"The Kragak are mindless creatures." Grimshaw rose halfway out of his chair. "They can’t be trusted. I won’t—"
"Whether we like it or not, we must make allies with Kragak. If we don’t, Chimera will. Do you wish to fight the Aphnai and the Kragak simultaneously, Captain? For that is a fight the Omnion will have no part in."
Grimshaw slumped back in his seat. Li was right. As it was, they didn’t stand a chance. Facing two powerful species at once was suicide. He folded his arms. "Okay. I’m listening."
"As I was saying, Agent Lamnon has been working among the Kragak for quite some time. Believe it or not, a lot has changed among the Kragak since your people warred with them. And even then, those you fought did not represent the majority, but that is neither here nor there. Relations with the Kragak have always been difficult, even for us, but Lamnon has built something of a rapport with a small group led by Agnar Draglore, their most powerful High-Shaman."
"I already don’t like where this is going."
Li barely paused. "As a species, the Kragak recently experienced a schism, breaking them into three groups: the Traditionalists, the Enlightened, and the Separatists. Currently the Traditionalists are the largest group in terms of power. Those include the Kragak you remember. They are wild and aggressive and refuse to cooperate with others. They maintain control of Kragaknar and the bulk of the Kragak forces. The Enlightened are less aggressive, but they are…unpredictable. Lamnon currently resides with the Separatists. They are the least extreme of the three groups. Making up eighteen percent of the Kragak force, they are also the smallest."
"Trust our luck to end up with smaller numbers."
"The Traditionalists control a little over forty-percent of Kragak space. The remainder belongs to the Enlightened. As things stand, the Traditionalists are immovable, though we believe Chimera are attempting to turn them to their cause. However, an alliance between the Enlightened and the Separatists isn’t beyond possibility. The Enlightened set up their own priesthood, but they still respect High-Shaman Draglore since he was once foremost among them. Both groups share a deep hatred for the Traditionalists. The Traditionalists believe that the old, warlike ways must not be changed. The others know that such a path will lead to ruin, as it almost did after the Battle of Gorthore."
Though the Omnion knew what had happened on the Kragak holy planet, Grimshaw reflexively dodged the subject of Gorthore. "Where do we fit into all of this?"
"Lamnon is one of our most experienced agents. She would get the job done on her own given time, but time is the one resource we can’t afford. That’s where you and your crew come in."
"Even if I agree that the Kragak would make powerful allies," Grimshaw said, "I can’t risk my crew like that."
"Listen, Captain," Li said, trying not to lose her patience. "The Kragak Separatists have been our allies for quite some time. They will not attack. You will not be putting your crew in danger. Besides, the North Star has undergone significant improvements since she docked. She was one of the fastest vessels in the galaxy before you arrived. Now, she far exceeds that. If it comes to it, though I assure you that it will not, the North Star will outrun any Kragak vessel. Regardless, the Kragak possess a piece of Ancient technology that might be capable of synthesizing a cure. We have gone to great lengths to secure the device. Now we need you to fetch it."
"I don’t like that idea one bit."
"We’re not asking you to like it, Captain. No one said defeating Chimera was going to be easy. We’ve agreed to help you with your cause, but we will be no good to anyone when we’re all dead."
"Can’t they send the device themselves? They could leave it nearby."
"I wish it was that simple, Captain. But consider this. Retrieve the device and you’ve secured us as your allies. Assist Lamnon in her talks, and one of the most feared warriors might also fight by your side."
"What about all the activity outside the Shroud? I’ve heard rumors that a Shanti exploration rig spotted us entering and may have even seen this ship," Grimshaw said, grasping for straws.
"Those rumors are true. In the months you’ve been here, several Shanti exploration-class vessels have probed the Shroud from a distance. Pilgrims arrive from every corner of Shanti space daily, even with their civil war in full swing. We knew the Fist of Orinmore would be seen at some point. We had hoped that the civil war would limit visitors, but it appears to have had the opposite effect. Believers among the Shanti are very…dedicated."
