Free Doom Star: Book 02 - Bio-Weapon by Vaughn Heppner

said. “Me too.”

11.

    Earth—Joho Mountains, China Sector

    Taking a billion civilian casualties hardly seemed like a victory, especially when added to the loss of the Japanese home islands, the evaporation of 700,000 trained soldiers and the destruction of Earth’s naval and air fleets. In return, they had only bled the Highborn by several thousand personnel, a couple hundred orbital fighters and a nearly crippled Doom Star, the Genghis Khan . Still, to date, it was the best Social Unity had been able to achieve against their genetic superiors, and the tactics that had allowed it were the brainchild of General James Hawthorne.
    Thus the Earth government’s propaganda mills proclaimed him the Savior of Social Unity, and the Directorate of Inner Planets, led by Madam Director Blanche-Aster, granted him vast powers for the further prosecution of the war.
    That had been six months ago. Now General Hawthorne paced in his office in China Sector as he spoke via comlink with Director Blanche-Aster. The tall, gaunt Supreme Commander with his wispy blond hair and aristocratic bearing had worn a long path in his carpet. He thought best while pacing, a nervous habit. He wore a green uniform with red piping along the crease of his trousers.
    “I can’t help you there, General,” said Madam Director Blanche-Aster. The holo-screen was blank. She had been operated on yesterday, and had said she didn’t feel like having people stare at her, gauging her health.
    “Political Harmony Corps chips away at my authority,” said Hawthorne. “Six months ago PHC worked hand in glove with me. Now they’ve thrown a blizzard of red tape and bad will in my face.”
    “You’ve scared them, General. You’ve shown them a Social Unity world where they wield diminished power.”
    “Nonsense!”
    “General Hawthorne,” she said. “For the last time. I can’t help you there. You must accept the reemergence of PHC hostility and concentrate on military matters. I hesitate to tell you this, but the other directors—Director Gannel has gained a following. I must tread carefully when arbitrating between you and PHC. There’s nothing more I can say.”
    Hawthorne swung his long arms behind his back. So it had come to this. It was going to make everything that much harder.
    “About the Bangladesh ,” said Blanche-Aster. “The attack must not fail.”
    “No military endeavor is without risks.”
    “But you assured me we would catch the Highborn by surprise.”
    “I still believe we shall,” said Hawthorne. “Yet a good commander has contingency plans. I cannot simply point my finger and say: Here I will win.”
    “Don’t be fatuous, General.
    “That wasn’t my intention.”
    “We must win somewhere,” said Blanche-Aster. “We must hurt the Highborn. Make them bled.”
    “The Sun Works Factory is such a place,” Hawthorne said. “It is their supply base and headquarters. It is their vulnerable point. The Bangladesh is the best tool we have to hit them, to hurt them, to surprise them—which is probably the only way we could do this.”
    “Then… Do you think we will catch them by surprise?” asked Blanche-Aster.
    “I wouldn’t have ordered the attack unless I thought so.”
    “So it isn’t a gamble?” she asked.
    “Director. War is always a gamble. It is the nature of the beast. We have weapons and will, they have weapons and will. Each side reacts to the other.”
    “Yes, yes, but—”
    “I urge you to relax. To wait patiently.”
    “How can I wait?” asked Blanche-Aster. “How do you propose I sit patiently while Director Gannel rouses the others with his militant speeches? General, I don’t think you understand the precariousness of our position.”
    “Social Unity is strong,” said Hawthorne. “We are all bound together as one: humanity against the Supremacists. In time our sheer numbers will tell against the genetic freaks.”
    There was a pause before Blanche-Aster said, “I was speaking about our