The planet Sag XIV B was not a pleasant place. Marginally inhabitable, it orbited its red dwarf sun over a period of sixty seven standard days. The star, slightly larger than most type M stars bordered on a Type K. The planet had never been explored and had been misfiled as uninhabitable. It had been further misfiled and left off star lists for such planets.

Slav di Naska could not claim the rediscovery of the planet. That belonged to a student who was interning in the section of Star Builders that dealt in planet reforming. Slav was head of that division some two hundred and eighty years prior to the current events. Already formulating his obsessive hatred of the empire, he took careful note of the student’s discovery, suppressed as much as he could and arranged for a quiet accident for the student. During the process of working his way up to take over the company, he formed a team to build a secret base, taking care to cover his tracks. The planet, although tidally locked to its sun, was just inside the outermost edge of the green zone and had a reasonable atmosphere. Helpfully it also had a considerable amount of water, enough to support primitive plant life as well as supply the base, although nothing else other than insects and smaller creatures lived there.

Outside the base, which was covered with a protective dome, there were several high velocity mass missile points for protection. There was also a small satellite station for transhipments, locked in geosynchronous orbit.

The building had taken Slav almost two hundred years. Although a family business, as with many other wealthy families, it was accepted practise for a son or daughter to work their way in some of the many companies that made up the family business. The base was constructed as he worked his way up through the various divisions and companies that made up Star Builders, carefully recruiting the team that was to help him on the way. In this endeavor, he had the help of his sister Lia. Even though she had married, while he hadn’t, she was still closer to him than any other person. As soon as the man she had married became an encumbrance, she divorced him.

Just as ambitious as her brother, Lia became Slav’s alter ego. She encouraged him and became his closest advisor. Disdaining a role in the company for herself. She was freer to act in some respects. When they were younger, Lia barely out of her thirties with Slav just a little older, their parents had died in an accident while visiting a Legion base. The craft that they were travelling in came out of hyperspace on top of a large asteroid. The resulting collision destroyed the craft, killing everyone on board. The accident was due to two large asteroids colliding sending one towards the sun while the other had been sent onto an orbit crossing into the hyper threshold.

Although completely unpredictable, Slav and Lia both placed the blame for their parent’s early death on the Empire as their parents where on a business trip inspecting imperial planetoids. Together they ruminated on the injustice of their parents’ demise until it became an obsession. As the Dark Lord had not yet returned, forming a breakaway portion of the empire became, in their minds, possible.

But they needed a base, a secret base and all their most suitable facilities were known to the Legion with officers, troopers and spacers moving in and out of these on at least a semi regular basis. So they feared that any attempt to build a base on an existing location would quickly become known to someone who should not know about it. This was clearly a problem that needed a solution before their plans could begin to be realised. Recruiting a member of the legion who could assist in a cover up was considered too dangerous due to the turnover of legion personal and the unlikely hood of success in any case.

The planet Sag XIV B was almost perfect, hidden in plain sight, yet in a strategic location. Only a very few knew its exact location. By strategic, it was, in astronomical terms anyway, close both to routes favored by the Empire and to several important planets that Slav intended to take over. The main problem with their location was the nearby location of several stellar radiation emitting objects which sometimes made communications difficult but also provided cover from detection.

*********

Following Quill mam Ugikls revelations there had been numerous arrests. While most of these were soon released to await trial, the deepest involved were retained by the security police. Unfortunately for Slav di Naska, now visiting his base, one of these was his sister Lia Du Passa. This did not become known to Slav for some time. But he eventually found out.

*********

Walking from his bedroom to his office, Slav di Naska checked his comm and frowned. Considered good looking and personable by those who didn’t know him well, he was a man of medium build and was middle aged for the empire. Exercising regularly and keeping in good health, along with his wealth made him attractive to many.

Altering his destination, he changed course and took the few steps to the control room. There he called to the base commander, a hard faced yet good looking senior ex-military officer in a planetary army, Commander Kanna Trop.

“Heard anything from my sister? This is now the twentieth Wassas.”

