And the Blue Watch? the commander asked.
We are spreading but fragmented and infiltrated with spies. Many citizens support our cause but are too afraid to openly support us, Dolt continued. Without outside help, we have no hope of changing the government.
What would happen if the crucks opened a second front, say from the sea. Andrea casually slipped in.
We have very little defenses along our coast. Sirrat Karotor replied. He frowned. That is an unusual question, Proctor Jurjevics. Do you know something we don't.
Andrea glanced at Toby who nodded. We have reports of a navy flotilla sailing north from Tulvar. Indications are they are heading towards Vybber.
The two clickers were silent for a moment before they, too glanced at each other before Sirrat spoke. Without your assistance, I'd say the crucnon will be overwhelmed and within a month our country will cease to exist.
He stood up and leaned forward, his four arms rigid and knuckles white. Eyes, his brown in color, stared at Andrea. And with our kind wiped out, how long do you think the humans can last, Proctor...one season, two; perhaps even three years before the crucks find a way around your defenses then cut you down like flies. He coughed and wiped a small handkerchief across his face. You may think my kind are ruthless but the crucks have no human traits at all. None. He sat down and his voice became low. Even our military dictatorship is better than their continuous genocide.
That's why we came, Dold Cimog continued. We need your help to prevent being annihilated.
Andrea pressed a hidden button and four DPF guards armed with new weapons brought in from Base Alpha slid discretely into the room.
You are not from the Blue Watch, are you? she stated with her eyes like steel. Please do not shift your hands, Lieutenant and, Ms. Cimog I'd like your hands on the table.
The two clickers returned Andrea's gaze and nodded.
You are perceptive, Proctor, Dold replied. Yes, you are correct. The other fourteen are genuine members of the Blue Watch and do not know about us. Her face showed no fear as she switched her eyes to Toby. I have been sent by the Vybber government to ask for the human's help.
So you can wipe us out when the crucks are removed from Vybber? Andrea hissed.
We shall sign a peace protocol, Sirrat Karotor, withdraw from New Washington and return the lands north of the river to humans.
An empty gesture, Commander Evans retorted. There are no crucnon in New Washington. The pulgibrian have already reached the river.
Andrea gave the Crucnon slight grin but her eyes remained tight. They had already anticipated the real motives behind the arrival of the crucnon and knew everything about them. The Full Council had sat right throughout the night drafting the treaty she produced and placed on the table.
These are our conditions, General Karotor and Deputy President Cimog, she began. At least you had the courtesy of using your real names, if not your ranking in the Vybber government...
The two clickers straightened in their seats but showed no other reaction.
Congratulations on your security service, Proctor, Cimog replied in a soft voice. You are correct in everything you say but it does not alter what was revealed here, today. Our situation has not been exaggerated. We need your assistance.
And you know our genetic relationship? The Proctor asked.
Our government has known that for many years, General Karotor replied with a sigh, but felt it would demoralize our citizens if they were to be told the facts.
Controlled, like everything else in your government. Commander Evans snapped.
We shall transport you home in our aircraft so you can consult your parliament. Andrea continued. In two days, representatives of our government will arrive to hear your reply to our conditions if you wish our help. It is written in both our languages to prevent any misunderstanding. We are prepared to compromise on some issues but not on the main focus of our offer.
And what is that, Proctor? Deputy President Cimog replied. Her face was grim.
Within six months of the war being finished, the cruck returned to their territories and force fields reinstated, the Vybber government will resign and democratic elections held. Furthermore, no females will be forced to become fertile unless they wish, individual rights shall be established and political prisoners released. The Blue Watch should be registered as a political party and allowed to participate in the aforesaid elections. Our own constitution is being changed also, Deputy. We are henceforth a human and crucnon federation. All Vybber citizens who wish to become citizens of our country will be welcomed. In this treaty, your government will allow them to emigrate, if they wish.
General Sirrat Karotor turned over the first page of the document; his two right hands shook slightly when he read the heading written in two languages on the title page.
Survival of Human and Crucnon Protocol it read.
There is little time General; Deputy President, Commander Evans spoke Our security services advise me Vybber will be attacked from the ocean the day after tomorrow. The Tulvar flotilla is closer than we originally thought. The troop ships, we heard, carry the elite, 3rd Marine Battalion. No doubt you know they are particularly sadistic personal fighting force of the Grand Emperor of the United Lblors of Tulvar.
We have a vacuum bomb ready to load in our aircraft. The enemy can be taken out any time we wish. Andrea smiled and held her hand out. We shall expect your reply by Wednesday.
The two Crucnon government officials shook Andrea's hand but refrained from making a crucnon embrace.
Oh yes, Andrea said softly as the visitors walked to the door. Will you please leave your handguns on the table. To prevent any misunderstandings, you understand.
The general glowered but placed a small silver gun on the table. Deputy President Dold Cimog's thin smile hid her thoughts as she also place her own black one on the table, swung her shoulders back and walked out through the human guards standing rigidly at attention.
