Starship Conquistador (Conquest of Stars Book 1) by Sid Kar Page A

Indeed, there were five stages of chairs, tables and computers arranged
in a circle in a cake like pattern with each successive floor a larger circle
than the one above and the officers descended in rank downward. General Bakus
and his innermost circle were on the top and Remus was here with them. The
entire wall was covered with assorted displays that flashed alerts, beeps,
numbers, images, charts, space maps etc. in different digital lights.
        Remus could make out the screens which
showed images of the thirty plus battleships spread across the Nestorian
Republic’s space, but rest of the displays were akin to an alien language.
While he was looking behind, he heard claps and shouts and turned around to
face the big screen and saw Senator Solus walk over to the podium. The crowd
outside of senate went jubilant and he felt a knot in his stomach. These were
his own people, people of Nestor, and they had never cheered for him like this.
But he knew that his people quietly respected him far more.
        He heard hisses and boos from the
officers managing the command room. The officer class had never liked Solus and
he was glad to be watching the speech with them.
        “The People of the Nestorian Republic,”
Solus began by lifting his hand, “your senator, people’s senator is here to
speak today of a grave danger that faces our republic. I have been informed
that Vice-Chancellor Remus has just returned from a secret trip to Starfire
Empire and he has invoked the protection treaty.”
        The crowd did not react to this
announcement. Remus was not surprised because most of them were not born when
the treaty was signed and hadn’t lived through the acrimonious debate
surrounding its passage in the senate. 
        “But don’t let the word ‘protection’
fool you,” Solus said, “The Starfire Empire intimidated our senate into signing
this treaty and now they will be sending the Imperial Starfleet into our space.
But don’t blame your Senator Remus for this. He was just the messenger, a
pigeon of Chancellor Augus whose orders he has to follow.”
        Remus clenched his fist in anger and
Bakus laughed derisively, “nerve of Mr. Varus.”
        “The Starfirians have been invited.
They are not a Republic, they are an Aristocracy,” Solus said, “They want us to
have a king, a king who will serve the interest of the rich, the powerful and
the officers. Starfirians must be told to return. We must firmly tell our
government to cancel the protection treaty. To cut off ties to an elitist state
where a small minority rules. Starfire fleet must not enter our space.”
        The crowd cheered madly and Remus
looked at Bakus.
        “Is the news of the battle still a
secret?” He asked.
        “No, but our ever an optimist war
minister Horus Bors has been telling the people what a victory we won,” Bakus
said, “even many senators think that we fought some space bandits. You should
have dealt with him before you left. He can give me orders in your absence, you
know?”
        “What orders did he give you?” Remus
asked.
        “To not demoralize the people by giving
a pessimistic portrait of the battle,” Bakus said.
        “I cancel that order right now,” Remus
said.
        “A bit too late,” Bakus pointed to the
big screen.
        “We just had a battle and our brave
soldiers sent the invaders running,” Solus said, “yet our General Bakus won’t
call it a victory. His tongue freezes in his mouth and he is left stuttering.
He wants more battleships, you know.”
        “That’s enough,” Bakus muttered under
his breath.
         “Every officer wants his own
battleship and we have to pay the taxes for that,” Solus said, “No more tax
increase.” The crowd roared in approval.
        “I call on peoples, workers and
soldiers to dethrone the elite loving regime of Chancellor Augus,” Solus said
then waited as the crowd started throwing items in air, “Now I