Earth's Last Days: The Invasion

Council Leader Vorik rushed out of the shuttle and headed toward the corridor that the group was put into. Lifting his comm link, he spoke to Guard Commander Drevick. "Escort Drell, the leader of the group that just arrived, to the bridge." He ordered.

"Yes, sir," Guard Commander Drevick responded before the communications went silent.

Council Leader Vorik had interrogated the leader of the bounty hunter group. They had scanned for cloaked ships. They had only found one cloaked shuttle, which they promptly destroyed. When they interrogated the leader, they found out a few things that he didn't like hearing.

As soon as he reached the bridge, the wide double doors slid smoothly open; Council Leader Vorik stepped in, scanned the bridge, and then headed for Fleet Commander Lerian, who was speaking with Bridge Officer Remmy.

Fleet Commander Lerian looked up. He noted that his leader's face was pale. "I take it that you interrogated the bounty hunter?" he asked.

Council Leader Vorik nodded tersely. "I need to find where 'Gorgen' is. It's the planet those people escaped from."

"Are you sending them back?" Fleet Commander Lerian asked. He couldn't fathom why he would need to know or care about where the people had come from.

"No. I need to know exactly where they came from," Vorik responded as the star charts flashed on the screen in front of him. He didn't elaborate.

"It's that one," Lerian said, pointing to a planet in a star system not far from their own.

The doors slid open, and Guard Commander Drevick walked in. A fearful Drell beside him. Council Leader Vorik held his hand up, gesturing for them to come toward him.

Council Leader Vorik looked at Drell. "You're from Gorgen?" he asked Drell.

Drell stiffened, then nodded sharply.

"Are you a master or a slave?" Vorik asked him, watching him closely. He needed to make sure he was speaking to the appropriate side.

Drell's face paled further, telling Vorik everything he needed to know. He didn't say anything.

"Your people are in danger. As slaves, you escaped. They want to capture you to do a public execution on all of you. Even your children. They want to set an example for what happens if their property escapes. We need to go to Gorgen and help the rest of your people. We need to help you take your planet back. If the bounty hunters don't return you, they will start to execute those still on the planet. For each slave that escaped, they plan to execute one who is there, even children. You have several children with you. That means a child for a child amongst you will be executed. I can't allow that. I have to do what I can to save them," Council Leader Vorik stated evenly.

Fleet Commander Lerian looked at the Council Leader in shock. "When you say his people are in danger, you're referring to those still on Gorgen?" he asked to clarify.

Council Leader Vorik, still looking at Drell, nodded stiffly. "Yes."

Fleet Commander Lerian sighed. "We have two council leaders. Niki needs to be involved with this decision. You are asking us to go to war."

"No, he's not," Niki stated. She heard everything. No one saw her enter behind Drell and Guard Commander Drevick. "We don't need to go to war. We need to find a way to get his people off the planet and then contain the slavers so they can't find more people to lord power over," she said evenly. "War suggests that we fight. It's not a war if it's one-sided."

"They will fight back," Drell stated, confused at what they were suggesting.

Niki smiled. "Flood the planet with an airborne sedative. It will make everyone sleep. We can go in and get the people out of there," she said, then looked at Drell. "Or Drell and his group can use that time to do their own dirty work."

"I don't understand what you mean by doing my own dirty work?" Drell asked. He still didn't understand what exactly was being offered.

Aleigha's voice came from the doorway. "She's saying you go in while they're sleeping and kill anyone who is a master. That excludes the children. Children are innocent, even theirs. You can raise their children to be decent individuals rather than disgraceful slavers." She looked between Drell and Vorik. "I will not condone killing innocent children."

Drell finally understood. "You will help us. All of us. Even those we left behind?" he asked in shock.

Niki nodded to Drell. "I will not seek war if there is another way. I think flooding the planet with a sedative, then scanning for all the life so we know where everyone is at, then you either let us bring your people aboard and you can join us on Ramesia, or you can go in and take back what they took from you: your freedom. If the planet were yours, then you could take that back, too. I don't want a war. I want to save your people from execution."

Council Leader Vorik nodded. "We need to go now. There is too much danger to those left. The bounty hunter we interrogated stated that if they don't hear from their employers within the next moon cycle, then they will pull 30 slaves and execute them publicly. We need to get there before they do."

"So what exactly are we going to do?" Niki asked Council Leader Vorik.

"I'm going to leave enough men to build the dome. We will head for Gorgen on our way. We will prepare sedative blasts to sedate everyone on the planet."

Niki turned to Drell. "Do you want to take back your planet or move your people from the planet?" she asked, then added. "I will not go to war. What you do is your own choice. I will only condone sedating everyone to get your people off the planet safely."

"I want to take it back," Drell said without hesitation. "Why?"

"If you wanted to bring your people, then we would need to leave more behind so there would be quarters for them. We are full at the moment. We would need to make room," Niki said, shrugging.

"We will take back our planet," Drell said, nodding. "We don't need to come to your planet; we have our own."

"Then I suggest we get going. Your people on your planet are running out of time," Niki stated. Then, looking at Vorik. "I don't think we should take the entire fleet. I think we should take just a few ships that are strong enough to stay safe. The disks should stay above the planet and most of the fleet. We need to make sure that this planet stays safe. We can't risk it."

Council Leader Vorik nodded, then turned to Fleet Commander Lerian. "Separate the fleet. We are going to Gorgen in the mother ship with two fleet ships to flank us. The rest will stay above our own planet. I need you to stay with the fleet. As fleet commander, it is where you belong."

Niki laughed. "I think you should stay. As the leader of the people, you need to stay. Lerian is the fleet commander, and his place is on the mothership. I can go to Gorgen in your place. Your presence is needed on Ramesia."

Fleet Commander Lerian chuckled. "Sorry, Sir. I believe Council Leader Niki is correct."

"I know she's correct, but the situation is dire on both sides," Vorik sighed. "I concede. Niki will go in my place; you will stay with the fleet. Keep me informed."

Niki smiled. "I know you like to protect everyone. Everyone is here. You are the leader they look up to. I stay on the sidelines because they are more used to you. I've done a lot for them. Far more than they know. The thing is. They know what you've done; they need to see you, or their morale will leave them. Too much has happened. They need to see you because it will keep them going. It will give them hope. You are their strength. Unlike you, they don't need to see me."

"The fleet has broken apart. Two battle cruisers are standing by," Bridge Officer Remmy called from his control panel.

Vorik nodded, then turned to Drell. Your people are on the mother ship. We don't have to transfer anyone." Vorik turned to Fleet Commander Lerian. "As soon as I leave for one of the other ships with Alice and the twins, you can leave for Gorgen."

"Yes, Sir," Fleet Commander Lerian stated, giving the sign of respect.

*** *** ***

Council Leader Vorik watched as the mothership, flanked by two battle cruisers, headed toward the planet of Gorgen. His anxiety rose as it disappeared through the vast darkness of space.

Alice sat beside him. The twins were in their carriers at her feet. "I think Niki will do fine. She has a good plan. Once they get there and flood the planet with the sedation chemical, it's up to Drell and his people to take back their planet. I know Niki hopes they choose the other option, but Drell doesn't seem to want to do that.

Vorik looked at his mate, pressing their heads together; he closed his eyes. "Things never go as planned," he said quietly. "I have never known anything of that magnitude to go as planned."

Alice sighed, knowing he was right. She had never known anything that big or important to go as planned. She hoped with everything she had that Niki could handle it.