The Legend of Earth

The Human Chronicles Saga #5

T.R. Harris

In this alien universe, WE are the supermen!

Copyright 2012

by Tom Harris Creations, LLC

ISBN: 978-0-9858849-5-6

All rights reserved.*

Cover design by Matthew Kadish

Three Free Books

No kidding. 3 FREE BOOKS, simply for signing up for my Fan Email List.

Just fill out the Subscribe form here.

Novels by T.R. Harris

The Adam Cain Saga

The Dead Worlds

Empires

Battle Plan

Galactic Vortex

Dark Energy

Universal Law

The Formation Code

The Quantum Enigma

Children of the Aris

The Human Chronicles

The Fringe Worlds

Alien Assassin

The War of Pawns

The Tactics of Revenge

The Legend of Earth

Cain’s Crusaders

The Apex Predator

A Galaxy to Conquer

The Masters of War

Prelude to War

The Unreachable Stars

When Earth Reigned Supreme

A Clash of Aliens

Battlelines

The Copernicus Deception

Scorched Earth

Alien Games

The Cain Legacy

The Andromeda Mission

Last Species Standing

Invasion Force

Force of Gravity

Mission Critical

The Lost Universe

The Immortal War

Destroyer of Worlds

Phantoms

Terminus Rising

The Last Aris

The Human Chronicles Box Set Series

Box Set #1 – Books 1-5 in the series

Box Set #2 – Books 6-10 in the series

Box Set #3 – Books 11-15 in the series

Box Set #4 – Books 16-20 in the series

Box Set #5—Books 21-25 in the series

REV Warriors Series

Rev

REV: Renegades

REV: Rebirth

REV: Revolution

REV: Retribution

REV Warriors Part 2

REV: Revelations

REV: Resolve

REV: Requiem

REV Warriors Series Part 1 Box Set - The COMPLETE Series (5 books)

Jason King – Agent to the Stars Series

The Enclaves of Sylox

Treasure of the Galactic Lights

The Drone Wars Series

Day of the Drone

In collaboration with Co-Author George Wier…

The Liberation Series

Captains Malicious

Available exclusively on Amazon.com and FREE to members of Kindle Unlimited.

Contents

The Legend of Earth

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

The End

Three Free Books

Facebook Fan Group

Novels by T.R. Harris

The Legend of Earth

Book #5 in The Human Chronicles Saga

Adam Cain is an alien with an attitude.

His story continues …

Chapter 1

He dreamed of killing Humans …

In his dream the ground before him was littered with the bloody remains of hundreds of dead Humans, splayed about in an open field on Klinmon, his ancestral homeworld.

Linuso Summlin raised his hands to his face; they were covered with blood—Human blood. He thought this odd for a Klin, to have killed with his own hands. His race was subtler, more finessed. They usually employed others to do the killing for them.

Yet he instinctively knew this entire field of Human corpses had fallen by his hands, and as he looked closer at the bodies, he saw all their faces were the same. They wore the lifeless, vacant-eyed face of Adam Cain, the Human whose mocking smugness haunted the darkest avenues of his sleep.

Is this a memory or a dream? As the gray fog of unconsciousness began to lift, Linuso couldn’t tell. It seemed so real—so satisfying in its aftermath—that if this was a dream, then he did not want to wake, forever content to live out the rest of his existence confined to this gruesome dreamscape.

Unfortunately, that was not to be the case.

Linuso became aware of a painful brightness attempting to invade his dream, filtering through his eyelids to wash away the scene of glorious death before him. When he opened his eyes—even a fraction—a spasm of light hit him with the force of an electric shock. He frowned and squinted, fighting to keep the stabbing pain away, but to no avail.

The foggy scene before him began to focus into reality; he was in a bed in a bright and sterile room with several beings hovering around him.

“Pleabaen, it is good to see you have regained consciousness,” said a voice to his right. As more awareness reached him, Linuso could feel he carried bandages and feeding tubes, while a strange, pervasive numbness lingered in his body.

“Where am I?” a weak and raspy voice uttered, one he barely recognized as his own.

“You are in a medical facility near the Estate. You have been severely injured, but you will recover…with time.”

“Injured, how?”

“Perhaps this is not the time, Pleabaen. You have only now emerged from a coma.”

Linuso blinked his eyes several times, bringing the room into better focus. He managed to shift his head from side to side and saw the grave expressions on the four other Klin in the room. Injured? I have been injured. But I have no recollection….

“No, you must tell me now,” he commanded in his foreign voice.

There was a pregnant pause before the speaker began. “It was the Humans, McCarthy and Cain. They destroyed the communication array on the roof of the Estate and it fell through your chambers, nearly killing you. Over one hundred Klin died in the explosion and subsequent fire in the building.”

Linuso’s senses were rapidly returning; his heart raced and the veins in his temples pounded. “The Humans did this? When … how?”

“Within minutes of being placed in the detention cell they managed to escape. Apparently McCarthy had planned for this eventuality and placed a key and weapons within the cell—”

“Where are they now?”

“They have escaped the planet, all of them, including McCarthy and Cain.”

“And what of the battle…what of the fleet?”

Again there was a pause before the speaker answered. “The battle went to the Humans, Pleabaen. Do you not remember?” The speaker looked to the Klin wearing the uniform of a medical technician. They shared a concerned expression.

But now it was coming back; the memories began to explode in his head. Yes, the battle had gone to the Humans, through a feat of deception that destroyed the Juirean fleet in its entirety and left in its wake a Human force which his own Klin numbers could not match. He called off the attack, leaving the Human fleet free to roam the region.

“I now recall,” Linuso said. “I withdrew the fleet while we seek an alternative plan to defeat the Juireans—and now apparently the Humans as well.”

Through his groggy awareness, Linuso could see several of the Klin exchange more looks of concern. The speaker—who Linuso now recognized as one of his aides named Jinnil—appeared to be internally debating something more.

“What is it?” Linuso asked him. “Are there other developments?”

“Yes, Linuso,” Jinnil said slowly. “The fleet…the Kracori assumed control.”

With each new revelation, Linuso was shocked further into consciousness. Painfully, he attempted to rise up in the bed; two aides rushed to assist him, propping a pillow behind his back. “What do you mean: assumed control?”

“There has been a revolt throughout the Kracori population, Pleabaen. They have either killed or imprisoned the Klin working with them and have taken over all our land-based facilities, as well as all spaceships on which they were embarked. The situation is grave. I know the rest of the Forum will be grateful that you have regained consciousness. A conference was to be convened soon if you had not. We are in dire need of leadership, Pleabaen.”

“Where is the fleet now—this Kracori fleet?”

“They have embarked on a course for Juir.”

“Juir! Do they intend to accomplish the cleansing themselves?”

“That appears to be the case,” Jinnil said. “The Juirean forces between Falor-Kapel and their homeworld are greatly diminished. There is a possibility that if the Kracori fleet can arrive before the Juireans have a chance to regroup, they could lay waste to the planet with little resistance.”

“And what of the Humans?”

“They have just now met up with the second fleet from Earth and are still in the vicinity of the Falor-Kapel system. Linuso, their fleet is now over thirteen-hundred ships strong. There is no force between them and Juir that can counter such a fleet, if they embark for the capital planet as well.”

“They will move on Juir,” the Pleabaen stated firmly, “if they know the planet is vulnerable. Have they made any indication that they are aware of this fact?”

“All our surrogates aboard the fleet have gone silent. We do not know the intentions of the Humans.”

Linuso attempted to climb from the bed, but spasms of pain in his back and legs forced him to fall back on the cushion. After fighting through the agony, he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, calming his mind and body. “I must convene the Forum; it will have to be here, seeing as I am unable to leave. All options must be weighed and new plans devised. We cannot allow either the Kracori or the Humans to reach Juir before we do. The Klin have worked too long to let some outliers steal our glory. We cannot let it happen. Not again.”

Chapter 2

Adam Cain thought this must be how people felt on death row.

An hour earlier, an announcement had blared from the PA system of the Juirean Enforcer-class starship informing all prisoners that they had entered the Juirean stellar system and were now to begin preparations. Adam was at a loss as to what preparations he needed to make. After all, how does one prepare for one’s own execution?

With nothing better to do for the past two months, Adam had found his imagination was his own worst enemy. During that time he managed to conjure up all kinds of outrageous and improbable scenarios for how his stay on Juir might transpire. In one, he and his fellow Humans would convince the Juireans to set them free. In another they would escape in a hail of flash bolts. Or lastly—with trumpets blowing—the Human fleet would sweep in at the last minute to save them all from certain death. Yet no matter how convincing he made the fantasies, there was only one thing he knew for certain: he had no idea exactly how the next twenty-four hours would play out.

The fact that Adam and the Humans were still prisoners of the Juirean Overlord Anawar Fe Batlin was a testament not only to the alien’s effectiveness, but also to his paranoia. It had been two months since they had surrendered to the ten-ship convoy commanded by the Overlord, only five days after escaping from the Klin stronghold on Marishal. The Humans had surrendered to the Juireans, believing that it made more sense to take their chances as prisoners, as opposed to being blasted out of space in a hail of plasma bolts. And besides, they had history on their side; no prison or jail cell had been able to contain the Humans for very long. As in the past, the Humans had treated their imprisonment as just a temporary setback. To them, it wasn’t a question of if they could escape, but rather when.

But then the Overlord pulled a fast one.

They had only been aboard the Juirean Class-3 starship for two days when Adam was summoned into Overlord Anawar Fe Batlin’s private chambers.

“I’ve made new arrangements for your detainment,” the gruff old alien had said. Adam stood silently before the Juirean’s desk waiting for more details.

“I will not have a repeat of what happened the last time you were held aboard a Juirean vessel, so you and your companions are to be transferred to another ship—a small, unmanned Enforcer. You will have full run of the ship, all except the bridge and generator rooms. Explosives have been fashioned around these spaces and monitors have been placed throughout the ship. I will not tolerate any efforts to access these spaces, or any attempts to escape.”

Anawar leaned back in his chair and ran a wrinkled hand through his light blue hair. Adam knew Juireans signified rank by the dyed color of their manes, great masses of hair that billowed from the tops of their head to cascade halfway down their backs. However, this Overlord was old, and the constant battle between the dark blue of his rank and the ravages of age was quickly being lost to stubborn streaks of gray. Maybe he’ll do a better dye job for his command appearance before the Council, Adam thought. A little ‘Just for Aliens’ would go a long way to help cover up that gray.

“I am fully aware of your reputation, Adam Cain,” the Overlord continued. “I am also aware of the outcome of the latest engagement between our two races. This convoy is headed for Juir to add our firepower to the countering forces being assembled there, a journey which will take two standard months.” Anawar paused a moment to look Adam up and down. “You Humans are the gravest enemies of the Juirean Expansion and I would not be faulted for simply destroying the prison ship at my discretion, killing all of you in the process. I have the Klin-designed spacecraft you were captured aboard, which by itself will gain me great favor with the Council. But I must admit, I would like to present you to Elder Hydon personally as well, but it is not a necessity. However, the last thing I will tolerate is any further loss of Juirean life by your hands. Be forewarned, I will be looking for a reason not to kill you and your co-conspirators. Eliminating you as a threat as soon as possible would make my life much simpler. So whether you live or die now depends entirely on your actions aboard the prison ship.”

Anawar briefly flashed his teeth, a gesture that would normally be called a smile, yet Adam knew to be a sign of defiance and arrogance in alien culture. Adam didn’t respond; it was too early in his captivity to cause problems. Besides, this particular Juirean seemed serious about keeping him in chains. That might change, but for the moment he had to be careful.

“You seem to have thought of everything,” Adam complimented. “When will this transfer take place?”

“Immediately; as we speak your companions are being escorted to the landing bay.” The Juirean hesitated, fighting back the urge to say something more. Finally he gave in to his urges. “The Juirean people do not deserve the pain and destruction your barbaric race has brought to the Expansion, and if you were any other group of Humans, I would have summarily executed all of you as an act of war. But you are Adam Cain, the terrorist, and I know how much pleasure the Elder will get from personally putting an end to your evil existence. But remember, arriving at Juir alive is not a necessity, simply a bonus.”

* * *

The shuttle skidded into the Enforcer’s small landing bay, and once the atmosphere returned to the chamber, all the prisoners were hustled out under heavy guard. Anawar’s Counselor—another old Juirean named Timino—was in charge of the transfer. He barely said a word, seeming instead to be put out by the whole affair. When everyone was off the shuttle the old Juirean stepped up to Adam.

“I would have cast you all out into the cold of space if I was in command,” he said without preamble. “I know that as long as you and your kind are alive, you are a threat.”

Adam grinned at him, flashing his teeth in his own sign of challenge and defiance. “Yeah, I get it: The only good Human is a dead Human—something like that?”

“That is a very accurate way to express it,” the Juirean agreed. Then he motioned for the guards to reenter the shuttle. He turned back to Adam just before the hatch was shut. “We will be monitoring you. I welcome the opportunity to recommend detonation of the explosives; just give me a reason.” And with that he disappeared into the shuttle.

The prisoners quickly moved out of the landing bay and into an observation room. The atmosphere was evacuated from the chamber once again and the shuttle departed. As soon as it was clear, the room exploded with over a dozen voices all trying to speak at once. McCarthy’s booming command brought silence.

“Carter, I saw environment suits in the landing bay area. We’ll suit up and fly over to the command ship. They won’t be expecting that. Once we get there, we’ll look for a way to get inside.”

“That would be very risky,” Kaylor spoke up. “If the convoy enters a well, everyone outside would be sucked in. That will not work.”

McCarthy’s eyes darted back and forth wildly. “Then we’ll have to get into the bridge. “Connors and Sato, the two of you see if we can gain access through the air duct system—”

“Hold on!” Sherri yelled, her high-pitched voice cutting cleanly through the low, guttural tone of the men. She stepped in front of McCarthy—who towered over her by a good head-and-a-half—and pointed a finger up at his face. “Who put you in charge?” she asked. “To me, you’re just a goddamn traitor. You were quite content to play along with the Klin until they stabbed you in the back. As I see it, you’re just as responsible as the Klin for all the crap that’s been going on for who knows how long. You probably even knew that the Juirean attack on the Earth was a setup. You knew the Klin could have stopped the attack before anyone on the surface got killed, but you did nothing. You’re just as responsible for all those deaths as the stinking Klin!”

Adam watched the expressions of McCarthy’s men as Sherri unleashed her tirade. None seemed surprised by the allegations. That was not good. They had been part of the conspiracy against their own race, just like McCarthy. However, it did provide Adam with a valuable insight into their loyalties.

Finally, McCarthy had enough. He raised his hand to strike the feisty female, only to have all the Human members of Adam’s team rush forward. They were immediately blocked by several of McCarthy’s men, and a tense standoff ensued.

Adam shoved his way between McCarthy and Sherri, separating them. “Everyone just calm down; fighting amongst ourselves will not accomplish a thing.”

“But we can’t do nuthin,” said one of Nigel’s men, aggressively moving to within a palm’s length of Adam’s face. Adam tolerated the man’s foul breath; he was sure they all suffered from the same malady. “They’re just going to kill us when we get to Juir,” the man said.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Adam said.

“What the hell does that mean?” the man asked. Adam remembered his name was Simpson—or something like that—one of the Australians.

“The Juireans have been a victim of the Klin’s manipulations, just as we have. I think we have a good chance of convincing them that we’re not really their enemy—”

“Bullshit!” McCarthy said, replacing Simpson in the face-to-face standoff with Adam. Tobias and Riyad moved up to flank him.

“It’s okay, guys,” Adam said to them. “We’re just having a friendly conversation.” He turned back to McCarthy. “Whatever’s going to happen on Juir is a couple of months away. Until then, we have the run of this ship and time to assess our situation.” He looked over at Simpson. “We may find a way to escape—I’m not opposed to that—but we can’t jump headlong into something until we have all the facts. Most of us have Special Forces training. We know better than to simply react to a situation.”

There was an awkward silence in the room as McCarthy’s team looked to him for guidance. Eventually, the hulking, ginger-haired man smiled. “Fine. We’ll do it your way—for now. But get one thing straight, mate, you’re not in charge of me or my men.”

“Roger that, Mr. McCarthy, but we are on the same team. We have to work together.”

The space opened up some around the two men as people in the room began to relax. Adam held out his hand to McCarthy and smiled.

Nigel gripped his hand tightly, squeezing it hard in a macho act of dominance. Adam matched his grip—and then reeled off a powerful left hook to McCarthy’s jaw.

McCarthy fell heavily to the deck, as tensions soared once more between the opposing teams. Adam jumped back and raised his hands. “I owed him that.”

“Stand down!” McCarthy commanded from the floor, as he propped himself up on one elbow, massaging his jaw with his other hand. He grinned up at Adam. “Good form, Mr. Cain. I guess I did deserve that.” He rose to his feet. “But that’s the only free one you’ll get.”

McCarthy turned away, shoving his way through the throng surrounding him, heading farther into the ship; his men followed like a gaggle of steroid-enhanced geese.

Adam looked over at Sherri and winked. “Men,” was all she said.

* * *

McCarthy and his nine-man crew claimed the ship’s forward compartments for their own, with McCarthy in the captain’s quarters and Carter Thomas in the XO’s. This area was reserved for the ship’s Juirean contingent and therefore offered more spacious and better-appointed accommodations.

As the ranking officer onboard, Adam should have been able to claim the captain’s quarters, but he chose not to make an issue out of it. Instead, he and his people took the more modest quarters found amidships. A tense equilibrium was established after that between the two camps. In fact, the less interaction Adam and his team had with Nigel’s, the better.

If McCarthy didn’t get them all blown to vapor over the next two months, Adam would have time to think. He needed that time, because a germ of an idea began to percolate in his mind….

For much of the first two weeks aboard the prison ship, Adam’s two alien companions, Kaylor and Jym, had done all they could to find a way around the Juirean’s safeguards, but with no luck. And once the convoy entered gravity-wells for the journey to Juir, there wasn’t much more they could do except sit back and enjoy the ride.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible either, since they all knew only death awaited them at the journey’s end.

Being the eternal optimist, Adam chose to spend his time working on an endless array of alternative endings to their predicament, ones where they actually lived to tell their tale. But now the moment of truth was at hand. In a couple of hours they would be shuttling down to the planet Juir—the capital of the Expansion—and about as deep into enemy territory as one could get. At this particular moment, Adam Cain, Captain, US Navy SEALs, wasn’t feeling his normal cocky self.

He shrugged. Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be.

Adam was momentarily distracted when Sherri Valentine emerged from the small grooming station in the cramped compartment they shared, her expression stern, her brow perpetually furrowed these days. Unlike Adam, who had faced his own mortality countless times while in action, Sherri was just now coming to grips with hers. “Twenty-six years is just too short for it to end here, twenty-thousand light years from home and at the hands of a group of disgusting aliens,” she often mumbled to herself when she thought Adam couldn’t hear. The passing days had only deepened her depression.

But no matter how grim the situation, Adam wasn’t about to give up. However, as the days passed and they drew ever-closer to Juir, he was quickly running out of options.

Adam’s team had free-rein of a series of nine compartments, including a small galley and comfort lounge. Inevitably, they intermingled often with McCarthy’s men, yet both groups kept their distance as much as possible, a wise move considering the tension between the two parties.

Even though McCarthy had been instrumental in helping his people escape from the Klin, Adam still didn’t trust the large Englishman. McCarthy had been the leader of the Human Converts—and the most-traitorous of them all—who voluntarily sided with the aliens against his own race. He had orchestrated the abduction of hundreds—if not thousands—of people from Earth, sending them into captivity on half a dozen worlds. Those who did not succumb to the Klin’s brainwashing propaganda and become willing accomplices were used as slaves or sexual surrogates to breed a compliance force of Second Generation Humans. The 2G’s were innocent dupes of the Klin, knowing no other truth than what the Klin told them.

But McCarthy knew the truth—at least to a point. He knew the Klin needed the Humans to fight a war against the galaxy-ruling Juireans and to help exact vengeance aimed at satisfying a centuries-long grudge. In return for his help, McCarthy had been promised nothing less than the Earth herself. With the power of the Klin behind him, McCarthy would have been installed as the supreme ruler of the planet once the ultimate truth came out about the Klin’s involvement with humanity. It took a certain type of personality to aspire to such heights, a kind of ego willing to sell out his entire race to achieve it. This made Nigel McCarthy a psychopath of the first degree.

Adam could only imagine what a traumatic event it must have been for McCarthy when he learned he’d been played by the Klin, just like the rest of the Human race. He was simply another pawn in the alien’s ultimate game of galactic chess, to be sacrificed when the time came. Adam would have given anything to have seen the look on McCarthy’s face when he also learned that another race—the Kracori—were to be the Klin’s true partners in galactic domination and not the Humans. It would have been priceless.

Instead of partnering with the Converts, the Klin were using mankind’s primitive savagery and quest for revenge to simply reduce the Juirean military forces to a more manageable level. Then the Klin and Kracori would move in to finish the job. After that, the Human race was expendable; the Klin couldn’t allow such a potent and potentially dangerous race to exist after their usefulness was at an end.

But the Humans had other ideas. Seeing through the ruse long before the execution of the Klin’s final plan, the Humans surprised the Juirean forces off Falor-Kapel and defeated their fleet in such a lopsided victory that it left the Human force nearly fully intact and too much for the Klin-Kracori alliance to overcome.

Adam had spent some time trying to figure out what the Klin’s next move might be. In one way their plan had succeeded; the Juirean forces had been decimated, at least in this part of the galaxy. But now the Humans had become the dominant military force in the region, at least until the Juirean units regrouped.

By his count, Adam estimated the Human fleet was comprised of a little over a thousand warships, compared to the Klin-Kracori fleet of three hundred, a number the Klin leader Linuso had revealed at their last meeting. As it turned out, all the Klin managed to do was replace one powerful enemy with another. And without a countering force of equal or greater strength, there was nothing they could do to whittle down the Human forces to a more manageable level, not without the help of the Juireans. It was a classic Catch-22 situation.

So what was the Klin’s endgame? To defeat the Juirean fleet? That had been done, but still the Juireans survived, on Juir and on countless other locations throughout the galaxy. To defeat the Humans? That had never been their main goal. They were supposed to accomplish that through battle attrition with the Juireans. If everything had gone according to plan, the Humans would have been reduced to an insignificant player in the game, one which could be easily eliminated at some future date.

No, their goal had always been to have the Humans clear a path for them all the way to the planet Juir. They sought to excoriate the planet, much as the Juireans had done to the Klin homeworld thousands of years before. But even that act would not eradicate the Juireans from the galaxy. The destruction of Juir was more symbolic than decisive, and just the beginning of the decline of Juirean influence. And then with the help of the Kracori—instead of the Humans—the Klin would begin the slow and arduous task of ferreting out all the remaining Juireans.

That was their endgame. But what could they do now?

It had been several weeks before Adam decided on the most feasible Plan B for the Klin. They would still attack Juir. Whether that action would have a lasting influence on the galaxy or not was anyone’s guess. But the Klin would have their revenge—or at least a huge slice of it—for the destruction of their homeworld.

If that truly was the Klin’s Plan B, then Adam might actually have something to offer the Juireans in exchange for his life and the lives of his companions. But, damn, he would have to make the best sales pitch in history to pull it off.

Chapter 3

Hydon Ra Elys was the most powerful living entity in the galaxy, but he would have quickly surrendered that title for just a moment of peace in his troubled world.

For over four thousand years the Juirean race had ruled the galaxy, and during that time crises had come and gone, each dealt with by a Council Elder such as he. Some of the conflicts these ancient Juireans had presided over left the race stronger, while others had rocked it to its very core. Yet throughout it all the Juireans survived.

But now, as Hydon struggled with the deluge of events surrounding this latest crisis, he wasn’t so sure they would survive, at least not as the undisputed leaders of the galaxy. There were simply too many forces aligning against them.

He took a moment to massage his neck, relieving only a fraction of the stress that resided there. Then he looked down at his desktop, and at the no-less-than six datapads resting there, all lit with information catastrophic to his people and the further existence of the Expansion.

Hydon was the head of the Juirean Council, at the very pinnacle of political power in the galaxy. He had held his current position for nearly thirty-two standard years, when a succession vote had replaced the former Elder with Hydon. The past Elder was Nylor Ca Crunic and was older than Hydon in standard years and remained a member of the Council to this day. Juireans advanced through a process of confidence votes, based on the Council’s assessment of the nominees’ real-life abilities. Nylor had not been a poor Elder; the Council had simply decided that Hydon’s skill-set was superior to Nylor’s at the time.

In light of the current situation—namely the war with the Humans and the Klin—Hydon knew his days as Elder were numbered. He also knew the confidence vote would not take place until the situation had been stabilized—or Hydon made a major blunder. Hydon was tempted to label his authorization of the attack upon the planet Earth as a blunder worthy of demotion. However, he also knew he’d been operating on the best intelligence available at the time. With the current crisis far from resolved, now was not the time to make a change in leadership. The Council knew this as well. However, when the time was right, Hydon Ra Elys would be the first to vote for his removal as Elder.

His thoughts were interrupted by the entry into his office by three of his most senior advisors: Fleet Marshal Relion, Counselor Yol-fin, and Councilmember Wydor. Even though he had been expecting their arrival, it was Hydon who did not feel prepared for the decisions that had to be made at this meeting.

* * *

Hydon Ra Elys had been born in the K-32 breeding facility on Salin. As it was with all Juireans for the past three thousand years, he never knew his birth-female, or where the seed came from that had fertilized her. Upon birth, he was taken to the rearing stations at the facility and nursed to Stage Two by the postnatal specialists. Testing began at age three, after which he was advanced to pre-Overlord screening. By the age of eight, he had shown enough promise to be permanently assigned to the Overlord Corps and transferred to the planet Crilis.

He personally did not set foot upon the planet Juir until he had reached twelve-standard years, during his first pilgrimage to the planet as part of Overlord orientation.

He could still remember the awe and thrill he felt first stepping upon the soil of the birthplace of his race. The air had been sweet, the verdant hills singing with the rustling of the leaves of the mily trees. The tour had included visits to the Southern Sea, as well as the ancient Guard facilities in Juir City. But the highlight of the trip came when the caravan carried the three hundred young Overlords to the top of the Kacoran Plain. Hydon’s knees were literally shaking when he first saw Malor Tower majestically rising up in all its glory, golden starlight reflecting off its glass exterior.

Then came the moment every Juirean covets, the time they first set eyes upon the Contact Monument. The huge pyramid that was Malor Tower had been built directly over the very place where an alien race made first contact with the Juirean people. Of course, at that time the people of the planet Axlus were not called Juireans—only those from Juir City could claim that honor. But that soon changed when the inhabitants of the planet realized once and for all that they were not people of a single city, or land, or continent, but instead belonged to an entire planet and to a single race of creatures.

For millennia Juireans from across the Expansion had come to Juir to behold the monument, whether they were Admins, Guards, Techs, Counselors, Overlords, or Elites. All Juireans were welcome.

It would be twenty-eight more years before Hydon would return to the birthplace of his race. Thereafter, he would depart on various assignments, but he would always return, having acquired a little more experience, a little more respect from his peers.

Forty-one years later he returned to Juir for good. He was voted to Elite Class, and six years later found a seat on the Juirean Council itself.

Yet even to this day Hydon could still remember the overwhelming joy he felt when first viewing the Contact Monument, even though now he sat in an office forty-two stories above the monolith and could look down directly upon its tall spire if he so desired.

As his guests took their seats, Hydon felt a sour taste welling up in his throat, as the thought of that first alien contact lingered. That race had been the Klin, and yes, the history and legacies of both races were that intertwined, back to the very beginning when the people of Axlus became the Juireans. A day didn’t go by in which the Elder did not think of the Klin, whether chanting some curse word whose origins were long forgotten, or curious about the latest rumor he’d heard regarding his long-extinct enemy.

Hydon knew that it was simply an unfortunate act of fate that found him in the position of Elder right at the very moment the Klin chose to emerge from hiding, to prove all the rumors true and set the Expansion and the Juirean people on a collision course with their oldest nemesis. But even though the continued existence of the Klin was confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt, his most immediate concern was not with the Klin, but rather with the race of beings called Humans.

“I haven’t much time, Relion, so please get started,” Hydon commanded, while taking yet another datapad from the outstretched hand of his Fleet Marshal.

“Yes, my Lord. First I will let you know that the sentries have been able to track the Human fleet since their departure from the Falor-Kapel system. They are making no pretense now as to their strength or intentions. They are headed this way.”

“How long?”

“They have only just now left the system. By traditional transit routes around the Core, they should arrive at the outer boundary in approximately four standard months.”

“Their strength?”

“It’s hard for the sentries to tell at that distance, but they estimate around fifteen-hundred ships of various classes, including approximately twelve hundred warships.”

The Elder was silent for a moment, as all in the room thought the unspoken. And then: “Defenses…what are the prospects?”

Relion sighed a little loudly and was embarrassed by the expression. No one else at the meeting commented. “We are rushing all available warcraft to the area. We are also placing nuclear mines across the boundary, although the distances are much too great to be of much use; it will be pure luck if one of them is contacted by an approaching Human warship. There is a very wide area from which they could make their final approach, assuming they do not split and choose a multiple front assault.” The Fleet Marshal paused a moment to let the information sink in.

“What is your assessment of our defensive strength in four months’ time?”

“We count a total of nearly five thousand Class-2 or larger warcraft in the Expansion at this time. According to analysis, only about eight hundred could make it here in time, including three Class-6’s and our remaining Class-7.”

Relion paused again, an action which caused the Elder to widen his eyes at his subordinate. “And…?”

“It will not be enough, my Lord.”

This was what Hydon had been afraid of. No matter what they did, the Humans would still prevail.

Now it was Hydon’s turn to pause. He looked down at the corroborating data on the pad and then at the large monitor screen to his right. It displayed the relative positions of the seven systems which made up the Alliance Cluster and whose farthest border marked the outer boundary. Within the Cluster were located the power generating planets of Oannan and Bal, the breeding farm of Salin, the training centers on Crilis, as well as the shipbuilding facilities on Molipor and Pymilia. Taken together, the worlds within the Alliance Cluster made up the industrial and intellectual life-blood of the Expansion. At its very center was its heart—the planet Juir. If the Humans could breach the boundary, then they could strike a crippling blow to all that made the Expansion function.

And Fleet Marshal Relion was saying there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Hydon looked to Councilmember Wydor. They were as close to being friends as one could be in Juirean society, having served together half a dozen times throughout the years. Wydor had ascended to the Council upon Hydon’s nomination.

“I see no other option,” Wydor said to Hydon, regret thick in his voice. “We must save what we can and return when our forces are stronger.”

“I do not want to be the Elder who presides over the destruction of our homeworld, Wydor.”

“You will not be held responsible, my Lord,” said his personal Counselor Yol-fin, a trusted advisor who had been at Hydon’s side for over fifty standard years.

“Unfortunately, Counselor, I will. Whether official blame or not, my name will be forever associated with the sacking of Juir.”

Wydor leaned forward to rest his arms upon Hydon’s desk. “You have an opportunity to pull victory out of defeat,” he began, his voice building in intensity. “You can salvage most of our heritage and capabilities, to be resurrected at a future date. The Humans are upstarts. They may have a more powerful fleet at this time, but they are also located a great distance away in the Far Arm. They may sweep through the area, but they will not be able to hold it…if we preserve our strength.”

“The Councilmember is right, my Lord,” said Relion, his voice gaining enthusiasm as well. “If we commit a sizeable portion of our remaining forces to defense of the Cluster, just to have the effort fail, we will only be delaying our recovery. All available ships should be used for evacuation purposes. We could stockpile ample energy modules and then cripple the facilities so the Humans cannot use them. With four months until their arrival, we could even manage to save a good portion of the population.”

“But not all.” Hydon’s statement sucked all the air out of the room. The population of Juir was just over a billion—and that was just the Juireans. Even with every possible vessel filled to capacity—and not only the military ships, but every ship—the best they could hope for would be a few hundred million evacuated in the four months before the Human’s arrival. And then they would have to find a place to move them all, someplace far enough from harm, yet close enough where transport time wouldn’t limit the evacuation ships to only a trip or two. Finally there would be the space taken up with records, artifacts, and energy modules to be considered.

“Hydon,” Wydor said softly, “we can only do so much. Juir is already lost. The most we can hope for is to salvage all we can, and to return with a new force strong enough to drive away the evil Humans.”

“When that time comes, Wydor, I hope it is you who is Elder to lead the way…the way home.”

* * *

After the meeting adjourned, Hydon’s senior Counselor remained. His other two advisors had rushed off to begin the monumental task of saving the core of the Juirean Expansion from the marauding Human invaders.

“What is it, Yol-fin? I still have a lot to do.”

“Pardon me, my Lord, but you specifically requested that you be notified when Overlord Anawar Fe Batlin arrived.”

“Anawar? Do I know him?”

“Not personally. He is bringing in a small convoy from the outer rim.”

Hydon shook his head and frowned, still at a loss to place the significance of the event.

“He has the Human terrorist Adam Cain with him.”

“Yes! Now I remember. I do not have time for this, Yol-fin. Just have him executed when he arrives.”

“My Lord, you mentioned before how you have never met a Human. You seemed rather pleased with the prospect of killing this particular terrorist yourself.”

Hydon finally focused on his Counselor. He’s right. I do not personally know my enemy.

“He is traveling with others of his kind, is he not?”

“Yes, there are fifteen Humans and two others, a Belsonian and a Fulquin.”

Hydon thought for a moment how best to gain the most benefit from the acquisition of these Humans. He reached a decision.

“If I recall, Adam Cain is traveling with a female and another male as part of his team, is this correct?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Have those three brought to me. Have the others turned over to Relion’s department. I have heard these Humans are extremely strong and resistant to flash weapons. Have his technicians test them. Find their breaking points, both physically and mentally. We may not be facing them in defense of the Cluster at this time, but we will face them again in the future. I want to know how tough these creatures really are, and I want to know their weaknesses. When are they arriving? I cannot spend too much time on this.”

“Anawar should be achieving orbit about now. His shuttle will be cleared to land at the Council field. They should be here in less than two hours.”

“Good. Have a cleanup crew standing by near the Pinnacle Room…for when I am done with the Humans.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Chapter 4

Adam couldn’t see anything from the confined rear compartment of the shuttle. He had hoped to at least catch a glimpse of the infamous planet Juir during the descent. Instead, all he had to look at was the forlorn faces of his companions—all silent—having finally resigned themselves to their fates.

The reality of the situation was hard to dismiss. Even if they did manage to confiscate a starship—one capable of escaping the planet—they were on the planet Juir for Christ’s sake. It would be a long, hard and impossible slog fighting their way out of the very heart of the Juirean Expansion.

For his part, Adam still held onto a thread of hope. He knew that both the Humans and the Juireans had been maneuvered into this war by the Klin. If he could somehow convince the Juireans of that fact, then they might have a chance at survival. Granted, it was a very slim, razor-thin, microscopically narrow chance, but still a chance. And that was assuming he’d even get the opportunity to say a word before the executioner’s blade fell upon his neck—which had always been Adam’s fantasy way to die; he was a big Braveheart fan.

A bright, blinding light flooded into the shuttle’s compartment as the lower panel opened, shaking Adam from his fantasies. Surprisingly, fresh-scented air filled the compartment and Adam took in a deep breath. It had been two months since he’d last breathed fresh, unfiltered air, and it was marvelous.

Lined up outside the shuttle was a contingent of armed Juirean Guards. Adam quickly counted at least fifty of them—all for fifteen Humans. Before he knew it, the Guards were within the compartment, forcing them out into the sunlight with the barrels of their flash rifles. Normally, Adam would have reveled in the lower gravity of an Expansion-standard world—and all were measured against this very planet. But he had just spent two months aboard a Juirean starship and his muscles had become acclimated to the lighter gravity. He was hoping that would not be a problem should the need arise.

He took the opportunity to look around and was shocked by what he saw. Rather than a concreted-over mass of ugly government bureaucracy, he was standing in a wide field of bright green grass, flanked by small buildings with dark bronze glass. In the distance was a grove of modest-height trees, all ablaze with leaves of rustic brown and bright reds. A soft breeze stirred, and the scent of something akin to jasmine filled the air. He looked off to his left and saw they were high on a hill or mountain, and in the distance was a vast ocean of deep shimmering blue. The sky was streaked with pure white clouds that seemed to be gathering up the late afternoon light. For a moment Adam felt like he was home.

The moment passed quickly, however; the Guards cut Sherri, Riyad, and himself out from the rest of the prisoners. There were silent protests as the three locked eyes with Lt. Tobias, Chief Rutledge, and Petty Officer Tindal. Even Kaylor and Jym were being pulled away and loaded into the back of a large truck-like transport. Adam could care less what happened to McCarthy and his men. But the others, that was a different story.

Sherri began to sob loudly as she watched her companions being herded into the back of the truck, believing—as Adam did—that this would be the last time they would see them. At the last moment, as Lt. Tobias stepped onto the truck, he turned to Adam and saluted. Adam crisply returned the salute, as Rutledge and Tindal joined in. Adam’s bottom lip trembled visibly when he closed the salute.

Once the truck was loaded, the rear doors were closed and the vehicle hummed off towards its unknown destination, leaving the remaining three Humans alone. Another transport arrived, and Overlord Anawar emerged from the rear of the shuttle and approached the car.

“The three of you will come with me,” he said, almost gleefully.

It appeared the old Overlord was going to personally present Adam to the leader of the Juirean Expansion; he was surprised that Sherri and Riyad had also been invited, but in a way he was glad. They looked at each other before reluctantly climbing into the rear compartment of the transport, while Anawar sat in the front. There was a third row of seats behind the Humans, already filled with four hulking Juireans, each with MK-47’s at the ready.

With a quick sequence of meaningful glances, Adam received the message that the two other Humans were content with staying put. If this was to be the end, they at least wanted to meet this supreme being of the galaxy before they went, if only to take the experience to their graves.

As the transport pulled around the shuttle, they could see a large pyramid looming into the sky about two kilometers away, dark bronze in color and reflecting the late afternoon sunlight off its western surface. It was impressive, easily twice the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Surrounding the building were eight tall monoliths, shaped like oversized Washington Monuments. As they drew closer, Adam noticed that these surrounding objects were buildings in their own right, with dozens of aliens—mainly Juireans—moving into and out of the glass entrances at their bases.

The entire compound was painted with winding fields of dark green grass, tasteful fountains, and walkways, and with parade grounds made up of decorative brick forming pleasing patterns. Adam was quite impressed. He’d never imagined the Juireans would be into urban design and planning, and he’d never seen any examples of Juirean art.

He noticed both Sherri and Riyad were equally impressed and was glad they had the distraction to take their minds off the inevitable. Although Adam still carried a slim glimmer of hope, he hadn’t shared any of the details of his plan with them. He hadn’t wanted to get their hopes up.

The transport slipped around the massive pyramid along its north face into a sizable parking area, and the car followed a circular driveway until it came to rest next to a large glass entrance. Five Juirean Guards waited on the concrete landing, and as everyone exited the vehicle, the Guards moved up to the three Humans and strapped collars around their necks. The bands were about an inch wide, and the collar carried a small box that pressed against the back of their necks. These were probably explosive devices, Adam figured, such as Riyad had attached to his ankle. Damn, that was like three years ago, Adam thought. A lot has happened since then.

The group was led into the building by a Guard wearing a yellow cape. Anawar followed behind him with the Humans sandwiched between the other guards. As they entered the great bronze pyramid, Adam’s breath was taken away. They entered into a vast open area with a ceiling soaring easily twenty stories high. But what really got his attention was the structure sitting at the center of this vast gallery. It was obviously a monument of some kind, with a circle of informational podiums set on top of pedestals and all surrounding something that looked like the Lunar Excursion Module from the Apollo moon landings. It was a bulky object with two distinct segments and resting on six legs; rising above the odd-looking object was a large spire. One side of the spire was straight, attached to the LEM-like object at its top center and climbing nearly as high as the twenty-story ceiling. The other side of the spire bulged out in a freeform curve, thin at the bottom, thick in the center, and then tapering to a sharp point high above.

There were a number of colored spotlights illuminating the display, all designed to highlight and impress. Dozens of Juireans and other aliens moved around the monument, with only a few paying any attention to it, although Adam couldn’t help but notice the expression on Anawar’s face as they neared the display. He stared up at the towering spire with unblinking eyes; his smallish mouth hung open slightly, his breathing coming in shallow bursts. He slowed his pace as he came closer.

The procession stopped briefly as the lead Guard noticed Anawar’s reaction. “Have you not seen the Contact Monument before, my Lord?” the Guard asked.

“Only once, during my orientation tour,” Anawar replied, not taking his eyes from the display. “That was a very long time ago.”

“You have not been to Juir since?” The Guard’s tone was incredulous.

“We all do not have the pleasure of serving here, Commander.”

The Guard simply grunted softly before turning to lead them to an elevator door set in the far wall of the gallery. There were two more Guards flanking the elevator; they nodded slightly to the lead Guard and opened the door for him.

The elevator was spacious and Adam could feel it moving upwards, then sideways, before resuming the climb to what Adam guessed would be the very top of the pyramid. This is where the Council Elder would hold court.

To his disappointment, the elevator dropped them off at a very pedestrian-looking room filled with scurrying bureaucrats and an ample supply of Guards. The procession moved down a long corridor until it met up with another doorway with a stairway leading upwards.

Without a word, the lead Guard climbed the stairs, followed tentatively by Anawar and the Humans. The other Guards did not follow.

The stairway led them to an opening in the ceiling, and they stepped into a large conference room with radically sloping walls that met at a point about thirty meters above. At the very top the bronze glass walls gave way to a clear, almost crystalline cap, the very peak of the great pyramid building.

The outer walls of the vast room were lined with counters with various monitors sitting atop them, some active, some dark; four Juirean Guards stood at the four corners of the room, each wearing full body armor and cradling flash rifles. A massive, freeform conference table made of polished stone took up a good third of the room. The table flowed like a stylized ‘S,’ with large padded chairs placed at intervals around its circumference. Numerous low-profile monitors were built into the surface of the table.

Adam looked around and gasped when he looked out at the view the room provided. It was a 360-degree panorama, with the shimmering sea to the right, and to his left majestic, snowcapped mountains off in the distance.

Adam looked at his companions; they returned his gaze, raising eyebrows and nodding. Looking at the Overlord, Adam could see he, too, was equally impressed.

The lead Guard motioned for Adam and the Humans to stand next to the far end of the conference table, just as another Juirean rose from the stairway in the floor, followed by two others.

The first Juirean walked purposefully to the opposite side of the conference table, a long purple cape flowing behind him. He carried the white hair of an Elite, the highest in the Juirean caste system, and just from the air of confidence and power he exuded, Adam concluded this was the Council Elder, the leader of the known universe.

As he sat—flanked now by the other two Juireans, one with white hair, the other green—he dropped an ornate short-sword onto the hard surface of the conference table. The blade was highly polished with a slight curvature; the hilt made of wrapped leather of various colors. In light of the high technology the Juireans commanded, the weapon was very basic and primitive.

“I am Council Elder Hydon Ra Elys,” the Juirean said abruptly, barely acknowledging the presence of the Humans. “Since we have heard stories concerning the tenacity of your kind as far as physical strength and resistance to flash weapons, the collars you now wear have been fitted with molecular blades of titanium which we assume can sever the nerves running through your spines.” He finally looked up at the Humans and took notice. “Judging by the slenderness of your necks, there is a good chance the blades would separate your heads from your bodies with minimal effort.”

He looked down at the datapad he’d carried into the room. Without looking up, he continued. “If you approach me closer than half the width of this table, the blades will activate. In addition, the room is being constantly monitored. Any attempt to attack me or any of the guards will result in activation of the collars. My time is limited, so after a brief discussion I will use this ceremonial blade from the time before Contact to end your lives. You are fortunate that I do not have more time, otherwise I would make you suffer more.”

