Insurrection

By Philip R Benge

The rulers of Kritania long ago chose a passive future for their people, but it is thrown into turmoil when a band of space pirates, who have scented easy money, instigate a coup. With no army, no modern weapons, the Emperor Say’d Syn has no choice but to abidate in favour of a puppet ruler. However, he is unexpectedly given a chance to save his daughter, he asks Captain Tempest to come to Kritania and to take the princess to Earth and safety. Unfortunately, her escape does not go as planned and she must evade the new ruler’s army while she attempts to raise an army. Captain Tempest is finally able to take her to Earth, she must decide, does she now run, or stay and continue to fight against the usurper. Death or dishonour?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Philip R Benge
• Release date: Apr 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463912225

Philip R Benge

Like most of the world, I had to work hard to pay my mortgage and all the other bills, which meant that I only had the time and the energy to write some short stories. I finally found the time and the energy to write some full length Science Fiction stories.

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Insurrection

A Story By

Philip R Benge

Smashwords Edition

***************

Published by

Philip R Benge on Smashwords

Insurrection

Copyright Philip R Benge 2019

Cover Art courtesy of NASA camera on the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite.

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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One: Forced to Run

Chapter Two: Escape from Khardia

Chapter Three: Flight

Chapter Four: Athena wants to Stay and Fight

Chapter Five: A Throw of the Dice

Other Books by the Author

Prologue

Kritania, a planet over 100 light-years from Earth was home to a peaceful, vibrant and growing culture. It was just approaching the point that Earth was in, back in the early twentieth century, without all of the wars that solved nothing, but created so many problems. It was not a utopian paradise however, for one thing it was not a democracy, it was a fully-fledged Empire ruled over by an emperor. The empire was divided up in to principalities, these were ruled over by local princes who governed without the emperor interfering in any way, he was happy as long as any disputes did not result in a local war between the principalities. If any prince was foolish enough to resort to war, the emperor could call on all the other principalities to send in troops to stop the war and arrest the local rulers involved in the war. The non-interference rule led to differences in the way the people were governed, although normally the people were free to live as they wished, as long as they paid their taxes and obeyed the laws, however, some of the princes were said to rule with an iron fist.

The last war had finished centuries before, with the emperor’s ancestors winning the war. Since then, the only weapons that were allowed were the bow, the lance and the knife, with the length of its blade being no longer than six inches. This was to prevent an even more terrible war, if the gods desired to inflict one upon their people. Back then, the emperor had noticed the way that technology was leading them, terrible weapons were made possible by their scientists, and if given the go-ahead they could have built, tested and finally created the weapons used in Earth’s wars. The scientists of Kritania had already created many modern wonders, non-military of course, there was an extensive railway network, using steam engines for long distance travel. The locals all possessed a bicycle for local travel and the first automobiles were just hitting the road. Newspapers now told the populace what was happening on the other side of the planet, the only limit to the freedom of the press, they were not allowed to criticize the policies of the Say’d Syn, the present emperor, especially his views on modernisation. Even the radio had come to the planet, with the same limits of freedom set upon it as had been set on the newspapers.

Most of the planet’s produce or population come to that, was either moved by train for longer distance travel, or for short distances, by vehicles drawn by horse like creatures called an alogo, animals similar to the horse of Earth but striped like a zebra and with the ears of a mule. Although, the automobile was now being seen on the roads, seen as a good thing by the emperor.

The space travelling Maliki pirates, led by Barbarossa, and who lived on a space station in another planetary system, had seen a way to enrich themselves by involving themselves in the running of the planet. However, Prince Kali, the ruler of Delia, the only prince who the people of Kritania would follow, had initially told them that he did not want to be a part of Barbarossa’s plans. Barbarossa had then threatened to lay waste to Delia and then offer the deal to one of the other princes, and so Prince Kali had agonised over the two choices. Yes, he did think that Say’d Syn should be deposed, but he did not like the involvement of Barbarossa, but he knew that the other princes would jump at the chance, and some were barbaric, therefore, he had no choice other than to agree.

Barbarossa had promised to make Prince Kali the overall ruler of Kritania, provide his men with better weapons than those possessed elsewhere on the planet. Their price for this, Kali would open the planet up to the off-world mining corporations, who wanted to plunder its mineral wealth. The resulting income would make them both very rich men. However, Barbarossa, did not want any of the people of Kritania to be armed with energy weapons, so he only provided Kali with two plasma pistols, one for him and the another for the commander in charge of his warriors. For the rest of Kali’s army, he provided them with broadswords made of the finest steel, and matching armoured shields to protect them from the crossbow bolt that could be fired at them by the warriors of the emperor and the minor princes of Kritania. His army though, would be backed by the plasma cannons upon the pirates’ starships and the plasma pistols carried by the pirate crews, who would ensure that no one fought to stop Kali taking power.

