CHAPTER FOUR
Yen entered the ballroom with Keryn on his arm. She looked stunning, with her tanned skin highlighted by a silver sequined dress. The plunging neckline accentuated the curves of her body and left nearly every man in the room staring as the pair was announced to the crowd. Yen understood their surprise. He had been equally amazed when he picked her up from her quarters and found her so stunningly dressed. She had flashed him a warm smile then, the same warm smile that she now gave him as they entered the ballroom. Yen’s heart melted at the sight of that smile. He couldn’t deny that there was a distinct spark of chemistry between the two. Since she arrived on board the
Standing at the doorway as their names were called, Yen scanned the crowd of gathered faces. To him, they all seemed so young and naive. Many wore expressions of deep-seated anticipation, mired in a burning desire to be heroes. Almost none of the hundreds of Warrants and Officers in the ballroom had ever experienced war, death, and loss. They had graduated from the Academy or Field Officer Training during a time of peace, never with an expectation of having to prove themselves during real combat. For too many, Yen noticed, that had translated into a yearning to make a name for themselves. Yen had seen that attitude too many times before as well. He had attended their memorial services after they died doing something foolish.
The other emotion that Yen noticed was that of surprise. Many were eager to begin the night’s festivities if only to answer their building litany of questions. Both Yen and Keryn had been surprised by the announcement of the formal dinner. For so many weeks, even before Keryn arrived, there had been a monotonous droning of repetitive days. Yen, Adam, and the rest of the insertion team trained repeatedly on breaching tactics on a Terran vessel, but it had amounted to little since they had no orders to attack the Terran Fleet. Now, though, the rumors circulated like wild fire. Gossipers spread stories of High Council orders and impending battle. Yen had to admit that at least some of the rumors were founded. The Alliance Fleet had broken orbit and were now speeding toward an unknown location. He had to assume it somehow coincided with the dinner they now were forced to attend.
Tugging on his stiff collar, Yen directed Keryn toward a designated table, around which Adam and some of the other Infantry Warrants and Officers were sitting. Adam’s date, a tall, dark haired Uligart Warrant that Yen didn’t immediately recognize, smiled invitingly as they took their seats. Yen conducted the formal introductions of everyone at the table, though most were familiar to Yen. As both a pilot and the leader of his Infantry insertion team, Yen had befriended most Officers and Warrants on both sides, Fleet and Infantry. As such, he became an important liaison and mediator during the many disagreements. Lately, that aspect of his job had taken most of his time; at least the time he wasn’t spending with Keryn.
“So,” Adam interjected, wasting no time with formalities before getting to the crux of the conversation. “What do you think this is all about? My money is on deployment orders.”
“I don’t know, Adam,” Yen replied. “I’m as much in the dark as you are.”
“That’s a load of crap,” Adam quickly responded. “You’re never in the dark. You always know more than you let on. Read someone’s mind, for crying out loud.”
Yen frowned, but his sentiment wasn’t shared with the rest of the table. Many laughed. Keryn, however, raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You can do that?” she asked.
“Trust me, sister,” Adam’s date chimed in, “there are few things Yen Xiao can’t do with that crazy power of his.”
Keryn leaned in close. Yen could smell the intoxicating perfume she wore. It was very distracting in the midst of a conversation. “You ever read my mind, and you’ll never live to regret it.” She winked at him as she leaned away and rejoined the rest of the table’s conversation.
Aside from her beauty and intelligence, Yen admired her social relaxation. Keryn easily slipped into nearly any conversation, having a multitude of stories to share on nearly any topic. Though she had been on the ship less than a week, she added people daily to her growing circle of friends.
Their conversation was interrupted, however, by the chiming of silverware off a crystal glass. Keryn and Yen had to shift their chairs to see the rear doors to the ballroom, where Captain Hodge and her small entourage entered before taking their seats at the head table. Only Captain Hodge remained standing, obviously planning to speak before sitting with Eminent Merric and Squadron Commander Garrix.
“Good evening everyone,” she began with simple formalities. “I’m glad that you were all able to make time in your busy schedules in order to join us for this dinner, though I do realize I didn’t truly leave you much of an option in the matter.” She paused while flittered laughter rolled through the room. “There is much that we need to discuss tonight; many rumors that either need to be confirmed or stifled before they get out of hand. Right now, however, is not the time for long winded speeches. I find it’s upsetting to be the bearer of important news and then try to eat a heavy meal. Therefore, I will leave you with only this acknowledgement of your questions: we have broken orbit and are currently flying toward an undisclosed location. You can speculate amongst yourselves as we eat. Following dinner, I will tell you everything I know and give you as many answers to your questions as I can offer. For now, please enjoy both the food and one another’s company.”
As she took her seat, the room erupted in chatters of conversation. For many, Captain Hodge’s teasing speech added fuel to an already hotly burning fire of speculation. For others, there was a worrisome expression on their faces. Yen not only understood their concern, but was happy to see the reality of the situation finally sinking in for the new pilots and soldiers. Maybe, if they could understand the dangers associated with real combat, some of them might survive to see how the war develops. Yen had spent quite a bit of time thinking about what was to come and had come to a realization. Their attack against the Terran Fleet would be brutal, but would be far from the end of the war. If anything, he knew that their attack would only ignite the fervor of the Terran Empire. The single attack could lead to years of open warfare, the likes of which hadn’t been experienced in a century and a half. The stories of those brutal battles, leaving millions dead on both sides, had never been forgotten. Yen cringed at the idea of another war like that, in which so many were left dead. No, Yen had realized that the assault on the Terran Fleet could not be the end of the Alliance assault, but rather the tip of a long and deadly spear. He only hoped those in power, the High Council in particular, thought much the same.
Dinner was served, though conversations took precedence over eating. For many in the room, their food was barely touched by the time their plates were taken away, having only shifted their entrees from one side of the plate to another while discussing their theories in hushed tones with those they shared their table. Thankfully, Yen, Adam, and Keryn had avoided most of the gossiping, spending their time lost in small talk and pleasantries. Having served together for over a year, Yen and Adam had many stories about one another which kept Keryn laughing throughout the meal. By the time dinner was over, their table’s jovial attitude still remained. They still joked between one another as Captain Hodge finished her meal and stood once more. A silence fell over the room as she gained everyone’s undivided attention. Cameras in the room turned and began recording. Yen had a suspicion that her speech would be replayed on all ships in the attack Fleet simultaneously.
“Over the past few months,” Captain Hodge began, “a new and dangerous threat has emerged from the Terran Empire. A small invasion Fleet of six Terran Destroyers slipped into Alliance space, in clear violation of the Taisa Accord. This is the first major incursion in violation of the Accord in one hundred and fifty years. Were that their only transgression, it would be grounds enough for us to go to war. However, as you are all aware, invading our sovereign space was not the only atrocity they committed, nor was it the most recent. Almost a year ago, direct actions of the Terran Empire resulted in the deaths of over one hundred Infantry soldiers on Perseus II. More recently, however, this invading Fleet has attacked and destroyed five Alliance Cruisers.”
Yen felt the ache in his chest at the mention of Perseus. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the same sorrow-filled expression on Keryn’s face at the mention of her brother’s loss. “The Terrans have done more than just invade our space. They have made an open declaration of war, a declaration that has not been lost on the High Council. In response, the High Council contacted me yesterday with new orders; orders to break orbit and make haste toward the Terran Fleet’s location. Our orders are simple: destroy the Terran Fleet at all costs!”
A raucous cheer erupted from the crowd as the rumors were validated. To Yen’s surprise, he felt a hand fall
