Star Force: Rescue (SF71) Read online

  Paul’s eyes narrowed. “The Skarrons are as much an enemy of Star Force as the lizards are. If they want to fight them so be it, but we will not aid them.”

  “And if we chose to do so, what would your reaction be?”

  “To warn you that they cannot be trusted.”

  “That we suspect given what we have heard of them, but to allow the lizards to expand in a safe haven is foolishness. I mean no disrespect, but the logistics are determinate. They must be countered everywhere in order for this pact to be effective.”

  “We will have nothing to do with the Skarrons other than to shoot them out of orbit,” Paul said firmly. “What relations you have with them are your business, but do not bring them near us and expect us to stay our hand due to your presence.”

  “I am merely making an inquiry. We have not contacted them.”

  “And what of your short war with The Nexus?”

  “Long past. We have no contact with them since, nor do we wish to pursue the matter beyond our borders. They were repelled and have not tried a second invasion.”

  “One of our allies against the lizards is a member race of The Nexus. Will that be an issue?”

  “So long as they do not attack us again, there is no issue. You said a member race, but not The Nexus as a whole as an ally?”

  “The H’kar were defeated by the lizards and fled rimward. They encountered The Nexus and were granted membership. That membership saved them by giving them the technology to fight back and establish a new home territory within The Nexus. They want their old home back, and are helping us fight the lizards in order to one day accomplish that.”

  “They aided them but did not fight the lizards? From what we know The Nexus is extremely insistent that an attack against one is an attack against all and they respond appropriately.”

  “The Nexus feels the lizards are a minor threat and are busy fighting much larger ones. What those are I do not know, but they have not made a major push against them.”

  “Anyone who considers a race that spreads as quickly as the lizards not to be worth stopping early does not have an understanding of tactics. Technological primitivism is not permanent. If they expand to great numbers, those numbers can be upgraded rapidly at some point in the future with technology influx or breakthroughs.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Have the lizards been assimilating captured technology?”

  “Not in great amounts, but yes, there have been some instances. They operate with a standard tech package in every star system. Changes to it are rare, but sweeping when they occur. There was a race known as the Kvash that the lizards defeated. We know they incorporated one of their weapon designs into their ships prior to their most recent upgrade, the origins of which we do not know.”

  “The transition from plasma to an energy beam?”

  “Yes. The lizards call them Vichsam. We refer to them as ‘Phasers.’ That upgrade alone has increased their military power considerably.”

  “Yet you possess far more powerful weapons. Have they not tried to duplicate them from recovered debris?”

  “We try not to let them have any debris, but as we’ve learned over the years it isn’t easy to copy something more advanced. There’s a considerable learning curve involved in reverse engineering even the simplest of objects.”

  “You speak of your own technological efforts? Am I to assume you will continue to advance rapidly going forward as you recover the V’kit’no’sat tech you possess?”

  “We are advancing…but not sharing.”

  “We are not asking. But if your powerbase will continue to grow over the course of the coming war, it is a data point that we need to factor in to our planning. When we purge the lizards off their current worlds, someone must step in to claim them…and it will not be us.”

  “We will not be claiming the bulk of those worlds, but we will monitor them. If you can provide the firepower to remove the lizards, I can take the burden of their future owners off your conscience. The Voku and I are already making plans in that regard.”

  “May I ask your strategy?”

  “Keep most of them barren and monitored through probes and interstellar relays with regional bases to strike down any incursions by the lizards or anyone else we deem inappropriate.”

  “And are you capable of doing so now?”

  “With the worlds we have already cleansed, yes. We are not pushing faster than we can sustain.”

  “And if we start clearing worlds, how many of those can your monitoring sustain?”

  “A lot near our borders. Further out will take time.”

  “We will need to be in sync on that timetable before we begin launching assaults.”

  “How soon will you be capable of doing that? I noticed your construction efforts when I flew in.”

  “Those facilities are to service our fleet with repair and resupply. We are capable of launching assaults now even without them in operation. We are waiting to gather more ships and until the moment is right. We must coordinate properly in order for that moment to culminate.”

  “Our forces won’t be traveling this far out to fight. The Voku will oversee this region of the conflict. I do caution you, though. The lizard burrow underground well. How is your race suited for infantry and close quarters combat?”

  “We know the lizards are smaller than us and may have tunnels where we cannot pass, but those tunnels can be destroyed or expanded upon. Though we fly, we are not disinclined to ground combat.”

  “But are you good at it? The lizards are devious enough that even we have to careful when we assault one of their worlds.”

  “We will not be needing your assistance, though your caution is noted. We come fully prepared to fight on all warfronts.”

  “Including aquatics?”

  The Preema shifted. “They inhabit the waters as well?”

  “They have a variant designed for them. They are a minority, but any world with significant bodies of water may have colonies there that will need to be removed. Are you capable of doing that?”

  “It is difficult for us, but we are able.”