Chapter One

Forced to Run

Khardia was situated in the northern hemisphere, it was the capital city of Kritania, a city of both the ancient and the modern. In the centre of the city was the royal palace, surrounded by an ancient wall, the old walled town of Khardia surrounded it and in turn the modern city surrounded it.

The ruler, Emperor Say’d Syn, sat within his palace, he was a troubled man, for he had been told by his planetary council that his only daughter, Princess Athena, who was the heir to the throne, must marry within six months. It was so she could produce an heir, otherwise, they, the princes of Kritania, would insist that she marry a man of their choosing. The reason for their demand was that Athena was twenty years old and well past the age that young women normally married on Kritania, especially if they were a princess of the blood. She was also a very beautiful young woman, and many of the princes had attempted to court her, however, so far, she had shown no interest in any of them.

This ruling soon became meaningless though, for it was at this point that Barbarossa, involved himself in the planet’s politics. Barbarossa was originally a native of Kritania, he had left the planet on a pirate ship twenty years ago and after rising through the ranks he now ruled over the pirates that pillaged the local planetary systems. Kritania paid him tribute in goods; food, precious jewels and they also provided him with a base from which to enjoy a little shore leave, it was near to the city of Rashid, a wild city ruled over by Prince Zahid. However, it seemed that all this was not enough, for on the evening of the anniversary of Say’d Syn’s accession to the throne, the ten spaceships of the Maliki arrived over the city of Khardia and one, the flagship, hovered over the royal palace of Khardia. Inside the flagship were Prince Kali along with the four senior officers that commanded his militia. With the pirate ship positioned above the royal palace, they walked from the ship’s galley, in which they had sat during the short journey, to the small hanger deck of the starship. Here they boarded a small shuttlecraft, converted in to a ground attack ship and fitted with a light plasma cannon in the lower section of its bows. Leaving the starship, the shuttle carried them to the very gates of the palace, they were accompanied by Barbarossa and ten of his pirate crew.

Kali had not only arrived with his four senior officers, he had brought with him an army of his bravest warriors, all brought to Khardia aboard the other pirate starships. He also had under his command 400 mercenaries, which Barbarossa had forced Kali to include in his army, much against Kali’s wishes, for they were a motley bunch consisting mostly of the criminal class. The mercenaries came from across the planet, lured with the promise of gold, alcohol and women and armed by Barbarossa with Broadswords. They were due to arrive at their various posts over the next few hours, some of them had been brought to Khardia by the railway, showing that even a supposedly innocent item could be used to make war.

On leaving the shuttle craft, the small group, led by Barbarossa, strode through the gates of the royal palace and in to the palace itself, pushing the guards aside who had tried to resist this intrusion. Barbarossa and Prince Kali walked straight in to the throne room, with their men following on behind, and they presented themselves to Say’d Syn. Looking contemptuously upon the ruler of Kritania, Barbarossa said to the aging ruler.

Greeting and felicitations Say’d Syn, I hope that you are well, as I am on this the twenty-first anniversary of your accession to the throne of our beautiful planet. Say’d Syn. I must say that I like your palace, it is a lot roomier than my starship, pity that its tenant forgot to fit the plasma cannons, that mistake will be your last one, because we are about to evict you old man. A smirk appeared upon the face of Barbarossa as he turned to Prince Kali to listen to what he had to say.

I will not beat about the bush Say’d Syn, I am here because I need an heir and I have decided to honour your daughter, Princess Athena by taking her as my bride. Prince Kali said, laughing when he saw the angry look upon Say’d Syn’s face, but he had not finished humiliating the ruler of Kritania. Say’d Syn, I begged you to allow our planet’s industrial revolution to grow at a faster rate than it is currently managing under your rule, but you refused, and because of your refusal many of our people have been forced to remain in the poverty forced upon them by you and your elite conies. Kali said angrily, and after a quick glance at Barbarossa, who smiled approvingly, he added contemptuously. Therefore, Say’d Syn, the morning after my marriage to your daughter, you will abdicate your throne and name me, as your successor. Kali looked grim as he went on to add a warning.

100 warriors from my personal militia are already taking control of the palace grounds and buildings, they are also in control of the old town of Khardia. I also have 400 mercenaries in my employ, some have taken control of the modern capital city, having arrived here by train. Others, together with another contingent of my warriors, have taken possession of Bhuta and its space port. If this is not enough to cow you Say’d Syn, the powerful weapons of the Maliki starships are trained upon Khardia awaiting orders from Prince Barbarossa, resistance would be bloody and futile, believe me. You have two weeks to agree to a peaceful transition, after which my army, together with my new allies, the Maliki, will come to your palace and should you resist Say’d Syn, I will take your throne by force, marry your daughter and throw you in to one of your own dank prisons. We give you this time of grace so that you can ensure that the transition is peaceful, rather that violent.

Bye old man, I hope you get to live long enough to enjoy your retirement. Barbarossa said sneeringly. He would have liked to stay to humiliate Say’d Syn more, to kick his courtiers out of the palace, to take the women of the palace to his bed, however, something