Chapter 3: Great Houses
Betrayal greets the rebellion as Poe and Catherine close in on the Dominus.
Start from the beginning. The Fall of the Imperium Index.
Catherine
We move quiet through the Citadel streets. Low corridor; only reserved for Helpers, transports, Imperium support and techs. Far above us, in the middle of the artificial planet sits the Citadel proper, pristine and surrounded by rivers and streams and forests.
After we turned the Nova, we took planet after planet. Poe and the Raiders took down most of the remaining Starborn Fleet before it fled to defend the Citadel. I think back on the massive battle on Mons, the home planet of the Aether Legions and remaining Imperium ground forces who dare stand against us. A few of the Great Houses loyal to the Dominus fought against us, too.
It was an incredible, if you consider the slaughter of tens of thousands and the destruction of a city incredible.
Main groups of our rebellion hit Sargos, the capital city of Mons. We purposefully led with a ground assault, only way to draw them out. We left our middle weak and ordered each side of our army to pretend to fall back and retreat away. But instead, Nova, Raiders and my unit burst to the middle and we closed either side. We blocked tens of thousands of Imperium fighters in a giant square and then, we squeezed them in. I haven’t seen slaughter of that kind since my time in the Imperium.
It felt strange to fight next to Nova who wanted me dead and with Raiders who would gut me without a second thought on their home planet. I glance at the bracelet on my wrist. The one that secures my alliance to the Raiders and our rebellion. The last part of our plan was a surprise a cosmic drop on Sargos; with Raiders and Slayers. Their sleek ships landed in the city and stormed the streets as we pushed forward. The Raider Fleet bombarded the remaining fleet of a Great House, too. Magellanic House, I think from the wreckage.
We took Mons and our losses must be less than the Imperium. A massive chunk of their ground forces annihilated. Another reason Mons is so vital is it’s a weapons depot and planet where they store many of their munitions. During the siege, I tried to stop our fighters from destroying the city but it’s war. I’m not sure I did much good.
Parts of the city lie in ruin. We encouraged Raiders and Slayers to let prisoners live but they rarely listen. On my patrols with Argos and the Nazarene, we find groups of Imperium troops executed. Argos apologizes for his men but he tries to explain the Raider customs of war. The word prisoner does not exist in their world.
Our warriors and troops think I am unstoppable and I am sure the people of the Imperium believe I am a devil.
Sara’s spy network says they call me the Sun Demon. It’s not the worst nickname. Strangely, Sara has been absent from many engagements and our meetings as we move closer to the Citadel. Poe’s politicking our assault as several Great House armies sat out. Hex Corporation supplies us HAMP to support the resources of the war effort. Cosmos Apollos and Gabriel Apollos, the richest man in the Imperium still supports the Dominus, but he seems ready to jump to the winning side. His armies won’t join the fight. Neither will Hex troops.
Now, we sneak among the Citadel with our forces hidden in transport bays, civilian ships and underground docks. The Hex Corporation provides us more transports under the cover of HAMP shipments. We’re ready to take the city and bring this rebellion to an end. Bring the Imperium to its knees.
Argos and I move quick among the streets with Raiders, Nazarene and Slayers. Tel is somewhere ahead with some of our unit capturing a large underground transport terminal. Joan waits with the Sisters to storm the Dominus residence and Imperium governing center. Tens of thousands more wait to spring to action.
I notice there are less Nazarene then I expect. Matthew will meet us under the city to terminate the shields, quantum guns and anything else stopping the Equinox Fleet from taking the skies. Poe will meet us soon as he comes from a meeting with the Great Houses. Our final diplomatic play to bring the rest of the Imperium to our side and likely stop a civil war if we are successful.
The other night, I told him I wanted him to lead. To be someone the Imperium can get behind. We know we just can’t end the Imperium’s rule. But maybe with someone like Poe, who comes from a Great House, it could change. They’d never follow me; the Imperium Council, the Great Houses.
We dispatch Imperium guards quiet and head down to the courtyard docking bay where we hear a battle raging. We enter from the far side and see Tel and her forces fighting from the other end. The Imperium forces don’t last long as we cut them down from two sides.
“About time,” Tel stammers as the remaining Imperium troops are captured or put down. A handful are held by Argos and his Raiders and they look to me. I know what he is asking and have reservations, but we need secrecy. They kill the unarmed guards. Tel and I watch; it’s not civilized.
Tel glances at the Raiders and then me, “Since when did we start killing for sport?”
“Can’t risk it Tel,” I reply catching my breathe and wiping blood from my Thermal Suit. “One of them sounds the alarm to the city and it’s a siege. Months, a lunar year, maybe longer.”
Tel nods to me, “Just be careful, Catherine. Careful where we draw the line. If things go the way we hope, pretty soon the Imperium won’t be an enemy to be gutted and killed.”
