I follow you because you’re the one who’s going to bring the Empire down.”
Dane shook his head in disbelief. “Me? Bring down the Empire? I’m not sure I want to do that even if I could.” He stepped away from the huge man.
“Good enough then, Brake, no dagger, and no rank. You work exclusively for me. Now as for the rest of you,” he pointed at the Quantar men, “Draw your field daggers.” They did as instructed. Dane walked back to stand in front of Layton.
“Mr. Layton, do you know you are in violation of Quantar law? Wearing a weapon in the presence of one of your royal family?”
“Aye, Sire.”
“Good. I hereby give you and all your men permission to wear your field daggers in my presence at all times. In fact I order you to wear them in my presence. If you see me do anything which compromises the mission of rescuing Quantar, if you see me take any action which would violate the goal of rescuing her from her oppressors, your orders are to strike me dead without hesitation. Is that clear?”
They all nodded, then Layton said. “You could give orders to have Sanctuary troops protect you.”
Dane thought about this a moment. “You’re right, I could. But at some point you must begin to have faith in me. You have come a long way, you have left the compound. Now you must make your decisions. I have given you all I have, permission to kill me if I am disloyal. What do you say?”
Layton eyed Dane nervously, then sheathed his dagger. The others followed suit.
“We accept, Sire. What are your orders?”
“Dr. Rijkard has provided a list of able Sanctuary men who are anxious to join our cause. Assemble them into five equal squads, each commanded by one of you Quantar regulars. I have ordered materials to be sent to us. When they arrive I want you to begin building a jump tower.”
Layton cocked his head at this. “A jump tower?”
“Yes, Mr. Layton, a jump tower. We will begin practicing for the aerial drop at the beginning of the contest.”
“No strategy, Sire?”
Dane hesitated before replying to let Layton know of his disapproval. The men had to get used to taking his orders unquestionably. “It’s better if you leave the strategy to me. I want the tower up and men jumping by noon, Mr. Layton. Don’t disappoint me. Later this afternoon we’ll work on our endurance drills. Get to it.”
“Aye, Sire.”
“Brake,” said Dane, motioning for the mercenary to follow him, “You’re with me.”
The two men began walking towards the manor house. “Where’re we going, Sire?”
“To plan strategy. I have some very interesting tasks ahead for you.”
Brake just smiled.
***
“IT LOOKS TO BE A GOOD plan, Sire,” said Brake, as Dane stood sifting through maps laid out on an oversized strategy table in the manor house library. The wall behind them held a battle map of the valley where the games were to be fought next to a map of KendalFalk on Quantar. The far wall was all books two stories high, full of military histories and biographies Dane had been exploring in recent days. Close by two large picture windows were split by a burning fireplace with two leather davenports set facing each other. Outside dual French doors a stone balcony overlooked the training field below. The two men stood at the table, conversing on Dane’s initial training plans.
“Yes. The first thing I noticed was how similar the terrain is to the valley around KendalFalk, and the North Palace,” he pointed to the map behind him.
“Use this as the proving ground for the assault on Quantar?”
Dane smiled at the innate intuitiveness of the mercenary. “You see my plans well, Brake. But this is only a game. Quantar will be real. And right now we’re many light years away from Quantar.” He sighed.
“We’ve been talking all morning, Sire. Perhaps it’s time for a break.”
“No, I want to keep going. How are the men doing?”
Brake went to the window and looked out.
“Tower’s nearly ready, Sire. Looks a full twenty meters. Ace men. They got that tower up in a hurry. Should I have them work on endurance drills now?”
“No. Half an hour for lunch and then back at it until 1530 hours. Then two hours of endurance training, no break in between. I want them to be able to do this jump in their sleep.”
“Aye, Sire,” Brake hesitated. “Won’t your men be upset at takin’ orders from a mercenary?”
Dane eyed the man for a moment. “We’re all mercenaries now, Brake,” he said. Dane saw hesitation in him for the first time, then sought to alleviate it. “Are you sure you understand the basic plan?” he said.
The mercenary returned from the window.
“Aye, Sire. How many additional men will I get for the assault on the camp?”
“None for our part of the plan. Just you and me. If we need more than that then we’ll have already failed. If everything goes well we’ll catch them all asleep.”
Brake crossed his arms across his massive chest. “One thing I don’t understand, Sire. How will capturing another squad help us? We still won’t be in the best position to reach the goal.”
Dane nodded. “True, but my intention is not speed, Brake, it’s to slow the others down. Bunch them up. Force them to fight each other. From the confusion you and I should be able to break through and grab the prize.”
“Aye, but what of it? We don’t even know what it is.”
“I can only assume that the good Dr. Rijkard has that part of things well in hand.” He shrugged casually as he sifted the maps again. “I guess I’ll know what to do when we get there.”
Dane paused, then went to the map of KendalFalk on the rear wall. He stared at it a long time in silence.
“I wish I was there now,” he said.
“First things first,” the voice was unmistakable. Dane turned to see Dr. Rijkard standing in the library doorway, hands on hips. The adorned Sanctuary uniform he had last seen him in was replaced now by a simple utility uniform of form-fitting black with no crest or insignia to identify his rank, much like the dinner clothes he had worn on the Starliner. It spoke of simplicity, and determination.
