{"id":2450,"date":"2018-05-19T07:15:11","date_gmt":"2018-05-19T12:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2450"},"modified":"2018-05-26T07:18:06","modified_gmt":"2018-05-26T12:18:06","slug":"master-of-violence-part-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2450","title":{"rendered":"Master of Violence – Part 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

Master of Violence<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 16<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark sat at his desk listening in on the call.\u00a0 He was now receiving daily updates from intelligence on the surface of the planet, along with Richard who was also in and the President.\u00a0 Currently they were going over the latest intel they received from Sierra from him.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo conclude, the O\u2019krad appear to have similar technology to our own, or at least the ground weapons.\u00a0 It\u2019s unknown the penetration power of the bullets but overall weapon is similar to a rifle,\u201d the intel officer said, a man who still wore glasses and had greying hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think the situation might be if they decide to attack?\u201d Richard asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still don\u2019t know, but we did gather some new intel from the Volors and their computers,\u201d the intelligence officer replied.\u00a0 \u201cComplied with their intelligence we think they have at least three different types of warships.\u00a0 The first is a large ship, probably used for the planetary bombardments as they would require a large amount of space.\u00a0 We also think they have two different types of space combat ships.\u00a0 The larger one, probably similar to our battlecruiser class, while the others are escorts of some sort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs more than what we had only last week at this time,\u201d the President said to them all.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s is the orbital stations coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark glanced over at the reports he had on the operational status of the stations.\u00a0 \u201cStation Gamma is almost ready, Alpha is coming along fine as well, the others are going to require a bit more work as many of the weapons were actually dismantled to make room for civilian stations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see, and the fleet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to the Volors arrival we had a good practice run, we were able to see where any faults were and hopefully fix them,\u201d Mark answered knowing there really wasn\u2019t much they could do in the event the O\u2019krad did attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only wish we had more information,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n

Mark looked up to as Victoria walked in interrupting anything he might say.\u00a0 It was unusual for her to do this and wondered what happened when he noticed his phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis just came in,\u201d she said to him handing him the phone.<\/p>\n

He took the phone and read through message seeing who it was from even as the others looked on waiting.\u00a0 He felt his blood run cold at the words on the screen but also knew he now had work to do.<\/p>\n

Reaching over he pressed the intercom for the bridge and waited for Hans to answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrder yellow alert for the fleet and all Earth defenses,\u201d Mark said waiting a second before Hans replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYellow alert?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we need to expect company soon,\u201d Mark said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is going on admiral?\u201d the President asked.<\/p>\n

Mark waited for Hans to reply that he would take care of it before turning back to those waiting on the screen.<\/p>\n

\u201cReceived word from Seirra, they were able to make contact with some others on the planet and gain some information,\u201d Mark stated unsure how accurate the information actually was.\u00a0 \u201cWe should expect company real soon.\u00a0 The rumors are that the O\u2019krad will be attacking our homeworld within twenty-four hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t leave us much time,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, and we have to prepare now,\u201d Mark said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should alert local government leaders, inform them of the situation and quietly prepare the forces for ground combat,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that wise?\u201d the President.\u00a0 \u201cInformation like this could leak out and cause a mass panic among everyone.\u00a0 If we do beat them back the damage from riots could be even worse than the attack itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut those agencies will need time to organize, time we might not have,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n

They sat in silence for several seconds before anyone spoke up.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmiral, if you would send the message to intel, we\u2019ll look it over as well,\u201d the intelligence officer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Mark said, quickly sending the text to them.\u00a0 Mark did wonder how they managed to gain such information and how accurate it was.\u00a0 So far it had been accurate but he had no idea with this.\u00a0 Angie didn\u2019t say it was accurate, only a rumor.\u00a0 Also they had spoken to some people who survived the bombardment and were working as slaves.\u00a0 That was where the information came from<\/p>\n

Did the O\u2019krad tell their slaves what was going on?\u00a0 He thought it was a strange thing to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou appear deep in thought admiral,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, just wondering how reliable this information is,\u201d Mark said watching as the intelligence officer looked over the information as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to agree, but,\u201d the intelligence officer paused giving it some thought before continuing.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think we can afford to take any such information lightly.\u00a0 At least not until we know more about the source and how accurate it might be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy niece isn\u2019t one to make up tall tales,\u201d Mark said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd she was never proud to have me in the military.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the military wasn\u2019t a career choice for many people,\u201d Richard said.\u00a0 \u201cAt least not until recently, we\u2019ve had a surge of volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark knew about the influx of new recruits, but many wouldn\u2019t be ready for another couple of weeks at best.\u00a0 They would be unable to help them with this upcoming battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are the new destroyers coming?\u201d the President asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shipyard is working on them twenty-four seven,\u201d Richard replied.\u00a0 \u201cThe Fletcher is only about twenty percent complete, the next one is only ten or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will be unable to help in this battle,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe only have the six ships of the Earth defense fleet, and two partially operational stations,\u201d Mark said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll give them our best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually have no worries about how well you\u2019ll fight, only that we\u2019ll have enough to beat them back,\u201d the President replied expressing her concerns.\u00a0 \u201cWe have no idea how many ships they\u2019ll use to attack us with, or how many they have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark understood, even if they beat them back their next attack would probably be larger.\u00a0 Could they survive such an onslaught?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will you tell Toncor and Yissffer?\u201d Richard asked the President.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe truth,\u201d she said honestly.\u00a0 \u201cI have no idea how they\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will want to run,\u201d Richard said.\u00a0 \u201cThe Sirian ship is still undergoing repairs, the Volors ship, they could still run and they might.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t make them stay if they don\u2019t to,\u201d she replied back to him.<\/p>\n

