Hundreds of Solarians had gathered on either side of the steps leading up to the building. They were being held back by barriers and the local Solarian planetary police, the crowd looked eager to catch a glimpse of the first two terrans to set foot on Solaria.
The mass of people cheered when they caught sight of Michael and Vargev, which made them both proud and uncomfortable in equal measure.
This time the same official stood and greeted them formally, “the council is expecting you, and is arrayed to review your case, you may go straight through.”
“Thank you,” Kerulithar said.
They walked through the ornate council doors and into the huge oval council chambers once again. This time the entire council was arrayed; fully 125 delegates from planets across Solarian space.
There was a hand picked public adjudication panel made up of some of the most noted theologians, scientists, philosophers, and lesser dignitaries on Solaria.
Kerulithar also noted that Saltovos; the head of Solarian military forces was also present. This is huge, he thought, the biggest case of my ambassadorial career.
The three of them once again stood on the raised stand in the centre of the room; lights gradually dimmed, and the handrail circling the room lit up once more. The lights in the ceiling suddenly turned on and once again bathed the ambassador in a bright white light.
The powerful and deep council voice boomed over the speakers once again. “Ambassador Kerulithar of Kendris III, do you still represent the Terrans presented before this council.”
“I do.”
“Thank you ambassador, you may now step down,” the voice boomed again. “This council is now in session.”
Kerulithar bowed respectfully and stepped down, taking his place behind the two humans.
“Terrans!” the voice spoke again, “please explain to this council how you got here; one more time.”
Vargev and Michael took to the stand and told their stories once again. The council sat quiet listening to the details intently.
After a short pause to take in these details, a delegate finally arose, “Ambassador Kerulithar.” The aged delegate said, “do you seriously think that this council would go to war with another alien race on the request of two low ranking Terran officers; without a single shred of evidence?”
Kerulithar took to the stand again. “There is significant evidence; I have it in my possession. And I would wish the council to look upon it.”
“Present your evidence,” the voice replied.
Kerulithar reached into his pocket and retrieved a small disc, passed it to the nearest administrator who took it and inserted the disc into a small reader; automatically a holographic screen shimmered into life above the centre of the council, casting the dark oval room in an emerald glow.
“It contains Commander Ralavas of the Omicron repair facilities’ testimony; the damage sustained by our captured Krenaran vessel. As well as sensor data from every action the ship has taken part in since its construction. It has also been translated for our benefit,” Kerulithar announced.
The delegates watched the footage aghast; a wave of whispers floated around the room, some of the delegates were clearly outraged by what they were seeing.
“How did you get that disc?” Michael whispered to the ambassador.
“I had Ralavas prepare it for me before we left Omicron. It arrived this morning while you were sleeping,” Kerulithar answered.
“I think I owe him a drink,” Michael said.
The disc was played in chronological order. It showed the vessel going on reconnaissance sorties deep into E.O.C. A territory long before the war actually started.
Data was displayed containing the relative strengths and weaknesses of E.D. F ships and facilities; it showed footage of the first attacks upon the civilian mining vessels. The disc was then paused.
“Terrans, can you identify for the benefit of this council the vessels that are under attack in this picture?” The council voice asked.
Michael spoke up, “yes; they are civilian mining vessels.”
There were some serious hushed whispers around the chamber at hearing this news, civilian targets were being attacked.
“Please continue,” the voice spoke aloud once again.
The disc continued playing; showing more attacks upon the mining vessels, and then the attack upon the Montfort; the disc was paused for a second time as the attack began.
“Terrans, can you identify the large vessel shown in the picture?” The voice asked again.
“It is an E.D. F Naval carrier, called the E.D.F. S Montfort, it was sent to investigate the attacks,” Michael answered.
The disc was played again; depicting the fiery destruction of the Montfort. Then the attacks upon the Agemman colony itself, plumes of thick black smoke rose high into the night sky, as torpedoes blasted apart building upon building.
Tracer fire from hastily erected artillery and anti-aircraft pieces from the 22 ^ nd E.D. F artillery company, the black panthers, could be seen lighting up the night sky as they desperately searched the sky for the attacking Krenaran vessels. Flames and explosions lit up the colony in bright flashes as torpedoes found their targets. Smoke filled the night sky; everywhere buildings were burning and bloodied bodies lay strewn across cratered streets.
Kerulithar said, “please pause the disc.”
The administrator did so.
“Notice how the Krenaran ships are leaving all the water sources untouched, we will come back to that later, please resume.”
The disc was played once again; the council studied Vargev as the disc showed more scenes of the wholesale slaughter at the Agemman colony.
At length one of the delegates stood and said, “you look like you recognise this atrocity.”
“I am one of the survivors from the attack on that colony; I was there the night it happened.” Vargev said, even his trained emotions seemed heavy with grief as he remembered the utter desolation of that small outlying colony.
Everywhere voices erupted across the chambers; here was an actual survivor; an eye witness to the events.
The disc continued playing. Now it portrayed the Krenaran ship in orbit, veering toward the E.D. F fleet, as the Krenaran ships silently massed for the attack on the battle group led by the Ulysses. Suddenly and almost simultaneously the Krenaran ships opened fire; huge explosions lit up the space immediately surrounding the battle. Rail-cannons thundered in response, and the lethal bright green particle beams of the Krenaran attackers tore open the hulls of the E.D. F ships, opening great rents of fire and twisted blackened metal.
Michael bowed his head low, this was the first time he had seen what transpired in the battle itself. He thought of Dylan and all the other 1640 souls on the Ulysses, whose lives ended that day, incinerated by five minutes of brutal fire fight.
“You seem in shock,” the speakers boomed again.
“Wouldn’t you be? I served aboard the flagship of that fleet; it’s called the E.D.F. S Ulysses,” Michael responded grief stricken.
They continued watching but it was a slaughter, finally Michael turned away; he could watch no more.
“The largest ship in that fleet; is that the flagship?” The council voice boomed.
“Yes, it’s called a Danitza class battleship, one of the largest and most advanced ships we produce, 1640 men died on that ship alone,” Michael announced.
“If you will, how many died in the battle in total,” the council asked.
Michael had to think hard, there were 7 ships involved in total. Two Ghandhi class destroyers, one Mandela class light cruiser, two Alexander class medium cruisers, the carrier Furious, and the Ulysses. That makes 3,290 men dead; the realisation of the scale of the slaughter struck him like a thunderbolt. That many dead, he could scarcely believe it. What with the attacks on the Agemman and Aurelias colonies, never in the history of the E.D. F or E.O.C. A have there been such losses.