Star Force: Liberation (SF56)

by Jyr, Aer-ki

  What Nadei didn’t know was that she wasn’t the only Bsidd queen that Star Force had hatched. There were 12, all coming out of the first batch but trained in isolation, not knowing of each other unlike the other Bsidd that came before and after. She didn’t know the others had been trained as a group, nor that any others like her existed, which was by design. Each of the queens needed to be evaluated and scrutinized heavily, for it was learned that the genetic keys that unlocked the egg cells and determined which variant of the Bsidd they would grow into also contained behavioral inclinations.

  They weren’t restrictive as the hive mind programming was, which Nadei and the others no longer possessed, but traits of the queen were definitely passed onto their offspring and it was imperative that if Star Force was going to create a colony of Bsidd that they skew their initial presets towards a preferred mindset that they could then enhance through maturia training.

  And it was a good thing they had separated them, for each of the 12 queens developed considerably different than the others. Some resisted the training, much like some Humans, with a lackadaisical attitude that was all around unmotivated. Others were highly motivated, but with the stated intent of joining the other Bsidd once they graduated. Four would ultimately stay with Star Force, Nadei included, but she was the only one who wanted to play an active part in it, with the other three joining Axius civilian life, two preferring to be denizens while the third started working her way up the business field.

  Those that rejoined the Bsidd told them everything about what Star Force was doing, so far as they knew, which infuriated their queens. Not only was it confirming the previous theft of eggs, which they already knew/suspected by the handful of ‘free’ Bsidd living in Axius, but the genetic tampering set them into a rage of complaint…but that was all they could do. As Larissa had quoted to Davis, ‘all they could do was float and sputter,’ with their single regional territory only marginally developed and their population limited by their available resources.

  They weren’t playing nice with others either, save for those that bowed down to their might and offered them tribute in exchange for favor, but those were few and far between. Within the ADZ the Bsidd were minor players and the focus lay on the seemingly endless civil war that was continuing to rage with the Scionate having lost half their territory but fervently holding onto the rest.

  The Lacvamat had picked up many allies, but their military had been beaten down to such a state that there was little they could do to press the war, with the Scionate being equally eviscerated to the point where they couldn’t mount any counterattacks. Most of the fighting was being handled by their allies, in their name at least, but really it was the other races trying to grind old angsts and take a piece of the independent pie that Scionate and Lacvamat territories provided.

  Some small bits of territory, a moon here or a continent there, were given to allies in exchange for military assistance, allowing them to gain a foothold outside of the Star Force-controlled Alliance Worlds, but more than that they were claiming bits and pieces of enemy territory for themselves, with half the worlds the Lacvamat had taken from the Scionate now belonging to neither.

  Given that situation and the ever changing power structure within the ADZ the Bsidd were a mere afterthought. They had no military and only a pittance of population, with only the memories of the past and their current tech level gaining them any traction with the other races.

  Upon graduation Nadei had her choice of where to go and what to do, as the others did, but before she was able to make that choice she had a visitor. She’d been told to pack for a trip then to report to the exit of the maturia for her first time, with a bit of nervousness hitting her as she walked out those doors and into the ‘real world.’ The Bsidd was both excited and unsure, waiting where she was told and watching the pedestrian traffic flows, seeing some a couple non-Humans in the mix, the first she’d ever encountered.

  “Hello,” a voice said from behind her, with the Bsidd turning around and looking down on the smaller Human female that only rose to her chest height.

  When Nadei focused on her and saw the white with brown stripe uniform she suddenly felt the smaller of the two, realizing that this wasn’t just a Human, but an Archon…and a padawan at that.

  “Hello,” she mimicked, unable to form any other words. She spoke English well, though with an accent typical of the Bsidd’s vocal chords that gave it a bit of a twang.

  “I’m your ride,” the Archon said. “Name’s Larissa-048.”

  “You’re a…trailblazer?” Nadei asked, now in full fangirl mode.

  “Yep. And I’ve got some things to show you before you decide where in Star Force you want to land.”

  “Wherever I can help,” the Bsidd said candidly.

  “Come on. Grab your duffle and we’ll talk on the way.”

  “Where are we going?” Nadei asked, picking up the strap on her bag and hooking it over one of the pointy should joints on her left side and letting it drape down in between several appendages that wrapped around and held it snuggly up against her thin body.

  “Bit of a tour of the ADZ,” Larissa said as they began walking, with the Bsidd’s ‘clicking’ footsteps tripling the Human’s as Nadei bent forward and walked on six to bring her head height down about even to Larissa’s so she could see her more closely.

  “We’re leaving the planet?!”

  “New to you, I know. Me, I travel a lot and there are some things you need to see.”

  “What things?”

  “Important things, but let’s start with what you think of Star Force and where you want to make yourself involved…”

  “These images are live?” Nadei asked.

  Larissa nodded, her usually loose demeanor tightened a bit as they orbited high over a world in Scionate territory where four races were battling on the surface in three separate theatres. Nadei was watching a holographic display in the command nexus onboard the warship that Larissa had been taking her around the ADZ on the past 2 months, with the images of ground engagements floating in air beside the pair.

