Ambassador Zee
by AJ Marks
The Galactic Council chamber looked like a mega tiered amphitheater on a grand scale. Gleaming metal, lights, and delegates from over a hundred worlds sat in a semicircle all facing the center stage. Currently, Ambassador Zee of the Sarini, stood on the emissary platform just off center to address the council.
He took a breath to steady himself, being from one of the younger races he rarely was in this position. But he was here for a plea of justice.
“Members of the council,” Zee began, his voice amplified to every corner of the council. “I stand here as an equal member of this body, representing the Sarini people.”
Murmurs rippled through the chamber at Zee’s comment. He knew many of the older races didn’t share that same opinion of being equal but pressed on.
“Two days ago a Bluthi war fleet launched an unprovoked attack on a Sarini colony at Meryos Prime. Over five thousand of my people are dead, our settlement in ruins and the Bluthi fleet remains in orbit blocking any attempt at communications with survivors. We demand accountability for their actions.”
The chamber erupted in a cacophony of voices over the accusation. Grolan Vex, the Bluthi ambassador, stood glaring at him.
“These allegations are baseless,” Grolan growled, his voice booming through the council. “The Sarini colony encroached upon Bluthi territory in direct violation of council accords.”
“That is a lie!” Zee replied. “The coordinates of Meryos Prime were assigned to my people during the investigations of the planet per the council; we have the records to prove it.”
Several seconds no one moved until a Preenian, one of the elders of the council, raised a hand. “Ambassador Zee, I suggest you tread carefully. The council exists to maintain balance, not take sides in every border skirmish of its members.”
“Balance?” Zee bellowed. “Where is this balance when my people are slaughtered and the aggressors sit here unscathed, unchallenged? Where was this balance with Proxial Three, or Yorth in the past years? If the council cannot protect its newest members, then perhaps it has lost its purpose.”
Gasps rippled through the chamber. Grolan Vex stood uncaring as he looked back at Zee.
“I demand an independent investigation,” Zee said, trying to remain calm. “If the council refuses this, then the Sarini will have no choice and take matters into our own hands.”
“You overstep yourself ambassador,” the President of the Council said from his position in the center platform as he looked over at Zee.
“Do I?” Zee asked back.
“You would force Article Seven,” the President said back.
There was an eruption in the chamber. Article Seven meant war against a member race by all other members.
Zee glared at the President, but stepped back from the platform. He said what he was required to say, but what would be the cost. He glanced seeing the many hostile faces, some indifferent and a few, seemed to hold a glimmer of respect and sympathy.
The fight was far from over.
Zee left the council chamber and made his way towards his office. His thoughts dwelled upon the way the council dismissed his race’s concerns, along with the veiled threat at the end. Yet, none of it was a surprise to him, intelligence predicted this outcome.
The office doors slid open, a modest space but functional as he walked past his secretary into his personal office before activating the communicator. The image of the High Strategist Dalen flickered to life, he was an older Sarini and Zee could see several others behind him.
“They denied us,” Zee said flatly.
“As expected,” Dalen replied, his voice calm yet resigned. “It seems the council protects its own.”
“They speak of balance and order yet reinforcing the Bluthi’s ability to do whatever they wish,” Zee said, disgusted.
“You stood your ground,” Dalen replied.
“True, there were some among the younger races who seemed, sympathetic to my plea,” Zee said recalling some of the faces.
“Then we may still have some leverage,” Dalen said nodding. “We mustn’t underestimate any cracks within the council. The older races band together for dominance, we must work to see a shift in power away from that.”
“Building alliances under their watchful eyes is,” here Zee paused, “difficult.”
“Yes, but keep an open ear,” Dalen said. “The time will come.”
“Any news of the colony?” Zee asked.
“Gaining information isn’t easy,” Dalen replied. “The Bluthi fleet remains, we have no idea how many have survived in the colony. Intelligence is reporting the massing of other Bluthi ships along our border.”
Zee felt his spirit drop with the knowledge. The Bluthi were going to take even more territory from them and without support from the council they could do nothing. The Bluthi were superior to the Sarini’s military.
“I’ll try among the council,” Zee said.
“Good, we will be in contact soon,” Dalen said.
The commendations ended as Zee turned to look out the window. War was coming and he wondered if his people would survive.
The next day the chamber of the Galactic Council buzzed with the usual murmur of politics. Ambassadors talking in low voices exchanging pleasantries or thinly veiled barbs so typical of before a council session. Zee took a seat taking care to see who looked at him and who didn’t.
Zee’s plea for any type of justice seemed to be dismissed and swept aside as if nothing happened. The council continued its normal procedures as if he had never been there. He thought he saw the Nox ambassador looking his way as if he knew something else before turning away. Zee didn’t have much time to consider it as the President announced the first issue for the day.
