Star Force: Resolution (SF89) (Star Force Origin Series) (4 page)

Nefron bid his farewell as the Preema left with his
Star Force escort for either his quarters or the hangar bay, though the Chixzon
didn’t care which. He was an associate that he needed to work with, but the
Preema were a bit too arrogant for his liking.

He stayed in the room for another few minutes then
left to head for the restricted section where the Preema was never allowed. There
he got back to his work and began studying the telepathic communication between
the three Uriti as well as their current states. Nedrasil was in bad shape, far
more so than Cardosan had been, and he wondered if that was due to more time
spent under sedation or some other factor.

Within the day ‘indoctrination’ would begin and basic
orders would be given to the new arrival as well as having the other two move
through their ‘workouts’ so Nedrasil could see and hopefully learn from that.
If there was resistance to be elicited it would happen now, but assuming there
was none with these simple tasks and
Nedrasil’s
different design wasn’t an issue, they’d begin a regimen that would prompt and
accelerate the healing process.

While a lot of people assumed Uriti could not die,
they did not understand how much damage one could take and still keep living.
They could suffer horribly and persist far longer than others which was both a
blessing and could be a curse. While sedating them to save the galaxy from the
Chixzon had been necessary, it was still doing the Uriti a disservice and he
hated seeing them in this condition. While he wished they had had enough
willpower to disobey the Chixzon back in the day, he was adamantly hoping now
that Nedrasil didn’t, else it’d slow his work here.

And work he still had to do. They’d speculated that
adding a third Uriti to the group would alter their interactions considerably
and right now he was getting a host of new readings from the trio, telepathic
and otherwise. These creatures truly had a pack mentality, and keeping them
isolated from one another since their spawning was an obvious oversight the
Chixzon had made. They were more powerful together, but that was an aspect of
their functionality that was never explored. They were simply used as gigantic
wrecking balls and now, in light of this new perspective, Nefron felt anger at
his race’s stupidity. While they didn’t tolerate such things, it was now becoming
clear just how shortsighted they had been in addition to being in the wrong.

Being a bad guy was bad enough, but to be a stupid bad
guy was both insulting and infuriating.

The Chixzon had a reputation for being smart and
savvy, so why hadn’t they explored this avenue? Even as he pondered the
question he knew the answer, something his Star Force training had instilled in
him from the get-go.

The Uriti were people, not machines, and the Chixzon
had been treating them as such and using their base abilities to do all the
damage while not accounting for improvement or skill. They wanted a weapon to
do their bidding, but had completely missed the opportunities that were right
in front of them.

Then again, utilizing those opportunities required one
to be of a mindset that wouldn’t allow you to wipe out all life on a given
planet, so maybe it wasn’t so odd that the Chixzon had missed out on this
angle, but missed it they did and that gave Nefron pause to consider how much
else
he
might be missing. He had the
benefit of his Star Force memories to put into contrast with his Chixzon ones,
but were there angles to the Uriti or other matters that he was still blind to?

It was worth thinking on, and over the coming years
he’d do just that as he probed the Uriti’s abilities and temperaments far
deeper than the Chixzon had ever cared to, exceeding them and gaining a greater
understanding of just how impressive and alien these beasts truly were.

4

June 3, 3288

Paquat
System

Vikod
(Trinx homeworld)

The escorts for the Trinx representative walked
through the membrane wall onboard the Yisv cruiser just prior to it splitting
apart to allow the visitor into the small reception chamber. Pattrel floated
down from the ceiling displays like a ghost then touched solid feet to the
ground as his body changed its molecular alignment and his wispy aura coalesced
into a mass more like the Trinx.

“
Thank you for
coming aboard
.”

“
I presume you
were sent by the others?
”

“
We were,”
Pattrel
acknowledged. “
Given that you killed a
great number of them, it was decided that the Yisv should handle this meeting
to reduce the possibility of conflict breaking out. They are still quite
enraged.
”

“
As are we
,”
the Trinx said with muffled anger. “
You
have betrayed your oaths
.”

“
On the
contrary, we are in the process of fulfilling them. Regardless, I have not come
here to debate the past with you. The Trinx made their choice and suffered
greatly for it, but the matter is not concluded. Given time the others will
come here to exact a reckoning. I have been sent to entertain the possibility
of a peaceful settlement.
”

“
And I have been
sent to hear your words, though it is unlikely that we will agree to any
demands
.”