  “It is not so difficult for us. We have several member races that are aquatic. Once a reliable connection is made across lizard territory we will be in a position to assist with those combat assignments and we would prefer you leave them to us rather than risk your own people fighting out of their element. Also, if the lizards realize you have this weakness you can expect them to funnel more resources into developing aquatic colonies.”

  “Our warships are capable of aquatic travel. Any facilities they have we can destroy.”

  “And infantry?”

  “There we will not go, but we can deploy machines to compensate. Unless there is more resistance than we expect, we will be able to handle our own invasion zones and would prefer that we do not mix forces unless necessary. We do not want your people, or any others in this pact, to come to harm due to compatibility issues.”

  “We are well aware of those issues, but I would still urge you to defer to us in aquatic matters when applicable.”

  “We will take that under advisement, but for the most part we wish to deal with this threat alone in engagement theaters.”

  “What is your reason for fighting them?”

  “We do not wish to take chances with the future.”

  “So long as you do not fight dishonorably, you will not find our forces to be a burden. The rest of this pact that the Voku are building I cannot speak for.”

  “Do not mistake me, we will fight alongside you when the time is right, but when deciding what worlds to hit next we can handle targets on our own without a combined force.”

  “I imagine most missions are going to be like that for us all. At least until we can establish a corridor through lizard territory that we can reliably ship through. The lizards aren’t great at naval ambushes, but they’re adaptive and if you get sloppy they won’t hesitate to try and pick off a ship or two. Though their ships are sl
ow compared to ours…and I assume yours. I am told your technology is on a similar level to that of the Voku?”

  “I cannot speak to that, for we know little about them or their combat capability, but we are far beyond the lizards. We are also superior to The Nexus, if that allows you to draw a comparison.”

  “Are there any others that you know of in that peer group in proximity to the lizards?”

  “Unfortunately no. There are others, but at greater distance and disinterest. The Skarrons are the largest power after us, though their tech level is considerably lower.”

  “Who ranks after that?”

  “There is a disagreeable race known as the Brechmak on the upper edge of the galactic plane, similar in size to your territory. The lizards have not yet reached them, but if they do I would expect them to encounter a pushback. They are not someone whom we can negotiate with, and are therefore inadvisable as members of the Voku pact.”

  “Is that what we’re calling it? The Voku pact.”

  “If there is an official name I have not been informed of it.”

  “Good enough for me. The Voku pact it is.”

  “I can tell you that there are several technologically advanced races of small size near or currently within the boundaries of the lizard empire. A few more advanced than ourselves. They may or may not be inclined to fight, and I would wager the latter. Still, we are working with the Voku to inform as many potential targets as possible to rally as many races as are willing to the fight. Some will not want to engage until they themselves are attacked. We are fortunate that you do not hold to that lack of foresight. You have accomplished much in a short span of time, including the safe harbor to outsiders fleeing to you from the lizard advance. Such actions denote a wise race, and there are regrettably few within this galaxy.”

  “That we know of,” Paul said, acknowledging the compliment with a nod. “Most of the galaxy is unknown.”

  “I suspect you know more of it than us. Would you be interested in a map swap? Even if yours is dated, I would guess it to cover far more systems than ours.”

  Paul raised an eyebrow. “The V’kit’no’sat maps are coreward. How far rimward do yours go?”

  “Into the next galactic arm, with a few outliers we have made contact with. We do not scout, so they are not thorough. Merely a conglomeration of data acquired from others.”

  “How about I show you ours, you show me yours, and then we can decide how much we want to trade data on?”

  “An overview?”

  “Visual, yes.”

  “This is agreeable. Even if you do not give us the maps I am curious to see the extent of the V’kit’no’sat before their collapse.”

  “And I am curious,” Paul said, eyeing their armor suits that were splayed out on the other side of the energy field separating the two atmospheres, “as to whether or not those suits are orbit capable?”

  “They are. We do not require transports to move to and from a planetary surface.”

  “How about from the moon?”

  “We could if necessary, but do not typically travel far so exposed. Our wings are built for atmosphere, and flying where there is none is disconcerting. Is your armor capable of reaching orbit?”

  “Unfortunately no, it doesn’t fly…yet. We’re working on that, but so far the tech is too bulky to put on a frame that has to remain agile for combat purposes.”

  “And the lizards have never employed such armor?”

  “Not to my knowledge. They have body suits for cold climates, but no hardened armor.”

  “I am surprised that is not one adaptation they have attempted to counter you.”

  “It would not work. They know their weaknesses and their advantages. Trying to fight like we do will not suit them. A portable shield generator backpack would be more in line with their style, but they have not fielded any such device yet.”

  “All your troops are so equipped?”

  “There are minor variations, but yes.”

  “And the rest of your population?”

  “No, they do not wear armor.”