The Elder finally finished scanning the information on the datapad and set it down on the tabletop. He leaned back in his chair and looked up at Overlord Anawar standing about three meters to Adam’s right. “Lord Anawar, I am very grateful that you have brought these outlaws to me personally. Your file will be noted. The prize of the Klin spacecraft is even now being loaded aboard another ship for transport so it can be properly analyzed. As well, the ten ships you have delivered will serve an important function during the evacuation.”

“Evacuation? My Lord, I do not understand. What of the defense?”

“Of course, you are not aware, the decision has only recently been made. Juir—as well as several other important facilities throughout the Cluster—are to be evacuated to safer territory as a result of the impending attack by the Human forces. It has been determined that any defense we could mount in the time available will be inadequate, therefore we are evacuating so as to preserve Juirean artifacts and records, along with as many lives as possible.”

“Forgive me, my Lord, but Juir is to be abandoned to the barbarians?”

“Overlord Anawar, this is not a decision we have come to lightly. Unfortunately, at this time it is the only one that will preserve Juirean culture. And even though the Humans will occupy the Cluster for the time being, we do have ample reserves to repel them at a future date. It is more important at this time to save our heritage, if not our homeworld.”

“But there are over a billion Juireans on the planet. Certainly there cannot be enough ships available to save them all.”

Adam could tell the Elder was becoming impatient with his subordinate’s questioning. This latest revelation also explained why Hydon was so distracted.

“We will be able to save over half, according to our estimates. There is still four months before the Humans arrive.”

“Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it?” Sherri said, the first of the Humans to speak.

Hydon looked at her for several seconds, his eyes scanning her up and down. “You are the female. Although it has been millennia since Juireans practiced traditional mating bonds, the vast majority of our Member races still do. In fact, in some societies females play the dominant role. I respect that. I will address you as an equal with your male counterparts.”

Sherri pulled her chin down into her neck as her eyes grew wide. Adam could almost hear her thinking, “Oh no, you didn’t just say that!”

“You are the one known as Sherri Valentine. You have accompanied the males during their terroristic activities, so you will share their fate.” Hydon then turned his attention to Adam. “You must be Adam Cain,” he said quickly. “The three of you are the first Humans I have met. It is good to see the enemy in the flesh. There have been so many rumors circulating regarding Humans, many I’m sure initiated by you and your kind. Although you will die quickly and soon, the others you came with will not be so fortunate. They will be tested and their bodies analyzed to reveal your secrets. Once Fleet Marshal Relion and his technicians are done with them, we will know what it takes to efficiently kill Humans.” Hydon nodded to the Juirean seated at his right.

“Now, before I kill you, I want to know the answer to a question I have not been able to fathom: Why? Why has your race chosen to wage war against the Juirean Expansion? Besides the sheer audacity of the act, you must know you cannot prevail, not against the entire Expansion.”

“We didn’t start this…you did!” Sherri took a step closer to the Juirean; Adam and Riyad grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

“As to your point of us starting this conflict, you are gravely mistaken. The Juirean Expansion had no knowledge of your race until you began hostile activities against us. The attack upon your homeworld was simply a defensive move to counter your aggressiveness.” He looked directly at Adam. “And as we have learned, it was you who played an integral role in leading our forces into the trap. And now, in our most recent encounter, your race has once again displayed an almost pathological obsession with deception. You cannot be trusted. You are a race of savages and criminals.” With the last statement, Hydon looked at Riyad. “Pirates and barbarians, feeding off the misfortunes of others. Yes, Riyad Tarazi, I am also aware of your contributions to this affair.”

He looked again at Adam, “So answer me: Why have you embarked down this fruitless path?”

Adam took a deep breath. He eyed the blade resting on the table, knowing that he would have only one chance to save their lives. Unlike the evil villains in James Bond movies, the Juirean leader appeared to be in a hurry. He wasn’t going to take the time to gloat.

But still, his comment about an evacuation gave Adam the opening he was looking for.

“Sherri’s right: we didn’t start this. And as it turns out, neither did you. Everything that has happened up until now has been a result of the Klin screwing with both of us.”

Hydon looked confused, either from Adam’s use of the word screwing or from his comment about the Klin.

“You are partners with the Klin. I was not aware there was also a sexual component to your relationship. Regardless, that is not an answer.”

“I mean we’re not partners. It turns out we never were. We are just as much victims of the Klin’s treachery as you are. It’s been the Klin all along who have maneuvered us into war.”

“He lies, my Lord,” said the Juirean to Hydon’s right, the one he referred to as Fleet Marshal Relion. “They have used Klin warships and technology all along and are even now producing many more.”

“I do not have time for your games,” Hydon said to Adam. “If you expect this silly diversion to delay your execution, you are mistaken.”

“I can prove it.”

Adam could feel Sherri’s and Riyad’s heads whip around in his direction; he could also see the narrowing in the eyes of the Juirean as a trace of curiosity entered his mind. “How can you prove what you say, here and now, and in the short time you have left?”

Adam moved closer to the table and pulled out a chair across from Hydon. The Elder pushed back from the table slightly as Adam came closer. “Do not come much closer. I do not want to miss the satisfaction of killing you myself.”

Adam stretched a grin in the Juirean’s direction as he sat down, a gesture that caught Hydon by surprise. “Let me set the stage, if I may?” Adam said, resting his hands on the cold stone surface of the conference table. “Let’s go back to the attack on the Earth—my homeworld. It was there that your fleet was destroyed by a surprise attack by the Klin ships. Before this, very few people on my planet knew of the existence of the Klin, or of the Juireans, or any other real aliens for that matter. Many believed there was life in the galaxy, but we had never encountered it. We were simply a one-world race, divided up among a couple hundred countries—and all fighting against each other. Sound familiar?”

“It is like ancient Juir, before the Contact. But you are wasting my time.”

“Not really. In a few moments, I’m going to tell you how you can save your precious planet from destruction.”

The three Juireans seated at the table exchanged looks of confusion, but none spoke.

“Your fleet was destroyed by Klin ships sitting in dark status within your ranks, is this correct?”

It was Relion who answered. “That is correct. But they were Human ships.”

Adam shifted his attention back to the head of the Juirean military. “How do ships maneuver while in dark status?” he asked.

“Usually with gas jets; using chemical or gravity would make the ships detectable and defeat the purpose of being dark.”

“Good. How soon after your ships arrived did you begin your attack?”

“Immediately,” Relion answered, frowning.

“And your attack continued for about three to four hours.”

“Correct.”

“Don’t play your games with us, Human,” Hydon said. “None of us have time for this.”

“That’s right. Time is the key, my Lord.” Adam gritted his teeth as he spoke the words. “So from the time you arrived, until the time the Klin attacked was about three to four hours.”

“Again, correct.”

“My question to you is how could the Klin ships have arrived in dark status, to be within your fleet, in that short of time?”

“They came in undetected, in dark status, as you said.” Even Relion was growing impatient with this line of questioning.

“From where? How far out can you detect ships using energy drives?”

“Nearly to the edge of your stellar system.”

“And how long would it take ships to cover that distance, undetected, only coasting in without using energy—in dark status?”

Relion seemed confused by the question. “It would take several standard years to cover that distance. But your ships were expecting us. They were already there.”

“Exactly!” Adam exclaimed, causing the Juireans to jump back slightly. “They were already there in orbit. They had to be. Otherwise they would not have had time to drift in undetected.”

“I see your point, Adam Cain, but I do not see what difference it makes,” said Relion. “So your forces were already in orbit waiting for us to arrive. You knew we were coming—you led us there yourself. You waited until we had arrived and then you attacked.”

Adam leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. He looked over his shoulder at Sherri and Riyad, who returned the look with quizzical expressions. He turned back at the Juireans, focusing his attention on Hydon. “So we were there waiting for you. We—and I say it was the Klin only—had the power to destroy your fleet the moment you arrived.” He paused for effect before continuing. “So why did we wait for hours to do it? Why did we allow you to drop energy bombs on our world and kill over a billion of our people? Why would we do that if we had the power and the opportunity to stop you before you dropped a single bomb?”

Hydon met Adam’s stare straight on. “I do not know why Humans do what they do. You may not cherish life as much as we do. I do not know.”

“Well here’s your answer: It was the Klin who controlled those ships in space. It was the Klin who could have stopped your attack and didn’t. It was the Klin who allowed you to kill a billion people…a billion Humans.”

“Why would they do that?” asked the other Juirean seated at the table, the one who had not spoken to this point.

“To make us mad, that’s why. They did it so we would hate Juireans with every ounce of our being. They did it so we would want to go to war against you. Then right after the attack, the Klin and their helpers came down to Earth and offered to help us rebuild, while telling us god-awful stories about the evil Juireans and their desire to kill every last person on Earth. They gave us technology and spaceships and helped us train for the coming war with the Juireans—with you.”

“Again, I ask why would they do that? And why your race?

“Because they couldn’t do it themselves. As you’ve seen, we are pretty awesome fighters. We may be primitives compared to you, but that’s what makes us so good at what we do best. We’re stronger, faster and tougher than even you. We’re goddamn supermen. Why wouldn’t the Klin use us in a war with the Juireans?”

None of the Juireans spoke for a full minute; instead their eyes locked on Adam. Finally, Adam couldn’t take the silence any longer. “Can’t you see? The Klin have set up this whole thing. They made you believe that we were your enemy, while at the same time making sure that all of Humanity would hate the Juireans as much as they do.”

The other white-haired Juirean spoke. “Again, I ask why? What do they hope to gain from a war?” This other Juirean seemed to be more contemplative than the others, his tone softer. “Your planet is positioned much too far away to be an effective capital of the Expansion and your resources are limited. Any victory would be a Human victory, not a Klin victory.”

Adam looked over at Overlord Anawar. “When you picked us up, we had just escaped from the Klin headquarters on a planet called Marishal. While we were there, we watched the attack between the Humans and Juireans that took place a couple of months ago. We found out then that all the Klin ever wanted from this war was for the two of us to reduce our forces to a point where their fleet—and their true partners in crime—could then step in and take over. Fortunately for us, we tricked them—and you—and came out much stronger than they had anticipated. That really pissed off the Klin.”

“You say there is another fleet?

“That’s right. It’s three hundred ships strong and manned by the Klin and the other of their patsy races, the Kracori.”

Adam watched as Relion entered data in one of the computers embedded into the top of the conference table. He looked up a moment later. “The Kracori are a race from the planet Elision. It’s somewhere near the Juddle Nebula, my Lord, although there is no definite location noted for the planet.”

“I have not heard of these Kracori,” Hydon said. He then took a moment to look out at the panorama beyond the bronze glass of the conference room. Darkness was a little closer now, with the last rays of daylight creeping across the landscape.

“You say there is another fleet, a fleet of Klin and Kracori?” he asked, not looking away from the window.

“That’s correct,” said Adam. “And if I’m right, it’s not the Humans who are your most immediate problem, it’s them.”

“My Lord,” said Relion, “the Human fleet delayed their departure for Juir by two months after the attack as they awaited the arrival of their second fleet. What if this other fleet—if it exists—did not delay?”

“Then they are due here in less than two months.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Adam agreed. “So you can evacuate all you want, but you won’t have time to do squat before the Klin arrive. And you know the kind of grudge they have against you. They called it a Reckoning of their own. I’m sure you get the meaning.”

Hydon continued to stare out the window for what seemed like an eternity, as everyone in the room watched him. Adam was content to let the Juirean digest what he’d just heard.

“Relion,” the Council Elder began, “deactivate the collars.” He turned to face Adam. “They can be reactivated at any time. We will investigate your claims, to see if we can detect any mass of ships approaching the Cluster. Fleet Marshal, cease all evacuation efforts and prepare a defense. If what the Human says is true, we may be able to repel a fleet of three hundred ships with the forces we have available.”

Adam could see the other two Juireans grow visibly excited. Relion began to bark orders into seemingly empty air, knowing that others were watching and listening.

“Then Juir can be saved!” Overlord Anawar said to the room.

“If what the Human says is correct, it is a possibility,” said the nameless Juirean at the table.

Hydon did not speak, but rather locked eyes with Adam. The Human grinned. “That’s right,” he said cryptically to the Elder. “Even if you do stop the Klin fleet, you have a much larger and meaner group of very mad Humans arriving right behind them. So you can use your ships to defend against the Klin, and then you’ll have none available for the evacuation. When the Humans arrive, you will have lost nearly all your defenders fighting against the Klin and have nothing left for the Humans. Juir is lost, as is nearly everything else.”

Adam’s words put an immediate damper on the spirits within the room. Relion and the nameless Juirean had risen from their chairs; now they dropped back into them, dejected.

After a few moments, Adam figured he’d let them suffer long enough. “Of course, I might be able to contact the Human fleet and get them to call off the attack.”

“How can you do that?” Relion asked.

“Well, thanks to you guys, I’m pretty well known to those in charge of the fleet. A lot of us already know the Klin have been responsible for everything that’s happened. I might have a shot.”

“A shot?”

“A chance at making them stop.”

“You would do that?” It was Hydon who asked the question.

Adam leaned in closer across the table, making sure not to cross the imaginary dividing line down its center, just in case the collar had not yet been deactivated. “Don’t get me wrong. We are not friends, buddies, or allies. I still have the image of the charred and smoking remains of my wife and daughter etched in my mind from your attack on Earth. These so-called mating bonds may not mean much to you, but they do to us. I’ll do this to save as many Human lives as possible, that’s all.”

“Including your own,” Hydon said, his tone matching Adam’s.

“That’s right, along with the others who came with us. Already too many lives have been lost in a war that should have never been fought.”

“On both sides.”

“Whatever.”

Hydon turned to the nameless Juirean. “Have these three—and the others—housed in the Oannean Tower under guard. So far, we have absolutely no empirical evidence that anything this Human says is true.” He turned to Adam. “In the event that it is, then we will work together to assist you in making contact with your fleet.” Hydon paused as he fought to say the words that seemed so painful to utter. “And then you will be free to leave.”

“Works for me,” Adam said, grinning as widely as he could without exposing his teeth. The last thing he wanted to do was spoil the moment with an inadvertent challenge to the supreme leader of the galaxy.

Chapter 5

Fifteen hundred years ago, the Juirean Empire was still expanding at a prodigious rate. Even though the borders of the Expansion only increased with the addition of new members, there had always been a buffer zone extending another thousand or so light-years beyond. This was the rugged frontier, reserved for the adventurers and explorers, those who often spread the word of the coming Juirean Expansion to worlds that knew nothing of such things.

This rapid expansion of the empire caused the Klin to be continually on the move, unable to put down roots for fear of being discovered by the Juireans. Yet the ultimate goal of the Klin at this time was to find a suitable hiding place well within the Expansion, a place where they could easily monitor the activities of their mortal enemy.

When they eventually stumbled upon the Elision stellar system, buried deep within the turmoil of the Juddle Nebula, the Klin knew they had found their perfect sanctuary.

A stellar nebulae is a violent and dangerous place. Ever-changing vagaries of gravity, matter, heat and deadly radiation made these regions of space places to be avoided by most sane spacers, even the fearless explorers of the Expansion.

Within these stellar birthing grounds, several generations of neophyte stars could come and go within a billion years’ time. The planets that formed around these young stars were often bombarded with so much leftover stellar material during their brief existence that life seldom gained a foothold.

The star named Kyrils was an exception. It had ignited into existence nearly five billion years before, near the outer edge of the nebulae in a more stable region and was able to clear out most of the rogue dust, rock, and gas to form a fairly uniform planetary shield of thirteen worlds. Even though constant concussions from nearby stellar novae deformed the system in its early days, the system survived, safe within a fairly dense cocoon of gas and dust, hidden well within the confines of the Juddle Nebula.

Fifteen hundred years before, scouts from the surviving Klin had weaved their way through the maze of gravity eddies to discover the Kyrils system. Immediately, they saw it for what it was: the perfect place for their forward base deep within Juirean territory. There was even a suitable world for occupation, with a surface gravity very similar to Klinmon, their ravaged homeworld.

However, what excited the Klin the most was that within the system lay two worlds comfortably within the star’s habitable zone. One was called Olypon, the other was called Elision by the race of Primes that lived there—the Kracori.

Even though Elision was a rocky world with a large molten core and a strong magnetic field, it still suffered from considerably more stellar radiation than did Olypon. As a result, the Kracori had evolved as an extremely tough race, with thick leathery skin that turned a deep, ashen gray over the millennia. Elision was also a heavy-gravity world. Ever since the Juireans had taken over the galaxy and set the surface gravity of Juir as the galactic standard, all worlds were compared against this measure. The home of the Kracori was rated at 1.28 that of standard. This was significant, but not unique. There were literally millions of planets with higher gravity than even Elision throughout the galaxy, yet what made the Kracori so unique was how they had adapted to it.

Most inhabitants of heavy-gravity worlds evolve to be thick, low-lying and bulky. Usually these creatures have very slow metabolisms, so their movements are sloth-like, almost like a world in slow-motion.

But not the Kracori; they were an active, strong race of beings, able to move within their environment at speeds comparable to those on lower-gravity worlds. The Klin, being as cerebral as they were, classified the Kracori as Prime-D, and they would remain the only race so classified for another thirteen hundred years—until the discovery of the Human race.

The Klin established a small colony on the neighboring world of Olypon and began to watch the Kracori as they developed their society. Meanwhile, they continued to be pushed farther out from the heart of the galaxy; however, this was not a problem for the Klin. Over the millennia, they had learned not to concentrate their population in only one location, and by the time the Earth was discovered, the Klin had established three very distinct colonies.

Their main base was on Olypon, and over the years contact was made with the Kracori, who became willing and proficient manufacturers of Klin technology. They built spaceships by the hundreds and enjoyed the benefits of all the wonders of Klin science.

A second base—a much smaller one—was located on the planet Glasien-4 in the Far Arm of the galaxy. It was from here that scouts first discovered the planet Earth, although the world had already been visited many times in the past. These early visitors had been frontier adventurers seeking freedom from the confines of the Juirean Expansion, and were more often than not, slavers. Although the Human race was an exceptionally strong and durable species, perfect for the slave trade, they had proved almost impossible to contain and control. After several thousand years, only the most stubborn of slavers continued to pursue new product among the Humans.

The Klin’s primary headquarters was located on the distant world of Marishal, far out near the galactic rim and out of the main gravity lanes. This was where the Pleabaens of the Klin resided, the leaders of the race. Marishal was the secondary manufacturing location for the Klin, although they left a much smaller signature upon the planet than on Elision.

All three of these locations served the Klin for over fifteen hundred years, primarily because of their isolation from the major deep-well gravity lanes.

The Klin had developed the gravity-drive four thousand years earlier, just before the Juireans attacked their world and killed off nearly ninety-nine percent of the population. Even though the Juireans called this event the Reckoning, the Klin word for the event more closely translated as Holocaust.

Gravity-drives worked by focusing dynamic forces to create microscopic singularities in space. Since these miniature black holes were always created at the same distance from the generator, the motherships were already well within the event horizon of the singularity when it was created, thereby shielding the generating spaceships from the effects of relativity. As space flowed toward the singularity, the starships would move as well, requiring no additional energy to propel them forward.

But here is where the true genius of the gravity-drive paid dividends. Since the effects of the singularity were felt in all directions around the central point, space on the opposite side of the generating spaceship was also drawn in, and when the singularity dissolved, space would rebound, propelling the starship several billions of miles from where it had originally created the singularity. Space travel was achieved through the constant creation and dissolving of hundreds of these tiny black holes along the line of travel.

Of course, as with any great scientific discovery, there were guidelines to be followed to achieve the maximum effect.

Gravity-drives were affected by other gravity sources around them, such as stars, nebulae, and even other black holes. One simply couldn’t plot a straight-line course through space. In addition, the drives were very temperamental with regard to the amount of matter available within a particular region of space. Too little matter and the critical mass for singularity generation could not be achieved. Too much and the amount of matter drawn toward the singularity would cause a rainstorm of deadly projectiles racing for the point and capable of ripping any starship to shreds. These large-mass singularities were also very unstable and hard to control.

For true deep-well generation, just the right mix of matter and void had to be found. This requirement restricted truly swift movement throughout the galaxy to a relatively few well-established gravity lanes. Here the large interstellar spacecraft could crank up their wells and travel at speeds of several hundred light-years per standard hour. Using these lanes, a journey from the planet Earth to Juir for example—a distance of approximately twenty-thousand light years—could be achieved in just over nine standard months.

However, for the majority of travel within the galaxy, these kinds of speeds could not be achieved. Journey between relatively close star systems—as well as within the systems themselves—was reserved for shallow-well generation.

With so many competing gravity sources and ample clusters of matter in the form of dust and debris throughout the bulk of the galaxy, shallow-well speeds were greatly reduced, often down to only a few millions of kilometers per hour. It was like comparing atmospheric ramjet speeds to those of surface wheeled transports, with those transports having to navigate down narrow streets and between buildings. These smaller spaceships could have within their engine rooms massive gravity generators capable of much higher speeds, but why would they? It would be like carrying a ramjet engine on the back of your car, just in case one needed to jump a twenty kilometer-wide canyon at some point.

So the three worlds the Klin chose as their main sanctuaries were well-isolated from the major deep-well gravity lanes, and far enough from normal star-to-star trade that they remained hidden from most prying eyes for hundreds of years.

* * *

Four thousand years ago, at the time of the Reckoning, there had been approximately forty-eight thousand Klin living off-planet or on ships in space. The surviving Klin had run for their lives, moving from refuge to refuge as the Juireans expanded their empire. The Klin are very slow breeders, often not reaching physical maturity until after seventy-standard, so even in the present time the descendants of these survivors still only numbered around two hundred thousand adults.

The past two hundred years had been the most stable for the Klin, as the push by the Juireans to bring new members into their Expansion had subsided. The Juireans were content to let new worlds approach them with requests for membership, often after having been exposed to the ways of galactic society by the frontier spacers.

It was also around this time that the Pleabaens of the Klin first devised the current plan for revenge against the Juireans, the one that was rapidly falling apart—thanks to the Humans.

The Juireans had never been a very forward-looking race, and the recent evolution of their society made them even less so. In the time before becoming a galactic power, the Juireans—as did most races—mated by pairs and for long-term. As a result, the mothers and fathers of the offspring produced through these unions would have to consider the future and plan accordingly for the well-being of the children. Meanwhile, these offspring would plan for their own futures, including for families of their own.

When the Juireans switched to a more dispassionate means of reproduction and child-rearing, things changed. Females became impregnated through artificial insemination, and the children were raised in government-run facilities. The needs of every Juirean—including their predetermined life path—were satisfied from cradle to grave. There was no need to plan for the future in Juirean society, since all decisions had been made already.

Early in the history of the Juirean empire, the need for military power had been great. Yet as the years passed, the need for proficient administrators to manage all the gains the Juireans had already acquired began to take center-stage. The philosophy behind the Expansion also diminished the need for a large military, as growth was now achieved by petition rather than conquest.

There was still a need for adequate military force in the outer limits of the Expansion, but within its core the Juirean military was nearly obsolete. Where ten to twenty military vessels might be required to maintain control of an area such as the Fringe, one ship could do the job of patrolling a hundred worlds within the interior of the Expansion.

The Klin noticed this gradual change—and within it—an opportunity.

The Klin always saw themselves as the true inheritors of the galaxy; the inventors of the gravity-drive and the first race to contact other worlds within the Alliance Cluster. But now they were few and far between, with the Juireans the dominant force in the galaxy.

With time, the Klin knew the Juirean military would vanish completely, to be replaced by a much smaller police force limited to local dispute resolution. Yet after four thousand years of waiting, they were desperately looking for a way to hasten that time….

The plan began to jell once the Klin discovered Earth. Here was a race of extreme beings—extreme strength, extreme savagery, extreme capabilities—who were every bit a match for the Juireans. All they lacked was the technology to go up against the Juireans…and a reason.

A resource-draining war was needed to reduce the Juireans to a level of military strength where the Klin—along with their compliant Kracori—could make a move to supplant the Juireans as leaders of the galaxy. The plan had been perfection in its simplicity. The Humans would seek revenge against a race that had savagely attacked them, and the Juireans would be gullible enough to see a new threat where there was none.

But then it went so terribly wrong.

The Humans had proved to be more proficient at war than even the Klin realized, as well as much more conniving and deceptive. And now the Kracori had revolted, commandeering hundreds of Klin spacecraft, along with the means to manufacture more.

The only race that had followed the plan precisely as the Klin had conceived it was the Juireans.

Chapter 6

The same Juirean Guard commander in the yellow cape led the trio of Humans out of the massive pyramid building and over to one of the adjacent towers. They took an elevator up several stories before being shown a spacious set of suites at the end of a long hallway. The Guard told them the rest of the Humans would be joining them momentarily. He also informed them that armed guards would be stationed at the other end of the corridor near the elevators and that none of them would be allowed to leave unless ordered by higher authorities.

When the door to the suites closed, Sherri and Riyad set upon Adam with a combination of congratulations, thank you’s, as well as more than a few ‘what the hell just happened?’

“Most of it was just going with the flow,” he said to them. “When I found they were planning on evacuating, I figured I had a little leverage.”

“But do you really think you can get the fleet to stop their attack?” Sherri asked as she investigated another of the several rooms in the suite.

“I don’t really know, but it’s worth a try.”

Riyad found the room’s beverage dispenser and placed his finger into the sampling slot. In a moment, a cold drink appeared on the tray. “I wouldn’t,” he said after a long swallow from the glass. “We have all the power at this time. There would be nothing to stop us from laying waste to the entire region and crushing the Juireans—maybe forever. Like you said, Sherri: payback is a bitch.”

“But if the Juireans stop fighting, shouldn’t we?” Sherri asked as she sat down on a long sofa next to the room’s only window.

“Ask the families of the billion dead back on—” Riyad caught himself suddenly as he saw Adam’s face blanch. “I am so sorry, my friend. I did not mean to be insensitive.”

“It’s cool,” Adam said, retrieving his own drink from the processor. “But we have to think of the bigger picture. If the war can end sooner rather than later, a lot of lives will be saved. Besides, the Juirean was right; they do have a lot more resources available. Any victory we would have now would be short-lived, and that would only mean more casualties down the road.”

“Granted,” Riyad said, “I’m just saying it could be difficult to convince the admirals not to attack.” And then he grinned wide, his eyes bright. “But after talking your way out of being flayed by that nasty-looking sword, I’m pretty sure if anyone could do it, you could!”

Just then a commotion came from the hallway and the door burst open. The rest of the Humans flowed in, along with Kaylor and Jym. Adam had been worried the Juireans may not have considered them part of Adam’s entourage and simply had them eliminated. Probably more than anyone, he was relieved to see the two aliens come through the doorway.

Being the humble person that he was, Adam was content to let Sherri and Riyad explain what had happened. The room was soon filled with people who—a moment before—were resigned to their fate, and the next overwhelmed with relief at being spared.

Then Nigel McCarthy had to ruin the mood. “You know, if Cain can’t convince the fleet to stop the attack, the bloody Juireans will just go ahead and kill us straight away. Why wouldn’t they? So at the most, we have another two months to sit around and worry about this. I for one don’t want to spend that time doing nothing.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Lt. Tobias spoke up. “Captain Cain has the Juireans working with us now. Let’s not do anything that will make them regret that decision.” There was chorus of agreement from Adam’s contingent. McCarthy’s men offered no opinion, at least verbally. Adam had to admit: McCarthy commanded a very disciplined team.

* * *

Eventually, they all found separate rooms along the corridor to claim; there weren’t enough total rooms for the seventeen of them to have separate quarters, so everyone had to pair up. McCarthy and Thomas shared a room. The large Englishman fell heavily onto one of the two beds, as Carter Thomas did the same, and within minutes McCarthy could hear the contented snoring of the huge black man, enjoying the slumber of the recently pardoned.

McCarthy felt no such relief and found sleep elusive.

As he lay awake on the bed, his club-like arm resting across his forehead, he began to work through the consequences of Adam Cain’s actions. A truce between the Humans and Juireans would certainly come as a welcome relief to all the forces currently fighting, and a long-term negotiated peace would be accepted back on Earth. But then where would that leave him?

Even though he had left the service of the Klin, he had not done so voluntarily. He had known what the Klin were up too, yet he still agreed to help them, and against his own people. The likes of Sherri Valentine would not let that rest. She would blab to anyone who would listen about his collusion with the enemy. And she wasn’t the only one. If he was ever to return to Earth, he would be summarily placed in shackles and charged with high treason. He would undoubtedly become the face of the enemy—even worse than the Klin themselves—since he had turned against his own kind with full knowledge of the consequences. In light of the deaths of a billion innocent souls, they wouldn’t be able to kill him enough.

Was there a way to get back into the good graces of the Klin? He had no idea. And if so, how would he even contact them? He was locked away in a tower on the planet Juir, of all places.

Nigel McCarthy needed time to work out a plan that would put him in the forefront of survival and to hell with everyone else. Luckily, he had a couple of months to work something out.

Chapter 7

Hydon Ra Elys paced the floor of his personal residence, tortured by his thoughts. Over the past day he had experienced such a wide range of painful emotions that he was surprised he could still function.

As Council Elder—the leader of the Expansion—he carried the most responsibility for the events taking place…as well as those to come. Just the thought of having the sacred planet of Juir ransacked by either the Klin or the Humans was almost unimaginable, and a notion he would have never even considered only a few months before. But after the humiliating defeat at Falor-Kapel, and the revelation that the capital of the Expansion was now vulnerable to attack, this only meant that the decisions he would make from here on out would be the most important ever made by a Council Elder.

First the Humans…and now the Klin. How have we let ourselves become so exposed and ripe for defeat?

Hydon was taking an awful risk trusting the Human Adam Cain. Every day they delayed evacuating the Cluster and saving Juirean lives only reduced his options—which he admitted were slim to none at this time. If the Human was lying about the second fleet—this Klin/Kracori fleet—that only meant more Juireans would be killed if and when the Humans attacked. And if he were telling the truth and the Juireans could repel the Klin invaders, then everything would be contingent on Cain convincing his forces to stop their attack.

And if he couldn’t?

Hydon ran his hands through the long white hair of his ranking mane. After so many thousands of years, the survival of the galaxy-wide Juirean Expansion—at least in its present form—now rested on the words and actions of a single being. The words of a Human being.

Preparations for the defense of Juir would continue with haste. Two months might be just about enough time to make that happen. After that, who knew…?

Chapter 8

Jonnif Vinn of the Kracori had assumed command of the Klin fleet off Falor-Kapel two months before. The soft-skinned Klin had proved to be no match for his warriors, and soon the Klin strongholds on Olypon and Glasien-4 were all under Kracori control.

Scouts had been dispatched to keep watch on the much larger Human fleet, and Jonnif was pleasantly surprised to see that they had hesitated before making their move on Juir, awaiting the arrival of their second fleet. This allowed Jonnif time to call up an additional one-hundred fifty ships from Elision and elsewhere to strengthen his own forces. He now commanded four-hundred fifty ships with which to make the move on the Juirean capital.

He also enjoyed one other advantage, which he was sure no one else was aware he had….

Following established gravity routes, the journey from Falor-Kapel to Juir would normally take four months. The Humans had just now departed the F-K system, following traditional routes. By now the Juireans would be aware of this and would be planning accordingly. But Jonnif knew of a different route, a quicker one, directly through the galactic center.

Long ago, in a desperate attempt to escape the growing Expansion, Klin navigators had discovered the obscure and dangerous transit. It was a narrow and convoluted path consisting of just the right combination of matter and emptiness, a rare mixture few would have even imagined existed this close to the Core and the voracious maw of the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole. The path was used sparingly these days and forgotten by all but the Klin.

And the Kracori.

For hundreds of years, Jonnif’s people had tolerated the condescending attitude the Klin exhibited toward them. Yes, their culture had benefited from the advances in science and technology provided by the aliens, yet they never got the sense the Klin gave them credit for their abilities. The arrogance of the silver-skinned aliens was such that when the plan for galactic domination had first been revealed, it was as if the Kracori were expected to go along without question, providing the strength and sheer numbers of bodies it would take to carry out such a feat. And being the tip of the sword, it would be Kracori blood spilled, not Klin. The two-hundred thousand or so Klin who existed at the time could never hope to achieve their ambitious objectives by themselves. They needed the Kracori, yet their actions never acknowledge the fact.

Being the warriors that they were, the Kracori went along, yet all the while concealing an agenda of their own.

The revolt against the Klin had been inevitable and carried out in a matter of days. Now the Kracori were in a position to launch the most audacious part of their plan.

It was twofold. The first part, of course, included the sacking of the planet Juir and the destruction of Expansion infrastructure within the Alliance Cluster. The second part was even bolder.

The Kracori Ludif leaders—in their infinite wisdom—realized that even if their forces could lay waste to the Juirean Legend of invincibility, it would be quickly replaced by the Legend of Earth, once the vastly superior Human fleet arrived and drove the Kracori from the region, much like frightened animals from a carcass. The Kracori would be forced to withdraw, making it evident to all who was the most dangerous animal of the two. This humiliating action would make the Kracori the laughing stock of the galaxy, and only months after first exposing their existence to the Expansion. It would be difficult for their Legend to recover.

So the Kracori needed a way to draw the Humans away from the area and give them a reason to abandon their campaign against the Juireans altogether.

The answer was simple: An attack upon their homeworld of Earth.

Preparations were hastily begun on the planet Glasien-4 once the Kracori revolt was complete. Yet unlike the earlier Juirean attack, which only utilized energy bombs in order to preserve the viability of the planet for future use, this attack would be nuclear. It was one thing to draw the Human fleet away from Juir, only to have it return later with even more resources—and a meaner attitude. It was quite another to ravage the planet in an inferno of deadly radioactivity, rendering the Earth useless for decades to come. The Ludif leaders figured this was the only way of ensuring that the Humans would not be around to interfere with Kracori plans into the future.

Entering the Human stellar system undetected could be a challenge, but the Kracori planners reasoned that the Humans wouldn’t be expecting such an attack, and the strike force would be arriving in Klin-built ships, the same as all the others flitting around the planet at the time. The plan had a very high probability of success. The Humans would have no choice but to withdraw their fleet from the Expansion in order to assist in the defense and recovery efforts.

As far as the first part of the plan went, Jonnif was confident in its execution and success. The Juireans would be expecting the Human fleet to arrive in the Cluster in four months-standard and would be making plans based on that timetable.

Yet with a two month head start—and by utilizing the secret path through the galactic core—the Kracori were already there.

* * *

Two days later Council Elder Hydon entered the darkened confines of the Juirean Strategic Command Center for a meeting with Fleet Marshal Relion. The Juirean military high commander had sent out every scout and activated every sensor available to help locate any mass-gravity signatures approaching ahead of the invading Human fleet.

“We’ve been unable to detect anything out of the ordinary, my Lord,” Relion said, frustration in his voice. “There does seem to be a major exodus from the gravity lanes by normal traffic, all trying to avoid the Humans, yet nothing that would indicate a concentrated force of three hundred ships or more.”

“You’ve scanned all along the lanes, even the most obscure?”

“Yes, my Lord. The gravity routes to Juir are the most-traveled and monitored in the galaxy, even coming from that side of the Core. If there was a fleet in deep-well transit it would have been detected.”

“Then the Human has lied,” Hydon stated, pursing his thin lips together in anger.

“It appears so, but to what end? He must know we would attempt to verify his claims, and if no traces were found, then our evacuation efforts would have been delayed only temporarily. Are the Humans so anxious to kill Juireans that even a few days’ delay in evacuating the population would mean a few more of us left behind to kill?”

“They are a deceptive and diabolical race. They appear to thrive on subterfuge and underhandedness, so their motives are always in question. I will be in my personal office in an hour. Have Adam Cain delivered to me at that time.”

“Yes, my Lord. And what of the evacuation?”

“Hold off until I have another chance to speak with the Human. He may reveal more in this second meeting.”

* * *

Hydon’s personal office was located three stories below the Pinnacle conference room. It was a large chamber, yet not as large as Adam would expect for the leader of the galaxy. It was dimly lit, except for the area around a polished wooden desk where Hydon sat. The ubiquitous computer monitors were placed to his right and behind him on a matching wooden credenza, and a secondary table off to the left with a pile of datapads stacked helter-skelter on top. The scene reminded Adam of what an aged college professor’s office might look like, minus a disheveled library lining a wall-length bookcase.

The overall impression of the office was eventually brought full circle when Adam was directed to take a seat opposite the Elder and noticed that Hydon was wearing a pair of eyeglasses. Adam had to suppress a chuckle as he took the seat. Aliens wearing glasses—what next?

Hydon looked at Adam over the thin glasses. “I have security measures in place, but I am hoping we will not have to deal with any such nonsense, Mister Cain—I believe that is the traditional prefix for a male of your race?

“That’s correct, Lord Hydon. I was told that is your preferred title. And you won’t have to worry about me doing something stupid. I don’t have a death wish.”

Hydon snorted. “That is precisely the reason for this meeting.” Hydon slipped off the glasses and set them on the desk. He continued to stare at Adam with an intense look of exasperation. “We have been unable to detect any trace of this Klin/Kracori fleet that you say is headed for Juir. You must realize what will happen to you and your companions if you are found to be lying to us? If anything, your wild tale has delayed the inevitable by only a few days. So why would you lie?”

When Adam was summoned to Hydon’s office, this was the last thing he expected to be confronted with. He knew there was a Klin/Kracori fleet—he had been present when the Klin Pleabaen had been in communication with it. What he wasn’t so sure about was where they were at the present time.

“I assure you, there is a fleet, and I’m ninety-percent positive they want to attack Juir before we do. It just makes sense.”

“So now you’re saying this phantom fleet may not have designs on attacking Juir after all?” Adam could hear the tone of Hydon’s voice raise an octave. But he was so sure….

“The Klin could move on Juir at its weakest moment, ransacking the planet like you did to their homeworld thousands of years ago. It’s what I would do.”

Hydon snorted again. “I have only recently had direct contact with your kind, yet all I have learned of Humans is that you are a savage and heartless race. Of course you would seek to take millions of innocent lives to satisfy an ancient vendetta. That is your way, but that is not saying the Klin would. The story you told me about our attack on your Earth was logical and sensible, and I believe there is another fleet—a Klin fleet—out there somewhere. That is why I gave you this reprieve. But the Klin have been hiding from us for thousands of years. They may have decided that now was not the time to strike against Juir. And if that is the case, then it is only your Human fleet that we must fear.”

Hydon paused and leaned forward in his chair. “Mr. Cain, are you still willing to contact your fleet and attempt to have them call off their attack?”

“Yes, of course. I honestly believe that the Humans and Juireans would not have gone to war against each other if it hadn’t been for the Klin.”

“Can you do it?”

It was Adam’s turn to hesitate, which caused the Elder to slam both his hands down on the desktop and push back in his chair.

“Why have you built up my hopes just to have them crushed? Is that the answer…to play games with my emotions? What kind of creatures are you?”

“I’m not playing games. I can try to convince them to call off the attack, but I can’t guarantee they will,” Adam pleaded. “I realize this will probably mean our deaths, but all I can do is try.”

“Then try you will!” Hydon yelled. “There is no reason to delay. I will begin immediately to locate the communication frequencies associated with your fleet—and then you will try—”

A large monitor to Hydon’s right burst into life; on the screen was the face of Fleet Marshal Relion. “Pardon my intrusion, my Lord,” he said, his eyes darting between Hydon and Adam.

“What is it, Relion?”

“A curious development.” He looked directly at Adam.

“Speak freely, Fleet Marshal,” Hydon commanded. “The Human is either on our side…or he will die.”

“Yes, my Lord. We have detected curious ship activity originating from Sector Three.”

“Sector Three? What kind of activity?” Hydon’s voice deepened and he looked at Adam.

“Larger than normal ship traffic, and it appears to be broken into clusters of ten to fifteen ships each.”

“Have the signatures been analyzed?”

“It is difficult, my Lord. The signatures are overlapping—and there appears to be some sort of wave disruptor causing interference.”

Hydon’s eyes grew wide. “Where are these ships headed?”

“Various locations within the Cluster. Many are now well within the outer boundary.”

“You’ve tried to communicate with them?” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Of course, but the wave disruptor is making it difficult. Garbled replies are all we have received. They appear to be trying to communicate with us but cannot.”

“How convenient,” Adam said. He could see the veins on Hydon’s neck dancing to the beat of his heart.

“I take it we have no adequate defense in place at this time, Fleet Marshal.”

“It is well sooner than two months’ time, my Lord, so no. We have nothing to counter an attack, if this is indeed an attack.” Relion’s voice had grown more panicked by the moment. He appeared to be anxious to get off the screen, as others around him were trying to get his attention. “Lord Hydon, even if this is not an invasion, it would be wise to have you and the other council members evacuated immediately. The closest unidentified ships could be at Juir in less than an hour.”

Hydon looked down at the top of his desk for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Then he looked back at Relion. “No. I will stay here and take refuge in the bunker vault beneath Malor Tower. But have all the other council members evacuated. Use my authority to make them comply. And Relion, no exceptions, is that understood?”

“They will protest.”

“Let them but get them away as quickly as possible. Now tend to your duties.”

The screen went blank and Hydon turned back to Adam, appearing to have aged ten years in the past two minutes. “You may have been right about the Klin fleet, Mr. Cain, if not about the timetable.”

“How could they have gotten here so fast?” Adam asked. Without a defense, the Cluster would be decimated and the planet Juir excoriated.

“They must have traversed the Core region. It is the only way they could have journeyed from Falor-Kapel to here in such time.” He hesitated again before continuing. “In a few moments we will have confirmation as to whether or not this is an invasion. If it is, then I will ask that you do something for me, personally.”

Adam jerked his head back slightly in an involuntary display of shock. At a loss for words, Adam stammered, “Sure, what?”

“Don’t call off your fleet. If you are right, and the Klin are approaching, then have your forces continue to sweep through the area and vanquish the coming scourge. The Juirean people and your Human race may one day make peace, but we will never make peace with the Klin. I trust you feel the same.”

“Billions of people have died—and are about to die—because of the Klin. I don’t think peace will be on our minds if we ever encounter the Klin fleet head-to-head. And as far as me calling off our attack, it looks like I’m in the same boat—situation—as you’re in. Neither one of us may live out the day.”

Chapter 9

Even Jonnif of the Kracori was surprised at how easily his forces had infiltrated the Juirean Alliance Cluster. Before the first alarm was raised, units from Ludif-Five were already strafing the breeding facilities on Salin, killing thousands—if not millions—of young Juireans, their birth mothers, and the females nursing them to maturity. This one action would set the Juireans back a hundred years, depleting their future numbers to a level where hunting down the survivors would be a more manageable task.

Other units were reaching the energy facilities and manufacturing centers on Oannan and Bal. With so many dependent on the energy modules and generators produced at these locations, chaos would soon reign throughout the Expansion, and when the Kracori revealed their own reserves of modules and generators, penitent races would come crawling to them, begging the Kracori to help them maintain their decadent lifestyles.

These early victories were significant and satisfying, yet Jonnif’s true goal lay just ahead. The blue and white planet of Juir was growing ever larger in his forward viewport.

There were dozens of defenders grouping between the planet and his forces, but they would be inadequate. The Klin-designed ships were of a superior style and weaponry than the Juireans, and much of the local defenders were just a hodgepodge of hastily culled-together ships of all classes and function. Even as he watched, intense bolts of energy lashed out at these ships even before his own vessels came within range of the defenders’ weapons batteries. The bulk of his attacking forces barely even slowed before entering the atmosphere and zeroing in on their assigned targets.

Jonnif had reserved the Malor Complex for himself, along with the twenty ships in his squadron. He swung in low over the Southern Sea, and then climbed for altitude, attempting to avoid the ground-based defenses that were still a danger. Three of his ships disintegrated before he could see the Kacoran Plain rising up in the misty distance.

His energy bombs were smaller than those of the orbital release variety, their power more concentrated. They were building-busters, not city crushers. Jonnif would take his time on the Kacoran Plain, where a number of iconic structures were located. These were the symbols of the Expansion, monuments to the power of the Juireans.

