Star Force: Mak'to'ran (3)

by Aer-ki Jyr

“You have Hak’mar now?” Renni said sarcastically.

  “I can’t be everywhere at once.”

  “Of course not, but how serious are you about this reforging of the V’kit’no’sat? The rest of the galaxy seems bent on going their own way.”

  “Or destroying each other,” one of the other Bez added.

  “The disposition of my fleet should attest to the desire for unity,” Mak’to’ran quipped.

  “So I noticed. What I want to know is what kind of strength do you truly wield?”

  “Growing by the year.”

  “I need more than that.”

  “My influence is strong, and I know better than to try to micromanage. I have been helping races purge disloyal elements then leave them to their own purposes. No one likes having assassins roaming about.”

  “No,” Renni said, his tone growing dark. “We’ve had plenty here already, but you are safe. I have made sure of that.”

  “You want to negotiate. What exactly?”

  “How much do you know of the Praetaro faction of the I’rar’et?”

  “The I’rar’et have broken into 3 major factions and dozens of smaller splinters. The Praetaro are isolationists wanting no allegiance.”

  “They want no allegiance, but they do want territory. They have been attacking us frequently.”

  “That seems counterproductive,” Mak’to’ran said, referencing the Bez’s unique combat kit.

  “We have few Zen’zat remaining, they have many and are claiming Ter’nat systems to deny us more.”

  Mak’to’ran frowned. This was the first he’d heard of the Ter’nat refuges being involved.

  “What have they done?”

  “Taken custody of those within our territory, save for three. I do not think they are altering them, only securing the recruits for themselves…with changed oaths.”

  Mak’to’ran swore a string of curses he hadn’t used in a long time.

  “Exactly,” the third Bez said. “And we don’t have the naval power to stop them. When they come to ground it’s mostly a standoff. They can’t get to us and we can’t get to them, but we’re being weakened and others are eyeing that weakness. Others that won’t fight with the I’rar’et, but they’ll coordinate their assaults around them. You know we don’t fight well alone on the ground.”

  Mak’to’ran exchanged glances with Tu’vo. For all the similarities between the Era’tran and Bez, the Bez were clearly the inferior even with their psionic fin. They were slower, had less muscle mass, and couldn’t roll over with that fin sticking up off their backs. They were big and strong compared to a lot of other races, but not very nimble. Combat usually saw them standing in place and firing weaponry in their armor as if they were a fixed turret, whereas Era’tran would move, ram, and wrestle as needed. His arms might be short, but they were strong enough to lock onto an opponent if they got close enough.

  The Bez’s arms were more lanky, and while they could accomplish the same thing their fin off balanced them somewhat. If they got knocked down, all it would take was someone stepping on their fin to pin them…assuming the Jumat tissue inside it didn’t blow the foot off. They could only release it to the sides, but it was a way of peeling enemies off and worked well against Zen’zat, so the Bez were still formidable opponents, but they worked much better in support of other races and in particular the Era’tran, whom they considered cousins even though the two races had no contact prior to joining the V’kit’no’sat.

  In addition to the comm jamming and lateral Jumat, the fins were also able to produce a dome shield form of Nakane that would extend out far enough to cover multiple other Bez, though it was of more use covering Era’tran, Zen’zat, or other races that didn’t have Nakane. It was particularly useful against air strikes, which was why the more powerful I’rar’et were checkmated when it came to ground combat.

  Add in the Rentar that Bez also possessed, and they were very useful support troops when used in conjunction with V’kit’no’sat deployments…but with the V’kit’no’sat now unofficially disbanded they had to stand alone with their Zen’zat, and compared to many other races that was not a good matchup. The Bez weren’t pushovers, but they had tactical weaknesses that could be exploited, just not by the I’rar’et.

  “We’ve secured nearly all our worlds,” Renni continued. “Our race is better than 80% unified and the remainder is being worked on, but our prospects going forward are grim if we stand alone. Itaru has abandoned us and we cannot trust the Oso’lon or J’gar. We’ve worked well with the Era’tran in the past, and you have a special relationship with the Zen’zat. I asked you here to negotiate an alliance for the entirety of our race, but if word of the nature of our discussion leaks out our enemies could decide to strike quickly and secure what territory they can before it becomes much harder to obtain.”

  “Your caution is wise,” Tu’vo agreed. “There will be no leak from us.”

  “There cannot be,” Renni insisted. “Until we have a course of action fixed, word of us even discussing the matter would destabilize the fragile unity we are building. Your arrival here is being noted as a diplomatic envoy. We have not said that it was us that requested it.”

  “What are your concerns?” Mak’to’ran asked, sensing where this was going.

  “There are still factions amongst us ready to rise up, if we…”

  “No. What are your concerns with me and the Era’tran?”

  Renni looked down at Mak’to’ran’s arms. “Show me your Saroto’kanse’vam.”

  He did as requested, flaring the glowing red talons for the three Bez to see with all three of them making gestures of displeasure.

  “Do you have them too?”

  “No,” Tu’vo said. “I have not earned them nor do I expect to. They are for the elite only.”

  “Your Hakja?”

