Star Force: Mak'to'ran (3)

by Aer-ki Jyr

  That could not be permitted, and he was grateful that the Era’tran had allotted him command rather than sending someone else to lead their fleet. It put an end to any question of whether or not Mak’to’ran’s ‘rebellion’ was sponsored by the Era’tran, but most suspected anyway and Itaru was not in a position to do anything about it anymore. They were busy trying to hold on to their most valuable systems without ticking off too many factions for fear of them turning against them en mass, which was beginning to happen with this faction of the I’rar’et.

  Messing with the Ter’nat was unacceptable and was uniting many to oppose the Praetaro faction, including the other I’rar’et. What they’d done had crossed a line and incensed everyone in the local regions, but even after having several reclaimed from them the Praetaro were not backing down in the other Ter’nat systems and now he saw why.

  They weren’t just taking custody of the Ter’nat worlds and claiming the Zen’zat that they produced for themselves, for there was no way so many cargo ships would be needed. Zen’zat level individuals were rare amongst Ter’nat and exited their worlds at a trickle, meaning this many vessels here at once were removing more than just Zen’zat…they were taking Ter’nat away too, and Mak’to’ran knew instantly that they were trying to get enough to start their own private Ter’nat colonies where the rest of the V’kit’no’sat would not see when the ones they’d claimed were retaken in short order.

  “Not one of those ships leaves this system,” he ordered his fleet. “Disable only for the transports. Kill the warships if they do not submit.”

  A slew of mental commands to his command deck staff followed, with them organizing and dispersing the fleet off to their individual targets. Some of the ships stayed in stellar orbit to intercept any fleeing vessels, but most of them jumped out to all 7 planets while demanding the I’rar’et stand down.

  Some of them did, and they were not fired upon, but boarding parties comprised mostly of Zen’zat were dispatched and the I’rar’et crews disposed under the threat of destruction if they did not comply. The other I’rar’et ships tried to flee with their cargo ships and the Era’tran forced a fight in multiple locations, focusing on disabling the cargo ships and picking them off one at a time until the last few made it to stellar orbit and ran into the waiting forces there.

  None made it out of the system, but a few of the warships did. Two of them did not, sticking around too long in the exchange of fire and having their gravity drives destroyed. When they continued fighting Mak’to’ran let them be torn apart until no more weapons were functioning, then he called a halt to the carnage in the hope of retrieving some of their Zen’zat. They would tell Mak’to’ran what they knew, or where to get that information, for there hadn’t been time to replace them with new recruits and their oaths of loyalty were to the V’kit’no’sat, not the I’rar’et, and no amount of loyalty to that race would cause them to stand in the way of maintaining the Ter’nat as they were supposed to be.

  Recovery teams were sent out to those wrecked ships and a few I’rar’et were recovered in addition to several hundred Zen’zat. The smaller techs and warriors knew how to hide during battle, whereas the flyers stupidly clung to the air that was easily vented. Mak’to’ran didn’t like fighting any of the V’kit’no’sat races, but the loss of these I’rar’et he didn’t regret. Tampering with the Ter’nat was a treason that only the insane would have considered attempting in the past, but with the fracturing of the empire it seemed that the boldness of traitors was at an all-time high.

  Technically he also belonged in that group because of his illicit psionics, though the difference was that what he was doing was for the V’kit’no’sat, not for personal or racial greed, but that fact underlined how much had changed in the empire so fast. It also imparted the depth of wisdom that Hamob possessed. He had foreseen most of this coming, and while Mak’to’ran hadn’t had cause to use his new psionics much, just having them as backup was a comfort.

  He had to survive, now more than ever, and Hamob had known that from the beginning.

  When the captured Zen’zat from both surrendering and destroyed ships arrived onboard another Era’tran Kafcha, Mak’to’ran transferred over to it and met the thousands of them in the same room. They’d been disarmed, but that much Lachka would still be a problem if they worked together…but that wasn’t going to happen here. Era’tran had initially created the Zen’zat and cared for them more than any other race, and when he entered the otherwise empty hangar bay the Zen’zat moved aside to clear his path as much out of respect as it was prudence, for if he stepped on one that would be enough to kill them outside their armor.