"In dark times, people seek hope in dark places," Grimshaw said, recalling one of Sergeant Anderson’s sayings from the Kragak Wars.
"Needless to say, word continues to spread through the Shanti systems, and as foolish as it might be, the religious continue to flock."
"If traffic is still so heavy, how do you plan on us getting out?" By the look in her eyes, he knew that Li already had an answer to that problem.
"Since being upgraded, the North Star can activate her ghost-drive when entering paraspace. We will create a distraction—a spectacle—as an additional measure. We suspect cloaked Tal’Ri vessels also watch the Shroud…in the employ of Chimera no doubt."
"That would be helpful…only I haven’t agreed to anything." Grimshaw had no desire or intention of going along with the plan. "And even if I did agree to such madness, what do you suppose we do when we reach these friendly Kragak of yours? You think they’ll throw us a welcome party?"
"The Kragak Separatists are on their way to a meeting with a small group of Enlightened in secret. Should you agree to join them, you will assist in talks between the two groups and return to us with the Ancient device."
"I still don’t understand why you need me to go. What could I possibly do that this Agent Lamnon can’t? Surely, sending another agent would be more useful…" Grimshaw said, playing his final card. "I’m a ship Captain. Not a negotiator."
"Without warning or explanation, the Separatist elders recently shut Lamnon out of their meetings. We still aren’t sure why, but High-Shaman Draglore explained that all will be made clear on your arrival."
"They asked for me? You know my history with the Kragak. It’s a trap. I don’t blame them for wanting revenge. I know I would, but—"
"I know your history well, Captain. You imagine they hate you after the blow you dealt them on Gorthore. But you’ll be surprised to learn that they admire you."
Grimshaw cocked his eyebrows and had to stop himself from laughing at the absurdity of such a claim. "Admire me? I killed millions of them and disrupted their reproductive process."
"Exactly. The Kragak have spent centuries waist deep in blood. Nothing is more honorable to them than winning a fight to the death. The more victories one has in battle, the more honor they are assigned. In their eyes, you won the ultimate fight to the death and came out the other end alive. One Terran against a temple full of giant Kragak warriors. They believe you’re a god."
That wasn’t how Grimshaw remembered it. Then again, after waking from the coma following the Battle of Gorthore, he didn’t remember much other than the several horrific scenes that played on a loop in his nightmares. "I know their ways are strange…but it still doesn’t make sense." He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
"The Separatists might be more passive than their brothers, but their war-like nature runs deep. Many have marked you a legend. They value strength, power, and boldness. You showed such when you uploaded the virus that cut their warriors off from their regeneration chambers. It stemmed the tide against your people…the same people who have forgotten your deeds a mere generation later. But the Kragak—those you consider your enemy—have not forgotten."
"It isn’t as if I knew what I was doing at the time," Grimshaw objected. "I deserve no praise. I was following orders while high on fury. I was nothing but a grunt. Hell, If I’d known what would happen ahead of time, I probably wouldn’t have had the balls to go through with it…" His voice trailed off.
"I understand your confusion, Captain. However, you mus
t not view such things through a Terran lens. This is the Kragak we speak of. They consider all among them warriors, every man, woman, and child, no matter their age or station. They consider it a great honor to experience the final death. From their viewpoint, you delivered honor to many that day."
Grimshaw all but balked, not knowing what else to say.
"Our agent informs us that some among the Enlightened even worship your image. If anyone could help the High-Shaman on both sides to settle their differences, it’s you. Don’t you see that?"
Grimshaw laughed involuntarily. "You’re kidding, right?"
Li’s face told him she was far from joking. "They view you as something of a deliverer, a prophet who showed them the error of their ways—liberated them from violence and the Ancient technology that had chained them for so long."
"Chained them? It let them reincarnate through their offspring. If anything, I stopped them from reproducing."
