Amantus
Copyright© 2026 by QM
Chapter 26
The Tevak cruised towards the XD limit, followed at a safe distance by the Devastator.
“They are keeping to a fixed distance from us,” the Lieutenant on the detection board confirmed.
“Good, I wasn’t expecting issues from them,” Captain Triano replied. “Though I’m fairly sure they have passively scanned any vessel near them, along with the base.”
“As would we,” pre-Regent Arla replied. “I suspect the commodore over there is one of their best.”
“Seems odd, sending a Commodore on a single ship to escort us,” Triano shrugged.
“It does, though no doubt the Protectorate will have their reasons,” Arla replied, concealing the real reason for the visit.
“Has the Confederation informed them of the reason for our visit?” Triano asked.
“Yes, a delegation of their own will meet us at Conveelt,” Arla confirmed.
“Let’s hope they are less corrupt than they usually are.”
“Yes, their nobles and clans are somewhat grasping,” Arla chuckled. “Though in this case, settling the contested systems should be easy, as we don’t want any they claim.”
“And the real reason?”
“Exposing their nobles’ links with the Troneks and Tarpheli, unless their Fleet gets more proactive with them,” Arla coldly smiled, not quite giving all the truth.
“I have my doubts it will change things,” Triano admitted.
“It won’t, not unless we get lucky and run into an honest noble,” Arla chuckled. “What it will do is enable me to meet a few admirals, commodores and captains who can help us deal with the planet raiders we both suffer from.”
“Ah, you’re thinking of Vorang?”
“Yes, that eased a lot of pressure on our borders when the Tarpheli ran out of ships.”
“True, we knocked back the Troneks and Gershonians because of that,” Triano nodded. “Shame they haven’t repeated it.”
“That’s because several of their noble clans secretly trade with the Tarpheli and we suspect they limited the action.”
“Sounds about right,” Triano chuckled. “So this is a fishing expedition?”
“Yes, I’m hoping to make a few contacts with influence within their protectorate who can gradually bring pressure to bear on their rogue elements,” Arla confirmed.
“That should please your mother.”
“No doubt, all part of my training to replace her in ten or so years,” Arla chuckled.
“Chosen your Regent name yet?”
“No, but I’ll probably keep it similar to my actual name,” Arla smiled.
“Yep, it gets confusing otherwise.”
“True, having to adopt a new name to match my new status is a weird concept, especially when my family will continue to use my real name.”
“That’s the tradition.”
“Approaching XD boundary,” Risse informed Amantus.
“Put me through to the Tevak, please,” Amantus ordered.
“You’re through, sir.”
“Tevak, this is Commander Amantus; please match your XD drive to our frequency,” Amantus requested.
“Matching.”
“Please follow us to the Conveelt system; we’ll inform you when we’re transitioning out,” Amantus continued.
“Understood.”
“Transitioning in 3, 2, 1,” Amantus counted down.
Both ships transitioned into XD space, the Tevak manoeuvring to follow the Devastator.
“Tevak is holding station off our left quadrant, sir,” Risse confirmed.
“Maintain speed and heading.”
Yes, sir,” Filliq replied.
Amantus was off duty when the Devastator and the Tevak transitioned into the Conveelt and headed towards the civilian station. Currently, he was gaming out an exercise with Commodore Dorrus in which he was struggling with an outnumbered squadron against a full flotilla. Struggling or not, Amantus had caused some damage to Dorrus’s flotilla with several ships knocked out of action. The match finally came to an end with the destruction of his final destroyer. However, Dorrus was visibly sweating as Amantus had taken out half her flotilla with a variety of tactics.
“By the gods, you have a natural talent for this,” Dorrus complimented Amantus. “If you’d had two squadrons, you might have won.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Amantus acknowledged.
“No, thank you,” Dorrus chuckled. “I’m going to study this and hopefully up my game.”
“I look forward to our next match, ma’am.”
“As do I,” Dorrus nodded. “How are Horth, Tuvis and Limune dealing with you?”
“I game regularly with Captain Horth and Commander Tuvis, ma’am,” Amantus replied. “Commander Limune will only face me during a scheduled match.”
“I see. Well, thank you for the match, and carry on with your day.”
Arla was wandering Conveelt station after officially signing a pact agreement with a high Protectorate official, well aware that Protectorate security was monitoring her ... no doubt for her safety, they’d say. The station itself was fascinating and utterly unlike the ones in the Confederation, which were quite austere and designed more for trade than rest and relaxation. Being attached to a Fleet Base meant there were many off-duty personnel enjoying the bars, restaurants, and what the delegation’s protocol director had called a brothel. However, Arla had learned from an overheard conversation that it was a lot more than that.
‘They are so different from the people of the Confederation, Arla thought. ‘So open in dealing with human nature.’
“Captain Arla?” a voice came, startling the distracted Arla.
“Former Captain,” was all Arla could think to say. “And who might you be?”
