by Chris Fox
"Mmm, I think I could do that. I just need spivo wire, and a starlight generator. How much matter do you need to warp?" She blinked those large eyes.
The captain reached into his pocket, producing a dat drive the size of his thumbnail. "Just this."
Hannan could have kissed the man. "You're going to send a report to the admiral."
"That's the plan, yes. We have critical information, and we can't risk using Quantum," Nolan pointed out. "First, we need to build this device. Then we can try communicating with home. Aluki, we'll need a generator capable of powering two uses."
"Why?" the Whalorian asked, blinking up at him.
"Because after R&D examines the device, I'm hoping she'll send us an answer."
Chapter 25- The Resistance
T'kon flared his lower nostrils, drinking deeply of the basement's cool air. It helped keep him calm, preventing his fur from spiking into green. These humans might not know what the color signified, but he didn't want to give them cause to wonder. It was deadly difficult; the weight of what he'd just learned nearly crushed him to the floor.
This Coalition could produce cores. If he could learn that secret, and bring it back to the Azi clan...it would change everything. They'd lift his banishment, and elevate him back into the leadership caste. A single one of these war machines might free his people from Takkar's boot.
"I apologize for the interruption," Nolan said, walking back over.
T'kon hadn't paid much attention to the squabbles of the warriors. He was still digesting the knowledge he'd been given. "That's quite all right, Captain." He took another deep breath, maintaining his calm. "If Aluki says your plan is viable, then I trust her. She's proven quite resourceful, despite her appearance."
"Mmm, quite a challenge you've given me." Aluki waddled over, giving a wide smile that exposed her baleen. "I am eager to attempt this. I haven't experimented much with warp generators, but I understand their usage."
"I will escort her to the market, Captain. The pair of us are less likely to draw attention." It would also give T'kon time to think, to consider options. He had no particular loyalty to these aliens, but he loathed stealing. The idea of just taking a core--particularly from allies--was...distasteful.
"That's probably a good idea, but I have no way of confirming you'd come back. I'd feel safer sending at least one of my men with you. Any objections?" The way Nolan phrased the question made it clear it wasn't optional.
"Very prudent, Captain. If you can spare two warriors, it might be even safer."
"Hannan, Nuchik--front and center," Nolan barked. His clipped words would have been the envy of any slavemaster.
The soldiers he'd indicated hurried over, snapping to attention. T'kon was fairly certain both were female, though he wouldn't swear before a seeker.
"Which of your warriors has command, Captain?" T'kon asked.
"Hannan, you'll be in charge of combat operations. Get Aluki to the market, and ensure that she gets what she needs. I'm attaching T'kon here as an advisor. Listen to what he has to say. Get everyone back here in one piece, and do it without being detected."
"Captain," Burke called, stalking up. "Are you sure Nuchik is the best choice? As you pointed out, her armor hasn't been properly modified. She'll stand out."
"Don't worry, Burke," Hannan said with a chilly smile. "I can help her get ready. It will just take a minute. I know the 1st doesn't like to get dirty, but we're going to show you how to do things our way."
"Get on that, Hannan," Nolan ordered.
Burke did not seem pleased. His eyes communicated a clear challenge, one that any Ganog would have had no choice but to answer with violence. Yet eventually the fiery-haired soldier relented, stalking to the far side of of the cavernous garage.
"Watch yourself around that one," T'kon cautioned. "He will bury a blade in your back, given a chance."
"Not on my watch, he won't," Hannan taunted. She sealed her helmet, obscuring her features.
The woman with the rifle followed, bolting on her helmet as well.
"I will keep them safe, Captain." T'kon turned to Aluki. "Lead the way, little one. We will acquire the things you need."
Chapter 26- Carnifex
"Admiral, I've got Senator Carnifex on the line," Juliard said, looking up from her console.
"Senator," Fizgig scoffed, shaking her head. She took a moment to groom an errant lock on her shoulder, putting off the call for as long as she dared. She loathed politics more than she did getting wet.