“No, but the transport from SB 14 should arrive within the next few periods. They may have news for you.” Trop replied.

“That security policeman sneaking around, I don’t like it. Lia, she thinks that she can handle anything, but this ….” His voice faded away.

“Our stooges will keep an eye on them and we have a contact very high up as you know. She will warn Lia to get out.” Trop laughed. “My troopers are well trained and loyal.” She laughed again and pointed to one of the woman workers on a view screen.

“See that woman, she is just as lethal as any man. If I had had the time, I would have sent her instead of a team of six.”

All the recruits were either ex Legion who had been given a disciplinary discharge for some reason, with the same for those who were ex planetary police or military. All including Torp had a grudge of some kind. The excellent pay helped but the promises made of retribution of some kind were even better sounding to the group. Trops grudge was that she had been forced out due to cutbacks in her planets military, for which she blamed the legion who had taken over a significant part of her planets military responsibilities.

Slav grunted, ignoring Trops comment. “All the special teams, are they ready to go on the transport?”

“They are, the ship isn’t”

“Tell me again how long?” Slav asked.

“Two standard days, I need to empty the transport and refit it for personal transportation. All the supplies need to be sorted and redistributed. Some are for the teams, some for here. So this needs to be completed.” Trop explained.

“Let me know when the transport arrives.” Slav grunted as he left, “I want to speak to the captain myself.”

“Will do.” Trop nodded. Slav was touchy about his sister Trop knew. Personally she didn’t trust the sister at all, but that was just personal. From a loyalty standpoint, the two trusted each other completely. The only two that did. Thought Trop.

*********

“Transport arriving.” The operations officer on duty called several periods later.

“How soon to communications?” Trop asked, already knowing the answer.

“Point five Commander.”

Trop grunted. She keyed her comm. “Transport arrived Mr. di Naska, communications in point four.”

A fraction later Slav wandered out. “How soon?” He fell into a chair beside the Base Commander.

“Coming up to talk distance.” Trop said.

“Good.” The rest of the time passed.

“OK, close enough, open communications.” Trop instructed the communications operator.

“Okay sir.” The operator replied. “Freedom Base 1, calling Transport SB 17.”

“SB 17 hears.” The freighter replied.

“State condition.”

“Condition green.”

“Base has question.” The operator nodded to Commander Trop

“Ready.”

“What messages and passengers on board?” Trop asked.

“None, cargo only.”

Slav and Trop exchanged glances. Lia should have been on a transport by now or she would have sent a message if there was a problem needing her attention.

Trop continued. “Do you have any information about why there were no passengers to transport or messages of any kind?”

“No, no one was there except for base staff.”

“Were you told anything unusual?”

“The only unusual story I got was that there was one of the old battleships waiting for the White Blaze at Depra IV.”

Again the two exchanged glances.

“Which battleship?” Trop asked.

“The Barrows Night I was told.” The freighter Captain responded.

The shock showed on both their faces.

“The Barrows are the fastest ships they have,” Trop whispered, “I thought that they were scheduled to be decommissioned.”

Slowly Slav leant forward. “What happened at Depra IV? Tell us everything you know!”

Puzzled, the captain replied, “I don’t know much. Just that a battleship arrived and when the White Blaze arrived, it picked up a couple of shuttles from the White Blaze and took off somewhere again. I don’t know where either ship came from or where they were going to.”

“It didn’t strike you as strange that the most luxurious ship in the empire docked with a battleship?” Slav was red in the face from holding back his temper.

“It seemed pretty strange to me but since the Dark Lords return …” The rest of the reply went unheard.

This time the shock showed not only on Slavs and Trops faces, but spread through the rooms personal, some leaving their posts to move closer to Commander Trop.

“What, when did this happen? Trop cut in.

“A few days ago, didn’t you know?” The transports Captain sounded even more puzzled. Not a party to the plot, she thought that she was just making an ordinary shipment. “There was even a live broadcast, everyone watched it, even me.”

The feeling of dread was like a ball of ice cold liquid in the pit of Slavs stomach. “A broadcast of what?” He asked.

