The War of Pawns (The Human Chronicles -- Book Three) (4 page)

For several hundred years after the retreat, many of the planetary systems began to engage in bloody wars, either as a consequence of the quest for Juirean technology and raw materials, or as a result of colonial ambitions now set free by the absence of the Juireans. No less than a dozen tiny stellar ‘empires’ sprang up, each trying to emulate the success of the Juireans. Some of these neophyte coalitions actually managed to bring about a certain degree of peace and prosperity to their regions. However, most did not. And when the envious neighboring worlds began to invade the territories of these more-successful unions, even bloodier wars began to explode throughout the galaxy.

It’s often been debated whether or not the Juireans had this result in mind when they retreated. During the time of The Mass, many worlds grumbled about the Juireans, some even to the point of outright revolt. However, none of these revolts resulted in any real change in the geopolitical arrangement of the galaxy. But now, without the stabilizing influence of the Juireans, many of these same revolting worlds began to cry out for a return to the ‘good old days’ when the Juireans ran the show.

If the Juireans did indeed plan for such an outcome, it was an act of genius, as well as incredible foresight.

The Juireans remained sequestered from the bulk of the galaxy for four hundred years, before they eventually ventured back out, and when they did, they came with a completely different approach to governing.

Since the Juireans now realized that ruling something the size of a galaxy by a single race was impractical, they decided to allow local worlds, and coalitions of worlds, to join them in a mutually-beneficial alliance, such as the original Seven World Common Alliance had been designed to do. In return for their allegiance, as well as a tribute paid to the Juireans, each of these worlds would be allowed to purchase the superior technology of the Juireans and to trade within the Juirean alliance. These worlds would also be able to retain as much autonomy over their own affairs as they wished, as long as it did not interfere with the operations of the Juireans.

The Juireans also offered their Members tacit protection against any of their more aggressive neighbors – even though it took a lot for the Juireans to step in personally to resolve a dispute. More often than not, they simply chose to arm the Member planets with more powerful weapons, and let the planets fight the wars themselves, rather than risk spilling Juirean blood over these mostly internal squabbles. Juirean life was sacred, and more valuable than that of any other being in the galaxy – at least to the Juireans.

This new strategy for ruling a galaxy ended up being a win-win for all parties involved. Individual worlds could retain much of their independence and freedom, while rejoining the community of civilizations in the galaxy.

All they had to do was what the Juireans told them to do.

Juirean influence began to expand rapidly throughout the galaxy, and at even a faster pace than during the time of the more militaristic Mass. More and more worlds began to petition for Membership, and the Juireans soon found themselves once again masters of the known galaxy, and in complete control of their destiny.

After approximately 1,500 years of building an empire, the evolution of Juirean control over the galaxy was complete. Growing from the Seven World Common Alliance and the Union, to The Mass and the Juirean Empire, to finally
The Juirean Expansion
, a point had been reached where a relative peace and stability now settled over the galaxy.

And it existed for almost 2,500 more years, until…

As Overlord Yan’wal drew his thoughts to a close, he agonized over the uncertainty of the path on which he was embarking. The Juirean people had come a long way from their humble beginnings on an obscure planet in a small stellar cluster, to become rulers of the known galaxy. And now an upstart, an outlier from the Far Arm, could threaten it all.

The Humans were not of The Expansion, and as such, did not owe any allegiance to the Juireans. Their civilization, political structure and technology all came from someplace else. Yes, they were being helped by the Klin, but to what extent? That information was in conflict. Could they be a totally self-sufficient industrial and technological power in their own right? Could they control an empire of their own at the far end of the galaxy? There was just so little known about the Far Arm that any guess on his part would be purely that, a guess. And Senior Overlord Yan’wal did not operate on guesses, at least not under normal circumstances.

But what else could he do? And what other choice did he have?

As Yan’wal had previously expressed to his staff, he truly believed the Juirean race was about to encounter the greatest threat to their existence since before the days of Malor the Great. He had no choice.

The Human race had to be destroyed…

Chapter Three

When the link came through from Overlord Yan’wal, Senior Guard Commander Lod-fin Al Reuminin, commander of the Secondary Exploratory Fleet under direction of Fleet Commander Siegor, was in the grooming station of his stateroom, hunched over a sink and vomiting his guts out.

The abscess in his stomach lining was getting worse, and the bile he was expelling was now laced with blood. He felt awful, and he cursed the intoxicating specialty food he had discovered on the planet Yonnlin, during his last assignment in the far-off Sector 4 of The Expansion. The dish was an almost addictive concoction of spices and meats that the dietary computer had cleared for Juirean consumption. However, in excess, the meal had proved to be a destructive force upon his digestive tract, and now it was ripping his insides apart.