They all realized everything was riding on their ability to fight back the invaders, or they would fall.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Toncor felt the nervousness coming from the humans all around him.\u00a0 Something happened which put them in such a state.\u00a0 He noticed that Yissffer did not seem to pick up on their body language perhaps that was because Toncor had been around humans longer to learn such things.\u00a0 Entering the room he noticed the admiral, Richard, along with the President, Natile and Jeff, one of their senators.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish to thank you all for coming,\u201d the President said, and Toncor noticed they were all wearing the translators.<\/p>\n

\u201cI take is something had happened, otherwise I doubt this meeting would be taking place,\u201d Toncor said, now feeling nervous as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, there is no subtle way to put this,\u201d she said to them.\u00a0 \u201cWe have received much intel over the past two days regarding the Dark Race.\u00a0 We have learned their name is the O\u2019krad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toncor blinked wondering how they received that information.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have some contact with a few survivors on Sierra, the planet which they attacked,\u201d the President said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure they are not feeding you false information?\u201d Yissffer asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is debatable, but we also learned some new information this morning,\u201d she said to them.\u00a0 \u201cWe have reason to believe that they are on their way here, right now.\u00a0 As we speak our defense forces are preparing to engage them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toncor felt the panic now, they had found them and his ship could do nothing.\u00a0 Its engines were still under repair, and would require another three days according to the humans.\u00a0 He had been glad to hear that bit of news, but now, however it seemed as if time had finally caught up to them.\u00a0 His ship would be sitting defenseless when the attack came.<\/p>\n

\u201dThen we must leave as soon as possible,\u201d Yissffer said quickly.\u00a0 They all looked at Toncor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid we cannot at this time,\u201d he said back to them.\u00a0 Yissffer seemed to not believe what Toncor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dark Race isn\u2019t a race you should stand up to, they will enslave you all,\u201d Yissffer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou like your freedom?\u201d Jeff suddenly asked surprising Toncor.\u00a0 He looked over at Yissffer and waited for the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not like being slaves, no,\u201d Yissffer replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYet you won\u2019t stand up to defend yourself,\u201d Jeff continued on.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll run away but not stand and fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFighting is considered barbaric and distasteful.\u00a0 A real intelligent race will not do such things,\u201d Yissffer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yet, you have a race who is doing that, and won\u2019t talk,\u201d Jeff said.\u00a0 \u201cI know, we have tried to talk to them, live in peace and they attacked our diplomat for peace.\u00a0 We won\u2019t allow ourselves to become slaves as a race, and we will fight back with or without your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and if you destroy the Dark Race then you humans will be just as bad, conquering all of known space.\u00a0 We\u2019ll have traded one enslaving race for another,\u201d Yissffer said.<\/p>\n

Toncor considered that for a second but felt the words were not true.\u00a0 Humans seemed different, more honorable.\u00a0 He never saw anything which would indicate the humans would enslave anyone.\u00a0 What he saw in them was an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.\u00a0 They asked many questions about everything from what he had discovered.<\/p>\n

Now he was presented with a problem, stay with the humans and hope they could actually defeat this Dark Race or become enslaved or die.\u00a0 The choices were hard to make at best.<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt there is anything which I can say which will ease your concerns,\u201d Jeff replied.\u00a0 \u201cAnything I say to deny it you\u2018ll consider a lie due to how my species acts.\u00a0 You\u2019ve already judged us without even knowing us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t take long to know the true motives of a race,\u201d Yissffer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what motivates the O\u2019krad?\u201d Jeff asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey want to enslave people,\u201d Yissffer replied confidently.\u00a0 Toncor considered the question as well and before arriving at Earth he would have thought the same thing.\u00a0 Now having been around the humans he understood the question they were asking, something he never bothered to ask.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, why do they want to do that,\u201d Toncor said speaking up surprising Jeff by the look on his face.\u00a0 \u201cLike you, I assumed the simple idea of slavery, but for what?\u00a0 Why do they want to enslave people?\u00a0 Do they not have enough slaves?\u201d<\/p>\n

Toncor watched as Yissffer seemed to stumble over the questions which he didn\u2019t have answers for.\u00a0 They all waited in silence for several seconds before Yissffer spoke again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot take that chance,\u201d he finally said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFair enough, we won\u2019t keep you here,\u201d Natile said to them.\u00a0 \u201cYou were always free to leave whenever you wished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I must get to my ship and prepare,\u201d Yissffer said standing up and finally leaving the room leaving Toncor there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you?\u201d Natile asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur ship is still under repairs, we can\u2019t leave even if we wanted to.\u00a0 We have to put our trust in you for now,\u201d Toncor replied.\u00a0 It was strange feeling to him and he hoped he was doing the right thing, not that he really had a choice.<\/p>\n

End part 16<\/p>\n

Continued in part 17<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Master of Violence by AJ Marks Part 16 Mark sat at his desk listening in on the call.\u00a0 He was now receiving daily updates from intelligence on the surface of the planet, along with Richard who was also in and the President.\u00a0 Currently they were going over the latest intel they received from Sierra from […]
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