by Aer-ki Jyr
They parted and let them through, then the ships began firing on surface targets in what looked to be some type of ground fight that had broken out a moment ago.
Oni got links to the fleet commanders with a thought and had holos for them ringing her as she looked at them grimly, her eyes finally landing on the Yisv.
“Do any of you have troops on the ground?”
“We do not,” the Yisv said, then the others chimed in with similar negatives, “but we are seeing the activity there. We have no explanation.”
“I don’t need excuses, I need the truth,” she pressed, wishing they were here instead of in holo and she could just read their minds. “If you are running a simultaneous operation you will tell me now or I’ll make you regret it, I promise you.”
“We did not infiltrate the planet,” the Yisv said firmly.
“They are firing on their own buildings,” the Sety pointed out.
“And the only reason I can see for that,” the cyborg offered, “is that those buildings have been compromised by an infiltrating army. It is not ours, I promise you that. Whoever made it down there has considerable skill that I admit to being envious of.”
“I repeat,” the Yisv said firmly. “We do not have troops or anyone else down there, nor do we know what is happening.”
“Whatever it is,” Oni said, trying to read them by their visual cues…which was hard when she wasn’t all that familiar with their races, “they felt the need to bring down their fleet to assist. My limited data suggest these facilities that they’re targeting are not strategic?”
“No,” the Jonstar said, puzzled. “They’re nothing of merit unless they contain systems that we are not aware of. They are not even near the planetary defenses.”
“Does anyone know what these structures are?”
“No,” the cyborg said regretfully. “The Trinx have never been forthcoming with data concerning their planets. Their isolationist tendency has kept many aspects of their society in the dark.”
“The fighting is not near the Hamoriti site,” the Dati pointed out.
“Be thankful for that. Could this be one of the races present in the Preserve?”
“Possible,” Oni admitted. “But unless they lied to me, the Knights of Quenar were sitting this one out until we’re ready to move the Uriti.”
“They have extensive cloaking technology,” the Sety pointed out. “They could have infiltrated the planet prior to our arrival.”
“That they could,” Oni said, clenching her fist. “But if they, or whoever this is, is trying to aid our assault, what are they going for in those buildings?”
“Perhaps the Trinx set up some ambushes for our ground troops in innocuous places.”
“Hold on a moment,” Oni said, putting all the holograms on pause while she keyed another comm channel. “This is Archon Oni-081 to any Knights of Quenar vessel or unit in the system. Please respond.”
She wasn’t sure she’d get a response, but after a short delay a single ship appeared on sensors far up in planetary orbit away from all the fighting.
“What is it that you require, Archon?”
“Do you have troops on the surface?”
“You requested that we not take part in the invasion, and we have honored that request. We are only here to observe, and had you not contacted us directly we would not have revealed ourselves.”
“We’re picking up surface fighting but no one is claiming responsibility for it.”
“Do you require our assistance?”
“Not militarily. Do you have any knowledge of who is down there?”
“No outsiders have been detected.”
Oni raised an eyebrow. “How close have you gotten?”
“Close enough,” he said, suggesting to Oni that they had more than one ship hidden in the system, for at this one’s current position they couldn’t get very good readings of surface activity save for the large explosions resulting from the Trinx warfleet.
“Thank you,” she said, ending that communication and putting the fleet commanders back on. “There appears to be no visible sign of an invading army.”
“Based on what surveillance?” the Domu asked.
“The Knights of Quenar are here, as you probably saw,” she added as their ship disappeared again. “But they claim to be observing only and they haven’t spotted anyone else involved.”
“There are other races with considerable stealth technology that have shown up in the Preserve,” the cyborg pointed out. “And from orbit it is almost impossible to pick out such things on surface streets, let alone in buildings.”
“Granted. What are the odds that this is Trinx fighting Trinx?”
That possibility left all the fleet commanders stunned, with no one offering a response.
“A possibility that we have to consider,” Oni finally added, “but not one that I’m convinced of. Recommendations as to how we proceed?”
“This is surface activity and therefore doesn’t affect our immediate goals,” the cyborg deduced. “We do not deviate from plan until we are in a position to assault the planetary shield generators.”
“Agreed,” the Bpret echoed.
“Are any of your boarding parties having trouble?”
“Given that your troops are doing most of the fighting,” the Jonstar said with mild objection, “we have taken nothing more than light casualties, and I am speaking for the whole of us on retrieval duty.”
“Define ‘light?’”
“A few minor injuries resulting from facility damage. Your ability to incapacitate their troops so easily is to be commended.”
“We’ve had a lot of practice,” Oni stated. “We continue with operations here and monitor the planet. If any of you spot the other faction in this ground battle I want to know immediately. Patience is key here, let’s exercise it and keep picking off their defenses slowly as we see what develops below.”
“Shall we deploy scouts to the other planets?” the Dati asked.
