“Salutations, Governor,” began SarSanni’s Second. “ParapSanni has requested a meeting of all planetary governors at noon.”
SarSanni acknowledged the words.
“I believe he will address the problem of Orscantium supply for Sumerian warships, among other things,” continued CarsaParBrahmad. “I will tell him you will be available.”
The previous governor of Seenirok signed off, leaving SarSanni thoughtful. Providing Orscantium for starships had become a major problem for the empire. Sumerians had always gathered it from the vast gas clouds between the stars, where it was flung after supernovas ripped stars apart.
Now though, with an increasing military demand, and the cost of the evacuations from Uruk and Rokar, need for the stuff had outstripped supply, and almost depleted reserves. The mining ships for the gas clouds were difficult to build and expensive to run. The Sumerian empire, though smaller now than it was, would reach a supply crisis in the very near future. SarSanni wondered what ParapSanni’s solution might be.
The solution, when it came, was a surprise to him. There were only three planetary governors present in person at the admin lounge on ParapSanni’s flagship above Seenirok. SarSanni was one of them. The ex-governor of Rokar was there, currently overseeing the settling of his people on Seenirok. The last one was TegoParBrahmad from Neerok, who had come to Seenirok to bring a report on the settlement of the refugees from Saurok on his water world.
The governors of Rok’H’Rok and K'Sarth would receive a copy of the meeting – carried on a scout ship – within two days, as would the minor colonies of Orok and Am’H’Rok. It was the best ParapSanni could do. SarSanni knew the Humans had developed something called sub-space communications, but the Sumerians didn’t have the technology yet.
SarSanni summarised the situation for them all, bleak as it was. Saurok had now been abandoned by the Sumerians. It was too close to the Core and the recent Invardii activity, to attempt to defend it. Uruk was still surrounded by Reaper ships, its cities levelled, and the industrial planet Rokar had been totally destroyed by one of the system’s moons.
Then the meeting got underway. ParapSanni outlined a plan he had developed with Regent Cordez of Earth to make up the shortfall in Orscantium for Sumerian ships. Earth would supply the space-bending element until the current conflict with the Invardii was over, and share the technology Earth used to make Orscantium in giant fusion-powered super-reactors.
In return Earth would be provided free access to Sumerian information about the Rothii, and unlimited time inside the Rothii space station preserved as a museum, MahiRoth. The Earth-Mersa alliance would also be recognised and honoured.
The provision of Orscantium for Sumerian warships, and the technology to make their own, was a real sign of commitment to the alliance on the part of Earth. Some of the governors in the meeting began to re-assess their attitudes to this upstart planet which had so recently developed star drive, arriving at their borders a mere century ago.
ParapSanni went on to announce his plans to establish the Sumerian government on Rok’H’Rok, the mineral moon of the gas giant Orcreti.
The moon had the advantage of being fairly central to the remaining planets of the empire, and also well away from the Core. Much of the moon colony was already underground, and the rest could be moved into the caverns left by the mining industries. Work on an underground site for the government was already underway.
TegoParBrahmad’s report from Neerok provided a much needed boost to their hopes for the future. The mining colony that had been taken off Saurok had made some interesting discoveries once they had moved into their new home.
In partnership with the Neerok Government they had found ways to mine the sea floor of the giant water world. Several prototype machines were already sifting the ocean floor and reporting good concentrations of vital metals. Super-heavy elements had been reported in commercial quantities around underwater sea mounts, where they had been spewed from deep in the planet’s crust.
It looked like the loss of Rokar, and the industries there, might not hit the Sumerians as hard as they had first thought. Much of the shortfall could be made up from new industries on Neerok.
ParapSanni requested assistance from the mining moons of Rok’H’Rok and Am’H’Rok for the new projects on Neerok. The sea bed mining had to become commercially viable as soon as possible.
Lastly, ParapSanni told them the production of machinery from the underground factories on K'Sarth was now picking up speed. The first freighters had arrived alongside the evacuees from Rokar, and brought essential supplies for the building program. The freighters had already left for the return run to K'Sarth, and would be making regular calls at Seenirok to help the construction program.
ParapSanni looked at the three governors with him in the admin lounge of his flagship, and then made a point of looking into the recording vidlinks for the message that would go out to the colonies not represented at the meeting.
“You are governors, and you are leaders. Reassure your people. Keep them busy in these troubled times. The Sumerian way of life must go on as always, and the traditions of the ages must be honoured.
“Warships will be on patrol at all times above your planets. Tell the people to look up into the night sky, and believe. Remind them that our industries will replace the losses we have suffered.” He paused for effect.
“Tell them, we will rise again!”
