Star Force: Forsaken (Star Force Universe Book 48) Read online

  1

  January 13, 4917

  Itaru System (V’kit’no’sat capitol)

  Wendigama

  Hamob returned to Mak’to’ran several months after news of the Armistice with Star Force had made its way through the Urrtren to find an empire in peril. The attacks around the galaxy had increased greatly, and the couriers from the Rim Consortium races that he’d met during the negotiations were going to take even more time to reach their homelands and order them to stand down. That meant at least another year of fighting in some places, due to the fact that the Consortium was an organization in name only and had no means of intra-galactic communication aside from couriers.

  The V’kit’no’sat had the Urrtren, plus their massive territory was consolidated in the center of the galaxy whereas the Rim was even more spread out, and if the couriers didn’t want to take the risk of cutting through V’kit’no’sat territory they’d have to go the long way around, meaning it could be several years before the races on the far side of the galaxy got the stand down order.

  But this war was coming to an end, and despite the losses they were suffering, those attacking races were soon to be mitigated by Star Force’s newly granted dominion over the entire Rim. If not, then the V’kit’no’sat would have leave to fight the races that refused to hold to the terms. That was good news, but the situation was far more complicated.

  “What?” Mak’to’ran asked, his shock reciprocated by the other 6 Era’tran in his newly constructed command deck that stood at the center of what used to be the Elder Conclave. Two Hamob knew, Bar’su and De’grana, but the other four were junior Era’tran that Mak’to’ran must have elevated to whatever new positions he was creating as he started to rework Itaru and the empire as a whole into a semblance of real unity.

  “There are 87 races in the Rim Consortium,” Hamob explained. “As of last count, there are 136 attacking us. I met with each of the 87 and have limited files on all. The other races are not coordinating with Star Force…they are operating completely on their own. Director Davis wasn’t even aware of their existence.”

  Mak’to’ran swung his giant head to the side, with his body following as he began to pace around the huge holographic map at the center of the chamber. Two of the other Era’tran moved out of his way, allowing him to begin walking a lap around it as he was visibly fuming.

  “Have we truly garnered that many enemies?” he asked. “Have we missed that many powers in our search of the galaxy?”

  “I am beginning to wonder if the Oso’lon and J’gar did not reveal everything to us.”

  “I wonder that as well, but I sense more to this,” Mak’to’ran said, telepathically signaling the other Era’tran and Zen’zat in the chamber to leave. He needed to have a private discussion with Hamob, and they all left without hesitation or resentment, leaving the pair of million year old Era’tran alone.

  “The Zak’de’ron?” Hamob asked once the door closed.

  “They strike at us through intermediaries rather than face to face,” Mak’to’ran said with a sneer. “Or fear of us has diminished to such a level that those we previously suppressed now sense a weakness and opportunity.”

  “One that will quickly end when the Rim Consortium ceases their attacks.”

  “What did you have to give up? Your message said nothing of the terms.”

  Hamob sighed. “What was necessary, but it will be difficult for the empire to accept.”

  “We are in difficult times, Hamob. We cannot tolerate weak V’kit’no’sat. Those that cannot handle the burdens of duty will be dealt with or discarded. What are the terms?”

  “Many of the Rim Consortium are wanting territory from us. They are taking it by force, and I saw no reason to fight to hold worlds we need to discard anyway. We are too spread out, and we need to consolidate our holdings. I have agreed to vacate the outer rim of our territory completely. We will cleanse our worlds of any useful infrastructure, except for a ring of worlds that we will be handing over to Star Force intact. Including planetary defense stations.”

  Mak’to’ran flinched for a moment, then nodded his head in agreement as the logic of the situation sunk in. “You want to use them to guard our outer border?”

  “As long as we are giving them dominion over the Rim, we might as well benefit from it. They will tolerate no leash…that was made abundantly clear. We have burnt any chance of an alliance with our relentless pursuit of their destruction. They will not forgive the deaths we caused, but that said, they are being extremely reasonable. Far more than I expected. They are willing to do the work we need of them, but on their own terms. In effect, they are part of the V’kit’no’sat but in denial of that fact…minus the control of Itaru.”

  “How many systems?”

  “We will vacate 2,713. Of those, 283 will be turned over to Star Force, and the sooner the better. They will use our technology to keep the Rim Consortium away from the new border, as a watchdog that cannot be displaced. They will be so far from reinforcement they must have our planetary defenses or they could be erased before a report reached Director Davis. And there is nothing of our technology that they do not already possess. I am concerned, however, of the captured worlds and the Rim Consortium backwards engineering our technology. I recommend an immediate counterattack to destroy what has been captured.”

  “Despite the fact that we have an Armistice?”

  “Word will not have reached many of them yet. As long as they continue to attack us, we are free to defend ourselves. We must act quickly to destroy what they have taken. We cannot allow our technology in the hands of others.”

  “And the ones to whom word has already reached?”

  “We destroy them. Terms of the Armistice do not give any of the Rim Consortium ownership of our worlds, and how we evacuate is up to us. It may be a violation in spirit, but we cannot let our technology fall into their hands.”