“Of the palace being opened on the eleventh and all the Council and the Legion swearing allegiance to the Dark Lord. It didn’t help. There were arrests of a couple of Councillors and some high officers by the next day. They were charged with treason, I was talking to a couple of Legion officers about it. They didn’t say much, but seemed pretty embarrassed.”

Slav sat back in his chair, than slowly he stood and walked back to his office

*********

Trop ordered the transport to keep docking then followed Slav.

“It was when we had that three day comm blackout. Lia probably thought that we had got the broadcast, may even had sent a message but it got lost in the flare.” She said.

“She must have been on that ship and the Empire was waiting for her. That’s why they sent a battleship!” Slav was slumped, looked exhausted and even defeated. “The Dark Lord is back, that ruins everything.”

“We don’t know that. Is there someone you trust that you can contact on a channel that can’t be tapped?”

‘Yes, but I don’t see ….” Slav di Naska shook his head to clear it.

“If she is arrested and they got her comm unit, then she will be done. But if your lawyers can get her out, then there might be a chance.” Trop paused. “I can get a line to your company in Tihab, and you can talk to your director there. It will be encrypted and I will bounce it around so it will take time to trace.”

Slav still sat slumped for a fraction but slowly rallied. He wasn’t the richest man in the empire for nothing.

“Set it up, but not to the company office, I will give you a number, it’s a secure number and hopefully the security police don’t know about it. If we can get her out we may still be able to run.” He looked at his commander. “I mean all of us. I won’t leave any of you in the lurch.”

“Will do, who is it to?” Trop understood. Slav was loyal to those who were loyal to him. It was one of his few good points.

“Someone I trust.” Came in an uncompromising tone.

Commander Trop sighed. The mania for secrecy that her boss and his sister had was tiresome although she had to admit that it had helped them out over the last few years as the base had been built.

“Look.” She said. “I need to know who, where and when to send the signal to.” She explained. Checking her comm unit she confirmed the time. “It is almost the twenty third period at Tihab. Is that a good time or not?” Trop meant the city, not the planet.

“It is an associate who sometimes stands in for me at board meetings.” Slav was admitting defeat without admitting it. “I have to talk to him myself. We have an agreed code if he is being watched or under surveillance. But he knows nothing about this.” Slav waved his hand in a vague gesture. “It’s almost midnight you say?” Trop nodded. “Should be good then.”

“I’ll get it going.” Trop left with the number leaving Slav to contemplate the fact that his sister was most likely in the hands of the Empires agents.

*********

Since her arrest late on the night of the sixteenth Lia Du Passa had not been having a good time.

Kept away from the others, she was the last to have her interview with the security police. In prison garb, without a stylist, she felt distinctly put upon. This didn’t help her mood when she was finally seen in the middle of the afternoon of the twentieth Wassas.

“I demand to see my lawyer,” were her first words to her interrogator. He had anticipated this and simply responded by pushing his comm unit across the table to her. “Read” was his reply.

Glaring but puzzled, Lia looked at the officer then at the unit. Slowly the words sank in. Reading the Dark Lords order, she felt a chill in her bones.

“Yes, it’s real.” The officer, Inspector Tyrel Mastic, smiled as he took back his comm unit. “Now we have talked to the others and there is one thing we need to know. You have one chance or …” he made a slashing motion across his throat.

“My comm unit?” She seemed shaken but still defiant.

“It’s being taken apart by the AI’s right now. They broke past the trip wires easily. There is a lot there that has to be gone through and a couple of encrypted files. They will get through though, I have no worries.” He smiled.

“You really think they will execute me?” The sneer was clear.

“Watch.” Mastic keyed the comm unit. The wall unit screen came to light.

Lia sat stupefied as she watched a replay of Legal Chief Riar Pur Catt’s being offered the choice of the Imperial Guard or Lady Luca’s sword.

“And you want to give that option to me?”

“No not me, but that is the option you have. Death or talk.” He looked at her. “Choose.”

Lia laughed. “You think to scare me that easy?” The laugh rang out again. “Better try harder next time.”

