As he watched the room the doors opened and several humans entered.
As they approached Ganak watched them with surprise but he managed to hide his shock.
Jennings watched the Sicarian. It was strange to see the alien alive. He watched thousands of videos of the images Aria had of them, and he remembered seeing the bodies of the two dead ones back on Earth. This one was older, much older then them. He was sure of that. In the past few hours he studied the language of the race and their history at least the one Aria and Anaya had. It was old data but considering the lifetimes the Sicarians lived he doubted that the language changed much.
“The waters are deep but life they mean…”
“Even in darkness there is light and life is strong.”
Ganak watched the human with surprise.
“It was a long time since the last time an alteran said those words.”
“And yet my ancestors considered you friends till the end.”
Ganak bowed.
“For what wrong was done I gladly will die, for I Ganak fourth Makon of the second army of Sicarian have no honor before you.”
Jennings watched the Sicarian with stunned look. He knew that Makon was a high rank in the Sicarian society something similar to a general in the human terms. The Dean was the highest position.
He approached slowly and touched the blue creature on his shoulder.
“Rise Ganak there is no need for this. What ever wrong was done in the past it has long been forgotten and forgiven. Our ancestors were your friends and we are the same.”
Ganak slowly rose. He was surprised by his own reaction as he heard the greeting of his own race spoken by the human. And as he watched him he knew that he must be a human. He noticed the weapons they carried and he knew that even though they were lethal they were too primitive compared to the weapons the Alterans used.
As he watched them the human spoke again.
“I’m admiral Jennings commander of the federation battle cruiser Excelsior.”
Ganak sat down on the bed.
“You come from Earth.”
It was a statement not a question. Jennings blinked for a second surprised.
“Yes we come from Earth.”
Ganak watched the human. He turned and observed the room he was in. It was well equipped but as their weapons primitive.
He knew that the Lacarian alliance had plans for contacting them, plans that were postponed as the war became more brutal. The plans were almost put in motion before his capture. That was seven cycles ago.
A lot must have changed since then.
The humans had no space technology at the time so they must have been given. But as he looked at them he was surprised by how calm they looked and there were none from the races of the alliance present.
“Where are the other races of the Alliance? What are the latest news of the war?”
The humans watched him with surprised look.
“What war? What Alliance?”
He could see the shock on their faces. He realized his mistake at once. And yet it was all strange and he admitted impossible. The humans were an advanced society but they had no technology that would allow them to be here now without the help of the Alliance. And yet as he watched them he knew that he was wrong.
A lot must have changed in the seven cycles that he was a prisoner.
“When I was captured you had no technology to leave your solar system. And the Lacarian Alliance had plans for contacting you and giving you advanced technology in order to acquire your help in the war.”
“When were you captured?”
“At the battle of Lukasa seven cycles ago.”
Jennings nodded.
“A lot can change in seven years Ganak. I don’t know about that alliance. As for the technology it seems that it was always there waiting on us. And even with the help from the AI’s everything you see was thought by humans. We tend to advance in long jumps when the need arises. And an alien invasion will do that. The dacarians mistake was not that they attacked us. It was that they underestimated us and lost.
They had their chance. Soon it will be our turn.”
This time it was Ganak’s turn to be surprised.
“Your world was far from any front line with the Dacarians, to far. Even the Alliance found it by pure luck by stumbling on a warp point that took them close to your system. There was no way that they could know the location of your world.”
“And yet they do. And they did attack us. A hundred million dead are the result from that attack, hundred and seventy if you add their dead as well.”
Ganak watched the human.
“If they know the location of your world nothing will stop them from attacking you and destroying you.”
“Nothing but attacking first Sicarian and that is what we will do. Yes we know of the past and why they hate us so much. There is a saying on my world that the best defense is offence.”
“Do you know the power of their empire? You will stand no chance.”
Jennings smiled. So did the other humans.
“There is much that you don’t know about my race Ganak. Our ancestors failed to stop them because they had mercy. They were naïve. I told you before that it’s our turn now. Humans know of war Ganak. There are times when we wish we didn’t. But we do. We know every little secret it has, every terrible thing. We have done it, we did to our self. War was our friend since the day our ancestors got down from the trees. It is part of who we are, of what we are. And soon they will learn that.”
Ganak watched the human with interest. It was strange to see them like this. To hear them speak in this tone. And yet he couldn’t feel anything else except pride. He was born long after the ancient war finished. But he remembered the words, the teachings. He could remember the old ones, the ancient ones speaking of those times, of the glory of seeing the Alterans fight. And as he watched these humans he knew that they had that same spark. They were true descendants of those ancient allies his race betrayed. He once again felt the shame from that knowledge.