Jonnif activated his ship’s recorders; he wanted to document for all time the destruction of these structures, including the giant pyramid that was the seat of power for all the galaxy. Legend was what determined a Kracori’s place in history. After this day, the name of Jonnif Vinn would be Legend for as long as the Kracori breathed.

* * *

Hydon Ra Elys was—above everything else—pragmatic. Just before Adam departed the Elder’s office, he stopped the Human with a question.

“Would you agree, Mr. Cain, that at this point both of our self-interests are intertwined?”

Adam was becoming accustomed to the odd way the Juireans spoke. “Yeah, pretty much. Unless you’ll give us a ship to get off the planet, it looks like we’re both stuck here no matter what happens.”

“Exactly my thoughts.” Hydon approached Adam, towering almost a full head above him. “I would agree to have you and your companions join me in the bunker below us…on one condition.”

“What condition?”

Hydon grinned—sort of. “I admit that your race is superior to my own in terms of strength and durability, and you have proven time and again that you are very proficient fighters….”

“You’re wasting time, Lord Hydon. What do you want?”

“I will agree to arm you and your fellow Humans if you agree to serve as an additional layer of bodyguards for me and my entourage. You must promise, however, not to turn these weapons against me. Together we might be able to survive.”

Adam was stunned. This was indeed a strange turn of events.

Hydon continued, “It will be unlikely that the attackers’ bombs will penetrate to the level of the bunkers, so they will have to initiate a ground assault to capture or kill us. I cannot think of a more potent force of defenders than you and your fellow Humans. Would you agree?”

“Yeah, fine. But we don’t have much time. Can you get my people over here post haste?”

“I do not understand—”

“Quickly! Can you get them here quickly?”

“I am the Council Elder. It will be done on my command.”

“Then do it! We have to get underground as soon as possible.”

* * *

Councilmember Wydor met Hydon and Adam on the main floor of the giant pyramid, as hundreds of aliens of all varieties hurried about in near-panic mode.

“I will be staying with you, Lord Hydon,” the senior Elite stated firmly.

“No you will not,” countered Hydon, just as firmly. “Upon my decree you are now Second Elder. You must assume control of the Council and serve in my stead.”

“There are others equally qualified.”

“Granted, but none I trust as much. There is a chance I may be able to hold out against the Klin forces until the Human fleet arrives.” He looked over at Adam. “With nothing left to destroy, the Humans will serve only as a deterrent to the Klin and drive them away. At that point—if he survives—Mr. Cain may convince the Humans to join us in a counterstrike against the Klin and rid the galaxy of their scourge once and for all. In that event, I desperately need you to organize our remaining forces and coordinate with the Humans, if and when the time comes. Even if I do not survive, I believe we now know the face of our true enemy.”

Councilmember Wydor objected. “That is assuming the Human has been telling the truth concerning the relationship between the Klin and his race. And there is no proof that this new invading force is not made up of Humans and Klin, and not some mysterious race that has never played a role in galactic politics before.”

“I tend to believe him at this point. However, once these invaders arrive, we will have our definitive answer.”

Wydor bore a laser-like stare at Adam, the hate as lethal as any weapon. “I will go, my Lord, yet I am still not convinced this is not just another ruse perpetrated by the Human barbarians.”

Adam returned the stare with an amused grin. There was nothing he could do in this short time to win over the Juirean. Besides, even if he did, he wasn’t sure he cared enough. The Juireans—for good or bad—were about to get their asses kicked, and whether or not the Klin were ultimately responsible for the war, the Juireans were getting pretty much what they deserved.

Soon Wydor was hustled away by his own entourage of Juirean Guards and other accompanying white-haired Elites, while Adam and Hydon entered another guarded elevator and began a long descent below the pyramid. He was sure the same existed under nearly every important capital building in the galaxy—including on Earth—and the Juireans would be better-prepared than most, considering their capital had been in place for four thousand years.

Adam had witnessed energy bombs before and knew them to have very little penetrating power. They were primarily designed to eliminate surface targets through a combination of heat, concussion and fire. Hydon and his entourage should survive the initial attack without a problem, hunkered down beneath the surface. But then the ground assault would begin, and the Klin—with their Kracori henchmen—would come looking for them.

“Where are my people?” Adam asked Hydon as they exited the elevator and hurried down a long, sterile, metal-lined corridor.

“They should only be a few minutes behind. They—”

Just then they heard the first distant rumbles of the Klin attack far above them.

Adam looked more urgently at the Elder. Hydon could see the concern in Adam’s expression, so he leaned toward one of his assistants and barked out a command. A moment later the assistant responded. “They are in the elevator, my Lord. They entered just before the first strikes.”

Hydon looked at Adam but said nothing. Adam gave him a curt nod of thanks.

The intensity of the explosions above grew to a deafening level, shaking the very bedrock. Rushing through corridors, Adam noticed several strategic cutouts, defensive fortifications, and reinforced buffers, all manned by serious-looking green-haired Juireans. He saw no other aliens this deep into the labyrinth. The defense of their Elder—as well as whatever else was hidden in these chambers—was too important to be left to second-stringers.

Adam was hoping it would be enough. He had seen a Kracori face-to-face, and even though he had yet to meet an alien the equal of a Human, he was sure the Klin didn’t pick their allies without purpose. Adam had long believed Humans couldn’t be the only heavy-gravity beings with speed and coordination. The Klin had found the Humans and employed them as their muscle; he was sure the Kracori were just as deadly.

A large metal door stood open at the end of the last corridor, thick as the door to a bank vault. Anxious-looking Juireans were waiting, ready to push the door shut once the Elder entered. Hydon stepped inside then turned to the guards.

“Wait. There are others coming.”

The guards looked at each other nervously but complied.

Hydon moved into the chamber beyond the door while Adam waited with the guards.

Two minutes later, Lt. Andy Tobias appeared around a faraway corner and entered the last corridor before the vault, followed by the other SEAL’s, Sherri, and all the rest, including McCarthy and his men. Kaylor and Jym brought up the rear. None of the Humans were armed. Part of him wanted to tell Hydon not to give weapons to McCarthy and his men, but he thought better of it. If Hydon detected distrust from Adam for members of his own team, he might reconsider giving weapons to any of them. He hoped he wouldn’t regret his decision.

Adam waved them through the doorway and the Juireans closed the heavy door, securing it from the inside when the last of them was through. Adam felt his ears pop, as the pressure inside the room was increased. The pressure would add even more resistance when attempting to open the door from the outside.

Of course, the Klin would probably just blow it….

They were all in a large foyer area shaped in a semi-circle. Three doors were placed in the curving far wall and positioned between each door were formidable metal barricades manned by six Juireans each. The Guards were encased in full body armor, including helmets, and each gripped the largest hand-held flash rifles Adam had ever seen.

A Juirean was motioning for the group to follow him through the doorway on the left. Without a word, they obeyed. They entered a larger chamber, rectangular in shape, with a ceiling over twenty meters high. Assembled around them were a number of squads of Juirean Guards, as well as Hydon and about half of his support group.

Adam walked up to the Elder, his own group standing behind, looking unsure about what to do next. After a moment, Hydon took notice. “Commander, supply each of these creatures with a flash rifle and sidearm, along with ample charges. Then find a barracks for them, somewhere not too far from my quarters. They are now part of my personal guard. Is that understood?”

Adam saw that the Guard commander recognized Adam and his companions as Humans, the very enemy they were currently waging war against—and for all he knew—were attacking Juir at that very moment. Apparently only Hydon and his closest advisors knew the truth.

“My Lord?” the commander said, “are you sure that is wise?”

“They can be trusted, commander, and soon we may need their assistance. Do as ordered.”

“Yes, my Lord.” The Juirean Guard moved up to Adam until he was only a few inches from him, towering a head taller. He looked down at the Human with undisguised contempt before finally saying, “Follow me. There is a place where you can find quarters.”

They were taken to a large utilitarian room, consisting of a row of bunks, a bank of lockers, and a communal grooming station at the end. Since all Juirean fighters were male, there was no need to have separate quarters for males and females.

Two Juireans wheeled a large cart into the room. It was filled with protruding barrels from a dozen or more flash rifles, plus MKs and satchels of assorted charge packs for the weapons. Without a word, all the military personnel in Adam’s group swarmed the cart, snatching up weapons and ammo with gusto. They admired the feel of the weapons in their grasp, as if they were long lost lovers. Adam armed himself as well, and after going so long without holding a weapon in his hands, he felt almost a drug-high sweep over him.

Sherri was no exception. She confidently selected a rifle and MK of her own, but soon the thrill passed. “Adam, what’s going on? We have Juireans giving us weapons and the whole damn place feels like it’s being blown apart.”

“You’re right about that, Sherri,” Adam said as the group assembled around him. “The Klin found a way to get here sooner than expected. The Juireans are going to be creamed.” He showed his best Cheshire Cat smile. “It looks like we’re now part of the Supreme Leader’s elite personal bodyguard, complete with weapons of our own.”

“And where are we exactly?” asked Chief Rutledge.

“Somewhere below the big pyramid, that’s all I know.” Then his face turned serious. “The buildings on the surface are going to be incinerated, and then the Klin will come down here looking for us. Hydon plans to hold out here until our fleet arrives. I have no idea what the Klin are going to bring against us.”

“This Juirean Hydon could have left with the other bigwigs,” McCarthy said, stepping forward. “Why didn’t he?”

“I think it’s symbolic, McCarthy. There’s something he thinks is worth dying for—”

“Like his planet and his people,” Petty Officer John Tindal said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

McCarthy ignored the remark. “We’re not sacrificing ourselves for these alien bastards, Cain. Just get that straight. If we see a way out of here, we’re going to take it.”

“Well, seeing that we’re probably a quarter mile beneath the surface of Juir, and undoubtedly the only Humans within a thousand light-years, good luck with that. But right now we have to keep the Klin from getting in here and taking us all out.” Adam began to turn away, but then he had another thought. “And seeing that I’m the only one here who has the ear of the almighty Juirean leader, I think it’s about time you and your men start following my orders.” His voice was a growl as he spit out the last syllable.

* * *

Adam wasn’t the best at reading alien body language, yet it didn’t take an expert to see the tension and sadness on the faces of all the Juireans in the underground bunker. For hours now the bombardment on the surface had been unrelenting. With each blast the natives knew their world above was being torn apart. Adam could relate, having lived through the bombardment of Earth by this very same race of aliens. And yet at the time, Adam had been more concerned about saving his own life, along with those of his wife and daughter, than about any planetary legacy issues. Also, he truly believed the Klin would stop the destruction of Earth—as they eventually did—but only after a certain allotment of people had died.

The Klin had no such constraints when it came to Juir. The destruction would continue unabated. It was also evident by the frequency and intensity of the explosions that the Klin had eliminated any Juirean resistance, both in space and on the planet, and now had free reign to cause all the death and destruction they could deliver. The only limitation would be the capacity of their energy generators. With constant rechargings, the bombardment could continue for weeks, if not months.

In a way, Adam felt sorry for the Juireans. They had to stay sequestered in their self-imposed prison while their entire world—along with its countless generations of history—was being destroyed. When the Klin were through with Juir, all that would be left would be smoldering monuments to a once great race.

Adam was sure the Klin had detailed schematics of the maze of tunnels and chambers under the great pyramid. For hundreds—if not thousands of years—Klin spies had infiltrated Juirean culture and government. Each target would have been carefully delineated and scheduled for destruction, including the underground labyrinth. But first they had to gain control of the surface, and as the occupants of the bunker began to hear the slow, yet very clear, decrease in the frequency of the explosions above, they knew that time was drawing near.

After all, Adam thought, you can only bomb a building into ashes for so long. More than that and you’re just being a dick.

Adam knew that if he survived to ever walk the surface of Juir again he would find a completely alien landscape, unrecognizable from the one of which he’d only had the briefest glimpse not too long ago. For the secular Juireans who managed to survive, it would be the new standard from which they would forever associate with their own concept of Hell.

Chapter 10

Jonnif had his Klin-designed flying saucer land next to the smoldering remains of what had once been Malor Tower. All that survived of the once-massive structure were a few tall, twisted sections of the east and south facing skeletal supports, now blackened from the intense fire and smoke that had consumed the building.

Jonnif was greeted by a passing cloud of dense black smoke when he exited the shiny silver pedestal that supported the saucer above. He took in the fragrance of death and destruction, savoring every last moment. Around him were piles of still-smoldering debris: some structural material, some the charred remains of the thousands of creatures whose lives had ended on this very spot, and all by Jonnif’s hand.

The Kracori commander looked up into the sky, patched now with a combination of white clouds and smoke from the thousands of fires still raging across the area. He was almost in tears—tears of joy. He was standing on Juir, at the very center of the universe, the planet where it all started. And not just anywhere on the planet, but high atop the Kacoran Plain. He looked to his right and across the sweeping panorama to the Southern Sea off in the distance. Before him lay the metropolis of Juir City, the very place from which the Juireans had taken their name. The city was now just a dense cloud of black smoke, penetrated here and there by flickering towers of yellow flame, raging uncontrollably, consuming everything.

Jonnif would let it burn itself out, leaving nothing but ashes. If the Kracori ever decided to build settlements upon the surface of Juir, the ashes of the past would be easier to clear away than the skeletal structures of the former civilization.

Kaddof and Mininof joined him for the stroll into what had once been the main gallery of Malor Tower. They were equally giddy with the splendor of the moment. Jonnif moved to the center of the remains knowing that somewhere near here was where the Contact Monument had stood, the very spacecraft sent by the Klin to the then-savage and barbaric Juireans. There was nothing left.

Jonnif turned to his companions and laughed, a full-throated bellow that was soon joined by the others.

“Juireans….” Kaddof spit on the ground, and the others followed suit. Then he handed a datapad to his commander.

Jonnif scanned the entry; it was the latest casualty estimates. He looked up at Kaddof. “Excellent results, my Ludiffs, excellent. An estimated half-a-billion dead so far here on Juir, as well as another half-billion on the surrounding planets. But most exciting are the millions of dead females on Salin. This could trigger a complete racial collapse.”

Jonnif knew that the rigidity of Juirean society called for each gender to fulfill its highest-and-best duty to the wellness of the race. That meant females were relegated almost exclusively to the job of species procreation. This was not a demeaning or second-class responsibility. On the contrary, Juirean females were revered, almost worshiped, in Juirean society. While any male could fill the duties of Admin, Tech, Guard, Counselor or Overlord, only females could ensure the continuation of the species, as well as the necessary male members required to fill the ever-growing needs of the Expansion. It would be impractical to waste a female in any of these more trivial positions.

Juirean females of child-bearing age and capability were expected to remain pregnant during their most productive years. Those beyond were the mid-wives, the medical personnel, the educators and the scientists associated with advancement of new and safer child rearing.

Because all these activities had been centralized on the planet of Salin, the Kracori attack there had the effect of nearly sterilizing the Juirean race.

Between fending off Juirean defenders, attacking ground-based targets, and eliminating vital infrastructure on the worlds they had attacked over the past five days, the Kracori did not have the resources to stop every rogue spaceship leaving the area. And for months prior to the attack, the Juireans had been stockpiling thousands of spacecraft in the sector, mostly commercial class vessels. In spite of the Kracori’s best efforts, these ships were able to spirit away millions of Juireans.

Jonnif acknowledged that millions of females had escaped—it was impossible to kill them all—but it would not be enough to save the Juireans from eventual extinction.

The destruction of the females on Salin was probably the most significant victory of the entire campaign. The surviving females, even if left alone and not pursued, would require many generations just to replenish their own numbers, let alone those of the entire race. Granted, through DNA sequencing, most of the newborns would be female, which would help speed up the rebuilding process. Yet this practice would also cause other problems for the Juireans. Although many billions still survived within the galaxy, ninety-percent of the remaining Juireans were male. As these males grew older and died off, there would be very few younger males available to replace them, at least not until the female population had been restocked.

Juirean society had been dealt a crippling blow these past few days—almost fatal. Even if the Kracori chose to let them be—which they were not prepared to do—with the passage of time the Juirean race would slowly disappear, thanks in part to the segmentation of their society, as well as their own shortsightedness.

Jonnif stepped up to the charred and smoking body of a Juirean in the ruins of Malor Tower. He could see the traces of blue hair atop the head, signifying that this had once been an Overlord. He kicked at the body and saw the blackened flesh around the rib cage give way. He knelt down and pulled a generous handful from the corpse. He smelled it, and then placed the meat in his mouth.

The Juirean was juicy and cooked just to his liking. Jonnif stood, flashing a wide smile to his companions. “I believe I will have a table set here and we will feast on the flesh of Juireans tonight. I will even have vids made so our celebration can be broadcast throughout the Expansion.” He bellowed a hearty laugh again. “The Kracori have not only destroyed the Juirean Legend, we will now devour their flesh while sitting atop their most sacred monument. How more can a Legend be crushed?”

* * *

The next morning, Jonnif awoke with a serious hangover and a bloated belly. The celebration festivities had continued almost until new light, with his commanders and support staff wandering throughout the still-smoking ruins pulling huge hunks of meat from the hundreds of bodies lying about. The intoxicants had flowed as well, way more than Jonnif remembered ingesting before. But this was one of those unique moments in history which would never come again. Jonnif was determined not to let it pass without giving it his all.

But now he had to pay the price.

He could barely focus on the datapad when Mininof brought it to him. “Assist me,” Jonnif said. “What does it read?”

Mininof had participated in the prior evening’s festivities as well, but obviously to a lesser degree. “It is some of the last reports filed by the spies within the tower just as we began our attack. There is some interesting information.”

“Go on, do not leave me in suspense.”

“Hydon is in the bunker below!”

Jonnif was nearly shocked sober—almost. This was very interesting news. Prior to the attack, the Klin—and now the Kracori—had no fewer than thirty-five active spies operating within the building, continually feeding information to the Kracori, no matter how trivial. As is often the fate of spies, none had been warned of the impending attack, so all perished in the building.

“Yes, he and a group of what appeared to be Humans entered the bunker elevator just moments before your first strike.”

“Humans? Here?”

“That is what was reported.”

“Did the spies know who they were or what was their significance?”

“It was not mentioned in this report, yet a previous file might mention them. I will do research.”

“In the meantime, link me into the bunker’s communication network. I wish to speak to the almighty Juirean Elder, now cowering in fear within his metal tomb, right below my feet.”

“Technicians have already located the trunk lines. It should not be long before you have access. I am anxious to hear your conversation with Hydon. It will be Legend.”

* * *

Legend to a Kracori was very similar to reputation, only more so. It was what gave a Kracori his identity, his legacy, his very reason for existing. Each Kracori had their own individual legend, and then their race had one of its own. The Kracori took immense pride in the legend of their race, and they also assigned legends to other races, even though none were aware of it. These legends created a pecking order of beings throughout the galaxy, with the Kracori sitting at the top.

Dominance for the Kracori came with the discrediting of another’s legend, be it an individual’s or that of an entire race. Until the legend was destroyed, the person or race was still considered a threat.

On Elision, Kracori seldom resorted to full-blown wars or murder against their own kind; most Kracori struggles in the past had been against nature or beast. Amongst individuals, it was the placement of legend that determined a person’s position within society.

For the eight hundred or so years that the Kracori had been aware of the Juireans—since revealed by the Klin—their consciousness had been dominated by the Legend of the Juireans. It infected their politics and haunted their dreams, even though no Kracori had ever met a Juirean face-to-face.

The Klin had introduced the galaxy to the Kracori, if only peripherally. Yet conversely, the Klin had been careful not to reveal the Kracori to the rest of the galaxy, electing to save them for their grand finale. That time had come, but as it turned out, it was the Klin who had not been invited to the party.

In doing so, the Kracori greatly diminished the Legend of the Klin, a legend that for many generations had ranked second only to that of their own. Now with the utter demolition of the Juirean Legend, the only one the Kracori had to contend with now was the Legend of Earth.

As Jonnif prepared himself for the day’s activities—which undoubtedly would have him speaking directly with the Council Elder Hydon Ra Elys—he was curious to learn what the Humans were doing on Juir. He was not aware that any were near the planet, let alone on its surface and associating with the most-powerful Juirean of all.

Jonnif was still confident in the Ludiff’s plan to divert the Human fleet from Juir. In fact, the latest report he received put the estimated time for the attack upon the planet Earth at just under seven days from now, which was somewhat behind schedule. From what he understood, there had been a delay in finding enough nuclear weapons for the attack. There had been prior use of nuclear devices in the Far Arm two years earlier, but those weapons had been obtained by cannibalizing some of the old Klin ships for their self-destruct explosives. Since the galaxy now knew of the Klin’s existence, none of the new ships built recently contained self-destruct devices, so the weapons had to be brought from Elision.

The weapons arrived two months before and were loaded aboard the ships of the strike force. Since then the small fleet of ten ships had been making its way from Glasien-4 toward the planet Earth. Another seven days’ journey and the attack would commence.

The Human fleet was still two months away from Juir, so once their homeworld was attacked, there would still be plenty of time for a message to be received, recalling the fleet to Earth. I am so sorry, Lord Hydon, Jonnif thought, but the Humans will not be coming to your rescue.

However, the Kracori commander still had to be careful. Knowing the Juireans as he did, if he revealed to them that no hope for rescue remained, all those hiding within the bunker below would simply commit suicide rather than submit to the Kracori. And that would not serve Jonnif’s needs, not at all.

Chapter 11

After five days in the bunker, the explosions on the surface ended, signaling to Adam the beginning of the second phase of the Kracori invasion—consolidation.

By this time, Adam had concluded that cohabitating with McCarthy and his men was not going to work, and so a few days before he claimed a secondary, smaller barracks for his team. Kaylor and Jym came too, and soon staked out a small corner of the new barracks as their own, pulling over a couple of cots and surrounding them with sheets hung from the ceiling for privacy. Except for the occasional contact in the mess hall, the two groups of Humans had not had any other contact over the past three days.

On the fifth day of their confinement in the bunker, a Guard commander came to Adam’s barracks and summoned him and his top lieutenants to a meeting with Hydon. This would be Adam’s first time in the bunker’s command center, and he was anxious to learn about the Juirean’s capacities and defenses.

At the end of a long corridor they entered a vast room full of banks of computers, monitors, and about two dozen Juireans, along with a handful of other creatures all chattering at once. The level of conversation dropped substantially when the Humans entered the room.

Hydon was hunched over a console, speaking with a technician, his omnipresent Counselor Yol-fin at his side. The technician stopped speaking when Adam approached.

Hydon looked perturbed. “Continue. They are with us now.”

“Yes, my Lord,” said the tech. He pointed at the monitor. “You see here where the invaders have blocked off all three of the exits on the mountain side of the Plain. And here, on the city side, they have done the same. It is apparent they had advanced knowledge of these locations.”

I knew it, Adam thought. I think we’re all screwed.

Hydon straightened up and turned to Adam. “Your race is very knowledgeable regarding military tactics,” he stated, no flattery intended. “What do you believe will be the Klin’s next move?”

Adam leaned forward and studied the schematic on the computer screen.

“I’ve been curious what defenses you have in place for the bunker. Are we self-sufficient down here, meaning do we have our own power, water and food supply?”

“Completely self-sufficient,” Hydon said. “And we are located within solid bedrock.”

Until a couple of years ago, Adam Cain had been just an enlisted grunt in the U.S. Navy SEALs; the only true officer in the room, in his opinion, was Lt. Andy Tobias. He motioned for the officer to step forward. “What do you think, Andy? Anything stick out at first glance?”

“How many defenders do you have in the complex?”

“A little over three hundred,” Hydon answered without hesitation, “plus an additional sixty stationed in the tunnels.”

“And how many access points into the bunker?”

“Just one.”

“And any escape routes from underground?”

Hydon pointed at several locations on the map, exits from the labyrinth on either side of the Kacoran Plain. “The Klin have taken up positions at all the exits. There are several monitors keeping track at the entrances, as well as in the tunnels.” He looked at Adam. “This other race—the Kracori—appear to be the only military force the Klin are employing. We have not spotted any other beings.”

Tobias ran his finger along one of the long corridors leading to their present location on the map. “Could a nuclear device be brought through here, once the defenders have been cleared?” Adam remembered the various barricades and defensive positions he’d passed on the way to the bunker. As formidable as they appeared, in the long run, they would be overrun.

“Yes, but the tunnels can be sealed along their lengths with hidden explosives if we see an attempt to bring in such a device.”

“Then how would we get out?” Riyad Tarazi asked the Elder. “I mean if we ever have reason to leave such luxurious accommodations.”

“There is a way by which I can escape at any time.”

“How’s that?”

“There is a boring pod available. It is a mining device that can travel through bedrock. It will provide me and up to ten of my entourage a means of escaping, if I find it necessary.”

“That’s comforting—for you,” Riyad said.

After another moment of studying the schematic, Andy straightened up. “I don’t see why they would want to blast us out of here. We are of no strategic value and the enemy has full run of the surface. They could simply wait and deal with us later once they’ve established a solid beachhead. From the blocking of all the exits out of the mountain, they obviously know the layout of the complex, including the fact that you could collapse the tunnels if they make a move on the bunker.”

“They may not feel they have the luxury of time,” Adam said. “They know our fleet is on its way, so I don’t think they’ll be setting up any permanent outposts on the surface—or letting any of the people down here survive so they can be rescued.”

“That’s true, but they have no reason to go through all the effort. In fact, they may force us to blow the tunnels just to trap us down here. Then whether the fleet arrives or not, eventually we’ll starve to death. Problem solved. I say they’re going to sit on us. Besides, there must be hundreds of such shelters like this one around the planet. Trying to ferret out a few more Juireans from each one doesn’t seem like an efficient use of man—I mean—alien-power.”

Adam turned to Hydon. “I concur with Lt. Tobias, I think they’ll wait us out. Even if we are eventually rescued, we’ll only be a handful of survivors. Compared to the damage they’ve already caused, we’re hardly worth the effort.”

“Unless they know you’re down here,” Riyad said, grinning at the Council Elder.

“Even if they did, my status is no longer significant. Within Juirean hierarchy, we are all easily replaceable.”

Just then a loud, crackling sound screeched from the speakers embedded in the metal walls of the room. From the strong stereo effect filtering in from the nearby corridor, Adam could tell the sound was coming through all the nearby speakers, probably throughout the entire complex.

The screeching continued for a few more seconds as technicians buried their heads in the consoles, seeking the source of the sound or a way to turn it off.

Finally, the screeching ended, but then a voice came over the speakers. “Your attention in the bunker,” said a strong voice, a command voice. “I am Commander Jonnif Vinn of the Ludif Kracori forces presently in control of the planet Juir, as well as all the surrounding systems.” The voice paused for a moment, as if the very mention of his name should elicit awe in the listener. “Our technicians have gained access to your communication network; your own technicians will find that on channel-17 you will be able to return the link to me. I will speak specifically with Elder Hydon Ra Elys.”

All heads turned toward Hydon, who appeared to be more disappointed than angry that his presence in the bunker had been discovered. That didn’t take long, Adam thought.

Hydon nodded to the technician seated in front of him and the tech opened the channel. “This is Lord Hydon,” he said. “I commend you on your rapid discovery of my presence.”

“You can thank the spies we have had in place on your world for years. The few prisoners we have taken so far have not been very cooperative. Not yet.”

“You will find that Juireans do not make good prisoners. What was your name? I was not paying complete attention when you spoke it earlier.” Adam didn’t know if Hydon was being intentionally provocative or not. Either way, he liked it.

“My name is Jonnif, and it is a name your people will long remember.”

“That may be so, but for now it is unimportant. What do you want?”

There was a long moment of silence before Jonnif replied. Adam could only imagine the look on the Kracori’s gray face. He was beginning to like Hydon, even though he was sure the Juirean was just being a Juirean. Even still, it sounded like something Adam might have said.

“I want you, Lord Hydon; that should be obvious. We have control of your planet, as well as the Sector, with all the resources that have allowed your bastard race to maintain control over the galaxy for so long. It is all under the control of the Kracori—”

“And your Klin masters.”

There was another moment of silence. When Jonnif spoke again, Adam could almost hear the joy in his voice. “You appear to be misinformed, Lord Hydon. The Kracori no longer follow the dictates of the Klin. They served us as long as was necessary, but now it is only Ludif direction we follow. And it is our very own Council which will take immense pleasure in gazing upon the glorious being who is the Juirean Elder, be he dead or alive.”

Jonnif paused again, expecting some defiant retort from Hydon. When none came, he continued. “You are simply a symbol, Hydon, of Juirean dominance and how your race has survived for far too long. The presentation of your living—or dead—body to the Ludifs will demonstrate to all just how unimportant you are…how unimportant all Juireans are from now on. Your end has come, Lord Hydon. Your Legend has been broken. Many of your kind may still exist on other worlds, but without legend you have nothing left. You will be replaced by the Legend of the Kracori.” Jonnif’s voice had climbed to an angry crescendo. Now he paused, letting his remarks settle so all the creatures listening throughout the complex could grasp their significance.

“If that time comes, Jonnif,” Hydon began, “I will not leave any of my physical being for you to present to your Ludifs…whatever they may be.”

“Your attempts to insult me are not working,” Jonnif said. Adam saw a genuine look of shock cross Hydon’s face. So he wasn’t doing it intentionally. Damn! “And your reaction has been anticipated. That is why I’m making this offer to all the fellow captives within your death chambers: Present to me the body of Hydon Ra Elys—either dead or alive—and I will guarantee that all the rest of you in the bunker will be set free and given passage to a neutral planet, and that applies to all the Juireans as well. While others of your kind will be relentlessly hunted and eliminated by the Kracori, you will all be given amnesty. All you need do is give Lord Hydon to me.”

Adam was closely watching Hydon’s face as Jonnif made his offer; he detected no concern whatsoever. And none of the other Juireans in the room were showing any signs of shifty eyes or furtive glances Hydon’s way. Finally, Hydon chose to speak.

“You do not know Juireans very well,” he said. “The preservation of our own selves is of little concern to us, so the offering of bribes will have no effect. I’m afraid this strategy will not provide the results you seek. You will not get my body.”

When Jonnif’s voice came once more through the speakers, his tone was softer, more cadenced. “That is what you think now. Once your people have been confined in their metal grave for more time, you may find that self-preservation can be a very effective motivator.”

“You may believe you are gaining leverage, Jonnif, but I know my people. Do what you must, but you will never lay eyes upon my intact body. In addition, your time on my planet is limited, so you will not gain any long-term advantage from your actions this day. All you have done is shown yourselves for what you are: animals fit only for extermination.”

“It is your race, Hydon, which is in the process of being exterminated. And speaking of our tenure upon your world, it may be temporary…or it may not. That remains to be seen. With regards to the Humans, I also have knowledge that there are some there with you, a circumstance I find curious, yet not concerning.”

Hydon looked at Adam, who raised his eyebrows in a display of surprise. The intel the Kracori had on the operations of the Juireans—including right in the very heart of their capital—was impressive.

Jonnif was continuing: “Since I personally have never met a Human, I will amend my offer. Bring me the Humans, especially the one named Adam Cain, and I will include a sizeable monetary bonus along with the offer of amnesty. This Adam Cain is the only Human name I have heard, and I am curious to see just how imposing he truly is, along with the others of his kind. They will be sport for me and my Ludifs, so only live Humans will satisfy the amendment.”

“Jonnif, your bombast is becoming boring. I will now end this conversation; it has become pointless and immature.”

“As you wish, just let it be known that my offer of amnesty will last for only ten Juirean days. In summary, for all who are listening: for Hydon, amnesty for all; for the Humans, credits for whoever brings them to me personally and alive.

Hydon tapped the technician on the shoulder and the channel was cut. He stared at the floor for a few moments before turning to Adam.

“With the provisions we have, the occupants of the bunker can survive for more than a year—”

“Aren’t you concerned about a revolt down here, about someone taking Jonnif up on his offer?” Riyad asked.

“Juireans will not betray other Juireans simply to save their own lives. However…” Hydon nodded to the Guard Commander who had led them to the command center. The Juirean drew his weapon and leveled it at the Humans. “With your people I am concerned.” He turned to Adam, who looked at Hydon with a look of sickening resignation. “I apologize for this action, Mr. Cain, but I am sure you understand. You Humans are the unknown variable. I cannot risk leaving you armed as we await your fleet. Apparently, we are under no threat of attack while in the bunker, so your weapons will not be necessary. If that changes, then I will reconsider my decision. Until then, I will ask that you surrender your weapons without resistance.”

Adam and the others were wearing only MKs holstered around their waists, having left the larger flash rifles in the barracks. Adam understood Hydon’s position, and with McCarthy being the loose cannon that he was, it made perfect sense. At least this way, Adam wouldn’t have to disarm Nigel and his men by himself.

As he surrendered his MK to the Guard, Adam looked over at Tobias and Riyad, who were in the process of doing the same. “McCarthy’s not going to like this,” he said to them. And then he turned to Hydon. “How many Juireans did you say you had down here?”

“Three hundred…why?”

“I hope it’s enough.”

* * *

Nigel McCarthy had noticed the Juirean Guard come for Adam and followed him to the command center. Leaning nonchalantly against the cold metal of the corridor wall, McCarthy was left unmolested and was able to listen in on the conversation inside the command center. Once the technician cut the transmission, he rushed down the corridor to avoid being spotted by the other Humans and returned to his barracks, possibilities exploding in his mind.

So a full pardon and a shit-load of money…simply for turning Hydon over to the Kracori—and for solving my Adam Cain problem once and for all. What a sweet deal!

As he entered the barracks, he met the eyes of his men, each one conveying the same silent message: Here was the opportunity they’d been waiting for.

McCarthy knew they could never return to Earth. They had been too involved with the traitorous Klin for that to be ignored if they ever got back home. So the arrival of the Human fleet was not something any of them relished. For days, McCarthy had been racking his brain trying to find some way out of their situation, and now this Kracori Jonnif had handed it to him.

However, McCarthy knew he had to act fast. The Kracori did say he wanted all the Humans, yet Adam Cain was his true prize. After having worked with the Klin for so many years, McCarthy was sure he could convince the Kracori that he could be of great value to them as well. Jonnif admitted that he’d never met a Human before. McCarthy could provide him with first-hand experience and counseling, just as he had the Klin.

But Adam Cain would immediately be on guard for any betrayal by the Juireans or the other aliens in the complex, but especially by him. The American was no fool; he would suspect McCarthy straight away.

Carter Thomas approached him. “What’s the op, sir? Extraction will be the problem.”

“I know. We simply can’t parade the Juirean and Cain down the tunnels; they have explosives in them. But there is something called a boring pod down here that we can use.”

“What’s that?”

“Something that can move through solid rock. It’s Hydon’s escape plan. We need to find and secure it. Have you seen anything like it over the past few days?”

His men had gathered around the cot where McCarthy sat. “I saw something that looked like a small submarine the other day,” said the Aussie Zack Baker.

“Where?” McCarthy queried.

“Just past the mess hall, back in the workshops and such.”

“Guarded?” Thomas asked.

“Not at that time. It may be by now.”

“Baker, you and Amarillas get over there. Position for action, but don’t do anything until we get there,” McCarthy commanded.

Then he looked at the others. “We need to grab Cain and his people and then figure out a way of getting close to Hydon. The bugger didn’t seem that concerned about his own security, so it shouldn’t be too hard. But then we need to move him half way across the bunker. It could get dicey, mates.”

“Just a walk in the park, sir,” Carter Thomas said, flashing his impossibly bright smile. “And it sure beats the alternative.”

“Roger that,” a chorus rose from the other men.

“Arm up,” Nigel said. “First stop…Cain’s barracks.”

* * *

It took Jonnif several minutes to calm down after his conversation with the Juirean Elder. His aide Mininof stood beside him, watching his expression.

“Now allow it time,” he said. “You have given all those trapped in the bunker much to think about.”

“I refuse to be dismissed so disrespectfully! Hydon is without legend, and I am the one standing in the ruins of his capital. He has no grounds to be condescending.”

“Just give it time, Jonnif. I am sure even now the seeds of rebellion are being planted. Hydon may have no real value to us strategically, but just knowing that his own people may soon turn against him must bring you great satisfaction.”

“It does,” Jonnif said with a grunt. “But I would have enjoyed it more if I had heard fear in his voice.”

“You may still get the opportunity to experience that fear, and possibly in person. Patience, Jonnif. In the meantime, we must begin preparations for the arrival of the troop ships. There are still a lot of Juireans left to kill, here and elsewhere.”

With that comment, Jonnif of the Kracori smiled. The killing of Juireans had become his new favorite sport, second only to his joy of eating them.

Chapter 12

The Guard Commander and a squad of five other Juireans accompanied Adam and his team back to their barracks. On the way, Adam wasn’t sure if he should warn the Juirean that McCarthy may not take too kindly to being disarmed. He was hoping his distrust for the hulking Englishman wasn’t clouding his judgment. He knew Nigel would protest having his guns taken away, but would he really go all the way and try to take Hydon—and Adam, as well?

Adam saw the logic in having his weapons taken away. They had no need for them as long as the bunker was secure, and Hydon did say he could have them back if it came under attack. Still, he didn’t feel comfortable without having at least a sidearm resting on his hip. Yet if all they had to do was hold out long enough for the fleet to arrive, then everything would be fine….

Adam had left Chief Rutledge and Petty Officer Tindal in the barracks with Sherri and the two aliens. They all seemed to get along fairly well and he’d noticed marked improvement in their moods once they moved from the other barracks. They could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even though the surface of Juir was now a smoldering wasteland, they were safe and secure in the bunker. And with the truce brokered between Adam and Hydon, within a few months the Kracori would be on the run—from both Human and Juirean forces. The war would be over and they could go home.

Adam sensed the tension the moment he entered the barracks. The three Humans were sitting on a pair of cots at the far end of the room, while Kaylor and Jym stood against the side wall. Behind them were the white sheets the aliens had draped around their cots. They all wore solemn, serious expressions.

Riyad and Tobias sensed it too, but before they could react, four of McCarthy’s men appeared behind them, as another two burst through the sheets behind Kaylor and Jym, flash rifles leveled and ready.

The Guard Commander went for his MK sidearm, as did the other guards, But before the weapons cleared their holsters, the Humans behind them smashed the stocks of their rifles into the heads of the Juireans.

Unarmed, Adam, Riyad and Tobias raised their hands in surrender.

McCarthy came forward to face Adam, a large grin on his face.

“This is crazy, McCarthy,” Adam said flatly, although he knew no amount of reasoning would stop the chain of events the Englishman had just set in motion.

“Maybe so, but in the immortal words of Don Corleone: ‘He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.’”

“This is going to get bloody.”

“That’s aces by me. Now get over there with the others.”

McCarthy’s men stripped the unconscious Juireans of their weapons and then did their best to place the new weapons anywhere they could on their bodies—one could never have too much firepower.

“Is Hydon still in the command center?” McCarthy asked Adam.

“He was when we left. So it’s not just me you’re after? Now you’re just being stupid.”

Nigel ordered two of his men to stand guard over the prisoners and then left with the remaining four. Five Humans against three hundred Juireans…McCarthy just might have a chance, Adam thought sardonically. For the time being, he would have to wait it out and let the Juireans do their job. If McCarthy and his men were killed trying to take Hydon…well, that would be a problem that just took care of itself.

* * *

The word hadn’t spread universally that the Humans shouldn’t be carrying weapons, so McCarthy’s small team was able to easily stroll through the main chamber of the bunker and to the command center without question. Not a single Juirean gave them more than their customary glance as they passed in the hallway. Over the past five days, most of the occupants of the bunker had become acclimated to seeing the Human aliens among them, at least in the public spaces.

The command center was another thing. While eavesdropping on the command center a few minutes before, McCarthy had acquired a lay of the land. Now he walked confidently into the room and approached Hydon—still at the command console—while his men stationed themselves at the doorway.

Hydon and Yol-fin saw McCarthy coming; they also noticed he was still armed. Momentarily confused, they hesitated raising the alarm. Nigel took the opportunity to rush up to Hydon and slip in behind him, clamping his massive arm around the alien’s chest. Nigel McCarthy stood nearly six-and-a-half-feet tall, but still the Juirean towered over him by a good eight inches. Hydon began to struggle, but his eyes grew wide when he found he could gain no ground against the Human’s incredible strength.

McCarthy let out a small laugh when he felt Hydon submit. Then he whispered in Hydon’s ear, “Now you know what your people have been up against. Pretty impressive, isn’t it, mate?”

Unrestrained, Yol-fin cried out, “Guards, protect the Elder!”

A dozen heads lifted from their consoles, the words of alarm not registering right away. Yet a few did react more quickly, only to be the first cut down by the brilliant bolts from the Human’s flash rifles, some before they could even lift from their chairs. A level one bolt even caught Yol-fin center mass, cauterizing the hole it left before his body struck the floor.

In a few seconds, McCarthy’s four gunmen had struck down all the aliens in the room except Hydon, but not before the alarm sounded. He flung the unarmed Juirean toward the corridor, where two of his men grabbed Hydon by the arms. Several Juirean Guards were running down the corridor—but away from the command center. McCarthy smiled. They think we’re under attack from the outside. Let them keep thinking that.

“Stand back,” he said to his men, and they all moved back into the command center. Within seconds, the corridor was clear with all the aliens running toward the main entrance to the bunker.

“Move out. Thomas and Sato, take point.”

At the end of the long corridor their luck ran out. Three Juirean Overlords—signified by their blue manes—were heading for the corridor, each followed by a yellow-haired counselor. The eyes of the Overlords grew wide when they saw Hydon held securely by his two Human guards.

McCarthy had to think fast. “We’re moving Lord Hydon to a safer location,” he called out to the Overlords. They hesitated.

“No, they are not! I am being taken prisoner,” Hydon countered immediately.

“Alert security!” one of Overlords yelled, his voice echoing off the metal walls and ceiling of the chamber…only moments before a bolt from McCarthy’s MK entered his body just below the neck. A flurry of other bolts sent the remaining five Juireans to the deck.

But now the dozens of other Juireans in the chamber focused in on McCarthy and the other Humans. The team moved out, hugging the side of the curving wall, heading toward the corridor leading to the barracks.

“Stand back!” McCarthy commanded, “or I will kill Lord Hydon.” He insisted on using the prefix ‘Lord’ to make his captive sound even more important, hopefully giving the troops closing in on them second thoughts about opening fire.

“Disregard my welfare—” Hydon began to say, just before McCarthy smashed the butt of his MK into the side of the Elder’s mouth. Teeth broke and blood sprayed out, stunning the Juirean into silence.

The team continued to move closer to the corridor leading to the barracks, while a phalanx of Juirean Guards took up positions in front of them. When they reached the portal, McCarthy scanned the hallway; it was empty. They moved inside.

McCarthy grabbed Hydon by the arm, freeing up the two men who had been holding him so they could take up defensive stances—down on one knee, flash rifles held securely against their cheeks. Together, the team shuffled down the corridor as the Juireans began to fill the narrow opening with too many unguarded bodies.

“Open fire,” McCarthy said calmly, and his four marksmen began to send bolt after bolt into the mass of aliens. The Juireans in the front row who weren’t killed immediately, tried to retreat, but were stopped by the crunch of other bodies from behind them. Soon, over twenty Juireans lay dead, forming a very effective berm across the width of the hallway.

Two of McCarthy’s men provided suppressing fire as the other three—with Hydon—scrambled down the length of the hallway. Once at the entrance to the barracks, others from the team provided cover for the forward two as they ran for cover. Answering bolts were now coursing down the corridor, but the Humans made it to the barracks safely.

Adam made a quick count as McCarthy’s men reentered the room. Damn, they all made it back…and with Hydon.

There was a second exit from the barracks leading to the mess hall. All the various barracks in the complex were next to this huge room. Across the dining area were other corridors leading to the bunker’s life support facilities and workshops…and to the room where the small submarine-like craft was located.

A few aliens were in the main mess hall—not Juireans—when the Humans entered. These creatures wore the uniforms of cooks and attendants and weren’t part of the defense force called to action when the alarms sounded. McCarthy’s men killed them without hesitation.