A great many star systems away, Cordez was stepping out of a shuttle into Cagill’s command Javelin, somewhere above Neptune. The majority of the Javelins from Prometheus had come through intact, but Cordez mourned the loss of those who hadn’t made it. His first act was to tell the Air Marshall how much he regretted that loss.
The Tetrarch force was already back in the Solar System, and sat alongside the vast, floating dry docks that orbited Earth. The heavily damaged force would need major repairs, and Earth would have to build a great many new ships.
This time, thought Cagill grimly, I hope EarthGov has woken up to the Invardii threat. The Tetrarch forces need to be converted to Javelin specifications as soon as possible. He just hoped the bureaucrats on Earth wouldn’t make more of the mistakes they had made in the past.
Cordez, though, was fairly sure the bureaucrats on Earth wouldn’t be much of a problem now. The military action at Uruk had been the first real taste of defeat for the people of Earth. They were clamouring for answers – and a way out of their predicament.
The Regents were also a cohesive group now, determined to see Earth survive. EarthGov was so stunned by the defeat at Uruk that Cordez was sure they would sign off on anything the Board of Regents proposed.
Cordez set up the first of a dozen holographic conferences he would chair that day. Earth had been short of time to develop defences against the invaders from the beginning, but the next few days were critical. Every capability the Solar System possessed needed to be bent immediately to making more Javelins, and encouraging more research.
Earth also needed to welcome the Mersa into a full partnership, and set up a solid alliance in word and deed with the Sumerians. The Invardii, and Cordez knew this in his bones, would not stop at the destruction of Uruk.
Earth would be next, and Cordez had to prepare his planet for that.
THE END
HISTORIAN’S FOOTNOTE.
This was the story of how it was in the beginning, until the years of warfare ground everybody down. Human, Sumerian, K’Sarth, Mersa. All had to make adjustments to the cost of this great conflict, and sometimes those were terrible costs.
The flood of refugees to the planets still under the control of the alliance became an enormous problem in itself, and always we were being pushed back, driven off world after world.
The story of any war is not just about the big players, about the rise and fall of governments, or the scientific breakthroughs that made all the difference. Without the heart and soul of ordinary and everyday people, the battle would as surely have been lost.
In the next paper, I will be looking at the people of Aqua Regis, or Hud, as they prefer to call their planet.
A people at a medieval level of development, certainly without star drive, they were initially just a casualty of war. At first they could do nothing but suffer the consequences of interstellar conflict – a disturbance to their sun that heated their planet until everything was dying – followed by the worst sort of civil war. Then, finally, they were able to help fight back against the Invardii. But all of that is in the next paper.
The first three chapters of this third paper can be found after the Appendices following this footnote.
As always with such historical projects, some people will wish I had included other things, and some will think I have the balance about right. This is something I must live with.
All errors and omissions continue to be mine alone.
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Together, they tell the story of the hybrid Invardii as they boil out of the galactic core, and the developing Human resistance to the threat of extinction.
APPENDIX A
TIMELINE OF THE INVARDII WARS.
~ December 109 (2586AD) ~
A mining team on Proteus, one of Neptune’s smaller moons, encounters an automated Druanii scout ship.
II
~ March 110 ~
An Invardii ship destroys Ragnaroth, an ancient Rothii space station.
II
~ July 110 ~
First contact with the Mersa, and their home planet Alamos.
II
~ August 110 ~
Regent Cordez unveils plans for a giant production facility named Prometheus, to meet the Invardii threat
II
~ October 110 ~
The planet Hud heats up, and many plants and animals die. Hudnee and his family make a desperate cross-country journey to Shellport on the coast.
II
~ March 111 ~
Regent Asura agrees to be Regent Cordez’ queen in an effort to unite Earth behind them for the war effort.
II
~ April 111 ~
K’Sarth planet destroyed, but the K’Sarth live on underground and produce materials for the Alliance forces.
II
~ June 111 ~
Hudnee forms the first militia to overthrow the Descendants of the Prophet.
Celia’s research team learn about the Caerbrindii, and their ideas of ‘cultural dissonance’.
II
~ July 111 ~
An Invardii armada of over a thousand ships defeats a combined Earth and Sumerian force above Uruk, the Sumerian home world. Survivors settled on remaining Sumerian planets.
II
~ November 111 ~
Battle for Roum between Hudnee’s militia and the Descendants of the prophet.
II
~ January 112 ~
Earth ablaze from end to end. Alliance forces fight the Invardii to a standstill. Prometheus completely destroyed.
II
~ April 112 ~
Celia and her research team arrive among the pre-technological peoples of Orouth, with many questions about human ancestry.
II
~ May 112 ~
The early days of rebuilding Earth.