“Our elders said that the galaxy trembled the last time an Alteran and Dacarian fought.”
The human smiled.
“It won’t tremble this time. But when the empire crashes that crash will be with a roar.”
Ganak smiled and extended his hand in a greeting. He could feel his force slipping away piece by piece. He knew he was dying besides the best efforts the human doctors made but there was no sadness in his eyes. There was only pride.
“Thank you for this.”
Jennings looked straight at his eyes.
“If you want we can give you a death with honor.”
Ganak looked at him with surprise.
“How do you know of our rituals?”
“You are not the first Sicarian we met. We know of two more that died on our world, two members of your race that warned us of what was to come. The one that warned us was named Agnail Makon Curas.”
As Jennings spoke the name he saw something stir in the sicarian. Ganak’s eyes flashed. For the first time the humans saw a sicarian show pain.
Ganak knew Agnail. And he knew his father. He was there when Agnail led the last defense on the Homeworld as the refuge fleet escaped.
To hear that he survived that battle…
He rose to his full height for the first time and looked directly in to the eyes of the human.
As he met that look Jennings sensed the threat. And he knew that even with all his training and with the marines behind him to back him up he had no chance if the sicarian wasn’t happy with his answer.
“How did he die…?”
“He died by the hand of one of our best, at his request, he died after seeing the human he never knew killing every one of his capturers in battle. He died with a look of pride as he looked in to the eyes of the soldier that stroke the blow in to his heart.
And he was buried in to the depth of the sees of our world.”
The tension evaporated.
“Thank you. You truly are a noble race.”
Jennings just nodded back.
As he prepared to speak the alarms flashed.
A moment later Aria appeared in the room.
She looked at Jennings.
“We have a fleet emerging from hyperspace. They will be able to detect us in two hours no matter what we do.”
“Did they detect signs from the battle?”
“Not yet but they will soon. They are to close.”
Jennings nodded to the marines and they left the room. He looked back at the sicarian who sat back on the bed.
“Who was Agnail?”
“He was the son of the leader of our race…and the best soldier and general i knew.”
“He must have been a great man.”
The sicarian nodded.
“Do you want to come to the bridge?”
Ganak thought for a second and then nodded.
“Yes it will be an honor.”
Several minutes later they both entered the bridge.
Commander Thomson stood up from his chair and saluted.
Jennings nodded and sat on his chair. The bridge crew took just a second to look with surprise at the sicarian as he entered the bridge and then returned to their posts.
“What do we have?”
A holo projection appeared before him showing the enemy fleet. They were still grouping after exiting hyper space but he could notice several frigates advancing ahead.
“I think that its safe bet that they detected the wreckage.”
“Yes sir.”
A moment later Aria appeared.
“Can we slip undetected Aria?”
The AI just shook its head.
“I’m sorry admiral but the answer is no.”
Jennings scratched his shin for a moment.
Then he looked at his staff.
He pressed the button for a ship wide broadcast.
“This is the captain speaking. As you all know several minutes ago a large fleet entered this system and we have no chance of avoiding it, at least none that we can see for now. We have a vital mission and data to carry out. I need ideas people. No matter how crazy or outlandish they are. You are among the best and brightest our race has. Now is the time to show that. DO your job.”
As he switched it of he looked at the screen. He started studying the approaching fleet. He knew that he had to get out no matter what. He just hoped that he will be able to do it without a fight. A fight he knew well that they will have a tough chance of winning and surviving.
Thirty minutes later Aria appeared before him.
“We might have something sir.”
“Yes?”
“One of our engineers Diane has an idea. A crazy idea but…”
Jennings thought for a second.
“Call her in I want to hear it.”
He tried to remember who when was but couldn’t place her. He activated the computer and checked the files.
Diane Daschuk an engineer. She worked on ships since her eighteenth birthday on several oil rigs, also showed advanced knowledge and understanding of nuclear physics and the modern reactors. He also noticed that she was one of the favorite persons Aria spoke to.
He looked at the AI.
“What can you tell me about her?”
Aria smiled.
“A brilliant mind that one. She never finished college back home but has a lot of experience and understands things in a second. She is one of the best engineers on the ship and has a knack for fixing problems, also very stubborn.”
A moment later a young woman with black hair and black ten entered the room.
She wasn’t exactly pretty but he liked her the first moment he saw her.
The girl sure had a charisma.
“Sit down ensign.”
“Thank you sir.”
“So you have an idea?”
As he asked the question he tried to stare her down. He didn’t manage. She looked straight back.
“Yes sir.”
“What is it?”
She inhaled and after looking at Aria started speaking.
“As you know the refugees filled the cargo ship with ore they are extracting from the asteroids.”
He nodded.