"Put it on screen." She blinked up at the large display, which resolved into a familiar Jaguara. His spotted fur gleamed, too lustrous for his age. "You've dyed your fur, Carnifex? I'd heard you'd gone soft, but I never imagined this."
"Do not seek to bait me, Mighty Fizgig," Carnifex growled. His tail bristled, and he licked his chops in a transparent attempt to show his fangs. "I still remember our duel on Jaguara. Since then, I've come to respect you. It is for that reason alone that I am willing to hear this mad plea."
"It is no plea," Fizgig countered. "It is an order, signed by the president himself. I have been given operational authority, and I'm ordering you to evacuate your Pride."
"You are Tigris, Fizgig. You understand that such a thing isn't possible." Carnifex shook his head sadly, ears twitching. "My people have gathered from many prides, setting aside their differences in favor of a single dream. They've built a home here. They will not abandon it."
"You said much the same thing when I counseled you to leave Jaguara ahead of the Void Wraith invasion," Fizgig pointed out. She, too, shook her head. "Our people must live, Carnifex. They respect you. They will listen to you. They must be persuaded to leave, and leave quickly. Already this new enemy has scouted half a dozen uninhabited systems. They are getting closer, and another jump could bring them here."
Carnifex paused, and for a moment there was a glimmer of his old self--the warlord who'd ruled the most ruthless pride. He'd changed much in the years since, had grown in many ways and softened in others. Yet in this instance she needed the man he'd been, not the man he was.
"I've broadcast the footage from the battle at Ganog 7." Fizgig pressed the attack. "Review time index one one seven point six."
The time index showed one of the dreadnoughts firing its main cannon, its target coming apart at the seems.
"By Tigrana, they vaporized a cruiser in one shot," Carnifex whispered. His eyes had gone wide; his tail stopped swishing.
"That is not the worst of it." Fizgig waited for him to finish reviewing the footage.
"What is that...monstrosity?" he finally demanded.
"We do not know their name for it, but it appears to be a two-thousand-meter-tall reptile. Armor and weaponry have been attached, much as we'd augment our own species. The cannon, as you can see, can fire into orbit. They are powerful, certainly. They tore apart our ground forces. Your own troops will fare no better if they bring these things here. Even if they do not, you can see their fleet in action. The best efforts of my entire fleet damaged a single capital ship. We lost six vessels, and had we not tricked them we'd have been wiped out to a man."
"What do they want from us?" Carnifex asked.
"Conquest, I expect. We don't know for certain. We know little, save that they are hostile. Nolan was left behind on their planet." She wasn't certain why she'd told him that, except because he was one of the few who understood what that meant.
"Goddess willing, he lives." Carnifex touched his paw to his forehead. "He is a canny one, as humans go. I suspect this enemy will find it difficult to kill him."
"I tend to agree, but the odds are considerable. Dryker has refused to let me mount a rescue." Fizgig's tail slashed through the air, back and forth.
"He is likely right to do so, but I chafe being told by a human what we can or cannot do. Our people have changed much in a short time, to accept such things." Carnifex twitched his ears sadly, then shook his head. "Get back to your war, Mighty Fizgig. I will convince my people to
run, for now at least. We will batten down our homes, and hope the day of our return comes swiftly. I would know, though: how will you fight this invader? You never engage in a battle you do not believe you can win."
"By not fighting," Fizgig explained. "If your enemy seeks a war they know they can win, then do not give them war. We are withdrawing from the border worlds, at least until we have the tools to resist."
"Tools forged in this mysterious Birthplace no one will admit exists." Carnifex gave her an accusing stare.
"It is not my secret to tell, Carnifex. My job is to keep the enemy from our throats long enough to forge a dagger for his throat. I can say no more."
Fizgig's next stop was to the Birthplace, but she could say nothing of that. Not even to Carnifex.
Chapter 27- Cores
Krekon labored under the rarest of emotions: fear. It leaked into his fur, staining it a sallow yellow. He hated that fact, the knowledge that he had so little control that he couldn't banish a simple emotion. Yet the fear was justified.
