State leader Sten said, “Possibly you are right but we are going to examine the ingredients of this particular recipe. Headman, contact the Humans and tell them that a new occupation fleet will be arriving in six weeks and to be prepared for its arrival.”
“How many ships are you sending this time, State Leader?”
“Four thousand should do it. Notify the Glod representative that they will command this occupation. The Glod make the Cainth look absolutely tame and they should handle this easily enough.” Headman Dgzh thought this feels like deja vu’ all over again.
LT. Kelly looked up from his console and said, “Mr. Gardner, the Director is on a channel requesting to speak with you and Mrs. Gardner.”
“Admiral, Will you and Captain Mikado join us and have the call sent to the briefing room, Mr. Kelly.”
“Yes sir.”
The briefing room was located next to the bridge and was used to discuss issues not for general crew information. They entered and closed the door and then Admiral Kosiev pressed a button and said, “Madam Director, Mr. and Mrs. Gardner are here with me. They have requested my presence if that meets your approval.”
“Good, I’m glad you’re there, Admiral, you need to hear this too. We have just received a message from State Leader Sten of the Alliance of Worlds notifying us that we will be occupied in six weeks. We are to prepare for the occupation forces as before and that the Glod Union will be commanding the fleet. When I asked how many quarters need to be prepared he responded that enough for 3,000 ships.”
Tag looked at Danielle, “Then you can expect between four and six thousand ships. The Alliance treats everything as a nail; if one hammer won’t do it, two will. Terl has told them that we are down to 140 ships. It looks like they don’t buy that analysis.”
“I think they do,” Danielle said. Tag gave her a look and she went on, “They want to impress not only us but every other member of the Alliance who holds the real power. He probably thinks it can be done with half of what he’s sending, but after losing 2,000 ships, he’s making sure everyone knows one battle does not win a war and here’s what happens if they lose. All of our surviving ships will be totally destroyed and our planet invaded.”
Tag and Kosiev looked at her and then Kosiev said, “Madam Director, I think Mrs. Gardner is probably right. Have you thought about what our response should be?”
“I wish I knew more about these Glod. Are they a peaceful race? What’s their history?”
Tag thought a moment and said, “Misty, I’ll contact Terl and Admiral Dorg and see what they know. They have been allies with the Glod and perhaps they can shed some light on what to expect. I’ll contact you within an hour and we can look at our response at that time. Would you like the Cainth to listen in?”
“Yes. I think that would be a good idea.”
“They’re going to do what!” Terl said.
“You know it was going to happen,” Admiral Dorg said. “You can’t win a battle and not face a bigger and stronger force. That’s the Alliance’s way of maintaining control over all of its members.”
“Tag, we are allies of the Glod Union, but they are warriors first and civilized second,” Terl said. “They will be absolutely oppressive in ways that would make our occupation of your colony look tame by comparison. They just can’t help it; the weak are nothing to them. They seek combat where ever they can find it.”
“Then it looks like we have to resist,” Kosiev said.
Admiral Dorg said, “Let me contact a Glod Ambassador I know and discuss the possibility of them not participating in the occupation.”
Terl looked at Dorg, “Do you think he’ll listen to you now?”
“How could he not after our crushing defeat here in our home system? Give me a drag and I’ll see what I can achieve. I’ll contact you immediately after our contact.”
Danielle said, “I’ll call the Director and tell her our call may be delayed. Terl, you and Admiral Dorg have been invited by our Director to participate in our planning session. Would you like to take part?
“Absolutely, would you want to include the other Clan Leaders?”
“If we have too many, we may not get anything done,” Tag said as Danielle elbowed him in the ribs.
“Clan Leader,” Danielle said, “we would welcome their participation, would they take part in the discussions?”
“No, their task is to observe and counsel me. I think it would give them a rare opportunity to know our clan brothers better.”
Tag said, “I apologize, we would certainly like to have them participate.” Then he rubbed his ribs and mouthed to Danielle, “I’m Sorry.”
Admiral Dorg said, “Alright. Everyone be on call. I’ll contact the Ambassador now,” and he broke the connection.
Admiral Dorg and Ambassador Tgon-Gee were looking at each other on their respective communication monitors. Dorg asked, “Is this a secure channel?”
Tgon-Gee reached forward and flipped a lever, “It is now. You want something; what is it this time?”
“I’ve been told that your race has been chosen to lead the next invasion of the Humans. Is there any truth to that?”
“Yes we have as a matter of fact. They destroyed 360 of the ships we loaned to the previous invasion fleet and we owe these Humans a blood debt.” Dorg didn’t say anything; he just stared at the Ambassador. Tgon-Gee said, “You know something, don’t you?”
“Ambassador, you have been a valued ally that has always been helpful to my government. I find that I must trust you if I’m to share this information with you,” then Dorg was silent.
“What is it?”
“Have you heard what the Humans did to our home fleet?”
“I’ve heard they wiped it out.”
“They did, Ambassador, which members of the Alliance are the strongest militarily?”
“We are and the Hargons and you were, before the conflict, one of the three strongest in the Alliance.”
“Why do you think it is that the Alliance leadership has chosen two of the strongest members to attack these Humans; especially two that aren’t on the Safety Prime Council? Why have the Hargons not been asked to lead?”
“Because we are the strongest,” Tgon-Gee said.
“Could it possibly be that with the two strongest weakened, it makes the Alliance Leaders stronger. I have reason to believe we were set up in the previous battle and now the Alliance has refused to send us protection after the Humans destroyed our fleets. Does that sound like they appreciate what we did or the sacrifices we endured. I think they were afraid of us and wanted to see our power removed. Do you ever get the impression that the Alliance is afraid of your race?”
Tgon-Gee sat and thought about how many times he had heard from the Alliance how powerful his ships were. Then Dorg said, “They probably told you that the Humans only have a few ships remaining.”
Tgon-Gee leaned into the screen, “That’s exactly what they said. What do you know? Do they have more? Are we being set up like you?”
“Ambassador, in all of our past dealings, have I ever been wrong in my opinions?”
“No. You’ve been quite accurate on most things.”
“Then consider this. No one knows how many ships the humans have. What happens when you arrive to occupy the Humans world and you’re confronted with a thousand of those ships that destroyed my fleet?”
“Do they have that many?”
“I honestly don’t know, but have they agreed to the occupation?”
“Not yet.”
“If they were afraid, wouldn’t they quickly agree?”
Tgon-Gee was thinking of the consequences of facing that many nightmare ships and it didn’t matter if he had 10,000 ships. He had seen the Glod survivors recording of what those small ships could do. “How could we avoid this now that the Alliance has chosen us?”
“Perhaps you can tell them that your race has to complete the religious burial of every member of the destroyed ships. Dream up some ancient ceremony that you practice in your warrior religion. Tell them that so many were killed that it is going to take half a cycle before you can participate but that after that time you’ll be