“I analyzed samples of the ore. It is a strange mix but it has large quantities of plutonium and uranium sir. Weapons grade uranium and plutonium. And Aria says that the other ores are used in advanced weapons as well. If you can allow me to use one of the nuclear weapons we have on board, I believe I can use the ore and the hauler to create a bomb, a bomb that will be able to mask our escape, and I believe severely damage the approaching fleet.”
Jennings looked at the young ensign with surprise.
Then he turned towards Aria.
“What do you think? Is it feasible?”
“It’ the only thing that will give us a chance, and if it works as it should and we time it right I believe it will more then damage them. We will have to use our shields and jump to hyperspace to avoid being damaged by the explosion.”
Jennings looked at both of them with surprise.
“Exactly how big of a bomb are we talking here? Something like the ones we placed in Sol?”
Aria and Diane looked at each other.
They both smiled.
“Mm sir I believe the expression is that will look like a drop in water compared with this.”
He smiled at her attempt of aphorism.
“Very well you have a go.”
“Sir before we go there is just one more thing.”
He looked at her.
“What?”
“The explosion will have to be triggered manually. Someone will have to stay behind.”
He looked at her.
“There is no way we can remote detonate it?”
The ensign shook her head.
“No sir and with your permission I volunteer to be the one that stays behind.”
He looked at her.
She was young but he could see her determination in her eyes. But he also knew that she was too valuable to lose.
“The mission is approved. But as for your volunteering the answer is no.”
She started to protest but he raised his hand to silence her.
“You are too valuable for this ship and for the fleet to throw your life like that Diane. I’m sorry for this but you will have to live with the knowledge that someone has to die so that your plan works. But that is a lesson for you to learn. I think that in the future you will have a seat very similar to mine. In fact I plan to make sure of it. Now go.”
As Diane exited he pulled a bottle of scotch from the drawer and poured him self a glass.
He hated making this type of decisions. Then he stood up and headed towards the marine room. As he started the Sicarian came after him.
“You have a plan admiral?”
“Yes and I don’t like it because on of my men will have to die so that the plan works.”
Ganak looked at the human. He could see the frustration in his eyes and in the way he moved.
“I believe I can give you an easier way out. Aria explained your plan to me. You will need a person to trigger the device am I right?”
Jennings looked at the sicarian. He was walking slowly and he could see that he was weak. He knew form the report that he was dying. So were two of the Zerg. One of them never woke up.
“Are you sure about this?”
Ganak looked at him.
“This is a chance for me to return a favor to the ashlak. Trust me admiral it will be a genuine pleasure. And I believe my crew mates will agree.”
As he noticed Jennings looking at him strangely he smiled.
“Ashlak means something a keen to merciless enemy in our language. It was a name we gave the dacarians.”
Jennings nodded.
“Very well, then let’s see if any of your crewmates are awake.”
He signaled
to the medical room that he was coming.
Dr. Thomas waited for them as they arrived. He noticed that one of the Zerg was covered with a sheet. He was obviously dead.
The other two were standing next to him. The only one missing was the human female.
“They are waiting for you sir.”
“Thank you Helen.”
As he approached the two creatures turned and faced him.
They were strange creatures a mixture between a wolf and a reptile. The older one extended his four fingered hand.
The younger one’s face was almost drained of color. Jennings was sure that he was full of medications. He was the one that was dying.
“My name is Azogas.”
He pointed to the younger Zerg.
“This is Hof.”
Jennings extended his hand in a greeting. Azogas accepted it.
“I’m pleased to meet you. I’m admiral Jennings the commander of this ship.”
Azogas looked at Ganak who nodded.
“You want our help.”
Jennings looked straight in to the eyes of the creature.
“Yes.”
Before Azogas could speak Hof answered.
“I will do it father. It is my time.”
As Azogas turned he saw his adopted son looking at him. He knew that he was dying besides the best efforts of the humans. He wished he could trade places with him but he understood that it was not his time.
He nodded.
“Yes son. It is. Go with honor and my blessing.”
The younger Zerg embraced the older one.
“Make me proud father. Remember me as our race grows once again.”
Jennings turned his head as Aria translated the words the two creatures were exchanging.
He understood the pain the older creature felt now.
To see your son die before your eyes…it was something he never could imagine. The pain…
After a minute the Zerg turned and looked at him.
“We are ready. With your permission I would like to escort my son to the hauler.”
Jennings nodded.
As he turned the two Zerg and the sicarian followed him. Two marines took the body of the third one and carried it to the shuttle.
At the shuttle they were met by Diane. She explained to both Ganak and Hof about the trigger and about the device and then saluted them.
The marine honor guard that waited in the hangar and all the crew did the same.
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 74