The Torvani ambassador, a sleek insectoid being, approached before droning on about trade route disputes in the outer sectors and some pirate activity wanting more protection. The next ambassador spoke about increasing tensions between two long feuding species and how it might impact commerce. It was all, bureaucracy as usual.
Grolan Vex sat entirely at ease as if the previous day never happened. The thought angered Zee wishing he could do more.
The President then announced Ambassador Kheris of the Vonn.
The Vonn were another newer race having joined not long before the Sarini but were known for their neutral approach to almost everything in the galactic council.
Kheris himself was a tall, silver skinned figure, violet eyes wearing a gold robe, their ambassador uniform Zee had learned.
“Honored council members, I wish to address some troubling information my race has gathered,” Kheris said to the group. “A patrol has detected unusual movement along the shared border with the Bluthi, a border which has been peaceful for thirty cycles.”
A murmur washed through the council as Zee glanced over at Grolan Vex, who again appeared bored.
“We ask why there is movement along out border.” Khreis asked.
Everyone looked towards the Bluthi ambassador for an explanation. Zee waited to hear what excuse he had this time.
Grolan Vex stood, his expression now neutral. “The Bluthi maintain the right to protect our borders as we see fit. Any movement internally is a matter of Bluthi matters which doesn’t require council oversight.”
“Given recent events I am not inclined to agree,” Kheris said, a tilt of his head towards Zee. “Such movements raise concern. If the Bluthis wish to reaffirm their commitment to peace then I suggest a transparent report on these activities would be appropriate.”
Grolan’s eyes narrowed before he replied. “The Vonn consider themselves neutral, yet you have this concern suddenly after the Sarini. Perhaps you are acting in bad faith?”
Zee sucked in a breath, the entire thing had become volatile in his mind, but he said nothing as he noticed the older races looking with distain at the Vonn.
But it was the President who spoke up.
“For now, we’ll note the Vonn’s concerns, but no actions shall be taken nor shall any demand be made upon any Bluthi internal movements,” he said.
And there it was the council’s protection of the older races once more. What would it take Zee wondered.
The doors opening to the council chambers silencing any further whispers. All eyes went to the new race walking straight to the center podium. The President’s face registered shock as several bipedal aliens walked in with confidence, and a power Zee rarely saw.
“The council hasn’t changed, protecting their own,” the alien said, glancing at the Bluthi ambassador before continuing. “We warned you we’d return.”
The murmured whispered seemed both loud and quiet to Zee in the chamber to go along with a mix of confusion, disbelief and fear at the newcomers as a name surfaced.
Humans!
Zee had never seen one before, but he knew of them as rumors. A race that had once been part of the Galactic Union, long before the Sarini even reached the stars. The story was they abandoned the galaxy for their own selfish reasons and now they stood here, unannounced, unafraid.
The human at the podium was broad-shouldered, sharp eyes that took in the entire room with a glance. He wore a dark uniform, simple yet seemed to hold a presence unlike others.
The President finally recovered from his shock and now appeared angry.
“You were exiled,” he said, his voice resonating though the chamber. “Always trying to disrupt the peace for war and instead of taking our advice you left your seat in this council.”
A grim smile played across the human’s face. “Exiled? No, you forced us out when we refused to kneel. You are still confused as to what happened,” he said, gesturing to certain older race’s ambassadors. “We see nothing had changed, the strong still pretend to enforce a balance while being a bully.”
With this his eyes landing on the Bluthi ambassador.
“Watch your words human,” Grolan Vex said, surging to his feet, fist clenched.
“Or what,” the human replied, unafraid. “You’ll send your fleet after us, the way you do with every other race that refuses to bow down to you?”
A ripple of unease spread through the chamber as Zee looked on. He noticed several others were watching closely, especially younger races, or others who had been pushed by the elder races.
“Why are you here?” the President said. His anger now tempered with some hesitation.
“Because we warned you,” the human replied his voice steady but cold. The chambers now felt cold, uneasy. “We told you we would return, consider this our warning that we are back.”
The elder races now felt wary, fear in their faces. For the first time Zee heard nothing from anyone in the council. No shouts of protest, even Grolan Vex stood motionless.
The human continued.
“We have no interest in what you consider bureaucracy, your failed politics,” here he glanced at Zee before looking back at the President. “We do have an interest in this galaxy we call home. We’ll no longer stand by as this chamber allows tyrants to run unchecked.”
The human stepped back slightly his gaze sweeping across the entirety of the chamber.
“Humanity never stopped watching. We never forgot.”
With that the humans turned and walked out leaving behind a eerie silence.
Zee managed to quickly leave the chambers, along with every other ambassador, and get back to his office. Homeworld had to know this important piece of news at once. He rushed past a startled secretary who never had time to even question what happened as Zee activated his communicator.
