“What are you talking about? If you don’t get me out of here, I will rip her throat out!” the slave master threatened.
Aileen gave the girl a smile, and then she pulled on her Sha. She reached with her telepathy to the Ra’a’zani; she was still not as good with it as she would have liked, and the Ra’a’zani had no telepathy of their own, which meant that she could only distract for a moment or two. But that was all that she needed.
The Ra’a’zani’s eyes got a faraway look to them and Aileen sprang into action. She jumped forward, grabbing the hand at the girl’s throat and twisting it away and breaking it. Snatching the girl with her other hand, she took her from the Ra’a’zani and threw her behind her.
Ra’a’zani regained his wits, and his jaws moved towards Aileen’s face. She sent a kinetic blast from her hand at his jaw, snapping it closed and throwing the Ra’a’zani backwards. She jumped, putting her legs on his shoulders and her arms on its head. She twisted with her arms and broke the alien’s neck, dropping down to the floor on her knees and with Ra’a’zani between her legs.
The soldiers had entered the room as Aileen stood and reached the girl. When she tried to give her a hand, the girl recoiled in fear, looking at the Ra’a’zani corpse and back to Aileen.
“It’s alright, you are safe now, and no one will hurt you ever again,” Aileen said, and nodded to the soldiers to take her. The girl was still fearful and reluctant to leave the room, but the two soldiers didn’t give her a lot of choice.
The leader stayed and nodded at Aileen. “Thank you, Sentinel.” And Aileen nodded back and retrieved her rifle. The soldiers retreated, leaving her alone in the room.
Aileen looked around, seeing her past. She had been in this kind of room before, long ago. She had been that terrified little girl, once. She had been afraid that coming here again would make her weak, would make her stomach churn, but it hadn’t. The person who had feared this room no longer existed. She was not that scared little girl anymore. With a sigh, she activated the command for her Sentinel armor, and walked as it encased her in scales. There were still more Ra’a’zani to kill.
Command Ship Argo
Johanna stood and watched the holo as the last remnants of the Ra’a’zani were wiped from the system. The only place where they remained was the planet—Lu’tal, as the Ra’a’zani called it.
“The pathogen has been released into their water supplies across the planet and into the atmosphere. By our estimates, the entire population should be exposed in a week or two,” her second-in-command High Prime Narani said, his tail whipping back and forth as he spoke. For a Nel, that could have meant hundreds of things, and she wasn’t as familiar with their gestures as she would have liked, so she ignored it.
“The eggs and the female have been secured for transport, and can be sent back to Sanctuary on your command,” he added.
“Good, give them the go-ahead,” Johanna said. “What of those liberated?”
“We’ve been putting them onto transports, but there are problems,” Narani said. “Some don’t want to leave, fearing the wrath of their overlords, at least the humans. The Yunkari are more willing to go with us; they have apparently managed to keep their resentment of the Ra’a’zani close, and are thankful.”
“Tell the army that they are authorized to put those most problematic into stasis units, we’ll let the people back home worry about acclimating them to their new reality,” Johanna said.
“Right away, Fleet Commander,” Narani said, and moved towards the Communications Handlers to rely her orders.
She watched the holo for a few more minutes before her imp informed her of an incoming private call from Veritas. She sat at her command chair, engaged the privacy screen, and accepted the call.
“Adrian,” she said in acknowledgement as his face appeared in front of her.
“Johanna, I just wanted to let you know that I will be leaving in an hour or two. I have accomplished what I wanted here, and it’s time to send my prisoner back,” Adrian said.
“Of course.”
“Let Aileen know that she should get back to Sol as soon as she finishes.”
“I’ll tell her,” Johanna said.
Adrian nodded and closed the channel. Johanna sighed, and then turned her eyes back at the holo and Lu’tal. This was only the first of six Ra’a’zani worlds that she needed to take care of, but even though her job was hard, she didn’t envy Adrian’s in the slightest.
Chapter Ten
One month later — June — Veritas
With a short burst of violet light, Veritas entered the Tarabat system one month later. The two massive defense stations protecting this trans-station immediately took notice of an entry into their system, and Veritas was challenged. The Empire’s FTL tech allowed it to traverse space much faster; they had no need of moving from trans-point to trans-point limited by the speed of light. Adrian’s people sent their identification codes immediately and they were allowed to pass the stations and move into the system.
Veritas made its way to the slot given to them in Tarabat orbit, close to one of the stations, and stopped there. Adrian opened the channel to the compound that his people had purchased on Tarabat. The holo in front of him turned on and the figure of Björn Borg appeared.
“Björn, it’s good to see you again,” Adrian said with a smile.
“Likewise, Lord Sentinel,” Björn said.
“Did you do as I asked?”
“Yes, it was surprisingly easy. Small trans-capable ships aren’t that rare or expensive, it seems,” Björn answered.
“Good, and it can fit into Veritas’s hangar?”
“Of course, that’s what you asked for.”
“Sorry,” Adrian said with an apologetic face. He knew better than to ask; there was a reason why Björn was trusted as much as he was.
“The ship is in orbit. One of our pilots has taken possession of it; I can have him move it to Veritas immediately, unless you wish to stay at this cesspool for a while?”
Adrian chuckled. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be leaving as soon as you can get the ship to Veritas.”
“Very well, I’ll call the pilot right away,” Björn said, and closed the channel.
Sometime later, after the purchased ship landed in Veritas’s hanger, Adrian ordered his ship to skim to the hyperspace barrier and set a course towards a system in the direction of Shara Daim territory.
Five days later, they entered the system from which there was a direct trans-route to the nearest Shara Daim system. Veritas skimmed to the trans-station and took position just outside of it.
Adrian stood in front of the doors leading into Anessa’s room. For a moment, he hesitated. All the months of laying subtle hints, allowing Anessa to see things that she shouldn’t have, all the while trying to convince her that they didn’t need to go to war. He still didn’t know what she would do. Had he given her enough information to spur her people into action? Had he shaken her beliefs enough for her to go to her people and ask questions? Try to change their opinions? He didn’t think so, but he couldn’t be sure until she left, until she was back with her people and could look back on all she had seen and reflect.
Adrian sighed and opened the door. Anessa was already waiting for him; she had known that he was in front of her door.
“It’s time.”
Ten minutes later, they were standing just outside the small ship—a shuttle, really, but one that could travel through trans-space.