Dark Fate, Chapter 241

Chapter 241 – Return

(Main Bridge, CRN Mercurial, Sol System)

Captain Griboyedov Ivan Tikhonovich breathed as the stitch-sickness finally fell away. Blinking his eyes clear, he called out to the room. “Time?”

A half-groggy, half-nauseous voice answered him from the sensor station. “Stitch completed four minutes and thirty-three seconds ago. All ships reporting in, all systems green.”

Griboyedov nodded once, slowly enough that it did not affect his own head, which was still recovering after the stitch. Just over four and a half minutes to get back to his senses. That number was higher than when they first set out to Ulora and the Commonwealth, back when he was only Tier 1, but not as high as the King’s recovery time. Which only served to show just how powerful the King was, even before he rose in Tiers.

But that kind of musing could wait. He was in command of these ships, after all, so he better act like it. “All hands, secure from Stitch positions. Sensors, what do we have?”

The Lieutenant at the sensor station looked up. “Captain, we are in Sol System, as projected. Fleet is currently holding steady at the L2 Lagrange point between Pluto and Charon. Picking up a CRN sensor installation on Charon. Automated IFF signals recognized. Naval Command, at least, knows we’re here, and who we are.”

Griboyedov straightened up in his chair. “Comms, are we being hailed?”

“Yes, Captain. Looks to be an automated message, welcoming us home and requesting communication when we emerge from stitch-shock.”

“Open a channel, then.”

“Connecting now, Captain.”

The main screen flashed on, and the Ceresan Royal Navy logo was quickly replaced by Fleet Admiral Andrei Jordan, the head of the Ceresan Navy (after the King, naturally). Behind him, it looked like the command center of the Ceresan Royal Navy was going about business as usual. No signs of crisis, then.

“Ah, Captain Griboyedov. It is good to see you and your squadron back. Emperor Greene was saying that you’d finished your last strike just under a week ago, so we’ve been expecting you.”

Griboyedov blinked, but rallied quickly. “It is good to be back, Admiral. But what is this about the King being an Emperor now? And he was expecting us?”

Jordan laughed lightly, and said, “Well, he is still King of Ceres, but much like how the reigning monarch in Great Britain is King of England, while also being sovereign of the British Empire. Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia have all petitioned to join with the Kingdom of Ceres, forming the Ceresan Empire. There was a spot of bother with a Giant Kraken that was set on the canal by Russian intelligence operatives, but the Emperor took care of it, along with his companions.”

“Ебать!” Griboyedov cursed, without thinking. Then, realizing he was still on the line with the Admiral, he coughed once, and said, “Excuse me, Admiral. Does Moskva still stand?”

Jordan chuckled. “Perfectly reasonable reaction, Captain. And yes, Moscow is untouched, though the Emperor had the President, along with the intelligence branch responsible, captured and brought to Ceres for trial by combat. Which he conducted personally. With that, he declared the matter resolved, though Russian ships are still barred from Ceresan territory, including the Panama Canal.”

Griboyedov cradled his head in his hands. “Well, at least it wasn’t the worst-case scenario. Still, what could have possessed them to do something so foolish?”

“To their credit, they did try to hide who was behind the attack. They simply weren’t aware that the System Shop keeps records of items sold between star systems. Or that those records can be searched, for a fee. Once the Emperor broadcast the information, there were few people jumping to Russia’s defense. Televising the ‘trial’ made certain that no one wished to get involved.

“As for why they decided to strike? It seems that they were concerned that Ceres gaining control over the Panama Canal would give Emperor Greene too much influence over Earth’s economy. Considering that Russia’s economy has been badly hurt by its ships not being allowed through the canal, I can’t say that they were wrong, but the way they went about things was profoundly stupid.”

“Пиздец. Well, there’s no use closing the gate after the cattle have already escaped, I guess. But you said that the Emperor was expecting us? We haven’t sent any communiques ahead, even through the System Shop. And we did not stop by one of the Commonwealth bases on our way back.”

“One of the Emperor’s skills, [Mutual Might], granted your entire squadron an extra 10% experience gain, yes? Well, part of the skill gives him a portion of the XP you earn, in addition to titles like Admiral or King applying to you. Emperor, as well, now, though it apparently did not apply to you because you left the system before the Empire was declared.”

“Ah, then, when we hit each of our targets?”

“The Emperor got a great deal of XP as a lump sum, yes. As a note, he is now a Tier 3.”

“A mere couple years after the System turned on? That kind of leveling speed cannot be normal. Though I guess I shouldn’t complain, since there isn’t anyone in the squadron who isn’t well into Tier 2, by this point.”

“We expected as much, to be honest. Fortunately, the Emperor has confirmed that, barring emergencies, your entire squadron is due some time off for rest and recovery. Also, there will be mandated sessions with the counselors for everyone.”

“I would have asked for it, regardless,” Griboyedov nodded. “While the task was necessary, and we were certainly giving those souls a cleaner end than they would have otherwise had, someone who could do as we did, and not be affected by it is someone to keep a very close watch on. Preferably in a location far from any weapons. Certainly not someone you would want having access to military hardware.”