The condition had started innocently enough, just a few sharp pains in his side. But now that he had been deployed with Commander Siegor’s force, and on a mission of such importance as tracking down the last surviving Klin, he was afraid to report the ailment to his superiors. He would not risk losing his command on account of his medical condition.

His aide stood at the doorway to the grooming station, looking unsure of himself. Overlord Yan’wal was not one you kept waiting on the link. So after one final surge, Lod’fin looked up from the sink and over at the aide, spittle dangling from his mouth. “Tell the Overlord I will be with him presently. Just let me clean up a little first before I speak with him –
but
don’t tell him that!
”

“Yes, Commander,” and the aide quickly retreated back into the stateroom.

Lod’fin splashed some water on his face and rinsed out his mouth, before brushing the long mane of light green hair back over his head and down his back. His eyes were blood-shot, and his normally bronze skin looked pale. He had no choice. He had to face the Overlord in his present condition.

After slipping into the chair behind his desk, Lod’fin took a deep breath, exhaled, and then opened the link to the Overlord.

“My Lord, I apologize for the delay.”

Yan’wal appeared on the screen, and took several long seconds to consider the image of the Senior Guard before him. “Are you all right?” he finally asked.

“Yes, My Lord, just a slight malfunction with the dietary computer. I appear to have eaten something that does not agree with me.”

Yan’wal stared at his subordinate for several more seconds, during which Lod’fin fought the urge to resume vomiting right in front of the Overlord. Eventually, Yan’wal nodded.
 
“Very well, Commander. First of all, I would like a progress report on your effort to locate any secondary Klin bases on your side of the Barrier.”

Lod’fin was relieved for the change of subject. It would help get his mind off the burning pain in his gut. “As directed, we have revised our search parameters to include only planets with a substantially higher surface gravity than standard, and have surveyed seven planets to date. Only two were within the habitable zones for their stars, and none have shown any evidence of a base of any kind. We are continuing our survey.”

Yan’wal nodded again, and then furrowed his brow slightly. He was silent for several more seconds, as if contemplating a decision. Then he looked straight at Lod’fin again. “Commander, have you been keeping abreast of the events in the Sector over the past few weeks?”

“Yes I have, My Lord. I am aware of the battles that have taken place, especially the fleet casualties suffered off Dimloe. Do you require my presence to supplement the fleet?”

“Not at this time. I have another assignment for you.” And then again, that look of uncertainty on the face of the Senior Overlord. Lod’fin began to grow concerned.

“Have you heard any references to a race of beings called
Humans?
”

“Yes, My Lord. They appear to be the race that participated in both battles, alongside the Klin.”

“Well, Commander, it now appears as if the Humans may have been the primary participants in both these confrontations, and that the Klin may have played only a minor role.”

“I don’t understand. I thought the Klin are our primary targets during this campaign?”

“That was the original mission. But now the focus has shifted to these Humans.”

“Who are they, My Lord? Where do they come from?”

“From the Far Arm, Commander.”

Immediately, the significance of the link from the Overlord became clear. Lod-fin’s force of five Juirean battlecruisers was located at the very beginning of the Far Arm, on the opposite side of the Barrier from Sector 17. His force would be the first line of defense against any attack from that region. “Is there any evidence of movement from the Far Arm toward my location, by these…Humans?”

“Not at this time. However, we
have
learned what we believe to be is the location of the Human homeworld, a planet called Earth, and The Juirean Authority is amassing a fleet to assault the planet as soon as possible.”

Lod-fin suddenly forgot all about his torn-up stomach, as excitement surged throughout his body. “That is magnificent news, My Lord. How can I be of assistance in this undertaking?”

“Don’t be so anxious, Commander,” the Overlord warned. “These Humans are an unknown entity, and to date have proven to be a tenacious opponent. We do not know what we will be going up against during an assault of their homeworld.”

“So what is my mission, My Lord?” Lod-fin asked, letting his enthusiasm override decorum with the Overlord.

“A group of Humans have commandeered a battlecruiser, the
UN-233
.”

“My Lord, that is Commander Olin’s ship!”

“It was, Commander. Like I said, the Humans are now in control of it, and Commander Olin has not been heard from in several days.”

“Where is this ship now?” Olin was a friend of Lod-fin’s; they had crewed together on many a ship in the past, and it was on Lod-fin’s recommendation that Olin had received his own command.

“We have lost contact with the
UN-233
, however we believe that it may be headed to the Human homeworld. Since we know the location of Earth, we can assume they will follow that same track.”

Yan’wal paused slightly before continuing. “Commander, your assignment will be to track down the
UN-233
and prevent it from reaching Earth before our fleet arrives. As mentioned before, we do not have adequate intelligence as to the strength and capabilities of the enemy. Our fleet will be arriving essentially blind, and we cannot afford to have the Humans be forewarned of our arrival.