Mastic didn’t move. He looked sadly at the woman across from him. “It’s not a threat.” He sighed. “It’s an offer, not mine, but the one I am instructed to give you, it comes straight from the palace, so it is for real.” He stood. “The method of presentation was left up to me.”

He moved to the door. Looked over his shoulder. “Last chance.”

“Get out!” Came as a snarl.

He shrugged. The door opened. “Did my best.” Floated through the open door. “We heard.” Was the response, also drifting back. Two uniformed guards came in, one taking her arms urged her soundlessly up.

“Where are we going?” She spat out, this didn’t get any response.

There was a group waiting outside, including Security Police Chief Rim De Pour amongst others.

“Let’s go.” Was all he said. Along the corridor they walked to the transit shaft. Down to parking and into different vehicles. Lia with her escort got into the third vehicle. There was no response to a repeated, “Where are we going?”

It soon became obvious, “The Palace.” Lia whispered.

*********

Standing at the doors of the Hall of Hearing which lead out to the area known as The Wasteland, the Dark Lord looked around.

“All is ready?”

“I am.” Came from Lady Luca. Her sword swinging at her side.

He looked at several other Ladies. “You do not need to be there.”

After an exchange of looks, Lady Dana spoke for them all. “For Luca.”

A nod of acceptance was the reply.

They looked at the doors that lead outside to what lay beyond. They opened and the small party stepped through to the wasteland.

*********

When Lia and her escort arrived at the front of the palace they all exited the vehicles.

“You are really going to a lot of trouble to try frightening me, De Pour.” Lia actually smiled. He ignored her and looked towards the palace. The arrival of three imperial guards with two more following forestalled any conversation. A small bow went to the Security Police Chief. No one spoke.

The two uniformed policemen marched Lia to the guards, one of whom produced a length of rope. Swiftly her manacles were removed, replaced by the rope binding her hands behind her back.

“That hurts” Lia complained.

“Not for long.” Everyone stared at the grimly spoken response. Lia turned and looked into the emotionless face of the woman guard. A flicker of fear appeared for the first time in her eyes.

The leader of the Imperial Guard, also a woman, turned to the rest of the group.

“Our Master says that you may follow if you wish. Your presence is not required, but suggested. None of you need attend if he or she wishes not to.” She turned without waiting for a response.

Chief De Pour followed without a word, as did Inspector Tyrel Mastic. No one else moved.

Into the palace they went, turning to the right, towards the great doors that had stood sealed for so long but were now partly open. Visitors to the palace all stepped to one side, staring as they did so. Through the doors the small group went, into the Hall of Hearing.

Inside even Lia stared around at the ornate walls and roof. The palace staff detailed to the Hall of Hearing had worked hard in the last few days. Although Garda’s schedule for the repairs had been approved and the timeline accepted, only the debris of millennium had as yet been even partly removed. Crews were assessing various parts of the ceiling, walls and floors. All of which showed the effects of a thousand years neglect.

The small group did not have any time to study the interior of the hall, as Lia was hurried along to the end, where another set of doors stood open.

By that inexplicable osmosis that occurs in large organisations, the staff of the palace knew what was planned to happen. However there was no sneering, no abuse hurled at Lia Du Passa. The staff of the palace did not sink to such depths, instead, they just watched her go by then returned to whatever task absorbed them.

It was a long walk down the hall but all too soon they passed through the far doors. Waiting for them was a small group; Ladies Luca, Dana, Andrea, Elizabeth, Lisa and Sydney.

Waiting as well were five strange men dressed in a strange costume. They all wore identical shiny iron coloured helmets with cheek guards except for one, older, grizzled whose helmet was graced with a plume of feathers. Underneath iron breastplates were padded linen tunics and woollen pants. This armour partly covered the arms and the lower legs. A leather apron was visible underneath. Each soldier wore a short sword on their right side and all five looked like tough professional solders from a long lost past. Behind them a length of stitched hide concealed the contents of a discrete mound.

