“Yes, sir,” Lee said, the light in his eyes betraying the bags that had formed below them. “I couldn’t let the other guys have all the fun. Besides, I didn’t ask for the command, you just kinda laid it on me.”
“That’s true, and that is a subject for another time. But right now, great job, son. Great job. This is a victory for the record books.”
“Yeah, it worked, just like it was drawn up.”
The admiral noticed the young 2G standing against a far wall, looking out of place. “Come over here, Mr. Carlson,” he commanded warmly.
Caught off guard, Tim was embarrassed as all the eyes turned toward him. Everyone in the room was aware that he was a 2G, a Human who was not even born on the planet Earth and who had been raised by the Klin. Most native-born were very stand-offish toward his kind; Tim still had no idea why Lee insisted that he come along.
Nate shook the man’s hand vigorously. “I want to thank you for saving my nephew’s life. He told me all about it. Your quick actions and expert knowledge when encountering that fucking field saved many a life. I will be forever in your debt.”
“Eh, thank you, sir,” Tim managed to say. “Just doing my job.”
“Yes you were and a job well done. I know it hasn’t been easy for you over these past several months, but I just want you to know that you are now an honorary native-born Human, and you will always be welcomed as part of the larger Human family. It’s your actions that define you as a man, not your birthplace.”
Tim had to fight back the emotions after hearing the admiral’s words. His whole life had been a study in contradictions and lies, never settled, never feeling like he was part of — well, anything. Now, he not only had friends, respect and acceptance, he also had a home to belong to. And it was not just a house or a country, but an entire planet.
Lee stepped up to them. “What now, Admiral? Where do we go from here?”
There was a large screen on the opposite wall, displaying a bright and colorful representation of this part of the galaxy. Nate looked over at the display. “I guess that depends on where the next Juirean fleet shows up. I know they have to have more than just the one.”
Tim noticed when Rittenberg rose from his chair. As a fellow 2G, Tim had been watching him for a few moments, wondering what emotions were going through his mind as well in the aftermath of the victory over the Juireans. Now he watched as the older man moved closer to the screen.
“Excuse me, sir,” Rittenberg said. “As you know, I have some knowledge regarding the functioning of the Expansion.”
Nate turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Of course I know. Please…”
Rittenberg moved to the large display, while all the scrambled eggs and silver stars gathered around him. He pointed to a spot on the display. “This is where we are now and this bright cluster near the center is the galactic core. It is a place of incredible violence and destruction, as our central black hole makes the region very unstable. There are very few habitable planets in the region, and so the galaxy is divided into two distinct sides. From what the Juireans have sent against us so far, I believe the Juireans have depleted all their available resources on this side of the galaxy in an all-out attempt to defeat you — us — here at Falor Kapel. If they had had more resources to contribute, I believe they would have already.”
“That makes sense,” said General Steven Block, USAF. “So you’re saying this side of the galaxy is more-or-less ours for the taking?”
“Pretty much, sir. However, this side of the galaxy contains most of the unsettled sectors of the Expansion and has always required more military resources to keep them in line. The other side is where the Expansion has been established the longest. Peace has reigned there much longer.”
“Are you saying that the Juireans may not have that many more assets to throw against us?” Nate asked, incredulously. “They’re a god-damn galactic empire, for Christ’s sake! They have to have more than one fleet.”
“You must remember, sir, that another five hundred ships were destroyed off the Earth, plus another eight hundred or so since the start of this campaign. That may not sound like a lot for something as large as the Expansion, but the Juireans have not had to fight a major war in over a thousand years or so, and nothing as serious as this one — well, ever. They simply have not had the need for more military assets.”
“Unbelievable,” Nate Allen said. “I’m not saying you’re right, Mr. Rittenberg, but if you are, then we’ve just about got this war won.”
“Sir, the Juireans will recover, in time. They still have incredible industrial capabilities and trillions upon trillions of beings from which to recruit.”
“We can’t let them do that, Admiral,” Lee threw in. “If we rest now, and simply consolidate our holdings on this side of the galaxy, it will give the bastards time to recover.”
“Agreed,” said Admiral Allen. “But we need a target, and it doesn’t look like the Juireans will be able to provide us with one for quite a while.”
“There is one, sir,” Tim said, speaking up finally. All eyes turned to him.
“Where?”
He walked over to the large screen; Rittenberg stepped out of him way. Tim then placed his finger on a point on the other side of the galactic core. “Right here.”
Everyone in the room leaned in for a closer look.
“Where is that?” the admiral asked.
“It’s the planet Juir.”
Chapter 64
Jonnif of the Kracori, Commander of the Ludif Forces operating with the Klin, was as furious as he could get without being engaged in a death-frenzy. His two loyal assistants, Kolif and Bulinif were equally upset. The Humans had managed to thwart years of planning in the span of three hours, destroying a Juirean fleet and revealing an unbeatable force that could now run rampant throughout this part of the galaxy.
The three Kracori were in Joniff’s private chambers aboard the Klin flagship, trying to sort out their options in the face of this staggering new reality.
“The Klin have completely underestimated the Humans, and this breakdown has jeopardized all of our plans as well,” Jonnif declared.
Bulinif dropped heavily onto the couch and kicked a leg up on the arm rest. “The Klin are the weak-links here. They have procrastinated for generations in taking the initiative against the Juireans and their obsession with the Humans has now cost us the advantage.”
“You speak the truth, Bulinif,” Jonnif said. He had pulled an intoxicant from the wall dispenser and downed the drink in a single gulp. The strong liquid would clear his head in a moment or two. “I’m afraid it is now obvious that the Klin have outlived their usefulness. They promised us a share of the entire Expansion, and they cannot even deliver on part of it. And now they have armed and trained an opposition force greater than even the Juireans. I see no reason to continue with this charade.”
Kolif downed his own intoxicant and then slammed the glass down on the table before him. “Agreed. The Klin are so few anyway that they would have been of no help in any major battle. The legend of the Klin was to provide us with the credibility necessary to rule, but now it is the legend of Earth that must be overcome.”
Jonnif suddenly stood up from where he sat and activated the monitor that made up a good portion of the tabletop where Kolif sat. He leaned over the display. Bulinif rose from the couch and joined his two companions, now huddled over the table. Jonnif pulled up a representation of the central region of the galaxy and placed his finger on a point just above the galactic core.
“Juir is the key, my Ludifs. Whoever controls Juir controls the Expansion.”
“This is true, Jonnif, but the Humans now have an open corridor all the way there,” Bulinif said. “It was our plan all along. Once the Humans and Juireans were destroyed, we could then run straight to the planet with very little resistance, arriving long before the Juireans could recover. Now we cannot do that.”