Thank you, Proctor Jurjevics continued with a flicker of a smile. Our aircraft will have you home in half an hour.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Nineteen
As it appeared through the clouds below FanWarrior 2, the city of Dememu two hundred kilometers across the Pulgibr boarder was unlike any Holly, Graham or George had ever seen. It was built on a flat plateau and, in reality was eight hexagonal shaped cities varying in size from a kilometer from north to south to a gigantic one twenty kilometers wide. Linked between them were black highways and fields of cultivated land, all hexagonal shaped and surrounded by small canals linked to a larger waterway that encircled the entire complex, fifty or more kilometers in length. A river flowing from the northern mountains fed this, in turn.
Suzi sent me information on Dememu, Holly commented. Each hexagonal town is a different lblon with its own hierarchy of power, the bigger the town, the more powerful the lblon. She pointed to one shaped like two joined hexagons; one section blackened with burnt out buildings. That is where one lblon has defeated another and has absorbed it.
And your mother expects us to negotiate with that sort of philosophy, George muttered.
No really, Holly replied... Oh My God...look!
Rising up towards where they were hovering at an altitude of five hundred meters was a black swarm as hundreds of flying females circled around them.
Will our shields protect us, Zeta? Graham asked the computer.
No problem, Graham. Do you want the approaching craft destroyed.
No, Holly replied. Retract our force field as close as possible. I'd like a closer look at these flying females.
It is done. The FanWarrior will remain hovering until ordered to move.
As the swarm of flying females circled up, another swarm approached from a different hexagon below.
Opposition, George muttered. Perhaps they'll attack each other.
Holly shook her head and watched as the black smudge in the sky approached. There were more than hundreds; thousands o
f the creatures approached and, in spite of herself, a shudder of fear gripped the young human woman. What if the ancient human technology failed?
It is scary, Graham confessed and tucked an arm around Holly.
To their east the creatures blotted out the sun and a gloomy shadow covered their craft. Suddenly the attack came. Wave after wave of flying females dived down from above and dropped small black cylinders onto FanWarrior 2. The sky above turned into a world of orange explosive that must have incinerated the females that dropped the bombs.
The aircraft shook but the force field held and explosive slid, like molasses, off the invisible barrier and tumbled in huge globules to the ground below. Within minutes the town below them was a mass of flames with black smoke pouring skyward.
Move forward at your slowest possible speed until we're above open land, Holly ordered.
The FanWarrior edged forward but the defiant swarm flew straight at them until they were covered in the creatures. There were two different swarms; one dressed entirely in black body suits and a second swarm in dark green. Yellow eyes stared at them and mandibles crunched while claws tried to grab the fuselage.
God, They're hideous, Holly gasped.
And dangerous, George added. The old sergeant fixed one of the creatures with his eyes as it slid down the invisible shield two meters out from the windshield.
Their craft plowed its way through them until open sky was reached and a yellow crop below. Another attack came with more explosive detonations slid off them until the crop became covered in bellowing smoke. This time the attacking force was dressed in navy blue but was as suicidal as the first two.
Have you seen enough? Graham asked Holly.
Yes, she replied. Drop the canister. Historians can't say we didn't warn them.
Bomb is away, the computer reported.
A small cylinder dropped from the aircraft and, before a flying female could reach it, burst open so a thousand leaflets fluttered out and down to the ground below. On them was a message in the local language telling the Pulgibrian troops to evacuate the valley in the Human Territory of New Washington as a vacuum bomb was to be detonated there the next morning at nine hundred hours.
Let's go home, said Holly. I can sympathize a little with our ancestors and see why they attempted to create a more benign species.
And it worked, Graham said. Just think of Jaddig, Bikut and the others.
Yes, Holly's face turned to Graham, but was the price too high?
They're like us now, George added. There are the good, the kind as well as the bad and the ruthless; just like humans.
I know, Holly whispered. Zeta, head home.
And fly high, Graham added. This place looks better from a distance.
With a growl of increased speed, the propellers gripped the air and the FanWarrior shot skyward through the swarms and into the clouds. The Lightshield motors switched on and in a few moments the friendly mountains poked through the clouds. The scene was so beautiful it almost seemed impossible that the country below held such creatures.
At the same time in the cockpit of FanWarrior 1 with Andrea, Toby, Snimel, Wunep and Bikut watched the ground as they landed in the center of Lickyk. The capital of Vybber stretched along the shore of the ocean and couldn't have been more different than Dememu. Around them was a park and two tall administrative buildings surrounded by a wide ring road packed with vehicles and hundreds of crucnon gathered behind orange tape. Police officers on horseback could be seen patrolling the area in front. Behind the crowds, commercial buildings rose to the sky and beyond them on a low hillside stood street after street of apartments.
The three clickers appeared glum as the FanWarrior touched ground and the engines swished to a stop.
It's okay, Andrea sympathized when she noticed the trio. There is a force field around us.
I know, Snimel shuddered and bit on her lip. But if anything goes wrong?
The force field encircles us to a radius of twenty meters, Plato reported. We can go out but nothing can enter.
Andrea nodded and waited for the ramp to hit the ground. Forty-one bowmen dressed in ceremonial red and blue uniforms marched out in two lines to ring the aircraft. Their crossbows were strapped across their backs as Clay, dressed in his immaculate new sergeant's uniform shouted commands.
