A Galaxy Unknown 10: Azula Carver Read online

  Azula Carver

  A Galaxy Unknown® series – Book 10

  Copyright ©2015 by Thomas J. DePrima

  15.i.18

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. The scanning, uploading, downloading, and/or distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal, and punishable by law.

  No part of this novel may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the copyright holder, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

  ISBN-10: 1619310287

  ISBN-13: 978-1-61931-028-5

  Cover Spaceship by: Martin J. Cannon

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person with whom you share it. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to the owner and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  An appendix containing political and technical data highly pertinent to this series is included at the back of this book.

  To contact the author, or see information about his other novels, visit:

  www.deprima.com

  Acknowledgement

  Many thanks to Ted King for his invaluable developmental editing assistance,

  my copy editor Myra Shelley and her proofreaders,

  and to Mike Norcutt for his post review.

  This series of novels includes:

  A Galaxy Unknown®…

  A Galaxy Unknown®

  Valor at Vauzlee

  The Clones of Mawcett

  Trader Vyx

  Milor!

  Castle Vroman

  Against All Odds

  Return to Dakistee

  Retreat And Adapt

  Azula Carver

  Other series and novels by the author:

  AGU:® Border Patrol…

  Citizen X

  Clidepp Requital

  Clidepp Deja Vu

  AGU:® SC Intelligence…

  The Star Brotherhood

  Colton James novels…

  A World Without Secrets

  Vengeance Is Personal

  When The Spirit…

  When The Spirit Moves You

  When The Spirit Calls

  * * *

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Appendix

  Map

  * * *

  Chapter One

  ~ July 26th, 2288 ~

  "Greetings, Admiral Moore," the recorded image of Admiral Carver said from the full-wall monitor in the VIP conference room aboard the battleship Artemis, GSC-BD382. Her look was serious but not stern. "I hope you'll forgive me, but I won't be available to welcome you at Quesann when you and the other members of the Admiralty Board arrive. I'm currently aboard the Ares, and I don't know how long I'll be away, or even if I'll be returning to Quesann. My destination is my estate on Obotymot.

  "Regions Two and Three are stable and in moderately good shape. I regret I wasn't able to completely eradicate the Denubbewa threat, but we've left them reeling. And the means to destroy them wherever and whenever you find them is at hand if they refuse to leave our space. The second most important issue is the Uthlaro. I believe they will never accept that their dominion is just a memory. Complete isolation of their solar system— as we've been forced to do with the Tsgardi— may be necessary to contain the threat they present. The final decision is naturally up to the Admiralty Board and the GA Senate, but I recommend it be most seriously contemplated. The indisputable evidence that they've begun building warships in violation of the sanctions leveled against them for attempting to arrogate Region Two is clear evidence of their mindset. That they established their new operations outside Galactic Alliance borders where they believed we'd never find them does not make the Uthlaro any less guilty of violating the terms of surrender they accepted to avoid having their world reduced to rubble.

  "If it turns out we never meet again, I want to thank you and the other Board members for the support you've shown me over the years. It's been an honor and a privilege to serve with you, and all the men and women of Space Command and the Space Marine Corps.

  "Jenetta Alicia Carver, Admiral, aboard the SC Battleship Ares. End of message."

  The Admiralty Board, the Galactic Alliance Senate, and all support personnel were underway to Quesann to occupy their new headquarters in what was intended to become the hub of the Galactic Alliance. Meeting in special session to hear a message received overnight by Admiral Moore, the Admiralty Board members were clearly stunned by Admiral Carver's words. Every member sat up a bit straighter in their chair as Admiral Carver delivered the closing comment. No one in the conference room seemed willing to break the silence as they looked at one another.

  "We agreed to suspend all normal business until we reach Quesann," Moore finally said, "and only meet for emergency purposes. When I received that message overnight, I knew such a session was required. A few hours later I received a second message, addressed to the Board." Admiral Moore nodded to his aide and the image of Vice-Admiral Holt filled the monitor.

  "Greeting from Quesann," the image said. "I look forward to welcoming all of you when you arrive. An issue has arisen that I consider to be one of the most serious we've faced in a number of years. When you receive this, Admiral Carver will already be underway for Region One aboard the Ares. Upon learning you had nominated her for the rank of Admiral of the Fleet to replace Admiral Moore following his soon-to-be-announced retirement without first discussing it with her, and that the nomination had already been unanimously approved by the GA Senate, she informed me she was resigning her commission effective immediately.

