The Line of Succession Vol. 01

This is my first submission in Sci-fi and Fantasy Sex. I am a big fan of David Webber, a science fiction author in the real world. I usually list in Loving wives. I am a big fan of happy (or at least BTB) endings, and I also believe in revenge, or if you will, vengeance. It doesn't matter if it is BT bitch, OR BT bastard. Just make sure the bad guys pay. (So sue me, they're my stories.) I hope you enjoy.

***********************************************************************************

Chapter 1

Major Caleb Lomer strode down the port side access tube on the Imperial Marine Battle Cruiser IMS Palladin. Thirty-two, six feet three inches tall, two hundred fifteen pounds, all muscle, with a goodly amount of brains, Caleb's mind was not on the possibility of upcoming action on the planet, having just turned his divorce lawsuit over to the JAG rep. on the Faldavian Class Imperial Dreadnought IMS Larocyn.

Caleb's wife of 6 years, Lorna Golan, was suing for divorce, citing adultery and irreconcilable differences.

Yeah, right.

He was stuck on a Battle Cruiser for the past 18 months, escorting the Imperial Family around to diplomatic functions on the Cusp, out in the Corsion sector of the Crab Nebula. As if he would have any chance to chase any tail? It had all the markings of her father's influence!

Still, she was some fine ass.

(Sigh!)

He still didn't know what made him marry her.

Screw her, hell yeah! But marriage??

His current wife, rich beyond most planetary systems, had insisted on hooking up with an Imperial Space Marine combat veteran. In spite of the existence of the prenuptial agreement he had signed before their wedding, Major Lomer was not good enough for the only daughter of the 3rd richest man in the solar system. Fuck him, fuck her, fuck them all. The Navy will deal with them.

Caleb, or Cal as he was known to most people, reached the airlock to the CTC and accessed the combat bridge. "Attention on the bridge!"

"As you were. Bring up the visual of the surface and the Imperial Destroyer."

"Captain," he commed the flight bridge. "Do we have communication with the Harilyn?"

"Negative, Major. Harilyn is maintaining communications silence."

'Damm,' he thought, 'Why should they bother talking to the hired help?'

He thought a minute, and then commed the shuttle bay, "Sergeant Taolid, prep the attack craft and have the men stand by to deploy." He knew that Command Sergeant Major Cwasir Taolid would crack the whip for him.

Something in his gut told him this going to get bad fast.

The Bassin warrior was fiercely loyal, having saved Cal's life by donating several liters of his orange colored blood and a couple of pieces of his scaly hide to the Major after Caleb had hauled him out of the ambush at the Holden Embassy.

Bassins were fiercely loyal when they accepted you as a friend, especially after saving their life. Cas was his good right hand, and Cal trusted him with his life. And he could drink the rest of the company under the table at a bar.......With the possible exception of Gunnery Sergeant O'Hara.

Caleb chuckled. Nice to have a few tangible things in his life, like good friends.

He just wished women were that reliable.

(BITCH!!)

He wasn't concerned with any enemy action on the planet Folsom. It was a small backwater without much of a military, just planetary defense. Still, something didn't feel right...........

Suddenly, the attack alarm sounded.

"BATTLE STATIONS-BATTLE STATIONS-THIS NOT A DRILL" The CTC crew donned battle armor, and the lighting changed to red in color. Sensors indicated that six missile batteries had gone active on the ground, and then twelve sting ships rose from the surface to move to orbit.

Missile batteries? STING SHIPS??

"Shields up, Major. Point defense weapons are being armed, and we are loading the air to surface missile tubes."

"Very well, Captain. Bring us about to support the Harilyn."

"Aye, Sir."

Well, at least it will give him something else to think about.

The Harilyn deployed force screens and started taking fire from the sting ships. Then, missile blooms erupted from the six batteries, and double fiery tails rose from each battery towards the Imperial Destroyer, which tried to take evasive action.

"Captain, take out the surface batteries immediately."

"Major, that is in direct violation of the ROE."

"On my orders, Captain. Castle Red." As the ranking officer in charge of security, it was at his discretion to take out the attacking bases. And Castle Red-an attack against the Imperil family-definitely hit the mark.

"Yes, Sir."

Double volleys leapt from the tubes, and the missiles streaked to the surface, almost instantaneously transforming the area of the missile bases into a place of nuclear destruction. Of the six, five batteries disappeared while the sixth pumped two more missiles out at the target.