  “The faction of the I’rar’et that you have been serving has committed treason. They have interfered with the Ter’nat and I am here to remedy this betrayal as others are doing so across the galaxy. I have learned that the I’rar’et have been taking Ter’nat away from their refuges. I need to locate where they have gone and the ship databases have been purged. Tell me what you know.”

  Bewoll System, one of the Zen’zat answered telepathically.

  “What is at Bewoll?” he asked, but no one answered.

  “Have any of you been there?”

  Again, no answer.

  “How many shipping runs have been made?”

  This was to be the first to Bewoll, another Zen’zat answered. We do not know what is there, but it was labeled as a Zen’zat facility.

  “How are those boarding the cargo ships being selected? There are too many for traditional methods.”

  Volunteers.

  Mak’to’ran huffed in disgust. Zen’zat were not volunteers, they had to prove their merit and those that did not wish it would never train hard enough to even approach qualifying. To ‘volunteer’ meant standards were not being followed.

  “Why did you stay with the I’rar’et? I put out a call to all Zen’zat to join the new V’kit’no’sat. We are rebuilding what was lost, and your oaths require you to assist the V’kit’no’sat over any racial loyalties.”

  There was a chorus of telepathic responses, most of which were saying they never received his call. A few others claimed that their freedom of movement was being restricted, though they didn’t know why.

  “The truth has been kept from you, little Zen’zat. The empire has fallen, and I have been tasked to rebuild it. The Hadarak border has been all but abandoned, but the Oso’lon and J’gar have moved the mass of their fleets there to hold it. Distrust of them is high, but I do not believe they could all be corrupted. For the moment they are behaving as V’kit’no’sat should. We were created to fight the Hadarak, not each other, and while they hold the line I am leading what some have called a ‘rebellion’ made up of individuals, ships, and systems that have abandoned racial loyalties and wish to reestablish the empire.”

  “I have been receiving many Zen’zat from across the galaxy. Apparently the I’rar’et are blocking communications so you could not hear the messages. Itaru is no longer the functional capitol. A small system named Vviot in Fi’ti territory is and a Conclave has been established. One day we will reclaim Itaru, but for now we must operate in reliable territory. There are many traitors about, some in ideology rather than deeds, and they lay in wait to ambush the loyal. Assassinations are occurring across the galaxy and I have been leading my fleets to purge individual systems of them.”

  “This is not a culling, for these individuals must be drawn out to be identified, and it is a hard, sloppy war but one that we are winning. With every system we gain, a piece of stability returns. The full Era’tran race is allied with us, and the fleet I brought here is from them. I stand alone as leader of the new V’kit’no’sat during this transitional period, and we have a long fight ahead of us to reforge the empire. I require your assistance and your knowledge of what the I’rar’et have done. If they are trying to create a private refuge to recruit Zen’zat from, it cannot be allowed. A Zen’zat’s loyalty is to the V’kit’no’sat. One that is trained and
oath taken to the I’rar’et alone is an abomination.”

  “I do not want to have to hunt down and kill those who should have been our brothers. It is our responsibility to see that they are trained properly, and I need information in order to do so. Tell me everything you know of Bewoll and anything else you think could possibly be of use.”

  What of Terraxis? one of the Zen’zat asked.

  “We have reclaimed it, but the mystery of who their sponsor is remains. We cannot wait to discover it before reforging the empire…but that is my burden to bear, not yours. Give me your knowledge, your strength, and your loyalty as you swore to do the day you became Zen’zat. Do your duty and I shall do mine. Confirm,” he said, sending out a telepathic prompt that the Zen’zat were trained with.