  “Assuming they have not already removed some of it,” Mak’to’ran pointed out.

  “We must mitigate our losses.”

  “We are stretched thin, Hamob. We do not have the forces available to do what you suggest. Not until we can close out engagements in some areas.”

  “We must. Our situation is improving, but we must act quickly or we risk facing an enemy who possesses our own technology…and one who is far less restrained than Star Force.”

  “We do not have the ships to send, Hamob.”

  “Pull defenses from interior worlds. We know the war on the Rim is going to get lighter in a few years. These races will not push far enough to threaten them in that time. Leave them undefended and push to cleanse the outer Rim before we relinquish it.”

  Hamob closed his eyes, then slowly spun around…a sign of frustration and reluctance.

  “Very well. Which races are we going to have to deal with once the Armistice takes effect?”

  Hamob floated a small data crystal away from one of the insets in his armor and inserted it into a slot on the base of the holomap. Those races in the Rim Consortium were highlighted, leaving the rest as being the V’kit’no’sat’s problem and not Star Force’s.

  “The Li’vorkrachnika?” Mak’to’ran asked.

  “Star Force may have a splinter of their race working for them, but they are not united in any fashion. Director Davis was surprised when he heard of their assaults against us, and even more concerned about their technological advancement. He recommends that we annihilate them quickly.”

  Mak’to’ran huffed. “Annihilate?”

  “Star Force has a long history with the Li’vorkrachnika, whom they irreverently call ‘lizards.’ It is an insult, and
one well deserved. Star Force tried to annihilate them before, but could not continue closer to the Core without encountering us, so they were forced to let them migrate beyond their reach. Those they conscripted were acquired in a nearly impossible scenario. They do not think it can occur again, and when Li’vorkrachnika are captured they kill themselves. Their use of suicide attacks is also indicative of a race that thrives in bloodshed. I’ve been analyzing their attacks, and despite their inferiority they are overcoming their disadvantage with sacrifices of a staggering nature. They cannot be negotiated with.”

  “Still, that is far beyond what Star Force norms are.”

  “Not at all. Their long history has seen them try, numerous times, for some form of mitigation. Director Davis knows that there can be none, so they are no longer trying. The Li’vorkrachnika are an enemy that must be destroyed, and Star Force has offered their assistance with the rimward side of the Li’vorkrachnika’s territory. When defeated, the Li’vorkrachnika will send out ships to start new colonies, making them extremely hard to completely eradicate. Star Force will monitor, intercept, and destroy any ships heading for the Rim.”

  “A joint effort?”

  “In a fashion. I could sense fear in Davis. The technology upgrades the Li’vorkrachnika have seen are not natural progression. They have a sponsor. It is only a question of whom, and Davis fears either the Zak’de’ron or the Chixzon, though the possibility of a third unknown is also disturbing.”

  “The gains the Li’vorkrachnika are making are also disturbing,” Mak’to’ran said, telepathically signaling the map to zoom in on the Tamprani and Olobiv Regions. “We have lost more systems to them than any other race, and they are pushing deeper at a furious pace. Where is the new border line?”

  Hamob adjusted the map and a new outer boundary appeared, only 140 lightyears from the furthest Li’vorkrachnika incursion.

  “They will be beyond it soon,” Hamob noted. “We need to hold that line at the minimum.”

  “We don’t have the ships,” Mak’to’ran said sourly. “Too many were wasted fighting Star Force.”

  “We must snuff this threat out before it grows further. Their rate of expansion is alarming, as is their lack of respect for life. They have no elders. Most live only as long as the mission dictates. They are an expendable resource for their hidden leaders and spread like a virus. If they had our technology, they would dominate the galaxy. Star Force is adamant that they must be destroyed or they will become a threat to both our survival.”

  “The soul raiders are not part of the Consortium?” Mak’to’ran asked, looking at the other races listed.

  “Soul raiders?”

  “The only name we have for them. They will not identify themselves, but their ships have living beings engineered into them. We do not know if they are their own race, but some speculate they might be enslaving those they conquer in a hideously grotesque fashion. I have scouts out now trying to ascertain if they are doing the same to our people caught on the fallen worlds. If they are, we will burn them from the galaxy before we even look at the Li’vorkrachnika.”

  “What have you learned thus far?”

  “The individuals function as a biological computer system that works with the physical hardware. They are psionically shielded and self-destruct whenever it is breached. That has made it hard to determine what exactly they are, for the bio-matter is liquefied almost instantaneously, but we have had brief telepathic contact with some of them. Enough to realize that they have been altered heavily. Their minds are not free, but constrained. We suspect it is a programming override of their consciousness to ensure compliance.”

  “To what advantage?”

  “Adaptability,” Mak’to’ran said as if it were obvious. “Even given constraints, a person will be able to adapt to what a machine cannot. It is the same reason the Hadarak minions are superior to the one’s produced by the Uriti, but I fear there may be a punitive function as well. The Soul Raiders must be destroyed, and many of the other races are only slightly less abominations. The Ridoken are eating those they capture…alive. They are drinking their biofluids straight out of their bodies like a leach. I would rid the galaxy of them as well if they were not part of the Rim Consortium, but if they withdraw we must leave them be. We have too much to do elsewhere.”