Then it too succumbed to the Palladin's attack.

The sting ships massed to strike the Harilyn. Point defense weapons started firing, destroying twelve of the original incoming missiles. Three of the attacking sting ships disintegrated in the Paladin's return fire. The remaining four missiles from the surface batteries impacted Harilyn's force fields, and the subsequent explosion destroyed five more sting ships that had strayed too close to the attacking sphere.

The remaining four sting ships pressed their attack on the Imperial Destroyer. Unfortunately, a portion of the force field chose that moment to collapse. The defensive gap opened up the Harilyn to sting ship attack, and the fighter-like spacecraft opened fire with renewed ferocity.

The Palladin closed with the enemy spacecraft, and the ferocious defensive fire destroyed the remaining ships. Energy blooms started to erupt from the Imperial Destroyer, and immediately escape pods started jettisoning from the ship. The bridge crew started plotting the trajectories, monitoring for life signs.

Caleb issued orders, "Prepare the assault shuttles for launch. Patch me into the com net for the planet. NOW." Comms showed the connection to the planetary web initiated, and Caleb prepared to speak.

"Major, sensors indicate two of the pods have Imperial designators on their beacons. We're plotting them and their projected landing coordinates now."

"Keep me advised, Captain. Update the attack shuttle's computers." He activated the comms and spoke: "Attention to Orders: Castle Red, I repeat Castle Red- condition Gamma." This was the designation for attack on the Royal Family. With intent to kill or kidnap.

"Aye, sir."

"This is Major Caleb Lomer, Imperial Space Marines. Cease all offensive actions on Imperial space forces, or we will commence planetary attacks on a large scale. Comply immediately." He turned his attention to the command bridge.

"Captain, maintain suppression fire on any and all ground forces, and keep the......."

Further orders were rendered mute. The main power plant for Harilyn erupted in an orgasm of nuclear fire. The ship disappeared from the sensor screens.

Twenty more escape pods streaked from the destruction of Harilyn's reactor. However, the nuclear cataclysm enveloped them, all but three of them. The pods spiraled down to the planet's surface, joining the twelve other pods already there.

Palladin reversed course and prepared to deploy her assault craft.

"Captain, contact Larocyn and inform them of the situation. Tell them to dispatch four more Battle Cruisers and four more Destroyers to the area and set up security for the sector."

The escape pods settled on the planet's surface, spread out on the jungle-covered isthmus separating the two large seas on the planet's southern half.

"We have the positions plotted, sir," navigation reported.

"Very well." He turned and sprinted to the airlock, activating his body commlink to Cwasir Taoldin.

"Sergeant, load the troops up and get ready to launch. I'm on my way."

"Affirmative, Skipper."

A man of few words, the Sergeant-Major.

Caleb raced down to the launch bay and clambered aboard Assault Shuttle number #7, his lucky number. The ships sealed up, and the launch bay opened as the shuttles deployed to the planet's surface.

There were twelve Assault Shuttles available on the Palladin. Caleb directed #7 to the two pods with Imperial locator beacons, which were very close to a large river bisecting the jungle isthmus. They closed in on the pod's location while Caleb ordered the radio operator/navigator to turn off the beacons.

'No sense telling the enemy where they are,' he thought to himself. He then directed the remaining Assault Shuttles to converge on the remaining escape pods.

They streaked to them, and three more pod beacons shut down, changing from green to red on the visual display, The life forms contained inside had ceased to exist. That left twelve containing viable life forms, not counting the two imperial pods.

Then one of the Imperial Pods shut down life indicators.

He commed Cas and told him to divert one of the Assault Shuttles providing cover for the rescue operation to the river. Then he commed Palladin.

"Captain, bring the ship down to the surface and establish a secure L/Z. Deploy force fields, set up trauma tents, and prepare to receive survivors. Land in proximity to the two Imperial Pods. Copy?"

"Aye, Aye Sir, coming down now."

We touched down approx fifty yards from the two pods. The shuttles were about 40 feet apart. The ramps came down, and my men deployed to the pods. Twelve were female, including squad leader 2nd Lt. Esmarelda Sanchez. My 'girls' were just as fearless and fierce as my 'boys.' Sometimes, more so, especially in hostage situations. They deployed and took up defensive positions around the escape pods.

"Sanchez, open the hatch. On your toes, people," I commed.

Sanchez accessed the control panel, and the hatch cycled open.

