Star Force: Rajamal (SF97) (Star Force Origin Series) Read online

  “Agreed,” the Oso’lon said, twisting its long neck to the side and tipping down towards where the Lir’nen counselor sat on its elevated pedestal while the other member of their race issued the report. “This assault was against you, therefore you take priority. Garras, what are the Zen’zat feelings on this?”

  One of the 4 attendants in the room in a small control center looked up at the giant head in the distance. He was not assigned a faction, but rather to the sector capitol that had every race with a colony present represented here, and he served them all while technically remaining independent.

  “The attack was on a Lir’nen world, but only Zen’zat were involved in the combat. We will confront this defiler in whatever way you direct, but we would prefer to have an independent stake in this.”

  “Is there a map for us to see the scope of this threat?” the I’rar’et asked, with the Pterodactyl sitting on a perch rather than a cushioned pedestal.

  “A partial only,” the witness said apologetically, summoning up a starmap in front of each counselor. “These invaders only have limited data of nearby worlds without full knowledge of the scope of their empire. Corroboration with intelligence previously gathered from beyond the rim indicates a large empire that is currently in conflict with the Skarrons.”

  “The Skarrons are respectful of our borders,” the Sess’nat said from its pool of water imbedded into the floor where its turtle-like mass floated, “but unworthy of our attention. What they and others do beyond the frontier is their own concern, but tolerate interferement within our domain we cannot. The attack on us has sealed these Li’vorkrachnika’s fate, but even had they not, their expansion into this sector could not be allowed. We have been monitoring reports of migrations from beyond the frontier fleeing conquest, and though small that they are, they are numerous. If it is these attackers that they are running from then we must not underestimate the potential threat for mild disruption of the sector, even if they are not a significant threat to us.”

  “Our intelligence suggests a devouring ideology. They spread until there is nowhere left to spread. They are a plague that is testing our border with this attack in order to ascertain strength. We know a ship with a message was sent back prior to the death of the Zen’zat, and that getting that message out was their primary concern.”

  “Why attack if they recognized the threat we posed to them?” the Oso’lon asked.

  “Our sources could not identify the cause, but standard practice is to treat such expeditionary teams as being expendable. Perhaps they felt they had nothing to lose if we were going to purge them from the planet anyway.”

  “You underestimated them,” the Brat’mar said in a displeased tone, though not so much as to start a cascade of energy across its two massive horns as was typical for the race when they got truly angry, “and have given them a victory against us. No amount of bloodshed will undo that fact.”

  “Are you suggesting that we do not act?” the Hjar’at asked.

  “I am suggesting that the Lir’nen not have sole priority in this. It was the Zen’zat who suffered a loss of personnel, so let them lead the eradication force. The Lir’nen can have plenty of targets on which to practice their badly neglected skills, but their judgement has already cost us a defeat. We will not suffer a second one.”

  “Rajamal?” the Hjar’at asked, referencing a specific Zen’zat that was currently in the sector, but well known across this quarter of the empire.

  “I conquer with that,” the I’rar’et noted before the displeased Lir’nen counselor could speak.

  “You make a valid point,” the Oso’lon conceded. “The Lir’nen shall still have priority in volume, but we will have the Zen’zat be the architect of our vengeance. The question remains as to the number of slots in the invasion force.”

  “We stand ready to assist,” the Hjar’at offered, “if needed. Though we would recommend this level of a threat be dealt with by those that could benefit more from the combat experience.”

  “Your recommendation?”

  “5 slots in addition to the Lir’nen. If the suggested size of this empire is accurate, using any less will create unnecessary delay.”

  “We request a slot,” the tiny Ari’tat said from its oversized pedestal that was still far smaller than those of the larger races. “We have the largest Zen’zat force in the sector and are willing to make a significant portion of it available to Rajamal if he is selected. If not, we will still assist under our own guidance.”

  “Is that a rebuke?” the Oso’lon asked.

  “A Zen’zat not affiliated with a race in this region is preferable. If one is to come from the Lir’nen, as I’m sure they will soon suggest, I question the wisdom inherent in that choice.”

  “They struck at an outpost,” the Lir’nen counselor stated with controlled, but obvious contempt for the tiny wisp of a V’kit’no’sat that he could break with a single step if he wished, “not a colony. We are not incompetent in our defense. And they never touched a single one of our buildings in the outpost. It was an unexpected counterattack in the field with naval bombardment that the Zen’zat could have avoided had it been conventional. Instead they chose to destroy their own troops in the process to insure that the Zen’zat where present in the collision corridor.”

  “A sound piece of strategy,” the Hjar’at said, torn between loyalty to his empire and the military skill of the enemy, “for such an inferior race.”

  “Before you come to blows, let me make one thing painfully clear,” the Qua’cho said, with its vertical fin rising well above the quadruped’s head. “We can establish outposts with little defense because of the threat of retaliation against anyone who dare strikes us. Whether by ignorance or arrogance, the Li’vorkrachnika did not heed this threat. They attacked, and successfully so. Even if no one outside the V’kit’no’sat learns of this, the precedent it implies is disturbing. I was not aware that we have weakened, so can anyone speculate as to the cause of this audacity?”