  They responded, and with his Sav-enhanced mind he was able to count and assure that they all had communicated an affirmation. They were loyal Zen’zat, and he would not waste time worrying if one or more were plants. So far he hadn’t discovered any arrogant Zen’zat, and if there ever was such a thing the loyal Zen’zat would deal with it.

  “You are prisoners no more and are hereby assigned to the Era’tran fleet,” he said, mentally triggering one of the interior hangar doors to open. “Go. Log everything you know of the I’rar’et and what they have done with the Ter’nat, then retrieve your armor. There has been too much division amongst us. Loyalty is what binds the V’kit’no’sat together, and I will not question yours further.”

  Mak’to’ran spun and exited through another door as the Zen’zat moved en mass, but before he left they combined their telepathic power and issued a cheer…one that was both encouragement and gratitude. The Zen’zat wanted the empire united, but more than that they were excited. They now had a path forward in which to honor their oaths. Zen’zat didn’t lead, V’kit’no’sat races did, but above them Itaru led them all. Now, by his own admission, Mak’to’ran had become Itaru…and the Zen’zat had just accepted that wholeheartedly.

  The captured I’rar’et were not so agreeable, even those that had chosen to surrender, and they had to be hauled out of the system as prisoners along with those on the Ter’nat planets. A few Era’tran ships were left behind to take over their duties and word was sent out through the Urrtren that this system was back in V’kit’no’sat hands…but Mak’to’ran’s V’kit’no’sat. Those who were members of it would have access to the Zen’zat it produced, but others would not.

  That wasn’t accepted well, but there were so many Ter’nat systems that the few Mak’to’ran had reclaimed for the empire were not a significant number. Others where the I’rar’et had been removed by different factions were returned to ‘shared’ status in order to avoid drawing the ire against whoever had freed them. No one came after Mak’to’ran’s newly claimed Ter’nat refuges though, due largely to the fact that many races were involved and with both the Era’tran and part of the Hjar’at in allegiance, the few systems he’d laid claim to weren’t worth fighting over just yet.

  If a few factions rose to dominance that might change at some point, but right now everyone was looking out for themselves and the I’rar’et picking off Ter’nat refuges was a threat to all. So long as Mak’to’ran didn’t move to claim more than what he was taking back from the I’rar’et he wasn’t going to get challenged on it…but Mak’to’ran was going to start claiming more, though on a timetable that didn’t shock anyone else into reflexive action and in sectors where he was consolidating power. Races might be spread across the galaxy, but his new V’kit’no’sat were starting to own little pockets of territory here and there and the forthcoming invasions were going to start filling in the gaps regardless of whether or not those systems requested his intervention.

  There were loyalists everywhere, often having to hide their true allegiance to avoid drawing the wrath of others, so when Mak’to’ran began conquering individual systems and building up to even small factions he had a hostile population to contend with…but one that came with a buried core of support that was able to finally manifest itself. That, combined with an influx of loyalists of the same race from other portions of the reborn V’kit’no’sat, was enough to marginally put these worlds under his control, and once that was secured, as he had seen on other worlds, stability would increase as assassins bled themselves out and the promise of the V’kit’no’sat was slowly restored.

  Mak’to’ran was not suspected of the treason of Terraxis, and after dissidents began to see that he was honoring the true V’kit’no’sat ways, albeit with a few new wrinkles, their ire lessened and with the growing discord across the galaxy they began to become loyalists again, if only out of necessity, as they watched the great empire they’d worked so long and hard to build get whittled down further and further in what was still the Stun Wars, for the most part, and that reluctance to move into a full civil war was all that was keeping the old empire from ravaging itself in short order.

  9

  June 13, 3644

  Bewoll System (Unclaimed territory)

  Stellar Orbit

  Mak’to’ran’s Era’tran fleet arrived in what had previously not been a V’kit’no’sat system, but with the breakdown of the empire it appeared at least this faction of I’rar’et was violating the territorial restrictions. They weren’t advertising it, for once queried the Urrtren relay, which was obviously a new construction, wouldn’t give Mak’to’ran full access. Particularly the geographical functions. As far as the data network was concerned this location didn’t exist, but the standard news updates were still flowing through.

