Ivan Kal: Out of the Ashes

“The facilities you provided are sufficient, and the food is excellent. The Guxcacul are thankful for the quarters you provided for them, they asked that I relay their thanks.” Sumia said, referring to the giant anthropoids that came with the refugees from Nuva, only a few of them were on Nuva as a Consortium diplomatic team. And now with the war, they could very well be the last of their kind.

“It was the least we could do. And the Mtural?” Tomas asked. Mtural were another member race of the Consortium, and four families that lived on Nuva came to Sanctuary as well.

“They are much more similar in stature and necessities to us. Their quarters are adequate.”

“Good. The transport with more of your people should arrive in nine months. And by then we will expand your facilities and flesh out any details and problems that might arise.” Tomas said.

“I can’t thank you enough for allowing the families of those already here to come from Nuva and live here on your planet.” Sumia said.

“Don’t mention it. But you didn’t request this meeting just to tell me this.” Tomas stated.

“No,” Sumia sighed in a very human like move. “I wanted to inquire about the tests you are conducting on the samples you took from my people.”

Now it was Tomas’s turn to sigh. “The tests were… Inconclusive.” He said.

“How so?” Sumia asked.

“Well, there is no doubt that our people are related. There is too much similarities in our DNA. The problem is all the extra stuff. We can’t find any way to explain the connection, and your samples pointed us towards some things that we missed in our own DNA, that we can’t figure out.” Tomas said.

“I would offer help, but none of my people have the expertise to help you.” Sumia said.

“It is appreciated, I promise that you will be one of the first to know if there is any breakthrough.”

Sumia turned her palm sideways and back agreeing.

“There is one more thing I wanted to ask you.” She said. “After you told me the truth about your people, how you are separated from your home world and the rest of your people, and that this one system is all that your people have, I wondered about the reason why you helped us. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful beyond measure. But going to war for the people you barely met even if there was a distant connection between us, just doesn’t seem…”

“Sane?” Tomas interjected.

“I would have chosen a different word, but yes.”

“Every one of my people chose to leave their home behind because they held certain values paramount. Values that the rest of humanity neglected. One of those is to help those in need. I am not going to lie and say that us involving in this war was an easy decision to make. Because it was not, but we wanted to help because it was the right thing to do.” Tomas said. “And the unprovoked attack on our ship, along with your data on the Sowir certainly helped the decision.” He added with a smile.

“But there are so few of you, even with your manufacturing capabilities you can’t possibly match the Sowir fleets. You just don’t have the people.” Sumia said sadly.

“Yes, we are few. But I never intended for us to be fighting an all-out war with the Sowir. I hope to come to an arrangement with your people, that is why I sent Fleet Commander Farkas alongside Retsar Isani to your home world. I hope to make an alliance with your people. What Sanctuary needs most is time to grow and expand. Your people have already survived for decades in this war. If they agree I am prepared to use our fabricating technology to build ships for them. It should be enough to give your people a chance to win the war.” Tomas said.

“I hope that my people agree, but I fear that they will see you as primitive and weak.” Sumia said.

“All they have to do is look at the records of battle for Nuva to see that is not the case.”

“I fear that they won’t believe you. My people… Those living on the home world are not like me and the rest that came from Nuva.”

“In what way?” Tomas asked, confused.

“Nuva was a young colony, but it was also a place to send… Well, social misfits and those of the lower class.” Sumia said hesitantly.

Tomas frowned, “I don’t understand, lower class? It was my understanding that your people were all equal.”

“On Nuva that is the case, but only because everyone living there was of the lower class, with the few exceptions being me, my team, and the military. But even the military were posted there because they were misfits, speaking against the class system or having the misfortune to fall on the bad side of a more powerful family.” Sumia said.

“Well, that’s…”

“Appalling.” Sumia added.

“I would have used a different word, but yes.”

Sumia smiled softly, “Yes, I have read your history. You passed a similar period in your history, hundreds of years ago. But you fought against it, and changed the way people perceive those around them. You have achieved a true equality.” Sumia said.

“No, not really, we just learned to hide the gap better. Olympus was partly my way of achieving that equality, amongst other things. And I like to think that I succeeded. Everyone has equal rights and opportunities in Olympus.”

“Yes, I can see it when I walk the streets of your city.” Sumia said.

“Thank you.” Tomas said softly. “But even if your people are divided so much, they must see that they can’t win this fight alone. The Sowir destroyed or captured your shipbuilding facilities, the more time passes the stronger the Sowir get, while your people stay behind. Rebuilding the same shipbuilding capability you had before will take decades, but with our technology you could close the gap in a few years.”

“I can see that. But the ruling families are another matter entirely. They won’t agree with you controlling the technology, they will want it for themselves. If they even believed that you have it.”

Tomas brought his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes for a bit. “If I was in a different position, I might consider giving it to them, but I can’t risk it, not when the future of my people depends on it. I hope you understand?”

“I do, and I would have done the same thing. The home world has abandoned us, we were on our own. They left us to die at the hands of Sowir. And we would have, if you didn’t come along. For that you have my thanks, and that of the people of Nuva. We will do anything to repay you.”

Tomas nodded, “I guess we will just have to see what comes of Fleet Commander’s visit to Nelus.”

Olympia station

Johanna Stern Fleet Commander of the Olympus Second Fleet walked down the hallway on her way to meet with Fleets Master Laura Reiss. As she walked, she reviewed reports on her ships via her imp, the information projected in her field of vision on her “HUD”. The retrofits on her ships as well as the two additions to her fleet were finally completed, and as the Third or rather Home Fleet was finished one month ago, Johanna knew why she was called to meet with the Fleets Master. It meant that most likely she would now officially be assigned the mission she had been preparing for.

Ten months ago Olympus received a message from Earth, and learned that it was now under the rule of an alien race. People from Earth asked for help, and Tomas Klein decided that they will give it. Although with the threat from Sowir, and Olympus now having responsibility for another system the timing couldn’t have been worse. It was decided that before any help was sent to Earth, Sanctuary needed to be protected. The construction of the third fleet began almost immediately. The battle of Nuva showed them the weaknesses and strengths of their ships. And Fleet Commander Farkas’ report had a lot of insight concerning the future ships. From the battle they learned that Olympus ships had stronger hulls and could take a lot more punishment than their Sowir adversaries, while their offensive capabilities were slightly inferior. The kinetic weaponry was Olympus’ one advantage, but it also required them to close the distance enough for it to be effective or catch the enemy unprepared. Their laser and missile technology closely matched. With the dreadnoughts laser’s being a bit stronger. But it was Sowir particle weapons that gave them the greatest advantage. Olympus tech departments have made great strides towards copying the technology, but now that samples of the technology were on their way from Nuva they only had to wait. Fleet Commander Farkas managed to capture one of the Sowir ships with some of its tech intact. The damage it incurred in the battle drained it of atmosphere and there were no survivors.