Free Ambition by Yoshiki Tanaka Page A

Wiliabard Joachim Merkatz, a seasoned warrior of fifty-nine, had a brilliant service record and reliably impeccable strategic thinking. In the battle for the Astarte Stellar Region, he had fought alongside Reinhard against the fleets of the Free Planets Alliance. He was known as one of the first to recognize the genius of the man.
    Merkatz did not accept Duke von Braunschweig’s request easily.
    He was fundamentally opposed to this meaningless war and had been trying to preserve his neutrality when the clash became inevitable.
    Merkatz refused, but Duke von Braunschweig would not take no for an answer. For von Braunschweig to be refused after negotiating in person would have left a stain on his authority as coalition leader.
    Preaching true loyalty to the empire and to the imperial family, the duke continued to try to persuade him. Gradually, shades of implied threat began to creep into his words, and when their scope came to encompass the safety of his family, Merkatz at last relented.
    “In that case, I accept, humble of talent though I may be. However, there are two points on which I want the aristocrats’ agreement in advance. Namely, that they yield all authority to me in matters relating to combat, and that the chain of command be unified. Accordingly, they will obey my orders, no matter how high their position or status may be, and be punished according to military regulations in the event of insubordination. I must have agreement on these points.”
    “Very well. Consider them accepted.”
    Duke von Braunschweig nodded and soon held a banquet to entertain his new commander in chief.
    After this party had wound down, Merkatz, the guest of honor, returned to his office late that night. His aide—a lieutenant commander with dull blond hair named Bernhard von Schneider—thought it odd to see Merkatz looking so clearly heavy of heart.
    “Your Excellency, you’ve become commander in chief of the coalition forces, and their leaders have agreed to both of your demands. Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t it a warrior’s dream to lead a large fleet into battle against a powerful enemy? Why do you look so gloomy?”
    Merkatz made a sad sort of laugh.
    “Von Schneider, you’re still young. Duke von Braunschweig and the rest have indeed swallowed the conditions I set forth. Unfortunately, though, that’s only lip service. They’ll be interfering with operations somehow or other in no time. And even if I do attempt to try them by military law, they won’t just sit quietly and submit themselves to it. It won’t be long before they hate me even more than Reinhard von Lohengramm.”
    “Surely not …”
    “Privilege is the worst of poisons. It rots the soul. The highborn have been steeped in it for dozens of generations. It’s become second nature for them to justify themselves and shift blame to someone else. I speak like this now, but I was born an aristocrat myself—at the bottom of the hierarchy, mind you—and I didn’t realize any of that until I started working with low-ranking soldiers in the navy. I just hope these nobles can come to understand before they find Marquis von Lohengramm’s sword hanging in the air above their heads.”
    After sending away the faithful young officer with the dull blond hair, Merkatz turned to his desk and, with clumsy motions, set to work at his word processor. He was writing a letter to his family.
    It was a letter of farewell.
VII
    There were those among Duke von Braunschweig’s subordinates who sought to avert the clash between the pro- and anti-Reinhard factions. This was not because they held to a position of absolute pacifism but because they saw no hope of victory if they did fight with Reinhard.
    Commodore Arthur von Streit was the most prominent of these. He sought a meeting with Duke von Braunschweig and, accepting on himself a temporary notoriety, argued that Reinhard should be assassinated in order to avoid war.
    The duke swatted aside the proposal with a single