by Aer-ki Jyr
Kienma already had its planetary shields down and a full scale planetary invasion taking place. Logsda had only one generator down and the beginnings of an invasion getting a foothold on the planet, but its prospects did not look good. The formidable enemy, whom the Wass’mat did not even know had existed previously, had come in with such overwhelming force it was just a matter of time until all 3 planets were taken. The system and planetary defenses could not hold, and Hanniena only suspected preservation of resources was holding back the lizards from assaulting all three simultaneously.
That’s what Star Force called them, and during her stay in their prison facility Hanniena had learned quite a lot about them…for she’d been so bored that digging through the available historical records was preferable to staring at the walls in her cell. The thing was, the lizards were never this powerful before. Somehow they’d gotten a significant technological boost, as well as the audacity to attack the V’kit’no’sat a second time after being spared from annihilation by freak events previously.
They’d only killed a single Zen’zat that time, seriously wounding a second, and that had been enough for the empire to demand their deletion from the galaxy. Now they were here, with a massive fleet and the will to take entire planets…yet there was no response from the empire other than to say help was not available. They were still waiting to hear back from other Wass’mat worlds, and Hanniena had been summoned to the planetary Council Chambers to discuss what she hoped would be a timetable for holding out until help from their own race could arrive.
The sight of the enemy fleet overhead was ominous and overbearing, especially considering their tiny size. Both their ships and bodies were small, but their strength came in their numbers. The V’kit’no’sat should not be threatened by such a foe, but half of the system defense fleet had been sent away to assist other worlds as they fought off numerous assaults from the Rim races. No one had thought those systems near the Star Force border would come under attack, let alone from a race that Star Force thoroughly despised.
Hanniena walked steadily and quickly on her 6 thick legs, making sure not to twist her head to the side too quickly, for her pair of Saroto’kanse’vam tusks stuck out well in front of her and could easily knock Zen’zat over with a mere brush, but Wass’mat had long ago learned to look with their eyes and only move their heads when needed, meaning the other Wass’mat she passed did not impale each other. They moved with an almost lethargic grace, knowing the power of their bodies and their psionics were a threat if mishandled, but the skill her entire race showed in their choreographed movements belied the danger. They were fully in control of their bodies, their worlds, and their tiny slice of the empire.
But today there was a telepathic buzz of uncertainty palpable everywhere one went, and it did not evaporate when Hanniena passed by the guards at the entrance to the Council Chambers. In fact, it got a great deal worse.
“They have refused to help us,” Gargara said flatly when the former fleet commander arrived, finishing off the set of 8 who had been invited. The doors closed behind Hanniena, sealing them inside as the system governor’s panic was evident in his telepathic aura. “No one is coming.”
“Our own people won’t help?” Bweto asked.
“All our fleets are engaged in other fights. None are available and the limited ships that could head our way are mostly transports. They are coming to evacuate the few of us they can, but with that fleet overhead it is unlikely that they will be able to get through. No warfleets are coming.”
“Have they completely abandoned Tamprani?” Jovcho, the planetary defense commander, asked.
“Itaru has informed us that Tamprani is likely to fall. They are mounting a containment force, but those systems already under assault are on their own. We are on our own. The empire will not assist worlds that cannot be held. We have been ordered to evacuate what we can, and to make the enemy pay as high a price as possible when the end finally comes.”
Hanniena huffed angrily. How could the empire do this? Their bonds required they come to each other’s defense. There had to be some fleets available, even if they were just protecting worlds closer to the Core. Why were they hesitating? Was the threat from the Rim worse than was being reported? Could it be that bad?
No, the empire was huge. Beyond huge. Even if it took time to move forces around there were a plentiful number of them. This system had sent help to others, compromising its own defenses, and now it was the responsibility of others to do the same to help them…and not even their own race would! There were four Wass’mat systems, fully or partly owned, within 4 weeks travel. None of them had come under attack, nor were close to it, and they had warships they could send, even if it was just to assist in an evacuation. Why weren’t they?
“How many can we evacuate?” Bweto asked.
“346,000,” Trevarin answered. “If we can get all ships free…which I highly doubt.”
“Is that including Zen’zat?” Gargara asked.
“No. That is packing in every Wass’mat that we can, far beyond safety standards. Rations will have to be minimal, or the number goes down in order to stock more supplies.”
“346,000, max, out of 4.3 billion…not to mention 27 billion Zen’zat,” Parwa said, vibrating her head angrily. “How many additional transports are coming?”
“Enough for 48,000 more.”
“That’s all?”
“Unfortunately yes.”
“I do not know what else we can do,” Gargara stated flatly. “We need another option. Give me one.”
“We cannot leave and we cannot stay,” Jovcho announced. “Unless warfleets arrive, we will die here. I do not see where we will get them.”
“What about the forces still in Star Force territory?” Hanniena asked.
“Already gone or heading elsewhere. None have responded with anything more than apologies,” Gargara informed her. “They are needed elsewhere.”
