This is the free sample of Oranje that I’ll post. You can find links to buy the whole book here.
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Rain beat against the glass. It was autumn on Oranje, a time of frosty mornings and red grass. Dragan cared little about the weather, a small nuisance that had no effect on his many businesses. He looked out at the sprawling city beyond, no metropolis, but prosperous enough for such a small planet, and much of its wealth flowed through him.
He heard a faint noise of movement as the doors behind him slipped open. He turned, his many items of jewellery jingling as he did, to greet the young woman with his politest smile.
“The governor will see you now,” she said. He didn’t recognise her; barely a fortnight had passed since his last visit to City Hall. She must be the new secretary he had seen a few articles about. He followed her into the office of the governor. It was no match for his own house in opulence, but it was no hovel either. A few paintings on the walls and an elegant desk gave the room a bit of style. The governor, dressed in his usual grey suit, rose as he entered and greeted Dragan with a firm shake of his hand.
“It is good to see you again, Dragan.”
“You too, Riccardo.”
“Would you like a drink?” The governor opened a small cabinet on his desk and pulled out a short bottle.
Dragan held up a white hand to decline. “It is too early in the day for me.”
A single glass filled with liquid, and Riccardo picked it up, taking a sip that added a bit more brightness to his brown skin.
Dragan sat in the offered seat, arranging his long blue robes, as the secretary returned to her own desk, hidden in a far corner of the room.
“She seems a bit quiet to work for you.”
“Makes a nice change, doesn’t it?” Riccardo glanced at the grey skies outside. “What has brought you here in this weather?”
“You know why I’m here.” Dragan shifted his large necklace back into its proper position. “What are you doing about Bathala?”
Riccardo sighed. “The answer, I’m afraid, is the same as the last three times you asked me that question. I have no idea what you expect me to do. The planet has dropped off the Net; we’ve had no luck restoring communication with it.”
Dragan held up two fat fingers. “I have a couple of craft sitting in orbit laden with cargo that need to travel there. All they have done for the last month is drain money instead of making more for me.”
“No one has been able to get to Bathala,” said Riccardo. “Its transfer station is not responding, and we have no craft capable of transferring there on their own.” He shrugged his shoulders. “What more is there for me to do?”
“That cargo is worth a significant amount of money. The planet would benefit significantly from its sale,” said Dragan.
“You know I’m not going to turn down anything that can help with the budget, but I can’t make miracles happen.” Riccardo poked a finger in Dragan’s direction. “What makes you think I can do more than you and your vast resources?”
“Expense is never a problem for me. Politics, however, is a different matter. I do not have your skills in that area. The treaties do exist for a reason.”
Riccardo frowned. “You want me to contact the Republic and the Union.”
Dragan’s lip curled into a smile. He disliked the usual dance of hidden meanings with politicians and relished Riccardo’s directness. “They have the means to find out what is going on with Bathala.”
“But not the motivation I guarantee you.” Riccardo pursed his lips. “They only care about the independent planets when it has an impact on them. One small world having Net problems is not going to concern them.”
“The treaties say otherwise.”
The drink paused on its way to Riccardo’s lips. “The treaties only matter when either of them is involved. They don’t care about what us independent worlds do amongst ourselves.” With a swift motion, the drink disappeared down his throat.
Dragan moved the necklace again, and the metal clinked as he played with it. “A planet has dropped off the Net. That must matter to them.”
“They leave all that to the Curators in their hidden station.” The rain hammered at the windows again in another strong gust of wind.
“Maybe we should try contacting them?”
Riccardo almost dropped his glass. “The Curators? Are you mad?” He steadied his hand and poured himself another drink. “They only come out of their station to lord it over people whenever anyone tries to interfere with the Net.”
“The Net is their responsibility,” said Dragan.
“All they do when there are problems is send out automated craft to deal with it. The last time they got involved in events was when they almost brought down the Republic and Union governments to stop them controlling the Net. That is a power I want to make sure is focused as far away from us as possible.”
“If you won’t get them or the nations involved, then how do you propose we deal with this situation?” Dragan had balled his hands up into fists.
Riccardo tilted his head to one side. “This is not like you, to show such concern for another world. I wonder if that cargo isn’t worth more than I am aware.”
Dragan’s lip twitched for a second before resuming the calm, polite smile he maintained at all times. “It is valuable.”
“How much is it worth?”
Dragan held some of his jewellery in his hand and admired it. “Far more than any amount I would tell you about.”
“That big?” said Riccardo. “You must have another buyer lined up—only sensible business practice.”
“Not at the price I was getting,” said Dragan with a small shake of his head, causing more clinking in his jewellery. “Some fool collector on Bathala with more money than sense. They were going to pay double the market rate for some rare items.” He picked up the bottle and filled his glass that had stood empty until now.
“Double market value? You sure it was a genuine deal?”
“He is from a founding family over there; they control the industrial infrastructure or something.”
“Or something? Surely you did background checks on them?”
“I am no amateur.” Dragan’s mouth still smiled, but his eyes glared across the divide between them. “I do not recall exactly who they were. The rather exorbitant price was what stuck in my mind.”