She nods and points above us, “Finding peace up there is where the real work is. It’s easy when there is an enemy to kill. It’s nearly impossible when everyone pretends to be friends during peace time.”
I see Matthew and a handful of Nazarene and others headed down to the bowels of the control floors and data areas of the Citadel. I start walking to go with him and wonder why he hasn’t waited for me.
I nod to her and she’s right. A rebellion is simple when you fight the big, bad Imperium. Taking over and governing the Imperium is something else. A world I’m not sure I am cut out for.
“Secure the courtyard and docking bay. Matthew is already headed down and I need to help him. Any word from Sara?” I say to Tel. Argos and the Raiders start to join me, along with a few Nazarene but I tell them to stay with Tel. She shakes her head.
“She’s been quiet. Hopefully working her spy network to get us into the Regala,” Tel says. “Get going. We can talk about running the world when you get back up here.”
I nod and take off to catch up with Matthew.
Poe
“Would you lead?” Brax asks me again. I worry about Cat but that’s nothing new. I’m always worried about her. Impossible not to when someone prefers killing up close. Awhile ago I told Cat fighting is easier for me. I get to stand on the bridge of war frigate. There’s metal, glass, deep space and distance in my battles.
“Can a man lead the Imperium?” I reply.
Our Striker rattles around a moon far from the Citadel. You can barely see the edge of the Citadel with your naked eye from here. We dodge any radar contacts and assume any ship we see is friendly to the Imperium. No doubt other Strikers and craft from the Great Houses are doing the same.
I’m here to meet the Great Houses. I am here to try to end our rebellion with the Dominus by brokering peace with them. If not, taking the Citadel will be bloody and merciless. Fleet bombardment. Siege. Civilians dead. It could drive the Great Houses to support the Dominus and bring civil war. Weeks, months, probably years more of fighting.
“No rule against it. Hard to say since the Dominus is centuries old. No man has ruled since Dominus Aether’s son. Think he was the Dominus grandfather,” Brax narrates as we land. The moon was terraformed eons ago and the landscape is rugged. Mountains and peaks and glaciers. We walk underground from the landing ramp. No doubt some kind of Imperium shelter or hidden location.
My first sense of trouble is at the massive airlock door. I see a guard from my house, an Orion guard with the mark of our family, the hunter Orion. But two more stand on the opposite side with the mark of a rose; House Andromeda.
I don’t expect the Andromedas to be here but for a second I think our chances of peace are good.
I enter a large meeting room and see an unexpected sight. My father, Lady Andromeda and Rose Andromeda, speaking among the leaders of other Great Houses. The namesake of Apollos Cosmos, Gabriel Apollos, the richest man in the Imperium, is there. The rumors are he hides warehouses and frigates full of Panguite, the official Imperium currency, across the branes. My cousin, one of my commanders in our rebellion is here, too. He shouldn’t be here; he should be commanding a war frigate.
I turn to Brax but the airlock door slides shut and separates us. I hear a scuffle outside as we are cut off. My stomach drops and I turn to them as Rose Andromeda smiles, “Poe Ranulf, in person. Why don’t we sit and see if what your dad told me about you matches up.”
“Please son, sit down,” My dad says and I sneer at them. I reach for my Pulsar as twenty guards pull their Pulsars and Wind Rifles and sight me down. I smirk and lower my Pulsar as two guards take my weapons. So much for a negotiation.
“So Dad, what did the Andromeda’s promise you? HAMP fields. Unlimited credits of Panguite. Imperium Council seat? Lady Andromeda?” I want to kill them all. A year of fighting and sleeping with Cat is rubbing off on me.
“Watch it,” my Dad says loud, his voice filling the room. “Without me, the Andromeda’s would have crushed you, boy.”
I turn to my cousin, “Not surprised to see you here. It seems your jumping sides when it suits you. Just like your mom jumps into anyone else’s bed that isn’t your father’s.” My cousin takes a step toward me before Rose Andromeda cuts through our family drama as he curses.
“House Orion, please. We’re here to negotiate the end of the rebellion and the beginning of a new age for the Imperium. Can we leave your, family issues until after?” She’s different than I expected. Measured and commanding and stunning. Whereas Cat is rugged and beautiful and fierce, Rose is pretty and put together and immaculate.
A see Solar Blade hang at her side; a light rose color. I wonder if she’s ever used it.
“Fair enough,” my father bellows. “Rose, give him the terms. Whatever is decided from there, I have little care for.” My father stands and moves away from the table and glances out the window to the rolling mountains beyond.
“You’re a goddamn coward. Since when do you speak for House Orion? Your brother and my aunt lead it, not you,” I say to his back.
“I speak for our house since I am the rightful arbiter and successor in the event of their death,” he speaks to me without turning his back. “And, they are both dead.”
