by Aer-ki Jyr
“They’re all dead by now unless something miraculous occurred.”
“Did you do it to them?”
“No, but their survival was my goal and I failed. If you know how, please tell me. I can’t get a good night’s sleep no matter how hard I train. Only a few hours here and there.”
Cora held up a finger as a pair of Archons ran past, not saying anything but looking at the bystanders oddly.
“You were given a limited invasion force, so conventional construction projects were out of the question. You were going to have to rely on the local infrastructure and work force, and you preserved them as you should have. Meticulously so. The deal you struck was inspired. There is no fault in that.”
“But now they’re all dead.”
“And who is to fault? You? I think not. They decided to ransack the planet when they lost the wager. To deny it to Star Force. They had no intention of living, Nero. They did it to themselves. Why can’t you see that?”
“You’re saying I’m not at fault?”
“Yes I am.”
“I can’t accept that. It was my mission and it failed.”
“You took two gambles. The first one was the deal you struck, and that succeeded. You conquered the planet before the time limit expired and you kept virtually everything intact. It was your assumed gamble that failed. The one where you bet that these people, absent the defiant factions, would want to live more than they would want to spite you. You didn’t expect their entire population would riot to the point of destroying their own food supply. You didn’t expect them to be that stupid, because you were trying to do a very good thing on limited resources, and if you hadn’t made that assumption there never would have been a mission. The mission itself was a gamble, but the Mendz spited us in order to deny us our prize. They either thought it was the planet itself or their lives…to be used as slaves or what naught. They decided not to let that happen, and given your limited troops you could not have stopped that.”
“But it still happened,” Nero said, a bit of anger boiling over into his voice.
“Yes, it did happen. Something very bad happened, but neither you nor any of your people caused it. The Mendz trashed their own cities. They destroyed their own fields. They destroyed their warehouses. Who in their right mind does that? Think about it. Their entire military fought to the death. Not one surrender, correct?”
“No.”
“Why would you think their civilians would be different? They behaved because of the terms of the deal required them to. Once they’d lost you saw what they were really like.”
“What should I have done differently?”
“If a population will not submit, you either have to see them destroyed in one form or another, by your hand or theirs, or you choose not to invade. If you hadn’t gone, what would have happened?”
“They’d still be there…but pushed off the worlds they’d invaded.”
“For how long? We can’t babysit out there. There are too many worlds. You were right in wanting to find a final solution, and you did remarkably well with it, but ultimately they had a choice to make that you could not control short of an army of wielding stun weapons and foreknowledge of their actions. They either accept your rule or they destroy everything of value to you knowing that they’d die as well. They chose the latter.”
“I can’t be sure of that,” Nero argued. “If there was even one person out there that didn’t riot…”
“How could you have saved them?”
“That’s what I was hoping you’d tell me.”
“Leaving was the right decision. They created that mess on their world, and there was nothing to be gained from staying if there wasn’t someone reasonable there to aid. If bad things are going to go down and we can do nothing to stop it, then there’s no purpose for us in being there…because we will try to mitigate it. And there are some battles we should not step into.”
“You didn’t do that with the Kiritas.”
Cora’s expression grew grim. “They asked for our help, Nero. And many died because we could not save them. We had to pick and choose which areas to help and strengthen, and no matter what choice was made people died. If we had walked away far more would have, but it was dirty work. I’m glad I wasn’t there, but those that were had to make a choice to keep their own supplies separate. Keep their ships, their crew, everything they had separate from the Kiritas. When people are dying you want to do everything you can, and they would have reduced their own rations to save a few more. They knew this going into it, so they established the rule beforehand.”
“How can you say one person isn’t worth saving if you’ve got food to share?”
“It’s a cruel rule, but a necessary one. Our people had to remain strong in order to help the Kiritas at maximum efficiency. If they reduced their own rations down to minimum in order to share them, then they would have become so weak they couldn’t do the job. The Kiritas on the whole needed Star Force there, fit and strong and active, where they couldn’t be. When you can’t save everyone, first you save yourself then go for bonus points. You do not make saving everyone your mission, for if you do you will suffer failure anxiety the entire way and it will both cloud your judgement and eat away at your heart. Remind yourself that you’re not causing this and that you’re here to help. Be the beacon of light in the darkness…but you can’t fear wadding into it.”
“But what could I have done different?”
“If you don’t act because they might kill themselves, they control you with the threat. So not invading wasn’t an option. This should leave a bad taste in your mouth, Nero. You shouldn’t feel good about it. But after all this time fighting the lizards it shouldn’t be a new thing.”
“They didn’t starve to death,” he pointed out.
Cora closed her eyes, feeling the horror that difference entailed.
