by Aer-ki Jyr
“In Star Force, those with the highest skills lead. Thus the military leaders are the most combat capable and we belong on the front lines in the thickest of combat. Especially when we have abilities that the others do not. Do not be alarmed, but I am going to demonstrate,” Aaron said, gently picking him up out of his seat with his Lachka and floating him in the air.
A string of shocked curses didn’t translate through the program, and Dashmir’s eyes remained wide and glowing when Aaron sat him back down.
“How can you do this?”
“Biological weapons carefully woven into our genetic code. All Archons have them. The rest of our troops do not, for the most part. This is part of the reason why we go into combat where others dare not.”
“Can you help us evacuate other worlds?”
“Possibly, but it would take time to get a message sent back and even more time to get even a small evacuation fleet here. How many more systems do you have?”
“I don’t know for sure,” he said as Aaron delved more deeply along those memories than he’d been able to do before. “At least 50 or 60. I know four have been destroyed, not counting here. Is there anyone else left?”
“No. The last points of resistance have been overwhelmed. We’ve seen no evidence that the Skarrons are taking prisoners, and portions of the attacking fleet are already transitioning out of the system.
The Protovic closed his eyes as if he were about to cry, his glowing blue lids replacing the deeper blow glow of his eyes, but after a moment of intense emotion he gathered himself and looked at Aaron again.
“What race are you?”
“Human. We founded Star Force, but now we make up only a small portion of it. All Archons are Human, but not all Humans are Archons.”
“How can we assist you?”
“By telling me as much as you can about your people. If there’s a way to assist what’s left of your civilization with my three ships we will, but we can’t stop an invasion of that size no matter how many of their vessels we kill.”
“Why didn’t they attack you?”
“They didn’t get the chance. Our ships are faster than theirs. If we keep moving they can’t catch us. Right now we’re sitting far out in the system where their gravity drives can’t take them with any decent speed. We’ll stay here until we determine where to go next.”
“We were promised help before, but it has not been forthcoming. They just let us die.”
“Who?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
“The Li’vorkrachnika. A large empire that fought back against the Skarrons and conquered their worlds on our border. We brokered a deal with them to help defend this region, but when the Skarrons came with such great numbers they did not come to our aid. Not a single ship.”
“We are at war with the Li’vorkrachnika,” Aaron admitted, “and we conquered and captured their homeworld. We cannot push this far out from our current territory, so they have migrated further coreward. They had another ally, one that betrayed us, and in the end they too were destroyed by the Skarrons. The Li’vorkrachnika only make deals to benefit themselves, and inevitably they will betray you when it suits them. This is something we also came to warn you about.”
“You’re stronger than them?”
“Far stronger.”
“And why would you want to help us?”
“Because we can, and because it’s what we do. We’re protectors, not butcherers like the Skarrons. We’re currently fighting many wars on our other borders, against enemies stronger than the Li’vorkrachnika in some places. I came here because we seek out and find every Protovic civilization that we become aware of. I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances, though.”
“I am grateful. But I do not see the point in saving us. Without the Li’vorkrachnika support we were promised, we cannot survive this.”
“I know.”
“But you said there are other Protovic out there? How many?”
“We’ve found over 230 different civilizations. Some with only a handful of people surviving in a small settlement. Others have planets full of them. Yours is the largest we know of.”
“How many have joined you?”
“We accept individuals from all, though some groups have completely joined us. A few not by their own choosing. Some Protovic act as the Skarrons do, and we had to stop them.”
“You wanted to know if we were honorable?”
“Among other things, yes.”
“And your conclusion?”
“Based on your memories and those of the others here, your civilization has done some bad things but it does not deserve what the Skarrons are doing to you. The Li’vorkrachnika do, and we’re happy to watch them fight each other, but you’re caught in the middle of it.”
“If I tell you a planet to go to, to see our leaders, will you still take us with you back to your territory?”
“If you wish, yes. I won’t trade you off for others or make you leave if your leaders demand it. We saved you from death, now you are ours to care for until you decline that help.”
Dashmir sagged in his seat, and this time he did start crying with relief.
“You will be welcome amongst the other Protovic,” Aaron promised him. “Tell me where to go so I can figure out if there are others that can be saved as well.”
“Do not go to the capitol. They will most likely fire on you and try to steal your ships. Go to Dfarch. The Empress there is trustworthy…if the Skarrons haven’t killed her yet.”
Aaron brought up a starmap over the table, zoomed in to their present location.
“Show me where to go.”
2 weeks later…
Aaron strode up through the throne room on Dfarch, escorted by more than 20 Orange Protovic with heavy beam rifles while he was in his armor but carrying no weapons. The atmosphere was compatible with his lungs, but he wasn’t about to come down onto an alien planet without some protection hence he’d insisted on his armor being worn, though there was no one else with him and his dropship was over 6 miles away at the royal airfield. He’d been brought here via a ground vehicle and now was approaching a posse of elaborately dressed, and in some cases scantily clad, Protovic females sitting and standing on an elevated dais in a myriad of poses.