Rounding out the group was The Head Steward Grada Karkart, Security Chief Ferni Massett, Rita Caenett along with the Dark Lord and his blue eyed, brown haired companion.

Looking around as she was guided up to the small group, Lia noticed a news reporter off to the side. An attractive trim woman, eyes big, she had brown hair, green eyes and was dressed in a stylish tan pants suit. This woman had, to her surprise, been plucked from a group that had reported on the meeting between Ferni, Lea and the media. Her name was Sabra Boon and she had been sitting near the back. Her report was accurate and her scathing comments, directed at all including the Dark Lord, had made Him laugh when He had heard them. Hers had been one of the names suggested by Tobis Nenna.

Summoned to the palace, she had been met by a member of the imperial guard and taken to Rita Caenett who had informed her about what was to happen and warned her not to interfere. Given the opportunity to leave, she had swallowed and agreed to stay. Met in the wasteland by the Dark Lord and some of the Ladies, she had bowed and then kept her distance.

Held securely by the two guards, Lia moved her eyes to the Dark Lord. “So this is where you are going to kill me.” Two of the strange men laughed, then fell silent at a harshly spoken command from the leader.

“Execute you, should it come to that Lia.” The Dark Lord replied without a smile. “Really, it is up to you.”

“Then you might as well get it done. I won’t betray my brother.”

At a soft laugh, shivers rolled down the backs of De Pour, Mastic and Boon

“Neither is it necessary that you should. I received word today that planet Sag XIV B has been found again, and your brother with it.” Consternation flickered across Lias' face.

“How …” Came out in a strangled whisper as Lia sagged in her guards arms.

“A simple matter. You assistant betrayed you and it was clear from your comm unit where you were headed. An analyst found the unprotected entry where you were going to SB 14 so the Legion dispatched a reconnaissance cruiser heavily disguised to check the system where that base is located. There was a transport waiting to leave, its jump coordinates were easy to read. Your guards and secretary confirmed everything. The task force has already left.”

There was a long silence, Lia hung heavily in her guards hands until the Dark Lord motioned them to let her down and slowly she sank to her knees. Everyone stayed silent. The solders alternated between watching Lia and looking for a sign from the Dark Lord. The Ladies now all wore looks of distaste. The two policeman kept their faces as blank as the imperial guards’ and the palace witnesses’. The reporter’s expression gyrated between awe, horror and fascination.

After a fraction. Lia looked up. “What do you want from me now?”

“Your decision, you can ask for my justice now or wait for later. Later means you will face trial.” He paused. “The fact is, by your acts of treason alone and not considering other crimes, you are liable for death. I do not say that death will come or not come. But you can accept death now or possibly, perhaps likely, later. The choice is yours.”

“The courts, all you have to do is crook your finger and the will obey your every whim!” Lia glared at the Dark Lord. He laughed.

“Whatever the courts decide, will be held complete as I have done in the past.” The Dark Lord sobered. “But now, I ask for your decision. Accept whatever the courts decide or take my judgement now.”

“So you will cut of my head, just like you did to all the pirates on Trilla.”

“A base lie, only the two who requested it. The rest now face the Legions justice apart from those I pardoned or spared from death.”

The two policemen and the reporter stared at the Dark Lord. They had heard the story but discounted it. The reality shook them, especially the reporter. Lia was tougher, she laughed.

“My brother said that I always lacked patience. Give me death now. My arms hurt.”

“Is that truly what you want? You may yet live, along with your brother.”

“Live, ha! In a prison cell on a bleak prison planet?” Lia laughed. “No, I would rather die, here and now! I accept death.”

“If that is what you want, are you certain?” The Dark Lord persisted and the two looked at each other. Lia stared back but said nothing.

“So be it.” The Dark Lord looked at Lady Luca who had watched Lia. After a tiny pause a look of pity passed over Luca’s face and she slowly shook her head. The Dark Lord nodded in agreement. The reporter stared.

The five strange soldiers now had a look of grim expectancy on their faces. The leader had eyes only for the Dark Lord. A look, a nod was given.