“The interior systems are hoarding their ships,” Bweto said with a snarl. “They are betraying their duty.”
“Agreed, but we cannot force them to send their ships. What other options do we have?” Gargara repeated.
“Abandon the other two planets and pull all ships here,” Jovcho said, nearly spitting in disgust.
“Will that be enough to save us?”
“It will not, but our only chance is keeping the shields up. When the assault comes, we have to damage them as much as we can. If the other planets are going to fall, we could at least repurpose some of their ships prior to their destruction.”
“They would fall even quicker,” Hanniena reminded him.
“I know, but he asked for options. And right now bad options are all I have to give.”
“Then what other bad options do we have?” Gargara asked.
“Send our ships out to defend the other planets, forcing the Li’vorkrachnika to attack us here or follow them. If they attack now, without the rest of their fleet, they will take greater damage, but they will still penetrate the shields. I see no way we can fight this without ultimate loss.”
“If we will not support each other, our race is broken,” Shastah said mournfully. “It’s bad enough that the empire will not respond, but our own people…I cannot believe it has come to this. They are prioritizing other races’ worlds over our own.”
“They see us as expendable,” Gargara explained. “Why fight for a lost system when more valuable ones that could be held are in jeopardy.”
“How many do you think we will lose in Tamprani?” Bweto asked.
“If the empire does not respond,” Jovcho answered, “we could lose half the region. There aren’t a lot of valuable systems here, but I don’t see the entire region falling. It’s clear, though, that the outermost bands have been abandoned, us included.”
“Then we’re being left for dead?” Hanniena asked.
“It seems we are.”
“How shall we make our last stand?” Gargara asked. “Abandon our fellow planets
or defend all 3 as long as possible?”
“If we are all going to die, what’s the point of betraying the others,” Shastah noted. “I would not do so anyway. At least let us die with honor.”
“What honor is there to dying to this vermin?” Trevarin challenged. “Where has our dominance gone?”
“Ask the J’gar that question,” Gargara responded angrily. “They gave it away when they sponsored Terraxis.”
“We don’t know that…for sure.”
“It was them or the Oso’lon,” Bweto echoed. “And the J’gar refused to fight this last war.”
“So did the Era’tran,” Hanniena pointed out.
“They did not have command codes then. Only the Oso’lon and J’gar did.”
“Both of them have failed us,” Jovcho said dismissively. “And now the empire has as well. I do not care about complaining while we are still alive. We must find a way to fight this better.”
Hanniena growled, dipping her right tusk down and impaling the console in front of her, then flicking her head up and ripping it off its attachments. A telekinetic push took it off its spear and sent it flying past Trevarin to where it hit the floor and rolled in a spray of debris halfway towards the far wall.
“We have another option,” she snarled, hating the words as she spoke them.
“Speak it,” Gargara demanded.
“If the empire has abandoned us. If our own race has abandoned us. Then we must seek a new allegiance.”
“What do you mean?” Jovcho asked.
“She means Star Force,” Shastah said, almost spitting the name.
“I do not like it any more than you do,” Hanniena said virulently, “but they hate the Li’vorkrachnika. They would have wiped them out long ago if not for fear of alerting us to their presence.”
“They are already fighting a rear guard against them,” Gargara noted. “Why would they come here to help us?”
“If we leave the empire and…join them, they would,” she said, barely choking out the words.
“Itaru would never…” Bweto began, then caught himself as he realized the stupidity of what he was saying.
“If they’ve left us for dead, it does not matter what Itaru wants,” Hanniena continued. “We are expendable to them.”
“Star Force hates us,” Gargara reminded her. “The Rit’ko’sor never fought them. We have.”
“It does not matter. During my captivity they gave me a lot of information. I think for this very reason. They hate V’kit’no’sat. If we stop being V’kit’no’sat…which we will when we die…then they will not hold a grudge against us.”
“Would they help a neutral or require us to join them?” Jovcho asked.
“They won’t fight our wars for us. We would have to become Star Force.”
“What would that mean?” Liol, the eldest among them, asked.
“They would send an Archon here to remake our race, as they have done with others. We would lose our dominance and have to follow their commands, but once inside their empire we would have our freedom…so long as we do not betray them.”
“Why would they want us in their midst?” Gargara asked. “We would be a threat to them.”
“Would we? They command the Uriti and have survived us for 1300 years. With the Armistice in place, they hold the dominant position in the galaxy if the V’kit’no’sat have truly broken. They do not fear us, but they know what we are capable of. They already possess one V’kit’no’sat race. They will want another in order to harness our potential and add it to their own.”
“This is treason,” Jovcho stated calmly, “but if there is a chance we can survive, and the war with the empire is over, we will do our race and Itaru no harm by surviving under another’s banner. I do not like it, but we have no other options for survival, and I do wish to survive this betrayal.”
“Why do you care what Itaru thinks?” Parwa asked.
