“President, a union ship has dropped from ethereal space in our vicinity. The ship's captain wishes to speak to you.” Said Oret’s voice, crackling over the speaker on Ettimis’s desk.
“I am aware of the union vessel, Oret. Route the communication to office.” Responded Ettimis as a small glass screen flickered into focus on his desk, showing the face of a women dressedin the traditional union attire before him.
“Inter-planetary trading Company vessel Avus. I am Captain Reliq of the Galactic Union; I presume I am speaking with the person who oversees Avus.” Said Reliq, with assertion in her tone.
“Captain Reliq, I am Ettimis, President of the Company vessel Avus. I am in charge of this small resource extraction operation on the planet's surface.”
“President Ettimis. I am here at the request of the Counsel of Judicators, of the Galactic Union, in response to a relay probe message stating your vessel and aillinium extraction operation is in violation of intergalactic law on several accounts. Ranging from illegal mining far outside company territory. To the enslavement and genocide of developing seed species... As such President, I must inform you this operation is to be suspended until a proper investigation can be conducted.” Continued Reliq
“Captain Reliq. Your claims are both preposterous and insulting. However, regardless of which, I can assure you this planet is well within territory legally acquired by the Trading Company. I suggest you return to the central region and contact the Company directly. Until then you are trespassing on private property captain. You have no authority to investigate or suspend any operations without a valid warrant.”
“President, may I remind you that once you violated the rights of a developing seed species the Inter Planetary Trading Company forfeited any claim any this region or the resources within it. Due to the extreme nature of the claims presented, the council must stop this operation until further notice. President, failure to comply will have severe consequences for both you and the Company.”
“Captain Reliq, you have wasted enough of my time. I will no longer entertain this conversation. Without proof, your claims are still unjustified. I assure you Captain; no such suspension of operation or investigation of this privately owned planet will commence.” Said Ettimis with hostility as he switched off the speaker, ending the transmission.
looking out across the buildings on Avus, Ettimis stared for a moment at the union ship drifting along beside the ring. Thinking how insignificantly small the ship was in comparison tothe grandeur of Avus, Ettimis stood up from his chair a walked over to the window. With fists clenched in anger, he strode across the room contemplating his next course of action.
“Shouldn’t have come alone captain... By the time, the council is aware of what happened to you and sends another ship the Company will have harvested this entire planet, leaving no evidence of you or any seed species.” Murmured Ettimis, with a cold sneer and half-cocked smile.
“Oret, destroy the union vessel, Immediately!” Said Ettimis, as he returned to his desk. The anger evident in his tone.
“But President...?” Responded Oret, with reservation in his voice. Ettimis’s angry demand crackling through the command decks main speakers, for the whole bridge staff to hear.
“Oret, do as your told or I will have you demoted... destroy that ship before it gets away.” Said Ettimis, the anger in his voice now replaced with an eerie calm.
Oret stood at the centre of the command deck for a moment. The grainy image of the union vessel appeared on the main screen in front of him, with the twelve bridge workers all turned in their seats looking at their Vice President for direction. Pausing briefly before continuing, Oret knew what he said in the next few seconds could alter the history of the galaxy as they knew it.
“You heard the president. Ready the cannons and prepare to fire at the Union vessel.” Said Oret with a slight tremble, as the bridge staff quickly began relaying the orders through their speakers.
“We have confirmation that the cannons crews are tracking the Union vessel and are ready to fire on your orders Vice President.” Said a staff member from behind Oret, after several seconds.
“Let the record show this action was on the direct order of President Ettimis. Now fire the cannons,” commanded Oret, after a brief pause.
“Commence firing,” several staff members could be heard saying through their speakers.
Flames shot out of the engines of the union vessel as it rapidly accelerated towards the cannon fire. Diving under the swarm of incoming projectiles, the union vessel passed through the ring of Avus, missing the command deck at its centre by a narrow margin. Turning to follow the fast-moving Union ship, the cannons continued firing. Flinching as the ship passed close by, Oret and the other bridge crew braced as the heart of Avus shook in its wake. From his office window Ettimis watched the chase unfold with great satisfaction. Several of the projectiles hit the Union space craft, causing a small burst of light to erupt from its hull before dissipated into the cold vacuum of space. A trail of fragments and debris gleamed in the light of Issa, following the now damaged ship. Completely disabled by the severity of the cannon impacts, the ship began to spiral uncontrollably as it descended, burning across the atmosphere as it rapidly accelerated towards the planet's surface.
VI
Afraid, Jacob ran through the streets of broken roadways and ruined buildings as fast he could, chased by fear of being continually pursued by the unknown invaders. Motivated by his drive to find his brother, Jacob found himself looking down every passing street and inside every building. Hoping to find any sign of Alex, Jacob constantly played out scenarios in his mind of how he would fend off his brother's captors when he encountered them. The streets grew increasingly brighter as the sun projected shades of blue and green over the horizon.