  “Perhaps someday,” Mak’to’ran said. “Right now only a few of us possess additional psionics, and I have more than Saroto’kanse’vam.”

  Renni glared in a disbelieving way. “What else have you added?”

  “Jumat and Nakane.”

  One of the Bez hissed, taking a step back, but Renni just looked perplexed.

  “Why? If your entire race will not take these, why only a few?”

  “Because too many psionics is not a good thing unless they are earned. We learned this a long time ago by watching the Zen’zat. The few that have more than we do are an asset, not a liability. Give all Era’tran too many and problems could arise.”

  “Why do you have them?”

  “Because I am the most hunted individual in the galaxy.”

  “Probably true,” the Bez on Renni’s left said, “but it still feels wrong.”

  “If you are to reforge the V’kit’no’sat, who will determine psionic assignments?”

  Mak’to’ran looked his longtime friend down the snout. “There are some obvious miscarriages that need addressed, but beyond those a system for individuals earning others will be devised. A very hard system, but one that will reward those willing to ascend to such heights. The Conclave will carefully make alterations to what the V’kit’no’sat previously were, but we know not to change much, for drastic alterations are not needed.”

  “Who have you promised upgrades to?”

  “A few. The Dan’chey, especially.”

  Renni huffed. “Nakane?”

  “Yes, but not necessarily all of them. At present we are discussing a mid level upgrade, one not too difficult to obtain, but there is no reason for their civilians to possess it.”

  “This concerns me, Mak’to’ran. It concerns me greatly.”

  “I understand. I have been forced to abandon precedents in order to chart a new course forward. I have had time to contemplate and analyze for years. Thrown at you immediately I expect a refusal. The whole of the V’kit’no’sat is an accumulation of wisdom and experience. It does not need changed, only tweaked in a few places where the corruption of Itaru was holding us back.”


  “These are…unprecedented times. I do not like what you say, but I hear the ring of truth in it.”

  “There is a great opportunity for ruin,” the Bez on his right warned.

  “That I am well aware, but if I am not to act who can?”

  “None. You alone hold the influence necessary. Everyone else is suspect in some form. So long as you hold to your current course you can bring many back together, but if you start tossing out permissions for additional psionics it will turn many away.”

  “It takes more than permission,” Tu’vo added. “The knowledge to create these is not easily come by.”

  “But others will try, if they haven’t already,” Renni said, not having thought that through before. “If we don’t reclaim order, we may be seeing far greater changes in psionics forthcoming, and who would have the strength to cull them back? I do not like this, for the Era’tran are strong enough already, but if you are restricting them to your most elite troops while allowing others to do so as well…if earned…then there is equity there. Do you have a list yet?”

  “Not a firm one, and we aren’t currently developing any crossovers. What I have has been in the works for a long time.”

  “Before the fall?”

  “Wiser minds than I foresaw it coming.”

  “Next time assign them to Itaru…if we ever get it back.”

  “It is only a piece of the empire. The rest is far more important.”

  “It is Itaru,” the Bez on the left objected.

  “Is it now?” Tu’vo countered. “The infrastructure remains, but is the spirit of the V’kit’no’sat there?”

  “We still all have Elders there, do we not?” Renni said, looking at Mak’to’ran. “But we are willing to acknowledge your Conclave as having operational authority if we can come to terms. We will not abandon Itaru, but we will not pretend to follow their lead anymore. Hopefully the neutrality there will remain. Do you counsel us removing ourselves from those territories?”

  “No,” Mak’to’ran said firmly. “The arrogant would simply claim them and grow stronger. If Itaru is to ever return to us we need to keep as many footholds there as possible.”

  “Good. In that we are agreed. What help can you give us with the I’rar’et?”

  “Neither my forces nor the Era’tran will allow Ter’nat worlds to be claimed. I will assert control over them on behalf of the V’kit’no’sat and maintain their previous protocols. If the I’rar’et will not comply, they will have a united Era’tran to deal with and even if they were still united that would not be enough. Our strength has always exceeded theirs, and that has not changed.”

  “And can you convince Zen’zat to return to us? Most have left.”

  “To go where?”

  “To you, I assume. We have not tracked them nor tried to restrict their leaving for fear it would make the others revolt. Those loyal to us have agreed to stay under those terms and help us defend, but they have no interest in conquest. In fact they find the division in the empire vexing. They are sworn to defend the V’kit’no’sat, and there is no more V’kit’no’sat…other than the hope you bring.”

  “What exactly do you wish to negotiate?”

  “Full inclusion, which I do not believe even the Era’tran have committed to as of yet?”

  “I have had to keep my distance from them for symbolic reasons, but we are united, just not integrated.”

  “How much integration can your…what are we going to call it? You are not truly rebels.”

  “We are reforging the V’kit’no’sat, small as we are, so taking another name would undercut that goal.”

  “So be it. The Bez wish to rejoin the V’kit’no’sat as a whole while we deal with remaining internal problems. If we don’t, we will be picked apart. How much of the old empire can you offer?”

  “The Conclave is a functional body, but has no decision making power. I alone hold that during the transition. If you can trust me…and I can avoid getting killed…we will piece this together as we go working off the original empire’s model.”