  "I recall a time, not that many years ago, when I warned this board that Admiral Carver might resign her commission if you promoted her to a two-star. The highly dangerous situation facing the GA at that time was such that she accepted the promotion and then proceeded to defeat the Milori threat, ending forever their attempts to absorb GA space into their empire. And when you promoted her to admiral, I again felt sure she would resign. The onerous task of bringing the rule of law and order to Region Two, the danger from the THUG pact, and then the threat of the Denubbewa no doubt played a significant role in her continued service.

  "But now things have calmed considerably, and with no great threat currently facing the GA, she feels comfortable with submitting her papers."

  Admiral Holt paused to allow that thought to permeate through the room before continuing.

  "I naturally argued with Admiral Carver and finally convinced her not to resign just yet but rather to take a leave of absence. Before she left Quesann, she wrapped up much of the most important outstanding business for this command. She approved the location and final construction plans for the new Dakinium foundry, with building scheduled to commence before you arrive at Quesann. The foundry will be located around the sixth planet, a gas giant, in the Lorense system. Lorense-Six can provide all the hydrogen fuel we'll need for a hundred thousand years. The new shipbuilding facility will be located in the same system and orbit the third planet. Lorense-Three is similar to Mars in that it has only a very thin atmosphere but is ideally suited for the construction of underground bases. Locating both facilities in the same star system ensures they can both be protected by the same fleet. And the proximity of the Lorense system to the Quesann system means that Supreme Headquarters and the Galactic Alliance Senate share in that protection.

  "Admiral Carver also issued orders for a task force of one Destroyer, six Scout-Destroyers, two Ship-Transporter vessels, ten CPS-14s with habitats, and as many engineers as could be spared to proceed with all haste to the secret Uthlaro shipbuilding base discovered by our SCI people. The warships defending the base will either be driven off or destroyed. The enclosed docks will then be towed to Lorense-Three by the CPS-14s, where they will form the foundation for our own shipbuilding operations. The open framework docks will be disassembled and loaded into the Ship-Transporters, along with any hulls which have been laid.

  "The matter of Admiral Carver's leave of absence and her possible resignation is now in your hands, ladies and gentlemen. I can't tell you how to proceed, but I most strongly suggest you tread carefully if you hope to have even a small chance of keeping her in the
service.

  "Brian Devon Holt, Vice-Admiral, Region Two Headquarters, Quesann. End of message."

  Again, silence pervaded every square millimeter of the room. It was broken when Admiral Hillaire said, "Well, Admiral Holt did warn us we were pushing her too far. Before the Battle for Stewart with the Milori, we promised Admiral Carver she would return to the rank of captain from her brevetted stars and be given command of a new battleship. Instead we again pushed her up the ladder and saddled her with all the problems of the two new regions that, combined, are now six times larger than Region One."

  "And she has performed better than anyone could have imagined," Admiral Moore said. "Instead of the complete, system-wide anarchy we expected, there's actually a semblance of peace. That's why she was entrusted with such a task. She's far too good a military strategist and administrator to be a mere battleship captain, as demanding as that job is. For the same reasons, she was chosen as my replacement."

  "It appears we've finally asked too much of her," Admiral Bradlee said.

  ~ ~ ~

  "You can't resign your commission," Eliza said.

  "Sure I can," Jenetta said nonchalantly. "Once an officer has completed the minimum number of service years required to satisfy the Academy education requirements, he or she can resign their commission at any time. My obligation was fulfilled more than two decades ago."

  Jenetta and Eliza were sitting on the deck of the admiral's suite aboard the battleship Ares while Cayla and Tayna laid between them, purring with contentment as the two women combed the short, thick fur of the big cats. Thor was down in a hold but wasn't caged. He was never caged anymore and had the freedom to run around the enormous space to his heart's content. Jenetta was still keeping the sexes separated in an effort to prevent nature from overpowering the verbal instructions she had given all three cats not to engage in sexual activities. She visited Thor several times a day to feed and groom him, and provide a bit of companionship. He had grown to love her and accept that she belonged to him, just as Cayla and Tayna had so many years ago. Any of the three Jumakas would sacrifice themselves in an instant to save Jenetta from harm.

  "That's not what I mean, and you know it," Eliza said. "I mean that you, Admiral Jenetta Alicia Carver, can't just resign. You've become the face of Space Command. Few people outside of the service would recognize Admiral Richard Moore, but everyone in Galactic Alliance space knows the face of Admiral Jenetta Carver."

  "No one is indispensible."