I look at his back and then at my cousin. My cousin gives me a cold stare and in my heart I know what they’ve done, “You killed your own parents?”
He shakes his head and stares me down. There’s no sadness there, no regret at the news of his parents death, “You never understood the Great Houses, Poe. Never grasped the big picture. My parents cut me out; took everything. Ready to disown me. Destroy our house in the name of this little war. Now, we are secure,” he explains to me without emotion. He lectures me after conspiring to kill his parents and help my father take control of our house.
“I should gut you both right here,” I say gritting my teeth. My hand is tight on my Wind Blade.
“Poe, shall we discuss this rebellion?” Rose says to me. I glance at her. A dozen guns still follow me and I press my hand behind me back. Rose’s lips are plump. Her eyes rose colored. Probably optics. I look at her and realize the problem. She’s perfect. Her features. Her posture. Her armor is cut to accentuate her breasts and hips. She’s too perfect and it makes my blood boil.
“What’s there to discuss?” I reply. “This won’t be a negotiation. It will be a coup for House Andromeda. And they’ll get the credit for peace. And what do we get?”
“To live,” Rose answers. “And watch House Andromeda rise.”
My heart drops as I see a man walk in. The Pontiff. He looks at me sad. Ashamed. He shakes Lady Andromeda’s hand and then kisses it, hugs Rose and bows to my father. As he walks out he looks over to me. I shake my head as he leaves the airlock door and squeeze my fists together.
I glance to see if Brax is there but it’s just guards. More Andromeda guards. Another gentlemen enters. A crazed looking man with a shaved head and blonde colored eyes. He gives me a wild look and then bows to the Andromeda’s. He tells them something and they give him an excited look. Their eyes are wide. The man then kisses Lady Andromeda on the cheeks and kisses Rose on the lips.
He whispers to my father and cousin. I know my father’s faces and it’s a mixture between excitement and panic. My cousin is terrified. The man with the shaved head is joined by a woman with short blonde hair. Blonde eyes. They look related. The woman whispers to Rose, kisses her and then the couple leave. Others that look similar to them wait outside the door and join them.
The shaved head man gives me another strange look.
“You’re an Imperium whore,” I yell to Rose. Her guard comes out of nowhere and smashes me in the face from behind. Another fist hits me in the nose but I block the third and punch him in the nose.
“Enough,” Rose says to her fighter. He backs up and stands next to her, blood trickles from his nose.
“Poe, you’ve done in a year what we’ve been maneuvering for in ten,” Rose explains. “You’ve decimated the Starborn Fleet. Great, our fleet rule the stars. You’ve split the Black Stars off entirely. Incredible. The Nova fight with you; they can just as easily be asked to join us. You’re about to take down the defenses at the Citadel but really, there is no need. Our spies have taken over the guard and right now, the Dominus and members of the remaining Great House who support her are conveniently held at the Regala. For their safety of course.”
Rose lets her explanation hit me as I listen. We’ve delivered the Imperium to her and the Andromeda’s like it’s nothing. They’ve stood in the shadows and watched us fight, bleed, die and struggle while setting themselves up to rule.
I feel sick. I feel used and betrayed and I shake my head like it’s a bad dream.
“So what’s the negotiation? What is there left to do at this point?” I stammer to her.
“You live. And you get that wild bitch under control,” my dad interjects. Lady Andromeda looks at him.
“I thought we talked about no pardons. Only your son and a select few,” she looks at her daughter, my dad and my cousin. Other members of the Great Houses stare. “Not that monster.”
Rose looks at her mother, “New terms mother. Poe controls Catherine. She can be a hero still. But they can live quiet and away from Imperium business and our rule. Far away. And, we offer Poe an alliance,” Rose says and looks at me.
“Take the deal, boy. Live,” Gabriel Apollos says from across the room. He is conveniently surrounded by armed guards and fighters that carry the mark of his company logo.
“No,” I reply.
“No considerations for your safety? For Catherine? Not that it matters. Everyone seems to die around her,” Rose teases.
“No deals of damn alliances or agreements with you.” I sit back and stare out the window. I’m still unsure if I’ll make it out of here alive. I worry more about Cat and our forces taking the Citadel. We’re exposed. I need to get to her.
The next person who walks in through the airlock makes me want to scream. Sara is followed by a handful of Andromeda troops with Brax in restraints.
“Take the deal Poe. Catherine lives and you get to rule,” Sara says and stands with the Andromeda’s.
I look at her. At Brax. He’s beaten to hell and restrained.
“You were their spy,” I say to Sara. “All those times, you tried to stop us. Not for the Imperium but for the Andromedas,” I glare at Sara. She doesn’t seem bothered.
“You abandoned your own family and us for that crazy bitch. Abandoned me,” she fires back. “I don’t even think you deserve to rule.”