II
~ January 113 ~
The discovery of the Valkrethi at the Lizard’s head.
Prometheus is rebuilt.
II
~ July 113 ~
Valkrethi training over and a series of missions against Invardii ships and shipyards.
II
~ October 113 ~
The Invardii commander Kalken-ar-wuyr has concerns about the stability of the great Invardii city mind.
II
~ February 114 ~
Fedic Vits mission to Mentuk, the original Rothii planet, inside Invardii space.
His time with the Collector.
II
~ May 114 ~
Discover great Invardii city inside the red supergiant sun Antares.
II
~ June 114 ~
The last stages of rebuilding Earth.
II
~ November 114 ~
Cordez and Geelong travel outside the galaxy with Druanii help, and meet their elusive protectors.
Alliance forces protect the Orion home planet from the Invardii following a Druanii request.
II
~ March 115 ~
The Invardii unleash the Buccra, a vicious slave race they have only subjugated by having vastly superior numbers.
II
~ June 115 ~
Battle at Antares between the Invardii and Buccra forces, and the Alliance. Earth, Sumerian, Druanii, Centaur and Magenta forces take the field, supported by pacifist Mersa and the trading planet K’Sarth.
APPENDIX B
MAIN CHARACTERS.
ANDRE
One of Celia’s research team on alien artefacts.
ASURA MING
Regent of the powerful Asian trading block.
BATTRICK
One of Hudnee’s close friends at Shellport.
BOSUN
A member of Finch’s engineering crew mining on
the moons of Neptune.
CARAKAS
An absent-minded philosopher in Roum, on Hud.
CELIA DARPAGIO
Head of a top European research team specialising
in alien artefacts.
DREESA
Hudnee’s wife on Hud, the medieval planet.
ERETH LAWSON
Head of a nuclear accelerator creating Orscantium on
an outer planet of the Alamos system.
FALLOSTRINA
A village head in the Mersa town of Little Worthystead.
FEDIC VITS
Highly trained operative working for Regent Cordez.
FLORENCHANTAINE ENGLE
Known as Finch. Mining engineer promoted to leadership
by Cordez.
GEELONG
Aboriginal starship pilot, part of Cordez’s personal staff.
HABNA
Wise woman at Shellport on Hud.
HUDNEE
Pilar builder (places of worship) on Hud.
JIM SEATOUN
Leader of an engineering team for Joe Lightfoot.
JOE LIGHTFOOT
Owner of a large engineering workshop on the
Canadian plains.
KALKEN-AR-WUYR
Commander of an Invardii flagship.
KANUK
Son of Hudnee and Dreesa, later Javelin pilot.
JUBILATE
Member of Celia’s research team.
MANOBA CORDEZ
Regent of the SouthAm trading block. The most
powerful man on Earth.
MATSU FUJIMI
One of Finch’s engineering team, later brilliant
inventor.
MEEANIRO
Mersa physicist on the planet Alamos.
MENON
Hunter from Shellport on Hud.
MENONA
Menon’s wife.
MORDISELLI
A village head in the Mersa town of Little Worthystead.
NEUMAN CAGILL
Defector from Earth forces who rises to command the
Prometheus Javelins.
PARAPSANNI
Sumerian leader of the Par’Sanni Revolutionary Reform
PARTHENI
Regional leader of Descendants of the Prophet on Hud.
ROBERTO
One of Celia’s research team on alien artefacts.
SALLYANNE MONTOYA
Cordez’ personal assistant and specialist in off-world
cultures.
SARSANNI
Par’Sanni ‘second’ in Sumerian caste system. One of
the few to escape the destruction of Ragnarok.
SUBTHREE
Later Subdirector. Orion translater used by Druanii
because speech patterns were so different.
THE COLLECTOR
Solitary, long-lived life form on Mentuk, the Caerbrindii
home world.
APPENDIX C
LOCATIONS.
ALAMOS
Mersa home planet.
AQUA REGIS
Also known as Hud. Medieval planet, home of the Hudnee
people.
ANTARES
Red supergiant sun, containing the Invardii central city.
BA’H’ROTH
Home world of the Rothii.
BA’REGAN
Capital city of Uruk, the Sumerian home world.
DEIMOS
The smaller of Mars’ two moons, 15km long.
K’SART’OS
Capital city of K’Sarth, the home world of the K’Sarth.
K’SARTH
Home world of the K’Sarth.
LITTLE WORTHYSTEAD
Small town on the planet Alamos, home of the Mersa.
Place of first contact between Human and Mersa.
MENTUK
Home world of the Caerbrindii, the first sentient race in
the galaxy, who gave rise to Druanii, Rothii and Invardii.
Invardii Series Boxset Page 36