“Forgive me,” the very young-seeming man in a Fleet uniform replied. “I was part of the crew of the Lignet when you spoke on the comms to Captain Mance. And I recognised you from there.”
“Oh, I see,” Arla nodded.
“I’m sorry to have disturbed you; I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”
“Do you have a name?”
“Oh, yes, sorry, it’s Amantus, I’m a Commander on the Devastator,” Amantus replied.
“You’re a Commander?” a slightly perplexed Arla countered.
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you a little young to have risen so high?” Arla asked, but immediately realised how rude she sounded.
“I’m seven Protectorate years old,” Amantus chuckled, clearly not offended. “But yes, I am young for my rank.”
“Are you a noble?” Arla asked carefully.
“No, not anymore.”
“Not anymore?” Arla asked, her curiosity aroused. “Oh, and please sit.”
“Do you mind if I record our conversation on my perscomp?” Amantus asked. “Only base security will be bound to ask, and I don’t need to be accused of being a Treman agent.”
“No, we don’t want that,” Arla chuckled. “Please do, and let’s keep the conversation away from military matters.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“It’s just Arla, Amantus.”
“Sorry, my upbringing means I tend to be formal at first,” Amantus smiled.
“So, your answer leads me to assume you were once a noble?”
“Once, yes, and might be again, assuming I survive four terms of Fleet,” Amantus replied.
“Four terms?” Arla asked, looking puzzled after converting the figure into fifty Confederation years. “Whom did you offend? I assume it wasn’t a criminal offence?”
“No, a noble of the upper clans believes I deflowered his daughter,” a blushing Amantus replied.
“Clearly you didn’t, judging by your reply,” Arla replied thoughtfully.
“I didn’t,” Amantus confirmed. “May I ask you some questions?”
“So long as you’re polite and don’t stray into state secrets.”
“How is the Confederation run?” Amantus asked.
“That wasn’t the question I was expecting,” Arla chuckled. “It’s a congregation of independent worlds with an overall centralised framework that runs things like defence and trade. All systems pay a set levy to fund this, and the central committee run by the Regent ensures it’s dispensed fairly.”
“Regent usually implies running things until the one in charge is old enough to rule independently,” Amantus queried.
“It’s a bit of an anachronism; the first ruler was assassinated, and a Regent was installed to run things for their child,” Arla explained. The child then passed away during a pandemic, and the Regent inherited the role permanently.”
“Ah, right,” Amantus nodded. “And your capital?”
“Korus,” Arla replied. “It’s purely an administrative world, sparsely populated as it’s not oxygen-rich.”
“Wouldn’t that make it vulnerable to planet raiders?”
“It would if they knew what it was,” Arla chuckled. “Plus the station orbiting it is armed to the teeth.”
“Right,” Amantus smiled.
“Population density is not a factor in the Confederation; our AIs control planetary populations,” Arla explained.
“You trust AI?” a slightly shocked Amantus asked. “Only the Protectorate limits it to non-essential services.”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Arla asked. “We programmed the originals for loyalty to the Regent and neutrality in any dealings between our people.”
“I see,” Amantus nodded, realising the upper echelons of the Protectorate would not want AI because it would force many of them to be honest.
“To be honest, we find it odd that you don’t use it.”
“I suspect somewhere our ruling elite mistrust something potentially honest,” Amantus chuckled.
Arla frowned; she had been about to ask about Protectorate corruption, though realised doing so would put Amantus in a position where base security might intervene.
“How is Captain Mance doing these days?” Arla finally asked.
“He was well, last I heard,” Amantus smiled. “Commodore Dorrus consulted him for information on the Confederation ... though we tend to call you Tremans.”
“Trema is our most populous world,” Arla replied. “Though not the capital.”
“So, why the secrecy, if that’s not a rude question?” Amantus asked.
“It’s kind of what we are,” Arla frowned. “Confederation people tend to be insular, austere and privacy-minded.”
“Ah, you mind your own business and expect others to do the same?”
“Yes,” Arla smiled, realising Amantus understood. “That’s why the base here fascinates me; it’s so vibrant compared to a Confederation base.”
“Most, if not all, Protectorate stations are like this,” Amantus replied.
“Really?”
“The Protectorate tends to go with what works for its people, and people enjoy vibrancy,” Amantus chuckled.
“Yes, your entertainment centres shocked me,” Arla admitted.
“They serve a purpose,” Amantus explained. “People like to eat, drink, gamble and indulge in sex, so why not regulate it and keep the staff happy and healthy.”
“Some of my people would be horrified; prostitution is illegal in the Confederation.”
“Bet you it still goes on,” Amantus chuckled. “You wouldn’t have a name for it otherwise.”
“Well ... yes,” Arla admitted.
“So the Protectorate decided to regulate and tax what comes naturally.”
“But ... but doesn’t it degrade the people employed?”
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