"Not quite. The offspring they produced using the Ancient systems were blanks rather than Kragak infants…blanks they would possess when their old bodies died. They had forgotten how to have actual offspring. In fact, their population began to dip sharply before the war. By severing their connection with the machines, you forced them to rediscover a more conventional means of reproduction."
"You mean, they can conceive naturally?"
Li nodded. "Not many in the grand scheme of things, but in time, the ability will spread."
"The Krags have never given birth naturally."
"They did, long ago. To be exact, eight hundred and fifty-six years ago was the last recorded incident of natural birth, but even that was considered an anomaly. When they discovered the regeneration machines the Ancients left behind, the Kragak no longer needed to conceive as they once did." Li smiled. "Initially, we were as skeptical as you are now. Perhaps even more so. We thought it a lie, a once off at best. However, we have confirmed that hundreds of females have given birth…naturally, as you put it. After giving it consideration, it made sense that life should find a way. It always does."
Grimshaw loosened his collar. "But if this is true, what’s to stop them from restocking their numbers and waging war on the galaxy again? Wasn’t controlling their numbers the only thing stopping that from happening?"
"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. But for now, it would be wise to make allies of them—and their request provides a perfect opportunity to establish new relations. If you were to forge such an alliance, you could prevent untold bloodshed in the future."
"The Confederation won’t like it."
"The Confederation have branded you a terrorist and called for your execution."
"A misunderstanding I plan on rectifying."
Li sighed. "The Confederation doesn’t need to know…at least not yet. And if we play it right, they’ll come around to the idea."
"You seem to think I’ve come around to the idea already. I haven’t. You need their cure. I get that. But I still don’t see the Krags allying themselves with anyone…us or Chimera. You haven’t seen them in the flesh. Their unbridled aggression hardly makes them…ally material, even if a few have been cooperative. The Galactic Alliance found that out the hard way. The Krag grind everything into the dirt. Hell, humans have a hard time forgiving the Shanti for the First Contact Disaster, and they only destroyed two of our vessels. The Krags torched entire worlds."
"Much like individuals, entire races can change, Grimshaw. It’s important to understand that the Kragak have undergone several revolutions since the war, especially on Kragaknar. The entire fabric underpinning their society—their thinking, philosophy, culture, religion—has been torn and rewoven. Monumental shifts have taken place, and even we are only beginning to understand what that means for the Galaxy. So far, the changes appear to be…positive in nature. It’s important that we capitalize on those changes while we still can."
Grimshaw put his hands on the table in an effort to stop his head from spinning. "I still can’t believe I’m hearing this."
"The Aphnai have reared their heads, and if they really do have viable eggs, it won’t be long before they sweep through the galaxy unhindered. Like locusts, they’ll consume everything in their path until nothing is left. They’ll make the Kragak seem like a gentle breeze on a warm day. Even inside the Shroud won’t be safe. If we are to stand a chance of making it through the coming conflict, we need all the help we can get…even help we might consider unsavory."
"But the Krags? That’s desperate," Grimshaw muttered.
"You said it yourself, Captain. In dark times, people seek hope in dark places. However, we have a rare opportunity to turn the tide before a shadow truly falls over the galaxy."
"This is a lot to digest in one sitting," Grimshaw said, finally getting a hold of himself.
"I understand, but time is not on our side. Despite our advantage with the North Star, the other forces in the equation appear to be ahead of us. Discovering the parasite has helped matters." Li softened her voice and her face took on an apologetic expression. "But we need to hurry if we want to catch up."
Grimshaw appreciated the Omnion’s attempt at empathy despite emotions not being their strong suit.
He took a deep breath and steeled himself. "I’m not making any promises, but I’ll hear your plan. It sounds like a lot is riding on how the Krags view me. I don’t like that…but it also sounds like a risk worth taking."
"How much do you recall from the Battle of Gorthore?"
