Somehow, Quvor was certain that the danger of the universe just found his people.
Chapter Eleven
Trivax system – Eight days later
Quvor sat and watched helplessly along with every Trivaxian as the alien ships reached Rofvax. There was no answer to any of the SEC’s comms. The aliens ignored every attempt both from the colony on Rofvax and from Trivax. By now there was not a doubt in Quvor’s mind that things were about to get bad. He felt so helpless, his twelve combat capable ships were all at Trivax, even if they started the trip towards Rofvax the moment they detected the aliens, they still wouldn’t have made it in time. Afterwards it was decided that they should stay where they were, lest them speeding towards Rofvax somehow provoke the aliens. Now it seemed that it wouldn’t matter anyways.
Ten billion people watched as the alien ships approached Rofvax. They all watched in fear as the alien ships fired their weapons and destroyed the station in orbit. They all watched helplessly as the ships entered Rofvax high orbit, and then as smaller ships started dropping down to the planet, just outside of the colony site. And then over the next twenty hours they watched as the aliens killed the security forces and then started taking the colonists prisoner.
Sanctuary
Laura watched as their visual sensors recorded the alien attack on Rofvax, sixteen hours after it happened. She shook her head, it seemed like every other race out there was set on attacking anyone they come in contact with. Trivax wasn’t Empire’s territory, but they had interests there. They were responsible for the jump in technology that Trivax made. But that wasn’t what made Laura want to help them, it was that they were innocent. She had read reports on Trivax ever since they placed the drone to monitor their progress. And she saw a peaceful, kind race. A race that was given a chance to reach out to the stars, a race that was a small child ignorant of the realities of life. But now the universe had taught them a lesson, and they will lose that innocence.
There was no choice, the Empire will not stand idly by as innocent are dying. She let Tomas know first and got his approval. Then she sent the authorization for the monitoring drone to go active and afterwards reached for her comm, Johanna Stern will need to be enough to help them.
Johanna closed her eyes as she listened to Fleets Master’s orders. Her fleet was sitting in the trans-station to Trivax system, and they too had been watching the feed from the monitoring drone, their FTL comm system allowing her to see everything at the moment the drone recorded it. She knew that this was going to happen. Finally, she took a deep breath steeled herself and ordered her ship commanders to prepare for a trans-lane transfer.
In the meantime she watched as the drone went active. It sent a tachyon ping across the system, illuminating everything and getting myriad of information back. The sensors penetrated the alien ships hulls detecting everything that there was about them. Johanna watched as her ship’s computer found the match for the ships. The materials and weapon signatures matched those she found in the debris field a few months ago.
Seeing the rest of the alien ship specs, she released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. The alien ships were inferior to her own, they were even inferior to the Sowir ships. Her forty two ships, thirty of them warships, would be able to handle the alien eighty six ships. She recorded a message for Trivaxian’s telling them that help was on the way. The trip to Trivax system was nine days, she hoped that they could get there in time.
Trivax
Director Tofor looked helplessly at the screens in the control room. He, like most everyone on the planet had had very little sleep over the past few days. The horror that they witnessed on Rofvax had given them all nightmares.
“Why are they doing this?” Someone asked, but no one answered. Tofor didn’t know, he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. His people had never harmed these aliens, and now they were being slaughtered by them. Thirty security officers and forty civilians were dead on Rofvax, and there was nothing that anyone on Trivax could do. Their combat ships were not a match for the aliens, they couldn’t even save a few, board them on ships and flee. The ruling council had suggested it, but it would be pointless. They had no ships that could travel faster than the speed of light, and the alien ships were much faster. They would catch them and kill them anyway. There was still no response from the aliens, no reason given as to why they were doing this.
And now the alien ships were coming to Trivax. They left ten ships at Rofvax, along with people on the ground. Tofor had no idea what they were doing there now, not since they lost contact with the colony, after the colonist informed them that the aliens were taking prisoners and killing security officers.
“Director!” One of his subordinates on the monitoring stations called out.
“What is it?” Tofor turned towards him.
“We are receiving a laser transmission.” He answered still looking over the monitor. “It’s a recording from the Aliens in our language!”
Tofor felt his ears quiver, “Let’s hear it.”
Everyone in the control room quieted and a bland voice that couldn’t belong to any Trivaxian sounded out from the speakers around the room.
“People of the fourth planet of this star, we are Furvor. We are laying claim to this system, its worlds and resources are now ours. We know that you have been watching what happened to the fifth planet from this star, consider that a demonstration and a warning. You cannot harm our vessels, you cannot resist our warriors. I offer you one chance to save some of your people. Surrender your world now, lay down all of your primitive weapons, abandon your space vessels and constructs, and we will allow one hundredth of your population to survive. Refuse and all shall die.”
Tofor closed his eyes, his ears slanting forward as he absorbed the alien’s demand. He was terrified, he looked to the side of the room, where the representative of the council was already sending the recording to his superiors. The decision of the council will not make any difference, Commander Quvor’s ships couldn’t stand up to one of the alien ships, let alone more than eighty.
Tofor remembered a time when they were designing their new ships, he remembered Quvor advocating for ships with weapons. But no-one wanted to hear him, they wanted to explore and colonize their star system. But Quvor was adamant, and no one wanted to refuse the most famous Trivaxian alive. So they gave him twelve ships equipped with a larger scale mining lasers, and some rocket propelled missiles. Tofor shook his head, if only they listened then, if they allowed some of their resources to go into developing weapons, they might stand a chance now. Tofor was looking aimlessly at the big monitor on the wall when he heard commotion all around him. He focused on the group closest to him.
“What is going on?”
“All our sensors just experienced some kind of—” Another voice interrupted before Tofor could hear the answer.
“We are getting a tight band laser transmission Director!” Someone from the monitoring stations exclaimed.
“The aliens again?” Tofor asked.
“No! It is coming from the other side of the star system, and it is pointed directly at this facilities comm system!”
Tofor quickly walked over and leaned down. “What is it?”