He nodded to them and then turned to the leading Illian.
As he watched him the Illian stepped forward and extended his hand.
“Arnes tells me that you are friends who will help us. My name is Morai.”
His accent was strange but he spoke Latin fluently like someone who spoke it all his life.
Kelley took his hand in his and shook it.
“Yes we will but you will have to follow our lead. And match our speed.”
The Illian turned towards Arnes with a look filled with questions. They exchanged few words and Kelley noticed the hesitation on Morai’s face.
“We can’t move that fast. The women and children won’t be able to keep up.”
Kelley turned and looked at the small group they saved from certain death with the actions against the chasing dacarian troops.
He knew his orders about not interfering. As he thought of that he noticed two small children watching him. One of them was Illian while the other was from a different race.
The girl watched him with its dark brown eyes. As he looked at her she smiled. It was obvious that she found him interesting and wasn’t afraid of him.
He smiled back.
He turned back towards Morai.
“You will have to keep up. I know that it will be hard but it is the only chance you have.”
The Illian looked at him and now he was obviously angry.
“And if we can’t? What happens then?”
“Then you are dead. If you can’t follow us we’ll be forced to leave you behind.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth he knew he made a mistake. The armed group of Illians and several other aliens stepped forward. Two of them started raising their weapons. He noticed the Sicarians moving forward but also watching the sides. They knew that he had others with him.
Arnes started arguing with Morai.
“I don’t know what unit he is from but you will report this to the council or I will and they will pay for it. We have women and children with us. We already left the old ones and many others to die. They died to buy us time.”
As the Illian spoke his last words two of the larger creatures came forward and from the way they moved it was obvious that they planned to take action. Kelley looked at Ellis and they both stepped back.
“Morai no, tell them to stop.”
As the older Illian shook his head Ellis raised his hand and made a circling movement with his hand.
A second later two pops were heard as two bullets struck the earth beneath the feet of the two advancing warriors. A moment later the rest of the two teams except the four snipers stepped out of the trees and bushes surrounding the group.
Kelley looked at Arnes whose face was now white.
“Tell them to stop. Tell them we don’t want to hurt them we are not the enemy here.”
Arnes thought for just a second. Then he grabbed Morai and drew him close.
“Stop this. The council has no jurisdiction on them because they are not part of our troops Morai. They have their own mission on this world. A mission we all prayed for.”
As he spoke those words everyone stopped.
It took just a second for their meaning to register.
As it did they could hear gasps from the members of the group.
Several of the children came close to the soldiers and started touching them. Kelley smiled as he noticed Flint trying to fight of the attention of three children. He had a gentle look and a smile on his face as he did it. It was something he rarely saw in the last few years. As he watched him he felt a tug on his hand. He looked down and noticed the small girl that smiled at him before looking at him. She looked at his uniform. He smiled and took out a chocolate bar and handed it to her. She looked at the wrapped chocolate with wonder.
“I think she needs some help with that sir.”
Ellis pulled out another chocolate and opened it showing the girl how to do it. He then took a bite. As he did the girl’s eyes lit with delight and she opened hers. The delight increased as she tasted the sweet chocolate. Ellis and Kelley smiled. Ellis gave his chocolate to the other child that was close to him. Moments later the two children were laughing and showing the chocolate to the other children. It made everyone smile as they watched them.
Kelley’s radio beeped at that moment. It was the signal that Rhodes and his men were back. He looked at Arnes.
The Illian knew what he was going to say.
“Your friends are back.”
“Yes. It’s time to move out.”
Kelley pointed to flint who nodded and moment later he noticed Fly bringing the captured weapons.
He spread them on the ground and let the Illians and the others choose.
They grabbed the weapons fast. Kelley noticed that the two Sicarians armed themselves as well. He nodded and then gave the movement sign with his finger.
Just moments later they moved out. Rhodes and his team covered the rear, his team moved to the front and Atkins was with the group of refugees.
As they moved they helped the women and children on the rougher terrain.
They moved a bit slower but it was still a good tempo.
Kelley felt Atkins coming behind him. He knew it was him by the way he moved.
“We’ll have to stop soon. It is almost nightfall and I doubt they’ll be able to continue.”
“I know. There is a small river about two miles forward. We’ll make camp there. Tell Arnes and Morai that.”
Atkins nodded.
As he left Kelley noticed Ellis watching him.
“We are moving slow. And we might be endangering the mission sir.”
Kelley scratched his head.
“I know but if we leave them will be no better then the bastards that are hunting them. That is something that is cold blooded and cruel.”
“I know James. But we were chosen because we are cold. We’ve done it before and we need to do it now. We just take Arnes and leave the others behind. We gave them a chance it’s up to them to use it.”
Kelley watched his friend.