“Just so,” Admiral Jordan nodded. “However, I will give you a bit of a heads up. There’s going to be some restructuring of the Fleet, now that recruitment has plateaued to a steady rate. Building more ships than we can crew is foolhardy, after all. Once Home Fleet is filled out, Third Fleet will be getting more ships added to the order of battle. As part of this, you’ll probably have some ships and crew members shuffled around so that we have a cohort of blooded veterans to take the new blood in hand.”

“Understood, Admiral. I’ll put word out through the squadron, see if we don’t round up some volunteers, before people start getting voluntold.”

“Which brings me to my next order of business,” Jordan said with a smile. “Captain Griboyedov, there will be a formal announcement later on, as well as a ceremony, but I can tell you that the Emperor has already signed off on this. When you return to Ceres, you’ll be getting a promotion to Rear Admiral, and formal command of Third Fleet as a whole. You were given a monstrous task, and you not only completed it, but I see that your ships have all returned with you. I’d say that you earned this. But, speaking of the squadron, how bad was it? Any casualties?”

“Invader took a heavy hit during the first raid, before we learned to identify the Incux Surface-to-Space defensive sites from orbital scans. Damage repaired at the Commonwealth’s Halafarin Station. Other ships received some damage during subsequent engagements, but all of it relatively minor. As far as casualties, twelve dead across the fleet, with ninety-seven wounded. We also lost two of Angel Squadron’s fighters, but recovered the pilots, and most of Cinder Squadron is going to need a full teardown and rebuild of the hyperspace engines, from what I’ve been told. Rapid jumps are great for hit-and-run tactics, but hell on the machines.”

“Machines can be replaced easier than people. We’ll get all captains, seconds, and squadron leaders together for a comprehensive debrief and after-action review. Bring in the boffins, as well, so we can figure out what needs changing, and how to do it. For now, System Control will send you course information so you can get your people that much-needed time off. Communications restrictions for personal messages are lifted, with the normal caveats for classified or operational material. However, be advised, we have guests from both the Ouran and the Commonwealth in system, so public message restrictions are still in place.”

“Understood, Admiral. We’ll play nice.”

“Never doubted it. Welcome back, Mercurial. Admiralty out.”

(Pilot’s Lounge, CRN Mercurial, Sol System)

“This is the Captain. We have received word from Command that personal message restrictions are now lifted. Communication restrictions on classified or operational material remain in place. There are Ouran and Commonwealth friendlies in system, so public message restrictions remain in place. We are currently en route to Ceres, with an ETA of twelve hours. Captain out.”

That got a general cheer from everyone in the cantina. Critter excused himself, so he could go send a long-awaited message to his wife. And several others got up and headed out, as well. All those who had family and friends to talk to after a few months away.

Heretic nudged Goddess with her elbow. “Now that we’ve had a drink to knock back the stitch-shock, we should probably go check in with Master, yes? Your room or mine?”

Goddess considered for a moment, and then said, “Better make it mine. Hentai will be ‘celebrating’ with the Flight Boss in his quarters. Probably with Mystic, as well, which means that the closest rooms will be empty, right now. I expect they’ll be asking for a ‘change of status’ after we get back.”

“Oh?” Heretic grinned. “They getting collars, like we did? Or is the Flight Boss going to celebrate being a Master Vampire now that he’s Tier 2 by turning them into his brides?”

“Mix of both, from what I’ve heard during gossip sessions. Heretic is all on board with being the Flight Boss’s sexy sex slave and blood bag, but Mystic is definitely interested in becoming a creature of the night, and the different benefits that would offer her. And neither of them mind sharing their man, so long as there aren’t any secrets.”

Heretic chuckled as she stood up from the table. “Well, I guess we can’t really complain, since we’re the first ones who got dicked down so good that we signed our lives away to our Master. Probably set a bad example for our squadrons, with that.”

Goddess grinned as she looped her arm around the Apocalypse Succubus’s waist as they walked back to her quarters, and said, “Well, at least we have Critter to be a good example to them all, then. But soon enough we’ll be back on Ceres, and able to remind ourselves why we begged our Master to brand us.”

Heretic bumped her hip against the Hellsworn High Elf’s with an answering grin. “Oh, I think we both remember just fine. Though, I’ll admit it is nice that being in Tier 2 means I’m no longer affected by making sure my sister-slave isn’t getting lonely. Still can’t feed on you, or the other lovelies who are part of Master’s property on board, but just being with you without a male audience doesn’t cause me trouble any more.”

“Speaking of which, when was the last time you ‘ate’? I know Master gave you permission, but you haven’t exactly been holding gangbangs in the cantina.”

“Of course not. Health code violations for that kind of thing. Plus, while I have no problem putting on a show, especially after how I kept fed before I graduated from school, I draw the line at forcing a show on people. Now, if we’re somewhere out of the way, like the ship gym, and there’s a sign on the door warning people, and they walk in anyways? That’s on them, and they can watch or join in as they please. But I’m not going to go doing something like that in public, and forcing others to watch.”

“So, you’re an ethical sex demoness,” Goddess giggled.

“Hmph! I’ll have you know that I am very ethical. Most Succubi are, actually. We are just very, very good at encouraging people to turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’, or at least a ‘not yet’.”

“Mmhmm. Come on, let’s go check in, and see what craziness our Master has gotten up to while we’ve been gone.”