With the huge Brit leading the way, Adam and his people were shoved along behind him by the members of McCarthy’s team. Hydon was with the last group, used as a shield for when the Juireans burst into the mess hall. The Humans, however, were through the huge room and into another hallway before the Juireans could form up their ranks. Moments later they were in the chamber with the boring pod.

On the floor surrounding the long, fifteen meter tall craft were four dead Juirean Guards. Baker stepped out from the entrance of the craft, coming face-to-face with McCarthy. “Sorry, we couldn’t wait any longer. We had to take them out.”

“Well done, Zack. Now everyone…get on board.”

Just then a barrage of electric-blue bolts streaked into the room. Even though level two bolts were more of an annoyance than a threat to Humans, level ones were deadly; three of McCarthy’s men went down from the deadly balls of plasma.

McCarthy’s remaining force of five armed Humans was enough to keep the prisoners under guard and Hydon subdued. The Juirean Elder still hadn’t fully recovered from the blow to the mouth and was groggy, his head wobbling as he was thrown into one of the hard plastic seats lining the fuselage of the craft.

The boring pod did look like a small submersible, long and rounded in the front. Yet running along its sides were wide tracks like those found on heavy equipment—bulldozers and such—and along the rounded front were several large laser arrays. The interior was one single compartment, with the pilot seat located in front of a large monitor. There were no windows in the compartment, either in the front or along the sides.

Once everyone was inside, McCarthy dogged the hatch and moved to the pilot’s seat. He took a moment to scan the controls and then looked back into the compartment. Spotting Kaylor, he rose up and grabbed the alien by his shirt, pulling him into the seat. “Can you pilot this thing?”

“I do not know,” Kaylor said as he looked over the controls.

McCarthy placed the MK to Kaylor’s head. “You better figure it out quick. You’re no use to me unless you can.”

Kaylor was familiar with just about every control panel currently in use by the Juireans. He pressed a button which he knew would activate the generators and immediately his monitor lit up, showing an image of the shiny metal wall the craft was facing.

“Good,” said McCarthy. “Now get us out of here.”

“What do you mean? We are underground!”

“This is a boring pod. It’s supposed to be able to move through rock,” McCarthy explained. “Now get going!”

Kaylor saw a bank of six uniform control buttons all colored green. There was Juirean writing under them, and from the little Juirean he could read, he believed they spelled melt control. He flicked them all on and was rewarded with a flash from the monitor as the laser arrays beamed out a massive blast of intense heat. Within seconds, the wall before them had melted, opening up a circular tunnel that was growing longer as the lasers continued to send out torrents of intense light. Prodigious amounts of red molten lava flowed into the chamber, filling it with an ever-deepening layer of melted rock, incinerating any of the Juireans who had followed the Humans into the room.

Kaylor gripped the steering control arm and pressed forward. The craft lunged into the tunnel, which was still being formed by the constant heat from the lasers. The interior compartment of the pod filled with a deafening roar as the tracks lining the pod scraped against the solid rock sides of the tunnel. A waterfall of lava was seen flowing down the forward wall of the tunnel and disappearing under the craft. Kaylor experimented with a knob on the side of the monitor and the scene switched to a rear view. The lava was flying up behind them, like the plume from a jet ski, and sticking to a wall that had already formed behind them. They were inside a bubble within the rock, moving forward at a respectable speed.

Kaylor glanced over his shoulder; McCarthy was still there, looking at the monitor, which Kaylor had switched back to the forward view. “Where to? I have no idea where we are going.”

“See if you can find a navigation function of some kind.”

Kaylor was already pressing buttons and turning knobs. Finally, the screen was replaced with a green-lined representation of the surrounding bedrock, showing layers indicating the various thickness and makeup of the strata they were moving through. Another adjustment and the view expanded.

The center of the screen showed their present location, with an orange line trailing out behind them, clearly showing where the tunnel met up with the underground bunker. Adam could see the monitor past Sherri’s head, as everybody in the compartment was fixated on the screen. When Kaylor moved the perspective out a little further he could see the edge of the Kacoran Plain. The line they were presently on was about half way down inside the mountain…and they were heading straight for the edge. Adam could imagine them breaking through the side of the cliff and plunging half-a-mile down to the boulder-strewn base of the mountain….

McCarthy could see the possibility too. He pointed to a place at the base of the mountain. “Steer us down to here.”

Kaylor experimented a little more with the controls, first making the path of the craft climb some toward the surface. The controls seemed to be counterintuitive, but soon Kaylor had them figured out. Adam felt the pod take a steeper angle in its forward track. Looking at the distance they’d already traveled from the bunker—compared to where they were headed—it should only be about half an hour before the tiny craft would pop out at the base of the Kacoran Plain.

Chapter 13

Shortly after Jonnif’s fleet headed into the Volousian Discourse—the circuitous route near the galactic core—four large troop carriers had been dispatched from Elision, following the fleet. They had now arrived on station, three in orbit around Juir, and the fourth above Bal and the energy module facilities that covered much of the planet’s surface.

The forty thousand Kracori ground forces these transports carried would be the cleanup crews for the two conquered worlds. They would form into hundreds of killing squads, scouring the surface for survivors.

Their task would be made easier on Juir by the centralized plan that had developed on the planet over the centuries. Only seventeen-hundred cities dotted the planet, with kilometers upon kilometers of vast open spaces between them. Except for maintenance stations and energy sites, no private settlements were allowed in these open areas. All the invaders had to do was strike at the cities and then clean up by strafing the long lines of refugees fleeing their burning homes.

Already, some huge tent-cities had been set up outside a few of the settlements far removed from Juir City. These, too, would be easy targets for the cleanup crews.

After suffering through incredibly cramped conditions for the past two months, the Kracori were ready to set down upon the surface and eat anything they came across. It had already circulated throughout the ranks just how delectable was Juirean flesh. To calm the growing tensions within the ships during the trip, Kracori commanders promised all their troops as much tasty flesh as they could eat, most of which would already be lying on the ground, cooked and ready to be consumed. This pacified the Kracori warriors, at least for a while. Now their stomachs growled for the real thing.

Jonnif stood on a leading edge of the cliff overlooking the smoking remains of Juir City as the first of the shuttles streamed down from the sky. They came in on gravity drives, ripping up the surface in great clouds of black, ash-infused dust. Soon five thousand Kracori would be fanning out across the area, just as twenty thousand more would cover other parts of the planet. Jonnif had no false illusions. Even after the massive bombing had killed over half the population of Juir, it would still be many long months before the last Juirean was extinguished from just this one planet alone. But if the attack on Earth proceeded according to plan, the Kracori would have the time they required.

Mininof approached him with a datapad and a scowl. “What is wrong?” Jonnif asked.

“There is seismic activity detected within the mountain.”

“This mountain?”

“Yes…and it is moving.”

“I do not understand.”

“Monitors are picking up something moving through the rock. It is small, barely noticeable, but it could be an excavator of some kind.”

“Hydon! He is trying to escape!”

“My thoughts as well. By All-Ludif he will not succeed.”

“Where is this excavator headed?” Jonnif had already turned away from the cliff and was headed back to the camp, a grouping of a dozen large tents that had been set up around his spacecraft and served as the headquarters for his command.

“It is cutting a path toward the base of the mountain, on the city side.”

“Send a transport and a contingent of warriors. How long until they reach the edge of the mountain?”

“Only minutes, Jonnif.”

“Send all ground forces we already have in the area. He may be traveling with a small group and could be hard to locate in the confusion around the city. I do not want to lose him.”

* * *

McCarthy’s men are good, Adam acknowledged. He had been watching them for the past half an hour, and even as the small boring pod drew closer to the edge of the mountain, they never took their eyes off Adam and the other prisoners. Even if they had, Adam wasn’t sure what he would have done in the confined space of the pod. One errant rifle blast and the vehicle could be disabled, encasing them forever in a tomb of solid rock hundreds of meters thick. But now the pod was nearing its exit point and Adam was relieved; he had never been claustrophobic before, but this was pushing it.

When they eventually burst out into the open, the god-awful screeching sound they had endured for almost forty-five minutes finally stopped. The monitor in front of Kaylor still showed the graphic display of their route, but soon the Belsonian switched the views and the compartment flooded with daylight from the screen. The tiny craft continued to crawl along on its lower tracks down a fairly steep grade until it eventually settled out onto a grassy meadow, near a grove of trees with white and red buds showing through leaves of green.

McCarthy leaned closer to the screen, scanning for any signs of Juireans or Kracori outside. Seeing none, he turned and ordered Carter Thomas to crack the hatch.

The compartment was instantly filled with the smell of smoke—and not the pleasant, wafting-through-the-pines camping smoke—but rather an acrid mix of burning rubber and ozone. They were also hit by a blast of intense heat from outside.

Adam and his team were hustled through the hatch and moved away from the incredibly hot hull of the boring pod as quickly as possible. It was obvious the excavator wasn’t designed to be opened so quickly after making a passage, at least not until the exterior had time to cool. Parts of the craft were still covered with rapidly-hardening clumps of lava, still radiating a hypnotic, iridescent red; the tracks of the vehicle rapidly being cemented into monuments of stone as the lava within them cooled. Adam realized the craft was designed for one-time use only. Once its journey was complete it would be impossible to break the stone crust which coated the exterior and all exposed components. The craft had done its job. Now it was retired, to forever become part of the landscape at the base of the mountain.

The group moved into a grove of trees, McCarthy’s team efficient in guarding their prisoners. They were ordered to sit on their hands on the cool grass while Hydon was segregated and placed with his back against one of the trees, Michael Amarillas watching his every movement with a flash rifle leveled at his chest.

Adam surveyed their surroundings. The cluster of trees was large and grew thicker the farther it spread from the rock-strewn cascade of boulders near the base of the Kacoran Plain. To his left, he saw a small creek running into the grove, fed from the myriad of small waterfalls leaking from the walls of the cliff.

Directly ahead and through more trees, Adam could make out the jagged skyline of Juir City, a towering plume of black smoke sending a quilt of dark shadows across the ashen ground below. He’d only glimpsed the expanse of the millennia-old city from atop the Plain when he’d first arrived, but he knew it had been a thriving metropolis of several million beings. Now it was gone, replaced by a graveyard of burned out buildings, their defiant remains jutting skyward at radical angles, all a uniform, oily gray color.

The stench of death was everywhere.

Adam looked at Sherri and saw she was near tears. Even though these were Juireans who had died, they had still been living beings, the vast majority of them simply going about their daily activities with no diabolical or evil intentions. This was genocide in its most naked form, not hidden by any pretense other than to kill until there was nothing left to kill.

Adam could hear McCarthy and Thomas talking, planning their next moves. After a moment, they decided to wait until the pod cooled and then reenter to see if any communication equipment inside still worked. They were fortunate that it was late afternoon; it would have been more difficult to guard the prisoners in the murky greyness of the Juirean night. With three moons populating the sky, and a brilliant swatch of stars from the galactic center thousands of times closer here than on Earth, the night on Juir was never truly dark. However, the time of day was not one of the things either man had considered when they made their escape from the bunker. And with the lingering canopy of black smoke, the coming night promised to be darker than most.

Hydon had recovered from McCarthy’s blow to his mouth, at least mentally. The side of his face and mouth were swollen so much that the Juirean could barely spread his lips, and when he tried, his face contorted in pain. Still, he managed to speak. “You are foolish to trust these Kracori. Humans are their enemy as well.”

“Shut up, Hydon,” McCarthy ordered. “I’ll take my chances out here over rotting to death in your bunker. And I have news for you: we’re not going to be welcomed back by our fellow Humans, either.”

Adam saw Hydon frown, not understanding the comment.

“What he means is that he and his men are traitors. They’ve been working with the Klin for years,” Adam explained.

“That’s right,” McCarthy said. “So you see now why the Kracori’s offer of amnesty was so appealing. And the credits for Cain and his people certainly won’t hurt, either.”

“How can you be so alone all the time?” Sherri asked. “Even if you do survive, you’ll have no home, not even a race of beings to belong to.”

“The only race I belong to is the race of Me, missy. I’m the only one who really gives a damn about what happens to me. I’m just being practical.”

“And so you’ll live out the rest of your life on some alien world, surrounded by creatures completely foreign to you?”

“It sure beats the shite out of being hanged as a traitor.” McCarthy smiled and looked over at some of his men guarding Adam and Sherri. “Do they still hang blokes for treason these days, or is it now more high-tech?”

They all got a good laugh out of that one, but then McCarthy’s men fell silent and dropped to their knees when they heard the hum of approaching vehicles.

McCarthy motioned for four of his men to keep watch on the prisoners while he and Thomas went to investigate. With flash rifles gripped firmly in their hands, they moved off through the grove toward the sound of the rapidly approaching transports.

Adam could hear multiple vehicles, as if a convoy was drawing closer. It hadn’t taken long for whoever was approaching to locate the pod, probably drawn by the sound of the craft moving through the rock. And it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out from where the pod originated. These would be Kracori, coming for Hydon.

* * *

McCarthy and Thomas watched as the caravan of five large electric vehicles moved single file across the soft soil of the meadow. They ran on wide tires that chewed up the ground, leaving a dark brown scar in the bright green grass. They were troop carriers, similar to any such vehicles from Earth, with a cab in the front and an open bed in the rear where a dozen or so heavily-armed Kracori were seated. Standing at the rear of the cab and at the head of the truck’s bed, stood a single Kracori soldier, holding a weapon with a flattened barrel. McCarthy had never seen this particular weapon before, but he was sure it was not to be trifled with.

Once the convoy was within thirty meters or so, McCarthy ordered Thomas to stay in the woods and cover him. He handed his flash rifle to the large former-Army Ranger and stepped out into the clear.

Immediately, the trucks turned toward him, and all the heads in the back of the transports craned to get a look, each bringing their rifles up into their laps. McCarthy raised his arms and turned his palms toward the approaching aliens, showing he was unarmed. The lead truck stopped only meters from his position and the troops poured out the back and over the sides, surrounding him instantly. The majority of the creatures were taller than McCarthy, greyish in color, with rigid plates running along the sides of their heads. Their necks were thick and formed a pyramid shape down from their head, joining up at the ends of what would have been shoulders—if they had any. Their eyes were almost solid black, large and intimidating.

So these are Kracori? Nigel thought. The new kids on the block.

An officer of some rank moved through the line of aliens surrounding him and approached. “Who are you?” the creature asked, not bothering to draw his own weapon.

“I am Nigel McCarthy, a Human. I have brought the Juirean Hydon Ra Elys for your Commander Jonnif. This is by his request.”

The Kracori looked confused, first by the mention of McCarthy being a Human, and then secondly about Hydon and Jonnif. He placed his hand to his ear and began to speak. “There is a creature here who says he is a Human. He professes to bring a Juirean named Hydon for Commander Jonnif.”

The officer listened in silence for a moment, before his eyes grew wide. “Yes, my Ludif! Immediately.”

He returned his attention to McCarthy. “Where is this Juirean?”

McCarthy turned and pointed into the woods. “Through there, and I also have Human prisoners for Jonnif as well.”

The confused look returned to the Kracori’s face again. “But you are Human, yet you say you are holding Human prisoners.”

“That’s right. We do things a little differently where I come from.”

“That is apparent. Show us the way.”

Within a few minutes, the small clearing in the grove of trees swarmed with Kracori. Adam’s team was bound—as was Hydon—while McCarthy agreed to let the Kracori have their weapons in exchange for not binding them. Then all were led through the trees to the large transport trucks and loaded onto the back of one of them.

Minutes later they were bouncing across the green meadow while skirting the edge of the granite wall of the Kacoran Plain. After a few minutes, the convoy met up with a paved road, wide and well-traveled. One direction led away from the mountain and toward the city. The other ascended the mountain through a series of switchbacks, climbing the two thousand meters to the shear plateau above.

As Adam was jostled back and forth in the truck, he looked up at the plain high above. They had traveled one long circle, just to end up at the same grassy landing field they’d arrived at six days before. But what had once been an awe-inspiring complex of majestic shining obelisks, surrounding the massive bronze pyramid, was now a pile of still smoking rubble. The entire cluster of magnificent buildings was gone. Adam was right; the place was unrecognizable.

Chapter 14

The landing field to the north of the building complex was now spotted with nine Klin flying saucers, all sitting precariously on the shiny, round pedestals protruding from their underbellies. A camp of several large white tents had been established close to one of the starships and the convoy made its way in that direction.

After parking, the prisoners were herded off the back of the truck and paraded to the closest tent. A tall Kracori emerged from inside, wearing a tight-fitting vest and black pants. His arms were bare and showed a defined musculature Adam had not seen in many races—other than his own. The wide mouth of the creature was stretched into a grin, and there was a sparkle in his dark eyes. This would be Jonnif, commander of the Kracori invasion force.

The Kracori officer from the convoy pulled Hydon forward by his arm and placed the Juirean leader in front of his commander. Jonnif grinned even wider, displaying a double row of long, sharp teeth. He made no effort to conceal them, meaning he was either issuing a challenge to the Juirean or his race did not subscribe to such covenants.

“So Lord Hydon, here you are in the flesh,” Jonnif said. “I believe you made a vow that I would never gaze upon your intact body.” Jonnif poked Hydon with a clenched fist. “This does not appear to be an apparition standing before me, so you are a liar as well as a coward.”

Jonnif turned to address the officer holding Hydon’s arm. “Who has delivered the Elder to me? Bring him forward.”

The officer motioned for McCarthy to step forward. The two creatures faced each other, both of similar heights and builds. McCarthy’s face remained stoic.

“You are a Human?” Jonnif asked, truly seeking the answer.

“That’s right. My name is Nigel McCarthy. You promised amnesty to the one who brought you Hydon, as well as a financial reward for Adam Cain.”

Jonnif gazed past McCarthy at the group of bound Humans standing next to the large transport. “Which of you is Adam Cain?”

Adam took a step out of the ranks. Jonnif motioned for him to be brought forward. The Kracori commander then looked back and forth between the two Humans as they stood next to each other. “I find this so confusing: a member of your own race is trading you for the promise of credits,” Jonnif said to Adam, shaking his head. “The only Kracori imprisoned by other Kracori are those who have committed crimes against the race. From my understanding, you are an accomplished warrior among your people and the leader of a force fighting against the Juireans, so hardly a criminal.” Jonnif then turned his attention to McCarthy. “And yet you still take him prisoner and present him to me—for monetary gain. Fascinating. Your kind is an enigma and highly unpredictable.” The Kracori commander looked at his troops standing nearby and laughed. “I will have to be on my guard with these creatures, Mininof, and tremble with fear in their presence.”

After a moment more of sizing up the Humans, Jonnif nodded to McCarthy. “I will honor my offer to you, both of amnesty and of credits.”

“For me and my team.” McCarthy’s boldness caused the Kracori to widen his eyes.

“You fascinate me, Human. We must speak further. Yes, your team is as one with you. You will all share in whatever fortunes befall the one.”

Once more, Jonnif turned his attention to Adam. “The same goes for you and your companions. Mininof, make preparations for a test of these warriors. Humans are rumored to be the most superior fighters in the galaxy, at least according to our former associates the Klin. I wish to see this for myself.” He looked at McCarthy again. “Come with me now; we will talk.”

* * *

McCarthy entered the nearest tent, followed by five Kracori and Hydon Ra Elys. There were various partitions within the tent, dividing it into several compartments. Jonnif entered one of the sections and sat on a couch placed along the outer wall of the tent. There was another long couch opposite him and he motioned for McCarthy to take a seat. Hydon remained standing behind the couch and under heavy guard.

An attendant entered and brought Jonnif a drink in a large mug. “Forgive me, but I am terrible with alien names. What was yours again?”

“Nigel McCarthy.”

“Very odd, but I will respect your ways. I would offer you a liquid, but until you have been tested, what I offer could kill you.” Jonnif laughed, his mood almost giddy.

He’s really stoked by his good fortune, McCarthy thought.

After another long swallow of his drink, Jonnif smiled at the large Human. “I have seen how your race is able to deceive others, as you did in the battle of Falor-Kapel. Are you aware of that battle?”

“Yes, I am. At the time I was the lead Human advisor to Pleabaen Linuso of the Klin on Marishal.”

Jonnif was shocked by the revelation. “Forgive me once more, but I was not aware I was in the presence of such an important dignitary. In such a large galaxy, it is a miracle of fate that we have met. How was it that you came to be in the service of the Klin?”

“I was one of the people taken from the Earth when the Klin were building their army. Their former Human advisor had grown old and sick and the Klin needed a replacement. I volunteered for the job.”

“You must know by now that the Klin have not been working in the best interest of the Humans.”

“I knew that; it just didn’t matter to me.”

Jonnif smiled wider then finished off his drink. He gestured for another. “Is this attitude you are exhibiting common among Humans? Is there no such thing as loyalty in your race?”

“That depends,” Nigel said. “Some are more loyal than others. I happen to be more loyal to myself than to others.”

“I suppose that attitude could come in handy; it certainly has for you this day, I must admit. You not only brought me the Juirean leader, but also a very effective and dangerous warrior of your own kind—along with his support.”

It was McCarthy’s turn to smile. “I am very good at what I do. And my services might be available for hire by the Kracori as well.”

Jonnif moved to the edge of the couch, his hands resting on his legs. “You would offer to advise the Kracori in the ways of the Humans? You understand that we are just as determined to rid the galaxy of your kind as we are the Juireans?”

“That’s fine with me, just so I’m properly compensated for my expertise and advice.”

Jonnif slapped his knee in a very Human-like show of excitement. “Of course, Nigel McCarthy! The Ludif Council would welcome your assistance—and would be willing to provide a planetary fortune in return.”

McCarthy raised his eyebrows. “I’m okay with that.” He smiled, full-toothed and unabashed. “When do we start?”

“Immediately,” Jonnif declared, rising from the couch. “You will accompany Hydon on his fateful journey to Elision. I will send along a recommendation to the Ludif Council and allow you to present the Juirean personally. The Council will be very impressed. Kaddof!” Jonnif cried out.

Jonnif’s second in command entered with a quizzical look.

“Nigel McCarthy—the Human here—has just now joined our ranks. He and the other members of his team are to be afforded our greatest respect. He will escort Elder Hydon to Elision and present him to the Ludiffs. Have them all moved to Dagorif’s ship for the most expedient departure.”

“Yes, Jonnif.” Kaddof turned to McCarthy. “Follow me. We will gather your companions and depart in approximately three hours.”

As Nigel McCarthy followed the gray being out of the tent, he was walking on air. A planetary fortune and respect from the Kracori! I’m really brill, I am!

Chapter 15

Adam’s day wasn’t going as well as Nigel McCarthy’s. The prisoners were taken to another tent and tied to the support poles. They sat on the grassy floor, struggling as best they could against their restraints. The tent served as some sort of workshop and storage facility, with several long benches set up along the canvas walls with crates stacked to the rear. No food or drink was offered.

Jym was apoplectic, while Kaylor tried to assure him that it was only Adam and the other Humans the Kracori were interested in.

“Our races are well known to the Expansion, Jym,” Kaylor said. “Nothing will be gained by testing us.”

“And yet we always seem to be included in whatever misfortune befalls them.”

“That could be as much our fault as theirs—”

“I would say it is more your fault, Kaylor. It was you who first brought Adam aboard the FS-475 so many years ago. You should have let him die.”

“Hey relax, you two,” Adam said. “Everything’s going to be okay. Oh, and thanks for that, Jym.”

“I’m only being practical, Adam,” Jym defended. “Many of the recent events in the galaxy would have unfolded just as they have whether or not we met you, yet Kaylor and I would have continued with our lives unmolested.”

Adam leaned his head back against the metal pole and closed his eyes. Jym was right. The events of the past three years had been put in motion hundreds of years before Adam came along. He just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Now here he was, sitting on the grass of the planet Juir and about to be tested—whatever that meant—by a race of creatures who just kicked the ass of the most powerful force in the galaxy. As limited as the Kracori’s time on Juir might be, they had definitely left their mark on the planet for millennia to come. What the Humans would do with the burned-out hulk of a planet when they arrived, Adam had no idea. Besides, with the Juireans essentially demoted to third-class status, the fleet wouldn’t have much to do once they got here. Hell, the Humans might simply turn around and go home.

But Adam couldn’t let the rest of them know how hopeless he felt. After all, he was the great Adam Cain, Starfighter Extraordinaire!

“It will all work out, Jym,” he said again without opening his eyes. “Trust me. We’ve gotten out of a lot worse situations than this before.”

Jym stared at Adam for several moments before replying. “Seriously…when?”

All Adam could answer with was a grin and shrug. From her place next to Adam, Sherri just snorted.

* * *

About an hour later three large Kracori came in and took Adam away. A few minutes later two more entered the tent, and after eyeing the prisoners for a few moments, took seats at the benches. Only one of the Kracori was wearing a sidearm and appeared to be a guard. The other was a technician of some kind.

Adam was dragged to a nearby tent. The interior of this one was nearly empty, just a large open area that had been set up as some kind of viewing arena. Two rows of seats were arranged along one side of the tent and even now about a dozen Kracori were milling about, taking chairs and drinking from large, metal mugs. As Adam was brought in, they looked at him with amused curiosity, like some circus animal being paraded before the crowd. This was entertainment. After five days of intense action against the planet Juir, the Kracori officers were looking forward to a diversion. Adam Cain was to be that diversion.

He was placed at the center of the grass-floor display area and his bindings removed. He had no idea what the test would entail, but he figured it probably had something to do with a physical contest of some sort since the Kracori appeared to pride themselves on their strength and aggressiveness. It would also be to the death—his. That’s normally how these things went.

A few minutes later Jonnif entered, chatting jovially with his omnipresent companion, Mininof. He barely acknowledged Adam, who stood in the middle of the arena feeling awkward and unsure. The Klin had chosen the Kracori as their physical surrogates for a reason, just as they had the Humans. Yet to the Klin the Humans had been expendable, simply to be used as fodder to reduce the Juireans numbers. The Kracori, on the other hand, had been selected to accompany the Klin all the way to Juir. Adam snickered to himself; somewhere along the way, the Klin missed the boarding call.

After passing through the crowd and sharing pleasantries, Jonnif moved into the arena and approached Adam. The Kracori commander had changed clothes. He now wore a pair of impossibly short shorts and a half-shirt of some kind with a black swath cutting diagonally from the left shoulder to where it ended just under his rib cage. Adam could see that the alien had a nicely defined six-pack. Although the outfit looked gay, the Kracori himself was intimidating.

“Adam Cain,” Jonnif said, more to the crowd than to him. “You are the first Human any of us have seen in person, although we have been aware of your race for a hundred years or more. The Klin looked upon the Humans as savages, although useful savages. Being much more patient than we Kracori, the Klin waited until your race had advanced enough technologically before you could play a part in their ultimate plan. With a little nudge here and there, you progressed nicely.”

Jonnif moved to face him, standing only a few inches away. “But all you ever were to them was meat, strong meat, born on a heavy-gravity rock and possessed of a combination of strength and agility rarely found in the galaxy—just as the Kracori.” A cheer rose up from the audience. “Yet unlike your race, we do not war against our own kind. At least we haven’t in over five thousand years.”

He turned back to the crowd with a flourish of his hand. “However, even now members of your own race are betraying you for simple monetary gain. It is revealed now, Adam Cain, that the one trait that made you so valuable to the Klin was the fact that you have never stopped warring within your race. This shows that you will kill, no matter the enemy. This trait has also made you adept at all the strategies and tactics associated with war—and quite unpredictable as well. As the Klin say, you are savages.”

He turned to face Adam again. “I will now test that prowess. We will have a contest; I will not seek to kill you—at least not yet. However, if this test reaches the point when it appears you may kill me….” He drew out the sentence as several members of the audience laughed. “Then my companions here will descend upon you for a few moments of sport themselves. If you are lucky, you will survive their actions—let me correct myself—if you are unlucky you will survive. That would mean another session and even more entertainment.

“The assault on Juir has been rather disappointing for warriors like the Kracori. We were hoping for more face-to-face combat with the Juireans. Unfortunately, even as we begin our more intense sweep of the planet, the officer corps here rarely has the opportunity to experience combat first-hand. As a warrior yourself, I am sure you are aware of such a division of labor. So as long as you live, we will make a sport of you—and also of the other Humans we have captured.” He turned back to the crowd and smiled. “I only wish there were more of you!” The crowd roared.

“Give it a few more months and you’ll be up to your assholes and elbows in Humans.”

Jonnif turned to Adam, never losing the smile. “Ah yes, your fleet! I almost forgot.” As he took a step in closer his smile disappeared. “Your fleet will not be arriving anytime soon…or ever for that matter.”

The seriousness of Jonnif’s words made Adam cringe. “What do you mean?”

“I mean soon your fleet will be returning to your homeworld, there to tend to the massive destruction wrought by the Kracori nuclear strike upon the Earth.”

Adam felt the blood drain from his face. Could the Kracori be speaking the truth? “Bullshit!”

“Bull…shit? What an interesting phrase. What does it mean?”

“It means you’re lying.”

Jonnif turned to his audience of Kracori officers. “Am I telling a non-truth, my Ludifs?”

Uniformly the crowd shook their heads and said no, some even calling out: Death to the Humans! Let them all die!

When Jonnif turned back to face Adam, he wore the most diabolically-satisfied look Adam had ever seen on a living creature. “It is true, Adam Cain. Within a very short time—days as a matter of fact—Kracori elements will arrive to ravage your home planet with enough nuclear death and destruction to render it uninhabitable for hundreds of years. Your fleet will have no choice but to break off and return to Earth like a whipped krymelic. The Legend of Earth will be broken forever. Without the resources of your planet to supply the bodies and tools of war, the Human race will cease to be a significant player in galactic affairs. The Kracori will remain on Juir and within the Alliance Cluster. We will continue to hunt down all surviving Juireans, and we Kracori will rule the galaxy for thousands of years to come!”

He stepped away from Adam, whose mouth was agape, and who was feeling dizzy and drained from Jonnif’s sincere revelation. He wasn’t lying; he had taken too much satisfaction from the telling of his story to be making it up. And then something stuck in Adam’s mind: within a very short period of time—days! So the attack has not occurred…not yet! Would it be possible for Adam to warn the Earth of the impending attack? Possible, but not while standing in the middle of a fighting arena on the planet Juir.

Adam took a deep breath and felt his energy return. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. “Fuck you, Jonnif!” he yelled. “Let’s get this thing started!”

Jonnif turned back to him, a look of confusion on his face. “I am truly puzzled, Adam Cain. You wish to engage me in a sexual act, just as we are preparing to fight? Are the mating rituals on Earth such acts of physical combat and submission? If so, then you truly are savage.”

Jonnif squared up his stance. “Then let us begin. I will go first.”

Adam was stunned by the remark, not understanding what the Kracori meant. But Jonnif stepped forward and swung out with his right arm. He was fast, faster than any creature Adam had fought since being cast out into the galaxy. Still, Adam was able to easily dodge the blow and sweep the Kracori’s arm away with his own. Jonnif looked stunned, yet he countered quickly with a left hook that came at Adam from way too far out, a punch like what boys in a schoolyard fight would throw as they flailed away at each other. The Kracori may be warriors, Adam thought, but they apparently don’t know any real hand-to-hand combat techniques.

As he swept away the alien’s arm, Adam grabbed Jonnif’s left wrist and twisted it backwards, spinning the Kracori around and pressing the arm against his back. Next Adam clamped his right arm around Jonnif’s chest and pulled him tight. For a moment Jonnif struggled against Adam’s hold, but was unable to break it.

Then the most remarkable thing happened: The Kracori’s head twisted 180-degrees around, until their faces were only inches apart. Jonnif smiled – and then spit in Adam’s face!

Adam released the alien and staggered back, wiping the disgusting spittle from his face. He had no idea what kind of alien germs were contained in the sticky liquid. And they call me a savage!

Jonnif took the opportunity to lower his shoulder and charge at Adam. In the light gravity of Juir, the Kracori was extremely fast and hit Adam with enough force to knock the wind out of his lungs and send him crashing to the ground. Jonnif fell on top of him, striking his face with blow after incredibly strong blow.

Stunned, Adam kicked up with his right knee, hitting Jonnif in the back and sending him rolling over Adam’s head. Recovering quickly from the blows he’d suffered, Adam scrambled around and fell on Jonnif’s back, pressing the alien’s body into the grassy floor of the arena. He placed a powerful fist into Jonnif’s ribcage…once, then twice.

The Kracori cried out in pain and managed to roll over, dislodging Adam from his back. Now on his knees, Adam struck a strong right cross into Jonnif’s chin. The creature’s eyes grew wide at first before the eyelids began to flutter. Adam followed with another strong fist to the same region and Jonnif collapsed to the ground.

Adam’s victory was short-lived, however, as his body was pommeled by kick after kick to his ribs and face. One of the kicks sent him rolling over onto his back, where a flurry of booted feet crashed down on him. Within moments, the kicks had no further affect, as Adam Cain slipped into the numb blackness of peaceful unconsciousness.

Chapter 16

Sherri was worried about Adam. She heard cheering off in the distance a while ago so she knew some kind of spectacle was taking place. But now there was silence. Had she just heard the ceremonial death of Adam Cain? And after him, they would be coming for the rest of them….

The Humans in the tent struggled as best they could against their shackles, but to no avail. Sherri then noticed one of the Kracori looking at her intensely. The creature leaned over to his bench mate and whispered something. They both spun around in their chairs.

“You’re a female of the Human race, is this correct?” the first Kracori asked. She did not detect any deviousness in the voice, just curiosity.

Sherri lowered her head, avoiding the interviewer’s eyes. “Yes, I am. I fulfill my duties—as I must.” A plan blossomed in her mind.

The Human males looked over at her with raised eyebrows, yet none spoke.

“You are much smaller than the males of your species. Are you their mate?”

“Yes. As I said, I fulfill my duties as is dictated.”

The two Kracori smiled and nudged each other. “Is it only one of you for all of them?”

“Yes. It is much work, tending to the needs of them all, especially when it comes to feces removal.”

The Kracori’s mouths fell open in shock—as did those of Sherri’s Human companions. Feces removal?

“Please explain? We do not understand.”

Sherri refused to meet the eyes of the Kracori, instead maintaining the look of submissiveness and weakness. “I could be punished for telling you this, but the males relieve themselves whenever and wherever they wish.”

“Do you not have grooming stations?”

“Only for the females. They are for our own use, as well as for disposing of the waste of the males. It is a very disgusting chore.”

“Agreed!” said the Kracori guard. “So they just drop feces wherever they wish?”

“True, and as meat eaters, their feces is always sticky, wet, and carries such an incredibly foul odor—”

“Female!” Riyad cried out. “It is time. I am beginning to relieve myself and I have not done so for a very long while.”

The two Kracori looked at Riyad with a look of panic and disgust. “You cannot do such a thing here.”

“My body says otherwise. Does your race have control over such natural bodily functions? Must you not breathe when you must breathe?”

One of the Kracori looked to the other. “I am not going to clean up the mess!”

“Neither shall I—”

“And the smell will linger for hours, I must warn you,” Sherri added.

“Then you must tend to the male.”

“Of course, but how? I am bound.”

“I will release you. You are not a warrior and therefore not a risk. What will you require for the…the feces?”

“A scoop of some kind and a bag in which to place it; then it must be buried, or else the smell will remain and become overwhelming.”

One of the Kracori found a small metal sheet and a bag while the other knelt down next to Sherri and unlocked the shackles around her wrists. He then released the lock on the straps holding her to the support pole.

“Will this suffice?” asked the other Kracori as he handed her the sheet of metal and the bag.

“Yes, very well.” She scooted over to where Riyad was tied and began to undo his pants. “The scene is very graphic….”

“We will wait outside. Let us know when you are done.” The two Kracori exited through the canvas flap of the tent, shaking their heads in disgust as they left.

Sherri looked up into Riyad’s face, which now displayed a broad, wicked smile as she fumbled with his trousers. She pushed herself away. “Keep dreaming, Riyad,” she said, while returning his smile. Then she slipped in behind him and attempted to release the lock to his bindings. It was too strong; she couldn’t open them.

She stood up and ran to the work benches. There she found a large crescent wrench-like tool and moved to the side of the entrance flap to the tent.

“I am done,” she called out.

The two Kracori entered. “That was quick. Where are you?” one of them asked as the pair entered the tent.

“Right here,” Sherri said as she swung the wrench with all her might. The solid metal tool struck the head of the closest Kracori, sending him slumping to the ground. She swung again, but the second Kracori had time to raise his arm in self-defense. Still, the wrench carried a powerful impact and the alien fell backwards, landing on the ground at the feet of John Tindal. The Navy SEAL reached out with his unbound legs and clamped them around the head of the Kracori. Before the alien could resist, Sherri brought the heavy end of the wrench down directly on his chest. Air was expelled from his lungs and his eyes grew wide. Tindal kicked the creature away. Sherri finished him off with a skull-crushing final swing of the wrench.

“Great job, Sherri,” Lt. Tobias whispered, “if somewhat disgusting.”

Sherri smiled and ran over to the unconscious Kracori she’d hit first. He was the one who had unlocked her bindings earlier. After rifling through his pockets she emerged with the key. Moments later they were free.

Only one of the Kracori had been armed, and within seconds Tobias had the MK gripped firmly in his hand.

“We have to find Adam,” Sherri said desperately, hoping they were not too late.

“Roger that,” Tobias said. “The sounds came from the left. I’ll take point. It’s dark out now, but not totally, so be careful. Move out.”

Outside the tent all was quiet. With the moons of Juir and the stars of the Milky Way so prominent, it could barely be referred to as dark, yet it was still enough to provide them some cover. The cheering within the other tent had ceased a while ago; most of the Kracori had now either retired to other tents or moved inside the spaceships and their living quarters.

Sherri and the others covered the distance to the next tent without a problem but found it to contain only partitioned rooms with no one inside.

At the next tent, Tobias pulled back a small section of the entrance flap and gazed inside, with Sherri practically on his back looking inside as well. There they saw a large open space with rows of empty seats off to the right. Near the center of the open area lay the unconscious body of Adam Cain, a heavy metal chain running from him to the tent’s center pole.

Tobias looked back at the rest of them clustered behind him. “It’s Cain,” he whispered. “And he’s alive.”

“How do you know that?” Sherri asked, concern dripping from her voice.

“’Cause I don’t think they’d chain up a corpse,” he answered with a smile.

He looked inside again, this time sweeping the full interior for any signs of the Kracori. When he was sure there were none, he flipped back the canvas and ran towards Adam, followed closely by the others, while petty officer Tindal maintained watch at the doorway.

Sherri crouched down and lifted Adam’s head. She felt his carotid artery and found a pulse. His face was badly bruised and blood was caked below his nose. She slapped his face a couple of times—lightly—and saw his eyeballs move under the lids. Slowly Adam opened his eyes. Focusing on Sherri, he tried to smile but grimaced with pain instead.

“That didn’t go as planned,” he finally managed to whisper.

“Anything broken?” Sherri asked as she helped him sit up.

“I don’t think so.” Adam expanded his focus to find Tobias and Riyad staring at him, looks of concern on their faces. “Are you guys free, or did they just throw us all in the same jail somewhere?”

“We’re free…for now,” Tobias said. “But we have to get out of here soon.”

Adam batted his eyes a few more times, as the cobwebs began to clear from his mind. Then he suddenly surged forward and grabbed Tobias by the shirt. “They’re going to nuke the Earth, Andy!” he cried out, far too loudly considering their current location.

“They’re what?”

“Jonnif told me the Kracori are going to nuke the planet so that the fleet will return to Earth instead of coming here.”

“When?”

“He said very soon, within days.”

Tobias followed the chain binding Adam to the center pole and then back to Adam’s wrists. The chain was thick with a hefty-looking lock securing it. “Rutledge, Riyad, grab hold of that chain link there.” He lifted the chain and all three men took hold of one of the links. “Now pull!”

The men grunted and gritted their teeth until they saw a small separation begin to appear in the link. A few more groans and they’d pulled the link far enough apart so they could break the chain. Adam was still shackled in heavy metal cuffs but at least now they could leave the tent.

“We have to make contact with Earth, let them know about the attack,” Adam said through swollen lips.

“How do we do that?” Sherri asked as they helped Adam to his feet.

“Direct communication with Earth is impossible without comm buoys having already been laid,” Jym said, his tiny body nearly lost among the much taller Humans.

“What about the fleet?” Adam asked. “They’ve been laying buoys since they left the Earth.”

“Yes, that might work, but they are many thousands of light-years away. Not knowing the comm frequencies for them, we would have to be much closer than we are now to make contact through traditional means.”

“Then we’re just going to have to take one of these ships,” said Riyad Tarazi matter-of-factly. As the former leader of the Fringe Pirates, absconding with stolen spaceships was second nature to him.

“Target one of the smaller ones in the back,” Adam said, feeling now as though he may have a few bruised or cracked ribs. “We’re going to have to lift off without causing too much alarm.”

With the others helping him, Adam made it to the main entrance to the tent. Before heading out into the open, he turned to Tobias and asked, “How did you get away?”

Andy Tobias grinned. “Sherri raised such a shit-storm that they just let us go.”

“She did what…they let you go?”

Riyad put his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Let’s save that for another time. The clock is ticking, my friend.”

* * *

Using what shadows they could find as cover, the team moved single file out of the tent and along its perimeter. Across the wide landing field were a number of the Klin spaceships looking like gigantic metal mushrooms reflecting the light of Juir’s moons. There were no security lights around the ships; that would have only marked them for any Juirean counterattack, even though that possibility was virtually nil. They also found only a few stray Kracori walking the grounds and none appeared to be on sentry duty. Such was the Kracori’s confidence in their position on the planet.

“In the back there, that’s one of those A’s with a crew of around twenty-five.” Adam said. He looked around at the rest of his team. “How many weapons do we have?”

Tobias held up his single MK-17 and grinned. “That’s it…one gun?” Adam said. He took a deep, painful breath. “These are not your typical run-of-the-mill aliens we’re dealing with. They’re strong, fast and tough. About the only advantage I see we have going for us is that they don’t know squat about martial arts. No offense Sherri, but they fight like girls.”

Sherri sent him a smirk and patted his cheek. “Not all girls.”

“I hear that.” He tried to flash a smile through his broken lips but failed miserably. “And we’ll also have the element of surprise. Kaylor, Jym, stay back in the access shaft until we get the ship secured. Okay…let’s roll.”

They darted from shadow to shadow under the forest of Klin starships, which were much bigger once they got close to them. At the last one on the field, sitting almost half a klick from the cluster of tents, they crouched near the sliding entry door on the extended pedestal under the ship. The door was shut but the Kracori had no reason to require a security code to open it. Rutledge slapped the operating panel and the door quietly slid open.

Inside the wide, round base was a winding staircase surrounding a central elevator tube. The elevator was used primarily for moving freight and equipment into the ship while the crew used the stairs. With Tobias and his MK in the lead, they began a slow, silent ascent up the stairs.

At the top they entered the central generator and storage room, circular in shape, following the natural curvature of the ship. Beyond the doorways on the outer wall of this room was a concentric hallway that wrapped around the ship; off this corridor were entrances to various other compartments, all set toward the exterior. There was another level above with two concentric corridors and more compartments. Topping it off was the bridge, a prominent dome sitting in the middle of the disk.

Seeing that Adam was in no condition to engage in another fight with a Kracori, he was the last to enter the generator room at the head of the stairs. He heard a soft click and looked to see Tobias motioning with his hand. Tindal and Rutledge had already spotted it and were moving in that direction. It was a flash rifle, sitting on a table at the other end of the room, as conspicuous as could be. The young petty officer reached it first and snatched up the weapon before Rutledge had a chance. The Chief shot him an evil glare; Tindal lifted the weapon to his lips and kissed it.

Tobias opened the nearest hatch leading to the outer corridor and did a quick look-see. Nobody. Their luck was holding. At each hatch they came to, he would stop and put an ear to the metal, listening for any sounds from inside the compartment.