  “Hammid, Jeen, Gnar, and…”

  “Zati,” Larissa finished when she couldn’t identify the fourth.

  “I didn’t know they were involved in the war.”

  “Recent addition.”

  “Won’t they incur penalties?”

  “Yes, but they don’t seem to care.”

  “Why are they doing this? It seems so pointless…and who’s winning?”

  “The Scionate faction is winning here, prior to the Zati arrival. Not sure yet how much that is going to swing things. As for why you’d have to ask them. Long term there is no end game for them, and I think they’re just focusing on the here and now trying to grab up any advantages they can get.”

  “But if they can’t keep them?”

  “We’ve told them as much, but so far they don’t seem to care.”

  “Why haven’t you taken these worlds from them yet?”

  “How would we do that?” Larissa asked in an instructing tone similar to the one she’d been using throughout the trip.

  “Bring in a Star Force fleet and…”

  “Fight them?”

  “Maybe,” Nadei said, suddenly unsure.

  “Then we would be wasting resources fighting our own that could better be put to use reclaiming worlds on the Skarron border. There’s still one in Dvapp territory that we haven’t reclaimed and dozens along the border that need to be taken in order to create a buffer zone similar to what we’ve established along the lizard front. Knowing that would you waste warships and ground troops here?”

  “When you put it that way no…but it feels like something should be done about this.”

  “Agreed, but what?”

  “I don’t know,” Nadei said honestly.

  “We have plans in place, for the long term, which is where you come in, actually.”

  “Me?”

  “Not as far as stopping this fighting, but in
preventing a future one.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “The Bsidd would be here, in this fight, if they were strong enough. They’re not our ally, not now. Before they were when they had their own empire far from here, but now they have next to nothing and are seeking to replace what they’ve lost rather than assist us.”

  “I know,” Nadei said apologetically.

  “One problem with dealing with the Bsidd is their hive mind, making it difficult to deal with any individual when the group will is in effect. We removed that hive mind influence from you, before you were hatched, so you could make your own choices without it pushing you one way or another. The Bsidd out there are not your entire race, not now. They’re just a rogue faction, as far as Star Force is concerned, while you and the others are the real ones.”

  “Because our minds are free?”

  “And because we’re not willing to give up on your race. You know that other Bsidd are living in Axius?”

  “Yes.”

  “What you don’t know is that there are other queens, hatched the same time as you. 11 others in fact.”

  Nadei’s eyes widened. “There are?”

  “Yes. We kept you separate so we could observe you and your development and see if there would be any differences...and there were. Some of them have chosen to return to the other Bsidd, while some are going into Axius as civilians. You are the only one who wants to remain in Star Force.”

  Nadei was taken aback. “They’re leaving?”

  “It’s their choice.”

  “But why? Why would they go back to those…traitors.”

  “Traitors how?” Larissa asked, curious as to why she would use that term.

  “Star Force saved them, saved us, and all they do is work against you.”

  “Against us, you mean,” Larissa corrected. “You’re a part of Star Force and have always been. Stop thinking you’re one of them.”

  Nadei bowed her head. “Thank you.”

  “If we are going to bring back the Bsidd, as a race, we can’t let this happen to them,” the Archon said, pointing to the live holos of the fighting on the planet below. “And while we’ve removed the hive influence from your genetic code, there is still a lingering influence from the queen that spawned you. Negative characteristics that you and the others have as default. I believe that’s why the others want to return to the Bsidd colony. Those that are going to Axius have overcome that and are choosing the lifestyle they want, and good for them, but you’ve gone a step further. You’ve overcome that subtle influence and, based on everything you’ve told me, have a typical Star Force mindset, not because it was implanted into you, but because you find it to be best.”

  “I do.”

  “So what if we can take your mindset and put that as the default for the Bsidd. They would still be able to choose their own path, but the ones not strong enough of mind to make their own choices, the ones that just go with the flow, would go with your flow rather than that of the original, corrupt queens…who themselves were most likely influenced by those that spawned them and constricted by their hive mind programming.”

  “You want me to produce eggs?” Nadei guessed, feeling a bit disappointed.

  “You don’t like that idea?”

  “I will do so gladly.”

  “But…”

  Nadei dropped a few inches in height. “I want to make a difference.”

  Larissa smiled. “Do both.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The characteristics that you will pass onto your offspring are variable. In order to pass on the good traits you have to possess them yourself. As you change during your life those traits will change, so we need you to be as Star Force as you can get in order to give your offspring the best start we can give them. That means you need to be an active part of Star Force, not an ‘egg factory,’” Larissa said, pulling the term from the Bsidd’s mind.

  “How can I do both?”

  “We only need you to get the ball rolling. A few eggs here and there, with no imposed programming. You’ll have to make a conscious choice to do that.”

  “I’m not sure how.”

  “We’ll help you figure it out, but it’s probably something that you won’t understand until you start a reproductive cycle.”