“We know each other a long time and you know as well as me that if we leave them they are as good as dead. I know there were situations where we’ve made that same choice. But here and now that would be wrong. This is a contact situation and what we do now today will be something that will be remembered and will open a new path before not just us, but before humanity John. What we do now we do for the future of our race.”
Ellis looked to the front.
“You’re right James. It’s just…hell I don’t know. Even if we do manage to save them they might all die. It might all be for nothing. The Dacarians are pushing for an end game. We both know that if they do there is nothing at all we can do. Our fleet is just moving out from Earth. It will be at least seven, eight months until they reach here. I doubt that they can hold out that long.”
Kelley placed a hand on his friends shoulder.
“We don’t know what lies in the future. All we know is what happens in the present. They survived for this long so who can say that they won’t survive for several more months. And now they have us to help them and train them. It might not be much but this is what we were trained for. There are millions of slaves on this world. And my guess is that there are at least as many rebels. That is one hell of an army and work force to use. We worked miracles with lot less as u know.”
That brought a smile on Ellis’s face.
“You’re right James. Thanks.”
They both smiled and kept on moving.
They reached the camp site soon. It was a good location. The small river was well hidden by the jungle that surrounded it on all sides and gave them cover from any aerial patrols. There were large rocks that gave them cover and strong defense against any attack in the rear and front. And the large trees and jungle around them hid them from any sight.
He gave the signal for stopping.
As his first watch took positions the exhausted group of refugees co
llapsed on the ground. The only ones that didn’t seem to be exhausted were the Sicarians, three of the Illians and three other aliens from races he didn’t know. Two were mammal at least he thought they were with large fur covering their body and the other was reptilian. They just sat down and took out some off the food they carried and started eating. They watched the humans carefully. Two of the Illians started walking across the collapsed civilians giving them what seemed words of encouragement. The children were already a sleep by the time Rhodes walked in to the camp. His team covered the rear. Morai and Arnes together with the other two Illians that were accompanying him walked in with them. Arnes and Morai came towards him.
“Thank you for allowing us to rest.”
“There is no need for that. It was a good position and my men need the rest as well. We move out in four hours. Arnes knows how we count our time so he will give you the warning. Take some rest. You need it.”
He turned towards Arnes and his friends.
“You did well today, and so did they. We have a lot of territory to cross before we reach the first of what we think is your safe territory. From tomorrow we’ll make short brakes every four hours. That should give them more strength for what waits ahead.”
“Thank you Lieutenant Kelley. Thank you for saving them.”
Kelley smiled at the Illian.
“Go get some rest. You need it as well.”
As Arnes walked away Kelley sat down by the stream and closed his eyes.
He was a sleep almost instantly.
Dunir and Gorma watched the humans as they took positions. They were taking every precaution against attack. One group moved out almost immediately to cover them both at front and in the rear. From the way they acted and moved it was obvious that they were professional soldiers. And from that and from their weapons they knew that they are not escaped slaves. They knew it in the first moment when they looked at their weapons. They looked primitive but considering that they already eliminated several groups of dacarians without any difficulties they were effective.
They both knew of the legends, and of the real world of humanity. So did the two Macassi. The Alliance knew of the humanity’s home world and had a good notion of their capabilities.
Those weapons were human weapons of war but it was hard to believe that in the years that the alliance was in war with the empire and forgot about contacting the humans they managed to develop faster than light drive. From what they knew before their capture they were still decades, maybe even centuries away from it. They were still confined to their solar system. Seeing them here now was a big surprise. They exchanged looks with the two Macassi soldiers and the Lacarian alliance soldiers came to them.
“What do you think of them?”
“We don’t know what to think Dunir. We all know the stage of their development before we were captured. And both your and our scientists agreed that they will need at least one more of their centuries to create a faster than light drive. And a lot of luck considering the fragmented society they had.”
“Something must have happened, something that forced them to concentrate all their efforts toward that goal.”
Dunir looked at his three friends.
“Considering they are here now I think it is safe to assume that the Dacarians are the main reason for that advancement.”
“By the way they look at you two Dunir it seems they know your race.”
“And our ancestor’s betrayal.”
One of the Macassi put his furry hand on Dunir’s shoulder.
“It was one mistake your race did Dunir. You are not at fault for it. And they would be wrong to think that you are.”
The Sicarian looked at the humans and then at the group of Illians and other races that were resting.
“It was one mistake Liran but a mistake that condemned us all. The Alterans would have stopped this evil from spreading across the galaxy if we kept our pride in check. That one mistake brought all this. My ancestors destroyed their worlds, attacked and decimated their fleets and helped the Dacarians win that war. And yet when they turned against us, the races that feared more the gentle offer of help by the Alterans then the lies of the Dacarians, the remaining fleets of mankind attacked their fleets and helped us. They helped their own destroyers. The Ksand were one of the few races that never left their side and they paid dearly for that.”
