Star Force: Summit (Star Force Universe Book 44)

  1

  December 19, 4882

  Zafrena System (Hadarak Zone)

  Dead Hadarak site

  Mak’to’ran had returned to the Hadarak front, leaving a stable situation in Itaru for the moment, but it was the activity on the front that disturbed him the most. The V’kit’no’sat had monitoring stations set up around the perimeter of the core, supplemented by patrols, and detailed tracking data for the outer region of the Hadarak Zone was constantly being pumped through the Urrtren so fleets and planets could prepare well in advanced of an approaching Hadarak.

  They moved so slow that entire populations could be moved out of their way in some cases, but in order to make the most of such spottings there had to be a quick exchange of information, and sending information over such great distances was not simple or quick, though compared to the movement of ships it was far superior using the Urrtren.

  But it wasn’t just for the warnings delivered to individual systems that the detection net had been created. It was also to monitor Hadarak movements on a large scale, and since their 7 recent Hadarak kills he had begun to notice a change.

  It wasn’t large, and he knew there was a serious reporting lag for the Hadarak. They only had 2 known methods of communication, and sending couriers was the faster of the two. None had gotten away during the 7 kills, including this last one, with the dead hulk of the Hadarak visible beyond Mak’to’ran’s ship as the V’kit’no’sat picked at it for research and harvesting purposes. The skin, especially, could be used to make Yeg’gor armor much more easily than pure synthesis, not to mention the raw amounts of corovon the Hadarak contained.

  The Harthur was gone now, broken apart and waiting in transit mode further out in the system now that the Hadarak was fully dead. Its death scream had gone out before it finally died, sending a burst of telepathic information that would not transit to the nearest of systems for months, if not years. Another Hadarak or their minions could theoretically pick it up more than 50 years from now before the signal deteriorated, but he didn’t think any of the 7 dead Hadarak could have had their death screams noticed yet.

  That, coupled with no couriers getting away, meant that he was either imagining the 8% increase in tier 3 Hadarak traffic as something more than normal fluctuations, or it was in response to some of the dead Hadarak not reporting in. And given that the new tier 3 sightings were appearing in the regions where the Harthur had made their kills, made him think this was more than coincidence.

  Mak’to’ran had chosen 7 different regions around the galactic core to hunt the Hadarak for just this purpose. He was hoping to be able to provoke a reaction, now that he knew they were in fact patrolling. They might not be looking for V’kit’no’sat, but if Hadarak started to go missing with no information on who killed them, he suspected the Hadarak might respond to come looking for the mystery threat the Uriti had suggested the Hadarak were searching for.

  And now it looked like he might have got their attention. It wasn’t a big response, but it suggested they were hyper aware of what was going on despite the lack of a real communications system…unless they had one that the V’kit’no’sat hadn’t discovered. He didn’t think that was likely, but he hadn’t ruled it out completely.

  Mak’to’ran was studying the reports as they came in, being updated by couriers of their own since no relays were extended this far into the Hadarak Zone, though they were only a few hundred lightyears in. Before he got finished another courier arrived, and with this one came a priority message from Star Force requesting a personal meeting with him to discuss the Hadarak.

  A date was added, some 7 months away, which would give him enough time to get there from his current position. He didn’t want to leave the front again, but if this involved the Hadarak it had to be something to do with the Uriti, and that was worth investigating as opposed to running back to Itaru to deal with more incompetents. So far Hamob hadn’t reported any further trouble, and to be blunt, if they did sent a fleet out against his orders, he’d rather be on site to deal with it personally.

  He was very curious as to what Star Force had to say, and whether or not they were aware of the Harthur yet. This would be a good test of their intelligence operations within the empire, which was yet another reason why he was going to honor their request and go in person…

  Mak’to’ran’s trip out to the destination system was an easy one. The timetable wasn’t tight, and he arrived a few days early in an uninhabited system four jumps away from Terraxis. That was where the Humans wanted to meet, and he came with a trio of Kafcha and a pair of Na’shor just to have enough firepower to discourage any bad behavior. All four of the ships in addition to his personal Kafcha came from the defense fleets at the nearby V’kit’no’sat colonies that were being developed just outside the boundaries of what Star Force called the ‘Devastation Zone.’

  Those colonies would be useful when the truce came to an end, but right now they were being used as resupply bases for the numerous reconnaissance ships mapping the star systems around Star Force territory, many of which were not in any V’kit’no’sat database. And with the growing number of annexations further into the Rim, the V’kit’no’sat needed a better navigational database than relying on the public information Star Force put out.

  Mak’to’ran waited patiently until the day came, then on cue a small fleet of Star Force warships emerged with a single command ship amongst them. The V’kit’no’sat were not hiding, with none of their vessels being equipped with cloaking devices, so they were easy to find sitting in an upper low orbit around the single star in the system.

  The Star Force ships moved to their location then approached slowly, coming in far closer than communications range required, before a hologram of Morgan-063 appeared before him. He knew her image intimately, along with the other 99 of her kin who led Star Force. Mak’to’ran had studied them and their methods closely, which were almost identical save for several small variations, and had learned a great deal about Star Force by watching records of their fleet battles.