At a harsh sounding command, two of the soldiers turned and removed the covering from the covered pile. Two others moved to Lia, grasped her arms and lifted her to her feet. At the same time the Dark Lord spoke softly to the waiting imperial guard. One detached herself to stand beside the reporter. “Your first execution?” The reporter turned big eyes to the guardswoman and, unable to speak, just nodded. When Rita went to move to Sabra, the Dark Lord caught her eye and shook His head.

The guard took hold of the reporters arm and spoke just one word. “Steady.”

Now uncovered, a short log of wood no taller than a metre high was rolled forward, then stood upright. The two soldiers grasping Lia by her arms marched her over to this and by lifting her arms, Lias head was forced down to the top of the log. She gasped, her eyes staring. The last soldier had moved to the side and was holding an axe. Without hesitation he approached the two soldiers and Lia, swung the axe over his head, bringing it swiftly down with a sickening thud.

Lias’ head rolled on the ground, she hadn’t even had time to cry out. Her body was dropped onto the ground, kicking spasmodically. The reporter made a choking sound and turned away.

The Ladies just looked at the corpse, turned and left. The Dark Lord surveyed Lias body then spoke to the soldiers.

“You have done well, you are to be commended.”

“Caesar!” The leader slapped his chest then held his hand out in a salute. The other four looked pleased at the Dark Lords words as they wrapped the body in a sheet and placed it in a casket that was now uncovered. The head was wrapped separately and placed between the legs of the cadaver. The soldier who had used the axe washed it clean with water from a bucket, checking the sharpness of the blade as he did so.

The Dark Lord glanced towards the reporter, who was now bent over, making more choking sounds, the female guard still holding her. He turned back to Grada Karkart.

“Head Steward, make sure that the body is returned to her family.” This was answered with a nod. “Chief De Pour, you have a contact for the family lawyers?”

“I do sire.”

“Contact them, then pass the information to the Head Steward.”

“Yes sire.”

*********

The two policeman had watched everything with horrified fascination. Both had flinched when the axe came down. Pale, they exchanged a look but said nothing. Having gotten their instructions the Dark Lord now gave them a nod and waved his hand. Taking this as approval to leave, they bowed and left through the Hall of Hearing. Walking through the hall, Chief De Pour revised his thoughts of earlier in the week, when he wanted Lady Luca to take Legal Chief Riar Pur Catt, the spy and traitor, into the garden and execute her.

Reaching their vehicles they nodded at each other, boarded and left. The thought was in their minds that there were more executions likely in the future, including the Legion officers and the Councillors that had been charged with treason. Nothing was said to those who had waited.

*********

Back in the wastelands, two more members of the imperial guard had arrived with a trolley. The casket was loaded onto this then removed into temporary storage.

The reporter had somewhat recovered and was now standing up. Noting this, the Dark Lord turned again to Grada, Rita and Ferni.

“Take the young lady in hand and give her a drink of whatever she needs if she wants one. Talk to her and settle her down, this was hard for her.” The three nodded and left, walking over to the reporter.

One of the soldiers had taken a shovel and was turning the dirt over where the blood had spurted. A second soldier also took a shovel and along with the senior soldier walked over to where the reporter had thrown up. Making a comment which caused some laughter amongst the soldiers, brought them to the reporters’ attention.

“Think its funny, do you?” She snapped.

Ferni took the reporters arm to guide her away, still glaring at the soldier she resisted for a fraction. The lead soldier looked on with some amusement as the soldier with the shovel worked the soil. Glancing at the work done, he nodded, then looked at the reporter, grasped her left shoulder with his rough left hand and spoke quietly.

“Multum sanguinem effuderit est hic. Quia bene fecistis primum securi percussi.”

Giving an encouraging pat, he turned away and followed the soldier holding the shovel as they left. The words weren’t understood but the action was.

Looking around, the four saw that they were the last to leave. Everyone else was gone, including the Dark Lord and his companion. Still holding the reporters arm, Ferni, Rita, Grada, Sabra Boon and the Imperial Guard walked through the large double doors.

As they entered the hall, the doors swung shut behind them.