  “I’ll miss my workouts,” she mildly complained.

  Larissa laughed. “And that mentality right there is exactly what we need passed on.”

  Nadei looked from the Archon to the holograms, now realizing the importance of the task being asked of her. To shape the Bsidd away from this needless destruction and chaos without having to lead them. She could just be herself, no responsibilities other than what she earned through merit, and make a difference where she chose. All they needed were a few eggs, and that was something she would try to do. She owed them that much and more.

  But she still didn’t like the idea of going sessile and missing workouts.

  “Tell me what I need to do.”

  “First thing is to find your place in Star Force. You’ve had some time to think about it. Where are you leaning?”

  “I want to be a builder. An engineer if possible.”

  “That’s a lot more training ahead of you.”

  “I know, but I want to try. I’m not afraid of a challenge…and with all the destruction going on, building just feels right.”

  “Then that’s where you begin. Down the road we’ll tackle the egg laying thing, right now we need you becoming as strong and skilled as possible so you will have plenty of good habits to pass on.”

  7

  May 4, 2583

  Zerus System (Alpha Region)

  Char

  Larissa sat in her office, feet up on the clear desk as she read a datapad containing Paul’s most recent report on the assault of Tarania…the last Skarron foothold within the ADZ, or it was, because now Star Force, with the help of the Dvapp and Hycre, had finally rid the planet of enemy troops. Paul indicated that there were still enemy ships insystem that had to be hunted down or forced out, but the planet was back in Dvapp hands and the incursion was, after so many decades, finally repulsed.

  “About damn time,” she said aloud, tossing the datapad on her desk and sliding her feet off. She stood up and looked out the window behind her, running her fingers through her pink hair and staring down on the colony that was building rapidly below. Her office was tower top in the center of the city, sitting right below the primary shield generator in a huge spire that had been the first bit of infrastructure completed on the ugly moon.

  It was low grav, dirty, but with a habitable atmosphere and moderately high temps. Larissa knew it was a fixer upper, with plans to start terraforming when they had the necessary resources and workers, the latter of which were beginning to pool back on Venus as they completed their basic training. There was already a Kiritak colony insystem, set up on the planet below that contained no atmosphere whatsoever, and was feeding Char the materials it needed to build the Star Force Bsidd infrastructure that Larissa was tasked with overseeing.

  Already she had a few hundred thousand Bsidd here, but they were all young and inexperienced. Her core of Humans, a handful of Calavari, and a lot of Kiritak were in charge of building the colony and giving the Bsidd their secondary training in a hybridized work/training environment that the trailblazer was having to juggle. With Star Force’s empire continually growing faster than its Human population adequate leadership was hard to come by, but fortunately several other races were contributing experienced people to the project so it wasn’t entirely relying on Humans to keep it progressing forward.

  It was operating on a thin budget, both in terms of resources and personnel. All the Bsidd in Star Force were essentially younglings, with none of their own to lead or train others. Until they elevated to the point where they could themselves become trainers and handlers the amount of Bsidd population they could grow was going to be limited, but like all good trailblazers Larissa was pushing the limits an
d cover the slack herself.

  The number of eggs even a few queens were capable of producing was staggering, so Star Force was never going to be limited in that regard. All reproduction was controlled through the maturias, however, so there was no fear of a runaway birth rate such as with the Kiritas. Larissa could ‘produce’ as many as she liked and feed the maturias exact numbers of keyed eggs with whatever variant was needed. It was then up to the individual Bsidd to complete their training and choose the course they would take, either staying in Star Force or leaving…with a good number heading to Axius, which while part of Star Force was essentially free man’s land where they could disappear into civilian life and do whatever.

  Those that chose to stay in Star Force were being shipped out to Zerus and deposited on Char. Rather than be incorporated into Star Force’s mainline organizations they were being crafted into a splinter division much like the Kiritak, but given their biology and sheer size, not to mention their variants, it was a splinter division that Larissa was going to shape into a full-fledged entity…including military capability.

  That would put them on par with the Calavari, but before that happened Larissa had a lot of work to do.

  Most of the Humans on Char were Clan Meteor, with Larissa having recruited them from her own ranks. They were going to be the transitional crew until permanent recruits could be obtained. Thing of it was, even a lot of her own Clansmen were mere rookies, some not even 70 years old. She was here to overcome that weakness and keep everyone in line and basically create the new Bsidd civilization from scratch, though there had been a lot of prep work done previously on Davis’s part. Now it was time for the padawan to make it all work…and to adapt as things progressed, making what alterations were necessary on the spot.

  Still, having Dvapp territory reclaimed was a burden lifted from her mind. Protovic space had already been reclaimed and their allies were beginning to lick their wounds and regrow…while making a few raids across the border to keep the Skarron outposts from developing too much. The Voku were doing most of the leg work there, and admirably, while the lizards and Skarrons contributed more and more resources to battling each other in a war that no one could predict the outcome of. Whenever one seemed to have the upper hand the other would pour more troops in, and vice versa.