Lens of Time: Book 06 - Star Rover-Running Out of Time (17 page)

The Commander looked to his right and saw the thick, black tentacle resting on his shoulder. His eyes went wide and he reached for his blaster. The black arm instantly wrapped around his wrist as another wrapped around his other wrist. The Commander was lifted off the ground by his arms and was held dangling in front of a huge black creature. The creature used another arm to remove his blaster and rip his shirt off exposing another small blaster in a holster under his arm. The creature casually tossed them over it and rolled its head down its body and stared into the Commander’s eyes.

“I heard you say that those that were conquered needed to be taught the proper respect for their masters. You said that after you executed one of your officers who showed mercy to a female and her child. I wouldn’t ordinarily take the time to teach you respect…but I wouldn’t want to make you feel slighted.”

Blacky felt the communicator vibrate and he lifted it and listened. He shook his head. He was being ordered to stop the attack. He sent the order and tried to decide what to do about the scumbag he was holding. He remembered the young child screaming and writhing in pain from the numerous stunner hits. He would stop…but not before he taught this one the lesson it so richly deserved. The Commander’s screams started and didn’t stop for an hour.

• • •

Blacky walked away from what remained of the Commander and felt his unit beep, “Yes, Ringie.”

“Why have we been ordered off our targets? We have only just started having fun.”

“I have no idea, Ringie. However, if we hope to do this again, we must comply with our orders. You have to admit, seeing those Grillen facilities go off was entertaining.”

“I guess…I just wanted to have some real fun.”

“I suspect something is going on and we’ll get our chance. Notify all your teams to back off.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Sir?”

“I like the way the humans use that word; it fits.”

“Perhaps we should implement similar titles in our forces.”

“Do it when we get back. Stopping the warriors is not going to be easy.”

“Contact them and tell them it’s a direct order from me. They’ve been observing the humans; they should comply by the difference in the structure.”

“I’ll give it a go. See you later.”

Blacky activated his communicator and tried to contact Dat but was unsuccessful. He wondered what was going on.

• • •

Hardhead pulled his communicator out and stared at it. He was angry beyond words but he saw that the order had been given in human terms. “Mumbles.”

“Yes.”

“We’ve been ordered to stop the attack and back off until we’re contacted.”

Mumbles looked at the Grillen Warrior he was holding off the ground and hooted, “You can’t be serious!”

“It comes from the War Leader.”

Mumbles was disgusted and he looked at the terrified Grillen he was holding and said, “You don’t know how lucky you are.” Mumbles put him on his feet and said, “Get out of here.” The Grillen didn’t have to be told twice. “Hardhead, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know. I just asked the other team at the Space Port and they’re just as confused as we are.”

“Perhaps we should get out of here and fly over to the Space Port. I suspect they’ll hear something before we do.”

“Good idea. I’ll meet you outside.”

“D
at, the Grillen Supreme Commander has requested a meeting with you at the site of the negotiations.”

“Why would he want that, Admiral?”

“I have no idea.”

“The Madators are about to initiate their attacks. Should we delay them?”

Katherine shook her head, “And just how would we do that?”

Dat sighed, “There’s no way we could contact all of them in time. It would endanger those that don’t attack if we called them off.”

“That’s how I see it. Whatever they want, I suspect it’s just another delaying tactic.”

Dat thought a moment, “Should I delay the meeting until after the attacks?”

“No, they might suspect something if you did.”

Dat nodded, “I’ll go and see what he wants. I’ll let you know afterwards.”

Katherine nodded and ended the call, “Brad, what do you make of this?”

“There’s been a huge amount of communication taking place in their fleets. Something has happened on their Governing Planet. We’ve not been able to ascertain what it is.”

“Get back to communications and find out. This isn’t like them.”

Brad saluted and left the room. Katherine pulled up the image of the Bronze Ship and wondered if they were about to be used against the Union. She picked up her communicator, “Admiral, I want all the disruption units in place. Be prepared to disrupt space around our planets if I order it.”

