Empire's Son: An Epic Science Fiction Novel Series

"Admiral, Prince Adar and Commander Nador have arrived. Do you wish me to hold your calls?" The woman asked the individual at the immense desk in front of us.

A man almost as large as the massive wooden desk that adorned the center of the room stood up and nodded to the Guardian. "Yes, Lieutenant. You may leave us now."

The woman gave a quick nod as she brushed past me and Markus, leaving us alone with the mountain of a man.

The Admiral was far wider than he was tall, but most of his bulk looked to be muscle rather than fat. His gray hair was cropped close to his scalp in military fashion, and deep lines etched his weathered face. Despite his intimidating physical presence, his dark eyes held a sharpness that spoke of keen intelligence rather than brute force.

"Your Highness," Admiral Havoreat said, his voice a deep rumble as he stepped around the desk. "Commander Nador." He gave me a respectful nod before turning to Markus. "It's been too long, son. It's good to have you back at Vega Prime."

Markus gave a sharp nod, but refrained from saying anything else.

"I understand the urgency of the situation," the Admiral said as he gestured toward two chairs positioned in front of his desk. "Please sit."

I took a seat, noting how the chair did not automatically conform to my body like many of the chairs I had used since coming to Ethia. This one was deliberately uncomfortable—perhaps a tactical choice to keep visitors alert. The Admiral returned to his position behind the enormous wooden desk.

"I've reviewed the recordings," Havoreat said, folding his hands on the desk. "Troubling business with the King and this new threat. I understand there is already a plan in place to retrieve him?"

I nodded, grateful that he was getting straight to business. "Yes, Admiral. A pivotal part of the plan has already fallen into place. Not long ago, Markus received word that the new bond was now active. We now have a reliable way of finding King Rainus."

In the interest of saving time and explanations, Markus had suggested that we treat Gayle as a full Protector while she had the tracer bond. It would make things simpler, and all that was truly important was that she now carried an active bond that could track Rainus, even if it was temporary.

"That's good. I was sorry to hear about Protector Jamiss. I hope he pulls through," Havoreat said.

"As do I, Admiral. I have not known Jamiss long, but he seems quite competent in his duties."

That got a smile from the Admiral, which made the butterflies in my stomach calm down some. Already, I was finding the man quite likable and a far cry from what I'd experienced with Admiral Vang. I gave Markus a quick look to see if he wanted to jump in since he was the one who had talked to Nathias, but he nodded for me to continue.

"Protector Tau-mine has zeroed in on the King's current location. He is in sector four-nine-twenty-two. Tau-mine and Arch-Major Roth and his team are making their way now. If we leave soon, we can meet them at an intersection point in about four hours if we take the Mavordi Corridor."

It was Markus who had actually given me a rundown of how Ethian ships could move through the vastness of space faster than the speed of light during our last meal together. He couldn't get into the deeper science of it, but explained what allowed the ships to move quickly in and out of hyper-light was called the quantum stellar drive, which most just shortened to QSD or quantum drive.

Once in hyper-light, it was just a matter of charting a shorter distance from one point to another. Most ships used well-established hyperlanes mapped and maintained by stellar cartographers, though Markus said that real-time mapping could cut a path through hyper-light in the high-end QSDs, but that also significantly slowed down travel time. It must have been why my trip from Earth to Ethia had taken two long, excruciating weeks.

What truly amazed me was the range that the quantum drives could achieve. Depending on the chosen route and the distance involved, thousands of light years could be traversed in just hours or days. Since we were already in the Outer Reach, it would take slightly less than a day to get to sector four-nine-twenty-two, which was near the border of the Empire, and significantly less time to catch up to Nathias and Gayle, who would travel a converging hyperlane.

The real issue was that the Shixx had gotten to sector four-nine-twenty-two in far less time than we could travel it by any mapped lane currently in existence, which meant the Shixxaminti had a much faster way of moving through space than we did. We just hoped they decided to stay put until we could catch up with them; so far they had.

"Gayle says they've been stationary since she received the bond at least," Markus added in.

"It took them what? A matter of hours to get out there?" Havoreat looked concerned. "We will be hard-pressed to keep up with them if they move."

"That's our primary concern as well," I agreed. "That's why it's important to move as fast as we can on this."

The Admiral leaned back in his chair; which creaked under his massive weight. "So what's the rest of it?"

I then spent the next twenty minutes laying out the plan in detail, answering the handful of questions the Admiral had. Afterward, he steepled his beefy fingers, his dark eyes studying me with an intensity that made me shift slightly in the uncomfortable chair.

"It's ambitious," he said finally. "And risky. You're asking me to commit a sizable fleet to what amounts to a direct assault on an unknown alien vessel with capabilities that have already proven superior to our standard defenses."

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"Yes, Admiral," I replied, keeping my voice steady despite the knot reforming in my stomach. "But we believe the element of surprise, combined with the coordinated strike pattern and the modified missile the research team and I came up with, gives us our best chance of success."

Havoreat's gaze shifted to Markus. "And you support this plan, Commander?"

"I do," Markus said without hesitation. "I think we can all agree that leaving my father in the hands of this new enemy would be a mistake. Who knows what sensitive information they might get from him, and every hour we delay reduces our chances at a successful retrieval."

"How long has he been in their custody?"

"Almost eleven hours," I said.

The Admiral pressed his lips together in a grim line. "We need to face the fact that the King might have already given them everything they wanted. I watched the recording of Admiral Vang's encounter with the aliens."

Markus was quick to respond. "Yes, and I think we can both agree that my father is far better prepared for such questioning between his Dome-ni and the years he's spent building his mental defenses."

