Crineal Chronicles 1: In Hera's Service Read Free Page B

some sense into him.”
    The
major looked at him mischievously over her cup. “I think I have a false long
white beard I can lend you.” Crineal snorted. “At least we don’t have any more
patrols scheduled before we make the next jump so we’ve got plenty of time to
get some more training in for the younger pilots.”
    He
nodded. “There is that and then they can have some R & R at the next stop.
I think everyone can use it.”
    Strieger
noted he hadn’t named their destination. “How does it feel to be going home
again?” She watched for his reaction curiously. As far as she knew he hadn’t
been to the planet of his birth since he joined the Space Corps and she wondered
about it.
    Crineal
sat looking into his tea for a few minutes and then sighed. “I’ve been trying
not to think about it. It’s been twelve years since I left Earth. I’m sure most
of it won’t be recognizable to me now. I didn’t have many ties left when I
joined up. Now…?” he shrugged. The planet seemed a distant memory to him.

Chapter Two
     
    Earth
was an oddity in the Empire, the oddity in fact. The IWF, or more properly the
Imperial Federated Worlds, had formed out of a group of star systems in the
same spiral arm as Earth but closer to the core of the galaxy. Humans had
evolved on nine separate worlds that were close together in galactic terms, but
in different planetary systems. Their social evolutionary patterns had all been
similar until they started reaching out into space. Three of the worlds
developed forms of interstellar travel at roughly the same time and quickly
found their neighbors. This surprised everyone involved initially, and there
was much speculation as to the possibility of alien genetic seeding. The more
conservative scientific thought pointed out that the planets were all of a
similar nature and were, therefore, as likely as not to produce similar life
forms. In addition there was a total lack of evidence of aliens anywhere. This
came to be accepted theory, although still disputed by certain sections of
academia. The nine planetary systems began to trade with each other and, after
a few minor border skirmishes, eventually formed the IFW, realizing that
interstellar war was far less profitable than a good solid peace. The
individual governments put their heads together and appointed an emperor to
preside over the Imperial Council. His role was defined so as to act as a
balance and to look after the interests of the average citizen. Each of the
heads of the planetary governments became council members along with their
closest advisors. They took the titles of Lords and Barons, with the approval
and recognition of the Emperor, and thus the nobility of the Empire was born.
With interstellar trade now firmly established it wasn’t long before new
territory was sought out to provide more resources for the growing empire and
waves of explorers headed outwards seeking new planets to colonize. Within a
hundred years the number of worlds within the Empire had risen to twenty-five,
and in the next hundred it added another ninety colonies. With these extra
worlds came problems. Not everyone was happy with the current government and
some with good cause. The council appointed governors to oversee these worlds
and, as is usual with humans, they were a mixed bag of the good, the bad and
the downright ugly, not to mention avaricious. Slowly unrest began to form,
some out of injustice, some out of greed and some because a few people didn’t
fit in and just wanted a good fight. The discontent in the outer worlds
coalesced into the Artranus Rebellion, named after the planet it began on, and
for the first time in over two hundred years, interstellar war was back on the
agenda. The Imperial Council quickly passed some budgetary measures and
expanded the Imperial Space Corps from an exploration service into a
fully-fledged military organization. Trying to pin down an enemy over
interstellar distances proved a problem, though, and