“I am told you can understand our words,” the female in the most ornate chair said as he was stopped at the base of a shallow staircase before her.
“I can,” Aaron said, with his armor translating back into their native language, now more efficiently than before thanks to many tweaks made during the trip here.
“Speak then. Why have you come to me?”
“I was told that you were the most reasonable Protovic leader.”
“Flattery aside, if you will.”
“My empire has a policy of seeking out any and all Protovic civilizations that we can find. Yours was recently made aware to us by an enemy of the Skarrons that noticed their invasion into your territory. Thus I have come looking for you.”
That caused a stir, with muffled conversations happening amongst the lot.
“What do you mean by other Protovic?”
“Your civilization is not the only one. In fact, we believe there are Protovic scattered across the entire galaxy.”
More buzz and hushed voices followed, but the Empress didn’t avert her gaze from Aaron.
“Why have you not returned our people that led you here?”
“I rescued them from certain death. I will not leave them with you only to face it a second time. I have offered them sanctuary with us and those that have agreed will be traveling back with me on my ship to our territory where they will join with the Protovic there.”
“There are Protovic within your civilization?”
“They make up a significant faction of it, yes. We have sought out all of you to offer to incorporate you into our empire. There are many different kinds of Protovic,” Aaron said as he used his armor to project a hologram onto the steps between him
and the Empress, nearly sending her protectors into a frenzy but a slightly raised finger from her and they backed off.
“You are what we refer to as ‘Oranges’ based on your secondary color. All others have green as the base, but there are Reds, Blues, Aquas, Pinks, Whites, Purples, and Yellows. Within your genome are suppressed abilities, and each variant has a unique one. Yours is an enhanced strength and speed that has not unlocked yet. Purples have enhanced senses and Pinks have the very rare telepathy that I also possess.”
The Empress moved ever so slightly. “You claim to read minds?”
“I can do more than that,” Aaron said as the room suddenly fell deadly quiet.
The Empress looked around, but no one was moving or talking.
“My apologies, but I think a private conversation is in order. I have temporarily frozen everyone else. My telepathy is stronger than even that which the Protovic possess. I can read minds…and I can also control them. I have left yours untouched so we can talk.”
The Empress stood up as if bitten.
“What treachery is this!” she demanded, but didn’t move more than a step away from her throne.
“We do not have time to play games, Empress. Your people are being annihilated by the Skarrons. I could play coy, talk to no end, bow reverently and all other types of crap, but what is the point? You’ll be dead soon no matter how hard you fight, and every moment that passes is a lost opportunity for some of you to survive. So I am showing you here and now how powerful I am, and while not all others of my kind are equal in skill or strength, our empire is stronger than the Skarrons and currently preparing a defense line in case they choose to attack us as well. They are here to kill the Li’vorkrachnika, but with such a high massing of fleets they will undoubtedly pursue other agendas within the region while assembled. Thus we are preparing to face them again if needed. We beat them the first time and pushed them out of our territory, and with a little more preparation we’ll even be able to hold back the insane fleets attacking you now.”
Of all the emotions swirling through the Protovic, anger flared to the forefront.
“You claim they are here to kill the Li’vorkrachnika?”
“I know it for a fact. They have suffered too many defeats by the Li’vorkrachnika, who have now crossed a boundary that they will not tolerate. They believe, and rightly so, that the only way to defeat the Li’vorkrachnika is to wipe out every last one of them. To do that they have assembled the majority of their fighting forces from across their entire empire to come here and kill them.”
She looked at Aaron gravely. “Then we have been betrayed.”
“Yes you have. They used you to shield themselves. The time and resources spent killing you will slow the Skarrons down a bit, and every world that the Li’vorkrachnika have is pumping out additional troops and ships at an unbelievable rate to counter this Crusade. The more time they have, the more resistance they can put up.”
“What is it that you want of those about to die?”
“To save as many of you as possible. We can’t evacuate your people given the distance involved, at least not with enough ships even if I could get them here in time. But if your people evacuate they will have a destination to run to,” Aaron said, bringing up a starmap and gradually expanding it out until the edge of Star Force territory came into view. A line connected the Protovic to the edge of Ninja Monkey space, then the map expanded out again until it showed all of Star Force territory and as much of lizard and Skarron space as they knew about.
“You are horribly outmatched,” Aaron said as the grandiose scale of the conflict sunk in on her, for she’d never had access to a map beyond the local region. “And you are not close enough for us to come to your aid. But if you can flee to us, you will have sanctuary.”
“In exchange for what?”
“Nothing.”
“If we are of no value to you then there is no cause for you to be here.”
“Yes there is. We’re the good guys. Saving people is what we do…amongst other things.”