“No, they didn’t. The Mendz made a choice, perhaps without thinking about the consequences, but they did do it to themselves, Nero. It wasn’t you. And they knew it wasn’t you. You specifically preserved all that equipment, all those resources. No one was starving because of you.”
“Should I have asked for more people?”
“No,” Cora said, shaking her head. “You took enough and made it work.”
“But ultimately failed.”
“Those in the surrounding region don’t think so.”
“No. That part of the mission was a success. But destroying an entire planetary population wasn’t part of the plan.”
“We can’t control people, Nero.”
“Ironic considering the fact that we can.”
“Temporarily. We can’t make people’s choices for them, and whenever we go into a bad situation the history of that place can’t be wiped away with the wave of a magic wand. Actions have consequences, and whatever the Mendz had done over the years to put them in a societal state that encouraged and glorified defiance at the price of self-sacrifice is not something you could undo upon arriving. You know what it’s taken for the Veliquesh, right?”
“They lived.”
“Because we took them prisoner. And no, they didn’t all live. Some killed themselves because they wouldn’t accept being prisoners…and some died because they wouldn’t exist outside of their society. We live in a vicious galaxy, Nero. And sometimes things go bad even when we win.”
“But it happened on my watch.”
“And I’d be pissed if it happened on mine, which technically it did because you’re my Clan. And if the entire population of Heffen has starved to death by now, what do we do?”
“Short of traveling through time…nothing.”
Cora jabbed a finger into his sweaty chest. “Wrong.”
Nero raised an eyebrow. “What have I missed?”
“You won a big victory, but had it soured by a defeat. The civilians on that planet were supposed to be part of the spoils of war. They were a prize that the Mendz denied us. That was a loss, and a painful one considering h
ow it went down. It wasn’t our fault, but it was a loss none the less. We didn’t have enough people there to subdue them and they took advantage of that…and that’s something we risk when we fight without overwhelming advantage. There is no fault there, but there is still the shame of defeat. So what do we do when we’ve gotten our ass kicked?”
“They’re dead by now. There’s no one to get even with.”
“Mojo.”
“I don’t take your meaning.”
“I’m giving you an MCV and three cargo ships filled with techs, plus one warship in escort. You’re going back there and claiming the planet for Clan Scorpion. If there are any survivors you can deal with them as you like, but the galaxy saw us run away from that system and in a way the Mendz won because of that. We’re going to deny them that barbaric victory by going back and making that world one of our own. I’ll give you three subsequent convoys of supplies, but beyond that you have to produce everything locally. I want a proper expansion and I want you to expunge the horrors that have happened there by shining the light as brightly and obnoxiously as you can. And when you’re done building a proper colony, either you or someone else is going to use it as a base of operations to put some order to the surrounding star systems. Do you understand me, youngling? Go back and kick the crap out of those bastards’ ghosts.”
“Yes, mom,” he replied in an automatic tone.
“Ships and crew are assembling. Get your ass off the track and into motion. You can train on the way back.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re Scorpions, all of us. In victories and defeats we’re united, and we need to settle the score here. And while you’re doing it on our behalf, stop putting the fate of the galaxy on your shoulders. It’s worse than weighted training clothing and slows you down far too much. I know from experience.”
“So what do you do?”
“Become the avenging assassin. Go after your targets and leave everything else to its own fate. Don’t let their misery drag on you. Be as strong and powerful as possible.”
“Detached?”
“To a point, yes. That way the only way the darkness can kill you is directly. Never by proxy.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Never said it was easy, and you can’t let yourself become heartless in the process. It’s a matter of focus. Go practice,” she said, raising a fist up to shoulder level in front of her.
Nero did likewise and bumped his against hers, then he was off and running to the nearest available exit while Cora stayed put for a moment until another Archon caught up to her, then she fell into step with him.
“Need something?” he asked.
“A little more effort out of you, pansy. How’s the arm feeling…”
9
January 31, 3575
Dfarch System (Crusade front)
Dfarch
“How many?” the Empress asked Aaron.
“We’ve got more worlds than we know what to do with, so that’s not an issue.”
“And you give them out freely?”
“Sometimes. Others have to pay for them. We do what’s needed.”
“If you fought the Li’vorkrachnika and won, why are they so powerful here?”
“They are beyond our reach here and chose to evacuate their leadership and start rebuilding while their old worlds fell to us. They abandoned them in order to buy time.”
“And what did you do with their people?”
“Most of them fought to the death rather than surrender, but in the end we were able to convince some of them to switch sides.”
The Protovic looked at him wide-eyed. “You are allied with another faction of Li’vorkrachnika?”
“No. They became part of our empire and are even now helping us fight on our rimward border against other enemies. We don’t kill people unless we have to. We’d rather…”
“Excuse me,” a Protovic said, half out of breath as he ran up to the Empress and took a hasty knee. “We have received…a warning from…our scouts. The Skarrons are coming…here.”