“Yes Sir.”

Katherine tried not to give in to her fear but it was almost impossible not to do so.

• • •

Dat rushed out of Fleet Headquarters and began talking on his communicator. He saw Stein bringing his Rover out of orbit and down to the planet; he called Gresha, “Gresha, I want you to go to the Madator’s planet and get them preparing to land on the main Grillen Governing Planet.”

“What!?!”

“I’ve thought about this at length and the only way to possibly end this without huge losses of life is to take out the Grillen leadership. I know the Madators trust you and you can make this happen quickly.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to meet with the Grillen Supreme Military Commander. He has requested a meeting and I need to see what’s going on. Will you do this for me?”

“I want to be with you, Dat.”

“I’m in no danger, Love. No one can approach the site of negotiations with an armed vessel. Even the Grillen wouldn’t violate that principle.”

“Would that civilization that sent the Bronze Ship violate it?”

Dat was surprised by that question. He thought a moment, “Even if they chose to do it, space around the planet is disrupted. They wouldn’t arrive before I could escape with Stein and Loree.”

“I want them on the planet with you, Dat.”

“They’ll land right outside the facility.”

Gresha grabbed a bag she kept packed in the front closet, “I’m on my way.”

“Thanks, Love.”

• • •

Dat arrived at the planet in M87 where the negotiations were taking place and was refused entrance into orbit with an armed warship. “Is the Grillen Commander here?”

“He is.”

“Please notify him I will not come unless I can land with my ship.”

Dat waited outside disrupted space around the planet and wondered if he should take the risk and go to the surface without his ship. “Admiral, you have been approved to land outside the facility.”

“Thank you.” Dat was shocked that the Grillen had agreed. “Stein, be ready for a fast exit.”

“I didn’t expect him to agree, Dat.”

“Neither did I; that must mean something serious is going on.”

“If I have to do it, I will burn a hole into the building for you to exit.”

“That’s a good idea. Keep me on your scanners. Do you have anything above the planet that’s out of the ordinary?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t.”

“Loree, keep an eye out.”

“Count on it.”

• • •

Dat exited the Rover and was escorted to the main hall. He checked his wrist unit and saw the Madator Attacks were kicking off. He was surprised to find only the Grillen Admiral waiting on him. The Admiral was tall for a Grillen at five feet and he looked imposing with his black skin matching the color of his military uniform, “I’ve dismissed all of the others so we can have a private conversation.”

“What’s going on?”

“My King has been killed by one of the creatures who allied themselves against you.” Dat was shocked at the revelation and didn’t know how to respond. The Grillen saw his emotions and said, “We have also uncovered some information about our ally that the new King thought you should know.”

Dat went to chair and sat down, “Why are you telling me this?”

“The new King feels that you need to know and he’s curious about what your response might be.”

“Go ahead.”

The Grillen activated the wall monitor and the image of a large creature wearing a green robe appeared. Dat guessed the creature was a little over six feet tall judging by the size of the Grillen standing next to it. His immediate reaction to it was repulsion. “I can see you share my feelings about these beings.”

Dat looked at the Admiral, “Then why did you ally with them?”

“I’ll get to that momentarily.” The Grillen pressed the control and Dat saw the creature without the robe on. He shook his head, “That looks like some kind of insect.”

“What’s an insect?”

“It’s a bug on my home world that was characterized by having six legs. This one doesn’t have any antenna, but it does share a number of their characteristics.”

“This particular one killed our King who was behind a force field.” Dat stared at the Admiral and saw he was telling the truth. The Admiral nodded at the image, “We discovered that this creature carries about thirty larvae, eggs…something that they inject into an intelligent life form to reproduce.”

Dat looked at the Admiral with revulsion, “How do you know that?”

“I’m giving you the scans we took for you to take with you to run your own examination. The King was killed by this creature when he confronted it on its reproductive needs.” The monitor started moving and Dat watched the confrontation between the Grillen King and the creature. The King’s death was not pretty and Dat started shaking his head, “How could you have allowed your civilization to ally with these vermin?”