“The families have never been short of money and like to get what they want. I’ve heard some very… well, odd stories about how much they’ve paid for items they desire.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them are true,” said Dragan. “They have a habit of getting their way.”
“Sounds a lot like you.” Riccardo laughed.
Dragan’s smile broke. “The difference is I’m not an idiot. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I acted like them.”
Riccardo held up his hands. “It was just a silly observation. I meant no offence.”
Dragan adjusted his necklace again. “To answer your earlier question: no, there is no alternative buyer at the price I can get at Bathala.”
Riccardo checked his neat fingernails. “This whole situation worries me, but there is simply nothing I can do about it. I’ll send a message to the Union and Republic, but I’d estimate the chance of them actually doing anything will be slim to none, especially as they’re squaring up against each other again.”
Dragan pulled out his mobile and began to scroll through his calendar. “I suppose there is no alternative. How…” The sentence trailed off as his mouth fell open and his brow furrowed.
“What’s wrong?” asked Riccardo as his secretary hurried up to him.
Dragan looked up with a shocked expression on his face. “I have no Net connection.”
Riccardo looked surprised before the colour drained from his face as his secretary whispered in his ear.
“Governor?”
Riccardo gulped. “It’s not just you; the entire planet is cut off from the Net.”
He did not even bother maintaining his smile. The governor and his secretary sprang into action, making calls to the head of the small military Oranje could afford, desperate to find someone with an idea of what was going on.
Momentarily forgotten, Dragan pulled out his tablet and unlocked it. Along the thin black bar at the top of the screen, the white circle that lived there all the time had now vanished, and his access to the Net with it. No signal showed; for the first time in any of their lives, they were not connected.
Riccardo turned to him. “No one has any idea what’s going on. Only the emergency military networks are working properly. There is an outside connection to the Net, but we have no access to it anymore.”
Dragan’s hand adjusted his necklace again. “I think we may be about to find out what happened to Bathala because it’s about to happen to us.”
A shout of surprise came from Riccardo at his computer. He was bent low, staring at the screen before he bowed his head and looked despairingly at Dragan. “Fifty military spacecraft just entered low orbit.”
Dragan struggled to his feet. “I think it is time for us to leave. This situation is not looking very friendly.”
The governor looked around him, staring as if hoping he would wake up, before he nodded. “We should get to the bunkers. I hope there is still time for that.”
Riccardo had just summoned his secretary to prepare for that move when he froze at a noise from his computer. Martial music was playing through it. He sent the display to the large monitor that hung on the wall beside them. An unknown logo filled the screen. “It looks like they want to talk to me.”
“We can hear it in the safety of the bunkers.” Dragan tried to usher the governor from the room. Riccardo pushed him away with a swipe of his arm as he planted himself in front of the display. The music stopped, and the logo was replaced by a man in military uniform.
“I hope I am speaking to Governor Reyes.”
“You are, but I have no idea who you are or what you think you are doing to this planet.” Riccardo folded his arms in front of him.
“My name is not important, but I represent the New Commonwealth of Man.” The busy activity of a military spacecraft control room could be seen behind the man.
“I still have no idea what is going on here,” said Riccardo.
“We are here to give you an opportunity, Governor.” The man’s expression was fixed and blank as he spoke. “The chance to be part of our great endeavour to reunite humanity.”
Dragan shuffled out of view of the screen and looked at Riccardo’s face. The governor’s anger was replaced by confusion and disbelief.
“That doesn’t tell me much. What are you doing here, and why are you interfering with our Net connection?”
“For the past two decades, we have united the regions of Lassen and Kyrenia under our dream, to make humanity great again.” The man’s expression was beginning to slip and show the white-hot passion underneath. “We wish to restore what made the old Commonwealth of Earth so great, to go back to the morals and technological achievements that saw us spread across the stars. We ask that you join us in this great task.”
Riccardo had recovered some of his usual charm. “If you are here on a diplomatic mission, why have you come with such force and terror?”
A smile slithered from the man. “Our mission is great, and we must do everything we can to ensure its success. We are giving you a simple choice. Join us, or we will destroy you.”
“A simple choice.” Dragan could hear the disbelief in Riccardo’s voice. “You expect me to make this decision now?”
The smile flicked back onto the man’s face. “You have a very large and very hostile force in orbit, Governor. Time is not a luxury you have.”
“Governor…” said Dragan. Years of being very successful and very shrewd could only prepare one for so much. “I’m certain they will allow us a moment to consider the matter.” His face had his biggest, most polite smile on it; he hoped it hid the terror inside.
“You have five minutes.”
The screen switched back to what must have been the logo of this New Commonwealth. Riccardo stared open-mouthed at the screen. He jumped when Dragan touched his arm and said, “Governor… Riccardo, we must agree with them.”
“Why the hell would I do that?” Veins strained on the governor’s forehead. “They come here, cutting us off from everyone else, and threaten us to join them, this New Commonwealth I’ve never heard of.”
“You know I am always one to look for a bit of risk, but they hold all the advantages in this situation. They know a lot more about us than we do about them.”
“How do they expect anyone to make a decision like this?” Riccardo stood with hands planted on his hips, one foot tapping away. “They must have done the same to Bathala.”