  "Except you."

  "No, not me either."

  "Name one person who could replace you."

  "I'll name two— you and Christa."

  "Come on, get serious."

  "I am serious. Either one of you could step in for me and no one would know the difference."

  "We may have all your knowledge up to the point where you were cloned, but we've led vastly different lives since then. There's no way either of us could step into your shoes— even if we wanted to."

  "Ah-ha. See? You wouldn't want the job either."

  "No, I wouldn't. And neither would Christa. But you accepted the responsibility for your career long ago, and you can't just run away from it."

  "I accepted the responsibility of being a Space Command officer and doing whatever job I was assigned, but I never wanted to be an admiral. I was content being a captain at Stewart SCB, and I looked forward to receiving command of a warship when my five-year tour of duty was up. Then the Milori attacked and the Admiralty Board brevetted me to Rear Admiral (Lower). They never asked if I wanted the rank or responsibility; they just pushed it on me. Then they did it again when they promoted me to Rear Admiral (Upper). They didn't ask if I wanted it; they just went ahead and did it. Then they promoted me directly to full admiral without asking, but this time it was a permanent appointment with the full approval of the GA Senate. Everyone on Earth knew about the promotion before I did. The serious issues facing the GA prompted me to accept the position, and I've done the best job I could."

  "You always do."

  "But now they've gone ahead and promoted me to Admiral of the Fleet. And again they haven't asked if I even wanted the rank or the job."

  "They probably thought you'd refuse it."

  "And they would have been absolutely right. I will not spend the rest of my days in Space Command shuttling back and forth between the GA Council chambers and the Admiralty Building on Quesann. Period."

  "But when we joined Space Command we gave up our right of self-determination."

  "Yes, that was part of the contract. But, when a contract is no longer serving one party or the other, you terminate it in accordance with the provisions in the contract. That's all that happens when you resign your commission. You're terminating your contract with the military and regaining the right of self-determination."

  "I don't know what else to say, other than I think you were wrong to resign your commission."

  "I haven't."

  "But you said you have."

  "No, what I said was I informed Admiral Holt I was resigning my commission. Then, without waiting for a full explanation, you tried to talk me out of it."

  "Then you haven't resigned your commission?"

  "Not yet. Admiral Holt asked me to take a leave of absence. I agreed— for the time being."

  "But you are going to resign?"

  "If they try to force me to accept the fifth star— yes. I won't spend the rest of my years in the service flying a dirt-side desk."

  "So this trip home is just to force them to rescind the appointment?"

  Jenetta took a deep breath and released it slowly before answering. "No. It's to give me time to decide what I really want. I know I haven't been truly happy for a very long time. My life has been the embodiment of the old saying about it being lonely at the top. Well, I've been at the very top for a long time, and I can confirm just how lonely it can be. The weekly vidMails I exchange with Hugh are wonderful, and I look forward to them with great anticipation, but they're just not enough. Other than when I've been aboard the Ares, or when you come to visit me at the Governor's mansion, I have no one to hug except my cats. The unquestioning loyalty and love Cayla, Tayna, and Thor show me helps a little, but I also need intimate human companionship when I'm off duty. I've compensated by staying busy all the time, but I want more. I need more— more than just a job I perform because it's necessary, not because I enjoy it. I'm going to see what it's like to be a lady of leisure for a while. Mom's been managing the estate, with the able assistance of Chamberlain Yaghutol. I'll see if there's a role there for me." After a long silence, Jenetta said, "Well? Say something."

  "I think you're doing the right thing."

  "You do?"

  "Yes. A leave of absence is exactly what you need. It will give you a chance to figure out what you really want. If you find you don't spend most of your days worrying about what's happening in your command and you aren't bored out of your mind sitting around as a lady of leisure with nothing more important to do than plan the evening's menu, then maybe it's time to separate from the service."

  "I could do with a little boredom."

  "Yes, a little boredom can be good. Especially after the hectic pace you've lived for the past couple of decades with its life-and-death struggles and problems that would make a marble statue weep. But if you find yourself climbing the walls after a few weeks, you'll have to decide if that's really what you want to do for the next five thousand years."

  "We still don't know we'll live that long, and I prefer to live my life as if we'll have normal lifespans."

  "At least until we celebrate our two hundredth birthday and still look like we're twenty-one? At that point we'll have to acknowledge there might be a chance Mikel Arneu was being truthful about the Age Prolongation Process. Have you told Hugh?"

  "That I might live to be five thousand years old? No, not yet."