“I don’t think these humans have that gentle side the Alterans did.”
“I hope for their sake and all of us as well they don’t. That trust and compassion was what cost them the war.”
“We should talk with them. We need to know what happened and they need to know that they have allies out there.”
Dunir looked at Gorma.
“You’re right. We need to talk to them and considering that they know our race…”
Gorma looked at his friend and nodded.
“Go and talk with them.”
Dunir rose and slowly started going towards the humans he thought were the commanding officers.
He noticed the human he knew as Kelley sleeping by the stream. The human called Ellis was standing close to him watching the stream and checking his weapon.
The others were spread out around the camp most resting but in positions that allowed them to keep watchful eye on both their companions and for any outside danger.
Ellis heard the Sicarian approaching.
He turned his head and looked at the tall alien.
The Sicarian returned his look. A moment later without asking for permission he sat next to Ellis.
He looked at the stream and at the jungle for several moments. To Ellis it seemed like he was trying to think what to say.
He noticed the other Sicarian and the other two unknown aliens watching them. So were the other seals. He waved his hand to Flint to show him that there was no danger and then returned his attention to the Sicarian. He remembered the bodies of the two dead members of the race that were back on Earth. The Sicarian next to him was smaller then them and as he watched him he noticed that he also looked different. And it was not because of the scars that marked him as warrior. His body had more muscles, and his gills were a little larger he also had what Ellis guessed was a birth mark on his left cheek just below his eye. He smiled at the thought. That made him almost human.
Dunir heard the smile and turned. The human looked friendly.
“You seem to know my race human.”
Ellis turned his head and looked at the stream. He picked up a pebble and threw it in the water.
“It seems that way doesn’t it.” He turned and met the sicarian’s gaze.
“You’re right we do.”
Dunir turned and exhaled, As Ellis heard it he understood. He remembered the story about the final war between the Alterans and the Dacarians. He remembered the images that the AI’s showed them. He knew of the betrayal. It was a burden that it seemed all members of the race carried with them.
“We…my race…we have a big debt that we need to repay.”
Ellis didn’t answer. He just watched the circles in the water as they spread from the last pebble he threw.
“We know of the past and of the mistakes but we all make them. What we do after is what matters.”
The Sicarian turned and looked at the spread out creatures in the camp.
“This is our after human, all of this. We were a proud race and in our pride we failed to see the right path.”
“You are not alone in your mistake. The story I know is that many races betrayed our ancestors not just yours. They should share the blame.”
Dunir looked at the sky. It was hard to see it from the tall trees but a little patch of it was visible.
“Of all the races that turned against the Alterans seven were powerful and great. The last member of the sixth race died a hundred cycles ago, the Satorians are no more. So are the Gorg, the Mari, the Fulrians, the Arvitanians and the Telarites. They all died fighting to the last men, women and child. We were seven warrior races.
All sworn to protect the younger races just like your ancestors and we failed. Now my race will soon join them.”
Ellis watched him in stunned silence. It was a glimpse of what happened in the past. This was something no one else knew. Not even the AI’s. Not Aria and not even Anaya. Six races gone, hunted down, to the last member. That showed cruelty beyond belief.
He clenched his fist.
He turned and looked at the sicarian.
“No one is perfect. If there is one thing that our history taught us it is that we all make mistakes. And that some of the most terrible mistakes happen because we have good intentions. You made a mistake and you paid the price for it. You paid dearly.”
Dunir looked at the human with surprise.
He didn’t expect the fire that was in those words. He could feel the anger and he was surprised that it was not directed at him. It was directed towards the Dacarians. That brought a tear to his eye.
He wiped it before the human could see it.
Ellis stood up and pointed to the other human soldiers.
“We all know of that ancient past Sicarian but you won’t find a human here tonight that is angry at you. Yes it hurts to know what your ancestors did, but you are not responsible for their mistakes. What we know is that we owe you a debt of gratitude.”
Dunir looked at the human in shock.
“Gratitude… Why?”
“We know the past but not a single human here, and back on Earth would hold it against you. For all of us your debt is more then paid.”
“But how, how could you forgive and forget something that brought your race on the brink of extinction?”
“If my race was ever close to extinction it was not by your fault. It was of our own making.”
Ellis smiled. He looked at the stream again.
“You wonder why and you wonder how we know of you? Back on Earth we have the bodies of two members of your race. One was killed by a dacarian legionary, the other died by the hand of a human.”
Dunir looked at Ellis in stunned silence. He felt no anger even though it bothered him that humans killed a member of his race.
Ellis watched him for a second searching for any hint of his feelings. He found none but the shocked expression from the knowledge that Sicarians made it to Earth. He continued.
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 60