  “You hold full power?”

  “That’s why I have been given these,” the Era’tran said, igniting his talons again.

  “Do the Era’tran answer to you?”

  “We function as a team, and this is my role. I do not hold operational command over my race any more than I would over yours. Itaru was never meant to micromanage.”

  “Something that was forgotten in recent millennia. Will this Conclave handle economic reunification?”

  “It already is.”

  “And what about joint fleets? You are fielding one out of necessity, but will we reestablish the standing ones? Who is handling the Terraxis issue now?”

  “Itaru is still leading that one, though the Oso’lon and J’gar are mostly out of the equation.”

  “Leading or feeding?”

  “I am told it is mostly independent. Itaru is not micromanaging and I do not think it could now. We all want answers as to who is responsible for this treason, and for that reason there is a unified fleet.”

  “Are you involved with that?”

  “I am not. The Era’tran are.”

  “Is your reforged empire going to be?”

  “No. We do not have the resources to spare. My task is to save as much of the empire as I can. Others will deal with Terraxis, but if you wish to contribute I presume you will be allowed.”

  “We have ships to conserve as well, and our greater priority would be the Hadarak border. We have had to pull back 90% of our fleet there to try and slow the I’rar’et. If you can return some stability, we will send some of them back, but not all.”

  “I will hold to you that,” Mak’to’ran promised. “The various factions out there are not united, and those that have allegiances are too consumed with smaller predations than to mess with me and the Era’tran. If and when the Hjar’at are able to reunite, I do not see anyone taking us on without some type of rejoining happening to oppose us.”

  “How much of a risk is that?”

  “Now, almost zero. Given time that may alter as factions fall and others gain power.”

  “Or until the Oso’lon and J’gar decide to get into the mix?”

  “They are busy holding the Hadarak back, but they cannot shoulder that burden alone indefinitely.”

  “They can withdraw those fleets quickly if they wanted. Do not assume they are pinned there.”

  “They are by the weight of the responsibility,” Mak’to’ran pointed out.

  “If they are traitors…”

  “They do not want to have to take back worlds from the Hadarak, traitor or no.”

  “What would they care if they had Hadarak of their own? Do not assume they will act wisely. There are so many examples of stupidity amongst those who were thought to be wise to allow yourself to be so deluded.”

  “They are on the border because we asked them to. They hold the line while I reforge the empire. That is the loose agreement we have come to.”

  “You are allied with them both?” Renni said disbelievingly.

  “We have an understanding, not an alliance. They know that suspicion taints both of them, so they cannot lead, but they can fight the Hadarak and having their fleets distant and taking losses diminished the threat they pose.”

  “And if you succeed?”

  “Then I will command a unified fleet powerful enough to overthrow them both if necessary. They both want their innocence proven, but until we can discover who the traitors are this is the best path forward for them.”

  “The idea of them taking orders rather than giving them is too ironic to process.”

  “They are still giving orders to their allies,” Mak’to’ran added. “Their influence isn’t gone, but they can’t use their power as a rallying point. They’re boxed in and have to rely on surrogates who are also suspect because of that relationship. I am not, and they have found that I can be negotiated with. I tasted the treason first hand and I do not want the in
nocent blamed for it. I want the real traitors found and culled.”

  “At the minimum,” Renni said, stretching his neck skyward for a moment. “There are many details to iron out, but in principle will you accept us or are we too large a burden to bear this early? I cannot make an announcement and have it fall through. If we make this move, it has to stick.”

  “We are in a position to make use of it, and my allied fleet is larger than I have let be publically known. We will get the I’rar’et off you and the Ter’nat, and you will join our assault forces afterward.”

  Renni looked to his two companions, engaging in a private telepathic communication.

  “Accepted. We hereby request full membership in the reborn V’kit’no’sat under your leadership.”

  “I acknowledge your request and immediately confirm. You are returned to the V’kit’no’sat as of this moment, with subsequent integration negotiations forthcoming. Tu’vo will remain here and handle the remainder of those after I depart. I presume you can keep him alive?”

  “We will. Tell me, did you anticipate this request?”

  “Partially. I did not expect this level of interaction, but it is welcome.”

  “Sav,” Renni said with mock scorn. “Any chance you’ll be sharing that one?”

  “Perhaps for individuals.”

  “I’ll hold you to that, you smart bastard.”

  “That are worthy…” he added, drawing a sneer from his friend.

  8

  February 3, 3644

  Ennixo System (Ter’nat Refuge)

  Stellar Orbit

  Mak’to’ran’s Kafcha arrived in the system at the head of a fully Era’tran fleet, some 218 ships in total and most of them on the larger side, immediately sending a stand down message to the I’rar’et ships popping up on sensors. There were over 500 of them, but most were small and more than two thirds were cargo vessels. There were no Ter’nat vessels, for they weren’t permitted any. There were 7 inhabited planets in Ennixo and what little traffic there was between them was accomplished by V’kit’no’sat overseers, but what ships Mak’to’ran would have expected to be here from different races were gone. Only I’rar’et remained, meaning they had run off all others and were harvesting Zen’zat for themselves…and training them to be loyal to the I’rar’et alone.