“I do not want to survive if we are in the wrong. But if we are not, and Itaru is, I can grudgingly accept walking away from the empire if our duty has been fulfilled. In order to save this system, the Li’vorkrachnika will have to be destroyed, more so than we are capable of doing. If Star Force will intervene and kill them, then we have done our duty. Our corpses can then go where they wish so long as we do not later turn against the empire.”
“And what of our own race?” Liol asked.
“What do you say?” Jovcho said, turning it back on the Elder.
“I say that if they cannot even attempt to come to our aid, then what they think is irrelevant. We have an obligation to the Wass’mat and Zen’zat in this system to protect them. What I question is Star Force being willing to intervene so soon after a costly war.”
“Do not concern yourself with that,” Hanniena scoffed. “We have turned them into warriors. At this point, they are not content to sit and lick their wounds. They will be fighting in the Far Rim soon, if not already. They crave it now, and peace will not easily take that craving from them. Wherever there is a worthy fight, they will be there. Even for us if we make the right request.”
“And how do we do that?” Gargara wondered.
“We have to submit to their dominance and learn their ways. We have to become Star Force. If we are willing they will come. If we are not, they will not. If we pretend, they will know. There can be no subterfuge in this.”
“Will we be interrogated?” Liol asked.
“They cause no physical harm in interrogation, nor mental damage, but they will look to make sure we are not deceiving them.”
“You were not harmed at all after your capture?” Bweto asked.
“Not that they did to me. My pain came from my own failure.”
“Meaning what?” Trevarin asked.
“Star Force uses pain for training, but it has to be self-inflicted. You have to choose to accept their challenges, and through the challenges your torment comes from your own failure. It is how they weed out those who are unworthy, but they force it on no one. Those who do not accept the challenge are allowed to live in unimportant roles. None are harmed, aside from the stagnation. They used stagnation to get me to do what they wanted, and it is a very effective and honorable method. They will not torture in the conventional sense. No dismemberment. No beatings. No mind shreddings.”
“They use stagnation?” Liol said curiously. “Many crave stagnation. How have they not collapsed?”
“Stagnation and isolation are a powerful incentive. When you are offered something to break either of them, you will take it. And when they do not beat you, it is hard to carry spite over the years. They wear you down with time. There was a race of Protovic whom they fought a war with, then imprisoned all of them. Those that came through the training were released into their civilization. Those that did not succumbed to the stagnation and died in their cells. If we ask for membership, we will most likely be treated with greater respect than those who were forcibly annexed.”
“What you speak of is appalling, but far preferable to certain death. You have lived through it, so I ask you…is this better than standing our ground and dying here?”
“Some of us could leave and survive, but I would rather see this world join Star Force and live than leave them to die.”
“As would I. What say the rest of you?”
“If you wish to evacuate, you may do so along with a few others,” Gargara stated evenly, “but I am remaining with the Wass’mat here, and we will be asking Star Force for membership. There is no other choice in light of the empire’s betrayal. If you wish to leave, do so now and head to a single ship. We will need the rest. There will be no conflict between us. Itaru has created this situation. Not those in this chamber. Make your choice now.”
A few telepathic conversations were held in private, then 5 of the 8 Wass’mat in the chamber walked out, leaving only Gargara, Liol, and Hanniena behind.
“The masses will not accept this easily,” Liol warned. “Letting some of them leave would be a mistake.”
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“I agree. Let those few go along with their associates, quietly. Hanniena, I need you to…”
“I know. That’s the only reason why I stayed. I do not want to be here.”
“Nor do we, but we have a responsibility to acquit. The others are free of it now, so I do not blame them for leaving.”
“I do,” Liol said angrily, “but it is better to have them gone rather than stay and undermine the transition. If we can survive this, we must fully commit to it. Star Force is not made up of fools. The Rit’ko’sor joined them willingly and have been given respect. We must have that, or there is no chance our people will accept their dominion.”
“I understand,” Hanniena said firmly. “Shall I leave now?”
“Go,” Gargara said with a flick of his head. “Negotiate and bargain whatever you must. If you cannot get their assistance, do not return here to die with us.”
“Shall I take others with me now, so not to waste a ship?”
“Yes. Take who you wish and go, and be quick of it. Their blockade is not tight, but it can easily become so if they anticipate more ships leaving. I suggest you leave at the same time or sooner than the others. I no longer care about them, but you must make it out.”
“Then I will waste no more time here. I have my mission.”
“Our fate rests on your ability to make them believe,” Liol reminded her as she turned.
“I know,” the Wass’mat said, jogging out of the chamber to save time on her way to the nearest spaceport as she made contacts with those she wanted to accompany her via the comm in her armor that she wore in bands around each of her six legs.
Three hours later, 18 Wass’mat and over 400 Zen’zat boarded drop pods and made their way up to a stealth-equipped Kaeper that easily made its way between the gaps in the lizard fleet groups that now massed more than 250,000 vessels, not counting their delivery jumpships that were, like Star Force’s, hiding in deep space safely beyond the potential combat.