The Forgotten Empire: War for the Empire Raymond Weil (the reading list TXT) 📖

are under attack by a superior fleet of Druin vessels. Ask if any nearby task forces can come to our aid.”

“I have the governor on the comm,” reported the communications officer. “He’s asking what he should do.”

“Tell him that we’re contacting Golan Four and will get back with him shortly. Meanwhile have the people take cover.”

“They’ll be in combat range in seven minutes,” reported the first officer.

Captain Gregory looked at the tactical display, showing the weak defensive grid around the moon—forty defensive satellites and only four missile platforms. Not enough to even slow the Druin fleet now bearing down on them.

“I just received a reply from Golan Four,” spoke the communications officer. “No available units are in our area.”

Captain Gregory leaned back in his chair. “Well, that’s not good.” Gregory spent a few moments thinking. He was in a no-win situation, where he could lose all his ships. “Contact the governor and recommend that he surrender to the Druins. If they follow their normal pattern, they won’t cause any damage and will just leave a few ships in orbit. Have him shut down the defense grid, so no Druin ships will be targeted.”

“Message sent and confirmed,” replied the communications officer.

Gregory hated giving this next order, but, if he stayed, his ships would be destroyed, and he would accomplish nothing. “Move us out of the defensive grid and stand by to enter hyperspace. We can do nothing here.”

The six Resistance ships rapidly moved through the small defensive grid and made the transition into hyperspace. They would survive to fight another day.

-

Druin Admiral Falorr nodded in satisfaction, as the moon’s governor contacted the flagship and surrendered. Falorr had already noted the departure of the six defending Resistance ships. “Inform the governor we accept his surrender and will be placing a squadron of warships over his moon to ensure their obedience to the Confederation. We will also be destroying their defensive grid to ensure it can never be used against us.”

A few moments passed, and then the communications officer replied. “They governor has agreed, and they will not resist.”

“Have the fleet destroy all the orbiting defensive satellites and missile platforms.”

-

Moments later above the moon, bright flashes of light indicated the destruction of the weak defensive grid. It had never been designed to actually defend the moon but to act as a deterrent against small groups of Confederation ships. Now it was gone and so was the small Resistance task group assigned to defend the moon. Once more the thirty million inhabitants were back under control of the Confederation. For a few months they had hoped the new Empire would protect them; obviously now that hope had been greatly exaggerated.

-

The Great Council of the Confederation was once more in session. They waited to see what this new announcement from High Princess Layla Starguard would be about. Over the last two days, several hyperlight messages had indicated her broadcast would contain information that would shake the Confederation and would change it forever.

“What can this High Princess say that would affect the Confederation?” asked Druin Councilor Clun. “She must be bluffing.”

“Perhaps,” replied Ardon Reull, the current head of the Great Council and a Lormallian. “It is unfortunate that we have no known way to jam such hyperlight broadcasts.”

Morag Councilor Damora sat, listening. He had not involved himself in the conversation. He could think of only one thing that would seriously shake up the Confederation—if the Humans had found out about the Morag’s telepathic ability. He knew that hundreds of dead Morag had been left behind in the Earth System. What if the Humans had dissected those bodies and had discovered the Morag’s secret?

For the first time in many years Damora felt uneasy. He looked at the other councilors, wondering what their reaction would be if the announcement was what he feared. He wasn’t worried about his own safety; his telepathy would keep him safe. However, over sixty thousand worlds were in the Confederation. Even the Morag and their secret fleets could not keep control of all of them if they revolted. Damora wished now they would have sent a much larger fleet to attack Earth. They just hadn’t realized at the time how big a threat Earth was.

“We’re picking up the broadcast,” reported a communications officer, sitting in front of the huge screen on the nearest wall. “I’m putting it up on the screen.”

Instantly High Princess Layla Starguard’s face appeared. “Hello, I’m speaking to all the Human worlds in the Empire, as well as all the worlds of the Confederation, particularly the seven races. I’m here to report that, during the battle for Earth, an astonishing discovery was made. A discovery so frightening that it will shake the very foundation of the Confederation. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the discovery, I don’t believe the Confederation can do anything to remedy the situation. With me today is Rear Admiral Lira Carrie of Earth. Since her home planet made this discovery, it is only right that she reveal it to you and its possible ramifications.”

A young Human woman in a rear admiral’s uniform appeared on the screen, a serious and solemn look on her face. “As all of you know, the Confederation recently attacked Earth with overwhelming force. The Confederation fleets were driven off after several very intense battles. Once the fighting was over, the dead from the various seven races involved were retrieved and studied. I can assure everyone listening that, once the research was done, the bodies were properly disposed of. During our research we found nothing unusual in six of the seven races.”

Damora felt a shiver go up his spine. The Earthers knew! He prepared himself to use his telepathy to keep the council under control.

“The Morag were different. They had an enhanced region in their brain, and, after considerable study, we determined that this enlarged region allowed