"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
the larks, still bravely singing, fly,
scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders Fields
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you with failing hands we throw
the Torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with those who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
in Flanders Fields."
John McCrae
1918 AD
(In honour of the men and woman who died for Canada
and are remembered today - Remembrance Day, Nov. 11)
Chapter Three
The two warships closed the distance between them till only a few thousand kilometres separated them. The ships faced each other across the void on the fringes of the Kafreion star system, the point of the mighty Star Destroyer was directed at the bow of the strange alien vessel. The small Lambda class shuttle, that was being used as a relay between the two ships, was recalled to the Starhammer as now the distance between them was small enough to allow for real-time communications over the electromagnetic band.
"You should not go," Lt. Commander Dayvid Kelar, her first officer, told her in his most aristocratic sounding voice.
His family was of the highest order of the old Republics nobility, in the Empire his family had become even more wealthy but much of their political power had be usurped by centralizing imperial authority.
"We don't know anything about them," he continued, "We can't trust them. They are obviously primitive."
"Lt. Commander," Meduk responded, her voice not aristocratic, yet carrying more weight of command and assurance then her subordinate could possible manage, "I am going, those are humans aboard that ship and I want to know how they got there. Do not assume they are primitive simply because they do not fit with your notions of sophistication.
"We are going to need some genuine information about this galaxy before the Empire can begin to move in with force. Beside all that, I'm taking my body guards, I'll be fine."
This information seemed to satisfy Kelar as the shuttle bay signalled that Meduk's shuttle had been prepped for launch.
"General Prinster and Baron Colonel Milnan await you in the shuttle bay Captian," Kelar reported.
Meduk leaned in closer to her fist officer.
"Don't worry," she said, "I'll bring you back some left overs."
________________________
Dylan stood in the Captain's Mess watching the preparations being made for the dinner he was about to have with the Imperial captain. He was dressed in his black High Guard uniform for the first time in a long time. It felt strangely good to be back in uniform again, particularly since he now had a new crew under his command. Most of the crew were raw cadets, straight out of the academy on Mobius, among them were a few well trained officers taken from half a dozen different member worlds.
Most of the new crew were pilots for the many slipfighters Andromeda carried, a few engineers to supplement the services of Mr. Harper. Most of the rest were combat operational staff, trained to man the point defences and other combat systems, but also to defend the ship from boarding parties.
The final bit of the crew, and the most important for this evenings activities was the small kitchen staff. Three members of the Andromeda's crew were now preparing a simple meal to be served tonight for their honoured guests.
"Captian Hunt," the holographic representation of Andromeda interrupted his thoughts, "Beka has just cleared the Imperial shuttle to land in Docking Bay Two. She will be joining us their in a few minutes."
"Thank you Andromeda," Dylan replied, "I'll be right there."
Dylan arrived at the landing bay after Rommie but a little before Beka. To Dylan's surprise Beka was wearing an outfit with a noticeable military cut, similar to some of Rommie's uniforms.
"Nice shirt," Dylan commented to Beka as the doors to the landing bay opened.
"Nice hair cut," Beka managed before the Imperials came into view.
"Captian Meduk," Dylan said greeting the Imperial delegation, "I am Captian Hunt and this is my first officer, Captian Rebecca Valentine, and this is Andromeda, the ships artificial intelligence Avatar.
"Welcome aboard the Andromeda Ascendant."
"An android, how interesting," Meduk replied, a mild note of disdain on her voice, "This is Baron Colonel Leatash Milnan, the commander of my starfighter wing," indicating a fairly young man with jet black hair and a powerful build, "And General Groen Prinster, he commands the Imperial army contingent aboard the Starhammer," Prinster was a greying dull looking man in the late stages of middle age, with somewhat heavy build.
Meduk completely ignored the two white armoured body guards standing at a respectful distance behind them. A quite signal from Andromeda called two of her own soldiers carrying holstered force lances to join the party as Dylan led them on a brief tour of the ship towards the Captain's Mess.
They enter the ships mess and take their seats a simple meal is served. Some idle chatter between Dylan and Meduk is the only sound be made by any members of the party.
A simple meal is served, and they begin to eat.
Now the time feels right and Dylan prepares to ask his first questions.
"Captain Meduk, I must ask, why are you here and why did you help Kafreion?"
"We are exploring," Meduk answered, "we are not native to this galaxy and we wished to see what lay beyond in the wider universe. Our Emperor is very interested in discovery. As for Kafreion, these 'Magog' creatures have been a nuisance since we first arrived. We saw an opportunity, we took it."
"Yes the Magog are one of the most powerful and dangerous races in the known worlds, they invaded the Commonwealth three hundred years ago and it took all our resources to hold them back. They come like locusts, in great force, devouring everything and leaving their larva behind in the living so that they can eat their way out and kill more innocents."
"Horrifying, Captain," Meduk responded in a neutral tone.
"Tell me, where is your Empire?" Dylan asked.
"We are uncertain of the exact distance," Meduk admitted, "But it is at least one hundred million light-years from this galaxy.
"I must admit we did not expect to see humans in this or any other galaxy. Do you know when your people arrived in this galaxy?"
Dylan was puzzled by the statement and even more so by the question.
"I suppose right after Earth joined the Commonwealth," he answered, "A delegation of humans toured much of the three galaxies that make up the known worlds."
"You have some means of trans-galactic travel?" Milnan asked, half standing, before realizing his horrible manners.
"Of course," Beka replied, not caring about manners, "Slipstream drive can take you anywhere you want to go as long as their is a gravity well. But you should know that already."
"We do not employ this... 'slipstream'," Meduk interjected, "We travel strictly via hyperspace, with the exception of the 'gravitic fold' my people created to open this galaxy to us."
"So much for slipstream being 'the only way,'" Dylan commented.
"This slipstream sounds amazing, Captain Hunt," Meduk began, "Perhaps we could discuss this further at a later time."
Not long after Meduk began telling Dylan about the rise of the Empire in very pleasant terms. She told of the corruption in the old Republic and how the Emperor had restored order and brought about peace. The last decade she told them, had been a period of unparalleled wealth and expansion, despite some small armed resistance to the Empire's rule.
"Our history was quite the opposite," Dylan told her, "The empire came first, when the Vedran's first discover slipstream. Then after centuries of Vedran rule, the threat of civil war brought about the creation of the Commonwealth with the Vedran Empress as a figure head."
Dinner soon ended, and the Imperials were escorted back to their shuttle. Pleasantries were exchanged and the Imperials returned to their ship.
"Was dinner enjoyable?" Tyr asked Rommie.
"Not really," she responded, "They never said a word to me the entire time I was there. They almost seemed offended that an AI was sitting at the table with them."
"It is not uncommon to dislike AIs," Tyr reminded her.
"What can I say," she told him, "I guess I just don't like prejudice."
Suddenly Rommie's back straightened and a look of pure surprise washed across her face. Tyr looked at her with a questioning eye and even Dylan noticed from across the Command Deck.
"Captain," she began to report, "I'm reading another wave of electromagnetic radiation emanating along an undefined line from the Starhammer.
"It is much more powerful then before."
"Can you determine its target?" Dylan inquired.
"Its shear power suggests they transmitting to another star system," she told him.
"Does anyone want to fill me in on what has just occurred," Tyr demanded.
"They're hailing us," Rommie reported, "They request that we join them at their base of operations to discuss certain issues of trade. They are transmuting stellar co-ordinates now."
"Tell them that we agree and will join them after we have reported back to the Commonwealth," Dylan told her, "Have Beka, Trance and Harper meet us in my quarters. Tyr your with us."