The Admiral looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps. I was always impressed with the King's ability to compartmentalize information," Havoreat conceded. "Even so, we're talking about an enemy with demonstrated telepathic abilities that might rival our own and technology that certainly does."

"Which is precisely why we need to act quickly," I added, leaning forward slightly. "Every moment we delay gives them more opportunity to break through Rainus's defenses."

The Admiral's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied me. "You're not what I expected, Prince Adar."

I tensed, unsure how to respond. "In what way, Admiral?"

"Your brothers would have demanded the fleet, citing imperial authority. You present a plan, acknowledge the risks, and speak of the welfare of the King rather than your own agenda." He gave a small, approving nod. "I can see why Markus has aligned himself with you."

Relief washed through me. "Thank you, Admiral. I understand resources like this aren't deployed lightly, but even with the risks, I think we have a solid chance at success."

Havoreat nodded. "I agree, but I would like to know more about these modified missiles you mentioned."

"Of course," I replied as I relaxed in my seat. This was something I was comfortable talking about. I might be learning about Ethian technology, but was pleasantly surprised I was picking up a lot quickly. Much of that was because of the science team I'd put together. They had a way of explaining in a way I could understand.

"I've studied the recordings from the first and second encounters multiple times." I continued. "I believe their ships, while formidable, have vulnerabilities we can exploit."

The Admiral's eyes narrowed, assessing me with renewed interest. "Such as?"

"The organic components of their vessel," I explained. "When Admiral Vang's ships scored direct hits at the Battle of Sora X, there was evidence of a biological response—a flinching, if you will. The modified missiles I've helped design target those specific areas with a concentrated electromagnetic pulse, followed by a secondary explosive charge. The initial EMP should disrupt their neural pathways, making the biological components temporarily unresponsive to commands."

"This is all theory, though. This hasn't been tested," the Admiral pointed out.

"No, but my research team and I are confident it will have an effect on their ship. How much of one we aren't certain, but this is only supposed to be a distraction, not an outright defeat. I believe that with enough ships to engage the Shixxaminti ships, there should be plenty to keep their attention while the infiltration team does its job."

"From what I gather from reports, everyone assumed there was only one of these alien vessels that had entered the Empire. After the Battle of Sora X, it is clear there is at least one more. What if there are many more than that at this location the King's been tracked to? This could be a trap to lure us in," the Admiral countered.

I nodded, knowing better than to deflect or disagree. This had been a concern Markus and I had mulled over as well. "Yes, it is a possibility we considered, but as aggressive as these beings have been, I don't think we can afford to play it safe. We need to be aggressive ourselves. There might be two ships waiting for us or twenty, but at this point, I think that not acting and attempting to retrieve King Rainus would be worse than doing nothing at all, or waiting until we have more information on the Shixxaminti."

The Admiral leaned back in his chair once more, his weathered fingers drumming against the desk surface. "You make a compelling argument, Prince Adar. The aggressive approach has merit, especially given what we're facing." He paused, his dark eyes shifting between Markus and me. "How many ships are you requesting?"

"Ideally, a full battle squadron," I replied. Markus had already told me how many ships to ask for when we were making the plans. "Twelve ships minimum, including at least two heavy cruisers. We need enough firepower to engage multiple targets while maintaining the element of surprise."

"That's a significant commitment of resources," Havoreat mused. "But you're right about one thing—we can't afford to play it safe with the King's life at stake." He stood up, his massive frame casting a shadow across the desk. "I'll give you fifteen ships, including three heavy cruisers. The Retribution will serve as the flagship."

A surge of relief and gratitude washed over me. "Thank you, Admiral. That's more than generous."

"Don't thank me yet," Havoreat said grimly. "I'm also assigning myself as fleet commander for this operation."

Markus straightened in his chair. "Admiral, with respect, that's unnecessary. You're needed here to coordinate—"

"The Supreme Commander of the Vanguard is in enemy hands," Havoreat cut Markus off, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority. "This isn't just a rescue mission—it's a matter of Vanguard honor. I won't send my ships into battle while I sit safely behind a desk." His gaze fixed on me. "Unless you have an objection, Your Highness?"

The formal address reminded me that despite his support, he was trying one last time to test me. I shook my head. "No objection, Admiral. Your experience will be invaluable. I'm grateful for your leadership."

"Good." Havoreat moved to a wall display and activated it with a gesture. A tactical map of the sector appeared, showing ship positions and hyperspace routes. "We can have the fleet assembled and ready to depart within two hours. That should put us meeting up with Arch-Major Roth and Protector Tau-mine in roughly six hours. Tell them to wait at the intersection. I'll have my staff begin immediate preparations. Prince Adar, I assume you'll want to be aboard the Retribution with me?"

"Yes, Admiral," I replied. "As will Markus."

"I'll have quarters prepared for both of you," Havoreat said, tapping commands into the display. "And I'll want a full briefing with your research team about these modified missiles before we launch."

He pressed a button on his desk. The door opened immediately, and the Lieutenant who had escorted us in appeared.

"Lieutenant, escort our guests to the officer's lounge. See, they have everything they need. Then inform the command staff we're deploying the Fourth Battle Squadron. Priority Alpha. I want the Retribution prepped and all squadron commanders in the briefing room within the hour."

"Yes, Admiral," she replied crisply, gesturing for us to follow.

As we left the Admiral's office, I could feel the energy in the outer chamber shift. The staff who had moments before pretended disinterest now eyed us openly, gauging the magnitude of what was happening. Markus and I followed the Lieutenant through the corridor in silence, the only sound being the soft thud of our boots on the gray deck of the station.