  The Preema lifted a paw towards the right where his suit sat erect like a peeled back statue of a gargoyle. “These suits are combat rated, but all Preema wear similar versions as a matter of course. We can fly without them, but our range and speed are greatly reduced and we have no navigational capability. Such is necessary for our larger worlds to operate on, else there’d be chaos in the skies. When you use such armor on a daily basis you find ways of miniaturizing its functions and making other gradual upgrades. I imagine yours will be more rapid, for rumors of V’kit’no’sat armor were scaling, if I remember correctly?”

  “The Voku use scaling tech as well, thought the V’kit’no’sat versions are much more complex. We, however, are not building to recreate what they have made, but to fashion our own. We’re keeping the hard plates even as we gain scaling tech.”

  “Is there an advantage in this?”

  “There will be. In any case we can’t fly in it, though we do have an avian race within Star Force.”

  “Though we share a similar nature, we have no wish to meet them. As we understand it, Humans are the core to your empire, and it is only with you we wish to make ourselves known as friend and neighbor. Others can wait until they are sufficiently advanced.”

  “As you wish. I take it that if the lizard threat were to disappear, you would withdraw back into your own territory and not involve yourselves in outside events?”

  “We would monitor, but not partake. We have come to accept there are some things we cannot change. The lizards are one thing that we must change, else the future will grow increasingly problematic.”

  6

  August 24, 2827

  Solar System

  Earth

  “So how much trouble are we in?” Davis asked as Paul walked into his office late in the day as the sun was beginning to set over the Atlantis city spires to the west.

  Paul waved a hand toward one of the three desk chairs and telekinetically pulled it to him, spinning it around and sitting down with his arms on the backrest. “I think we might be ok, but I really don’t like a stranger knowing our secret. The Voku I can trust because the dragons hate the V’kit’no’sat more than we do, but the Preema are still pretty much an unknown despite the mental scans I pulled. Their ambassadorial team seemed to be on the level, but we’ve got no choice but to trust them to keep our secret for the simple fact that we can’t stop them from spilling it if they want.”

  “How much do they know?”

  “They identified us as Ter’nat, which says they know enough. Anyone with casual knowledge of the V’kit’no’sat would know us as Zen’zat. The Ter’nat are recluses by order and don’t interact with outsiders. If the Preema really did receive a ‘get to know us’ packet from the V’kit’no’sat then they know plenty, though they seem clueless as to the cause of their territorial shrinkage. I would guess they truly do not have communication capability with the V’kit’no’sat given the distances involved.”

  “How long would it take a courier ship to reach them?”

  “Their drives are faster than ours at the moment, so that’s a possibility, but as long as we don’t cross them I don’t yet see a motive for them to betray us. They also implied that they had helped fugitives escape the V’kit’no’sat in the past.”

  Davis raised an eyebrow. “Now that’s interesting. Anyone we know?”

  “Didn’t get into it. Most of our time was spent prepping for the lizards, but I did pull a decent amount of information from their minds as we did so. They knew I could do it, so they didn’t actively resist my intrusions as they probably could have. Their telekinetic skills are formidable, akin to maybe an acolyte level 70. As always other races never have a full Ikrid package so it’s hard to say for sure, but they could have thrown up defensive blocks if they’d wanted to, and I know they knew how.”

  “So they were choosing to be open?”

  “A diplomatic
tactic. They shared whatever information I requested, but I think they just saw that as being polite while letting me search their minds was more efficient.”

  “Did you get a population number?”

  “Give or take 8 quadrillion.”

  Davis closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Please tell me they’re friendly?”

  “When their self-interest is involved, yes, they’re friendlies. They want to kill the lizards before they spread and surround them. They’re not overly concerned about them being a threat to the Preema, but let them run wild for a few hundred thousand years and that could change. They want to nip it in the bud, but can’t, or won’t lock down the territory on their own. They’re adamant about keeping their current borders, so they need us to keep the lizards from moving back in after they’re evicted. For that purpose, they’re being nice.”

  “And if it wasn’t for that purpose?”

  “Apathy. They’d let the galaxy burn if it didn’t affect them, and they don’t appear to be vindictive. They fought a brief war with The Nexus a while back, but they’re going to make diplomatic contact and request their assistance along the H’kar front. Don’t know if it’ll do any good, but I think it shows that as long as their homeworlds are secure they don’t give a damn about anything else.”

  “I’m aware of that invasion, and while you were gone I was able to acquire additional information regarding it from the H’kar. No official documentation was available, but there’s enough lore circulating that it wasn’t hard to find. Seems The Nexus was planning a great crusade that was met with unexpected force and turned back. Word is they haven’t given up, just put it on the back burner for some day down the road.”

  “Do they have something The Nexus wants? Their intelligence couldn’t have been that bad to miss the size of their empire. It hasn’t changed much, for they keep a strictly level population along with their fixed borders. They own every damn system within their territory, so there isn’t anyone in their backyard. That big of a hole galaxy is hard to miss.”

  “It is curious, but even if we obtained official documents I doubt they would tell us the truth. This was a huge debacle for them that they still haven’t lived down internally. What kind of tech do the Preema have?”