Grimshaw tensed. He had spoken of the events to no more than a handful of people. It seemed there was no way to avoid it on this occasion. "I don’t remember much, if I’m honest. I suffered a head injury during extraction. I went into a coma. My memories of what happened on the planet are patchy at best."
"Do you mind sharing what you do remember?"
Grimshaw shrugged. He appreciated being asked rather than told, though he didn’t have much of a choice. "They didn’t see us coming. Or so we thought. Sergeant Anderson led the strike team on the ground while Third Fleet distracted enemy forces from high orbit. I was one of eight gunners on Anderson’s crew. We knew they would leave guards posted at their temple, but we didn’t expect so many. There may have been an ambush…I’m not sure. But one thing I am sure about is there was plenty of killing. With the help of an airstrike, we got inside and uploaded the virus. On our way to the extraction, however, a Krag orbital ship bombarded us…It’s all a bit hazy after that."
"Do you know what the virus was designed to do?"
"It was meant to stop the Krags from using the Ancient replication machines and kill any that were inside pods at the time," Grimshaw said.
"That’s half the story," Li said. "The pods were used to birth and grow new bodies. When a Kragak died, their consciousness would transfer into the new body through a process that took several months. Over six-hundred million en-transit Kragak died the final death shortly after you uploaded the virus."
Grimshaw felt the blood drain out of his face at the mention of such a large number.
"A small group of mothers learned that if they linked with the pods containing their genetic material, they could delay the cell degeneration long enough for the consciousness transfer to complete. Most females attempted to save their kin using this method. Many died doing so. Those who survived had their genetic code permanently altered, making it almost impossible to reproduce naturally."
"I knew the death toll was high, but I didn’t know it was that high…or that it would affect so many innocents. I mean, we were following orders." His conversation with Ovious suddenly exploded into his mind. The Chimera General was right. "I was the only one to make it off Gorthore alive. When I came out of the coma, my superiors gave me strict instructions to keep all information classified and shipped me off to Fleet Academy Four where they hoped I would stay out of the way. That was the last I ever heard of the mission. But all those deaths…I mean, a Krag is a Krag. They were hell-bent on wiping us out. It explains why they
retreated so suddenly."
"No doubt your superiors knew a lot more than they let on. Regardless, when you uploaded the virus, the Kragak believe that a copy of their data left an impression on your fury implant before the original was corrupted."
"Are you saying their machines uploaded something into my brain?"
"To put it bluntly, yes. We ran scans during your medical and confirmed that their suspicions are correct. Since it originates with the Ancients, we can’t decipher the code. But it appears that you are carrying a perfect record of the program the virus destroyed."
Grimshaw touched the back of his head where his neural implant had been installed. It explained a lot. Ever since the Battle of Gorthore, he often felt like there was something inside his head that shouldn’t have been there. He had always assumed it was related to post-traumatic stress. "I take it you want me to give them a copy?"
"Doing so would progress your cause more than you could imagine."
"That’s the real reason you want me to go."
"It’s one of many reasons I’ve already outlined. The code must be extracted by one of their machines the same way it got into your mind in the first place."
"Won’t that fix the replication machines that made them so dangerous in the first place?"
"No. Most of the replication hardware was destroyed when the virus spread. Providing the code will simply allow them to repair the female genome you damaged, thus significantly speeding up the return of their natural reproductive abilities. As it stands, the majority of an entire generation remain infertile."
"You’re asking for a lot, Administrator. If the Krags grow in numbers again, they could be an even greater threat than the Aphnai."
"Unlike the Aphnai, one can reason with the Kragak, regardless of what preconceptions you may have. It is a lot to ask, but we will receive a lot in return. They will lend us their full strength. It will likely swing the balance of power in the Separatist’s favor, and it may win over the stubborn Traditionalists."
"We’ve got two days?"
The Galactic Sentinel: Ultimate Edition: 4 Books with 2000+ Pages of Highly Entertaining Sci-Fi Space Adventure Page 80