The platform zoomed ever closer to Takkar's command island, and he could smell the nervousness from his Saurians. They prowled about the edges of the disk, as if seeking escape. Underlying that fear was rage--rage at the deaths of their companions.
The platform finally reached the island, swooping down to hover near the edge. The Saurians moved as one, forming a defensive screen. Krekon hopped off as well, walking slowly toward the command dais. Takkar stood atop it, regally delivering orders to his techsmith. His fur was a truly alarming shade of red.
"Clan Leader, you requested my presence." Krekon knelt, dropping his gaze to Takkar's feet. The fact that Takkar hadn't warped him in this time was puzzling, and more than a little alarming. Either he had greater priorities, or he had already decided Krekon's fate.
Either way, Krekon didn't like the formality.
"I did." Takkar's tone was mild, but his fur didn't lighten. Not even a shade. "Tell me, Krekon--if one of your hounds failed you as completely as you have failed me, what would you do?"
"I would have his packmates devour him while he still lived." Krekon's reply came without thought, even though it was possible Takkar would visit the same fate upon him.
"A fair punishment, I think." Takkar turned to face him, and Krekon was glad he was already staring at the white metal floor. "Fortunately for you, I have greater problems."
"The war does not proceed to your liking, Clan Leader?" Krekon asked, mildly surprised. This new species was weak--too weak to challenge them, certainly. Their first fleet had been destroyed to a man, without inflicting a single casualty. Their second had fared only marginally better.
"No, it does not," Takkar thundered. His fur blackened. "On nine worlds--each pulled from the databanks we plundered, each supposedly a colonized world--we have sought to engage them. In every case the colony was empty. There was no sign of enemy forces. We found nothing. Not a single labor-slave. They are abandoning their worlds. This enemy commander is the most cowardly I have ever faced. I will feast upon his heart. He cannot run forever."
Krekon waited in silence, withering under the weight of Takkar's rage. All he could do was pray to avoid his notice, as one did with the Nameless Ones.
"What have you found, Krekon? Give me something, or I may lose control."
"I possess something that may help, Clan Leader. Something that may ease your ire." Krekon waved to his Saurians, who laboriously carried a chrome case to the Clan Leader's feet. They opened it, revealing the fabulous contents.
"What am I looking at, Krekon?" Takkar asked. His fur had already lightened to a curious blue.
"They are cores, Clan Leader. cores constructed by these humans." Krekon trailed off, knowing he'd said enough.
Takkar's gaze became calculating, as he worked out the implications, just as Krekon had. "With just a few of these cores we could double our supply of planetstriders. We'd finally be strong enough to conquer the rest of the Imperium."
Krekon smiled, satisfied that his discovery had saved his life.
Chapter 28- A Plan
Nolan appended the last few images to his report, then saved the file to his dat crystal. It, along with the other files, explained their findings here. T'kon's data on the planetstriders would probably be the most vital, but the data about the Imperium and the Ganog would also be useful. One needed to understand an enemy, before one could beat them.
Most important of all, of course, was the idea that there was a discontented populace eager to overthrow cruel masters. The ka'tok were vital to every part of the Ganog Imperium, but the Ganog appeared to ignore and underestimate their laborers. Their help would be needed in freeing this planet. Even if Nolan didn't survive long enough to see that happen, what he did here would ensure that Fizgig finish what he started.
"Mmm, Captain?" Aluki waddled up, seizing his hand with a rubbery glove. "I've completed the prototype. Come, see what Annie and I have constructed." She hummed happily as she tugged him away from the hunk of metal he'd been using as a camp chair.
Nolan allowed the Whalorian to lead him toward their hastily assembled work bench, where Lena and Annie were staring down at a rusty cube. A bundle of wires extended from the back of the cube, clipped to what he guessed was a portable battery pack.
"That's it?" he asked, mildly surprised by the lack of complexity.