Squad... Atten... shun! he ordered. The bowmen's feet snapped together as one.
On command... Load weapons! Clay roared.
Together as one the twenty men and twenty women slung the crossbows off their backs and aimed towards the sky.
Clay stood at rigid attention as Andrea and Commander Evans descended down the ramp and walked exactly twenty paces out from the aircraft.
In front a line of crucnon guards, also dressed in ceremonial clothes, snapped to attention.
Fire! Sergeant Clay Farrell shouted.
Forty arrows shot skyward curved and plunked to the ground to encircle the Proctor and her Commander. Every arrow was spaced exactly where the bowman had intended so forty quivering feathers vibrated for a moment in the slight breeze. Gasps and murmurs of approval rang out from the crowd. In response, local guards fired a volley of shots into the sky and three crucnon dressed in golden suits stepped from a tent that had been erected on the lawn. One was Dold Cimog but the other two, unknown males.
The ceremony continued with Andrea inspecting the line of guardsmen before returning to embrace the three officials, crucnon style.
With no forewarning, something else happened. As Snimel, Wunep and Bikut stepped from the ramp walked a line under the aircraft's wing and well within the invisible force field, the crowd saw them and the polite clapping turned to cheers, applause and shouts. Everyone, it seemed was shouting, waving and cheering the three, so-called traitors of Vybber.
Look at them, Snimel whispered and grabbed Wunep's arm. They're cheering us!
I know, gulped Wunep. But have you seen the President?
Snimel glanced to where the male, in his glittering golden uniform had just completed embracing Andrea and Toby. He stood back at attention facing the aircraft but it was his face Snimel noticed. It was contorted in a glare of absolute fury and hate.
Ignore him, hissed Bikut. Do nothing!
If you say so, Snimel replied but could not resist eye-balling the president with her searching blue eyes. Their eyes held for a second before the Vybber leader glanced away and spoke to Andrea.
The pair turned and entered the tent while the crowd still cheered and waved from behind the barriers across the grass.
Snimel glanced at Bikut, then Wunep and waved back. Come on, she urged. Don't be a prude.
The other two followed and waved to the crowd; their countrymen, their kind; and they all felt proud. Meanwhile the two opposing guards snapped to attention and marched off, Clay's bowmen to form two lines out from the FanWarrior and the crucnon to continue the line to the tent entrance.
Inside the tent, His Imperial Excellency Klyl Olcmal III, President of Vybber pretended he could not speak English and talked through in interpreter to Andrea. She, though, replied to his brief welcome in accentless Vybber and accepted a seat next to Commander Evans. Her eyes fixed on the man and a slight smile crossed her lips.
I hope our conditions are to your liking, Your Imperial Excellency, she said when the treaty was set out in front of them by a guardsman. Unlike the humans, the crucnon guards were all males.
They are quite unacceptable, the crucnon leader announced. We object to having our internal affairs dictated to.
Then I am wasting both our times, Andrea replied and turned to Toby Evans. We shall return to the aircraft, Commander.
Toby stood and tried not to smile. Certainly, Proctor, he replied. Shall I order FanWarrior 2 back to base.
Yes. Andrea snapped and fixed the Emperor with her blue eyes. If you think we are bluffing, Sir, just ask your officers if they can see the flotilla on the horizon. We estimate they'll be in sight about now.
Even though she spo
ke in English his reaction was instant. He pressed a button on the table and an officer walked in.
What have you to report, General? he snapped in his own language.
The general went to hand a document to Olcmal who brushed it aside and snapped. You can tell the Proctor the contents, General.
Very well, the Crucnon replied. Flying squadrons 5, 17 and 8 have returned from their attack on the enemy vessels, Sire.
Continue, the leader snapped.
Fifty six flying females attacked the flotilla and three returned to base.
Three, hissed Andrea.
Yes Proctor, the general replied. The rest were shot down.
And the enemy ships, the president added in a cold voice.
One patrol craft was sunk, Sire. Two other ships suffered structural damage but the troop ships were not hit. He hesitated. Concentrated firepower stopped the squadrons getting through.
So, Your Excellency, Andrea said in a cold voice, do you wish to discuss our treaty or would you prefer to have this beautiful city in ruins before you reconsider our offer. I have heard that the heavy artillery the enemy have on their ships are particularly devastating.
There are some points that need to be explained, His Imperial Excellency Klyl Olcmal III, President of Vybber replied in English and sat down. Except for a slight twitch of lips the face was expressionless
Go ahead, Proctor Andrea Jurjevics replied. I am prepared to discuss every clause, if necessary.
Two hours later the two humans walked out to the FanWarrior. Andrea looked exhausted but smiled at Bikut, Snimel and Wunep when she entered the cockpit and sat down in the copilot's seat.
The old bastard signed, she grunted.
And your compromise? Bikut asked with a worried frown.
All minor, Andrea grinned. I think Holly will be proud of me. As from midnight tonight the States of Vybber and New Washington officially cease hostilities and agree to become allies to drive the enemy from our territories.
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