Stark returned a stare for several seconds, his dark eyes peering through the holes of his hood. “More difficult than the first. We lost close to two thousand men. Good fighters. They shall be missed. The Karthian fighters… I would place their losses at several hundred thousand. I would not want them defending Earth. They are too easily panicked and overwhelmed. I would believe we shot more in the back than the chest. They have a propensity to scatter when confronted.”
Geerok smiled. “So Miramont II is finally in the hands of the Union?”
Stark nodded. “What’s left of it. I’m afraid we may have damaged the assets the Union was hoping to acquire. No matter, the Karthians are no longer in possession of the resources in that system, which includes a small gatrellium mine. I negotiated a 10 percent stockpile of all mined resources be set aside for future Human use.”
Stark looked down at Mace’s lap. “An AR. I’ve chosen the AK for my troops. We’ve gone with the heavier round, which has the benefit of penetrating the battlesuits of the Karthians. Most of our fighting is within a hundred yards, while chasing the slow Karthians. The AK-47 suits us well. And there is a significant stockpile of the ammunition still available.”
Mace replied, “The AR has worked well for us. A hit takes any of these smaller aliens out of the fight.”
Stark nodded. “Indeed. But we aren’t looking to preserve lives or take prisoners, Mr. Hardy. This is war. And we fight to win.”
Stark turned back to face Geerok. “We landed just over forty thousand troops on the planet. Fighting was conducted simultaneously in five districts. The Karthians had just over three million fighters stationed there. They surrendered with closer to two million remaining.”
Mace asked. “The Dauntless out there, whose is it?”
Stark replied, “That would be the Quelli. I would describe them as having tiny lion heads on a furry child’s body. Bipeds, like most of the other sentients of the Union, but with a big yellow mane surrounding their wide, fuzzy face and large eyes. They are petrified of catching fire, by the way; my men accidentally set several ablaze. Oh, the wailing and the terror in their eyes as their friends burned was very telling. A Human will wince and look away. A Quelli, well, they freeze and shake uncontrollably until the ordeal is over. If you ever find yourself in a fight with them, light one up and the rest will become as docile as lambs.”
Mace shook his head. “I don’t know what bothers me more, the fact that your people did that, or the fact that you like it.”
Stark replied, “We are at war, Mr. Hardy. There are winners and there are losers. If you hesitate to kill your enemy, it is you who may pay the price.”
“I’ve killed before, Stark. Not something to relish or celebrate. A life is a life.”
Stark returned a single snicker. “I do hope we don’t meet in battle one day, Mr. Hardy. I feel I might be disappointed in the challenge. Which brings me to another topic. Mr. Geerok? Why were these Humans hiding in your storage closet? Have you defected to their side? You do realize that is punishable by death, don’t you?”
Geerok nodded. “I was captured by these Humans. I consider myself already dead. If not by your hand then by the Union itself.”
Stark laughed as he turned back toward Mace. “Don’t you find their attitudes fascinating? He sits here before us, living and breathing, and yet he considers himself dead. It’s as if these aliens all accept death as being inevitable, and from a certain point on they no longer try to live. Very unhuman-like of them.
“Now, Mr. Hardy, you are here and you did not shoot me in the back. I can only come to the conclusion that you seek something from me. Please tell me what that is so that I might get on with my business. I do have a family I would like to visit.”
Mace said, “A family? I find that shocking. I would think you would be one to avoid vulnerabilities.”
Stark nodded. “I am actually a very devout and loyal person in that regard. I have been married to the same woman for eighteen years. I worship the ground she walks on, and she… mine. If I asked her to take her life for me right here today, she would do it in an instant, as I would do for her. I take it you are more of a loner?”
Mace replied, “Not here to discus personal relations with you. What I’d like to know is, what are your commitments to the Galactic Union? I believe there are a few things you don’t know about them. And I’m interested in knowing if that’s true. Are you a ‘yes’ man? Just along for the ride? Or do you have bigger plans? And feel free to talk in front of the admiral. As he said, he already considers himself dead.”
