Whether terrorists, rebels, or freedom fighters, the Providence Empire didn''t care: the Old Guard was dealt with swiftly in the Zadabakar''s Pride system. It was the only system where the puppet government established after the Great War defected wholesale to the Old Guard. A Providence task force quickly put paid to dreams of it being used as a base to launch raids into the fractured series of rump states where the once-mighty Second Zene Empire had been.


    As the Providence vessels drifted through the debris field that had recently been the solar system''s defence fleet, their primary objective was to occupy the system''s two main population centres—twin planets known as the Sisters of Grace and Beauty. Yet, before that, there was the question of what to do with the planet above whose skies the battle had taken place: Grennow.


    “The atmosphere is toxic and highly corrosive.” The vice-commander said to the admiral on the bridge: “It''s so thick and heavy that at ground level, it acts almost like a liquid and will dissolve all but the strongest of materials. There''s also a cloud layer so thick our sensors can''t get a clear picture of what''s below. No known native species, but some tens of millions of humans and zene live in underground mining colonies.”


    “Yes, I''ve heard of this place. If I''m not mistaken, they call the underground labyrinth of tunnels the Devil''s Basement.”


    “The inhabitants have a small standing army and an ill-disciplined militia. We will crush them.”Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    “No.” The admiral said firmly. “No matter how ill-disciplined, they know the lay of the tunnels and we don''t. If they choose to make a stand we''ll never flush them out of there. It''d be like chasing rats in a maze—one to which they have the map. We''ve got more productive things to do. Let''s make an example of this world."