Then the slaughter began. Organized resistance disappeared with the ten cities destruction. The green mass of invaders swept through the remaining population centers. Civilians were captured by the horde and eaten alive. Once their hunger was satisfied the invaders began herding the survivors into camps where they were stunned and transported up to the fleet to be consumed. Not only were the inhabitants transported but all the native wildlife and fish were transported. A ship would dive into the ocean and fire a stun beam into the water and all the sea life within miles of the ship would float to the surface to be swept into nets and transported. Within twelve hours ten percent of the life on the planets northern continent had been consumed or transported. At that point the ships began harvesting all the plants on the continents surface along with any organic life forms. Atlas then saw thousands of huge twenty mile long transports moving into the system to receive all that was being harvested from the surface. At that point a thousand ships began moving toward the escaping civilian ships.
Atlas had seen thousands of worlds that were bare on his travel into this galaxy. He knew he shouldnt be experiencing any emotion but something in him made him sick with revulsion. Tag had used a term called cancer and he had looked into the Humans mind to understand what he was referring to and he agreed; this was a cancer and it was growing. He had to do something but he didnt want to disclose his presence. He had seen enough of the savagery at the planet so he decided to take a chance. He jumped out to the fleeing civilian ships and extended his jump field to enclose all three hundred of them. He then jumped to another galaxy away from the one the Humans occupied on the possible chance that that the line of his jump could be traced. He then jumped to another Galaxy and then a third with the escaping ships still safely enclosed in his screen. He waited for forty minutes to see if the Plants had followed and then he jumped to the planet that the humans called Ross and dropped out of null space. He then found the leader of the civilian ships and contacted him on his communications board and explained that he had intervened to save them. He instructed them to land on the planet and to use the buildings that were undamaged on its surface to settle in. He promised that food would arrive shortly and that they would be contacted by a race that would help them. The shock of the interstellar jumps that had happened along with their miraculous escape left most of them in a state of semi-shock. The leader began questioning him but Atlas told him to wait and all his questions would be answered; then he jumped to the battle that had just ended in the Central Alliance system.
Tag had just finished his talk with Sten when Atlas said, Tag, will you do something for me?
Tag was startled but thought, Sure, what do you want?
Atlas quickly explained that he had saved some people from the plant race and had taken them to the planet called Ross. Will you go there and help them?
Admiral, Tag said, I need you to change the jump coordinates to Ross. We need to go directly there.
Kosiev looked at his communication officer and said, Pass the order to the other ships that we will be jumping to Ross. We will be jumping in 30 seconds. The Human battleships disappeared from the Alliance system and reappeared just outside the orbit of Ross.
Where did those ships come from? Kosiev asked Tag as he watched the shuttles leaving transports and landing on the planets surface.
Im not sure. Im taking a shuttle down to the surface to see whats going on. Standby and Ill let you know. Kosiev looked at him with an expression that Tag had come to know well, Dont worry, Ill be safe. Then Tag left to board a shuttle. Atlas, these people arent members of the Alliance, how do I communicate with them?
Their leader is on the ground at the town of Ross. Just touch him and Ill put a link in him so you can communicate thru your thoughts.
Tag landed and all the new inhabitants ran from his ship. They were humanoid in appearance but were dark brown in color and had six fingers on each hand with two opposable thumbs on each hand. Their arms were shorter than Humans but had elbows that appeared to be able to rotate 360 degrees. Their black hair was sparse but covered most of their body. The head was large with a brow that had a ridge of raised skin that ran from their eyes to their ears which were small almost bat like. There was obvious intelligence in their face and one of them began walking toward his ship. Tag stepped out and waited for the Alien to come to him. The Alien said something that was completely unintelligible and Tag held out his hand. The Alien looked at him and then took Tags hand in his own. Tag could feel the small shock that went into the alien and watched him give a sudden start. I think you can understand me now, Tag said.
The alien again gave a start and said, What did you just do?
I placed a link in you so we could communicate. Ive been told that you are survivors of an attack on your world.
The alien looked at Tag with an expression even Tag could understand, My world is being eaten alive. Everything is being consumed. They totally destroyed our fleet, blew up our largest cities, and then landed and began eating my people. We had defeated their first attack but the second one overwhelmed us. Thousands and thousands of ships attacked us.
Tag could see in the aliens mind what had happened. He was sick with revulsion and felt a deep sorrow for the aliens loss. One of my friends saved your ships and brought you here. This will be your new home and we offer this world to you to settle along with any of our colonists that might return later. Now is not the time to talk about what happened here but later if you dont mind, I would like you to tell my leaders what happened at your world. Get your people settled and in the mean time, I am going to order some food transports to come and give you enough to survive until you can start your own agriculture.
The alien looked at Tag and said, My name is Klas and my people are called Pydres. Thank you for your help. Ill discuss what happened after my people overcome their shock and grief.
Ill be back later. Tag then offered his hand again and the Alien took it and Tag shook it. This is our way of greeting each other. With that Klas shook it firmly.
Chapter 18
Three months had passed since the battle at the Alliance Central World and State Leader Sten had seen remarkable change among the members. The members that had quarrels were brought in and put in a room to resolve their differences and they were not allowed to leave until they were. Headman Dgzh was the mediator of these meetings and Sten often felt sorry for his assistant and friend but progress was being made. Even the Vgrig were changing their warlike ways after the Subleader became a hero of the Alliance and Supreme commander of all Alliance space forces. The first action he took was to take the fleet to his home planet and make the leaders come to terms with what would be accepted in the future. Its hard to argue with 8,000 warships above your planet. But something was lacking. Sten just couldnt find what it was that would make them a real Alliance. So he called Tgon-Gee and asked for advice.
Tgon-Gee told Sten, Your members dont share a common vision. You have 800 members and they all have their own vision of the universe with them controlling it. Until they share a common vision, youll always have conflict.
How did you and the Cainth unite with a common vision? Sten asked.
That was the easy part. We listened to our Queen. She united us, Tgon-Gee said. We would gladly give our lives for each other now.
Do you think she might speak to our members?
Tgon-Gee looked at Sten and said, Ill ask her.
Seven rotations later Sten received a com from Tgon-Gee. State Leader, Queen Danielle has agreed to speak to your members. How do you want to arrange it?