Stark frowned. “I would not regard my giving information to you without something in return as a fair trade. Perhaps you have information you would like to offer?”
Mace thought. “Tell you what. You tell me something I don’t know and I’ll decide if it’s worth something I know.”
Stark propped his elbows on the arms of his chair. His hands were raised with his fingers tapping together as he thought. Mace leaned back in his chair in wait.
Stark said, “We have been approached by two of the founder species with offers for a direct alliance with them.”
Mace replied, “Us too.”
Stark looked toward Geerok. “The Mawga’s original intent was for us to staff their armies. The tainted food, the community centers, it has all been an effort to bring us to where we were before the Union entered the picture.”
Mace replied, “We sent ten thousand Australians through to the Kaachi. They turned them over to the Dellus, and the Union subsequently got involved in Earth affairs from that point.”
Stark turned. “Are you saying the Union has another ten thousand Humans out there fighting for them?”
Mace shook his head. “We believe the Dellus kept them to themselves. Only a handful of Kaachi knew of our deal, we think the Dellus may have done away with them. And we think they actually had us do away with those who knew. They sent through a handful of cruisers and forced us to annihilate them.”
Stark nodded. “I see. So the Dellus are attempting to have their own Human army.”
Mace asked, “Who were the two species that attempted to ally with you?”
Stark replied, “That would be the Targarians and the Quelli, the two species that were sent to escort us to and from battle. And you?”
Mace stroked his beard. “The Dellus and the Targarians, the only two founder species we’ve had interaction with. We captured a Dellus Dauntless, which you destroyed, and a Targarian Muhatha, which we got sloppy with, allowing them to drug one of our people. That ship jumped out of this system to who knows where.”
Stark said, “The Karthians are more powerful than the Galactic Union. Only all these aliens seem to be bound by agreements they sign with their enemies. The Karthian ships are more capable, but their soldiers are just as we see here with the Mawga, weak and unmotivated to fight. The Karthians and the Union agreed more than a century ago not to engage each other with ships, leaving the ground game for each to use when fighting the other. I can’t say I ever remember reading anything similar with regard to our own history.”
Mace replied, “Just go back a couple hundred years when war was fought by lining all your men up to face each other directly. Apply today’s strategies and tactics to one side or the other and those fights would have been a slaughter. If anything, these species are just living in the past. They want what the other has, but they aren’t motivated to take it at all costs.”
Stark smiled, “And that shall be their downfall. Now, tell me more about the Muhatha ship. I hear there is nothing more powerful. Also, we’ve been told the Karthian ships have not been able to penetrate its shields. You had a Muhatha in your possession. How did you lose it?”
Mace sat forward. “As I said, they we able to drug our crewman. And enough questions about us. What are your intentions with the Union?”
Stark replied, “I’ll continue to gain their trust, and at some future point I’ll make my move. I’ve entertained conversations w
ith the Targarians and the Quelli. I’d like to have interaction with the others if possible. That strategy will suit two purposes. The first will be to determine who the strongest ally would be. The second is to know the strengths and weaknesses of each of them. You see, Mr. Hardy, any such alliance would only be temporary. I have no intention of having Humans answer to any of these vermin. We are superior, and as such, we will rule this galaxy.”
“So you are pro-Human? Is that what I’m hearing? You’re doing all this for the Human race? This isn’t about Malcom Stark and him being power hungry?”
Stark leaned back in his chair. “I’ll admit to having that motivation when I began. The power of commanding people was invigorating. Ultimate power does bring its rewards, Mr. Hardy. At times, I could feel the blood coursing through my veins.
“However, I now see myself as the enabler for Mankind. The power I seek will be for all of us. I have a son. He has given me the vision I now have. I will see to it that Mankind is successful, and my legacy to him will be that I was the Human who brought this about. Would I step down when my goals have been achieved? Perhaps. But I don’t believe there to be any Human with a better strategy or better opportunity to get us there.”
