The Slaver Wars: Retaliation by Raymond L. Weil

Author:Raymond L. Weil [Weil, Raymond L.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Raymond L. Weil
Published: 2014-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

High Leader Nartel was sitting in his office high above the ground in the massive government building that housed the High Council Chambers. He knew from the latest communication from Fleet Commodore Resmunt if they had maintained their current jump pace that within only a matter of a few hours they would be launching their attack against the humans.

Nartel stood up, walked over to the balcony, and stepped outside to gaze at the busy city below him. Part of it was obscured by pollutants in the air as there was very little wind blowing. Looking down, he could see that the grass in front of the building was turning an unhealthy brown.

There were thirty-two billion Hocklyns crowded together on the planet. Most lived in very small rooms in large buildings designed to maximize the use of space. Some of the buildings had underground sections that housed even more of the planet's large population. Every year space grew less and less and civilian unrest steadily grew. Already, food was being rationed to the lower classes, and there was constant complaining about its lack of quality. Fortunately, a few Protectors stationed at key locations were keeping the problem from getting any worse.

The population was still increasing and would soon reach the point where it was no longer sustainable. Letting out a deep breath, Nartel knew this war against the humans had to be a success. If it was, then he would ask the AIs to allow the Hocklyn race to colonize the ten star systems they had asked about in the past. At that time, the AIs had granted access to three of them until High Leader Ankler’s betrayal had wiped that promise out.

Nartel’s right hand slipped down to the long blade at his waist, pulling it from its jeweled scabbard. He watched as the dim sunlight glistened off its hard metal surface. Turning it over, he could see his own reflection in the highly polished metal. Looking up, his gaze turned toward space and what it was hiding. Somewhere in toward the center of the galaxy lay the civilization of the AIs. No space faring race was allowed to enter their domain. Daily, hundreds of cargo vessels loaded with special metals and parts were shipped to the very edge of their space to be unloaded at massive space stations. What the AIs were doing with those materials was unknown, even though vague rumors hinted about some giant construction project near the massive black hole at the galaxy’s core.

Nartel replaced his blade in its scabbard and returned to his desk, sitting back down. Looking over at the wall, a huge map of the known galaxy depicted the space controlled by the Hocklyn Slave Empire. Nearly a sixth of the galaxy was under their control. He was deeply concerned that the AIs were keeping something from him. There was some secret about these humans that they were refusing to reveal, and that worried him. He greatly feared what would happen if this war against the humans failed.

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