At the third door, Tobias heard what sounded like a grunt coming from inside. These interior doors were operated by recessed pressplates, not latches, so with Tobias on one side and Tindal on the other, Rutledge pressed the door release and stepped back. The door slid open smoothly and quietly—but not quietly enough for the occupant inside not to notice.

It was a Kracori officer, in the process of removing his shirt, preparing for bed. His back was turned to the door and he nonchalantly turned to see who had opened it. His eyes grew wide when three burly Humans slammed into him, one pressing a clamp-like hand over his mouth while the other two held him down on the compartment’s single bed. Riyad, Adam and Sherri joined them inside the tiny compartment.

Tobias placed the barrel of his MK-17 against the temple of the alien. “Don’t yell out or I’ll blow your brains all over that wall over there. Tell me, how many are there aboard?”

A look of defiance crossed the Kracori’s face and he shook his head. “I will tell you nothing, Human.”

“Fine,” Tobias said. He looked at Tindal. “Cut off his nose. Maybe that will make him talk.”

Adam could see Tindal hesitate; he knew he didn’t have a knife. But after the briefest of moments, Tindal leaned back and reached with his left hand behind his back.

“No! No! There are only four of us onboard.”

“Where are the rest?” Tobias asked.

“Most are aboard Ludif Jonnif’s ship. There is a celebration—” the alien nodded toward Adam “—regarding him and the Juirean. It is a joyous day for us.…” The Kracori’s voice trailed off as he realized just how silly the statement now sounded.

“Where are they, the others aboard this ship?”

“When last I saw them, they were in a feeding room.”

“Where is that?”

“Next level up, next to the stairway exit.”

“Left or right.” The alien seemed confused. “When you come off the stairs, which way do we turn?”

“To the right. Yes, to the right.”

“Tindal, stay with him,” Tobias commanded. “We’re going up. If he’s lying…kill him.”

“No! No! I meant you turn left,” the scared alien corrected.

Tobias smiled, displaying all his pearly-whites at the alien. “That’s better.” And then he brought the butt of the MK-17 down on the head of the Kracori. The force was sufficient to break a hole in the creature’s skull and penetrate the brain. The Kracori officer died instantly.

“Let’s move.” Tobias pressed through the others in the room and out into the corridor, the MK ready in his right hand.

At a point in the curving corridor they came to the stairway leading to the second level. With Tobias and Tindal again in the lead, the team of six Humans climbed the stairs and positioned themselves at either side of the doorway just to the left of the stairs.

Rutledge once again tripped the entry pad and the door slid open. The two armed SEALs entered the room in tandem.

It only took a split second for the Humans to see that all three of the other aliens aboard were in the room. They opened fire with their weapons, and a second later all three lay dead, puffs of smoke rising into the room from the clean, level one bolt holes burned into their flesh.

Adam turned to Riyad. “Go down and get Kaylor and Jym. Meet us on the bridge.” Riyad ran off.

Sherri and Tindal helped Adam up the last flight of stairs leading to the bridge, where he collapsed into one of the side console chairs, much to the relief of his burning ribs. A moment later, Kaylor and Jym followed Riyad into the room. The alien pilot slipped into the command seat and confidently began preparations for lift off.

“Even this far from the other ships, our leaving will be noticed,” Kaylor said. Jym had taken a position at the nav console and was pulling up star charts even before his furry ass hit the seat.

“Nothing we can do about that,” Adam said. “Just do it as quietly as possible.”

Kaylor looked back at Adam as if to say are you crazy? “Either we go up on chemical drive—which sounds like a bomb going off—or we go on gravity-drive and rip half the landing strip away. Either way, I think the Kracori will know we left.”

“Can we use the gravity-drive to take out their ships?” Rutledge asked anxiously.

“We’d only destroy a couple and damage a few more. That would still leave the bigger ones near the tents to come after us,” said Kaylor, much to the Chief’s disappointment.

“How fast can we get up?” Tobias asked.

“Once we are clear of the surface we can switch to gravity-drive. But it will still take us a couple of minutes to reach space.”

“Jym, get all the weapons online and charging.” Adam said. “There doesn’t seem to be any way we can do this without fighting our way out—”

Just then a loud explosion reverberated through the spaceship, as a brilliant light filled the pilothouse through the forward viewport. Another of the Klin saucers had just engaged its chemical drive, sending a tidal wave of smoke and noise across the grass landing field.

“They’re coming after us!” Jym screamed.

“No! It’s the ship taking Hydon to their homeworld,” Adam corrected. “Kaylor, can you get us up using that ship as a shield?”

“We are ready, but the sound will still be significant on the surface, and that other ship will know we are following them.”

“Just do it! We’ll deal with the consequences as they come up. Go!”

Kaylor did his thing, and seconds later the ship was engulfed in a cloud of white chemical smoke. The landing field fell away quickly as all eyes turned to Jym’s screen, watching for signs of pursuit. As the seconds increased—and still no other liftoffs—they began to relax.

Then the comm-link buzzed.

Jym looked to Adam for guidance. Adam shook his head.

The link buzzed again. Kaylor switched to gravity-drive and they experienced the customary surge of vertigo as the internal gravity-wells took priority.

After the third buzz Adam nodded for the link to be opened.

“Krylorif, I was not aware you are to accompany us to Elision,” said the voice on the link.

“We are not,” Adam answered in quick short words. “Just reconnaissance.”

A moment passed before the voice came back over the speakers. “I was not aware.” Everyone on the bridge held their breath. “Success with your mission, Krylorif. I envy you. We have three long months before reaching Elision, and you know what it is like to traverse the Discourse.”

“Enjoy,” Adam spit out.

“We shall endeavor. And Krylorif, please seek medical attention. You sound as if you may be suffering from a case of the Juirean Junk, like so many of us are.” The Kracori laughed through the speakers and then Jym signified that the link had been cut.

“Juirean Junk, huh,” Sherri said. “Is that anything like Montezuma’s Revenge?”

“You seem fixated on bowel movements tonight, Sherri,” Tobias said with a smile. “Something you’re not telling us?”

“Stay frosty, people,” Adam said. “That was just the first hurdle. You can bet that those on the surface know we shouldn’t have left. They’ll also notice pretty soon that all their prisoners have disappeared. Once someone takes notice, a simple phone call to the ships they already have in the area and we’ll be running for our lives.”

“So what’s new?” Riyad said with his patented grin. “That seems to be one of our favorite past times.”

Chapter 17

Once away from the planet, Kaylor initiated a full gravity-well and four hours later they were leaving the Juirean stellar system. The space around them was full of all kinds of spacecraft, but very few with the gravity signatures of Klin ships. The vast majority were Juireans and other species fleeing the area after the Kracori invasion. There were literally thousands of them, and the mass of gravity signatures helped mask Adam’s ship from the pursuers he was sure had been alerted.

After seven hours—and easily a dozen or more attempts by the surface to contact the ship—the team began to relax, believing they’d gotten away clean. They tried to celebrate as best they could, but then were hit with the reminder that if they couldn’t reach the fleet in time, their homeworld would be turned into a radioactive wasteland.

As she had done on too many occasions in the past, Sherri found the ship’s sickbay and patched up Adam as best she could. She didn’t think his ribs were broken, just badly bruised. Either way, it really hurt for him to breathe. There were medicines onboard, but nobody could read Kracori to know what they were for, so they didn’t risk it.

Once he was bandaged up, Adam returned to the bridge. “So, Jym, how soon can we attempt to make contact?”

“It is not as simple as that,” the tiny alien stated. “We are in a Klin-designed ship—”

“As is the fleet,” Adam interjected.

“That will help,” Jym conceded, “but we have no idea what frequencies they may be monitoring and what relays might be compatible with Klin wormhole technology.”

“What did he just say?” John Tindal asked from a seat at the other side of the bridge. Although the petty officer first-class had been traipsing through space for over a year, he had never bothered to inquire into the technology that made communication over light-years possible. As long as it worked, he was happy not knowing. But wormhole technology, that was something new.

Adam ignored him. “Can we send out a broad spectrum broadcast, or send the same thing out over multiple frequencies?

“Yes we can. If you make a recording, I can have it sent out over a million frequencies if you wish. There is still no guarantee that any of them would be picked up and relayed throughout the network. And if any were, they would be in the open and able to be heard by anyone.”

“Good point, Jym. Then I’ll have to send it in a code of some sort, but not so much that it would be lost to anyone on the fleet who might be listening.”

He thought for a moment, and then the answer became obvious. We’re Humans. Not too many people out here know anything about us.

“Okay, Jym, start recording.” Jym pressed a few buttons and then signaled for Adam to start. “Team Leader to Commander SEAL Team Six. Team Leader to Commander SEAL Team Six. This is AC, please respond on this frequency. Urgent—I repeat urgent—message to follow. Please respond ST6 Commander.” He nodded for Jym to cut the recording.

“Send that out on as many frequencies as you can in the direction you believe the fleet will be located. Loop it; keep it going until we hear something back.”

“The message will go out, Adam. Whether anyone will be listening within your fleet is an unknown.”

Adam sneered. “I always love your positive attitude, Jym. It always brightens my day.”

Chapter 18

Jonnif Vinn was still struggling to overcome the effects of the sedatives he had been administered the night before. In light of the morning’s devastating news, it was imperative that he do so…and do it quickly.

“How could Kaddof have allowed this to happen?” he said to his aide, Mininof, walking beside him. “It should have been apparent to him right away that something was not right.”

“We all heard the launches, Jonnif, including you,” Mininof countered.

“Yes, but I was not myself. I have very little recollection of the activities of the last night.”

“In defense of Kaddof, he did raise the alarm and attempt to contact the ship. When that was unsuccessful he spoke with Krylorif who informed him the other ship was on a reconnaissance mission.”

“Which was untrue,” Jonnif growled. “And by the time the deception was discovered, the ship was already in a well and merged with the hundreds of other ships fleeing the Cluster. Why wasn’t Adam Cain killed in the arena?”

“You left orders not to, my Ludif, and you were not available to amend those orders.”

“So this is all my fault?”

Mininof did not reply immediately. He waited until he had gathered his thoughts before responding. “It was simply an unfortunate set of circumstances, impossible to have been foreseen.”

“I doubt if the Ludif Council will see it as such.”

Ludif Council, Jonnif thought. What a ridiculous term: Ludif.

Being more-traveled than most Kracori, Jonnif was in the unique position to see the Kracori in a more comparative light. He also knew all Kracori were Ludifs; it was what made them Kracori in the first place.

* * *

Ludif was the term used for the mythical gene that made the Kracori the superior creatures upon their homeworld of Elision, the one thing that made them different from the animals in the trees. It was loosely translated as meaning god-gene, and for thousands of years the Kracori did consider themselves Gods upon their world.

With Elision buried deep within a brilliant nebulae comprised of hundreds of stars, the Kracori had gazed up at the fiery swath of red and green with no false illusion that they were the only creatures in the universe—just the most superior. And when they turned their telescopes to their sister world of Olypon—located only slightly more distant from the birth star of Kyrils—they saw a world of vast blue oceans and lands of brown and green.

In the early years the Kracori imagined all kinds of creatures evolving on Olypon, from deadly threats to benevolent Ludif-like beings in their own right. But when the first Kracori landed upon the surface they found it to be a much younger world than Elision, and therefore lacking the time required for development of life forms higher than basic bi-pedal creatures of limited intelligence and achievement.

Disappointed, the Kracori nevertheless established settlements on Olypon, a world of considerably lighter surface gravity than their own. At first, the settlers of the planet reveled in the gravity of Olypon, yet as the years passed and new generations of Kracori were born, they realized that these Kracori could never return to their homeworld after having lost the ability to function in the oppressive weight of Elision.

By the time the Klin arrived nearly fifteen hundred years later, most of the Kracori colonies on Olypon had been abandoned, with the now lower-class Kracori still living there among the primitive natives and destined for eventual extinction.

The arrival of the Klin came as no surprise to the Kracori; it was either going to be aliens contacting the Kracori or them contacting the aliens. The Klin arrived bearing gifts: advanced technology, engineering, and medicines. They also brought with them knowledge of the larger universe beyond the nebulae and of the myriad of races that existed elsewhere.

Yet the most important thing the Klin provided the Kracori was a destiny, a new Legend to be pursued. The aliens informed the Kracori that they were to one day share the galaxy with the Klin, as rulers, as its masters. Out of all the races in the universe that the Klin had encountered, the Kracori had been selected for this honor.

The only caveat: The Kracori must remain hidden from the galaxy until the time was right. In return for a Legend as great as rulers of the universe, the Kracori enthusiastically accepted the Klin’s only restriction.

So the vast majority of Kracori had never ventured beyond the nebulae, had never seen the things that Jonnif had seen. Jonnif had been to the Klin headquarters on Marishal. He had also been to the Klin base on Zylim-4 in the Fringe, and even walked the markets on Silea—although under heavy hood and disguise.

It had been while exploring these other worlds that Jonnif first realized the Kracori were nothing special within the galaxy. What abilities they possessed were simply a result of evolutionary forces that were at work on every planet. Jonnif didn’t want to be misunderstood, however. He did believe in the superiority of his race; he just didn’t assign any supernatural origins to that superiority.

Which brought him back to the term Ludif.

* * *

In a few minutes Jonnif would be making contact with the Ludif Council on Elision. The Council was the main governing body on the planet, consisting of nine individuals appointed from the Ludif Assembly. There were forty-six tribes of Kracori on Elision, which thousands of years ago had actually meant something. Now, through interbreeding and assimilation, all Kracori were essentially the same. But still, each tribe sent a representative to the Assembly, and from there the Council was selected.

Once the link was established with Elision, Jonnif would be speaking with Daninf Kicon, the Langril of the Council. Jonnif was related to Daninf, with the mother of one of his mates a direct offspring of Daninf’s. Even though Jonnif was very good at what he did, he acknowledged that having a relative in such a high position had not hindered his ascension in rank and legend.

The link with Elision would be in real-time, a fairly recent improvement over the old method of communicating across interstellar distances. Although not universally available throughout the Kracori forces, this kind of link was made possible through a sustained-wormhole technique perfected by the Klin. Unlike traditional communication wormholes, which only existed for mere moments, shuttling communications from one relay station to the next, this improved method allowed for direct wormhole contact between certain ships and land-based stations. Consuming an incredible amount of energy, these links could stay open for up to an hour at a time. After that, the warped space had to be allowed to return to normal, as well as energy supplies recharged. Still, an hour of instantaneous communication across thousands of light-years was very impressive.

Jonnif entered the specialized communication chamber aboard his flagship, which still sat on the landing field atop the Kacoran Plain on Juir. The actual comm transmitter was located in orbit around the planet, yet close enough that the millisecond delay would still appear instantaneous. He slipped into the seat in front of the large viewing screen and motioned for Mininof to establish the link. He could avoid it no longer. In fact, the longer he delayed the link the more catastrophic could be the results.

The aged face of Daninf Kicon appeared on the screen. The Langril had received a traditional link two hours before informing him of the incoming comm from Juir. Daninf was in the executive suite of the Council, and in the background Jonnif could see four other Council members, including Fennork and Becinnof, two of the most powerful, besides Daninf.

“Greetings Jonnif Vinn, what news do you have of Juir that would require such a link.” The Langril’s voice was jovial, almost bouncy, and Jonnif could see the other Council members in the background chugging mugs of intoxicants and cavorting joyfully.

Jonnif took a deep breath and began. “First item, I acquired the Juirean Elder Hydon. I have placed him on a ship which departed Juir for Elision last night, local time.”

“Yes, Jonnif, we are aware of Hydon’s capture. This is a great accomplishment. You are to be congratulated. Your legend will now be greatly enhanced.”

They already know! How can this be? Jonnif was furious. Only he was authorized to speak directly with the Council and Elision. Somehow they had been informed, stealing away the one bit of good news that could dampen the effects of the report he was obligated to make. He gritted his teeth and made a mental note to task Mininof with finding the person who had informed the Council…unless it had been Mininof himself.

“Are you also aware that the being that brought us Hydon was a Human?”

This caused Daninf to lean in closer to the screen, now paying slightly more attention to the conversation than before. “This I was not. I did not even know there were Humans on Juir.”

“Neither did I. But they apparently had come to some cooperative agreement just before our attack.”

Two of the other Council members heard the conversation and now approached the screen to listen. “Prior to our current operation,” Daninf said, “an alliance between the Juireans and the Humans would have been very bad news. Not so much now. Even still, the event is interesting. Is that the extent of your report?”

“No, my Ludif. The Human who brought us Hydon also turned over a group of his fellow beings to us as prisoners, including one called Adam Cain.”

Daninf’s eyes grew larger. “I know this name; I know very few Human names, but this one I do. He is a warrior of some note who has been disrupting Juirean operations near the Fringe, at least up until a few months ago.”

“Correct, my Ludif. The other Human—Nigel McCarthy he is called—turned over Adam Cain and the other members of his team. Nigel McCarthy was the lead Human advisor to the Klin on Marishal until…until the Klin no longer needed him.” Jonnif saw Daninf smile, knowing he was fully aware of the betrayal the Klin had perpetrated on the Humans. “He has offered his services to us in exchange for safety from his fellow Humans and from the Klin, as well as for monetary gain, of course. He is currently in transit on the ship bringing Hydon to you.”

“Credits, of course; I would expect nothing less from Humans. We will welcome him, even though his usefulness to us will not last long.” Daninf looked hard at the screen and frowned. “But I sense there is more you wish to report, news not as welcome.”

“Yes, Daninf. With these being our first Human prisoners, I took it upon myself to test these creatures to help verify the information regarding them. I tested Adam Cain last night in the arena.”

Daninf smiled. “I can see from the marks upon your face that the Human provided ample entertainment.”

“He was indeed a worthy opponent. The rumors regarding their fighting skills are justified, even if they do fight in unorthodox ways. However, during the test, I did reveal to Adam Cain our plans to strike his homeworld with nuclear devices. I did this to provide psychological torture in addition to the physical contest we were engaged within.”

“I see no harm in that. I take it the Human was sufficiently affected by this news?”

“Yes, my Ludif.”

“But still something is bothering you, Jonnif.”

“There is: I regret to inform you that Adam Cain was not killed in the arena, and that he and the other Human prisoners escaped from my captivity this past evening.”

Daninf was silent for a long moment, his eyes boring directly into those of Jonnif’s from twelve thousand light-years away. All the other Council members had now gathered around the monitor. They were no longer drinking and cavorting.

“Jonnif, tell me he is still on Juir, and that it is just a matter of you locating him.”

“I am afraid I cannot, my Ludif. He and the others commandeered a starship and escaped the planet. We have been unable to locate him as of this time.”

Daninf was silent for another long moment, while several of the other Council members began to shout questions and comments at both Jonnif and the Langril. Finally Daninf raised his hand.

“Silence, all of you! Jonnif, does he have the capability of contacting his planet?”

“Not with the vessel he acquired…yet he can contact his fleet.”

Jonnif saw Daninf turn a ghostly white as the blood drained from his head. When Daninf spoke again each word was like a dagger. “Need I remind you just how damaging this action could be if he makes contact. It was upon your recommendation that the Kracori made the current move upon Juir. If there had been any possibility of the Human fleet arriving in the Alliance Cluster, we would have delayed our assault until we further assessed the Humans’ intentions. This diversionary attack on Earth was the deciding factor in favor of the invasion. Without the strong possibility of the Humans breaking off their arrival at Juir, the Council would have never agreed to the invasion.”

“Is there a possibility of moving up the attack on Earth? If we attack now, then what Adam Cain can or cannot do will have no relevance.”

“The strike force is on final approach to Earth. They are under communications lockdown. We will attempt, but it is something we cannot rely upon.”

Daninf gathered his thoughts, even though Jonnif could see a slight trembling of his head every time he moved. “Jonnif, you realize that to have first taken Juir—and then be forced to retreat—will result in even a greater loss of legend than if we never attempted the invasion in the first place? There is no loss of legend in waiting for the most opportune time to strike a target. You knew the Human fleet was coming, and yet you insisted on carrying out this plan, even knowing the risks. If the Kracori are forced to retreat, we may never fully recover from the humiliation, and this is only after recently revealing ourselves to the Expansion. We have no established legend with them, something that might be able to withstand such devastation. Only eradicating the Humans from the galaxy would salvage the Kracori legend—if even then—and we are in no position to attempt such a feat at this time if the attack upon Earth fails.”

“My Ludif, the attack may still be successful. We are assuming that Adam Cain can contact his fleet, and then that the forces on Earth can stop the strike. All that we speak of here may not come to be. We can still prevail.”

Daninf looked from side to side at the other Council members beside him, each now in silent agreement. “Jonnif, we will await the final outcome of the attack on Earth; we do not wish to disrupt the command structure within your forces at this time. However, no matter the final outcome of the attack, you will be relieved of your command and recalled to Elision. If the attack is a success, you will be allowed to retire to a non-strategic life with no loss of public legend. If it fails, then unfortunately you will be made the face of this failure and your legend will be destroyed as none before.”

“My Ludif—and other Council members—I fully accept my fate. I would expect nothing less. My first error may have been forgiven had I maintained control of Adam Cain. Compounding my first with my second error—in allowing him to escape—is inexcusable.”

“Excuses are one thing, Jonnif, as are apologies. Catastrophes are another. We must all hope that the attack on Earth succeeds. If it doesn’t, it is not only your legend which will be destroyed, but also that of the Kracori.”

Chapter 19

For Petty Officer First Class (RM1) Caleb Cobb, the thrill of space travel had lost its luster about nine months ago. Unlike all the wild fantasies that had danced through his head prior to volunteering for the Human Revenge Fleet, Caleb had yet to see any extraterrestrials in the flesh or set foot upon a single exotic alien world. Instead he’d spent the past year cloistered aboard only one starship, the Bunker Hill, the command ship of the fleet. Although the accommodations were better than any he’d ever experienced during his sixteen years in the U.S. Navy, Caleb was going stir-crazy. And they still had a very long, open-ended mission ahead of them.

His only diversion came from the fact that he was one of the bachelors aboard the ship, which also carried its fair share of single female crewmembers…and these women were as restless as he. In addition, crews from the smaller KFV’s would constantly rotate through the much larger KFV-D, placing their ships within the massive landing bay for week-long stays at a time. This added to the variety of people Caleb met. Yet after so many months, he’d already scoped out most of the decent possibilities, so even this activity was growing monotonous.

Although Caleb Cobb was never lonely, he was still bored beyond belief.

During the nearly year-long deployment, Caleb had not even seen any real fighting action, except for the brief battle off Falor-Kapel. Of the fifteen hundred ships of the fleet, the KFV-A’s and B’s had seen most of the action—and that only came in brief spurts weeks apart.

Caleb did his best to rationalize the situation, realizing that even if the crews could be granted liberty somewhere, it would be on an alien world completely new to Humanity. Without extensive and time-consuming surveys, covering the full range of scientific, medical and security considerations, no landfall would be coming anytime soon.

Except maybe on Juir.

Caleb knew the capital planet of the Expansion was their final destination, and even then they were still almost three months out. Once arriving in an area called the Alliance Cluster, they would undoubtedly encounter the most ferocious battle to be fought to date. Landing upon the surface of Juir after such a battle would hardly be considered liberty.

Still, at this point Caleb Cobb would welcome any chance to step upon a surface of something other than metal.

And now these cryptic and confusing reports had begun to filter in. Caleb was a Radioman, specifically a broadcast operator aboard the flagship. It was his job to log all incoming and outgoing communications for the fleet. With the arrival of the Klin and all their advanced comm technology, nearly everything he had learned during his Navy career had gone out the window. Now he dealt with links and wormhole relays and transit times. He hadn’t had time to learn how all this new technology worked before they deployed; all he knew for sure was that it did.

His position aboard the flagship also gave him a unique insight into the thinking of the top brass, both here and back on Earth. He saw nearly every message exchanged between the two locations and so he had a fairly good feel for how things were going.

The fleet had left Falor-Kapel and entered a major deep-well transit route that the Klin spies—the Saviors—had provided them. Once the Saviors had been revealed for what they really were, many of them had been given a choice: life in prison for espionage or join the Fleet and provide all assistance possible. Many of the off-world-born Humans quickly converted. Caleb knew two of these men—now called Second-Generation Humans or simply 2Gs. They were really nice guys, yet desperate for acceptance by their blood brothers and sisters.

Command went out of their way to explain who the 2Gs were and how they had been born and raised off-planet, while constantly being fed propaganda about the native Humans by the Klin. The transition went smoothly enough for most; what conflicts there were usually came from a small minority of the native Human population within the fleet toward the 2Gs, rather than the other way around.

The route they followed to Juir took them just above the galactic plane and into an area deemed optimal for deep-well travel. It was also a route frequented by most of the other deep spacers in the galaxy. Yet as the gigantic Human fleet made its way inexorably toward Juir, most of this other interstellar traffic wisely chose to move out of the way.

The Human fleet was the largest concentration of warships in the galaxy since the Juirean Mass over thirty-five hundred years before—even though that fact was not totally accurate. The Mass had consisted of over ten-thousand starships, but when it spread out from Juir, it went off in all directions, assimilating thousands of worlds into the new Juirean Empire. But with that much space to cover, individual units of Juirean warships never numbered much more than twenty or thirty in an area. The Human Fleet consisted of just over fifteen hundred starships, all in one concentration, and now still spread out along the deep-well route for over half a light-year. To the untrained eye, half a light-year would seem like a vast distance to arrange fifteen hundred starships. Yet at deep-well velocities, the concentration of ships appeared as one brilliant, oblong blob of white-hot energy, ripping nearby space into concentric waves of warped and contorted energy.

The approaching Human fleet was impossible to miss.

The cryptic messages began about a week ago. They came in across all comm bands and mainly from the direction in which the fleet was headed—from the Alliance Cluster. Universal translation bugs made every message decipherable, and they all spoke about an attack within the Cluster, possibly even of Juir herself.

At first, the intel guys believed the messages to be a ruse, an effort to convince the advancing Humans that Juir had already been destroyed and therefore not worth the trip. But then the sheer number and variety of the messages convinced them that this was no ruse. Juir had been attacked, and from the description of the attackers, the ships appeared to be Klin.

Caleb had been privy to the discussions going back and forth between Earth and the fleet. Had the Klin really attacked Juir ahead of the Humans? By now it was universally believed that the Klin were responsible for the Human-Juirean conflict, with the intended purpose of weakening both races to the point where the Klin could assume control of the Expansion. But then Falor-Kapel happened, leaving the Human Fleet stronger than any galactic force in existence. The Klin would not stand a chance against the Humans.

With the belief that Juir had indeed been attacked, there developed a strong advocacy among certain parties for the fleet to turn around and return to Earth. The Juireans had been destroyed, so the revenge they sought for the attack upon the Earth should be satisfied. And who cared if the Klin now wanted to make themselves king? Galactic politics were not the responsibility of the Human race.

Others argued that the Klin forced the Juireans to attack the Earth, and therefore it was the Klin who Humanity should seek vengeance against. And now, from all accounts, the Klin occupied Juir. To many, it didn’t seem right that the Klin should win, not after all the death and destruction their machinations had caused.

These discussions took place continuously over the past week. The dynamics within the galaxy were rapidly changing, and however it turned out, as far as RM1 Caleb Cobb was concerned, he was ready to go home.

* * *

Caleb was alone in the radio shack on mid-watch—his watch-mate, RM2 Brian Dockins, had just left to grab a snack in the mess hall—when his comm screens began to light up. It was flash traffic from the forward units of the fleet, reporting a new message that had been received over a multitude of the lower wormhole frequencies. If it hadn’t been for Command’s thirst for more definitive intel on the Klin attack of Juir, most of these frequencies would have gone un-scanned. As it was, Caleb now received no less than thirteen copies of the same short message.

Then his own scanner picked up the signal.

Caleb listened to the few short sentences and knew immediately to whom the message was addressed. He encrypted the recording on his computer and then left the radio shack just as Brian walked through the hatchway.

“Take over,” Caleb said as he passed Brian. “I have to report this.”

“Report what?” Brian mumbled after him, his mouth half-full of a roast beef sub. But Caleb was already gone.

The radio shack was located in the Combat Information Center of the ship and only a short distance from Admiral Allen’s underway quarters. Caleb approached the Admiral’s door, and even at this late hour, did not hesitate to knock. The Admiral would want to hear this.

Chapter 20

The past week had been some the busiest time Nate Allen had spent as commander of the Human fleet. The now-confirmed attack on Juir by the Klin had thrown a wrench into their plans. It’s not that he wasn’t glad to see the Juirean capital destroyed—it meant that Human lives would be saved. Now he had to play politics, trying to convince the people back home—as well as several of his top officers—that they should continue with their mission, but this time against their true enemy, the Klin.

An accommodation was reached: They’d come too far at this point to simply turn and walk away. The fleet would continue to Juir, and if the Klin did not readily engage, then the fleet would return to Earth after establishing a tentative government to oversee the administration of the Expansion.

At this time, it was widely accepted that the Human forces were isolated and a very long way from home. This was not a wise move to make militarily. More ships were coming, and others were in production, but every time the bean counters back on Earth ran their figures, they always came up with the same thing: More. More ships, more men, more material, more bases—more commitment.

It was turning out that conquering a galaxy was a pretty big job.

The one thing Admiral Allen had going for him—and an argument that eventually won over the top brass—was something he called the Medieval Strategy. During the discussions with Earth, Allen compared the current campaign to those experienced by armies in medieval times. Back then, vast land tracts were controlled by a castle, and on the surrounding lands there could be dozens of settlements all loyal to the castle and whatever nobleman ruled from within its barricades. Advancing armies didn’t have to stop and subdue each individual settlement. Instead, all they had to do was take over the castle, and then the surrounding citizenry would pledge allegiance to the new leadership. It was simply a matter of out with the old boss and in with the new.

That was the way it was in the Expansion. So far, Allen’s forces had not had to deviate to a single rebellious Expansion world. All they had to do was defeat the Juirean forces and take over Juir, and then the Expansion would be under Human control. This argument had sealed the deal for Allen and his Human fleet. Even now, the politicians on Earth were receiving dozens of overtures from Expansion worlds from the Fringe to the Core, all seeking direction now that the Juireans had left.

For the power brokers back on the once-lowly and backward planet of Earth, this was a golden opportunity to gain some real power. Masters of the Universe—for real! That became the new clarion call. Yet even though Nate Allen believed in peace through strength—and that it was better to control territory than not—he was hoping they weren’t biting off more than they could chew.

It was oh-one-thirty hours ship’s time when the Admiral left his last meeting and shuffled off to his cabin. He had just kicked off his shoes and fallen back on his bunk when a knock came at his door. What now? he wondered. He didn’t bother to get up from the bed.

“Enter.” He was only half-surprised to see petty officer Cobb enter his cabin. Probably just another ‘urgent’ message from Earth; they never seem to grasp the meaning of ‘ship’s time.’

“Sorry to bother you, Admiral, but I believe you’re going to want to see this.”

Without asking, Caleb went to the computer terminal on the admiral’s desk and logged into his radioman’s secure screen. Allen moved to the desk and sat down in the chair, as Caleb finished pulling up the audio file. He clicked play and then stood back.

“Team Leader to Commander SEAL Team Six. Team Leader to Commander SEAL Team Six. This is AC, please respond on this frequency. Urgent, I repeat urgent message to follow. Please respond ST6 Commander.”

Allen’s heart pounded in his throat. He was Commander SEAL Team Six, or at least he was when Adam Cain was there. And the AC in the message had to be Cain. Allen looked up at the petty officer standing next to him. Cobb smiled. “I thought you’d want to hear this right away, sir.”

Everybody in the fleet knew Nate Allen’s story: former head of the Navy’s most elite Special Forces SEAL team, then head of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base, and now the Supreme Military Commander, Human Expeditionary Force, Galactic Operations, his current command.

And everyone onboard also knew the name of Adam Cain.

“Can you isolate the frequency?” Admiral Allen asked.

“It’s being broadcast on multiple frequencies, but I can pull out the strongest one for your response.”

“How about direction? Have you determined that yet?”

“It’s definitely coming from in front of us, sir, in the direction of Juir.”

“What’s he doing way out here?” Allen asked rhetorically. The last anyone heard of Adam Cain had been four, maybe five months ago. His small command in the Fringe had reported that he had been operating behind enemy lines at the time, as had Allen’s former adjutant, Lieutenant Andy Tobias. The Chief had been there too, along with Johnny Tindal. Nothing had been heard from them for all this time. And now this.

“Cobb, I have no doubt this message came from Cain. Have Ensign Arseneault muster all the techs you have in CIC in ten minutes. We’ll craft a response and then wait for a reply. We have no idea of the distance at this time, do we?”

“No sir, not until the first response has time to come back. He may be fifteen minutes away or ten hours, we just don’t know.”

“And we won’t until we respond. Get moving, Cobb…and good work, young man!”

“Thank you, sir.”

* * *

Word of the message traveled quickly throughout the CIC. Admiral David Giddens joined Allen in the CIC, along with Captain Brandon Holmes, the commander of the Bunker Hill.

Caleb Cobb was not intimidated by all the brass leaning over his shoulder at the comm station; it was common for his rating. However, he wished only one person would talk at a time.

Finally Admiral Allen took charge. He sat down next to Caleb and nodded. Caleb flicked the recording switch.

“Commander SEAL Team Six to AC. Commander SEAL Team Six to AC, message received. Allen here. We have locked onto your strongest signal and are awaiting contact for urgent message. Once locked, line should be secure. Will monitor this frequency continuously. Proceed at your earliest. Allen out.”

The message was short and a little anticlimactic for those in the CIC. But now that it was done, all they could do was wait.

Since the message had come from the direction of Juir, that would logically mean Cain was located somewhere between the planet and the fleet. Caleb knew a signal could get to Juir and back in two hours forty-five minutes, since they knew the distance to the planet. So if Cain was on this side of Juir that would be the maximum time they would have to wait for a reply—if Cain picked up their outgoing message without any interference. Once the reply came back, they could gauge the time needed between message and response down to within a few minutes. Then, depending on how fast both parties were closing on each other, that interval would shorten as each day passed. It would be awkward carrying on a conversation this way, but it was what they had been dealing with for almost a year, ever since leaving the Earth.

Allen had two cots moved into the CIC and placed near the comm station; one for him and one for Caleb, who insisted on remaining at his station until communications were fully established with Cain. Coffee was brought in, and even though he was excited about the prospect of making contact with his old team mate—as well as learning about this urgent message Cain had for him—Admiral Nate Allen was fast asleep on the cot a few minutes later.

Chapter 21

Kaylor and Jym were the only ones on the bridge, stealing some time for themselves, while the Humans were down on the lower level attempting to sleep. Over the past three days, the two aliens had noticed the steady progression of resignation in the attitudes of their shipmates, along with a growing depression. With each passing hour, they knew their chances of stopping the attack on the Earth grew slimmer. The aliens tried their best to relate, imagining how they would feel if it were their home planets under attack.

“Yes, it would be horrible, knowing that you have no home to return to,” Jym agreed. “I have not been back to Fulquin in over ten standard years, yet I still know I could if I wished.”

“And what will the Expansion be like if these Kracori creatures are able to take control from the Juireans?” Kaylor asked. “We have seen what they are like. I find it so hard to believe how quickly things have changed.” But then he grinned. “I really enjoyed your comment to Adam about all these changes taking place, and how we probably could have survived with hardly any effect.”

“I see it as truth. We are far down any galactic hierarchy, so no one would care what we do—” Jym was interrupted by a soft, steady bleeping coming from his console. He twisted around in the seat to investigate the cause.

It was coming from a word hit, a program he’d set up to scan all the thousands of frequencies Adam’s message had been sent out on, searching for any keywords or phrases that could possibly signal a reply. Adam had provided him with over a hundred Human words and phrase possibilities for his program. It continuously scanned the millions of open messages on these frequencies, looking for a match.

He dialed in the frequency and highlighted the phrase. His eyes grew wide—then he slapped down on the ship’s intercom system. “Adam, I think we have a hit! Do you hear me? We have a hit!”

* * *

Adam couldn’t help but hear Jym’s call. It blared out of every speaker in the ship, jarring him from the hazy edge of sleep he was teetering on. He was fed up with trying to sleep anyway. With the depression he felt, what fitful sleep he was able to find was filled with nothing but horrible nightmares bordering on night terrors. All the Humans aboard were suffering from the same condition. Now he could give up the pretense of even trying to sleep.

They may have made contact with the fleet! Adam thought as he climbed to the bridge in a hurry, yet found he was the next-to-last person to enter. Only Chief Rutledge was slower; he was the oldest person in the crew and had probably been fast asleep.

“What do you have, Jym?” Adam asked as he entered.

“It is a very strong hit,” Jym replied, his voice bouncing with excitement. “The word is Allen. That is not your normal alien word—to use something you would say.”

“Bring up the full message. Have you been able to pull it out of all the clutter?”

“The program is just finishing. Here it is….”

“Commander SEAL Team Six to AC. Commander SEAL Team Six, to AC, message received. Allen here. We have locked onto your strongest signal and are awaiting contact for urgent message. Once locked, line should be secure. Will monitor this frequency continuously. Proceed at your earliest. Allen out.”

“That’s it!” Adam confirmed. “That’s it! Lock on, Jym, before it’s gone.”

“Already working on it; only take a second…done.” He looked up at Adam and smiled. All the Humans were looming over Jym’s station. “The link should now be secure.”

“Can we tell how far they are from us?” Sherri asked.

“Not yet,” Jym said. “The original message has been broadcasting continually for the past three days. There is no way of telling which of those messages they are responding to. Now that we are locked, there will be a direct link with your fleet. We can tell when they respond again.”

“Send a reply, Adam.” Tobias prompted.

“You got it,” Adam said. “Open the link, Jym.”

“Open.”

“Adam Cain to Allen. Action required on the following message: The Kracori are currently sending a strike force against the Earth to initiate a nuclear attack. I repeat: There is an imminent nuclear attack on the planet Earth.”

“Adam, will they know who the Kracori are?” Sherri asked. He knew her words were also being recorded and sent out simultaneously.

“You’re right. Admiral, the Kracori are a race of beings who have been working with the Klin. They’re on their own now and have taken over Juir. They’re attacking the Earth so that the fleet will return there instead of continuing to Juir. Nate, they intend on making the Earth radioactive, to make it uninhabitable. They have to be stopped.”

“Tell them they’ll probably be in Klin-type ships.” It was Tobias’ turn to amend Adam’s message.

Adam grimaced. That was a crucial piece of information he’d forgotten. “That’s right. They will undoubtedly be in Klin ships—just like the ones we have.”

“Tell him about the time line.” It was Rutledge speaking.

Adam grunted, but then said: “The attack could happen at any time. Please confirm that you have received this message but send a warning to Earth first. We don’t have any time to lose.”

“Is that it?” Jym asked, looking around at the crowd of Humans.

“I believe so,” Adam said, also scanning the anxious expressions of his companions. When no one else spoke, Adam told him to cut the link. “Now all we have to do is wait.”

“Yeah, that’s all,” Sherri said as she turned away and headed for the bridge exit. “It’s still not over yet, not by a long shot.”

Chapter 22

After catching about an hour’s sleep, Admiral Allen awoke restless and groggy and went to the wardroom for some coffee and a sandwich. It was nearing oh-four-thirty hours and he’d been up for going on thirty hours, all except for the brief nap he’d just taken. The excitement of receiving the message from Adam Cain had diminished somewhat, or it could just be from his lack of sleep. Nothing much sparked his interest in his current zombie-like mental state.

Then the 1-MC in the wardroom sounded. A return message had been received and his presence was requested in CIC immediately.

Nate knew something was up the moment he entered the room. Even in the dim light of CIC he could see that the solemn grouping of men and women standing around RM1 Cobb at the comm console. All appeared to have the blood drained from their faces. Is it just the lighting? Allen wondered as he met the frowns and round eyes of his shipmates.

Allen wasn’t one for beating around the bush. “What happened? This doesn’t look good.” He looked down at Cobb.

“Sir, Captain Cain has reported that the Earth is about to be hit with a nuclear strike by another alien race, not the Juireans or the Klin.”

The petty officer’s trembling voice betrayed his attempt at a straightforward, professional report. Nate Allen was stunned, but he tried not to show it. He placed a hand on the shoulder of the younger enlisted man and said, “Please play the message for me, Mr. Cobb.” He tried to keep his voice as calm and reassuring as possible; however, once the message was through playing, Admiral Nate Allen had joined the rest of those in CIC in having all the blood drained from his face.

“Cobb, open a link to the Earth immediately. I will record a message, and then attach Cain’s to it. Do it now.”

Allen followed Cain’s advice and sent the message off to Earth before recording a return video message to him. It would take four hours for the message to reach Earth, and then another for a response. The fleet was constantly receiving and sending messages back to their homeworld, so any news from Earth would only be four hours behind. So far they’d received no information regarding an attack on the planet. Hopefully the four hour delay in warning them would not be too late.

But Allen also knew—better than most—that simply receiving the warning didn’t guarantee that the Earth could prevent the attack. There were so many plans and preparations to be put in place. There was an entire planet to defend, and they had no idea from where the attack would come—except that it would come from space. The attackers would be in ships just like theirs, so how could they be detected? How many ships were in the strike force, and will it be a tactical or a suicide attack? There were so many unknowns, so many variables.

Allen felt impotent. All he could do was record a bunch of suggestions and send them off to Earth, where thousands of other minds, just as brilliant as he, would be working on the problem. Being stuck way out here on the other side of the galaxy meant that he would be unable to see real-time data coming in and fully assess the situation, and he wouldn’t be able to witness the results of any plans that were initiated. Everything he would receive—data, sit reps, updates—would all come four hours late…if ever.

If these new aliens—the Kracori, whoever they are—were successful, then Allen would order the fleet back to Earth immediately, followed by nine months of worry, stress, and anger, which would take a heavy toll on him and his fleet.

The message they’d received from Cain had been audio-only, but in the rather disorganized and confused recording he’d heard the voices of both Lt. Andy Tobias and Chief Geoffrey Rutledge, two of the SEALs from ST6 he’d known intimately for many years. That was good news—if anything about the message could be considered good. He’d also heard the voice of Sherri Valentine, who Allen knew to be Adam Cain’s on-again, off-again companion. Of the small group of Humans who had gone missing several months before, that left only petty officer John Tindal and the civilian Riyad Tarazi unaccounted for. Hopefully, they were with Cain as well.

All further communication with Cain and his team would be video, and RM1 Cobb had calculated the turnaround time for messages at around seventy-five minutes. That wasn’t bad, but it did mean they were still a couple of months away from a reunion, if one was even in the cards. If the Earth was successfully attacked, then Cain would not have a fleet to rendezvous with. By then, Allen and his fleet would be well on their way back to Earth.

* * *

Even with the dire mood that hung over the Humans, the sight of Admiral Allen’s face gave them a glimmer of hope. The crew was gathered on the bridge, watching the pre-recorded message play on Jym’s monitor.

“Captain Cain, it was such a relief to hear from you. First off, a message has been dispatched to Earth warning of the attack. If you have any other intel regarding this situation, or can provide more details about the enemy, please send it as soon as possible. Anything will be helpful, since you indicate this is a new set of frickin’ aliens out to harm us.” Allen flashed a quick yet sad smile at them through the monitor. Adam could see the lines of stress and worry on his face; they mirrored his own.

“I was glad to hear the voices of Andy, Geoffrey and Ms. Valentine in your recording. What’s the status of John Tindal and Riyad Tarazi? I hope they’ve made it through as well.

“I have to be honest with you, Captain, I’m seriously contemplating turning for Earth right now, no matter the results of our defense against this attack. Even if we’re able to stop this one, it doesn’t mean they won’t try again. More information about the Kracori would go a long way to helping me reach a decision.

“It looks like we’re still about a month and a half apart, seeing that we’re both rapidly closing on one another. Unfortunately—according to your initial report—any success in stopping this attack, as well as the status of the fleet, will have been determined long before then.”