Cwasir Taolid directed the #2 and #4 assault shuttles to converge on the river in the middle of the isthmus.

"Saturate the far side of the river, and destroy anything that attempts to cross. Sergeant O'Hara, back up Captain Lochese at the river."

"Aye, Sir. Will do. 'ALRIGHT, PEOPLE, LET'S MOVE IT'."

Cwasir move assault shuttles 6, 8, and 9 to converge on the other Imperial Pod.

The Palladin came down approx. 2 clicks from the Imperial Pods and more than 4 clicks behind the defensive cordon south of the river. Her footprint mashed the jungle, and the landing sprays saturated the foliage and fauna to clean up the area. The ground and surrounding mess turned to gray ceramic smoothness for the landing struts to anchor to. As they set up defensive perimeters and trauma compounds, three teams of medics with anti-grav stretchers left for the two Imperial pods.

###################################################################################

Chapter 2-The Planet Sachia

Lorna Golan Lomer stepped from the shower and grabbed a towel.

The Hilton Empire Hotel had the most luxurious bath appointments in the galaxy. The towels felt like a lover's caress. It was almost like the towel sucked the water from your body.

She strolled into the bedroom suite and reached over to stroke the naked back of her lawyer, Conrad Doughy.

He stirred and stretched, turning over to quickly grasp her forearm. He pulled her down to him, crushing her lips and jamming his thumb into her ass. She squealed and laughed, lowering her body to his. She ground his cock against her still damp snatch.

"I bet soldier boy couldn't do you like that," he smirked. He couldn't believe he was getting paid to do this, on top of them all being billable hours.

Lorna moaned and squirmed against his hand. She reached down for his penis and lined it up with her snatch. A swift thrust of her hips, and she impaled herself on his erect organ, all the way in, in one thrust.

'What a shame Cal could not be here,' she thought.

Although he would never share. He would also reduce this bloodsucking sleaze to Wollen shit. It's a shame that daddy insisted on her divorcing him. Cal is so much bigger and better. Oh, well, money was always so much more important than love.

She moaned and closed her eyes. But sex was just as good as love, or money.

They fucked for about another hour and a half. Two orgasms for Lorna and one enormous one for Conrad. Then they showered, dressed and left for Conrad's office for depositions.

***********************************************************************************

Chapter 3 -- The Planet Folsom.

My forces entered the pod and the all clear signal came over the headsets. The medic team arrived and moved to the escape pod. I holstered my side arm and slung the particle weapon across my back, as the first occupant was assisted out the door.

It was the Lord High Chamberlain, Vasili Levtor. He was assisted to a rock as the med-techs began examining him.

He attempted to wave them off, saying he was fine and that they should concentrate on the other survivors.

He was a tough old guy, having served in the Imperial Marines during the Locan Separatist conflicts.

He was a soldier's soldier.

Now he was the ranking civilian advisor to the Empire.

As I approached the hatch, 2nd Lt. Sanchez came out and reported. The snappy salute always seemed so out of place with her, because it always caused her slight frame to jiggle. Thankfully, the combat armor caressed and contained the impressive breasts she sported. He'd caught sight of them once, when she was coming out of the shower.

Lucky combat armor.

"Skipper, we have the Empress and the Crown Princess under protection. The Crown Princess appears to be unharmed and wants to stay with her mother. The Empress has blaster burns, and her arm is badly injured. Her daughter shot and killed two members of the Household Guards, and injured and subdued a third. There appears to have been a 'confrontation'."

Just then my comm link buzzed. "Major."

"Go ahead, Cas."

"Skipper, we have secured the second Imperial pod. There are no survivors. Imperial 1 and Imperial 3 are dead, along with four Household Guards and four assorted civilians. It looks like there was an 'oxygen explosion' after launch."

'Oh, shit!' The Emperor and the Crown Prince both dead. This just keeps getting worse and worse. Cas broke my concentration.

"Skipper, I think there is a problem."

"You're right Cas." I opened the com network to all personnel. "This is Com 1.We have Castle Red, Condition ALPHA. Repeat- Castle Red, Condition ALPHA. All units acknowledge. Captain Dowss is in command."

Sanchez leaned over to me and whispered, 'She IS a little pissed, skipper and she said she wants to speak to the ranking officer. Immediately. That would be you, sir.'

She smiled and offered to escort me to her Majesty. I gave her my best 'Thanks a lot, Lt.' look and said, "Let's go." She grinned and led the way.