  “It may well be ignorance if they are expanding from a rimward powerbase,” the Oso’lon said with a nod of respect. “But our reaction to it must be one that others also in ignorance can learn from. Our borders have not been tested in quite some time, and perhaps the short lived races that surround us need another lesson as to our power. If this Li’vorkrachnika empire is as large as estimated, then they shall make for a sizeable example. 7 slots will be permitted, one to the Lir’nen and one to the Zen’zat to fill as they wish…though the Lir’nen will receive at minimum twice the number of systems to conquer as any other race.”

  “How fast can they spread?” the Sess’nat asked the witness.

  “Remarkably so.”

  “Is there a danger of them relocating before we can exterminate them all?”

  “I believe so. As one world falls, another will be established. This is their mindset. They are both fighters and builders, with one often the counterbalance to the other.”

  “Then this could be a very long endeavor,” the Hjar’at warned. “Only those fully committed to it should be selected.”

  “What will be done with the purged worlds?” the Brat’mar asked. “No territorial expansion has been sanctioned, and if these vermin spread quickly it is possible that they could return to previous worlds if some measure is not in place to prevent them from doing so.”

  “Do you honestly believe they will try to colonize behind our lines?” the Lir’nen asked with disgust.

  “They colonized a world you had a presence on,” he reminded him. “They clearly have no respect for dominion, and if they value their lives so little they could keep our forces spread out on constant patrols. Someone must take the worlds we are cleansing.”

  “That is something for the regional capitol to discuss,” the Oso’lon deferred, “but we have many tenants that could fill that void for us. Do not concern yourselves with it.”

  “A petition should be sent requesting some territorial additions be allowed, even if on
ly a single world for each slot,” the Ari’tat suggested.

  “Feel free to submit one then,” the Sess’nat countered.

  “It will be turned down,” the Lir’nen scoffed. “As usual.”

  “Is it not time to return to our former borders?” the tiny one pressed. “Why we have not done so already is a mystery to me.”

  “To me as well,” the Oso’lon stated neutrally, “but there are always reasons we are not privy to. When it is to our advantage to do so, we will. You should have no doubt of that.”

  “I doubt the extent to which our threat list denotes, for I do not see the cause for such restriction now that the Igren have been removed.”

  “He makes a valid point,” the Hjar’at conceded. “Even if it is fueled by greed.”

  “Our domain lies within this sector alone,” the Oso’lon reminded them. “We may operate outside it, but we cannot colonize beyond our borders. Until protocol changes that is the parameter we have to function within. If we need denizens to fill the purged worlds they will have to be procured from outside the V’kit’no’sat. Not from within.”

  “Will these Skarrons fill the void?”

  “Too unreliable,” the Sess’nat decreed with finality. “We require those that we have experience with, and to that point, we should procure them early to assist with scouting if adequate maps cannot be confiscated from the worlds we know to exist…and even then if the Li’vorkrachnika can spread to new worlds with such mentioned ease.”

  “Those we can procure locally,” the I’rar’et said, “but volume wise for colonization will require civilizations larger than within our boundaries, and they will not move quickly. Recruiting locals for the first wave would be preferred, then let Nooron set up the rest.”

  “I will make that recommendation to them,” the Oso’lon said, referencing the regional capitol. “But we should secure candidates in expectation of their approval.”

  “We will see to that,” the Brat’mar volunteered.

  “Where will the additional Zen’zat be procured from,” the Voro’nam asked.

  The Oso’lon looked to the tiny biped in the control station.

  “Give the attack details time to spread and I can promise you an unlimited number of volunteers from across the empire. We will not be lacking in numbers.”

  “And you wish more combat,” the Hjar’at added.

  “We always wish more combat,” Garras said, making no apology for it.

  “And you shall have it with our blessing, but what of ships? There are not many Zen’zat-designated vessels.”

  “Races not slotted will offer them. After all, an attack against any V’kit’no’sat is an attack against us all.”

  “So it is,” the Oso’lon agreed. “The Zen’zat slot will be filled by volunteers, but their leadership will not be in question.”

  “So long as one with sufficient skill is acquired,” the I’rar’et amended.

  “Rajamal will come unless ordered otherwise,” Garras promised. “And there will be no shortage of peer volunteers should he not. I take this personally, as will they once they learn of it.”

  “What is the speed of their ships?” the Oso’lon asked the witness.

  “Slow. They utilize jumpships to carry their traditional vessels, but the one with the message left before a jumpship arrived. This was seen as an act of desperation, so it is probable that the Li’vorkrachnika will not know what has transpired on Ennsop for some time.”

  “Aerial power?” the I’rar’et asked.

  “They did not build any, but within their technological acumen was the designs for small, agile, poorly defended craft that they could build in great numbers. They do not seek individual combat, but work in large groups to wear down superior opponents through attrition.”

  “How large?”

  “As many as they can produce. Memories retrieved from two indicated that they could blot out the sun from the sky.”

