Maty by Aer-ki Jyr (big screen ebook reader .TXT) 📗

role, or something similar to it, within the Star Force Era’tran.”

“And what would he have said about this?” Rajamal asked, holding up the cube.

“That our primary obstacle was removing itself, exposing the two lessers.”

“Yet our primary enemy is leaving. It is they who issued the Deathmark upon us.”

“And it is the Oso’lon and J’gar that carried it out amongst their own ranks. Did you ever envision our limited forces overwhelming the Zak’de’ron?”

“I wanted to do more damage than we did,” he admitted, leaning back on a countertop as he stared at the message cube that he’d gone over 5 times in the past hour. “Now they’re going to be beyond our reach.”

“But the others are not.”

“It seems too fortuitous,” Rajamal admitted. “Our fight has been long and hard, and only the most bitter of us remain. The others have let go of the past to build a future in Star Force, and those foolish enough to do so beyond its territory are now dead. Our war never ended, but those inside Star Force were insulated from it. The Zak’de’ron would not strike them, and perhaps they finally saw the inevitability of that conflict and were unable to assume a less than dominant role in this galaxy.”

“That is what some of my sources told me.”

“But to have them all leave this galaxy and turn over their servants to Star Force…it sounds too good to be true, Theodral. It sounds like a trap.”

“That is why I made sure it was not before bringing it to you. Star Force has already assumed limited command of all their servant races. The Zak’de’ron ordered the transfer, so there was no need for combat. They simply transferred them, and are now deconstructing their worlds in preparation to leave.”

“Deconstructing?” Rajamal asked, not having read anything about that in his report.

“I could find no records of it, but I am told they do not intend to leave any trace of their existence in this galaxy for others to claim. It is said Itaru itself is being washed clean of all technology before it is turned over to Star Force.”

“That does sound more like the Zak’de’ron, rather than this capitulation.”

“Capitulation or relocation?” Theodral asked. “They are not actually surrendering, just cutting their garbage free and moving to a location beyond Star Force’s reach where they can rebuild.”

“And one day return?”

“Possibly, but that would be so far into the future it isn’t worth considering now. My point is, they are beaten, but not defeated. And soon they will be beyond our vengeance. Once they leave we must let our war with them disappear as well. But not with the others that remain.”

“I will never let it go, Theodral. Never. Not if they run through a thousand galaxies before crawling into a hole and hiding for all eternity. I will never forget or forgive the Deathmark they placed on us.”

“I meant in terms of future planning. Soon we will not need to consider them at all, and as such they will disappear from our lives and eventually our dreams unless they return, which is highly unlikely. We must focus on the vengeance before us. The vengeance we could not achieve while the Zak’de’ron protected them. The original V’kit’no’sat still exist in three. The primary is traveling beyond our reach. The other two are still here, broken and now unshielded. We have an opportunity, Rajamal.”

“And what of Star Force?”

“They have done nothing with the Oso’lon and J’gar that have not chosen to join them. Nor the worlds that aligned with the Zak’de’ron but did not actually serve them. They are still free, and as such subject to our wrath and conquest.”

“Conquest?”

“We cannot do what is necessary alone. And with the Zak’de’ron leaving, we do not have to remain rebels on the run. We can fight a proper war, if those who have been suppressed wish to join in the fight…if we show them how. If we don’t, predations may occur from lesser threats. The power vacuum will be massive if the J’gar and Oso’lon do not step in, and you know they will not in most areas. Star Force is blind to this conflict, and rightly so with the Hadarak on the other side of the line they arduously maintain.”

“I wish they would intervene, but you are right,” Rajamal said. “This is our fight. They survived and avenged their own Deathmark, and saved both the Ter’nat and the majority of the Zen’zat when we had nowhere to turn. It is up to us to finish this fight, and we will need allies. I did not think this day would ever come. And now it is thrust upon me so casually.”

“You did anticipate this day, or you would not have held onto the Zak’de’ron ships we salvaged.”

“I did not expect it to happen,” the Elder Zen’zat clarified. “But now we can finally seek the help we need in reverse engineering it.”

“From Star Force?”

“No. We will ask the Chitaeren. They are the most innovative race I have ever encountered, and they have already assisted us with small pieces of it.”

“I was not aware of that.”

“There is much you are not aware of. Things that I have kept to myself and to those directly involved should any of you ever be captured. I and I alone know all the secrets we hold.”

“As it should be. Were the Chitaeren part of the weapons packages?”

“They were. And we must assume control of their protection before others have chance to prey on them. With the Zak’de’ron gone, old rivalries will resume, and they have been slaves nearly all of their history. We shall preserve their freedom in exchange for their assistance.”

“As I said, you have been preparing for this day…expected or not.”

“Only in my dreams, Theodral.”

“They’re not dreams any more, commander,” the Zen’zat said,