High Strategist Dalen appeared, his face showing excitement as much as Zee had.
“Zee, the situation has changed,” Dalen said, his voice rich with many emotions, shock, joy, wonder.
“What’s happened,” Zee asked, his own news briefly pushed aside.
“The Bluthi fleet at Meryos Prime has been forced to retreat,” Dalen said.
Zee’s heart skipped. That was impossible as they had no fleet which could push the Bluthi away.
“How?”
“What reports we’re able to gather, a fleet of ships just appeared, and powerful,” Dalen said. “The Bluthi tried to fight, but these ships, their weapons, shields, unlike anything we’ve ever encountered before. The battle was over before it began.”
“Are they still there?” Zee asked, mind racing.
“No, after the Bluthi retreated they simply vanished, melted into space,” Dalen said as his voice dropped lower. “But there are survivors. More than half the colony, they need supplies and help, but its more than any expected. They saved thousands.”
“Did they communicate at all?” Zee asked.
“Strangely only one thing, we warned you we’d return,” Dalen said. “Does that make any sense?”
Zee’s breathing stopped.
“You know something,” Dalen pressed.
“Humans,” Zee said quietly, almost in a daze before looking at Dalen who seemed confused. “They showed up at today’s council meeting. They are an older race who warned the council they had returned. They mentioned they warned the council they’d return.”
“You think it’s these humans?”
“They directly challenged the Bluthi who appeared almost fearful,” Zee replied. “It appears they saved us.”
“Why” Dalen asked. “Why intervene now?”
“I don’t know,” Zee replied.
Dalen sighed. “For now, they are our saviors and we owe them some favor. Keep an ear open.”
“I will,” Zee said.
The communicator ended leaving Zee wondering. What did the humans want?
He turned to look out the window as his communicator buzzed. His secretary informing him that he had visitors. Looking up he noticed the human walking into his office.
“We should talk,” he said.
Zee quickly straightened trying to remain composed but indicated a seat which the human took.
“My name is Otto Hernandez,” the human said.
“It was your people who attacked the Bluthi at Meryos Prime,” Zee blurted.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because we know what it’s like to be abandoned by the council, be told your concerns are overstated,” Otto said to him. “Even now the council hides what happened, not out of shame, but fear.”
“The elder races, they are too strong,” Zee said.
“They fear losing power. Fear someone else rising up,” Otto said. “They feared us, our abilities, our curiosity.”
“I don’t understand,” Zee said. He didn’t know much about humanity, only that they abandoned the council. Beyond that nothing more was given.
“Our curiosity is our strength,” Otto said. “Humans seek answers to questions most races never ponder. The council through their actions tried to limit us, push us down, take away colonies, our growth. If we stayed we would have become slaves, so we left with the warning that we’d be watching and we’d return.”
“And they allowed you to leave?”
Otto chuckled. “No, they attempted many times to conquer us. But we were already prepared. At the time we didn’t have the technology to fight back, so we hide. Preparing, growing, learning for the day we’d return.”
“So what now?” Zee asked.
“Create a new galactic council,” Otto said.
Zee understood the magnitude of the statement. It meant an upheaval of everything, a council which had ruled the galaxy for centuries.
“You and I both know the current council exists to serve itself. It protects the powerful, silences the weak, like the Bluthi who run amok unchecked by any power,” Otto said to him. “You pleaded for justice only yesterday and were ignored. That’s how its always been with them.”
“And you’re alternative will be different?” Zee asked.
“We hope to do better, build something where power isn’t horded by the few and all voices are heard,” Otto said.
“So why now?” Zee asked.
“Despite the show of force, the council is more divided than ever before due to their centuries of rule. The galaxy is on the verge of collapse, we don’t wish that. It would mean hundreds of trillions of lives lost in a war that should be preventable,” Otto said.
The news shocked Zee even as Otto continued.
“The Bluthi attacks on your colony, their movements in preparing to go against the Vonn, all cracks which will lead to all out war. The elders’ power is weakening, the Tribia and Nax have an alliance, and were moving to help you and the Vonn,” Otto said. “But they had to do so in the shadows.”
“If they helped against the council,” Zee said, his voice trailing off.
“It would have been all out war,” Otto said.
Zee felt horrified at how close the galaxy came to such a war. Otto had been right; the losses would be in the hundred of trillions.
“Why not help form something new, something better,” Otto said, standing and extending his hand.
“I’ll have to talk to my government, but I’ll give it my vote,” Zee said shaking Otto’s hand. “What about the others, like the Nax and Bluthi?”
“They too are invited, after all, if we exclude others are we any better?” Otto said, then said his good-bye and walked out.
Zee felt many things watching the human leave, but he had renewed hope for the future and this new Galactic Union.