Johnny said, “You are so full of yourself. You execute your own people. You stomp on their rights. You’ll betray those who you ally with in a heartbeat, if you think it suits your purpose. You sound more like a maniacal Hitler type than a leader of all mankind.”
Stark replied, “Sacrifices had to be made early on. Some of those were difficult decisions, but they served a purpose. Had I not taken those steps, we would still be dealing with a fractured Human community. The Chinese would mistrust the Russians, who would squabble with the Australians, who would in turn refuse to work with the Brazilians.
“Under Malcom Stark, those cultural differences have been replaced by the larger image of us all being Human. We are a united world against the galaxy now, Mr. Tretcher. That unity would not be here without my efforts. In the grand scheme of things, when historians write about these times, those early sacrifices will be viewed as worthwhile.”
Stark turned back to face Mace Hardy. “So, Mr. Hardy, I ask you again, why did you come here? What do you want of me?”
Mace shifted in his chair. “We came here to feel you out. We may be dealing with the devil, but at the moment I don’t see that we have a good alternative. I’d like to know what your level of interest would be in a somewhat loose alliance between us. I’m not talking about us joining your fight against the enemies of the Union. I’m talking about us both taking steps to ensure the safety and prosperity of the Earth.
“The Union sees Humans as a resource to be used for their own purposes. I have no interest in the Union being successful with their efforts. I want Earth free and Humans in charge of our own destiny. And that goes all the way down to the individual level. Kings are absolute rulers where the individual is nothing more than a subject. I’d like to see us get back to an elected government. Not a self-appointed one.”
Stark slowly nodded. “I see. And I am not in total disagreement with you. In fact, I have a team that is working on eventually setting up elections at the lower levels of our organization. It’s not to the degree of what you seek, but it is a small step in that direction.
“You see, Mr. Hardy, the Earth needs a strong leader, not some rule-by-committee group where the attendees argue to no end while our enemies gain advantage. We need a leader to unite us all, or we become nothing more than soldiers for the Union. I, too, want to see a free Earth, an Earth where Humans are in control of our own destiny.
“Where we differ is the path we are each taking to get there. Man has no time to bicker about who’s in control of what. I’m in control. And Mankind is united behind me.”
Malcom Stark stood, clasping his hands behind his back as he began to pace. “This alliance you seek. Tell me what it is you envision?”
Mace replied, “Well, I guess for the time being you’ll keep doing what you’re doing. And we’ll work behind the scenes to make sure the Union’s grip on us doesn’t tighten. So long as Earth is dependent on food from the Union, they can control us.
“And the drugs they have our people on in the community centers, that has to stop. We need people who can think and act and contribute, not zombies that gleefully follow every order passed down to them from anyone.
“I see us providing information to each other. Information about what the Union is doing. I’d like to know where their weaknesses are, and how they could be exploited — what their strengths are, and what should we avoid.”
Mace rubbed his forehead. “Tell me, Stark, what do you know of the harvests?”
Stark stopped, raising his hands in question. “You’ll have to enlighten me as to what you are referring to, Mr. Hardy. Would that be the farms that were never constructed?”
Mace shook his head. “This has to do with the baby boom we’re about to experience. It seems the Mawga procedures were performed with more than one purpose in mind. We’re expecting two hundred million new Humans in the coming weeks.
“What we weren’t told was the Mawga ran a side operation with these procedures. They harvested four billion Human embryos from this effort. Those embryos have all been taken to the Mawga worlds, and five million of them are now growing in Mawga birthing centers.
“If all goes well, the Mawga hope to raise those Humans as soldiers for their own armies. Those would be Humans that were taught loyalty to the Mawga from birth, Humans that were taught nothing of their origins, and Humans who know nothing but the art of war.”
