“I haven’t much time, Relion, so please get started,” Hydon commanded, while accepting yet another datapad from the outstretched hand of his Fleet Marshal.
“Yes, my Lord. First, I will let you know that the sentries have been able to track the Human fleet since their departure from the Falor-Kapel system. They are making no pretense now as to their strength or intentions. They are headed this way.”
“How long?”
“They have only just now left the system, but by traditional routes around the Core, they should arrive at the outer boundary in approximately four standard months.”
“Their strength?”
“It’s hard for the sentries to tell at that distance, but they estimate around fifteen-hundred ships of various classes, including approximately twelve hundred warships.”
The Elder was silent for a moment, as all in the room thought the unspoken. And then: “Defenses — what are the prospects?”
Relion sighed a little too loudly and was embarrassed by the action. No one else at the meeting commented. “We are rushing all available warcraft to the area. We are also placing nuclear mines across the boundary, although the distances are much too great to be of much use. It would be pure luck if one of them is contacted by an approaching Human ship. There is a very wide area from which they could make their final approach, assuming they don’t split and choose a multiple front assault.” The Fleet Marshal paused a moment to let the information sink in.
“What is your assessment of our defensive strength in four months’ time?”
“My command counts a total of nearly five thousand Class-2 or higher warcraft in the Expansion at this time. According to estimates, only around eight hundred could make it here in time, including three Class-6’s and our remaining Class-7.”
Relion paused again, an action which caused the Elder to widen his eyes at his subordinate. “And…?”
“It will still not be enough, my Lord.”
This was what Hydon had been afraid of. No matter what they did, the Humans would still prevail.
Now it was Hydon’s turn to pause. He looked down at the corroborating data on the pad and then at the larger monitor screen to his right. It displayed the relative positions of the seven systems which made up the Alliance Cluster and whose furthest border marked the outer boundary. Within the Cluster were located the power generating planets of Oannan and Bal, the breeding farm of Salin, the training centers on Crilis, as well as the shipbuilding facilities on Molipor and Pymilia. Taken together, the worlds within the Alliance Cluster made up the industrial and intellectual life-blood of the Expansion. And at its very center was its heart — the planet Juir. If the Humans could breach the boundary, then they could strike a crippling blow to all that made the Expansion function.
And Fleet Marshal Relion was saying there was nothing they could do to stop it.
Hydon looked to Councilmember Wydor. They were as close to friends as one could be in Juirean society, having served together half a dozen times throughout the years. Wydor had ascended to the Council upon Hydon’s nomination.
“I see no other option,” Wydor said to Hydon, regret thick in his voice. “We must save what we can and return when our forces are stronger.”
“I did not want to be the Elder who presided over the destruction of our homeworld, Wydor.”
“You will not be held responsible, my Lord,” said his personal Counselor Yol-fin, a trusted advisor who had been at Hydon’s side for over fifty standard years.
“Unfortunately Counselor, they will. Whether it be official blame or not, my name will be forever associated with the sacking of Juir.”
Wydor leaned forward to rest his arms upon Hydon’s desk. “You have an opportunity to pull victory out of defeat,” he began, his voice building in intensity. “You can salvage most of our heritage and capabilities, to be resurrected at a future date. The Humans are upstarts. They may have a more powerful fleet at this time, but they are also located a great distance away in the Far Arm. They may sweep through the area, but they will not be able to hold it — if we preserve our strength.”
“The Councilmember is right, my Lord,” said Relion, his voice gaining enthusiasm as well. “If we commit a sizeable portion of our remaining forces to defense of the Cluster — just to have the effort fail — we will only be delaying our recovery. All available ships should be used for evacuation purposes. We could stockpile ample energy modules and then cripple the facilities so the Humans cannot use them. With four months until their arrival, we could even manage to save a good portion of the population.”
“But not all.” Hydon’s statement was like sucking all the air out of the room. The population of Juir was just over a billion — and that was just the Juireans. Even with every possible vessel filled to capacity — and not only the military ships, but
“Hydon,” Wydor said softly, “we can only do so much. Juir is already lost. The most we can hope for is to salvage all we can, and to return with a new force strong enough to drive the evil Humans away.”
“When that time comes, Wydor, I hope it is you who is Elder to lead the way … the way home.”
After the meeting adjourned, Hydon’s senior Counselor remained. His other two advisors had rushed off to begin the monumental task of saving the core of the Juirean Expansion and legacy from the marauding Human invaders.
“What is it, Yol-fin? I still have a lot to do.”
“Pardon me, my Lord, but you specifically requested that you be notified when Overlord Anawar Fe Batlin arrived.”
“Anawar? Do I know him?”
“Not personally. He is bringing in a small convoy from the outer rim.”
Hydon shook his head and frowned, still at a lost to place the significance of the event.
“He has the Human terrorist Adam Cain with him.”
“Yes! Now I remember. I do not have time for this, Yol-fin. Just have him executed when he arrives.”
“My Lord, you mentioned before how you have never met a Human. You seemed rather pleased with the prospect of killing this particular terrorist yourself.”
Hydon finally focused on his Counselor.
“He is traveling with others of his kind, is he not?”
“Yes, there are fifteen Humans and two others, a Belsonian and a Fulqin.”
Hydon thought for a moment how best to gain the most benefit from the acquisition of these Humans. He reached a decision.
“If I recall, Adam Cain is traveling with a female and another male, a pirate from Sector 17, is this correct?”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Have those three brought to me. Have the others turned over to Relion’s department. I have heard these Humans are extremely strong and resistant to flash weapons. Have his technicians test them. Find their breaking points, both physically and mentally. We may not be facing them in defense of the Cluster at this time, but we will face them again in the future. I want to know how tough these creatures truly are, and I want to know their weaknesses. When are they arriving? I cannot spend too much time on this.”
“Anawar should be achieving orbit about now. His shuttle will be cleared to land at the Council field. They should be here in less than two hours.”
“Good. Have a cleanup crew standing by near the Pinnacle Room — for when I’m done with the Humans.”