“And you demonstrate this by taking control of my people,” she emphasized with a shaky wave of her hand to the living statues around her.
“They’re not harmed, and some of them were going to argue against whatever I said no matter how true. It’s best if you think clearly. I am monitoring your thoughts but not interfering with them. If I wanted to I could make you speak the words ordering an evacuation, but I have come as a potential friend and have no intention of being that rude without cause.”
“And what cause would justify such an offense?”
“Your ego causing people to die who otherwise could have escaped to safety.”
“I still do not believe you have no motive in this.”
“Then I will show you what we have done before, and who we are. It will take a moment, but you might want to sit down.”
“I am not so fragile. Show me what images you wish.”
“The hologram is too slow,” Aaron said as he linked to and started feeding a bunch of his own memories of Star Force into her mind. Halfway through, the effort and the content overwhelmed her and he jumped up the steps to catch her as she fell. He continued with his mental download until complete, then set her back onto her throne as he triggered his helmet to peel back and reveal his pale, unglowing face.
“Ugly, I know. But I’m a friend.”
“You can save us?” she asked, trembling.
“I know I can save some. How many more is up to you and how quickly we can work, but you have to trust me from this moment forward. We do not have time to waste, nor do I have time to explain this to others.”
“They would not believe you…but I do. And if this should be some trick,” she said, standing up as Aaron took a step back to give her room, “we are as sure as dead anyway. I will need my attendants.”
Aaron theatrically snapped his fingers and the people on the dais came back to life. He held onto the escorts and the rest of the people in the room until he’d backed down the stairs to his previous position, then released them…but they freaked out anyway upon seeing his helmet suddenly gone.
“Geez,” he said, waving a hand and rendering them all unconscious as they swarmed him. They fell to the ground as the Empress looked down at him. “They’re fine, but are way too jumpy.”
“Everyone hear me,” she said, gesturing with both hands to all assembled. “This person I declare to be an ally. You will not harm nor hinder him in any way going forward, under penalty. He has come to help us, and I am accepting this on behalf of our people.”
“Good,” Aaron said, climbing the stairs again until he was half a meter away. “Let’s get to work.”
8
November 12, 3574
Hammer System (Core Region)
Ironhold (Clan Scorpion Capitol)
Nero had gotten back two days previously, disbanding his three ships and their complement of warriors and techs that’d he’d worked with so well over the past decade and a half so they could pursue individual agendas or be reassigned to other missions. As for him, he didn’t feel up to commanding again and decided to continue the intensive training he’d put himself into on the trip back.
At the moment he was on the halo track in one of the Scorpion sanctums on the capitol/training world that served as the heart of the entire Star Force mech branch. Here Cora had designed, tested, and created the numerous prototypes that had then gone out and become standard equipment within the empire…but it was also home to their Clan and the only place he felt he should be at the moment.
Nero still couldn’t come to grasps with what happened. It had totally blindsided him and he still couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d made a tragic mistake, though he was unable to pinpoint what it had been.
As he was running on the never ending track that had him traveling ever so slightly ‘up’ in a loop while being perpendicular to the ground thanks to the artificial gravity. Nero had gone through 8 loops on the mile-long track so f
ar, passing most of the other Archons and getting passed by a few, for he wasn’t running hard, rather just maintaining a steady pace that most couldn’t match for more than a single lap.
He was working hard but not intensely, grinding away the big laps when a brush of air hit him as a slightly smaller female body buzzed past…only to turn around and start running backwards in front of him so she could look him in the eyes.
“We need to talk,” Cora said, matching him stride for stride while going in reverse.
“I’m sorry. I would have reported in person but I didn’t think you were on planet,” Nero said, still running. “I assume you got my report.”
“I did, which is why we need to talk,” she said, raising her left hand towards him…with Neo suddenly feeling a pressure on his chest that slowed him down.
“Now?” he asked, not fighting back and coasting to a stop. Cora matched his deceleration then pulled him over to the side of the track to get out of the way of the scattering of traffic coming their way from behind.
“Yes now,” she said, keeping her voice subdued but not whispering or talking with him telepathically. “What error did you make?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think,” Cora prompted.
“I have been thinking, ever since it happened and the entire trip back here. I don’t know where I went wrong.”
“I thought as much. You’re kicking yourself over what happened.”
“Shouldn’t I be?”
“You shouldn’t like it, but unless you can find fault in your actions why are you doing it?”
“Because I left those people to starve to death.”
“Could you have prevented it if you’d stayed?”
“For a few, at least.”
“Which ones?”
“There had to be someone on the planet that wasn’t suicidal.”
“Did you look?”
“Not enough.”
“Did you search at all?” Cora pressed.
“You know we did. It was detailed in my report.”
“Which is how I know that everyone you encountered as hostile. An entire city full of hostile, suicidal, so-called ‘civilians’ without so much as one person who didn’t feel like being an asshole.”
