Condition Evolution 4 by Kevin Sinclair (parable of the sower read online .txt) 📗

to Jezai, but he got very little out of me. The first stirrings of passion only emerged when we received a message that we’d been waiting for. “They’re coming, Captain,” Wulek said from the communications station. “They are approaching the minefield.”

I squinted at the main display to see if I could see anything. “Can we magnify them?”

“Yes sir,” Wulek answered. The display shifted, but I still couldn’t make anything out. “That's as far as we can go, Captain. We may see more once they reach the mines.”

We watched and waited expectantly. A minute passed before we saw it. A line of bright, flaring light.

“Shit! That looked like we got a ton of them.”

Wulek didn’t respond straight away, studying their terminal with keen interest. “Reports are coming that we caused damage, but so far no ships have been destroyed.”

“I suppose their main purpose was to lower their shields. The rest will be down to us,” Ember added, watching the big viewing screen as intently as me.

“There are supposedly more mines. We might get lucky.”

More of a light show lit up the screen. “Did any go down that time?” Ember asked eagerly before I could.

Again, Wulek focused on their station before turning to us. “No, all those mines were shot down.”

“Damn! Though I suppose a super-intelligent, advanced race walking blindly into a second set of mines would be a bit much to expect from them. Bastards!” I growled at the display as they moved closer. They came to a halt outside the range of the second line of Beler stations and our fleet.

The maneuver was shortly followed by a communication from Jezai. “Shaun, I have an incoming from the Fystr. I assume you would wish to be involved in any exchange.”

“Hell yeah, link me in, Jezai.”

We waited in silent expectation until Zarime’s sneering face popped up on the screen, although the smirk dropped slightly when he saw I was involved. Two smaller screens below him showed Jezai and myself.

“You managed to scurry back to your friends then, Shaun? That is good. I like to keep all my enemies in one place. Easier to exterminate.”

“Who will you practice your shit speeches with now, Zarime? You know, since Lorelei is no longer with us. Her energy did a lovely job of healing my chest. Thanks for leaving her in there for a while, you fucking bell-end!”

His face went bright red with anger, and fuck me, if that didn’t make me smile for the first time since meeting him.

Drawing each word out like its own individual punishment, he replied, “I don’t know how you did that, but I guarantee I will extract the truth from you slowly.”

“Zarime, I’m not being funny here, mate, but for a maxed out 95 percenter you’re pretty fucking basic! If you’re the best the Fystr have to offer, then seriously, I’d just toddle the fuck off back home. Maybe send the actual Emperor next time.”

I saw him visibly wrestling with his emotions. Which just goes to show, you can develop skills and then not actually use them, and let’s face it, if anyone knows that it’s me! Zarime chose wisely to ignore me. I was having too much fun with the arrogant bastard, and I was clearly getting under his skin. He instead addressed Jezai.

“Leader of the traitors, it is you I am here to speak to. You have been discounted all these years, yet you have not been forgotten.

“While hunting for these miscreants, we found out some remarkably interesting things from our Galactic Empire friends. And now we are here we can see for ourselves that you have developed quite the little empire of your own, all hidden away out of our sight. We were actually satisfied that the humans were dead after your little subterfuge. So why didn’t we leave, you may ask yourselves?” An odious smile crept over his face. “I have come this far today merely to deliver a message. We remained to enter talks with the Galactic Empire, and it seems they very much want this part of their empire back. Which falls in line with our own desire to clear this part of the galaxy of treacherous Fystr rebels and finally put to rest the shame you placed on our people.”

I was proud of Jezai’s response as he laughed a hearty chuckle full of contempt. “You speak of our people’s shame? Your hypocrisy makes a fool of you, and I see that nothing has changed in all the time that has passed. Now, as then, this is a wasted conversation. I will merely say that we are here, and we have built the strength needed to finally oppose your cruelty. If you wish to continue the argument, let our weapons do the talking. That is the only language Fystr truly understand.”

Zarime returned the laugh. “We are not here to fight today, only to deliver terms. My offer is quite simple. Every last traitor and their offspring must surrender, or we will raze this entire sector. There is no doubt you have developed an impressive defense here. I am not so foolish as to throw my fleet upon it needlessly, when it is not necessary to do so. We have waited this long, we can and will wait a little longer.

“Having agreed on an alliance with the Galactic Empire to remove you from this part of the galaxy entirely, we will now wait while they muster their forces. Furthermore, a small messenger force has been sent in Guegumar Star vessels, to gather reinforcements from our home territory. Ultimately, you were too weak to effect change so long ago, and I doubt your spine has strengthened enough since, to face the full might of the Fystr and the Galactic Empires combined forces.”

Message delivered, Zarime’s grin could not have been wider. To be fair to him, he’d just done a right number on us. I imagined the Apochros would all be panicking after that bomb. He was proving to be a lot smarter than I’d given him