“I wondered when you’d come,” said Dane. Rijkard simply nodded and then turned his eyes on the mercenary.
“Um, Brake,” started Dane. “Why don’t you get together a crew from the Sanctuary Guard, not any of our current men, and raise the tower for tomorrow.”
“Raise it? They haven’t even started jumping yet!” Brake said.
“Make it thirty meters for tomorrow. And make sure the men don’t know about it until after today’s jumps. Tomorrow we’ll jump from 0830 to 1400 without a break.”
“With only one day’s training? That’ll be dangerous.” Dane nodded.
“Brake, from now on, everything we do will be dangerous.”
“Aye, Sire,” he said, eying Dane with a wary look. Dane returned his stare, unwilling to let him see even a hint of compassion from his commander. Brake finally nodded acceptance, bowed slightly to Rijkard, and then hurried from the room. Rijkard watched him go, then came up to stand across the table from Dane.
“You seem to choose odd allies,” he said. Dane returned to the maps on the table without answering immediately. When he was ready he spoke without looking up.
“I choose my allies from those who have chosen to follow me,” he said. “Not that I’ve that much to choose from.” He sifted the maps absently again. “Brake is good man. Perhaps not of royal character like you or I, but not all battles are won by the virtuous.”
Rijkard changed the subject quickly. “The preparations for the war game are going well, I take it?” he said.
“Well enough,” replied Dane evenly. “Considering that we’ve drawn the worst possible tactical position. Your doing, I take it?”
Rijkard nodded. “It wouldn’t be fair any other way. The other units have been practicing for a month. Moving any of them to make room for you would raise complaints. And we can’t afford dissension in the ranks just now.”
Dane eyed him with a mixture of curiosity and distrust. Not distrust of the man, but of the motives. He decided not to press the question and changed subjects again. “I’ve noticed that the terrain around the game field is remarkably similar to the area of the North Palace, near KendalFalk. A coincidence?” Dane asked. Rijkard shifted his feet slightly at this.
“There are no coincidences with God, young man.”
Dane shook his head in response. “Doctor, is this contest rigged for me to win?”
Rijkard shook his head. “Is the plan you made original, or stolen?”
“Original.”
“Then trust it. And trust yourself. God is with you, Dane Cochrane.”
Dane eyed him warily. “I don’t feel as though your God has the slightest interest in me, doctor,” he said. Rijkard pulled at his gray beard, eyeing Dane silently. This made Dane uncomfortable. Rijkard had certainly saved him at the trial, and on the Starliner for that matter, but how far would he be willing to help him succeed in the larger task of rescuing Quantar?
“As always, the task just ahead seems the most overwhelming,” said Rijkard. “But can a man live more than one day at a time? Focus. Do what is in front of you first, then all things will become clear.”
Dane looked at the map of KendalFalk and sighed, avoiding the question. “The men you have provided are very good. Are all your Sanctuary troops so well trained?”
“Most. As always, each has his own gifts. We let each man find what he is best at, then we let him do it.”
“Remarkable idea,” Dane said. Rijkard pulled papers from his tunic and handed them to Dane.
“I have brought you a requisition list of equipment available for the contest. I feel I must inform you that since your squad was entered so late most of the good equipment was already claimed.”
Dane took the list and scanned it.
“We will all have the same laser targeted rifles and registers, won’t we?”
“Yes,”
“And there is no way to rig the registers to not record a kill?”
“The system is foolproof. Cheating is not possible.”
“And all the equipment listed here has been discarded by the other squads?”
“It is true that they have already claimed what they wanted. You get only what they did not want.”
Dane looked over the list, circled a set of items and handed it back to Rijkard, who glanced at the list.
“Then we will win,” said Dane.
“You’re very confident.” Dane nodded.
“Determined, actually doctor. Tannace has unknowingly left us exactly the resources we will need. When we’re done, and the prize is mine, I will have to fight him. You realize that?”
“Fight him for leadership?”
Dane shook his head. “For control. Control is what he craves. It’s what they all crave. Deny it from him by denying him victory at every turn. You will frustrate your enemy into a mistake. And then you have him.”
“You sound very confident.”
Dane put his hands on his hips and looked down at the maps again. “Once his hold over the Quantar forces is broken I can assume control. Then he will have to come to me if he wishes to remain in the rescue force.”
Dane felt Rijkard watching him, probing. Dane looked up at him with unwavering eyes.
“And if he won’t follow you?” said Rijkard.
Dane sighed again. “Then I must kill him.”
“Will the soldiers of Quantar follow a murderer, then?”
“No, but they will follow a soldier who won the right to lead in battle.”
“But?”
“But we will be the weaker for losing him. It will make things more difficult, but not impossible. Mark my words, doctor. Nothing will stand between me and rescuing my father, and Quantar.”
Rijkard nodded, acknowledging the determination in him. “I will take my leave of you, then. Your supplies will be here by 0600.”
“Thank you.”
Rijkard stared at him a moment longer, then bowed slightly and departed. Dane watched him go, then went to lifted his comm phone to his lips.
“Brake!” he said. “Get back in here. We’ve more work to do.” Then he tossed the phone aside and leaned forward onto the table, determined to find a break in the links of General Devin Tannace’s command.