  Morgan-063 was now stationed in Terraxis, but where most of the others were Mak’to’ran did not know. Her coming out to meet him had been expected, and it imparted something very important they wished to discuss.

  “Mak’to’ran, I presume?” the Human asked.

  “Yes,” he answered. “What concerning the Hadarak do you require my presence for?”

  “I’m not discussing it here. I need you to come over to my ship, alone.”

  “This is a secure transmission. No one else is monitoring…unless there is a breach in your systems.”

  “Not good enough. I need to talk to you face to face. I have a cargo bay with all surveillance equipment disabled. It will just be you and me, and we have a lot to talk about that others should not know.”

  “Have you reconsidered my offer?”

  “I can’t discuss anything over the comm. We have to meet face to face, and I don’t trust you guys not to try and mind rape me if I came over to your ship. So you’re coming to mine.”

  “And why should I trust you?”

  “You’re a lot bigger than me,” Morgan said with a hint of a smile.

  “Killing me would aid you, but it would also end the truce you are relying on,” Mak’to’ran pointed out. “If this is not worth my time, you will soon suffer for it personally, little one.”

  “I’m not worried. Have your drop pod leave you. There can be no surveillance whatsoever. Including from your armor. Wear it if you like, but shut it off.”

  “As you wish,” Mak’to’ran said, cutting the transmission. Either this was something vitally important or Morgan was jus
t playing dominance games. If it was the latter, she would be leaving this meeting with injuries.

  His crew weren’t so keen on the idea, but they obeyed and a drop pod flew him over to the command ship and dropped him off on the very large and very empty deck, then flew back out through the atmospheric containment shield. As soon as it left the hangar doors began to close behind him.

  Mak’to’ran was wearing his armor in retracted mode, looking like jewelry but available to him at a moment’s notice if needed. If Star Force intended to chuck him out into space he could survive long enough to be picked up, but he doubted that was what they intended…though he couldn’t figure a guess at why this much secrecy was needed, but the one who held the answer to that question was standing in her blue/orange Archon armor near the far wall. She did not move until the hangar bay doors fully closed, then a small door beside her opened and another figure walked out.

  It also wore Archon armor with the helmet retracted, same as Morgan, but the armor was pure black, which denoted a Striker-level Archon. They were junior, and not much of a threat to an experienced Zen’zat, but only the trailblazer was supposed to be here.

  “You said it would only be the two of us, little liar,” Mak’to’ran declared loudly as he walked across the bay far quicker with his larger steps and met up with the pair on the other side.

  “A necessary lie,” Morgan said, looking up at the big Era’tran’s head as both of them stopped walking before the Humans could get stepped on. “You guys are too untrustworthy. I couldn’t let the others know that he was here.”

  Mak’to’ran looked down at the second Human, whom he did not recognize.

  “And you are?”

  “Guess I’m not that famous,” Davis said, glancing at Morgan. “I’m Director Sean Davis, leader of Star Force, needing to discuss something of significant importance with the leader of the V’kit’no’sat.”

  Mak’to’ran huffed approvingly. “You finally emerge from hiding.”

  “When necessary. Can I assume we’re not going to have to fight here?”

  “I came here to talk, not to fight. However, if you have wasted my time…”

  Davis raised a hand to stop him. “I have not, nor am I wasting mine.”

  “What of the Hadarak do we need to discuss?”

  “The official reason you are here is to discuss an intelligence sharing agreement. The Uriti have been inquiring about the status of the Hadarak. If you will give us access to recorded telepathic communications between Hadarak or between them and their minions, we will have the Uriti translate them and then share that intelligence with you. I assume you haven’t yet found a way to decipher their telepathy?”

  Mak’to’ran’s eyes narrowed and his teeth showed slightly between his lips. “We have not, though we have recorded a great deal. Are you asking for all, or just recent intercepts?”

  “Anything you can get us. Including their death screams.”

  “Exposing the Uriti to them could be problematic,” Mak’to’ran warned.

  “But you’d like to know their content regardless?”

  “I would. Why are you convinced the Uriti will be able to decipher them into a form that you can understand?”

  “We expect to lose some context, but any information is more than you currently possess.”

  “A worthwhile exchange, which I accept. I also suggest you extend your relay network to the edge of your Devastation Zone. We will likewise extend our Urrtren and arrange a suitable system for signal exchange. If we get information that is time sensitive, I do not want to waste unnecessary days on couriers.”

  “That is acceptable,” Davis agreed, with Morgan standing by as an observer and, if necessary, body guard, for this was the Director’s conversation…and she didn’t entirely agree with his decision.

  “Now that we have that settled,” Mak’to’ran continued, “what is the unofficial reason I am here?”

  Davis cracked a smile, then sighed. “New information has come to my attention that has changed the status quo. We have no good options, so I am here to pursue a bad one, based on my limited knowledge of you. Is the offer you made previously still available?”

