T. Harris - The Legend of Earth

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

“Nearly out 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 in orbit. They had to be otherwise they would not have had time to drift in without power and not be detected.”

“I see your point, Adam Cain, but I don’t 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 from 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. And 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 fucking Klin and their Human surrogates 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 this? 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 technologically, but that’s probably what makes us so good at what we do best. We’re stronger, faster and tougher than even you. We’re god-damn 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 could take it no longer. “Can’t you see? The Klin have set this whole thing up. 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 — by allowing you to kill a billion of us.”

“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. In addition, any victory would be a Human victory, not a Klin victory.”

Adam looked over at Overlord Anawar. “When you first 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.”

“You say there is another fleet?

“That’s right. It’s three hundred ships strong and manned by the Klin and another 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 of beings from the planet Eilsion. 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 looked from the window.

“That’s right,” 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 hesitate?”

“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 everything he’d just heard.

“Relion,” the Council Elder began, “deactivate the collars.” He then 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 force of three hundred ships with the forces 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. Adam 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 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, but 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.”