*
About this same time, the last of Asotos’ MueoPoros attack fleets were discovered totally removing his element of surprise. Although he failed to understand it at the moment, his grand battle plan was rapidly unraveling. Rigid with pride, he refused to listen to his lieutenants when they requested he delay the invasion of Candletoe and pull their forces back from Stargaton to lend support at MueoPoros.
“We are the superior ones!” He shouted, slamming his fist on the table. “Our opponent swine are unworthy of my concern! If you do your jobs, we will destroy this rabble within a fortnight. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. Strike the sheep, and the shepherd will come out of hiding to protect the sheep.”
There was a lack of understanding among Asotos’ officers. “Look,” He exclaimed, exasperated with his dimwitted servants, “that usurper, Michael has come within our grasp should we act shrewdly! She doesn’t listen to the counsel of Erithia or her generals. Now she sits in the Sophia, basking in her ill-gotten glory, waiting for the surrender of MueoPoros.”
Asotos began to pace, waving his hands in gesture. “Gabrielle and Planetee are merciless warriors, not only with the enemy, but with their own people. If they were standing the head of the armies alone at MueoPoros, there would be little value to our striking other objectives. They’d just let their other companions be butchered while they held their forces in check, waiting. If that were the case, I would do as you have suggested. But I have managed to draw the rat out of hiding. Michael will not tolerate any harm coming to her subjects.”
“Now...” He became derogatory, “if my officers follow my orders, in less than a week there will be no more enemy navy to speak of.” His tenor changed to remorse. “I do not take to cruelty and unwarranted slaughter, but if we are to succeed that is what has been forced upon us. Michael’s heart is too big for a warrior. When reports come to her telling of the burning of villages and the murder and raping by the monster hordes…” He feigned a look of piety. “That’s what they accuse us of being…” He slammed his fist into an opened hand. “The miserable little tramp will be forced to come to her people’s assistance!”
Asotos stepped up to one of his lesser lieutenants, resting a gentle hand on the man’s shoulder, speaking with warmth and tenderness. “If we all will do our part, this terrible war will soon come to an end. Erithia will be forced to submit to our demands, for she has promised as much at the Prisoner Exchange. She will have to leave our worlds, which means abandoning the stolen palace. With it in our hands, all the wrongs committed against us can be righted. Life and health can be restored. We will again see the return of our dear companions who have died fighting to bring us to this righteous day.”
He looked around at his various officers, ignoring Captain Ilaniya who stood off in a distant corner. “My brothers!” Asotos cheered. “Let us be about our duties quickly! Our valor and diligence shall not go unrewarded. When we have Michael in our hands, Erithia will be forced to submit to our every demand. The war is almost over! Let us do our all to make that be the case!”
The officers parted ways, each hurrying off to his appointed duty. Asotos had not told them about the defeat of the two invasion battle groups, feeling it might hurt morale. Within a few hours, though, it would make little difference. There would be other concerns for his officers to face. The security of feeling they acted with stealth was going to be shattered when reports started coming in about rogue attacks by some new and strange little ships all painted black and red.
The sting of a bee can be painful, but little more. A swarm of angry hornets is a totally different matter. The unbendable Asotos would brush off these attacks as well as the loss of secrecy. He obstinately refused to alter his battle plans, feeling that Mihai would abandon MueoPoros when the other colonies were attacked. The pesky enemy swarm was to prove too much of a nuisance and, much to his surprise, Asotos would realize too late just how little military authority Mihai really possessed. Even if he had known all this in advance, he wouldn’t have changed a thing. He was committed to his plan. After all, he invented it, organized it, directed it. How could it fail if it had his full backing?