“
You have
destroyed a great many of The Nine’s ships, killed our people while we were
defending the very solution that we have all long sought. Had you succeeded,
the Hamoriti would be on the rampage again with us unable to do anything but
delay its minions from spreading. You were wrong in your judgement of Star
Force. The Hamoriti has been contained and two more have been acquired. The one
we discovered in Li’vorkrachnika territory first, then the
Sety’s
was successfully extracted while sedate and moved to the containment Preserve.
Once awoken it joined the group and is remaining within the boundaries. Our
worlds and the galaxy are now safe from them so long as Star Force does not
lose control…control which you tried and nearly succeeded in destroying. I will
also note that they now have the ability to control the Hamoriti via different
ships, so even if the Chixzon is killed they will be able to maintain control
.”

“
Something that
they had promised was impossible
.”

“
They did not
lie. I am told that the Chixzon found a way to do what was never meant to be
done. They did not give details, but it is a recent development. We are fairly
sure they did not have this capability when you attacked them, meaning that if
you had succeeded you would have destroyed our only chance at restraining the
Hamoriti. For that the others will not forgive you, and they will seek a
measure of vengeance unless
contritions
are made
.”

“
For the sake of
discussion only, what
contritions
do they seek?
”

“
Payment to
replace the warships you destroyed, in appropriate material then multiplied by
a factor of 8. Severing of all ties and agreements with the other members of
The Nine. Banishment from ever entering our combined territories. And the
forfeiture and removal of the Hamoriti you guard to the Star Force Preserve.
That will satisfy us, but you will have to come to terms with Star Force
independently.
”

“
If you think we
will give up
Rigall
to Star Force or anyone else you
have truly gone insane
.”

“
If they wish
it, they can awaken it from orbit. You do not have the ability to keep it here
.”

“
They will not
do so while there are people on the planet that would die in the removal. It is
not their way.
”

“
It is their way
to conquer races that attack them. The Nine are content to make a deal,
otherwise they will be helping in the assault whenever Star Force is ready to
mount it
.”

“
And the Yisv?
”

“
We have not made
a decision yet
.”

“
Why forfeit
possession of the Hamoriti if it is safely sedate?
”

“
You have been
deemed unfit to protect it
.”

“
We have never
wavered in our duty
.”

“
There are many
aspects to that duty, some of which you have not only failed but betrayed. The
Nine are wrapping up our long held duty by moving all Hamoriti to the Preserve.
Once that is complete we will assist Star Force as necessary in maintaining
their containment, but the problem will no longer be our responsibility. They
have the power to control them, and so long as we deliver those we hold to them
we will have acquitted our duty. So long as yours remains unaccounted for and
not under Star Force control it remains a potential threat. Therefore it will
be removed from your custody. We would prefer a peaceful transition
.”

“
No
,” the
Trinx said simply.

“
Do your people
feel no shame for what you have done?
”

“
I could ask you
the same. You are giving the most powerful weapons in the galaxy to strangers
that you hope will honor their word. If you are waking up the Hamoriti then the
matter is even worse, for if their control of them disappears they will all be
free. As of now they are sedate and how you could see the reverse as preferable
is beyond us
.”

“
There is
partial logic in your words, but I fear it is more arrogance than anything
else. With this Hamoriti removed your race loses its stated purpose for
existing. If you are not a Hamoriti protector then who are you? You will have
to revert to past objectives or chart a new path forward, and I sense you do
not want to do that.
”

“
Do you? Are you
reading that from my mind or making assumptions?
”

“
I am reading
that in your mind, but I do not need to. It is obvious by your race’s actions
.”

“
For the sake of
this meeting only, assume we agreed to your terms. You admit that Star Force
may not honor them. What point is there in making a deal with The Nine when
they are the closer and larger threat? They have the ability to destroy us with
a single Hamoriti and we know we cannot stop them. Neither can you
.”

“
You just stated
that they wouldn’t do such a thing
.”

“
Expecting them
to
is
a vast difference from them having the ability
to do something. Yes, they can come and take
Rigall
whenever they wish. Their reluctance to kill us to accomplish it is the only
leverage we possess and we intend to make use of it. We will not relinquish our
Hamoriti and we will not evacuate the planet. If you want it, you’re going to
have to take it from us by force, and we are well defended here despite our
recent fleet losses.
”

“
There is no
need for any more of The Nine to die, on either side. I am here to find a way
to resolve the matter without further bloodshed
.”

“
It sounded to
me like you were sent here to make demands, not negotiate
.”

“
If you have a
counter proposal please make it
.”

“
We go our
separate ways. We will not leave this system and you will not enter it. The
Hamoriti will remain sedate and therefore not threaten anyone else. If we
release it to Star Force and they lose control we cannot
resedate
it, therefore it is advantageous to keep it in its present state
.”