Stark turned to face the admiral. “Geerok? Is this true?”
Geerok nodded.
Mace added, “Those five million will be ready to fight in fourteen years. And there’s a reason the implantations here on Earth were all female. The Mawga want the Human population here to come to an end. That takes the Humans out of the ranks of the Union armies. The females being born here are also sterile. I suspect most of the embryos in the Mawga’s possession are male, with a set number being female who would in turn be used for breeding purposes.”
Stark stood in front of the pudgy Mawga admiral. “You deceived me, Mr. Geerok.”
Geerok replied, “I was merely following orders. If you wish to squash my head or blow me out of an airlock, please feel free to do so. I am at peace with my life’s accomplishments. Whatever happens to me from here on is of no consequence.”
Stark smirked. “Hmm. I have no intention of killing you. You are now a resource, to be used as you have used us. I will be calling on you to do my bidding soon enough.”
Mace said, “Stark, when you talk to your people, see what strategy you can come up with for bringing the harvests home. And take the Mawga to task for working to get our farms back online. We need to be off our dependence on the Mawga food.”
Stark stopped his pacing in font of Mace. “And what will you being doing with your time, Mr. Hardy?”
Mace replied, “We’re going to see about securing more food. When that’s done, we’ll switch to a rescue of the harvests. And I have one more thing to ask of you. We need inertial dampener transducers, reactors, and the power heads of the most powerful plasma cannons. Any of those you could somehow get for us in secret would be appreciated. Oh, and gravity drives as well.”
Stark asked, “Those will be a tall order. Building your own ships?”
Mace nodded. “Something like that. Any of those you can provide will help the cause.”
Stark sat in a chair beside Mace. “Now that we have come to a end of our discussion, it appears one of us is trapped on a ship with nowhere to go. A fast Quelli ship is parked nearby. I’m curious to know what your escape plan is.”
Mace replied, “We came prepared. All I would ask is that you have your thugs out in the hallways stand down.”
Geerok asked, “And what is to happen to me?”
Mace took a deep breath. “You, Admiral, will be our man inside the
Mawga Empire. As far as your people know, you have not been compromised. Your abduction and subsequent escape can be explained away, and I would predict the outcome of that won’t have an impact on your status. You will, however, continue to feed us information, or your superiors will learn of your compromise.”
The admiral shook his head. “I’m afraid that is not possible, Mr. Hardy. The Galactic Union will investigate my disappearance to no end. If any suspicion is raised at all I would be executed immediately. There are a hundred Geeroks that would be happy to move into my position. I’m afraid my time with the empire has come to an end.”
Stark said, “He’s right. He’d be dead within a few weeks. If you have use for him then take him with you. Otherwise, we’ll see to it he has a quick death without telling any secrets. The Union wouldn’t question my actions on this.”
Geerok nodded. “I appreciate your offer, Mr. Stark.”
Mace sighed. “Fine. Geerok, you’ll come with us. Now, in order to keep you from trouble, Mr. Stark, we’ll need to take you to bay five at gunpoint. We have a shuttle there that will get us off this ship safely.”
Mace stood. “Shall we go?”
Stark gestured, “Lead the way.”
Mace shook his head. “No, you lead the way. I’ll be right behind you. And for the benefit of us all, please ask all of your men on this boat to stand down. We don’t want you or any of your trigger-happy subjects to die trying to save the king. And I asked that you remove that hood. Peel it off.”
Stark replied, “I think it best that I remain anonymous. If any of you have seen my face and are captured, the Union will know what I look like. As it is, my hidden identity adds to my persona. I’d prefer to keep it that way. They find it rather intimidating.”
Mace sighed. “Fine.”
Johnny said, “You’re not serious, are you? You letting him off the hook?”
“For the moment at least, we’re on the same side. Until our people can feed themselves, and those embryos are returned, we’re stuck with this unholiest of alliances.”
HADRON Revelation Page 7