The Grillen sat down in a chair next to Dat, “Our former ruler would always accept anything offered; he assumed he was in total control and no one could challenge him.”

“And now?”

The Grillen shrugged, “You saw their ship.”

“Where are they located?”

“We have no idea.”

Dat shook his head, “Are you that incredibly stupid!?!”

“We are.”

“Where were you while this was going on; surely you can see the idiotic decisions here?”

“I did but those over me would not tell the King for fear of being executed.”

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

“I did, sort of.” Dat just stared at him. “I allowed his son to overhear a conversation with one of my subordinates about the situation. He told the King, and I suspect the King already had the same suspicions. He caused one of their ships to be destroyed in order to draw them out into the open.”

“He used one of our devices.” The Admiral’s eyes widened. “Yes, we know about it. One of our probes intercepted the Bronze Ship’s communications before it was destroyed. How do you think we were able to attack that ship so quickly after it arrived?”

“I suspected as much. Unfortunately, my former King did not possess the control he thought he had.”

“What about the new King?”

“He’s the one that ordered me here.”

“And just what was he hoping to accomplish?”

The Grillen nodded at the image on the monitor, “That is an enemy to both of our civilizations. We shouldn’t be fighting each other.”

“It’s a little late to say that.”

“Why?”

Dat lifted his wrist unit and shook his head, “At this moment, all of your facilities and forces on the planets you invaded in the Red Sector of M87 are being removed.” The Grillen Admiral stood up. Dat shook his head, “I couldn’t stop them if I tried. The issue now becomes what you’re going to do about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you go to your forces’ defense, I am going to launch my fleets to stop you.”

The Grillen Admiral stared at Dat and looked at the floor for a moment. Dat heard him softly say, “Stupidity carries a high price.” He raised his head and lifted his communicator, “Grengal.”

“Yes Admiral.”

“You will order all of our ships out of the ball galaxy and back to our home worlds.”

“Sir, our forces on the invaded planets are being attacked. I’ve dispatched the defense fleets to defend them.”

“You will recall our forces and send them home, is that clear?”

“I will put them on hold; Admiral, but the King must confirm this order.”

“Contact him and tell him I ordered it.”

Dat watched the Grillen and saw his sadness. They waited in silence for twenty minutes when the Admiral’s communicator beeped, “Yes.”

“The fleets have been recalled.”

“Thank you, Grengal. I respect your verifying my order and you did the right thing.”

“I hate doing it, Sire.”

“I hate making you do it, my friend.”

Dat looked at the Admiral, “Why did you do it?”

The Admiral looked at Dat, “I hope the lives of our warriors on those planets are given for a good reason. I see no other way to prevent weakening our forces with what we’re going to have to face. I hope you see that by making this sacrifice, we will not be your enemy in the future.” He stared at Dat and quietly said, “Don’t make their lives meaningless.”

Dat stared at the Admiral and decided. He lifted his communicator, “Gibbs.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Send a ship to every invaded planet and call off the hostilities.”

“SIR?”

“Just do it!”

“Yes Sir.”

The Grillen looked at Dat, “I suspect our former friends have a means of seeing if we have opened hostilities. If you have a way of tracing their jumps, now would be a good time to use it.”

Dat realized the Admiral was right. He activated his communicator, “Gibbs, make sure the ships going to stop the hostilities drop trackers at every invaded planet’s location; especially at the prime construction sites.”

“Yes Sir.”

• • •

Gresha arrived at the Madator’s Planet and started them getting ready to invade the Grillen home world. It was late in the day before she received word from Dat to call off the invasion. She was frustrated and it took six hours to get the Madators to stop their preparations. She was exhausted and one of the Madator females came over and said, “Gresha, you need to rest. I’ll make sure your instructions are followed, but if you don’t lie down you’re going to collapse.”

“Anabel, there’s too much to do.”