The Empress’s eyes widened, and Aaron could see her words catch in her throat.
“How long?” he asked in her stead.
“Our scout ship is faster than them. It made the jump once they started to in order to make certain. They will be here within a day. Two at most.”
“Load up whatever ships you can and get them out of here,” Aaron told her firmly, drawing some objectionable glares from her attendants who would never have used that tone in her presence. “We’re out of time. Save as many as you can and we’ll escort them back to our territory and I will find you a planet.”
“Of our own or as part of your empire?” she asked cautiously, though the fear in her eyes drained her curiosity in her own question.
“We’ll figure that out later. Right now we need to save as many as we can.”
“Take the children on your ship,” she pleaded. “You can carry more of them.”
“Good idea, but I’m going to do more than that,” he said, looking at the messenger as he was backing away. “You. Do you know what jumpline they’re coming in on?”
“Yes. The same the scout arrived through.”
“Do you have any space mines?”
“We don’t use such tactics,” the Empress said, with the messenger relieved to not have to answer that question.
“Do you have any rocks or rubble that we can drag in the way? Asteroids, old stations, dead ships…anything?”
“Not that will matter.”
“Every ship we destroy matters. And if we know where and approximately when they’re coming, we can ambush them. It may not save your world, but at least we’ll make them pay for it.”
“We?”
“I’m taking my two warships and waiting at their exiting jumppoint. They can’t send very many ships through at once, so there will be a bottleneck and I intend to kill them as quickly as possible. I need your warships there in support, and the longer we can hold that point the more time your evacuation ships will have to pick up people and exit via the star. If we lose stellar orbit, can your ships outrun theirs to get to a jumppoint?”
“Ours are faster, but it won’t matter if they blockade them.”
“Which is why we have to hit them as they exit to buy time. But you have to give the order now to evacuate. Every minute wasted could be more people dead that didn’t have to be.”
“We don’t have nearly enough ships for everyone,” she said gravely.
“I know. That can’t be helped. Save those that can be saved and don’t waste time trying to pick favorites or some lottery. Just shove people on the ships as fast as you can and get them to a nearby system where I can rendezvous with you later. I’ll stay here and kill what I can, then meet up with you.”
“I can’t leave people here to die.”
“They’re dead no matter what you do or don’t do.”
“Anja,” the Empress said, with another female Protovic walking up next to her throne and taking a respectful knee. “You hereby have my full authority to give orders in my name. Go with the Archon and command our fleet as is necessary. We cannot waste time with relayed orders. She will go with you on your ship, yes?”
“I’ll need comm protocols for her to use, but yes, she can stay by my side on the bridge.”
“I will stay and die here with my people. Anja, help the Archon kill as many Skarrons as possible. That is your purpose now. Go with him.”
“As you deem necessary, Empress,” she said, standing up and walking over to Aaron, then spun on her sandal-wearing heel to stand shoulder to shoulder beside him and completing the symbolic changing of service.
“Innet. You will take my full authority and organize and leave with the evacuation fleet. I will see to it that there are those with the necessary skills onboard, but the bulk of those being taken away will be our children. Do not allow the fearful to steal away their future.”
“I will need guards at the loading z
ones.”
“You will have them,” she said, looking to Aaron. “It seems the question of a new planet is moot. I am giving our next generation into your care. Take them to your Protovic and promise me they will be well cared for.”
“If they can make it to our borders, they will be.”
“Innet, Anja…see to it that happens, and at that point your service to me ends. Survive and find a new life with Star Force afterwards. That is my last command to you.”
Both remained silent, and Aaron could feel that they did not want to leave and live if she was not, but they weren’t going to contest her orders.
“Go. Before we waste any more time,” she said with an angry flick of her hand.
Aaron didn’t waste any time with sentiment, throwing the Empress a respectful two finger salute then turning and picking up Anja.
“Sorry, but we have to run,” he said, tossing her onto his back and holding her there telekinetically as he sprinted off through the assembled crowds, shoving aside those that did not get out of the way.
“Take her with you, please,” Anja implored him as she bounced around on his back once they were outside and he was moving as fast as a ground vehicle.
“Once the Skarrons start to arrive, I intend to kill as many of them as I can in order to give your planetary defenses the best odds possible. We won’t have time to come back to the planet and pick her up.”
“She is the most deserving person on this planet. If anyone is to live it must be her.”
“She’s decided otherwise and I don’t have time to argue. Right now my priority is getting as many of you off this world as possible. Which ones aren’t my concern. I’m sorry, but she made her choice and now I need your help to get as much junk in that spacelane as possible. Even something small hit at jump speeds can kill a ship and I want every advantage possible. Can you do that?”
“There are no asteroids to move.”
“Debris then? Unflyable ships? Cargo crates? Anything with mass…”