Oni nodded. “Good idea. Snoop around but don’t engage.”
“We will handle it,” he said before others could volunteer.
“Alright then, let’s get back to work.”
3 weeks later…
Oni was in her command ship’s sanctum when word came through, delivered via another Archon that interrupted her automated sparring session. She shut down the robotic opponents and headed straight to the bridge not caring that she was dripping with sweat. When she into linked into the nexus she found a Trinx hologram waiting for her and she regarded the red-skinned alien quizzically.
“I’m listening,” she said stiffly.
“Will you allow negotiation?”
Oni raised an eyebrow. “The Yisv already tried to negotiate and were rebuffed. What has changed?”
“Our leadership,” the Trinx said darkly. “I do not speak for those that you’ve previously had contact with.”
“By contact you mean those that attacked us?”
The Trinx nodded. “And those that were contacted through diplomatic means. I represent a faction of loyalists who are currently attempting to depose our insane leaders. Will you negotiate a separate settlement with us?”
“The fighting on the surface is internal then?”
“It is.”
“Who controls your warships?”
“The opposition.”
“Who’s winning?”
“We outnumber them and are galvanizing support from the general population. We have no wish to see our world destroyed and are trying to save our people before this invasion lays waste to the planet. While we do not have control yet, I am asking if we can come to terms to avoid conflict.”
“What sort of terms?”
“That is what I am asking you. What options will you allow us?”
“What is your name and position?”
“I am Chosan, former commander of the Hamoriti containment forces.”
“Former?”
“When I refused to
assault your control vessel and endanger the Chixzon I was removed from command. While we have no formal structure, I am the unofficial leader of the rebellion.”
“So you were responsible for sending wave after wave of Li’vorkrachnika to their deaths?”
“I was.”
“I do not find that fact reassuring.”
The Trinx frowned. “I do not mean to bicker with those that I am pleading with for our lives, but are you not killing them in far greater numbers?”
“We are, but we are doing so honorably. They always have the option to surrender, but they choose not to take it.”
“Those that I sent to die chose that end.”
“They use many dishonorable tactics, which is one reason we are fighting them. A race as advanced as yours I would hope to know better.”
“We had no other choice,” Chosan said simply, “but if there is blame to be had I accept it.”
Oni looked at his hologram for a silent moment, trying to size him up. “We did not come here to kill you, we came here to conquer you and end the threat you pose. Our boarding parties are equipped with stun weapons and the captives will be taken out of the system to a holding facility.”
The Trinx looked stunned. “I do not mean offense, but what cause do you have for such mercy?”
“It’s the way we fight. We would do the same with the Li’vorkrachnika if they didn’t kill themselves once captured.”
“What end did you intend for us?”
“Your sovereignty will be revoked. Our invasion line into Li’vorkrachnika territory will be entering this region soon and we cannot risk having your ships striking us where we are weak. You must therefore be neutralized, but that doesn’t mean murdered. We are taking possession of this system, and while some of you may die, and already have, it was through combat of your choosing. Every defense station we have assaulted was ordered to stand down and surrender, to which they refused.”
“I expect no less from those scoundrels, but not all of our military will follow them if allowed another path. I have no contacts of merit in orbit, but on the surface we are organizing and growing quickly.”
“Enough to lower a section of your planetary shield?”
“We have not attempted to do so yet, for such an assault will be very costly. They are bringing the fight to us for the moment and killing their brothers and sisters out of a sanity that I cannot fully comprehend. If we surrender to you, what becomes of us after this holding facility?”
“Annexation.”
“Into your empire?”
“Yes.”
“What of this star system?”
“It was to be completely evacuated, assuming your people would resist us with every effort. If that is not the case then the dynamic is changed.”
“What does annexation mean to you?”
“You will surrender your younglings to our training facilities as well as all future births. They will know only Star Force, thus severing the connection to your current society and allowing it to die. The Trinx will be reborn anew as we have done with many other races.”
“And what happens to those of us that are already here?”
“You will be confined until such a time you can prove your worth. During that time you will train and we will teach you what you need to know.”
“You have facilities to house all of our population?”
“Yes.”
“And if we prove our worth, we will return here under your banner?”
“Possibly. If you can surrender this world to us we can facilitate a less abrupt transition that keeps many of you here.”
“What function would we serve in your empire?”
“That would also depend on your merit, but make note that we do not hold future generations responsible for the actions of the current ones.”
“There would be a penalty exacted upon us then?”
“Other than the revocation of your sovereignty, no.”
“No?”
“We are here to neutralize a threat. If you choose to neutralize yourself then we have no need to penalize you. This system will be ours, the Trinx will be annexed, and no part of you will be allowed to escape to exist independently and threaten us again. Those are the terms I’m offering.”
“What of the Hamoriti?”
“It will be removed. Preferably still sedated, but I have a controller here that can order it away from the planet if it wakes.”