  “Their primary mode of attack?”

  “They have none. They adapt to their opponents, and even have special biological variants for specific tasks. Their expeditionary forces don’t use more than the basic template until their colonies grow large enough to require them or until a special situation arises. The Li’vorkrachnika operate off genetic memory as much as they do technological organization, which is why there are massive intelligence gaps that we have to overcome.”

  “You killed them too quickly,” the Hjar’at accused the Lir’nen.

  “No. Those that we temporarily spared did not have much information that was relevant.”

  “You do not know if it is relevant until you search through it,” the Ari’tat reprimanded.

  “When I speak of genetic knowledge I do not refer to a normal amount. The Li’vorkrachnika are birthed with full capability. There is no learning apparatus. Everything needed to function comes from it, then additional knowledge is added as their varying stations require. As we are destroying them we can detail it if you wish, but pertinent information was scanned for and little was to be found. They compartmentalize to avoid detection.”

  “Is that speculation or also a genetic memory?” the Hjar’at asked.

  “Speculation, but the structure they have established lends to nothing else. Their personnel and equipment are expendable, and their information and communication systems are deliberately limited, I believe, to accommodate this methodology.”

  “Then a world of sufficient size should be targeted first in order to obtain more data,” the Ari’tat suggested. “If the Lir’nen don’t believe themselves up to the task, we volunteer.”

  “You have not been assigned a slot in the eradication force,” the Lir’nen countered.

  “Who shall we send then?” he asked all those assembled, most of whom had not deigned to speak. Not all races within the V’kit’no’sat held worlds within this sector, but many did.

  “Am I to assume the I’rar’et wish to be included?” the Hjar’at guessed.

  “I doubt we will find a worthy opponent, but there is some challenge when facing significant numbers of primitives. Yes, we will take one of the slots, for practice sake.”

  “The Brat’mar?”

  “There is no need for us to go, unless others fail.”

  The Hjar’at scanned the representatives present with his mind, getting a feeling for those that wanted to fight. All would if needed, for there were no holdouts, but it seemed that the lesser races were more eager here and with the I’rar’et already being involved then there was no need for another major faction…and that was the sense he got from the others.

  “I recommend the Ari’tat and Sli’nar.”

  “And the Voro’nam,” the Oso’lon added in agreement.

  “Also the Nic’bar,” the Brat’mar chimed in, naming the final member of the eradication force.

  “Is there any argument against those chosen?” the Oso’lon asked, but there was none. Others wanted to be included, but they couldn’t make a case as to why they should take precedence.

  “Then we are concluded. The Li’vorkrachnika will be destroyed, but make no mistake that there can be no errors made. They may be primitive, but they have already succeeded in bleeding us. They will die for that, but do not allow another loss to occur no matter what we find waiting for us. There is rightful shame on the part of the Lir’nen, but not more than this having occurred in their territory. They were not at fault, as was stated earlier, for the threat of reprisal has been our defense on many lightly defended worlds. This has been the spoil of past victories, and now must be earned again through the example you are about to enact. Anything less than flawless victories is unacceptable and will incur a loss of territory in this sector.”

  “Time is also a concern,” the Brat’mar added. “If we cannot quickly defeat this opponent, we will also appear weak. A stalled campaign is a loss for us.”

  “You will have a limited amount of time,” the Hjar’at continued. “Fail to accomplish the benchmarks to be set
down and we will get involved. Do not make us do so. I fear this enemy may lure you into a false sense of security. Do not underestimate them, nor the effect that any resistance they pose to us will have on those watching. This must not be a war. It must be methodical deletion. If you cannot do that without assistance there will be additional repercussions from beyond this sector.”

  “Contact Rajamal,” the Oso’lon ordered, “and make the request.”

  4

  March 30, 3598

  Tham’ron System (V’kit’no’sat Sector Capitol)

  Weech

  A Sico’don-class interstellar transport landed its 1400 meter long mass on the side of one of the many planetary defense stations on Weech, setting down on the third tier of the pyramid and opening a portal on the side whose material flowed down beneath and reformed into geometric stairs. A single, tiny individual dropped down those stairs gracefully, with Garras standing well away near the vertical wall that held the gate through the thick green/black armor covering the facility. The Zen’zat held position as the Sico’don lifted off again and Rajamal walked towards him.

  “Thank you for agreeing to take on this mission,” the local host said when the legend came within a few meters, heading not for his fellow Zen’zat but for the entry gate, intent on getting to work rather than deigning to social protocols that some of the V’kit’no’sat races dawdled in and Zen’zat abhorred. Garras fell into step slightly ahead of him so to lead the way, but maintained a respectful shoulder to shoulder stance so they could see one another with their eyes and not have to rely on their Pefbar. “Your presence is most welcome.”

  “I assume some level of bickering is occurring?”

  “As usual, but the communal ire is high enough to have negated it somewhat. There are many worlds to be destroyed and the I’rar’et’s participation has quelled most demands, though the Lir’nen are still claiming priority and have been granted double the assaults of any other race.”