Dragan looked at the grey skies outside the window. The weather seemed very appropriate to the situation they faced. “Bathala must have refused to join them, which does not bode well for us. Listen to me, Riccardo. I have as little understanding of all this as you do, but I know that there is only one choice we can make.”
Riccardo stood defiant. “Oranje has been independent since the Collapse. I am not about to change that.”
Dragan grabbed Riccardo’s hand. “Listen to me. Unless we bend our knee to them, I’m not sure there will be an Oranje to free in the future.”
The governor looked at the hand locked with his, at Dragan’s wide eyes.
“These people are serious. That force in orbit is not just for show.”
Riccardo freed his hand and backed away. “They will not scare me.”
“By the Spirit, this is not about you!” Dragan pointed out the window. “There are millions of people out there whose lives depend on how you choose.”
“I won’t join them willingly. They can force us to, instead.” Riccardo turned to look out the window as well. “I will order the military not to resist; that will minimise casualties.” They stared at each other.
Then Dragan turned away. “It is on your head what happens next.” He set his heavy frame back down in his chair.
Riccardo took up a position facing the monitor again. They were silent until the representative of the New Commonwealth, more conqueror than diplomat, reappeared on the screen.
“What is your choice?” the man asked, no longer bothering to conceal his smirk.
Dragan looked on in despair.
Riccardo licked his lips and straightened up, his arms folded behind his back. “We will not join you. You’ve come here with hostile intentions and have shown us no reason to trust you. Threatening worlds who have never heard of you is no way to build a nation.”
The man turned and nodded at a person they could not see. “It has worked well enough for us so far.”
“It didn’t work on Bathala,” said Riccardo.
Anger flashed briefly from the man’s eyes. “They made the same mistake you did.”
“Centuries of independence is not something you throw away.”
“Then you will face the alternative. You have chosen your own destruction.”
Alarms blared on the governor’s desk, and the secretary hurried to see the bad news they announced.
She looked up in a panic. “They’ve launched missiles at the surface. The radiological alarms have been triggered; they have nuclear warheads.”
“By the spirit.” Dragan sank his head into his hands as Riccardo turned back to the screen, his face full of righteous anger. “There are millions of people on this world! Why are you doing this?”
“You wouldn’t join us. We are not about to leave a potentially hostile planet to its own devices.”
“Our military is not a threat to you. You could take Oranje without a fight.”
“Occupying unwilling worlds and dealing with uprisings and insurrections takes time and resources that are better used elsewhere. This way we guarantee you will cause us no problems.”
“You’re monsters.” Riccardo’s mouth hung open.
The man grinned wider. “We are doing what we must to ensure a better future for all of us. Goodbye, Governor.” The screen went blank.
A tear rolled down Dragan’s face. “Why didn’t you listen?” he asked through gritted teeth, face still in his hands. “Look what you’ve done.”
The governor was still staring at the screen, mouth opening and closing as he fought to form words. “I did not think they would do this.”
“You’ve killed us all.”
“No.” Riccardo was facing him now. “I haven’t. They have. Louise…” he said, turning to his secretary.
She was staring out of the window, her faced covered in tears like Dragan’s.
Riccardo clapped, making her jump. “Louise, I need you to do something for me, something urgent.” He walked to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to record a message warning other worlds. You need to get it to the military. Tell them to broadcast it however they can. Someone must know the truth of what has happened here.”
She wiped away her tears. Riccardo turned to his computer and began to record.
“This is Governor Reyes of Oranje. We are under attack by a force that has identified itself as the New Commonwealth of Man. They cut our connection to the Net and demanded we join them. I refused. There are now nukes heading towards every inhabited part of the planet. I don’t know if anyone here will survive, or if anyone will hear this, but I have to try. Bathala has already been attacked by them, and I don’t know where will be next. If you have found this message, warn everyone you can because the rest of September will be next. Millions lived on this world… I want their deaths to mean something.”
With it finished, he transferred it to a memory stick and placed it in Louise’s hands. She gave Riccardo a brief salute before hurrying away to carry out his last request as governor. He walked back to the window, where missile trails were now visible high above.
“I never thought I would die like this,” said Dragan.
Riccardo touched the glass in front of him. “At least it will be quick.” The rain was still waging its small war against the glass.
Dragan dragged himself to his feet and walked over to join him. “I wanted to die in my own bed after a very long life. All my other dreams have come true, but that one is now unattainable.”
Riccardo glanced at him. “Funny, I had good odds on you being assassinated. You always had a way with people.”
Dragan looked at him before they both broke into quiet laughter and smiles. “That is the risk of being ruthless when needed.”
Riccardo’s smile faded as his eyes followed the path of one of the missiles. “I wish I had agreed with them.”
“You stuck to your beliefs. It makes you an idiot and a very good man.” He held out his hand to Riccardo, who took it in a firm handshake. “It has been a pleasure.”
“You too, Dragan.”
They shook hands and held on to each other.
A flash illuminated the clouds, and a shockwave of death raced towards them as a mushroom cloud filled the sky.
——
If you enjoyed this sample you can buy the full book here.