  “It is.”

  “I would like to make a counter offer.”

  “Speak it.”

  “We hate you,” Davis said bluntly. “Her more than me, because she’s been on the front lines and seen your carnage personally. But I’ve watched as you’ve torn apart the systems I’ve worked long to build, and I’ve seen the death totals continuously rise. I hate you as well, but in making us an offer to allow us to live you broke with the death mark that was supposed to be irreversible. This tells me you’re not totally blood thirsty, but make no mistake, we are enemies.”

  “We are unless you want to change that arrangement,” Mak’to’ran said evenly, sensing some capitulation in the Human.

  “We will never accept your authority over us. We are at war, and will always be so, unless the V’kit’no’sat change their ways.”

  “You will expire long before that occurs.”

  “So we’re going to fight,” Davis said sternly. “But you’re not our only enemy, and we can choose to bump you down the priority list if we choose. Far down, in fact. Am I right in assuming you value the Hadarak as a higher priority than us?”

  “They are the reason our empire exists.”

  “And they are the reason why I am standing here now. As bad as you are, the V’kit’no’sat are doing the galaxy a service holding back the Hadarak. If that were not the case, I’d happily stand by and watch you destroyed first.”

  Morgan raised her armored hand above her head. “I’m still voting for that option.”

  “Destroyed by whom?” Mak’to’ran asked, dismissing the trailblazer’s insolence. “You are not referring to the Hadarak.”

  “I am not,” Davis said, knowing this was the moment of truth. He exchanged a glance with Morgan, along with a brief telepathic conversation. She gave him the go ahead, having snuck a quick look into the Era’tran’s mind using her Orren before his formidable defenses slammed shut on the attempt, but it had been enough to ascertain his mood. He wasn’t blood thirsty. He was someone who had come to negotiate.

  “You cannot share this with anyone,” Davis said with an icy lethalness to his voice that Mak’to’ran picked up on. “Your life will be in jeopardy if you do. That is why your crew cannot have the opportunity to overhear.”

  “That is for me to decide.”

  “I’m trusting that you are wise enough to keep your mouth shut,” Davis said, knowing that this part of his partial plan relied on the Era’tran doing just that. “We have information we are going to share concerning two massive threats to the galaxy that you are not aware of. Two threats that are going to wipe out the V’kit’no’sat…and potentially a lot of others.”

  “What threats?” Mak’to’ran asked icily.

  “We have knowledge from the Chixzon,” Davis began. “They dominated the non-Hadarak portion of the galaxy before the V’kit’no’sat existed. They were overcome by an alliance of enemies when the weakness in the Uriti was discovered. They did not fight with the Uriti as we do, they used them as tools of intimidation and, when necessary, destruction. When they lost that primary tool they did not have the strength to survive, and the hatred of them by the rest of the galaxy would ensure that they did not.”

  “They devised a plan,” Davis continued, “to lay dormant, allow the galaxy to think they were destroyed and to forget they ever existed. Millions of years later they would come out of their stasis to a galaxy that did not know who or what they were, then begin again. The data we recovered did not give a specific time when this would happen, but it is coming. We have been looking in secret for their method of stasis…which I will not reveal to you…and have been eliminating all we can find. That will not be enough. They hid them across the galaxy in such a manner that not all of them could be destroyed. The Chixzon are returning at some point, and they will destr
oy the V’kit’no’sat, for you stand in the way of their galactic domination.”

  Mak’to’ran was silent for a long moment, glancing at Morgan, then back to Davis.

  “You awoke one of them?”

  “I am not discussing what happened, but we obtained a complete set of their legacy data. I would like your help destroying the rest of their caches, but I know you’d try to gain the knowledge of how to control the Uriti from their information, and that I cannot allow.”

  “Is stopping them from returning not more important than your ownership of the Uriti?”

  “Giving you the ability to control them would be worse. We know the Chixzon will not try to use the Uriti again. It was their weakness before. They will seek out other means to dominate, and they will not fight you face to face. They will come at you sideways. Perhaps create a virus and infect your planets, never having to fire a shot to destroy you.”

  “Kich’a’kat would rectify that problem.”

  Davis swallowed hard, knowing that wasn’t true from Kara’s experience, but he wasn’t going to trust her continued existence to Mak’to’ran’s confidence.

  “Not always. Our information suggests a level of biotechnology superior to the V’kit’no’sat, and we know they will not strike until they have found a way. Even when they sought to control the galaxy the first time, they rarely used their own fleets in combat other than to defend their worlds. They used intermediaries. They were manipulators and schemers. When they return, they will not fight you directly. They will find a weak spot and exploit it. I can guarantee it.”

  “If you do not wish us to help you destroy them before they can return, why are you telling me this?”

  “In order for them to obtain control of the galaxy, they must go through you…and us. We have a common enemy in the Chixzon, and if they take you down unprepared, it makes our survival even more tenuous.”

  “You presume you will survive against us long enough to find that a problem.”

  “I do.”

  “If you have the full Chixzon knowledge, can you produce more Uriti?”