Allen left the unspoken consequences of his words linger for a moment before changing the subject. “Let’s keep a steady stream of reports going back and forth, even if they’re mundane ‘nothing new to report’ reports. It will help both of our moods knowing that the latest intel we have will be the most up-to-date.”

Then Allen leaned in a little closer to the screen. “Adam, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for your warning. Even though the news was shocking, it would have been infinitely worse to have received a message from Earth describing the horror taking place there with no warning at all. You’ve given us hope—and a chance. Let’s keep our fingers, toes, and whatever else crossed. Awaiting your next message. Allen out.”

There was a collective sigh from all on the bridge.

“So no attack…yet. At least not as of four hours ago,” John Tindal said. “That’s encouraging.”

They nodded and then Adam began to compose the first video message for the Fleet. All the Humans gathered around the camera, including Tindal and Riyad, showing their smiling faces for Allen and anyone else interested in their well-being.

The team was still intact, Adam noted—including Kaylor and Jym. It was a miracle that he could say that, considering all they’d been through over the past five months. They’d gone from the planet Hyben to a Juirean Class-3 warship, and then to the Klin stronghold on Marishal—even to the planet Juir herself. They’d certainly been through a lot. Luck had been with them so far. But now they faced the worst threat mankind had ever encountered, and with only a few days—or even hours—to prevent it. Yes, Adam’s team had survived. But now, after all they had been through, they wondered if they would have anything to return to after all their luck was used up.

The answer to that question would depend on what happened on far-distant Earth.

Chapter 23

Although no sirens sounded in the Pentagon, the sudden upsurge in activity within the south-facing section of the massive building would be similar as if fire alarms were indeed going off throughout the structure.

The moment the message from Admiral Nathanial Allen had been received, hundreds of people in the building—and thousands more across the world—sprang into action. Initially, no one knew what to do, but the simple act of their bodies in motion helped to maintain a sense of sanity and purpose.

Admiral Bill Keller was in his private quarters when the message came through. For the past three years, he’d voluntarily sequestered himself within the section of the Pentagon called the Complex, a cluster of offices, conference rooms and intel centers that made up the nerve-center of the planet’s central military space command. Since the devastating attack by the Juireans, Keller had opted to live his life exclusively from the Complex. His responsibility was 24/7, so it only made sense for him to be at work 24/7.

The truth of the matter was he had nowhere else to go. His home in Fairfax, Virginia, had been destroyed by the raging inferno ignited by the Juirean energy bombs, even though no bombs had struck close to his residence. Yet with all emergency services overwhelmed by the tragedy, his 1928-built, 4,800-square-foot Colonial had ended up being just so much additional fuel for the fires that spread out from the center of D.C., consuming the affluent suburbs of Fairfax, Falls Church, and even as far north as Rockville, Maryland.

Just prior to the Juirean attack, Keller had the foresight and opportunity to send his family away from the high-target zone that was Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, that still didn’t prevent their deaths from a rogue cluster of Juirean bombs that hit the tiny hamlet in western Pennsylvania where they’d sought refuge. Ironically, they would have been safer to have come to the Pentagon, yet there was no way Keller could have known that at the time.

It was just after five in the afternoon when the message came through, and dozens—if not hundreds of staffers who had just left for the day—made wild U-turns and returned to work.

“What do we know?” Keller asked as he entered the main situation room for the Complex. Already present were seventeen other high-ranking officers and intel types, including Air Force General Richard Blake, commander of Earth’s space-based forces. General Blake had been a bigwig at NORAD until the Juirean attack. Now his scope of responsibility blossomed to comprise everything from the Earth all the way to an area of space called the Barrier, at the very beginning of what the Juireans called the Far Arm of the galaxy.

“Nothing more than what the initial report indicated, Admiral,” Blake said. “We’ve heightened all awareness and detection resources but haven’t found any abnormal activity.”

Keller was afraid of this. A small group of infiltrators, using the same type of ships as they had, would be almost impossible to detect within the organized chaos that was space travel these days. With literally hundreds of military, corporate, and even some civilian spacecraft flitting around the planet at any given moment, Blake’s command was like that of an air traffic controller, trying to juggle all these disparate interests for the mutual satisfaction of all.

Keller grimaced as he surveyed the main status screen, a massive glass panel that took up nearly the entire south wall of the situation room. It showed the planet Earth in the center with a literal haze of constantly-moving white contacts encircling the planet. Shipbuilders were cranking out over five new warcraft a day, all of which had to be flight-tested within the solar system and beyond. At the same time, civilian contractors were continually testing prototypes and innovations with other spacecraft, also within the space around the planet. A few of the very-rich had even managed to obtain private spacecraft of their own, usually through special arrangements with their host governments.

And all of these spacecraft carried with them one unifying—and terrifying—distinction: they all resembled the ubiquitous Klin flying saucers.

How, through all this mess, was Keller to find a few invaders carrying nuclear weapons and bent on the destruction of his world?

He wished he knew.

* * *

“We need to ground all corporate and civilian spaceships immediately,” General Blake was saying.

Keller nodded. “I concur. Then we need to set up a challenge-and-response code for our military craft.” He walked up to the large screen and motioned with his hand in a big circle. “We then need to form a shield around the planet, tighter than anything before.”

“Admiral, with the velocities we’re talking about, we’re going to have to establish the perimeter pretty far out,” said Carla Ferguson, the president’s senior science advisor. “Do we have enough ships to form an effective shield?”

“Sadly, no,” Keller said. “But you’re right, Carla. The farther out we go, the larger the gaps between our ships. That’s why we need to monitor every contact approaching, and if the challenge isn’t answered properly in a millisecond, we blast the contact out of existence. There may be some collateral damage, but that’s just the price we’re going to have to pay for saving the planet.”

“These damn aliens probably already know our weaknesses,” Blake said.

“Hopefully they won’t know we’re expecting them. That could be our ace-in-the-hole. General Blake, coordinate the deployment of the ships. I’ll get with intel and work on the challenge and response codes. We need to figure a secure way of delivering these to all our warships. After I brief the President, I’ll shoot a message back to Admiral Allen letting him know our plans. He might have some input. I’m sure they’re also worried sick out there, being that far from home and not able to help directly. I know I would be. Let’s get to work.”

* * *

Within minutes of informing the President of the situation, a dozen major governments around the world joined in a massive effort, grounding all non-military spacecraft and placing their land-based defenses on full alert. They had no idea when the attack would occur, so no one knew how long the troops would have to stay on high alert. It would be nerve-racking on the military personnel attached to the defensive units, both on the surface and in space, but they would have to stay vigilant.

The politicians and military brass decided not to tell the corporate and private ship owners why they were being grounded, just that it was vital that all non-military vessels clear the area. Not surprisingly, no one complained. After the Juirean attack on the Earth, they knew this order would not have been called unless there was a dire emergency—and the meaning of dire emergency these days had been elevated to the level of planet-buster in the minds of most Humans on the planet. No one bluffed about these kinds of things anymore.

Nine hours later, all non-military spaceships were on the ground, and General Blake’s shield was ballooning out from the planet. Carla Ferguson had been right; the number of available defenders was woefully inadequate. Blake’s four hundred sixty-six ships had to encompass the entire planet, since no one knew what tack the attackers would take. In fact, they might split up and come at the planet from all directions. They could only hope to detect the attackers early enough to concentrate enough firepower to repel them.

Some within the inner circle—those who knew the full story—began to plan for strike-contingencies, including shelters, radiation treatment centers and medical triage. After all, how bad could it be? There had been over twenty-one hundred nuclear tests conducted on the Earth over the years and still the planet survived. So what if a few attackers got through; there would be damage and considerable loss of life, but could it be any worse than the Juirean attack from a few years ago?

Carla Ferguson pointed out that the technology of the Klin was so far advanced compared to that of Earth that it only stood to reason that their nuclear technology would be just as advanced. Where the largest nuclear device ever detonated on the Earth was in the range of fifty megatons, this Kracori race—protégés of the Klin—could have devices several multiples of this. They may only need a few to get through to cause unimaginable damage. Or, as she explained, their weapons might be more on the line of neutron bombs, cascading deadly radiation on the planet rather than weapons with destructive force. If it was the Kracori’s goal to destroy the homeworld of the Humans for the long-term, then a neutron radiation attack would be more effective. If that were the case, then no amount of preparation could protect against a decades-long cloud of deadly radiation encircling the globe.

Keller left the meeting feeling even more depressed than when he entered. So it all comes down to this: stop them in space or perish. No other options will work.

Chapter 24

Thirty-four hours after receiving the warning, the Human shield was in place, forming a thin veil around the planet out to around a billion kilometers. Nunif Juikil had watched the mad scramble of spaceships—either bolting to the planet’s surface or out to form the defensive line—with both a sense of amusement and confusion.

His confusion came from wondering how the Humans had learned of his attack? As far as he knew there had been no direct contact between the Kracori and the Humans, or any of their allies. Besides, those who knew of the plan were very few and exclusively Kracori. Even the nasty Klin had been vanquished and were no longer involved in any Kracori operations.

His amusement came from knowing that the Humans had learned too late of the Kracori plans; in fact, this latest strategy had cleared the path even more for his small fleet of nine spaceships.

Originally there had been ten vessels assigned to the mission, yet when Nunif saw the actions the Humans were taking, he sent a coded burst-message to the tenth ship ordering them to break off their approach. The other nine ships were already on station and drifting in dark mode just outside the orbital distance of the planet’s moon. They had arrived from different directions in order to strike at all areas of the planet at once. Ship number ten had taken the longest route to its station, and therefore had not arrived by the time the Humans learned of the attack. Nunif would not risk discovery by attempting to run the blockade with his tenth ship.

He smiled. The fact that the Humans had sent their ships away from the planet meant they didn’t know the details of the attack, just that one was imminent. Now there was not a single Human vessel in the space between Nunif’s forces and the planet. There was nothing they could do to stop him…not now.

At the predetermined time, Nunif ordered that the nineteen high-energy neutron and twenty-four traditional hydrogen bombs he had aboard his ship be armed. Even subtracting the weapons in ship number ten from the total, his small fleet still carried within it one-hundred seventy-one neutrons and two-hundred sixteen traditional devices. These were very special weapons, with the neutron units being the most-powerful of their kind ever built. Coupled with the destructive power of the traditional bombs and the searing radiation from the others, the planet Earth would be turned into a nuclear wasteland…beginning in approximately twenty minutes.

* * *

At precisely the moment Nunif activated the arming computers on his bombs, a small secondary timer—hidden deep within the maze of electronics within one of the hydrogen weapons—was also brought to life. There was one just like it on each of Nunif’s other ships. The tiny device was very simple, just a timer attached to the bomb’s detonator mechanism. Once activated, the device was independent of all outside signals and power sources—and it would run down in exactly five minutes.

* * *

Nunif’s established a shallow well and headed for Earth. The original plan called for his fleet to use gas jets to slowly drift to the planet’s atmosphere before revealing their presence. The also had an option for conversion to a suicide mission should they be detected prematurely.

But seeing that there were no forces available to oppose them, Nunif opted for revealing his presence now, especially seeing that the Humans were expecting him. Their detection devices on the planet would immediately pick up his gravity signature, along with those of his other eight ships. They would know immediately what was coming and they would be powerless to prevent it.

Chapter 25

“Contacts, Admiral! In orbit!” The tech sergeant’s voice was pure panic; he was fully aware of the consequences of his statement.

Keller ran up to the station. There were nine very bright and blatant contacts on the screen—gravity signatures—and they were tracing a leisurely path toward the Earth. They had appeared out of nowhere and well within the defensive perimeter.

A phone squawked next to him; it was President Sean McClaren, the immediate successor to Danny Ryan, who was one of Keller’s closest friends. Ryan had been a great president, unfortunately in office during the time of the Juirean attack on the planet. McClaren was running a very close second to Ryan. He was strong and decisive and incredibly intelligent; he also headed up the Planetary Governing Council that had been put in place right after the Juirean attack. Keller felt sorry for him as he heard his worried voice on the phone. It looked as though Sean McClaren was destined to be America’s last president.

“Yes, sir,” Keller said, answering McClaren’s questions. “They’re alien in origin, and we have nothing to stop them with. It looks like they know it, too, because they’re being pretty damn nonchalant with their approach.”

“It would be foolish to ask at this point how they did it?” McClaren said. “What people do survive—and there will be many to rebuild the race—we’ll let them answer that question. I’m just glad there are Humans off the planet and in spaceships who will be safe.”

“We can probably still get you aboard a ship and out of harm’s way, Mr. President.”

“Let’s not even go there, Bill. Instead, let’s concentrate on sending everything we have up at these bastards.”

“Already underway, sir. But I really recommend we get you to a safe place. Your leadership will—”

Keller jerked the phone away from his ear as he heard a horrible screech blast from it. Then all the lights in the situation room went out briefly, before emergency backups kicked on. All the screens on the walls were filled with static. Admiral Keller was a high-ranking military officer in the nuclear age; he knew exactly what had happened.

EMP! Electronic Magnetic Pulse. The aliens had detonated a nuclear device, more-than-likely a high altitude detonation. Although a fair amount of the Pentagon’s deeper communications and electronics were hardened against such attacks, Keller also knew that the rest of the country’s infrastructure was not, and that went for most of the world. As the EMP’s from the various explosions spread around the globe, the planet Earth would be cast into a new and literal dark age. Computers, lights, generators, relays, cellphones and so much more would now be useless. And depending on the number of HEMPs, or High-Altitude Electronic Pulse devices the aliens had detonated, that would determine the extent and severity of the damage. And that was just from the EMP.

So it begins, Keller thought. The beginning of the end.

Chapter 26

RM1 Caleb Cobb had been camped out in the radio shack for almost thirty-six hours. He had napped a little, but adrenalin now kept him going. Ever since warning the Earth of the impending attack, there had been a constant stream of incoming and outgoing messages. Sure, there was a four-hour delay, but this type of constant contact made them feel more attached to their distant home.

Caleb queued up the latest message—just a routine update on the latest deployments—and began listening. Suddenly the link went dead. The message had been in mid-sentence when it occurred.

Panicked, Caleb quickly ran through his checklist. Everything on his end was functioning properly. He replayed the message. Same thing—it just ended abruptly.

Caleb felt a cold shiver rack his body; his breathing grew short and he began to sweat. Vincent Holder, another of the radiomen in the shack at the time, also heard the message and watched Caleb’s frantic efforts to decipher the problem. But when his senior petty officer looked over at him with wild, panicked eyes, Vincent knew what had happened.

Four hours ago, the planet Earth had been destroyed.

Chapter 27

Admiral William Keller walked calmly to the exit of the situation room within the Complex. With all or most of the electronics knocked out, and only dim red light to illuminate the room, he saw no reason to remain.

He led a parade of fourteen other solemn people out into the wide corridor; some were crying, even the men. Other than the sounds of sobbing, no one said a word. In the hallway, they were joined by more people, moving in zombie-like fashion toward the nearest exit. It took fifteen minutes before they pushed open the security doors and stepped outside to join the hundreds of others who had already left the massive building.

As he stepped into the late autumn sunshine, Keller noticed that most of the people in the vast Pentagon parking lot were staring upward. He followed their gazes.

Far up in the sky was a rapidly expanding circle of yellow and blue—the remnants of a nuclear explosion. Keller frowned; there was something strange about the circle. Others of his team noticed it, too.

The explosion was a distant circle, barely more than a dot in the distant sky. Keller knew that EMP detonations were effective at distances of three to four hundred kilometers, well out into space. But then he thought: why? Why attack with EMP’s when they had a clear path into the atmosphere, where the deadly heat, concussion and radiation from the explosions would be far more devastating? Electronics could be repaired; a radioactive planet not so easily.

Chapter 28

Xuv had not yet been born when the Klin first arrived on the planet the otherworlders called Glasien-4. Neither were his parents, yet his ancestors of two-back told the stories. To this day, Xuv and his people still called their world Giel, meaning the Soil of God. The Klin never called it that, which had always been a point of contention to many Gielians like Xuv.

The tall silver creatures appeared one day from the sky and proceeded to reassure the natives that they meant them no harm. All they requested from the Gielians was permission to establish a small base from which to carry out their explorations of this part of the galaxy. Giel/Glasien-4—they were told—was very similar to the Klin’s homeworld and they would very much welcome the opportunity to stay.

As otherworlders with advanced technology and knowledge of things beyond Giel, the natives gladly welcomed the aliens, hoping they would soon share with them the wonders of their advancements. But that never came to be, at least not to any significant degree. There had been only minimal exchange of information, and most of that came after the intelligent Gielians began to piece together the workings of the technology they witnessed.

Rather than share with the natives of Giel all the wonders the universe had to offer, the Klin simply used their planet as a galactic rest stop.

However, the Klin did introduce the natives of Giel to the Kracori.

These massive beasts outnumbered the Klin a hundred-to-one at the vast island base the Gielians had donated to the aliens. In fact, Xuv and many of his associates rarely saw a Klin in person, either on the base or out in the world. The Kracori were far more prevalent.

Xuv had no particular problem with the Klin, or the Kracori for that matter. He was actually one of the few Gielians to find work on the Island. Xuv was an electronics expert, and as such, he also knew more about alien technology than just about anyone else on his planet.

And so it came as a surprise to him when even the occasional Klin disappeared altogether, never to be seen again. He—and others like him—made inquiries with the Kracori, who rudely informed them that the Klin were no longer in charge of the Island. From here on out, they would deal exclusively with the Kracori.

* * *

Three months ago, the Kracori began a drawdown of their forces at the base, until only about fifty or so remained. Those left were highly skilled technicians in the process of prepping a small number of the flying disks for some unknown mission. They had enlisted the assistance of Xuv for the job, along with a few of his associates. That had been okay with Xuv; it meant more pay for him, as well as better acceptance from the remaining Kracori on the Island.

But then the Klin had contacted Xuv directly.

* * *

It was four weeks earlier, and Xuv was in his residence when the communication came through his terminal. The Gielians had fairly advanced planetary communications at the time, even without the help of the Klin. Yet what startled Xuv the most—other than the fact that a Klin was facing him on the screen—was that this Klin knew his name, his family, and where he worked. He had no idea he had been noticed.

“Greetings Master Xuv,” the Klin said in a serious tone, his face appearing sad. “I am Suneso of the Klin. The message I bring you will be very disturbing. If you wish to send your mate Zees out of the room, it might be recommended.”

Xuv had done so and then returned to the screen. “Why are you contacting me, Suneso? I am not a diplomat or involved in trade missions.”

“We understand that, but you are in a unique position to assist not only the Klin, but your entire race.”

“Please explain yourself. I do not wish to become involved in anything that could bring harm to my family.”

“That is the reason we are contacting you. I will explain, but first, do you recall a horrific accident that occurred on one of your transport lines about six months past? It left thirty-five children dead, if I recall.”

“Yes, I remember; we all do. It was the worst loss of life among our children in over twenty years.” Children were at the center of Gielian life. The welfare of the offspring was paramount, much more so than the welfare of the adults.

The Klin nodded, his face still carrying the sad expression. “I regret I have to do this, but I must. I will now play a series of vids for you, Xuv. They will be disturbing, but it is necessary that you see them.”

The image of the Klin was replaced with a video from a media crew at the scene of the terrible crash. The transport carrying the children had collided with a fuel truck and then burst into flames. Most of the children had been burned beyond recognition. Xuv found the vid to be sickening, yet he had seen it at least a dozen times before.

The next vid showed the burned bodies of the children in a sterile, metal-lined examination room, probably that of the medical officials who had assumed control over the bodies. From the angle of the vid, this was apparently from a security monitor within the room. Most of the bodies were covered with white cloth, yet a few still lay uncovered on cold-looking metal tables. There was no audio associated with the vid, yet it showed a few technicians moving about the room, each with grim looks on their faces.

The scene flickered, and Xuv saw that it was the same room and taken from the same security monitor, but now with fewer lights and no technicians present. A movement came from under the camera position, and three gray Kracori walked into the room.

Xuv was confused. What are Kracori doing in the medical examination room?

Mesmerized, Xuv leaned in a little closer to the screen.

The Kracori walked up to several of the bodies and pulled the covers away. They were laughing and enjoying themselves, right in the middle of such incredible loss and tragedy.

Then one of the Kracori reached over to a body and pulled a small, charred arm from the corpse. Xuv almost vomited; he finally did so when the Kracori lifted the tiny arm to his mouth and took a generous bite of the dead child’s flesh.

Xuv was sweating and weak, with spittle drooling from his mouth when the next vid appeared. It was also from a surveillance camera, yet this one showed a banquet hall, with a long table trailing off to the other end of the room. Around it sat a dozen boisterous Kracori, laughing, drinking, celebrating. Xuv nearly fainted when he realized that lining the center of the table and filling the plates of the Kracori, were the burned remains of four of the children from the accident. The Kracori were feasting on the dead!

To his salvation, the screen mercifully switched back to the image of the Klin, conveying a look of extreme sadness. “I am hoping you have found the behavior of the Kracori as appalling as we do.”

“Of course! How could I not? But why are you showing this to me?”

“I am sure you are aware, Xuv, that the Kracori have recently turned against the Klin and purged us from Glai—I mean Giel. Until that time, we had been their restraints when it came to your kind.” The Klin paused, a deep moment of silence that drew Xuv in closer to the screen. Then he spoke: “The Kracori intend to use your race for food, Xuv, unless you do something to stop them.”

It took the Gielian several moments to recover from the Klin’s last statement. “Food? They intend to eat us?” His words came out in a sharp staccato.

“I’m afraid so.”

“Why…how do we prevent this?”

“That is the purpose of this communication,” said the Klin. “You, Xuv, must lead a revolt against the Kracori before they can bring in reinforcements.”

“But we cannot revolt. How can we? They are like you, advanced otherworlders.”

“You must, Xuv. You have intimate knowledge of the Island. Also, there are presently only forty-eight Kracori on the planet. That will not last long, unless you act.”

“And what is to prevent them from coming back, with more forces?”

Surprisingly, the Klin cracked a small smile. “We have allies in the region—a race of beings called Humans. They are superior to the Kracori and will be able to protect you. However, this is another reason why I have contacted you personally.” He paused again before continuing. “As we speak, the Kracori are planning an attack upon the homeworld of the Humans. The Kracori will soon have delivered to Giel a cache of nuclear devices which they intend to send against the Humans. You must prevent this from happening.”

“How?”

“You will soon be assisting the Kracori with the assimilation of the weapons aboard their attack ships. You have been working on these vessels for the past few weeks, is this correct?”

“I have been helping in the preparation of ten ships. I do not know their purpose.”

“Now you do. Xuv, you can prevent this attack by placing diverters on the triggering devices of one of the bombs on each of the ships. Once you have, then as the bombs are armed, there will be a timed detonation long before the Kracori can make good on their strike.”

“I am proficient in basic Gielian electronics, but not with advanced Klin or Kracori technology. I cannot do this.”

Again the sly smile from the Klin. “I will soon be transmitting instructions on how to construct such a trigger bypass. These will be fairly simple devices, serving only one basic purpose. You will need to construct and place ten of them in the Kracori ships. You can do this, Xuv. We have confidence in your abilities.”

“Suppose I do, what about this revolt you want me to lead?”

“All you need to do is show the same series of vids to a number of your associates, namely those who work on the Island with you. There are many more Gielians working on the Island now, as a large number of the normal Kracori contingent has left. You will find allies. But you must be cautious. The Kracori are fierce and accomplished warriors. If they learn of your plans, it could be dangerous.” The Klin smiled again. “However, you will have the element of surprise on your side, Xuv. The Kracori will not be expecting any such attack, and we Klin have research that confirms the Gielians do possess weapons which can kill Kracori.”

It was Xuv’s turn to pause. He looked down at his feet for several moments, trying to erase the image of the Kracori beasts feasting on the bodies of Gielian young. He knew his companions would have a similar reaction to the vids. He would indeed find allies—if he chose to do this.

But what choice did he have? He thought of his own children, and also of his mate. If the Kracori came back to Giel to use the natives as a food source, then they would all be vulnerable, and not just the children. They could all end up on the Kracori banquet table.

“I will do it,” he said finally.

The Klin nodded. “We were hoping you would, Xuv. You were our only hope. With your decision today, you have not only saved your own race, but also the Humans. Your selfless act will be remembered throughout time. Now I will transmit the plans for the trigger bypass.”

* * *

Xuv stood at the closed door of the base communications center and surveyed his handiwork. There were five Kracori in the room with him, each with a series of deep, bloody gashes coursing across their backs. Two of the now-dead Kracori nearly had their heads severed when the olip-whip struck them higher up than the others. The strong smell of ozone lingered in the air from the intense electric charge of the whip, still held firmly in Xuv’s right hand.

His presence in the comm center had not been unusual, yet the weapon he’d carried in with him three minutes earlier surely was. Xuv’s attack was only one of a dozen such assassinations taking place simultaneously across the Island. He had no doubt that by now not a single living Kracori remained on the planet Giel.

The olip-whip had flung Kracori blood all around the room, including the walls and ceiling. Xuv didn’t care. All he could see when he looked at the dead Kracori was that one horrid image where the beast had ripped the tiny arm from the dead child’s body and eaten it. Well, nevermore! Not here on Giel!

There was a large timer on the wall in front of him, now speckled with Kracori blood. Xuv knew the device showed the time until the strike upon the Human homeworld. The timer continued to click off, and Xuv smiled. He knew that five minutes before, ten nuclear detonations had occurred somewhere in a far-off star system—ten explosions about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule.

Chapter 29

Admiral William Keller continued to stare into the sky until the last remnants of the distant explosion evaporated. He waited, as did all the others, for a follow-up burst of blinding light, an indicator of a nuclear blast within the atmosphere. He was sure D.C. would be one of the Kracori’s primary targets, even though their stated purpose was to irradiate the planet rather than destroy strategic targets. But still he waited.

And he waited.

After about an hour in the cool air of late November, with the light fading from a tranquil and constant orange sun on the western horizon, Keller finally laughed out loud. He had seen the relative position of the Kracori spaceships on the large monitor screen, just before the EMP struck. He knew they had been only minutes away from launching their attack.

Was it possible that the attack had not occurred? He couldn’t be sure, since he was standing in only one solitary position on the planet. But if they had attacked, wouldn’t he have felt something?

To answer his question, an Air Force senior master sergeant ran out of the nearest Pentagon door and scanned the massive crowd standing outside. Keller, with the prominent gold shoulder boards of his dress uniform, stood out amongst all the rest. The sergeant ran up to him with a paper in his hand. The forty-six-year-old E-8 was out of breath.

“Sir, the EMP was not as strong as initially suspected—probably from a fusion device—and we still have comm hardened against such events.” He took a couple of deep breaths before continuing. “Reports show no, I repeat no, nuclear explosions within the atmosphere or impacting the surface!”

He handed the sheet of paper to Keller, who saw it was all in a mass of teletype text, hardly readable without deciphering it line-by-line. Keller was good at reading this kind of message—seeing that it was standard for most military orders—but he had no time for that now.

“No impacts, no air bursts reported?” he queried the master sergeant.

“That’s correct, sir. Apparently all the alien ships exploded in space. That was what caused the EMP.”

As was unbefitting a full-admiral, Keller sat down on the warm black asphalt of the Pentagon parking lot and crossed his legs. Word was spreading like wildfire throughout the thousands of others with him and soon there was such a cacophony of cheers and celebration that all military decorum broke down completely. People were coming up to him, patting his back and reaching down to shake his hand, believing that he had something to do with their salvation. He accepted their accolades, for even Admiral William Keller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, didn’t know what the hell had just happened.

Chapter 30

Adam was in the kitchen of the Kracori spaceship checking the processor supplies when Tindal called him to the bridge. A message had been received from the fleet indicating that a longer, more detailed update to the situation on Earth was to be received in five minutes and that all crewmembers should be present.

If the preliminary message was meant to prepare them for bad news, it did just the opposite. As the Humans met on the bridge, to the person they were white as sheets and nearly sick to their stomachs. It was the longest five minutes in their lives.

Adam knew immediately that the worst had occurred the moment he saw Admiral Allen’s face. It was drawn and sallow, the bags under his eyes doubly-pronounced from the last video of him they’d received.

“I won’t sugarcoat this you guys,” Allen began. “We lost contact with the Earth about two hours ago. It was in mid-message, and since then, nothing.” He appeared to choke up, but then gathered himself and continued. “We don’t have any actual confirmation of the attack, but I have to tell you this is the first time since we left the planet that we’ve been out of communications for this long.” He attempted to smile. “It would be a real bitch if this was some glitch that just happened to come at the most inopportune time. You know these things happen; I’m surprised we haven’t had a breakdown in comm before this.”

The sickly-looking smile vanished as quickly as it came and Admiral Allen continued, his voice now deadly serious. “As you’ve probably already guessed, I’ve turned the fleet and we’re heading home. I’m sorry about this, but I had no choice. Even without concrete confirmation of an attack, I can’t delay it any longer. The word has spread throughout the fleet, and if I hadn’t done something soon, I would have had a mutiny on my hands.” Again the wry smile.

“Adam, you and Andy and all the rest are very resourceful people, in fact more capable than any other sailors I’ve had the privilege to serve with. I’m sure you will find a way home. Hell, not even a galactic empire has been able to stop you. We’ll update you with any new intel that comes in. I’m sure that eventually they’ll be able to restore some sort of comm with us. In fact, I’m surprised that comm is down. If the frickin’ Kracori wanted the fleet to return to Earth, we would need to be aware that an attack has occurred. Without comm, it kinda defeats their purpose. But this may be just some collateral damage they hadn’t counted on. Either way, the fleet is hard to miss. They should know of our movement by now.”

Admiral Allen paused for a moment, once more composing himself. Then Adam saw his jaw firm and the veins in his neck tighten. “One last thing: Hooyah!”

Instinctively all four of the Navy SEALs repeated the Navy’s battle cry, startling everyone else on the bridge. But then attention returned to the video.

“Good luck, gentlemen—and lady—and Godspeed. Allen out.”

* * *

The room was silent for a good two to three minutes, each of the Humans lost in their own contemplations. For the past three days the crew had more-or-less come to grips with these feelings, expecting the worst. Even though the planet had been warned, the odds of stopping an attack this far advanced were iffy from the beginning. Yet even with their expectations, it didn’t stop the occasional tear from escaping from glassy eyes. It was Jym who finally broke the awkward silence.

“Do you want to record a return message?” he asked solemnly.

“Not right now, Jym,” answered Adam’s trembling voice. He had hoped he wouldn’t have to speak for a while, knowing that his emotions would be revealed in his timbre. “In a few minutes; I think we all need to have a moment.” But then a strong emotion rose up in his chest and he leaned in closer to the small, bear-like alien. “But you can start looking for a place where I can find a class-five starship. We’re going to need something with a little more horsepower than this tub if we expect to get back home.”

“Horse…power?”

The other Humans perked up at Adam’s comment; he could see the fire burning in their bloodshot eyes. “Yeah, something with more muscle. I don’t plan on being stranded out here any longer than necessary.”

Chapter 31

The Kracori are an emotional race. Unlike the more subdued Klin, they revel in displays of emotion. So when Jonnif received notification that a continuous-wormhole transmission was opening up with Elision, he screamed an ancient Kracori battle cry, pumped his fists and bared his teeth. Unfortunately, he was alone in his cabin as he expressed his emotions, so none of his crew saw the raw power he exhibited. However, the release of emotions did calm his nerves for the short trek to the communication room aboard his flagship.

Being aware of the timetable for the attack upon Earth, he had been expecting this link for several hours. By now the results should be known, and for Jonnif there was a lot riding on this information—the survival of his legend being one.

He had all the techs leave the room; even Kaddof and Mininof were told to wait outside. Unfortunately, when the face of Daninf Kicon appeared on the large screen, Jonnif knew the outcome of the mission immediately.

Even before Daninf spoke, Jonnif was already talking: “What happened? How could they have stopped us?”

Daninf did not answer immediately, instead irritated by the disrespectful hijacking of his conversation. “There is more to tell you than simply that the attack has failed, Jonnif. One of the ships did survive and was able to report.”

Daninf was visibly shaking, his own emotions boiling up inside, barely contained. Jonnif watched him with a surprising detachment. He knew that with the failure of the mission, his life was essentially over, but not only that, now his Legend would be ravaged. All those within his line would also suffer; the name Vinn would have to be changed for future generations, and nevermore would a child born on Elision carry the name of Jonnif. All because of an impulsive slip of the tongue, on a burned-out world, twenty thousand light-years from the location of the event that caused such tragedy.

In light of his future prospects, Jonnif did not feel the need to follow protocol or decorum with the Langril. The members of the Ludif Council had gone along with his plan—in fact, they had endorsed it wholeheartedly. Now they were acting as if they’d been coerced into voting for it, as if they had been skeptical from the start. It wasn’t fair, and now Jonnif and his entire line would be made to pay the ultimate price just to divert some of the blame from the Ludifs.

Daninf was able to regain his composure. “I will give you a brief summary of what is known at this time. Information is still coming in. For your benefit, the Humans were warned, so Adam Cain was able to contact his fleet. However, it was not the Humans who prevented the attack.”

Jonnif was stunned, but even then only one name screamed out in his head. “The Klin! They stopped it?”

“That remains to be determined,” Daninf answered, exasperation painting his face at Jonnif’s insolent behavior. “What we do know is that the nuclear weapons aboard nine of the attack vessels exploded prematurely, apparently from an act of sabotage perpetrated by the natives of Glasien-4.”

“The Gielians…in collusion with the Klin?”

“That is one of the items we are attempting to validate.”

“So it was not my revelation that caused the mission to fail! The attack was predestined for failure.” Jonnif’s emotions soared, his joy ecstatic. How could they blame him now? None of his words to the Human Adam Cain were the cause for the mission failure.

“Then I have been exonerated, Daninf.”

“No, that is not the case—if anything, it is worse.”

Jonnif was taken aback. “I do not understand. The Humans did not prevent the attack.”

“Yes, but now they know who we are.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Respect, Jonnif! You will afford me respect!”

“How can I?” Jonnif countered, his own anger matching that of Daninf’s. “You have just said that my actions were not responsible for the demise of the mission, yet still you wish to persecute me.”

“Your actions indeed did not cause the failure of the nuclear strike on Earth, yet they have allowed the Humans to now know who attempted it.”

Jonnif suddenly grew weak. He didn’t know exactly why, but Daninf’s words had some subliminal impact on him. “I do not understand,” he finally managed to mumble.

“You myiloc scum!” Daninf screamed. “If the attack had succeeded without warning, the Humans would have naturally assumed it came from either the Klin or the Juireans. Their fleet would have turned, never knowing that it was the Kracori who had attacked their planet, as well as the planet Juir. Even with a failure, the Humans would have suspected the others since—up until the time of your stupid revelation—they had no knowledge of the Kracori. Now they have a new enemy…and that is us! Furthermore, with the failure of the mission, the Human military and industrial capacity is still fully intact. What do you think the Humans will do with the knowledge you have revealed in your careless moment?”

Jonnif could not even find the breath to utter a defense. He slumped in the chair, cowering before the oversize image of Daninf Kicon glaring out at him from the monitor. Daninf let him suffer in his loss of legend, but only for a moment.

“If the mission had succeeded, then the Humans would have learned who was responsible because we would have broadcast it across the galaxy! But now, not only has our mission on Earth failed, but we must also abandon Juir and the Alliance Cluster. The Legend of the Kracori could not have suffered more, Jonnif. The effect this will have on your own pitiful legend is nothing compared to what you have done to your race! I find it almost inconceivable that one Kracori could have had such a deleterious impact on his kind.”

Jonnif could barely bring himself to look the Langril in the eye, but somehow he managed to speak. “What do you wish me to do, my Ludif? I had no idea the effect could be so…so catastrophic.”

“All we wish of you now, Jonnif, is that you prepare your forces for the withdrawal from the Cluster. We do not want to risk any more Kracori lives in such a fruitless endeavor. The loss of life may not have been much to date, yet we have all seen what the Humans are capable of when they are attacked—whether successfully or not. They do not react well to threats or to acts against them. In ages to come, your actions will have cost the lives of millions of Kracori.”

“I will prepare for departure. After that, I am at your mercy.”

“There will be no mercy, Jonnif. A Kracori without legend is less than living. It is you who will need to face that reality. I have nothing more to say to you.”

The screen went blank, as did Jonnif’s emotions. He was drained, empty of all senses and awareness. He remained in this vegetative state for several minutes before finally rising from the chair and leaving the room.

* * *

Kaddof—his second-in-command—was in the hallway standing next to Mininof when Jonnif exited the communication center. He recognized the look of utter defeat the moment he saw his commander. “Regrets, my Ludif,” he said, while not asking for a recounting of the conversation. “What are my orders?”

“You are to prepare our forces for departure from the Cluster. All ground actions are to cease immediately. Allow no further loss of Kracori life. When ready, return to Elision by the shortest route. Do not allow yourself to be followed; the Humans must not learn the location of Elision.”

“Yes, my Ludif. I will begin preparations immediately.”

Kaddof and Mininof watched Jonnif walk past them in a daze and disappear down the corridor, lost in the curvature of the ship. Neither said anything further, nor did they accompany him when he left the shining Klin-designed flying saucer and walked out onto the grass of the Kacoran Plain.

And neither were they present when Jonnif Vinn hurled himself from the high prominence, cascading to his death on the craggy rocks below.

Chapter 32

The Klin flying saucer blended perfectly with the monochromatic gray of the Moon’s surface. If not for the unnaturally round shadow the craft cast, the starship would have been completely invisible to any prying eyes. As it was, no one was paying much attention to the Moon at this time; the Human’s focus was directed outward, toward the outer reaches of the solar system.

Senior Fellow Suneso Huvilin of the Klin had been in place on the large, singular companion to the planet Earth for several weeks, watching as the Kracori ships slipped into the system and went dark before anyone was alerted to their presence. He was surprised, however, when the Humans did get wind of the impending attack and began all manner of defensive maneuvers to stop the Kracori. After all the preparations Suneso and the other Klin had taken, he found the Human’s makeshift activities amusing. The Kracori were already there, and all the Humans did was make it easier for them to fulfill their mission—if the Klin had not already acted.

When the nine massive explosions occurred, Suneso did his best to visualize the confused conversations taking place on the planet below. It would have only taken minutes for the Humans to realize that their efforts had nothing to do with the destruction of the Kracori ships.

If it wasn’t them…then who? Many on the planet would naturally suspect the Klin, but then why would they stop an attack on Earth, especially in light of events unfolding tens of thousands of light-years away? Suneso wished he still had spies within the Human population; it would have been entertaining to watch the confused Humans scurry about for answers, able only to speculate.

However, Suneso was also not without his questions, so when the image of Pleabaen Linuso Summlin appeared on the CW comm screen, he was hoping he would get his answers as well.

“Greetings Pleabaen, I have success to report,” he said to the supreme leader of the Klin race.

“That is indeed good news. What do you know at this point?” Suneso could see that Linuso was still recovering from the injuries he’d suffered over two months before when their headquarters on Marishal had been damaged. He appeared gaunt and paler than normal and he still carried a thin oxygen tube attached to his nose. “The ships did explode as planned—at least nine of them. The tenth ship was not in position for the attack and never armed its weapons, triggering the failsafe device. It has since retreated. It apparently dumped its cargo when ordered to leave the Human system prior to the attack. I can also report that the rebellion on Glasien-4 has also succeeded. There should only be a few Kracori left within the Arm at this time and we are monitoring them.”

“Excellent. But I have reports that the Humans were forewarned of the attack?”

“Apparently so, Pleabaen.”

“That is acceptable; it saves us the necessity of revealing the Kracori to them.”

“Linuso, I have been meaning to ask a very direct question regarding this matter—”

The Pleabaen smiled. “Why have we saved the Humans from destruction?”

“Precisely. The Humans deceived us and are now the strongest force in the galaxy. They even caused great injury to your body, along with the deaths of hundreds of Klin.”

Linuso nodded. “This has all been part of a decision made immediately after the Humans escaped from Marishal. It was not our optimal plan, but considering the Kracori’s premature arrival at Juir, it was the best option we had available.”

“Now I am even more confused, Pleabaen.”

“That is understandable since you were not made aware of the ultimate plans of the Forum. It was decided that we could not allow the Humans to be destroyed; they could still be of use to us. Then when the Kracori transited the Core and arrived at Juir ahead of schedule, it was seen that only the Humans could drive the Kracori from the Alliance Cluster.”

“But the Kracori have destroyed Juir. Our vengeance should be satisfied. We should welcome this outcome.”

“Much to the contrary, Senior Fellow,” Linuso countered. “It has always been our desire to be the direct instrument of the Juirean’s downfall and not simply a passive observer. Much of our gratification in the destruction of Juir has been taken from us by the Kracori. We must not let them remain in control of the Cluster—and by extension—the Expansion.”

“But now it will be Humans who are in control—”

“Exactly, Suneso, that has now been by design.”

“But the Humans are even stronger than the Kracori.”

“That may appear to be the case, but please consider that we have been training the Kracori for generations to be co-leaders of the Expansion. If they remain in possession of the Cluster, they will ingrain themselves so much into the operations of the new Expansion that they will be almost impossible to remove. The Humans—on the other hand—are a completely different matter. They are naïve in the ways of the Expansion and will be at a complete loss as to what is involved in governing. In addition, their homeworld is located much too far away to serve as an effective capital of the Expansion, and even operating a central location such as Juir from Earth will serve to be a major burden for them.

“And finally, the Humans have not aspired for control of the Expansion, as have the Klin and the Kracori. When the time comes, they will be much easier to extract from their leadership position. You must understand, Suneso, it has never been the Klin’s goal to simply exact revenge against the Juireans for the destruction of Klinmon. Ultimately, our goal is to claim our rightful title as leaders of the galaxy. The destruction of the Juireans was simply a means to an end.”

Suneso saw the logic in the argument—to a point. “So the Kracori are driven from the Cluster and the Humans move in. How does that help the Klin cause? The Humans will remain a power for well, forever, and the Kracori will still be a power in their own right, and far more technologically-advanced than the Humans. How will it ever be that the Klin can assume leadership of the Expansion?”

The small smile vanished from Linuso’s weary face. “That has not been completely foreseen, yet with the chaotic events of the past several months, the Forum has been doing its best to come up with the best alternatives. What we do know is that it would be easier to expel—or persuade—the Humans to relinquish control of the Expansion than it would the Kracori. However, we do realize that without a powerful ally, the Klin cannot rule alone.”

“If not the Kracori—or the Humans—who then, Pleabaen?”

“The Klin have been exploring the galaxy for over four thousand years and we have discovered literally thousands of races. There are always others, always alternatives. Some have been nurtured along slowly—such as the Kracori—while others have played a more limited and immediate role. We are never without alternatives, although some may not be ready to be revealed at this time. If it had not been for the activities of the Humans—and particularly of Adam Cain—we would have had an additional twenty years to more fully develop our alternatives prior to the events leading to the Juirean/Human war. As it is, we will have to speed up the process and adapt along the way.”

Linuso’s weak smile returned and he looked straight into the eyes of his subordinate. “The Klin are still viable, Suneso. We are patient; we will be heard from again. Of that you can be sure.”

Chapter 33

Kaddof had not had time to catch his breath over the past two days. With his friend and mentor Jonnif Vinn dead, command of the Kracori forces in the Alliance Cluster fell to him, and along with it, the need to coordinate their untimely withdrawal.

He was furious at the very thought of retreat and humiliated in its execution. The Kracori had accomplished so much, yet they had so much more to do. There was still an estimated one-million or more Juireans alive on the planet, many in long refugee lines streaming out from their destroyed cities. They would be easy prey for the Kracori ground troops and conventional air units; already, thousands of Juireans had been killed by aerial strafing. And now the ground troops had offloaded their heavy equipment—tanks and artillery—and were only a day or so from being placed into operation.

Now that effort—along with the potential for more death and destruction—was for naught.

Kaddof was tasked with surrendering all the ground they’d gained, and to give it back to the Juireans—or worse—to the advancing Humans.