  The local feeds were shut off, but still transmitting. Apparently the I’rar’et had locked them so only their ships could access the local data net…which was another violation, but after what they’d done with the Ter’nat Mak’to’ran was learning not to be surprised. This was just more evidence that the empire was dead, for even the smallest of these violations would have incurred severe penalty in the past.

  Now, if any order was to be restored, it was up to him and the Era’tran.

  He looked down at his talons, realizing the depth of truth in that. The Oso’lon and J’gar had given themselves psionics that others didn’t possess, and he realized that was somewhat appropriate when you had to lead. Now that he was in their position he had a different point of view and found himself in partial agreement…but not on the cheating of races who deserved them. Giving yourself a few extras was one thing, but preventing others from having what they needed was unacceptable no matter how elevated a race or individual became.

  They have gone astray, but I will not, Mak’to’ran promised himself. Hamob didn’t give himself all three psionics because he didn’t need them. I do because I am on the front lines where reality acts as calibration. Perceptions may be skewed from a safe vantage point, and Hamob knows this. Those who direct from afar must guard against such biases forming, but fortunately I do not have that problem nor will I so long as I lead from the front. Others can handle the support and coordination duties...and Hamob probably chose me in part because of my preference for going directly into the action rather than trying to solve problems from afar.

  I am glad he does, especially regarding those problems he foresees into the future, but that is not my path. I truly am handpicked for this burden, and if I am to carry it I cannot hold to Itaru’s restrictions any longer. I must take what works and build on it, but I cannot be hesitant any longer out of loyalty to what we once had. The empire is dead, and I am the one that must rebuild it. Help I will have, but I have to lead. Hamob knows this, he always knew it, but it was something I had to learn for myself and now I have. So what does this change?

  Mak’to’ran contemplated that as his fleet continued to come out of the unguarded jumppoint. The few I’rar’et ships in the system were clustered around a single inhabited planet, though there were four other planetoids that were also of agreeable climate for the Ter’nat. They obviously hadn’t had time to build up the system, but this would make for a decent refuge
if allowed to develop.

  Mak’to’ran wasn’t going to allow that…or should he?

  If Itaru was to be forgotten, then he had the power to sanction whatever he wanted, including territorial expansions. Up until now he had kept everyone in his alliance within the old protocols for fear of things devolving without a common and familiar set of standards to use, but was that wise now that he’d gained some small stability?

  Mak’to’ran realized he had a lot of assumptions to think through, but if this system was already on the Urrtren and housing at least some Ter’nat, why not just keep it after they took it from the I’rar’et? It could be the first Ter’nat expansion he authorized and would serve as a visible example of how he was now in command and not Itaru.

  His first inclination was to send a message to Hamob, but that wasn’t really necessary. The elder Era’tran had said they’d honor whatever actions he took, so the decision was his and what was the point of destroying or abandoning what the I’rar’et had built here? Might as well put it to use.

  Mak’to’ran updated his orders to the fleet, instructing them to preserve as much infrastructure as possible in addition to recovering the Ter’nat. They were not traitors, but merely cargo that did not have a choice in where they were taken. They held no responsibility for the I’rar’et’s actions, but the Zen’zat here were another matter. They should know better, if properly trained, which meant there might be a few of them that were not properly trained at this point. Rather than destroying them, Mak’to’ran intended to retrain them. For the I’rar’et…well, he’d see how many actually surrendered. Hopefully there wouldn’t be many.

  When his fleet was fully assembled and accompanied by a few extra Zen’zat-only ships obtained from defections to his alliance, it made its microjump to the inhabited planet and immediately ordered a stand down for the I’rar’et ships. All but three heeded that demand, with those running hard and fast to get back to the star. Seeing their positioning and speed he let them go, for his primary objective was reclaiming the Ter’nat intact.