“
That will not
satisfy The Nine, and based off my judgement of them, I do not believe it will
satisfy Star Force either
.”

“
Their solution
endangers us all
,” the Trinx said conciliatorily. “
While their involvement may have been necessary to reign in the rogue,
waking up others is a folly that we cannot be part of
.”

“
If you are so
certain that they will not awaken this Hamoriti if it means killing you in the
process, you who attacked and destroyed many of their ships, who are in a de
facto state of war with them, what is it that you fear them doing with the
Hamoriti? If they will not use them against you, then who?
”

The Trinx was hesitant to answer, suddenly caught by
the logic thread. “
They have the ability
to destroy us. We do not think they will, but it is a gamble we are willing to
take with our own lives. Are you willing to risk the galaxy on that same
assumption?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
For what
possible logic?
”

“
The simple fact
that since they have gotten involved the situation has improved
.”

“
The rogue is
temporarily contained, that is true, but the potential disaster is far higher
now
.”

“
All it will
take to destroy the galaxy is one unchecked Hamoriti. One was woken before Star
Force intervened. If they are not lying, and we do not assume they are, they
cannot sedate the Hamoriti by any means different than what the Ancients used.
If the Hamoriti comes under attack it will defend itself, meaning that a battle
will have to be fought to sedate them. Even the original Chixzon did not have
full control over them. Orders can be given, but an order to surrender itself
will not take. The rogue cannot be captured again through lesser means, and if
all it takes is one to doom us all, better to have them all in a single,
defensible location than scattered across the galaxy
.”

“
One is enough
to doom us, but more than one will expedite the destruction. Given time we will
be able to attain the technology level of the Ancients, then we will be able to
contain waking Hamoriti
.”

Pattrel was silent for a long moment, then looked at
the Trinx skeptically. “
What progress
have you made?
”

“
We continue to
study the Ancient shell and learn from the Oracle. The depths of its
programming are massive, and when we prove to it that we have attained certain
technology it releases more information
.”

“
I was told that
the Oracles did not know how the Ancients achieved delivery of the sedative to
the waking Hamoriti
.”

“
Whether or not
that information is contained within the databanks is uncertain. Perhaps it
simply requires unlocking because the task is too great for a lesser race to
attempt. Even if it is not, when we attain a similar tech level to the Ancients
we will be able to divine a method, whether it be the original or a new one of
our own making. We will gain the ability to capture Hamoriti
.”

“
Then do so as a
backup to Star Force’s Preserve
.”

“
We require this
one to study in its slumber
.”

“
Better yet to
study one when it is awake. We have gained far more data from the Preserve
observatories than we have gotten from the Shells. The Hamoriti, when active,
are quite different
.”

“
You are only
allowed the data Star Force gives you. Once again you are entrusting everything
to them.
Rigall
will remain here and we will continue
to learn and advance
.”

“
That will not happen
given the current temperaments of those you betrayed
.”

“
We are building
additional defenses. The longer they delay to strike us the stronger we get.
And as I’ve said, our prior defenses here were considerable to begin with
.”

2 months later…

Pattrel walked into the grand council chamber on the
Sety capitol, then switched back into its wispy form to float down a series of
stairs before coalescing itself again in front of the representatives of what
had been come to be known as The Seven, though none of them would claim that
title in the
Yisv’s
presence, disrespectful as it
was, though it was now true that
Pattrel’s
race was
incapable of assisting with the protection of the Preserve where the Hamoriti
were present. Their participation in this alliance was coming to a beneficial
end, but until all of The Nine’s Hamoriti were relocated they were still viable
to a number of missions, though the recent one had ended in utter failure.

“
They are
intractable
,” the Yisv reported. “
Their
defeat has not opened their minds, rather I fear it has committed them to a
futile course. They will not admit error, nor culpability, and they will not
surrender the Hamoriti
.”

“
Fools
,” the
Sety said with disgust. “
Don’t they
realize that even if we all decided to forgive them their betrayal that they
will still have to deal with Star Force? Even without using the Hamoriti, as
they’ve promised not to, they have an empire containing thousands of star
systems. The Trinx have but one. They cannot hold out against an invasion for
long
.”

“
They intend to
and are building additional deterrents. As you probably know, their previous
defenses were the strongest of us all, but I agree that they will not be
victorious if Star Force, or we, decide to strike at them.
”

“
Were no
possible avenues of compromise discussed?
” the Dati asked.

“
I spent many
days in discussion. They will listen but nothing beyond that. Their minds are
fixed on their course
.”

“
And what is
their course, as they see it?
” the cyborg asked.