Kaddof was in the command center aboard the largest flying disk on Juir, arranging for the hundreds of shuttle flights it would take to ferry his thirty-thousand troops and equipment back to the transports in orbit. His warriors were furious, yet they obeyed, as would Kaddof.

A tone sounded within the center, indicating an incoming continuous-wormhole communication. Everyone in the room looked to Kaddof, knowing that the message could only be coming from Elision. He acknowledged the notice and then proceeded to the secure room that was set up for CW communications.

This would be his first direct contact with the Ludif Council since Jonnif’s death and Kaddof’s assumption of command. As he entered the comm center, the large head of Daninf Kicon, Langril of the Council, was already showing on the large screen.

“Greetings, Ludif Daninf. I have been expecting contact with the Council, I assume you are looking for an update as to our evacuation progress—”

“That is not the primary reason for this communication, Kaddof,” Daninf interrupted, “yet I will ask: has the body been recovered?”

“Yes, my Ludif; early yesterday we were able to locate the body through the activities of carrion birds. The body was fairly well hidden between several large boulders, and it had been picked apart by the beasts.”

“That is good that the body has been recovered. Now for the most pressing matter at hand. You are to cease all evacuation procedures immediately and resume full suppression activities within the Cluster.”

Kaddof was stunned; he wasn’t sure he heard the Langril correctly. “Forgive me, my Ludif, but could you please repeat that?”

“You are to cease all evacuation operations. The Kracori are remaining in control of Juir and the Cluster Alliance!”

Kaddof could see that the Langril was physically excited. His face beamed, his eyes alight with joy. “What has happened to cause this change?”

“Our scouts have only now reported that the Human fleet has turned and is headed back toward their home planet.”

“But…but they have no need,” Kaddof stammered. Finally he simply asked: “Why?”

“The reason baffles even the Council. The Humans may feel the need to return to protect against future attacks,” Daninf offered. “Or they may not believe the effort to continue to Juir necessary now that the planet has been ransacked.”

Kaddof suddenly grew cold inside and he visibly shivered. “And then Jonnif…his death was in vain! His actions have had no ill-affect.”

Daninf’s expression changed. “That is not so,” he stated firmly. “Jonnif is still responsible for revealing our name as the Human’s attackers. Even though they are returning to Earth, it does not mean they will not come back.”

“But we will be ready for them by then, and the Kracori Legend will not have been harmed by Jonnif’s actions. His Legend did not have to suffer so.”

“In light of these recent developments, you may be correct, Kaddof. But even if the Kracori Legend has not suffered, the Legend of Jonnif Vinn must be vanquished. The planet Earth remains habitable and capable of supporting all future Human military actions. The Human fleet is still the largest in the galaxy, and they will not let the attempted destruction of their homeworld go unpunished. With the name Kracori on their tongues, they will be back and looking for us. It was Jonnif who gave a name to their enemy.”

Kaddof was quiet for a moment, trying his best to put the Langril’s words into perspective. He was right, of course. Jonnif’s legend had to be destroyed.

“And Kaddof,” Daninf continued, “it was Jonnif’s decision to end his life, not that of the Council.”

“Of course, my Ludif. I meant you no disrespect.”

“That is better, Kaddof. Insubordination is something we on the Council will not tolerate; that was something Jonnif was prone to exhibit on a regular basis. I hope we will find no such repeat with our new Fleet Commander.”

“No, Langril, you will not. What are my orders? I was not in Jonnif’s position to know the full extent of your commands prior…prior to his demise.”

“Your orders at this time are to simply return to the clean-up operations that have begun, both on Juir and on the other worlds of the Cluster. Following that, a permanent Kracori colony must be established on Juir for all the Expansion to see. Soon the members will come looking to the Kracori for leadership. Our governing administrators will be leaving Elision soon to take over this responsibility from you and your military forces. At that time you must reinforce the Cluster against any hostile attacks, either from a Juirean counterstrike—or now—from the Humans as well. Later we will dispatch the search and destroy units to hunt down all surviving Juireans in other parts of the galaxy.”

He paused and the jovial expression returned to his face. “Kaddof, we cannot express strongly enough how relieved we are on the Council that the Kracori can remain in the Cluster. Far greater than the destruction of a single Kracori’s legend, it was the harm to the legend of the entire race that was weighing on us more. Now the Legend of the Kracori will survive.”

“My Ludif,” Kaddof said, “of course the Kracori Legend is more important than that of Jonnif’s, and I too am relieved. I will carry out your orders faithfully. All the Juireans upon Juir will die.”

“Excellent, Kaddof. Proceed with your orders.”

Chapter 34

News that Juir had been sacked spread throughout the galaxy. Untold trillions of beings fell into a uniform state of shock. Near the Cluster Alliance, it was like a swarm of roaches running when the lights come on, thousands of spaceships leaving the area as fast as their drives would carry them.

Whether intentional or not, Adam’s sudden fixation with finding a larger vessel to take them home had galvanized the Humans, taking their minds off the inconceivable event that had just taken place. They hounded Kaylor and Jym over the next fourteen hours to find them a ship—any ship—as long as it was a class-five or larger.

“Primus-Lur is our best option, as far as I can tell,” Kaylor was saying. “I have never been to this side of the galaxy, so I don’t have any first-hand knowledge to contribute, just what is in the Library.”

“Tell me about Primus-Lur,” Adam commanded, a little too forcefully.

“From what I can find, it is one of the major commercial centers for this sector. It was in the second wave of consolidation, right after the Alliance Cluster, so it has been a part of the Juirean Expansion nearly from the start.”

“But do they have ships?” Riyad asked, anxious to contribute his years of pirating experience to the effort.

“It should—it did—before the turmoil. According to the Library, representatives of all the major shipping companies are located there. How many of their ships remain, I do not know, and a number of them may have been called into action by the Juireans for the evacuation. The ships may be scattered throughout a thousand light-years by now.”

“Screw it,” Adam said. “We won’t get anywhere just sitting around debating this. Kaylor, get us over there as fast as you can. We’ll go in and see for ourselves.”

Kaylor looked at Riyad. “Systems on this side of the galaxy are not as experienced with pirate activity as they are in the Fringe. I don’t think they’ve had any such activity in thousands of years.”

Riyad smiled. “Good. Then they won’t be expecting anything.”

“What I mean is the authorities will likely pursue much harder.”

“Let them pursue us all the way back to Earth,” Adam said. “I don’t care much about following the law. Just get us there Kaylor; we’ll do the rest.”

“Yes, Adam. And that also brings up a subject Jym and I have been discussing.”

Adam frowned at the tall alien. “Go on.”

“Jym and I will not be accompanying you to Earth. We cannot. It is such a long journey there and back. And with the galaxy in such disarray, we have decided to return to our homeworlds to see if we can be of any assistance.”

Adam could find no argument to counter Kaylor’s heartfelt confession. The Humans aboard the small ship were themselves in a frantic quest to return to their home—what was left of it. He should have expected nothing less from Kaylor and Jym.

“I understand, Kaylor. All I ask is that you help us locate another ship and then you can take this one back to your planets.” He smiled as he placed a reassuring hand on Kaylor’s shoulder. “We may also need a quick lesson or two on how to run the new ship. I’m sure it’s different from the Juirean battlecruiser we took to Earth the last time.”

“This one will more likely be a freighter. I believe there are very few warships left in this part of the Expansion.”

“That’s fine. Let’s just hope all the ships haven’t bolted. Set the course, Kaylor.”

“A freighter, you say,” Riyad said. “That should make for an easier acquisition.”

Chapter 35

Kaddof was outside the headquarters spaceship enjoying a few moments of natural air and starshine when his personal communicator sounded. There was an urgent message coming in from Elision that required his immediate attention. He rushed back into the large disk and proceeded to the CW comm room.

The monitor blipped once and then Daninf’s head appeared. In the past three days Kaddof had not had any further communications with the Langril. Instead, he had redeployed his forces and only hours ago had received word that over five thousand more Juireans had been killed across the planet from their initial strikes. It was going to be a good day on Juir.

“Kaddof!” Daninf Kicon called out. “The Humans have turned back toward Juir!”

Kaddof felt himself go weak. “This cannot be, my Ludif. Are you sure?”

“Of course. And not only have they turned, but approximately six hundred of their fastest units have broken off from the main fleet and are proceeding towards Juir at maximum well.”

“When will they arrive?”

“In just over thirty days, which is nearly half the time originally expected.”

Kaddof’s mind was racing. Six-hundred Human ships…. “Only six hundred, my Ludif, our forces may be able to defeat them. I can muster over four hundred—and we are Kracori!”

“And even if you could defeat them, after a battle with the Humans what forces would you have to send against their other nine-hundred ships when they arrive later?” Daninf asked, shaking his head. “I am disappointed in you, Kaddof. I would have thought the Academy would have trained our officers better.”

“But Daninf,” Kaddof began, forgetting the formal greeting for the head of the Ludif Council, “that would mean we must again prepare to evacuate.”

“Precisely, and not only prepare, but execute.”

“We still have time to inflict great suffering on the Juireans here on the planet. I will double our efforts and still have time to pull the forces—”

“No!” Daninf said. “Begin the withdrawal immediately. All forces must be clear of the area well before the Humans arrive. We cannot leave any trace gravity waves that could lead them to us. Survival of our planet is more important than killing a few more Juireans. Pull your troops Kaddof. Pull them now.”

Kaddof sat staring at Daninf’s stoic face on the monitor. He knew there was no use in arguing; the Council had decided and now he must obey. He nodded to Daninf.

Impatiently, the Kracori leader cut the transmission.

Kaddof lifted himself from the seat and made his way to the exit. Mininof, Jonnif’s aide—and now his—was waiting in the corridor. “The Humans are coming this way again,” Kaddof mumbled. “Resume all evacuation procedures.”

“Why are they playing such games with us, these Humans?”

“I do not know, Mininof, but now we will lose our legend. It will be tragic.”

“Yes, my Ludif. I will send out your orders.”

* * *

Kaddof left the spaceship and returned to the edge of the cliff, likely very near where Jonnif had thrown himself off into the abyss. The remains of Juir City still smoldered far below, yet now he could see large concentrations of his ground troops clustered off to the left of the ruins. Soon the shuttles would start ferrying them back to the troop carriers for the long journey home. They had only been on-planet for six days; they would not welcome being stuffed back into the giant spaceships for the trip back to Elision, especially without having accomplished their mission or feasted much on the flesh of Juireans.

In frustration, Kaddof bent down and lifted a large rock from the ground. He held it in his hand, marveling at how light it felt for its size. With the gravity of Juir about one-quarter less than that of Elision, Kaddof felt an exhilarating physical strength on this planet. He would have welcomed the chance to kill a native with his bare hands, just to feel his superiority over the Juireans. His orders were to begin the evacuation immediately, but he was sure he still had time for one of the ground units to bring him a captive Juirean to kill. He would welcome that—and it would also make for an appropriate departing meal for him and his fellow officers.

As he peered over the edge of the cliff, Kaddof also thought of Jonnif and what joy he would have received from engaging in the same act—that of killing a Juirean with his bare hands. Jonnif Vinn had been Kaddof’s mentor, and more like a father to him than simply a commander. Jonnif was of the Kiconnif clan and had been raised with all the political privileges that came with his birthright. Kaddof—on the other hand—was from the Hilfoif tribe, and as such had not shared the same path to his present rank as had his commander. But even though he had been born with the strongest of legends, Jonnif Vinn had also been a very good leader, having proven himself in many a contest and through extensive advanced training. However, he was also related to the Langril. So when the time came to lead the assault upon the Juireans and the Expansion, it was Jonnif who was naturally chosen to command.

Jonnif met Kaddof seventeen years before and immediately spotted the exceptional fire burning within the young Kracori officer. He also enjoyed Kaddof’s almost Ludif-like worship of his commander. Jonnif had contacts and influence and had traveled extensively off-planet. Kaddof was more than happy to serve as his understudy.

But now the broken and mutilated body of Jonnif Vinn lay in a freezer aboard the headquarters ship, awaiting return to Elision where it would be undoubtedly cast into an unmarked grave without fanfare or regard for legend. The line of Jonnif Vinn would end with him…and it would end with shame.

Kaddof had to admit that Jonnif’s actions would bring about the destruction of the Kracori Legend, yet he was also sure that Jonnif had not meant that to be the case. But now he would be cast as the destroyer of the Kracori, and all because of a simple mistake. It wasn’t fair.

In spite of it all, Juireans still lived on the planet Juir. They had outlived Jonnif, despite all of the Kracori—and his mentor’s—efforts.

As the anger grew in him, Kaddof reeled back and tossed the large rock into the air, out far beyond the edge of the cliff, farther than any Juirean could have thrown it. He watched as the stone arched out over empty space and then began the long fall toward the surface below. It landed with a series of echoing pings far down the cliff face, ricocheting and chipping other rocks in the process. Soon a mini-avalanche formed, but one that quickly subsided.

As he watched the flight of the stone, Kaddof had an idea. His chest welled up, and as his head turned toward the sky, he let out a loud, primal Kracori battle cry, the angry sound echoing off into the distance.

He turned and hurried back to the spaceship. Kaddof had a plan, but he only had a little time to bring it to fruition.

Chapter 36

They entered the Primus-Lur system two days later and immediately picked up a score of gravity signatures heading in the opposite direction.

“Any of these contacts Class-5s?” Riyad asked.

“I have not detected any yet,” Jym said from his station. “And I have a question for you, Riyad. Since no Class-5 can make landfall, this action will have to take place in space. How do you plan on accomplishing this?”

Tobias and Sherri were on the bridge with the aliens; they looked to Riyad and raised their eyebrows.

For an answer, Riyad tapped the top of Jym’s console. “We use this. We’re in a ship of a race of beings who have just conquered the almighty planet Juir. We just make contact and demand they stop. If they don’t, then we blast them to atoms.”

“But that would defeat your purpose. You want the ship intact and undamaged.”

“We would not actually fire upon the ship, my little friend. They just have to believe we would.”

“But a Class-5 is very fast. They may choose to run.”

“Let’s just hope they don’t.”

“Suppose you do not come off so threatening?” Jym offered. “You offer a simple accommodation. Then the pilot may not run and risk being fired upon.”

“Great idea, Jym. We will certainly consider that—once we find a candidate.”

Jym always seemed to perk up when complimented by the Humans. He turned to his console and renewed his scanning, but now with a bounce in his movements.

He suddenly leaned forward. “I believe I have found such a vessel—maybe two—moving in tandem.”

The word went out throughout the ship and the crew began their preparations. The task of taking the other ship was made more difficult by the fact that they didn’t want to damage it. It would have to be boarded and the crew subdued.

The KFV-A did carry a small shuttle—a very small shuttle—which could only carry four passengers, plus the pilot. It wasn’t fast and didn’t have a docking hatch. If they used the shuttle to access the freighter, they would either have to do it through the ship’s main landing bay or evacuate the atmosphere in the shuttle and spacewalk to the surface of the other ship. They were prepared for either eventuality, with the four SEALs already in the shuttle dressed in spacesuits they found in the KFV’s cargo hold. Luckily for them, the Kracori were similar in size and bulk to the Humans so the suits fit quite well.

Riyad would stay on the bridge and attempt to talk his way into stopping the ship and gaining access. Sherri was on the bridge as well, yet she was armed with an emergency kit containing all the generic medical supplies she could find in the Kracori ship, just in case the team took casualties.

There were ample weapons within the KFV, all of the energy-bolt variety, which should suffice against aliens. The SEAL’s were ready—in fact anxious—for some action. Adam’s ribs still hurt terribly, but he toughed it out. Hopefully the gravity aboard the freighter would be light. That would help.

* * *

As the two large contacts came within extreme visual range, the one farthest out from the KFV veered off and bolted away. The other one hesitated, and Kaylor was able to move within weapon’s range. The Class-5 was fast, but it was still within a planetary system and therefore could not engage its deep-wells. This allowed the KFV to move even closer.

Riyad fingered the comm button. “This is Kracori vessel double-oh-seven calling the Class-5 freighter on my screens. Please respond.”

Jym looked at Riyad with a quizzical look, and then he whispered, “I do not see such a designation for this ship?”

“It’s a top secret designation, my friend,” Riyad answered. He looked over to see Sherri grinning from ear to ear.

After a few moments of silence, the comm speaker crackled just before a voice was heard. “This is the Leerin Vessel 7786. What is your message, Kra…Kracori vessel zero-zero-seven?”

“Greetings,” Riyad said joyfully, following Jym’s advice about being more congenial. “As you are aware, the Kracori race now controls the region. What is your cargo and destination?”

There was another long pause before those aboard the freighter responded. “We currently carry no cargo. We are in the process of evacuating the area so as to avoid any conflict.”

“That is understandable,” Riyad said reassuringly. “With your permission, we would like to send a shuttle over to discuss the terms of possibly hiring your vessel for the shipment of some supplies to our forces off Juir. Would you consider receiving a hefty sum in return for your services?”

“In what form of currency would this fee be made?”

Riyad was taken aback. The alien cut right to the chase, and he was aware that with the fall of Juir, all Juirean credits were useless. He also figured that any currency the Kracori might use would be equally worthless at this time. Riyad smiled and responded. “We are prepared to pay in gold certificates, a precious metal currently traded in many systems throughout the Expansion.”

“We are aware of gold. That will suffice. Send over your shuttle.”

Jym cut the line and Riyad turned to Sherri with a wide grin. “That was easier than I thought.”

* * *

Fifteen minutes later the tiny shuttle skidded to a stop in the cavernous cargo bay of the freighter. Adam was at the pilot controls and he gasped, having never seen a room as large as this one aboard a starship.

Once the atmosphere was replaced in the huge chamber, Lt. Tobias cracked the hatch and they stepped out into the room. The gravity here was very light, either because that’s the way the crew liked it, or because it made maneuvering cargo easier. Either way it made the bulky spacesuits the SEALs wore easier to operate.

There was no crew visible so they moved quickly to one of the airlock doors off the landing bay and entered another, smaller room.

Still no crew.

“Adam to Riyad, come in.”

“Riyad here.”

“I thought you said they would be welcoming? We’re supposed to be here to give them a shit-load of money. You’d think they’d send a rep down here to get it, wouldn’t you?”

“One would think. I will call the ship again and check.”

Adam and the other SEALs were in one of the control rooms for the landing bay—this room was much larger than any control room they’d ever seen as well. Petty Officer Tindal tried one of the side doors and found it was unlocked.

“There’s a really wide passageway out here; must be for hauling forklifts full of cargo around. I think I see someone at the far end.”

“Be careful, John,” Adam said. “Remember, these things think we’re Kracori.”

The four of them moved out into the passageway, which was indeed huge in its own right, easily fifteen meters or so wide. “There’s someone,” Chief Rutledge called out. A tall, slender creature was waving at them from about fifty meters away.

The SEALs formed up with their flash rifles ready. Adam knew it would be hard to appear non-threatening while cradling the weapons in ready-position. But they were aboard the ship, so whatever happens from now on should be—

A dozen or more flash bolts lashed out at them from various points at the other end of the passageway. Both Lt. Tobias and Adam were hit, but the bolts were level-two, and through the thick fabric of the spacesuits, they only managed to knock the SEALs off their feet.

The Humans opened up, their bolts much more accurate than those of the freighter crew. The passageway was littered with dozens of crates and the SEALs scrambled for cover. At the other end of the passageway, about two dozen armed aliens were also weaving their way through the crates toward them. That’s when Adam spotted the Juirean.

“Did you see that?” he called out to the others.

“Yeah, I saw four or five more. What are they doing here?” Tobias asked through his comm.

“They’re probably hitching a ride. No telling how many are here. John, see if you can make it to that stack of crates on the left. That should give you the high ground,” Adam said.

“On it!” The other SEALs laid down cover fire while Tindal literally jumped the ten meters or so to the stack of crates in question. The gravity—or lack of—made them all feel like they could fly.

Several of the aliens had fallen to the fire of the Humans, including a couple of the Juireans. Adam and Tobias moved a little closer on the right as Tindal covered for them. His aim was true and three more aliens died.

The Juireans and ship’s crew began to fall back. The SEALs took the opportunity to rush to the end of the passageway. There was an exit there where a dozen aliens were all trying to squeeze through the narrow opening. Adam and Tobias opened up, sending indiscriminate bolts of blue energy into the mass of aliens. It was a slaughter. Within a minute none of the aliens moved within a large pile of dead.

Tobias climbed onto the bloody mass and looked down the corridor. He saw three aliens running as fast as they could in the opposite direction. There didn’t seem to be any more around.

Adam searched through the stack of dead and pulled out six dead Juireans. The rest of the dead were of two other races he did not recognize, but they had died just as easily as the Juireans.

Adam was covered with blood, as were the other SEALs. They stood among the bodies, panting heavily from the exhilaration of battle. Just then his comm buzzed.

“Cain here,” he said between breaths. “We’ve suppressed most of the resistance. Approximately fifteen aliens down. It looks like the others aren’t itching for a fight. The ship should be ours.”

“Eh, that’s great news, Adam,” Riyad said, even though his voice did not match his words.

“What’s up, Riyad, you sound odd?”

“It’s because we just got a message from the fleet.”

Adam’s heart skipped a beat. Normally any contact with the fleet would be good news. But lately….

“Go ahead. What did it say?”

“This is a little awkward, but it seems they have made contact with Earth. The attack failed, Adam. It failed. The Earth is okay.”

Adam looked around at the other SEALs, their expressions displaying a look of shock, slowly moving toward glee.

“Oh, and Adam, the fleet has turned back toward Juir. They’ve dispatched a forward strike force at maximum well. They should be picking us up in about two weeks—”

If Riyad had said more, Adam couldn’t hear it over the cheers of the SEALs. They clasped each other and slapped backs.

Finally, once the celebration died down—and the SEALs remembered where they were—Tindal and Tobias took up defensive positions at the doorway, weary of a counterattack.

Adam looked down at the mass of bloody bodies lying at his feet. He met the eye of Chief Rutledge, and simply said, “Oops!”

Chapter 37

Three of the larger Kracori starships positioned themselves at equal distance from the giant space rock, lined up at about nine hundred meters apart. The rock itself was only about half a kilometer in width, and nearly the same in depth; however, even with gravity-drives, the three ships would have difficulty moving the massive boulder.

The problem with moving the rock came not with the power of the ships pulling it, but rather with the proximity of the ships to one another. Nine hundred meters was too close to create effective singularities. They would have to be very shallow and constantly monitored for any crossover. Still, with three ships pulling, the rock would move.

Each ship sent down forty massive cables to the surface and secured them with explosive charges, sending the grapples deep into the solid nickel and iron asteroid. No one in the fleet had ever attempted such a feat, unlike the massive mining ships that were specially designed for this kind of work. But nevertheless, they tried, and soon the tiny wells were engaged…and the rock began to move.

The asteroid field was located about two million kilometers from Juir, and if Kaddof had any chance of his plan succeeding in time he would have to have the rock in position in less than two weeks. The bulk of his forces was already embarking on their various starships and would be bolting out of the area in four days. Kaddof and a small contingent would remain in-system to see his final solution to the Juirean problem to the end.

His remaining six ships would not leave enough of a gravity wave for the Humans to follow, so Kaddof felt secure in his actions. He had not informed the Ludif Council of his plan.

As the momentum of the small asteroid grew, the transit time toward Juir began to shorten. His own ship stayed off at a distance and watched the two units, and with each successive day, Kaddof grew more excited. Soon the planet Juir loomed ahead.

Kaddof tasked the scientists attached to his fleet with providing him the best trajectory and timing that would send the asteroid directly down onto the Kacoran Plain, but they had been unable to do the proper calculations. And besides, even if they had, he doubted if he would have that much control over the rock the closer it got to Juir. The best the scientists could provide was an estimate. It would have to do.

At the proper moment, the three tow ships detonated the explosive bolts that released the massive cables and the rock was free. Over the intervening two weeks, the asteroid had increasingly gained speed and momentum until it was now traveling at close to ten thousand kilometers per hour. This was far below the normal velocity for a traditional impact event, but it would have to do. It would not be a planet-killer, but it would cause considerable dishevel across the entire surface of Juir lasting long enough for most of the surviving Juireans to die in the aftermath.

The asteroid entered the atmosphere and immediately began to heat up, its leading edge glowing molten red, with great plumes of fiery material trailing off and creating a long tail of black and white clouds behind it. The actual impact took place about one hundred kilometers out to sea and off the coast of Juir City. Kaddof would have to be satisfied with that.

The ocean at the point of impact was about two kilometers in depth so it was only a millisecond from the time the asteroid contacted the ocean’s surface before it plunged deep into the rocky surface of the planet. Instantly, billions of liters of seawater were flashed into steam as the giant rock continued to bury itself deep into the planet to a depth of over a kilometer. A great outpouring of molten rock flew out of the massive crater in all directions, sending projectiles of fire onto land surfaces at a distance of over five hundred kilometers from the impact zone. These fireballs ignited massive conflagrations in the forests of Juir and soon it looked as though half the planet was on fire.

Kaddof watched from orbit with a wicked grin. He saw the great gray cloud of ash, rock and water vapor erupt from the impact crater, to be caught up in the planet’s prevailing winds. Over the next two days he watched as the deadly cloud encircled the planet and spread from pole to pole. Soon the entire surface of Juir was obscured by a uniform gray cover—a color Kaddof noted matching that of Kracori skin

Satisfied, Kaddof gave the order. It was time to return home.

* * *

The event set off massive earthquakes within a thousand kilometers of the impact zone, followed by an incredible series of waves, many over a hundred meters high, that spread out in circular ripples, sweeping across islands and shoreline all around the Southern Sea.

Within minutes of the impact, the first great wave swept in over the white sand beaches located two kilometers from the outer suburbs of Juir City—what was left of it—and traveled inland at over a hundred kilometers per hour. It washed over the smoldering ruins of the city, scraping away everything down to a depth of ten meters. Then the giant wave ran up to the very base of the Kacoran Plain and slid upwards to a quarter of the mountain’s height. When the water receded, it took with it millions of tons of boulders and soil and deposited it on the long sloping plain leading back to the ocean.

Around the planet, the long strings of refugees fleeing their burning cities and already suffering from days without food or shelter, were choking on the suffocating ash and smoke cloud that was everywhere. Those within five hundred kilometers of the impact also experienced rains of fire and a blistering heat wave that swept over them, killing them instantly. These were the lucky ones.

Although Kaddof had already departed for Elision by this time, he knew that the next phase of his plan would be the most long-lasting and devastating for the planet Juir. With the surface of the planet shrouded in a thick cloud of ash and smoke, temperatures plummeted. Within a week of the impact event, temperatures had plunged twenty degrees below normal. Then the snow began to fall.

Within a month of the attack, the cloud encircling the planet had all but dissipated, but now a great sheet of ice and snow covered much of the planet. With the reflective quality of this white sheet, stellar radiation was sent back into space and temperatures dropped even more.

By the time the Humans arrived a month later, the planet Juir was a nearly-uniform ball of white ice. Any Juireans who survived the initial Kracori attack were long dead, either from starvation or the cold. Kaddof had done it. He had killed all the Juireans on Juir. He was sure Jonnif Vinn would have been pleased with his results.

Chapter 38

Snow was falling on the Kacoran Plain; this was not unusual these days, even though at this time of year it would have been summer in these latitudes. The flat top of the mountain was now a nearly-continuous sheet of white, broken only for the occasional outcropping of the craggy, skeletal remains of the various buildings that had once towered above its surface. Even the trees were absent, either blown apart by the Kracori invasion eight months earlier or burned by the fireballs that had rained down upon the top of the mountain as a result of the giant rock the Kracori dropped on the planet.

The main Human fleet had arrived at Juir six months before and found the planet to be a chaotic mess of gigantic winter storms raging across its surface. The fires that had burned most of the forests were snuffed out by the falling snows and temperatures. Now it was the cold they had to contend with.

However, there were signs that the planet was beginning to heal itself. The impact event was not as powerful as first suspected; the cloud that enveloped the planet had been thinner and carried within it less ash and debris. Temperatures had plunged to fifty below normal for a short time, but now the global average was only about twenty-two below the norm.

The experts estimated it would take another ten to twenty years for the planet to return to normal—at least climate-wise. But with the deforestation that had occurred from the fires, the once manicured expanse of the former capital planet of the galaxy would never return to its former glory, at least not for many a lifetime.

Admiral Allen had clustered nineteen of the KFV-Cs atop the Kacoran Plain and then connected them with conduit passageways to form a fairly large base of operations on the planet. He kept his Ds in orbit and required that the staff rotate up to the floating cities on a regular basis to experience Earth-normal gravity—one week in orbit for every two weeks on the planet. It was just one of the many inconveniences that came with making your headquarters on a lighter-gravity world.

The Human fleet had occupied the Alliance Cluster with gusto, but soon found the place to be a cesspool of pain, suffering, and death. The Kracori had ripped the place to shreds and it was all Allen could do to even acknowledge the thousands of calls for assistance streaming into his command center from members of the Expansion, let alone act on any of them.

Adam Cain and the rest of his team—Sherri, Riyad, Tobias, Rutledge and Tindal – had just finished their latest week on the ‘D’ and only fifteen minutes before had entered the vast complex of silver saucers on the surface.

It had been months since Adam and his team last experienced Earth-normal gravity and they had a hell of a time re-acclimating to it. Even the last four weeks before being picked up by the fleet had been spent at reduced gravity onboard the Kracori ship they’d stolen from Juir. The ship was too small to have segregated internal gravity wells, and so out of consideration for Kaylor and Jym, Adam set the gravity at a more comfortable level for the two aliens.

Now the team was trying to get their strength back and it was a long, exhausting effort. They spent two full months on the Bunker Hill, the flagship for the Human fleet, exercising and regaining muscle-mass before being allowed to return to Juir.

Adam and his group were scheduled to depart the Alliance Cluster in three weeks, along with the first big rotation back to Earth. A small number of relief ships had arrived—about forty—which were far fewer than originally planned. Back on Earth it was decided to keep a fair number of reserve units in the solar system to form an effective shield against any further attacks by the Kracori…or anyone else. That left fewer ships to relieve the fleet.

The attempted nuclear attack had been an eye-opener for Earth’s military and political leaders. Now the system employed much tighter security, including for commercial and private ships as well. They felt that with a home force of over four hundred warships, they could provide a reliable defense against any future attacks.

Sherri and Adam were in one of their on-again, off-again stages in their relationship—this time off—so they took separate quarters in one of the outer saucers in the nineteen-ship complex. He and the rest of the team would spend their remaining days on Juir being debriefed like never before by the fleet intel geeks seeking to squeeze any additional information regarding their experiences within the Expansion before they left. Riyad had the most seniority, having spent a full six years out among the aliens before Adam met him, so he provided the most detailed information. Sherri came next with three years’ experience and then finally Adam. The three SEALs—Tobias, Rutledge and Tindal—had very limited knowledge of actual Expansion races, planets and cultures—except from when they’d landed upon an alien world to kill Juireans.

In addition, the spooks were especially interested in everything and anything Kaylor and Jym could tell them. The Human fleet had entered the Expansion en masse and with the singular purpose of defeating the Juireans in battle. But even after a year-and-a-half in space, very few of the Humans in the fleet had any direct contact with members of the Expansion. This intel would be vital in helping the Humans interact with the aliens.

And contact interaction was inevitable. Just as Admiral Allen had surmised through his Medieval Strategy, the Expansion readily accepted the Humans as the new leaders of the Expansion. They were now the King of the Castle and all the subjects were clamoring for an audience. This was something very few of the Humans—either here or back on Earth—had considered. Their goal had been simply to defeat the Juireans as revenge for the attack on the Earth. Now they found themselves in charge of a galactic empire, and Admiral Allen, for one, was very ill-prepared for the experience.

The Admiral had essentially deputized Kaylor and Jym as his assistants and they had been a tremendous help. Even though there were still a few 2G’s around, their real-life experience with the functioning of the Expansion was very limited. They had been placed with the native-borns to serve a very narrow purpose, and that purpose definitely was not to help the Humans rule the galaxy.

* * *

Adam had just stowed what little gear he had accumulated over the past six months in a small drawer when the intercom in his cabin beeped.

“Captain Cain, your presence is requested immediately in Comm. Urgent.”

He walked to the small unit on the wall and pressed the button. “I’m on my way.”

It still took him six minutes to make his way through the maze of curving corridors and plastic-covered walkways between the saucers to reach the radio shack. As he entered, he noticed Admiral Allen’s creased forehead and knew immediately that something was up. He looked to the big screen behind the Admiral and saw the large, angular face of a white-haired Juirean looking out at him. The face was familiar and it only took him a second to recognize him.

“Lord Wydor, isn’t it?” Adam asked as he walked up next to Admiral Allen.

“That is correct, Mr. Cain. I am pleased to see that you have survived the ordeal you encountered while on my world. You are one of the rare beings who can claim as much.”

Allen looked at Adam, still frowning. “Lord Wydor has asked to speak with you personally, Captain. Needless to say, we were a little surprised to receive his call—or link—as you call it out here.”

Adam looked back at the alien. “From the lack of delay in your message, can I assume you are close by, Lord Wydor?”

“Yes, but my message is scrambled, so you will not be able to locate its source. Even though we have been evicted from our system, we still have certain resources in the area at our disposal.”

“So why have you returned?”

The alien expressed a look of deep sorrow. “I have come to personally witness the damage done to my world by the savage Kracori. I must say, I am staggered by the cruel and vindictive nature of their actions. I am sure even the Humans would not have resorted to such barbaric and childish behavior.”

Both Adam and Allen exchanged looks of surprise at the Juirean’s blatant condescension, but Adam knew that was just how the aliens spoke; they usually said what was on their minds.

“Probably not,” Adam agreed, half-convincingly. Mankind had been known to do some barbaric and childish things themselves—and more often than not—against their own kind. What they would have ultimately done to Juir would remain a mystery.

“So why have you requested to speak with me? I am not a diplomat or in charge of our military.”

“It is because during our previously brief encounter, you displayed a good sense of perspective for the events that had already taken place—as well as accurate insight into those still remaining. You also gained the favor of my very close friend and mentor, Elder Hydon Ra Elys. Also, prior to the Kracori asteroid attack upon Juir, I had been in contact with the personnel within the survival bunker under Malor Tower. I am aware that Lord Hydon was taken and that your particular group of Humans was not involved in that action. However, I do know that the other group of Humans was responsible. Do you have any news of Lord Hydon?”

Adam shook his head. “All I know is that he was placed aboard a Kracori ship and sent to their homeworld. I don’t know if they’ve kept him as a prisoner or if they’ve killed him. Sorry.”

“No apologies necessary, Mr. Cain. I suspect that by now he has been dispatched in a most undesirable manner, especially considering what the Kracori did to Juir.”

“I’m sure your concern for Hydon is genuine, Lord Wydor, but I ask again, why have you called me?”

Wydor stretched a small smile across his thin lips. It seemed strained and out of place. “I wish to inform you as to the intentions of the Juireans in the wake of recent events.”

Both Adam and Allen tensed. They knew there were still several billion Juireans spread throughout the galaxy and that they had vast resources to draw upon. Adam was sure they possessed enough ships to build a fleet large enough to rival the Human’s. The question had been on the minds of all the top brass: What would the Juireans do next?

“The honesty I will provide you with is sincere, Mr. Cain. I believe now that you and your people never sought war with the Expansion and you do not wish to prolong it any longer than is necessary. That is why I have sought you out personally. I believe you will relay this information to your superiors in as passionate a form as you did when describing your insights to me and Hydon.”

The new Elder of the Juirean race paused and looked away for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts. When he looked back at Adam, his eyes carried an even sadder shade of blue.

“I will not try to delude you, Mr. Cain; the attack on the Cluster has had a devastating effect on the Juireans as a race, more so than you can imagine, and in an area you may not be familiar with. For nearly three thousand years, almost all of our females have been located either on the planets Salin or Crilis here in the Cluster. Our females are extremely important to us and serve the most vital functions in our society, that of procreation and the raising of our young. There had been over a billion Juirean females on these two worlds. Now, after the Kracori attack, we estimate that we have fewer than one million left.

“This information may not seem very important to you Humans. You—like the vast majority of the other races in the Expansion—mate within your communities and in bonding units. We Juireans did so as well until the demands for administrators became so great. We could no longer leave the production of these administrators to chance and instead transitioned to a more predictable and streamlined process.”

“Lord Wydor, I am aware of how the Juireans reproduce. This is not news to us.”

“I realize that, but I wish to explain what an impact the loss of so many females has had on my race. Not only were so many killed on our two reproduction worlds, but nearly all of our young as well, including the current pre-release brood. As a result, we estimate that there are over three billion Juireans left in the galaxy; however, approximately ninety-three percent of them are male. As the years go by, there simply will not be enough new Juireans produced to replace those who die.”

Wydor took a deep breath and the sadness in his eyes grew even more pronounced. “So, Mr. Cain, the only priority of the Juirean people at this time—as well as for generations to come—will be to rebuild our species, and to achieve this we have even resorted back to the old methods of impregnation: actual physical contact.”

Both Allen and Adam looked at each other and shared wry smiles. So the aliens are back to doing the nasty?

Wydor was continuing: “Although this practice will produce new offspring—and through genetic manipulation nearly all newborns will be female—it will still take many years to rebuild just the female gender of our race. In the meantime, many millions of Juirean males will simply die off, not to be replaced. Parity in genders will not come for several generations.”

Wydor looked intensely at Adam with eyes that had now grown moist. “The Juirean people do not wish any further conflict with the Humans and we also are not interested in resuming any leadership position within the Expansion—if in the event the Humans decide to keep it in its present form. We have placed ourselves on a small group of planets in another region of the galaxy. I am sure that with some effort, you will be able to find this location, since it is hard to hide a population such as ours from prying eyes.

“At this time I wish to express our sincere desire to be left alone. We are not a threat to anyone. The greatest fear for the Juirean people is that of extinction. If we are not allowed to follow our reproductive goals, the Juirean race will die off in great numbers, destined to become only a small, single-planet colony lost to the pages of galactic history. We are too proud of a race to let that happen. We wish to rediscover our heritage and learn once more what it means to be Juirean. One day in the distant future we will seek to rejoin the community of worlds within the galaxy, although definitely not in a leadership position.

“The past few hundred days have been a great time of reflection for the Juirean people. We have looked back at how we became what we are and are not happy with what we see. Although our empire was great, and we ruled the galaxy for thousands of years, we paid a heavy toll for our success. We never intended to give away our more traditional mating bonds and what you call the family unit; that happened over time as a consequence of the growth of the Expansion. The chemical desires that are within our genders still remain; three thousand years is not enough time to alter evolution and instinct. Even though this transition has been difficult for us, we are beginning to see what we lost, and what so many other races within the galaxy still enjoy.”

The Juirean suddenly frowned and leaned in closer to the screen. “May I ask a question of you Mr. Cain, since your race is so much more intimate with this subject?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Adam said, surprised by the question.

“Now that we are having more intimate and continuous interactions with our females, we are having some difficulty in adapting. We males are confused—it seems as though our females are of a different species than us. We have such diametrically opposed ways of viewing similar events. It is very hard to understand the thinking of our females. Is it the same among Humans?”

Adam and Allen couldn’t help it; they burst out laughing. After a moment, Adam looked into the confused eyes of the Juirean and replied. “Yes, Lord Wydor, we share the same experience and the same concerns. But that’s what makes females so appealing to us—all the mystery and emotion. But I’m sure our women—females—consider us to be of a different species, as well. You’ll get used to it, Lord Wydor, although you will never fully understand the female mind. Just enjoy it while you can and don’t question it too deeply.”

“I appreciate the insight, Mr. Cain, even if it has only confused me more.”

“Welcome to the club.”

“Please repeat.”

“Never mind.” Adam looked at Allen and saw a simple nod.

“Lord Wydor, I believe I speak for the rest of us here when I say we do not want to continue a war with the Juireans any more than you want one with us. We never asked for any of this to happen—but here we are. We will respect your privacy and let the Juirean people recover as best you can.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cain, and also to you, Fleet Marshal Allen.”

“It’s Admiral Allen, Lord Wydor,” Allen corrected.

“That is what I said: Fleet Marshal.”

Adam placed a hand on Allen’s arm. “It’s okay. The translation bug is converting the rank to the Juirean equivalent.”

“Oh, sorry,” Allen said, a little embarrassed. He had so much to learn about alien interactions.

Adam continued: “And I am truly sorry for what happened to your planet. As you know, Humans also have a very special bond to our homeworld.”

“You may find this hard to conceive,” Wydor said, “but even though not a single one of our race has been born upon the planet Juir in over two thousand years, we still consider Juir to be our home—and we always will.”

Wydor attempted the small smile again, even though Adam could tell he was in emotional pain. “I will be closing the link now, Mr. Cain, but before I go I wish to say one last thing: Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Oh, this is not for you only, but for your entire race. If you had not accomplished what you have, the Juirean race would have continued along our same self-destructive path. We realize now that we did not have the Expansion to serve us, but rather we existed to serve the Expansion. That had never been our intention as a people. Looking back on the millennia, it seems we never were superior to any of our subjects, even though we believed ourselves to be. We were the servants, and everyone else the masters. As a result of your actions, we will now have a chance to live as a race of people again, interacting as all the other members of the Expansion have been allowed to do. That is why I thank you. You have given identity back to the Juirean people. May good fortune follow you, Mr. Cain. Maybe someday, when the Juirean race has recovered, Humans and Juireans will become friends.”

* * *

The screen went blank and Admiral Allen and Adam spent a long minute in silence staring at their reflections in the shiny black screen.

“Ain’t that some shit,” Adam finally said, breaking the silence. “Tell me you were recording that, Admiral?”

“Of course, and I will get this out to Earth right away.” Allen placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Good job, captain. When he requested you personally, I didn’t know what to expect. This will come as welcome news back on Earth. Without the Juireans to worry about, it looks like we’re pretty much in control of the whole damn thing.”

“Yes sir. But now that we own the galaxy, what are we going to do with it?”

Chapter 39

Adam pulled the furry hood of the parka tighter around his head and trudged a little further in the near knee-deep snow drifts. The velocity of the wind was high, yet one of the things he found about worlds with lighter gravity, lower air density meant weaker winds. The velocities might be the same, but rather than fighting to remain upright against the force, it was more like a soft breeze on his pink cheeks.

It had been two hours since the conversation with Lord Wydor. Afterwards, Adam felt a strong urge to get outside and experience some wide open spaces; the close walls of the flying saucers had suddenly felt more confining. Even though the weather outside the command complex was terrible, Adam welcomed the change. It helped him put things in perspective, something his mind had been attempting to do for several months already.

Adam could see where Malor Tower had once stood, marked by the few remaining metal frame elements still anchored securely in the massive concrete foundation, although now twisted and warped into something resembling a scene from an old black-and-white gothic horror movie. He moved between two twisted spires and made his way to where he estimated the center of the structure would have been, at the very spot where the Contact Monument had once stood. In a surprising flash of Jerry Seinfeld-type thinking, Adam thought the Juireans really should work harder at better naming their monuments and structures in the future; maybe use a little more imagination and flair. Contact Monument had never really done it for him. But that was a thought for another day.

The Kracori asteroid had done a real number on the planet, even though it hadn’t arrived with the tremendous velocity and punch of a traditional impact event. Adam looked out across the vast alluvial plain below the mountain and out to the Southern Sea beyond. He was sure the Kracori had been originally aiming for the very spot he now stood; however, they had missed. The massive rock of nickel and iron had instead struck almost a hundred kilometers out to sea, the hundred meter high tsunami sweeping in from the ocean, across the vast plain—where the still-smoldering remains of Juir City had once stood—and then reaching the very base of the Kacoran Plain itself. And then the waters receded, leaving the land below virginal, as it was before the first ancient Juirean ever set foot upon its grasses.

He would be leaving for Earth in a few days and was not looking forward to twelve long months cooped up in a metal cocoon. But it would be good to get home. He had been gone for three years—four if you didn’t count the brief six-day stay just before the Juireans attacked. He was sure he would find things incredibly different from when he left.