"Mm, that's it." Aluki beamed with pride. "It has enough power for two uses, and has a cargo slot large enough for your dat crystal. Does it meet your requirements?"
"Yes, yes it does." Nolan couldn't help but grin. "Well done, Aluki. This is exactly what we needed. We can finally bring the Coalition up to speed on the Imperium."
"Hey, I helped on that contraption," Annie pointed out, given Nolan a gap-toothed grin. "I soldered the wires to that triangle-looking thing."
"Yes, yes. Annie was very helpful." Aluki patted Annie's leg. "Hannan and Nuchik, also helpful. They protected me while I met with my suppliers. Your race is quite resourceful."
"Aluki," Lena said, her voice thoughtful. "This power supply, what is it? The readings it gives off are similar to one of our fusion reactors, but it seems to produce an order of magnitude more power."
"Mmm, it's called a starlight generator. We can no longer manufacture them, but we can recharge them. They were very, very common at the beginning of the Imperium. There were hundreds of millions. The supply has dwindled, but they can still be found on nearly any world. Broken ones make their way back to Imperalis, where the techsmiths repair them."
"I imagine R&D will dismantle it, before replying with a message," Nolan mused. "Sending them one of these starlight generators could be as important as telling them about warp technology. Aluki, is there any chance that the Imperium will detect the warp?"
"Mm, it's possible but I don't think so. The power signature is very small." The stocky alien turned toward T'kon, who was lounging against a nearby mech, watching them silently. "T'kon, you are Ganog. What you do you think?"
"It's extremely unlikely they can detect the warp," T'kon rumbled quietly. "There are scanners capable of such a thing, but they are expensive and rarely deployed. You also have to understand Ganog mindset. If their elites were stranded behind enemy lines, it would be their duty to inflict as much damage as possible before dying. Gathering intel is something relegated to the leadership caste, not the warrior caste. I do not think they will suspect such a tactic, or guard against it. However, Krekon is canny. If any Ganog would think to monitor warps, it would be he."
"It's worth the risk. Hannan, Burke, get over here." Nolan ordered. He waited for both to approach before continuing. "Get your respective squads into a state of readiness. I want lookouts posted in the superstructure above. You can work out shifts."
"Which one of us is in charge?" Burke asked, eyeing Nolan suspiciously.
"You are, Burke."
Hannan's head shot up, and Nolan saw the heat in her gaze--but her jaw locked, and she held her tongue.
"Why?
" Burke asked. His confusion seemed genuine.
"Because, Lieutenant, you made some unfortunate and unfounded remarks about my squad's level of discipline, and here's the thing: I know Hannan will follow orders if I put you in charge. If I put her in charge, I'd have to worry about you undermining her authority. You think you're better than us, and I can't have you questioning Hannan's judgement in a critical situation because you think you're hot shit."
"I see." Burke's face went stony as he watched Hannan. "All right sir, we'll get patrols set up immediately. Hannan, Nuchik, you're with me." Burke led the others up the ramp and out of sight.
"Well done, Captain," T'kon rumbled.
"We'll see," Nolan said. "Aluki, I've got a job for you as well. You can take T'kon with you, if you think it's necessary."
"Mmm, what do you need me to do?" she asked, blinking large eyes.
"If this was my world, people would hate the Imperium. They'd be angry after an attack like the one Krekon made on the market." Nolan folded his arms, hoping he was right in his assumptions. "My people would be ready to fight back, given the opportunity. The question is, are yours? Do you know of anyone who might be willing to help us free this world?"
"That's a tough question." Aluki wrung her hands. She rocked back and forth for several seconds before speaking. "I think so, yes. We are not warrior caste, but some will fight. Others will be willing to help in small ways, passing word or helping us get weapons. They could still be useful. The Saurians are our best bet. They might fight."
"Good. How quickly can you meet with these Saurians?" Nolan asked.
"Mmm, I can go right now." Aluki gave one of those large grins. "The Ganog call us ka'tok. But we will teach them that we have teeth. Well...some races have teeth. Not Whalorians."