“You keep saying rule, what in the Quantums are you talking about?” I reply.
“To join our houses and make the Imperium strong, I’m offering myself to you. To serve along side me as I rule the Imperium,” Rose says. “Maybe I can help you forget about Catherine.”
I look at her. Sara. My Dad. And I start laughing. I laugh so hard they all laugh and join in because it would seem strange not to. I laugh so hard I cry. I raise my hands in apology.
“I’m sorry. Sorry,” I slow down and dry my eyes. “Rose Andromeda, you’ll never be Catherine Arc. Who she is. You can’t buy me by offering yourself to me like you did everyone else. So to quote the old Earther ancestors, fuck off.”
Rose looks at me. Most men would kill to have Rose Andromeda look at them like this. I’m not one. She moves over to Brax.
“No, Poe, I don’t think I will,” she says. She turns and runs her Solar Blade through Brax. Middle of his chest and then does it again below his stomach. Brax gurgles and struggles, bleeds wild and I run and slide on my knees to catch him as he falls. I’m screaming his name. Everyone steps away from us.
He squeezes my hand and I see him realizing that he is dying. Losing his life. He is murmuring something as Rose Andromeda talks behind us, “Let Catherine know this is what will happen if you go against us. No second chances. No peace offering. Just a quick death.”
I don’t hear her. I lean down to Brax who’s gurgling and coughing. He still says one thing, “Tell Cat, sorry.” He repeats again. Struggles. Grips my hand so hard I worry he will break it and then, just like that, Brax is gone. His eyes frozen staring past me. Blood oozing out of him. No ceremony, no long goodbye, just alive and fierce and then dead staring past me.
I stand in a fury to find a dozen Pulsars and blades pointed at me.
“We should keep him here. Let our forces capture or kill that animal,” Lady Andromeda says.
“No, let him leave. He can deal with the Sun Giver,” my father says Cat’s nickname like a curse.
I stay frozen with my hand on Brax before I hear Gabriel Apollos voice cut through my anger, “Better get moving, boy. Before they change their mind.”
I turn to walk but my legs move slow. The realizations of the last few minutes, Brax’s death, Rose; they hit me and make my want to lay down and yell.
I curse at my father as I leave, “How much Panguite? How much HAMP? What did they promise you son of a bitch?” My father doesn’t so much as give me a sideways glance before keeping his attention out the thick window. I’d enjoy smashes his face into it.
As I walk out in a rage, crying, I turn to the Andromeda’s.
“Did you kill Cat’s mother during the Nova rebellion?” I shriek at Lady Andromeda.
She stares at me cold. The others register confusion. Few know about the rebellion. I see her arm tense and she swallows but says nothing. It’s as close to a yes as I’ll get from the leader of this sick family. Their soldiers keep their weapons leveled at me.
“Did you?! Pray. Pray to whatever you believe in that Cat doesn’t live through this and that I don’t either. Because once I tell her what you did, she’ll stop at nothing to drive her blade into your fucking neck. And I’ll stop at nothing to make sure everyone in this room isn’t alive to see it.”
I spit and march out of the room. If they are smart, they’ll kill me now. But my father would never let that stand. As much as he despises me, I’m still strangely under his protection. As I reach the Striker, I sprint to the pilot seat and gun the ship off the moon. I don’t bother being careful as I fly in a mad dash to the Citadel. I just pray I get there in time.
Catherine
We’re maybe half a mile underground below the Citadel. I keep hearing garbled comms but nothing is clear under here. I hear Argos and his unit calling for me. Then I swear I hear Poe’s voice. But then nothing. We’re too far underground and the generators and data floors distort comms.
As soon as we kill the shields, the dark matter rail guns and quantum turrets will be quiet and make the entry for the Equinox Fleet easy. I turn and see Matthew headed down another corridor.
“Matthew?” I shout as he turns with a few Raiders. He should be headed the other way, unless I’ve confuse the schematics.
Poe and Brax should be arriving soon and then we will continue the assault on the surface.
I think about my speech at the Institute and our fighting the last month as I walk to find Matthew. It has been bloody but successful.
We overpowered the Imperium forces on the Crystal Moons, drove them from the Twilight Plains, pushed them back across a dozen other Branes, planets and space battles. As of a lunar week ago, Imperium forces were clustered around Mons and the Citadel.
I wonder how Poe and Brax are faring with the Great Houses. It’s the big ones that need convincing; ones like Andromeda and Planck.
I follow the corridor and see Matthew enter a large control area with data panels and reactors behind him. Then I hear running behind me. Lots of feet.
I follow Matthew into this control center as he types and then turns to me, a sad look on his face.
“I’m sorry, Catherine,” he says before pressing a button to lock us in the room. Then, he levels his Pulsar and shoots the Raiders and Slayers behind me.