He stretched out a wide, cynical smile as the cold air struck the skin of his face. I make it sound as if I had a choice about leaving, he thought. That was hardly the case.

Indeed, very little that had happened to him over the past four years had been his choice, and he placed the blame for such circumstance squarely in one place: on aliens! Since his first encounter with these odd creatures, they had brought him nothing but pain, misery and heartache. They had disrupted his life and taken away his future.

Yes, a year was a long time to spend confined in a big metal disk, but Adam Cain swore—then and there—that after he got back to Earth it would be a cold day in Hell before he ever returned to space again!

Chapter 40

Seven Years Later…

It was a particularly cold day in Hell when Adam’s shuttle landed atop the Kacoran Plain, near the cluster of twenty-four buildings that now made up the provisional capital of the EU—the Expansion Union. He watched through the shuttle’s viewport as great clouds of snow were tossed back by the craft’s chemical landing ports to settle onto the hard, icy surface of Juir.

He wasn’t surprised to see that the climate hadn’t returned to normal in the seven years since he’d left. It would normally be winter in these latitudes; however, the temperature worldwide was still sitting about six degrees below normal. Harsh winters covered more of the surface these days and lasted longer into the year. The experts estimated it would still be another ten years or more before the planet would heal itself completely from the Kracori asteroid attack.

Adam felt the sudden shift in gravity as the internal well dissolved, leaving him suddenly about fifty pounds lighter than he was a moment before. It had been years since he’d experienced the sensation, and for a moment it made him smile, thinking about all the amazing feats he had been able to accomplish back in the day.

What is this crap? he asked. Am I feeling nostalgic?

He might have been—in a way—he acknowledged. A lot had happened since his return to Earth so many years before, after an excruciating long and boring ride back to the planet. In fact, putting that in perspective, he’d spent two out of the last seven years just traveling from Juir to Earth and now back again. Two years out of his life wasted aboard a giant metal Frisbee.

His tenure back on Earth had been a whirlwind, too, so much so that it seemed like only a blip in time looking back on it now.

He had been welcomed back as a hero, a role for which he was completely ill-prepared to play. The current president of the United States, Sean McClaren, had kept the promise of his predecessor and had pardoned him—along with all his cohorts—for any culpability in the Juirean attack on the planet. In fact, he was made out to be the lone voice of reason at the time, unheeded by those in power.

It didn’t end there.

He was also given credit for stopping the Kracori attack as well.

The entire population of the planet was well aware of the nuclear plague the aliens had attempted to infect them with—the resulting EMP was something that couldn’t be hidden and had to be explained. What very few people knew, however, was that the Human defenders had nothing to do with stopping the attack.

Within the enclaves of the powerful, it was decided that this particular bit of information would not have been welcomed among a race of people sitting on the brink of hysteria. If they had known that the Kracori had been only minutes away from irradiating the planet for generations—and those entrusted to protect them from such threats had failed in their duty—there would have been a complete breakdown in the trust in government to keep them safe from all the disparate forces in the galaxy who—for some goddamn reason—didn’t like Humans very much.

So that part of the story was kept quiet, and after much convincing, Adam went along with the story. The new official version was that Adam had warned the authorities of the impending attack, and then through sheer skill and determination, the authorities were able to stop the Kracori.

It made the Human race sleep better at night knowing that their leaders could protect them, even if it was a lie.

And now Adam Cain was considered the savior of all mankind.

He had gone on the lecture circuit—another thing he abhorred—before finally settling down in a genuine log cabin in the pristine, pine-shrouded mountains outside of South Lake Tahoe, California. At the time, Sherri Valentine was still with him, but that soon ended. It seemed that when two people are thrown together through some tragic or life-threatening event—such as spending three years being chased by aliens throughout the galaxy—trying to maintain that relationship in light of the everyday and the mundane became very difficult, if not impossible. He had not heard from her for nearly two years.

Riyad Tarazi had faded away as well. He was semi-famous now—although nothing like Adam—and had made a fair amount of money off a book he wrote about his experiences in space. Adam hadn’t read it yet, but he was sure Riyad had glossed over some of the more unsavory parts of his adventures. Adam hadn’t heard from him in a couple years, either.

Lieutenant Andy Tobias was now Captain Andy Tobias, still in the Navy, yet spending most of his time off-planet, as most of the military did these days.

Chief Geoffrey Rutledge retired from the Navy and lived in Key West, Florida, running a small fishing boat operation with his buddy John Tindal. Unknown to Adam, the two of them were actually fairly accomplished musicians, and they moonlighted as a duo at the Hog’s Breath Saloon on Duval Street four nights a week. They were known by the professional name of Local Knowledge, meaning they knew their way around. That now included large parts of the galaxy.

Yes, Adam was feeling nostalgic. But now he had a job to do, one that had brought him twenty thousand light-years across the Milky Way to a planet which he swore he would never return.

* * *

Adam was escorted to the main structure on the mountain, a building unceremoniously called NU-6. Aliens never were very creative at naming things—neither were Human bureaucrats! It was a nine-story concrete structure housing the Administrator’s offices and the primary diplomat corps for Earth. Most of the surrounding buildings housed the military headquarters for the galaxy, as well as various Human trade missions.

Below the mountain, and on land that had once been Juir City, a new city in its own right had sprung up: Consulate City. With a population nearing half a million—including an estimated thirty-five thousand Humans—this was where the diplomatic missions from nearly eight thousand worlds could be found.

Snuggled up against the base of the mountain were the buildings of the Union Assembly, where representatives from the twenty-three sectors of the Expansion held court.

Adam was amazed at the changes that had taken place in seven years, especially in light of the planet’s harsh weather. But when you had the resources of a galaxy at your disposal, anything was possible.

Yes, it turned out that the Human Expansion was still run out of the planet Juir, at least officially. Most of the actual day-to-day operations, however, took place on Earth, a task made easier by the continuous-wormhole (CW) relays invented by the Klin, which allowed for instantaneous communications between Earth and Juir. It seemed that in their haste to leave the Cluster, the Kracori had left a CW relay station in orbit around Juir. Human and alien technicians quickly learned the secrets of the device and had actually improved upon it. Now most starships and planets within the Expansion utilized this revolutionary new technology.

Even though communications had improved greatly in the intervening years, travel time throughout the galaxy had not. Earth was still located too far away to make an effective capital for the Expansion, and so it was decided that it served everyone’s best interest to keep the official capital of the galaxy at the place it had been for the past four thousand years.

At least it would remain so for a few more months…until Adam Cain concluded his assignment.

Inside the main administration building it was warm and cozy, with dark wood paneling lining the walls and impressive statues of crystal and marble set about tastefully. The wide corridor that led to the Administrator’s office was covered with a thick wine-colored carpet with intricate designs subtly embossed in its weave. Adam followed the young Human aide down the hallway and up to the ornate double doors of carved wood. The doors looked familiar; Adam knew why.

The aide opened the doors and Adam walked in. Behind the massive wood desk, the Administrator for the Expansion Union rose up with a wide grin across his face, his huge frame looking slightly less huge than the last time Adam had seen him.

“My friend, Adam Cain, it is so wonderful to see you again. It has been ages.”

“Yes it has, Kroekus, and I’m glad to see this meeting is on much friendlier terms than last time.” Last time was when Kroekus had attempted to have him, Sherri, and Riyad killed in the crime boss’s headquarters back on the Fringe world of Silea. Adam motioned to the door with his hand. “I see you’ve imported the doors from your old office.”

“Please have a seat, Mister Ambassador! And yes, I try to make myself as comfortable as I can wherever I go. Charm is a lavish life, so they say.”

Adam didn’t quite catch the Silean reference, but the meaning registered. Adam grinned as he took a seat in a richly-padded chair in front of the desk. “You look good, Kroekus. Have you lost weight?”

Adam noticed a frown appear on the alien’s forehead, but then the smile quickly returned. “Ah, your foreign ways,” Kroekus said jovially. “Your ignorance can be forgiven but let me explain why that question is not a compliment. For Silean males our, ah, sex organ, grows with our accumulation of weight and mass. Therefore, the larger the male, the larger is his, shall I say—tool? It is a sign of sexual prowess to be of considerable bulk, and quite appealing to our females. But looking at you Humans, I see that does not apply to your race—or does it?”

Adam couldn’t help himself; he burst out laughing, exposing teeth and all. Kroekus did the same, however his laugh was like that of a car engine trying to turn over in cold weather. The two of them laughing made for quite a scene.

Once the pleasantries were out of the way—along with a little more reminiscing—the two diplomats got down to business.

“Your news will not be welcome, Adam.”

“I realize that, but it’s a decision we’re going with. I hope you understand.”

“Oh I do, completely. It is just that it will throw the galaxy back into turmoil just as we were beginning to recover. It will not make my job any easier.”

Adam had often wondered why the former crime lord of Silea had taken the job of Administrator in the first place; he didn’t need the headache. Kroekus had capitalized on the retreat of the Juireans during the war by issuing gold-certificates to the hundreds—and then thousands—of worlds who had previously relied on Juirean credits as their currency of record. With the complete downfall of the Juireans and their money, Kroekus reorganized the entire financial structure of the galaxy through a combination of gold-backed credits and an elaborate conversion program that allowed for individual worlds to use their own currency in intergalactic transactions.

Adam was in awe knowing that sitting across the desk from him, was the wealthiest creature in the galaxy.

“Kroekus, I’ve often wondered why you even bother with this job? You don’t need to put up with all the bullshit—I mean—trouble that goes along with it.”

The Silean had drinks and snacks brought in and now he devoured a pastry-looking thing and then downed a long swallow of a brown liquid. “Adam, my friend, my family has controlled Silea for a thousand years; I was born into wealth, so credits mean very little to me. I enjoy the running of things, of seeing vast organizations operating under my direction, and I gain pleasure in seeing these operations work efficiently. When I saw the financial system of the Expansion collapsing, I simply offered a solution. That solution worked, and now I have more wealth than I could possibly use. But I had that already. Now it is the challenge I live for.”

“Then my announcement shall give you a challenge like never before.”

“Indeed. And speaking of the announcement, the representatives should be assembled by now. Are you ready to turn the galaxy upside down, my friend?”

Adam suddenly felt knots twist in his stomach. He had never been comfortable with public speaking; his only consolation came from knowing that only about thirty beings would be present—and nearly all of them would be aliens.

* * *

Adam’s ‘announcement’ would take place in a room that resembled a small college lecture hall. There were several rows of seats rising up to the back of the room and all facing a small stage. A lectern had been set up on the platform.

Adam had a year to prepare his announcement, even though he had long ago chosen not to follow any formal structure. He would simply state the facts as he knew them and then play it by ear. For far too long he had made himself sick wondering how this meeting would turn out. And then he realized he didn’t give a damn what they thought. This was something the Human race was doing for its own welfare, not the Expansion’s.

If the aliens didn’t like it, then screw them.

Adam and Kroekus entered the hall from a side door. There was a cacophony of alien chatter filling the room when they entered that quickly dropped to a hush. The Administrator took a seat off to the side of the audience while Adam climbed the three short steps to the stage and moved behind the podium.

He placed notes on the small surface before him and then took a quick glance at his audience. There was a menagerie of aliens of nearly all shapes and sizes sitting before him, but since ninety percent of the Members of the Expansion were Primes—meaning Humanoid to Adam—they all followed the same basic physiology. Even so, some were wearing pressure suits and helmets, while others had small tubes running to their noses, providing supplemental breathing.

These were the appointed representatives of the twenty-three sectors of the Expansion, along with a few VIPs from manufacturing and commerce. It would have been impractical to hold such a meeting with representatives from every planet in the Expansion, nearly eight thousand worlds. That would have really tied Adam’s stomach up in knots. Eight thousand aliens all in one room—and imagine the smell!

There was a familiar face smiling at him from the front row. Adam immediately recognized the two dangling appendages below his ears and knew it to be Kaylor. So he’s entered politics? I didn’t see that coming, Adam thought. Better him than the emotional little bear, Jym. But even as he nodded at the tall Belsonian, he caught himself. Just look at me! I’ve entered the political arena myself, so I can’t be critical of anyone else. I wonder if he’s having as shitty a time doing this as I am?

He cleared his throat and the chatter in the room diminished. It took a couple more ah-hems before it was quiet.

“Greetings to all,” he began. Adam had no idea what the formal welcoming would be for all these various races, so he chose something very basic and generic. “I am Adam Cain, special ambassador from the planet Earth and representing the interests of the Human race.” The one thing that actually allowed him to remain somewhat calm during this situation was that he was sure most of these creatures couldn’t discern Human body language, so no matter how nervous he was, they shouldn’t be able to notice. Maybe a shaky voice and redness in the cheeks was normal for a Human?

“I come before you today to make a very important announcement regarding the continued Human involvement in the affairs of the Expansion. Yet before I make the formal statement, I would like to summarize what my race has experienced during the past seven years, since the time we assumed control of the Expansion.

“As all of you should be aware, our conflict with the Juireans was thrust upon us, contrary to any stories you may have heard. At the time, my race was not planning some great invasion of Juirean territory, and therefore was not a threat to the Juireans, to the Expansion, or to any of its members. It was the Klin who circulated these rumors, causing the Juireans to take action against us. The Klin needed a war between the Humans and Juireans to further their ambitions—and they got one. However, the results were not as they expected.”

A murmur ran through the crowd. Many of the delegates present were still loyal to the Juireans; many were not, yet they all missed the stability the Juireans had brought to their sectors. For the most part, Humans were resented by the majority of the delegates, even though all those present knew there was no viable alternative at the time.

“After the war, and the destruction of Juir, we Humans found ourselves deluged with calls for leadership from the members of the Expansion. For thousands of years, there had always been one central race to set the rules and maintain peace and stability in the galaxy. With the Juireans gone, that job fell to the Humans.”

Adam paused to take a sip of water. He caught Kaylor’s eye, who was watching him intently with a frown. Adam sent him a quick wink as he finished with the water.

“Now the thing you have to realize about Humans is that we enjoy being in charge, so the opportunity to govern a galaxy was quite appealing to many of us, even though we didn’t have a clue about what we were doing. Luckily for us—and for all of you—none of the members sought to challenge us militarily for that position. That would have been a mistake.

“However, it wasn’t long before we realized just how involved the Juireans were in the day-to-day operations of the Expansion. The rules and regulations that had evolved over the time the Juireans ruled—along with their enforcement—came as second-nature to them, and it appeared at first that the Expansion functioned pretty much on its own, with very little outside influence or direction. We were wrong. It turned out that running a thing as big as a galaxy takes a total commitment from those in control. Over the past seven years, the Human race has tried to embrace that commitment, not only for the good of the Expansion, but also for ourselves, for without this total commitment, we were doomed to fail.

“As you’re probably already aware, Humanity is very good at certain things, and primary among these is the fighting of wars. This was the main reason the Klin chose us to go up against the Juireans. However, we also pride ourselves on being good administrators. We discovered this to be an illusion. Most of the governmental systems on Earth—prior to us discovering the galaxy—consist mostly of an accumulation of past laws and regulations all stacked on top of one another, with very few of the old, inefficient, or outdated laws ever being purged from the system. Now that we controlled a galaxy, many of the leaders and power-brokers on Earth jumped right in and started setting down thousands upon thousands of new laws, regulations, and guidelines regarding how the Expansion should be managed, even though we had no idea what we were doing. Unfortunately, a lot of these early efforts didn’t work, to say the least. The feedback from many of you in this room has helped us get our direction, but it’s still a mess.

“But most of this is just a lead up to what has been our greatest revelation. On the Earth, our land is divided into about two hundred separate and distinct countries. I know most of you in this room cannot grasp this concept, but you must understand we are new to the galactic community. Before now, we had not looked upon ourselves as one race or one planet among many. We do now—and things are changing. But old habits die hard.

“Now we find ourselves in charge of an organization with eight thousand separate units—like having eight thousand countries to interact with. This has proven to be incredibly difficult for us. Most of the countries on Earth have consulates—diplomatic missions—with all the others. That, in itself, has always been a major undertaking for us. Now—as a race—we have to establish eight thousand more, and with races and cultures completely foreign to us. This has caused an overwhelming demand for not only thousands of new diplomats, but also for all their support staff. In addition, we have found that this new responsibility has spilled over into so many other areas we had never imagined, from commerce to medical science to supplying housing and other materiel support for all our various missions. And more than just the sheer need for personnel, there has been an unbelievable amount of things to learn—protocols, cultural differences, histories, and so much more.

“The Juireans, for their part, had four thousand years to evolve into the role Humans suddenly inherited overnight. We were allowed no period of transition. One day we were a solitary planet existing by ourselves in the Far Arm. The next we were expected to assume the position of leaders of an entire galaxy. The job has been daunting, as well as an incredible strain on the Human race.”

He took another sip of water. Now it begins.

“So to the main reason for this meeting…. After much discussion back on Earth, we have settled on a course of action which—over my objections—is being called The Cain Initiative. Although it’s named after me, I was not the first to suggest it. Instead, there has been a constant and growing group of Humans who have supported this action almost from the beginning. At the conclusion of this meeting you will be sent a more detailed explanation and guidelines for the Initiative, but in summary, it simply states that the Human race is relinquishing all control of the Expansion—”

An uproar of voices exploded throughout the assembly. Although none here were especially fond of the Humans, they were accustomed to having one authority in charge. After all the turmoil, confusion, and uncertainty following the fall of the Juireans, they were not anxious to have a repeat of those times.

“Please calm down. Quiet everyone,” Adam pleaded. Once order was restored, he continued. “That’s right. Humanity is giving up the Expansion. We will be returning to our part of the galaxy, namely the Far Arm. This changeover will happen in approximately six months. And now for more of the details.

“We have designated Kroekus of Silea as the interim Administrator of the Expansion Union, a role he has been competently filling for several years, yet until now, always under Human direction. Over the next six months, and with your help, he will be tasked with devising a governing document which will establish the general operating principles for the new EU. Representatives within this room will form the core of a new governing assembly. Once complete control is turned over to the EU, you may decide to have direct elections of your leaders or may choose them from within the assembly. The ultimate decision will be yours, as will all others that follow.”

Adam continued to get more serious with each new item he outlined. “We do realize that with the sudden departure of the Humans there will need to be established a new universal military and police force to maintain order throughout the galaxy. To achieve this, each member will be requested to supply one military-style starship—with trained crew—to the Expansion. If this is accomplished, then the new government will control a police force of eight thousand ships, making it the second largest military force ever to operate within the galaxy. This should go a long way to maintaining security for your respective worlds.

“With regards to another area, Kroekus will continue to advise the EU in matters concerning universal currency and financial transactions—something he is very proficient at—so there should not be a repeat of the meltdown that occurred when the Juireans left.”

He paused again and took another sip of water. When he finished, he looked out at the crowd with burning eyes. “This next part you should pay particular attention to. Although the Humans are leaving the Expansion, we have a word of warning for all of you present: We are not doing this out of weakness. We are doing this because we do not want to repeat the path taken by the Juirean people. We do not want to become slaves to our success or to the sheer size of our endeavor.

“However, we do recognize our nature, and now that we have been exposed to the wonders of the universe, we will not be content with being just one world any longer. Humanity will return to the Far Arm, yet we are declaring the following: from the area in the Fringe called the Barrier, and along a line running parallel to that landmark, all territory within the Arm will now be designated as Human Territory. It will be our sovereign space and we will not tolerate any hostile actions against it by outside forces. Within this space, we will establish our own mini-empire, if you will. This will satisfy Humanity’s need for exploration and expansion, and will also keep certain desires at bay, at least as they pertain to the space beyond the Arm.

“Furthermore, even though we have established this dividing line in space, it will not restrict trade or travel within our respective territories. Even though we are giving up control of the Expansion and pulling back our forces, we wish to remain an active member of the galactic community of worlds and races.

“Now, with all these changes come a few other declarations. First of all—as far as Humans are concerned—we have designated two species as outlaw races. They are the Klin and the Kracori. You may have noticed I did not mention the Juireans. Even though our world was attacked by the hand of the Juireans, they were not in full control of their actions. They were manipulated and misled by the Klin, just as we were. Don’t get me wrong; we do not seek to be friends with the Juireans. We just haven’t designated them as outlaws.

“What this designation means is that until further notice, Humans will continue to hunt the Klin and the Kracori until we exact our own form of justice. To that end, we will not respect the sovereignty or the laws of any other world or galactic entity in our efforts. In addition, any world that—as a policy—supports or protects either the Klin or the Kracori will also be deemed outlaw and they, too, will suffer the full force that the Human race can bring to bear. These two outlaw races will be isolated and alone.

“So let this be a warning to the Klin and Kracori—as well as any who choose to support them: We will not rest until our revenge has been satisfied.”

Adam paused and looked out at the crowd. The murmuring had stopped, as had all the protests. There was now a stunned silence throughout the room.

Adam would now conclude his speech, but not before he realized why he had been selected to be the face of the Initiative, as well as the one to give this presentation. The message would not have had the same impact if given by a diplomat and in diplomat-speak. The politicians in the room—even alien politicians—would have treated it as just the opening salvo in an on-going negotiation. But for Adam, this was no negotiation. It was a proclamation, a law…an order.

He took a deep breath and continued. “Most of you in this assembly have only had minimal contact with the Human race, and most of that, if not all, has been through the prism of diplomacy. Well I’m here to tell you right now, that what you’ve seen of us so far is nothing compared to the truth. We have gone up against the most powerful force in the galaxy—and we beat the hell out of them. That may not translate properly, but I’m sure you get the meaning. The message should be clear; we Humans are not to be trifled with. We are a mean, savage, and vengeful race, and we possess certain physical attributes that make us even tougher than our attitude.

“I will now conclude with this one final item. Although we are leaving, we are not running away, and if any of you seek to challenge us in the future, it will not be pleasant—for you. So from me and my race, we have this very simple message to the galaxy: Don’t mess with the Humans.”

Chapter 41

It had been over four years since Nigel McCarthy had any contact with the Kracori Ludif Council. So when he got the message that they were requesting his counsel, he was very curious what was up.

He dressed in the best of the tattered clothing they had given him over seven years before and attempted to pat down his wild ginger-colored hair that had grown much too long on the sides of his now nearly-bald scalp. He had given up keeping his hair cropped several years ago, when he realized that no one gave a damn what he looked like. In a world of gray, leather-skinned beings, no matter what he did he would always look alien to them.

Since arriving on the planet Elision with the Juirean Elder Hydon, he had experienced a love-hate relationship with the Kracori. At first, they loved him, treating him and his men as celebrities at court. They were given lavish quarters just outside the sprawling planetary governing complex in the city of Goruis along with nearly anything else they desired. Early on, McCarthy had consulted almost continuously with the Kracori, revealing all he could about his fellow Humans, their industrial capacities, and their tactics of war.

He had been more than happy to offer this information, something the Klin had never seemed that curious about. The Klin had studied Humans for a hundred years and believed they knew all about them, at least enough for the role they were to play in coming events. Nigel had done his part by coordinating the acquisition of Humans for the Klin’s breeding farms and spaceships. Beyond that, they never had much use for the former British SAS officer.

Unfortunately, the Kracori had also run out of uses for McCarthy and his men. After draining them of all useful information, the Humans were eventually relocated to a more rundown section of the city and promptly forgotten. They were provided with a bare minimum of food and drink and other provisions—all free of charge—but never did Nigel see a dime of the planetary fortune he’d been promised. Many a restless night, he would lay awake and wonder if he would have done better taking his chances with Adam Cain and the other Humans. At least then he would have had more control over his destiny.

But now the Kracori were calling him. Maybe he might be of renewed value to the aliens. Maybe now he could escape from the paralyzing boredom that was his constant companion on the planet Elision.

But just in case it was something different, he did take along a few accessories….

* * *

Nigel McCarthy was escorted to a nondescript conference room within the governing complex, but not one of the fancy chambers reserved for VIP’s. Instantly, alarm bells went off in his head. The SAS field operative was now on full alert.

He sat at the end of a long, gray metal table where four Kracori were already seated. He was glad to see Daninf Kicon sitting at the other end of the table. At least this meeting was important enough to warrant the presence of the Langril himself.

“Mr. McCarthy,” Daninf began. He had long ago learned the proper form of greeting for Humans. McCarthy could also see that the leader of the Kracori people had grown considerably older-looking in the four years since he’d seen him last. It must be tough for the Kracori, to be stuck here in their own nebulae, afraid to poke their heads outside their protective cocoon. “There has been a major development within the Expansion for which we need your insights.”

Nigel raised his bushy eyebrows. Major developments; this could be interesting. “Sure, what’s happened?”

“It seems that your Human race have decided to relinquish control of the Expansion and return to their part of the galaxy.”

Nigel was stunned by the news. His eyes grew wide and his jaw fell open. “Well bugger me,” he said aloud. “Why would they do that?”

“That is what we have brought you in to answer.”

“Surely they had to give a reason.”

“There was a speech made by their representative—someone I believe you know: Adam Cain.”

Cain! So that bloody SEAL is still hanging around. I thought I’d heard the last of his name. “Go on. What did he say?”

“He said they have concluded that the galaxy is too big for them to govern, and that they have elected to claim the Far Arm as Human Territory. There was also something about not wanting to become like the Juireans.”

“So what’s your issue? It seems like they’ve handed the galaxy back to you blokes.”

Daninf looked frustrated with Nigel’s casual concern over the information revealed. “If by blokes you refer to the Kracori, then you are mistaken. The Humans have also declared that both the Kracori and Klin are to be outlaw races, and they have sworn to continue their search for us.”

“I thought you said they were leaving?”

“They are, yet they will still be involved in trade and travel with the Expansion, and if any trace of either the Kracori or the Klin is found, they will undoubtedly send military units against us.”

McCarthy laughed. “That sounds like something they’d do.”

“That is precisely the input we require from you, Mr. McCarthy, of course without the cavalier attitude,” Daninf said between tight lips. “Are the Humans serious about their intent to leave, and will they continue to pursue the Kracori?”

McCarthy leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling as if in thought. When he looked back at Daninf, his eyes sparkled with an inner glow. “Oh yeah, they’re serious. They never wanted to be in charge of the galaxy anyway, so for them to pull back makes perfect sense. And claiming a smaller part of the galaxy as their own—that’s bloody well brilliant. Now they can play gods in their own backyard. And as far as continuing to hold you and the Klin responsible for all that’s happened to them, you can bet your bottom tanner that they’re serious.”

“Please, Mr. McCarthy, speak more clearly.”

“Yeah, Daninf, they will continue to come after you, until the last star in the galaxy burns out. Is that clear enough for you?” He leaned forward in the chair and placed his hands on the table’s edge, sending a wicked smile Daninf’s way. The Kracori did not fully support the smile-as-a-challenge gesture, like the majority of races throughout the galaxy, but they did understand the concept.

Daninf glared at him for several seconds, obviously upset by McCarthy’s disrespectful behavior. After a moment, however, he regained his composure and attempted to return a pleasant smile to the Human.

“Thank you, Mr. McCarthy. That will be all. If we need your consultation in the future we will call upon you. Oh, and as an afterthought, I hope you are finding your accommodations here on Elision satisfactory? We are glad to have you and your fellow Humans as guests of the Kracori race.”

As he went to rise, McCarthy placed a small, button-size object under the lip of the table. “They’re just fine, Ludif Daninf. No complaints.”

“Good. I would hate to hear that you are dissatisfied with Kracori hospitality.”

* * *

As Nigel left the conference room, he reached up to scratch his ear, and placed the tiny receiver inside it and out of sight. The pickup he’d placed under the table was working perfectly. Daninf was speaking:

“This situation does not change our status to any great degree. The Humans may be leaving, but it is still not safe for us to venture beyond the nebulae.”

“But Daninf, soon the Humans will be ensconced in their own territory and may not wish to embark on another long-distance military campaign. We may still be able to emerge,” said another of the Kracori in the room.

“That may be so,” Daninf agreed. “But for the time being, we are still foremost on their minds. With time, what you say may be true, but not in the short-term. Until that time we must assure that we remain secluded—which brings up the subject of our Human guests.”

“No Kracori will reveal the location of Elision, and all the Klin have been eradicated. You are correct, Daninf: only the Humans are a variable.”

“I see no reason to continue with this accommodation, Linof,” Daninf said. “And with this new emphasis on casting the Kracori as outlaws, McCarthy and his fellow Humans may seek to trade their own forgiveness for our location. The Humans on Elision are few, but they are shifty and resourceful. We cannot risk keeping them around. Do what you must to remedy this situation, Linof.”

“Yes, my Ludif. I will begin to make the arrangements.”

* * *

Nigel stepped outside the tall, gray building just as the conversation in the conference room concluded. He climbed into the back of the transport for the trip back to his apartment with a small grin on his face, an expression that went unnoticed by his driver.

So, they intend to snuff us out, the bloody bastards, Nigel thought. How predictable. He pressed the button on a small communication device he carried in his pocket, sending an alert out to the rest of his team. After all these years, his men would be ready for some action.

Just as Nigel McCarthy had done back on the Klin world of Marishal, he’d long planned for all contingencies. Years back—while still in favor with the Kracori leadership—he secretly secured an old, yet reliable flying saucer and stowed it away where it couldn’t be found by the Kracori. In addition, he and his men maintained go-bags, packed constantly, just awaiting the word.

Nigel McCarthy had just sent the word.

While he enjoyed the rest of the ride back to his flat, he began to reflect on an uncertain future. With the Humans pulling back, there would be chaos and confusion, and Humans would be few and far between throughout the galaxy, except in the distant Far Arm. This could present Nigel and his men with an opportunity. With their skills and superior physical abilities—and no one around to challenge them—they could have their run of the place.

Yes, there was opportunity in chaos, and Nigel McCarthy was ready to be set free within the galaxy like he had never been before. In the past, he had either been a puppet of the Klin or the Kracori. Now he was going to be his own boss, the master of his own destiny. And not a single race of bloody aliens in the entire galaxy could stop him.

Chapter 42

Adam Cain was feeling melancholy. He had kept busy for the past five months preparing for the departure of the Humans from the Expansion, which helped to distract him from his demons. But now that he was scheduled to depart for Earth in three weeks, it was getting harder to keep them at bay.

The trip to Earth would indeed be painful beyond belief. Even though he had been on many a Navy deployment in his career, with his particular rating he had never spent that much time confined aboard a ship. For him it had always been about the action. So, even though the year-long trip back to Earth was contributing to his mood, it was not all that was bothering him.

It was also the uncertainty. He didn’t know where his future would take him. He had mustered out of the Navy years ago, as the fame and adoration wouldn’t allow him to simply do his job.

And what about his fame? Upon his return he would be credited with bringing the troops home, along with saving the Human race from following the same destructive path as the Juireans. He would find no peace back on Earth. It would be the same old dog-and-pony show he was involved in before he’d left, constantly having to display his fake smile to all the cameras and adoring masses. If they only knew how screwed up their hero really was….

* * *

Kroekus requested that Adam come see him in the Silean’s working office down on the surface of Juir. Adam had just recently returned from a trip to Pymilia, where the Humans had set up their main military operations. The base was now a virtual ghost town, but still the few remaining troops had showered him with such embarrassing praise that now he did his best to avoid the rank and file everywhere he went. They were going home—and Adam was getting all the credit. And it would be no different back on Earth.

He decided that he would truly welcome the diversion with the rotund alien. At least the aliens didn’t treat him as a hero.

“Come, my friend,” Kroekus said in his typical jovial manner. “Have a seat on the couch; you look awful, as far as I can tell for a Human—you all look awful to me!”

Adam was in awe of the Silean. Even though he had been drafted into the role of absolute leader of the Expansion, he never seemed to show any stress or concern for the job. He just continued to function on a perfectly even keel, day-in and day-out. Adam didn’t know how he did it.

“I will serve you a strong intoxicant; maybe that will relieve some of the lines on your face which I have not seen there before.”

“Thanks, Kroekus, but I would think that by now you’d be ready to call it quits in your job, as well. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Doesn’t anything bother you?”

“Of course, my Human friend. I have so many concerns jumbling up my mind that I find it hard to sleep for more than two hours per night, which is not normal for my people. But it is the challenge of the job that keeps me going.”

Adam accepted the drink from the Silean and downed a long swallow. He wasn’t lying when he said strong drink. Adam’s eyes began to water. Another swig and the drink didn’t seem as potent. One more should just about do the trick.

“So, Kroekus, what did you want to see me about?”

“I wanted to see you one last time before you left. I will be busy and so will you. We may not get the opportunity.”

“I appreciate that, my friend,” Adam said, and he meant it. He’d met a lot of aliens in his day, but only a few that he could accept as friends. Kroekus was one. Kaylor and Jym were the only others still living.

“But I also have a favor to ask of you; I need your advice.”

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll help, if I can.”

Kroekus downed his own drink and then retrieved two more for them. Then he popped one of his omnipresent pastries into his mouth. “It has to do with Expansion security. With the withdrawal of the Humans, there will be no unifying military or police authority in the galaxy. Everything will resort back to the local systems.”

“I thought the one-ship-per-planet thing was going well?”

“It is. We are building a space fleet that now numbers over four thousand ships. Yet even with a fleet of this size, there is no unifying command. With each planet supplying its own crew, every ship is attempting to operate independently and not accepting any centralized authority. And then there are the more powerful systems who insist on supplying more than one ship, just so they may exact additional control over the fleet.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t anticipate these problems. I thought the members of the Expansion more or less followed orders.”

“They did, until the time the Juireans left. You Humans were able to maintain order because most systems feared your kind. Now there will be no single master race. Everyone is fighting for domination.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

Kroekus smiled, a wicked, almost devilish smile. “I believe I will have to make an example out of a few of the more vocal systems. I have much experience in dealing with upstarts.”

“So what do you need my advice for?”

Kroekus came and sat down next to Adam, straining the springs and cushions of the couch. The tortured piece of furniture tolerated the two of them, having been designed to carry such weight. Kroekus placed his arm on the back of the couch and leaned in closer to Adam. “It has to do with basic law enforcement,” he began. “The fleet we are building will handle the major conflicts rising up from whole systems. My issue is now with individual planets and groups of renegades on those planets. I am talking about the criminals, the drug suppliers, the currency stealers, the pirates and ransom-eers.”

“I thought you said all of that would revert back to the individual systems?”

“It will, to a point. But we are more interstellar. Jurisdiction for stopping various crimes ends at either a planet’s atmosphere or at its stellar boundary. And then we have sector-to-sector crime. There is no unifying jurisdictional authority to cover all these areas.”

“We had the same problem back in my country on Earth. They came up with something called the FBI—the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It has authority throughout the entire country.”

“Yes! I need something like that across the Expansion. But it is not only about crime. There are rebellious worlds that are making aggressive moves against their neighbors. Some of these animosities go back thousands of years, having been held in check by the authority of the Juireans. Now they are simmering to a boil.”

Adam attempted a smile. “Yeah, it sounds like you’ve got your hands full, buddy. With challenges like these, you must be ecstatic!”

“You jest, my friend,” Kroekus said, his mood suddenly shifting back to his normal jovial self. “Not meaning to change the subject too abruptly, but what will you do once you return to Earth? Are you continuing with politics?”

“Hell no!” Adam exclaimed. “I didn’t want to get into it in the first place. I was more-or-less drafted into the job. In all honesty, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Kroekus was silent for a long moment, while looking straight into Adam’s eyes, still wearing a thin, sinister smile.

“I might have an offer for you, something that might better suit your talents,” he finally said.

“An offer? What do you mean?”

“Adam, I pride myself in being able to read beings, in being able to assess talent and desire. I have catered to these desires in every business I have ever managed. I can see that you are not happy with your current path in life, and the impending journey back to Earth is weighing heavily on your mind.”

“That’s no secret,” Adam said, uncomfortable with the naked—and accurate—reading Kroekus made of him. “Who would look forward to a year of their life wasting away aboard a cold, metal disk?”

“But there is so much more troubling you, Adam Cain; there is no use in denying it.”

“So what’s this offer you have for me?”

“I am in much need for someone like you. I require a skilled fighter—especially a Human fighter—to help me subdue the crime and rebellion throughout the Expansion. You said it before; those of your race are like super-beings among the common creatures of the galaxy. Supermen you call yourselves. And now, with the bulk of Human-kind leaving, there will be very few of you available when needed. Just as you and your companion Sherri Valentine had once been extraordinary assassins back in the Fringe, I need your set of skills to help bring order to the galaxy.”

“You’re crazy, Kroekus. I’m just one man. What could I possibly hope to accomplish alone?”

The Silean smiled wider, even raising a bushy eyebrow a little higher. “I am far ahead of you, Adam. I have already assembled the required unit, comprised of renegade Humans who are skilled and who still seek adventure among the stars.”

“Who are they?”

“If you decide to join, I will introduce you. But first I need to know if you are interested?”

Adam stared at the huge alien for several moments, knowing full well that Kroekus had nailed his melancholy to the tee. He was bored, bored of his life and of his prospects. Honestly, returning to Earth was not something he was looking forward to. He was a warrior; it was all he had been or wanted to be, and at only thirty-six, he was far too young to hang it up for a more sedentary life.

“Just for the sake of argument, how would this unit be set up, and by what authority?”

“It would be under my jurisdiction and purview. As you know, I am very well versed in the ways of criminal enterprise throughout the galaxy. I have contacts and influence. But now that I am on the other side of the ledger, I cannot tolerate such activities as when I was involved in them. This unit would be small and involved in quick strikes against targets across the Expansion. You will have authority to operate on any planet in any sector, with permission to use whatever means necessary to accomplish your mission.”

Adam smiled at the alien’s statement. He raised his own eyebrows and said, “So it’s like having a license to kill—to kill aliens! Now you have my interest.”

“I was hoping you would feel as such. You have never been squeamish about dispatching others not of the Human persuasion. But I have to warn you, even though you will be issued the authority to carry out your activities in all jurisdictions—your so-called license to kill—you may not find that authority to be honored in all areas.”

“So what’s new? It’s always been like that in nearly every place I’ve operated. Do you have a chain of command yet?”

“I was hoping I would get you to lead this unit. It sounds as if you will?”

Adam shook his head, a gesture that caused Kroekus’s jovial expression to change to that of sadness. “Oh, I’m in!” Adam said quickly to correct the misinterpretation. “I’ll play your reindeer games for a while longer and see where they lead. I’ve got nothing better to keep me busy, and it’ll sure beat spending a year of my life cooped up in a metal coffin. So who are the other members of the team?”

“Let me bring them in. They have been waiting to see if you would join.” Kroekus lifted his huge bulk off the couch and returned to his desk. A push of a button and the door to the rear of the office opened.

And in walked Sherri Valentine, Riyad Tarazi and Lee Schwartz—the young pilot Adam had met on the Bunker Hill.

Sherri and Adam rushed to each other and embraced in the center of the room, squeezing each other tightly for what seemed like minutes. He had not seen or heard from her in over two years. Now he knew what she’d been up to. Riyad finally got his chance to embrace Adam as well, and Adam even hugged the young Lt. Commander he’d met only a few times before.

“I can’t believe it,” Adam said, his grin stretched so wide across his face that it looked clownish. “How long has this been in the works?”

“For a couple of years,” Riyad said, “ever since Kroekus was let in on the details of the Cain Initiative. He knew it would throw the galaxy into turmoil again and he began to plan for it. He’s quite the remarkable being.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Adam said, looking over at the now immensely self-satisfied alien. Adam had tears in his eyes, as did Sherri.

“From what I’ve been told, captain, this isn’t going to be a cakewalk,” Lee offered. “There are a lot of nasty creatures out here that need taming.”

Adam looked at him with an understanding eye. “Ain’t that the truth, commander.” Then he looked over at Riyad and winked. “But that’s just more score for us to rack up!”

The Humans continued with their reunion for a few minutes longer before Kroekus called them to order.

“I have been having considerable problems with jurisdictional enforcement of our directives throughout the Expansion. As a result, I have proposed the creation of a special section within the Intelligence Department, one which you and your team will be part of, Adam. Your authority will cover all jurisdictions within the Expansion and you will answer only to me and to the head of the I.D. You will be agents of what will be called the Jurisdictional Enforcement of Directives Inter-department—”

“Wait just a minute!” Lee Schwartz interrupted. “So we’ll be agents for the J.E.D.I.” He laughed. “I’ll tell you right now that’s not going to fly.”

“He’s right,” Adam said, barely containing his own laughter. “I’m sure there would be some major copyright infringement if we did.”

“I do not understand,” said Kroekus, genuinely confused.

“That’s all right, Mr. Administrator,” Sherri said. “We’ll come up with something of our own, like…how about: Adam’s Avengers?”

“We could have issues with that one, too,” Adam said, trying to put a stop to the embarrassing banter among the Humans.

“Then what about Cain’s Crusaders?” It was Lee’s turn to offer a suggestion, his smile wide.

Riyad laughed and flashed a toothy grin. “Even though Cain is a Christian biblical character, and the Crusaders are not necessarily heroes in my culture, I must say I do like the sound of it.”

“Come on, you can’t be serious?” Adam’s frustration was growing by the moment, but he knew there was no stopping it now.

“That is hardly an appropriate name for an enforcement unit of the Expansion Administrator,” Kroekus said seriously. “I will change the name of the inter-department, but I cannot officially condone such a flippant and unprofessional title for its agents.”

“It doesn’t have to be official, Kroekus,” Sherri said, a wide grin stretching across her face. “We Humans tend to give pet names to the things we like. Call us what you want, but for us, we’ll be forever known as Cain’s Crusaders!”

The End

of The Legend of Earth

The adventures of Adam Cain continue

in book #6:

Cain’s Crusaders

Three Free Books

No kidding. 3 FREE BOOKS, simply for signing up for my Fan Email List.

Just fill out the Subscribe form here.

Facebook Fan Group

I’m inviting you to join my exclusive, secret,

Super Fan Facebook Group appropriately called

Fans of T.R. Harris and

The Human Chronicles Saga

Just click on the link below, and you—yes, YOU—may become a character in one of my books. You may not last long, and you may end up being the villain, but at least you can point to your name in one of my books – and live forever! Maybe. If I decide to use your name. It’s at my discretion.

trharrisfb.com

Contact the Author

Facebook

trharrisfb.com

Email

bytrharris@hotmail.com

Website:

bytrharris.com

Novels by T.R. Harris

The Adam Cain Saga

The Dead Worlds

Empires

Battle Plan

Galactic Vortex

Dark Energy

Universal Law

The Formation Code

The Quantum Enigma

Children of the Aris

The Human Chronicles

The Fringe Worlds

Alien Assassin

The War of Pawns

The Tactics of Revenge

The Legend of Earth

Cain’s Crusaders

The Apex Predator

A Galaxy to Conquer

The Masters of War

Prelude to War

The Unreachable Stars

When Earth Reigned Supreme

A Clash of Aliens

Battlelines

The Copernicus Deception

Scorched Earth

Alien Games

The Cain Legacy

The Andromeda Mission

Last Species Standing

Invasion Force

Force of Gravity

Mission Critical

The Lost Universe

The Immortal War

Destroyer of Worlds

Phantoms

Terminus Rising

The Last Aris

The Human Chronicles Box Set Series

Box Set #1 – Books 1-5 in the series

Box Set #2 – Books 6-10 in the series

Box Set #3 – Books 11-15 in the series

Box Set #4 – Books 16-20 in the series

Box Set #5—Books 21-25 in the series

REV Warriors Series

Rev

REV: Renegades

REV: Rebirth

REV: Revolution

REV: Retribution

REV Warriors Part 2

REV: Revelations

REV: Resolve

REV: Requiem

REV Warriors Series Part 1 Box Set - The COMPLETE Series (5 books)

Jason King – Agent to the Stars Series

The Enclaves of Sylox

Treasure of the Galactic Lights

The Drone Wars Series

Day of the Drone

In collaboration with Co-Author George Wier…

The Liberation Series

Captains Malicious

Available exclusively on Amazon.com and FREE to members of Kindle Unlimited.