Her Imperial Majesty was adjusting to her arm sling, and her daughter was fussing over her. The Lord High Chamberlain was standing at her side, and staying out of the way. He saw me approach and came to me with his hand extended.

"Major, we are in your debt. Command will hear of your actions and the way you deployed and rescued us." Taking my hand, he deflected my move to the Empress and drew me aside.

"I believe we have a situation here, Major."

"My Lord, the Emperor and the Crown Prince are dead. My troops are rounding up all Household Guards, and I have unilaterally declared Castle Red, Condition ALPHA. I have to see to the Empress, My Lord."

The Lord High Chamberlain muttered an expletive that was out of character, but not unexpected. He looked me straight in the eyes.

"You are recording everything, aren't you, Major?"

"On my personal recorder, and bumped to the Battle Cruiser Palladin and then the Larocyn, as per regs, My Lord."

He nodded to me and said, "Your show, major. But be advised that there was an 'altercation' on the Harilyn as the battle started. Communications had been disabled before the attack commenced, and we could not signal you. The emergency alert signal showed tampering with, which was what set everything in motion."

"Thank you, my Lord. I pretty much surmised that."

Castle Red is the condition for an armed assault against the Crown. Condition ALPHA is for death's generated during the assault. Both conditions met, in spades.

The High Chamberlain turned and led the Major to the Empress.

The Crown was surrounded by Marines, and 2nd Lt. Sanchez was supervising, and standing right by the Empress's side. The Crown Princess was on her mother's other side. I noticed the battle armor she wore, scorched and battered slightly. She looked, well, hot. And the particle weapon slung across her cute little boobs,

UHHH, I digress.

Someone had found a body armor suit and attempted to get the Empress to put it on. She tried and it looked a bit out of character, but she was tolerating it.

But she was definitely looking for payback. Her daughter stood like an avenging angel. She was scratched and scraped and covered with blood and blaster residue. But she was amp-ed up on adrenaline. It struck me how attractive she was.

'But she's only what.....22, 23 years old? I'm an old man, compared to her.'

Sanchez snapped to attention, and saluted. I returned the salute and bowed to the Empress. The Lord High Chamberlain moved behind the Empress but was quickly sandwiched by two Marines and braced by Cpl. Mark Lewis. He made no move to stop the men, and smiled at me.

"Your people are well trained, Major," he said.

I addressed the Empress.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I regret to inform you that the Emperor and the Crown Prince are dead."

She tensed, shuttered, and leaned forward a little. "Both of them??" she asked, with a slight gasp.

I noticed that the Crown Princess, Her Royal Highness Katarine, gasped at the news and sagged a bit. One of Sanchez's Marines caught her and supported her.

"Yes, your Majesty. It appeared it may have been a malfunction on re-entry, but we are not making any judgments..... as of yet." "Castle Red, Condition ALPHA," she murmured with tears in her eyes. She blanched and sagged against the anti-grav litter's restraints.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We have rounded up all survivors and we are securing the other pod for return to base for forensics. Our prime mission is not crime investigation, but I can guarantee your safety."

My right fist came up to my heart, striking it in the old Terran Roman gladiator salute, and I dropped to one knee.

"Hail, Empress Taralynn the First."

"Hail, Empress Taralynn the First" my troops echoed. The marines gathered there snapped to attention and saluted. Sanchez dropped to one knee, lowered her head slightly, and touched her fist to her chest, but kept her eyes sweeping the crowd. The Lord High Chamberlain bowed and clutched his chest.

The Empress did her best to stand, but it's kind of tough when you're strapped into an anti-grav litter. But she raised her head and her good left arm, and signaled to the assembled troops.

"Thank you, thank you all. We are in your debt," she said addressing my people in her best parade ground voice.

She turned to me and said, "Major, your Lieutenant is a veritable treasure and I want her to handle my daughter's security.

"You will be mine. Understood?"

"Your wish is law, Majesty. I will make provisions for my people to provide security."

"And place all the Household Guards under arrest. BY MY AUTHORITY!!" she said with cold malice seeping into her voice.

She's definateley looking for payback.

We rounded up everyone, and got the two pods in question back to the Palladin. The Emperor's body and the body of the Crown Prince were removed and conveyed to the Officer's Mess on board and we adjourned to the Assault Shuttle. The Empress insisted on going on the Battle Cruiser to orbit, to accompany the Emperor's and her son's bodies.