  “You fear we must sacrifice a larger part of the empire than we discussed in order to save it?”

  “I fear the Zak’de’ron are exacting their revenge as we speak. Our systems will not fall easily or quickly, but our response forces are overwhelmed and the Hadarak continue to probe heavily. We are under assault on all fronts. The Armistice is the only advantage we have.”

  “I have never seen you like this,” Hamob admitted. “You appear almost broken.”

  “Our empire is crumbling, from within and without. I cannot hold it all together. We have wasted too much and our enemies are far greater in number and power than we had ever expected. The Oso’lon and J’gar have doomed us with their incompetence. We need to rebuild, but we don’t have the luxury of time and I do not think the Zak’de’ron will allow it. When we become weak enough they will emerge and the final confrontation will begin. I fear we are far closer to it than any of us realized.”

  “And you have no plan of action?”

  “I am badly in need of your counsel, Hamob.”

  “If the empire is to break, we must ensure that the Era’tran survive. We are the central pillar of strength to build on now that the Oso’lon and J’gar have failed in their duty.”

  “If we lose the other races we will not be able to stand against the Zak’de’ron. We cannot withdraw.”

  “No, we cannot, but if panic ensues we must focus on our own worlds and those of our closest allies.”

  Mak’to’ran swung his tail to the left and whacked a console, putting a dent in it as the Era’tran vented the frustration he dare not show anyone else.

  “Only a few years ago we were stable. Now everything is falling apart. If the Rim Consortium is only responsible for part of these assaults, their withdraw is not going to be enough. We are going to lose massive amounts of territory before we are able to avenge the losses. And even one more downturn could spiral us into destruction.”

  “You suspect the Zak’de’ron have more avenues of attack to unveil?”

  “I assume they have plotted our downfall in excruciating detail, and we have no allies to turn to. Our obsession with dominance was twisted into sole control. Star Force has demonstrated a different kind of dominance, one that I wish we could have learned from rather than attempting to destroy. We are doomed, Hamob. I can see it clearly now. As I know you can.”

  “The revelation of these other races beyond the Consortium also floored me, though I had not known it was growing this bad. There is no Urrtren link to Star Force, so I only had limited information getting through. But the advantage in that was I was able to think for a long time, so this is not as much of a shock to me as it is to you.”

  “What do you advise?” Mak’to’ran asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice.

  “We have not told the empire the truth, and while the appearance of unity remains, the underlying fractures deepen. The old empire is gone. And before the V’kit’no’sat realize this, you must build a new one. In that, you have far more experience than I do, and I was wrong to criticize your move here. In retrospect it was overdue.”

  “I need more than that, Hamob. I suspect you have something.”

  “I was surprised at Director Davis suggesting the Li’vorkrachnika should be annihilated. It is so different from their normal resistance to death I decided to probe it further. I was expecting to find hypocrisy, rather I found pragmatism. They gave the Li’vorkrachnika every chance to change. They offered them time and time again to surrender and survive. They even forced it upon them until they suicided so much that Star Force stopped trying. Even then they did not quit, and somehow managed to turn one of their mastermind variants. Through him they seized con
trol of large sections of the Li’vorkrachnika population that were tasked with fighting and dying to buy time for their leaders to escape. They were expended, and if not for some biochemical trickery Star Force would have had to kill them all. Such trickery, I am told, has almost certainly been engineered out of the current Li’vorkrachnika.”

  “So they are beyond hope, from Star Force’s perspective?” Mak’to’ran asked.

  “I checked the records they made available. In the past, once they had expended their compassion on the Li’vorkrachnika, they began orbital bombardment of their worlds beyond taking down defenses. They destroyed them from orbit rather than risking their ground troops. They fought much like we do, because they know the Li’vorkrachnika have no individuals. All are programmed to serve their leaders, whom they refer to as Templar. Star Force has never encountered a single individual who had undone the programming. They are all enslaved, and Star Force cannot undo the enslavement, so the only recourse is to kill them before they kill others.”

  “And you say this is not hypocrisy?”

  “It is not. If there was even one individual out of a billion that could be saved, they would not bombard a planet. But they know how strong the genetic holds are on the Li’vorkrachnika. They have their own variants to study in detail, information on which is far less available. They fear the Li’vorkrachnika, not because of their superiority, but because they will spread across the galaxy if unchecked. That is why they have offered to block their retreat to the Rim.”

  “That is of limited help. What are you driving at?”

  “The Uriti,” Hamob said simply. It took a moment for that to fully register, then Hamob blinked twice in shock.

  “Why would they?”

  “We must offer them something in exchange. I am not sure what that would be, but they are the only quasi-ally we have, and the only known power in the galaxy greater than ours is at their command.”

  2

  January 31, 4917

  Ohson System (V’kit’no’sat territory, Tamprani Region)