“Your invasion takes more care to safeguard our lives than our own leaders.”
“That’s because we’re the good guys.”
“I do not understand the depth of most of which you speak, but we have very few options and you are offering us an alternative other than death. Given the betrayal our leaders exercised upon you, I can understand if there are more lethal feelings on your part, and I thank you for staying your hand. Will the other members of The Nine abide by your terms?”
“They have agreed to follow my lead. They are here to assist, then they wish to wash their hands of the matter.”
“And rightly so. Our entire race has been shamed. You brought salvation and we sought to destroy you for it. I hereby offer the surrender of all forces aligned with me, though given current circumstances we cannot get to you at the moment. I will make what contacts I can in orbit and try to secure the surrender of some of the facilities there while we gather our strength for an assault on one of the shield generators. I do not know how long it will take. Things are very much in flux down here, and your intent to annex us will alter them much more so.”
“We’re not in a hurry,” Oni offered. “Take your time and keep as many people alive as you can.”
The Trinx bowed. “You do us an honor we do not deserve.”
The Archon summoned up a holo conference with the fleet commanders, knowing that it was going to take some minutes for all of them to assemble. “Now that we have come to an understanding, let’s get everyone on the same page so there are no miscommunications. Then we will find a way to deal with your insane former leaders.”
7
August 1, 3290
Paquat System
Vikod (Trinx homeworld)
Onnet ran through the Trinx streets as explosions blasted apart the building to his right above the centerline. Large chunks of it flew out laterally, then the whole top crumbled and fell towards him. The Yisv knew he couldn’t get out of the way in time so he ran towards the underside of the falling building and tucked up against the wall as the rubble came down, blurring his body out of physical mode and into the ethereal wisp that splashed apart with the first piece of building to hit.
His mind disintegrated with each hit, leaving him unable to move or think other than through base instincts. He couldn’t see much at all, merely a numb awareness of the material his body was contacting. He wouldn’t move through the solid building rubble like he could the thin membranes in a Yisv city, but he survived in the cracks and random shafts created in the pile that continued to build up as the Trinx structure came down. He wasn’t aware of that or anything else, but slowly he felt out the cracks and pulled the scattered pieces of his body back together, and with each reunion his mind began to reform.
He was stretched out across several dozen meters by the time he finally regained adequate consciousness, which he used to snake his way into a larger cave underneath an angled slab. Once he pulled himself in there he was back to normal, shaken but fully functional, though he couldn’t retake his physical form due to lack of space.
The sounds coming through the rubble were lessened, but the battle outside continued to rage on. The Trinx zealots were punishing their population as much as they could for rebelling against them and were at present bombarding this section of city with aircraft that both Star Force and the Chamra were busy trying to contain. Onnet was one of many Yisv scouts searching for enemy infantry, for they’d been sending in random living teams to slaughter both rebel troops and any civilians they could get their hands on away from the m
ain vassal deployments. He’d found one such group just before the aerial bombardment began, but they were probably long gone by now.
Chasing them wasn’t an option anyway until he could get out of this mess. Abandoning his little cave he let his mind diminish as his cloud-like body turned into a stream that flowed out through various cracks searching for fresh air. He couldn’t keep track of time like this, only follow a single impulse that he’d made himself remember prior to dispersion.
Keep moving until you find your way out.
When he did, the Yisv manifested his full height on top of a rock with his soon to be solid feet standing at an angle. As soon as he put pressure there he slipped, his hand falling to brace on a jagged edge and cutting himself. It hurt but it wasn’t real damage. He got his footing then looked at his hand and blurred it, reforming his unblemished form. There was a little bit of material lost, but he doubted that even with the falling rumble that he had lost more than an inch of his height, and it would be replaced within a few days with the proper supplements.
But that didn’t matter. He was alive and had he been anything other than a Yisv he’d have been crushed to death instantaneously…or left to linger in agony as he slowly died.
There were some side benefits to not being able to carry a weapon into combat, and this was one of them.
Onnet took a few steps up a larger piece of rubble and jumped, transitioning into his ‘ghost’ mode and floating/coasting across about 40 meters of distance before he reformed and got his footing. He repeated the process multiple times until he got out of the rubble field, staying low to avoid attention, only to see that there were more buildings coming down nearby as the Trinx fighters targeted them. He saw a pair of Star Force skeets flash past overhead, indicating that the aerial battle was still underway, but there was nothing he could do about that now. He had a job to do, and that meant getting back into motion.
Finding a bit of clear street Onnet took off running, using his telepathy to find nearby Trinx minds and assess if they were friend or foe. The foes stood out with a blood thirst as they were sent here to kill, kill, kill while the rebels were more focused on protecting and killing in order to meet that end. It was easy to misread, but Onnet wasn’t having any difficulty when he came across a group of five on the other side of the building to his left.
