Ivan Kal - Onslaught

They lapsed into silence, watching the movements from beyond the window for a few minutes before Isani spoke.

“Tomas wants a vote to bring the Sowir fully into the Empire,” he said.

“I know, I recommended it,” Adrian said.

“Gotu has urged me to vote yes. Apparently the Nel and Sowir in Sol have found common ground.”

“They’ve been forced to work together; their crimes aren’t forgotten or forgiven, but Gotu understands their right for a chance to make amends,” Adrian said. He then turned to face Isani. “You understand why he wants a vote, don’t you? He doesn’t need to have a vote; it is his decision.”

“I do. He wants us all to agree, to test if his Empire is as united as we like to believe… I will think on it. Until we see each other again, Lord Sentinel,” Isani said, and gave Adrian a very human-like smile as he walked away.

Tarabat

Aileen entered the small building that served as the human base/embassy to the Erasi on Tarabat. After she got through the security check, she made her way to the meeting room where Björn was already waiting for her.

“Sentinel,” Björn Borg said when she entered the room.

“What do we have?” Aileen asked.

“A few traders from the Erasi core systems arrived two days ago. According to our Jugat informants, the rumor is that the Erasi have been moving a massive force towards the edge of their territory, and not just any force—it’s their ships-of-the-line. A lot of them. None of these traders have ever seen or heard of a force so large. This was almost a year ago; by now, those forces have probably already arrived at their destination.”

“Do we know where they were headed?” Aileen asked.

“The word is that they were headed coreward with an spinward tilt,” Björn said.

That meant that they were moving in the opposite direction of the Empire, which was coreward and anti-spinward of the Erasi territory. But the only thing in the direction they were supposedly going were the Shara Daim.

“So the Shara Daim, most likely. I doubt that the Shara Daim would try and attack two opponents of comparable strength at the same time,” Aileen commented.

“Probably not, and they had peace with the Erasi for a long time. The only thing that makes sense is that the Erasi took advantage of the Shara Daim preparations for an attack on us.”

Aileen nodded. “Yes, they mobilized their Legions. The Erasi could’ve attacked as soon as they saw an opportunity. We need to find out more. I’ll send a message to Adrian. He is still receiving reports from our stealth ships in Shara Daim territory; he will know more about their status.”

“If the Erasi attacked them, then their actions with us make more sense,” Björn said.

“How so?”

“They offered us defense platforms that could arguably stand up to Shara Daim ships. If they have attacked, it is in their best interest to keep us and the Shara Daim at war.”

“Makes sense, only we kept things close and they didn’t know what we had. They still don’t, not now when we’ve forced them to remove their stealth ships from our territory,” Aileen said.

“If they knew the truth, they wouldn’t be so scared of us now,” Björn said with a chuckle.

Aileen smiled too. The Erasi were treading very carefully around the Empire these days. And if they were at war with the Shara Daim, it explained why they couldn’t afford humanity taking to the offense.

“And there haven’t been any movements against us from the Shara Daim, at least none that reports from Sol mentioned. If the Erasi attacked them, it would explain why there have been no follow-up attacks; they are too busy defending,” Björn said.

“This gives us an opportunity to take risks, get a network up in their space,” Aileen said.

“Speaking of networks, how did your meeting go?”

Aileen grimaced as she remembered her meeting with the Uraasat called Jurr, the large, snake-like alien that had given her the information about the Erasi Weavers and their stealth ships in return for her trying to find a cure for his people’s infertility.

“Sanctuary discovered the cure, so he is happy. And he wants us to take in a large number of his people, help them set up a colony in the Empire’s territory.”

“In return for?”

“Intel. The Uraasat have a vast network of spies across the Erasi territory,” Aileen answered.

“We don’t have any assets in the Erasi core systems; our relationship with the Jugat only covers systems they are allowed in, which are frankly only unimportant systems at the edge of the Erasi territory,” Björn said.

“I know. I will probably agree. But Jurr is a vengeful being; he wants revenge against the Erasi.”

“Do you blame him?”

“No, but we can’t afford being connected with a faction of Erasi that is opposed to their rulers. From what I learned, Uraasat have connections with many races that live in the Erasi. And Jurr’s ‘organization’ has members in almost every race in the Erasi. If they do something and the Erasi find out that we have been helping them, it would go badly,” Aileen said.

“Then make sure to have a very precise deal in place, what we will do and what we won’t. If they break it, the deal is off,” Björn said.

“If we take their people in, we won’t ever really be able to break off relations.”

“Ask yourself if that is a risk worth taking to get intel on the Erasi. You are the Sentinel on site; these are the decisions that you are supposed to make.”

“I know,” Aileen said, releasing a long breath. “I’ll think it over.”

Two months later — September; Year 56 of the Empire — Shara Radum

Anessa was one hundred and thirty-nine years old. She and Garaam had been enjoying themselves on a resort planet in Shara Daim territory. And while Garaam would rather bathe in the warm ponds, Anessa would much rather read about the history of the Shara Daim.

She had always been interested in the ancient history of her people. A time before they had gone to space and before the Sha, when the creeds of blood and death had originated. To fight and become stronger was the greatest honor. To be a warrior was a holy calling. The old Shara Daim had followed only the strongest; it made them ever-changing, since every leader ruled only for as long as he was the strongest. Rulers would fight off challengers for their rule constantly, but eventually every ruler lost, and a new stronger and younger one took his or her place, molding the Shara Daim into something new.

Anessa was fascinated with the old Shara Daim; they had had no Sha, and had fought simply and perhaps more barbarically. But still they had had honor.

“How are you not bored with reading that?” Garaam asked as she leaned on the edge of the pond and looked at Anessa lounging on the warm rocks with a reading device in hand.

“You could learn a lot from our history, Garaam.”

“Yes, I can learn about the most barbaric ways to take power,” Garaam said.

“They lived by their strength, more so than we do now,” Anessa responded.

“We are more civilized.”

“Perhaps, but there are still lessons to be learned from the words of ancient Kar Daim,” Anessa added. Garaam sighed in frustration and turned her back to Anessa, swimming away.

Anessa walked through the great Hall of Ages, under the high-reaching arcs, and past paintings and murals depicting the Shara Daim history, reminding her of who her people truly were. A race of warriors who had never bowed down to weakness. Only it had taken a defeat to teach her what strength truly meant.

Behind her followed Do Sun Arisak and eight of her best Va Sun. Immediately upon entering the system, the Elders had ordered her to come to them. They had provided no reason as to why, but it wasn’t necessary. Anessa knew the reason; the Elders had learned of her orders to the Legions. She had sent the message only to the Legions, making sure that the message didn’t pass through the Shara Radum relay, which meant that someone had informed them on purpose, as she had known someone would. But the circumspect relay had given her time.