Hakon
The Jom System was full of traffic as starships jumped in, and out of the star system. Thousands of Starships of all sizes of the Imperial Guard of Jom. Support Starships, Capital Starships, and Starships of the Line. Starships of the hundred, and thirty nine legions of the Order of the Jom coming and going from contracts taken all over the Settled Worlds. Starships of the Jom Sector Defense Force which patrolled the sector, and defended all the minor Sub-Systems of the sector, and the Jom System Defense Force which guarded the very system itself.
There were dozens, if not hundreds of other starships coming, and going from the star system as well. Smaller messenger ships from wealthy systems, and star nations seeking to put in a contract with the Order of Jom in the hopes that one of the hundred and thirty nine legions would take it. Jom was one of the busiest star systems in northern Bolgar Space, and one of the more populous worlds.
Hakon looked at all the courier boats on the small display screen. It amazed him how much traffic a star system could see. He also thought most of those on the courier boats were fools. The Jom were smart for taking advantage of them, but anyone who couldn’t defend themselves, was doomed to suffer for it later, one way or the other. He had seen the results at the Battle of Creek when his King was taken from him. King Rodger Ash Dawn could barely control Highpass when he sought to extend his rule to his wife’s territory, and it cost him his life.
Hakon let out a large sigh as he thought about the last true King of Highpass. He would never have joined the Order of Jom if not for Frea Ash Dawn, one of the rightful heirs to the throne of King Hakon ‘Fairhair’ Ash Dawn, the founder of the Kingdom of Highpass, and ancestor to both Frea, and King Rodger, as well as Hakon’s own namesake. He had considered dozens of the first King’s heirs to serve, but it had been Frea, a young woman his own age that he chose to serve, and she had already been a ward to the Jom.
Frea’s blood claim was in fact greater than that of King Rodger’s but blood only played a small part, and King Rodger had claimed the throne of Highpass in blood and fire. He had reclaimed the throne from the Worth Aegis, and Lynch Aegis clan who had thrown out the last King of Highpass, King Frea ‘Greycloak’ Ash Dawn. He had reclaimed the throne of his ancestor, and exiled his enemies until they had united with the King of the Wanes, Raegan Ironsides Aegis, and defeated King Rodger in the battle of Creek. Hakon gave his head a shake, and tried not to think of that last battle that had cost him his King, and forced himself into exile.
It didn’t matter what he might have done. Hakon had made his choice, and he was now a member of the Order of Jom. He had served in the Imperial Guard of Jom for more than a year, and that meant that he still had more than half of his five year term of service before he could be discharged. He also had no place to go, and if Frea enlisted for a second term, he would be forced to do likewise to protect her.
The spirits remain high within the 113th legion. The two Space Dragon class carriers, and two Hammer class Battleships were in parked in standard parking orbit within the system as they underwent quarantine protocol before being allowed on the world of their most cherished treasure, the world in which the ancient High King of the Furse Empire, and founder of the Order had died over.
High King Jom had spent his reign fighting the Skoll who had invaded the Settled Worlds. The Skoll which had brought about the fall of what was now the Old Ruins. He had led one final battle against the Skoll, and defeated them over what was now known as the world of Jom, where their Galaxy Gateway had allowed them to receive reinforcement. The battle had cost Jom his life, but destroyed the Gateway, an old tactic, and trapped the Skoll in the Old Ruins. It had taken more than a thousand years to hunt down, and kill the Skoll, and the Order of Jom had grown into the most powerful Order in Furse Space, and king makers among the star kingdoms.
The members of the 113th still celebrated their victory on Starcrown. Their stolen riches, and spoke of how much some of the experts on Jom were willing to give them for those stolen treasures. Hakon took some comfort in the knowledge that those who had stolen those treasures would themselves be cheated of their true worth unless they were willing to hold on to them and sell them on other worlds. The traders of Jom almost never bought anything at true market value.
Most of those who made it into the service of the Order of Jom sought glory, wealth, and power, and Hakon cared for none of that. Maybe glory, but he had been wealthy and powerful once, although not for long. He had had wealth, had had power as the Sector-lord of Highgard. He was one of the most powerful lords of Highpass in his youth. He had earned a reputation when he enlisted in the Imperial War College of Highpass to serve his king at the young age of fifteen. Had earned a name for himself as a skilled marksman, warrior, and lord.
Now he was an exiled lord, without power, without wealth, but he still had his reputation. Hakon let out a sigh. Five years. It had been five long years since he had enlisted in the IGH. Five years since he had trained to become the warrior he now was, and now, at the age of twenty, he had graduate from not just the Imperial War College of Highpass, but the Imperial War College of the Jom at a time when most would be entering their first year of service he had already served one year in the IGH, and another with the Jom. His reputation was all that he had left. Now he felt like he was little more than a raider.
The glee, and fondness from which Frea and other members of the 113th had taken in the sack of Starcrown had worried Hakon. Frea had refused to kill or harm an innocent. Refused to take the last bit of food from those who needed it, and he was glad that he still saw that spark of hope in her. It was better than most of their ancestors who raided throughout the Settled Worlds, or took up service with one lord or another on worlds they had never heard of.
Hakon shook his head again, and tried to push the thoughts away from him. It was going to be a long quarantine. Stuck in the starships with nothing but his thoughts. He would have to spend more time in the holo rooms to keep his mind busy. It did no good to let them wander. He could think of the past all he liked, but it would change nothing. Furse Space was changing, but one thing unlikely to change was returning to Furse Space with Frea. She would not likely be king of Highpass than he would be Lord of Highgard again.
