Star Force: Resurrection (SF84) (Star Force Origin Series) (8 page)

With that blood flow resuming at a creep, something
else happened within the mind…

“It’s bringing him back,” the medtech said with a measure
of awe.

Greg smiled. This bastard wasn’t escaping them after
all.

But the Kich’a’kat didn’t let go of the lizard.

“What’s happening?” he asked. “It’s still working on
something.”

“I’m not certain,” the medtech said with a frown as
the lizard woke back up and Greg froze him in place physically but didn’t alter
him mentally so in order to not mess with the Kich’a’kat while it was working.

“I’ve never seen this happen before,” Greg commented.

“Neither have we,” another medtech answered. “The work
is always quick. It looks like it’s stuck in place.”

“It’s got to be doing something…is the kill signal
still active?”

The other medtech snapped his fingers, realizing Greg
was right, and extended some more equipment out from the walls and did a
specific scan. A few moments later he had his answer.

“It’s not done because it’s blocking the shutdown
signal. That mechanism is part of the lizard’s genetic structure, not damage,
but it’s causing damage. The Kich’a’kat can’t remove it because it’s supposed
to be there, but it can’t let it order the body’s organs to shut down either,
so it’s just blocking the signals.”

“We have to neutralize that signal ourselves,” Greg
insisted.

“Anything we do the Kich’a’kat will repair.”

“Damn,” Greg said, realizing he was right.

“He’ll try to kill himself the old fashioned way,” the
unarmored ranger that had brought the regenerator in offered. “Might as well
let him go down this road rather than having him tear his own throat out…after
we get the information we need. How long does the battery on that thing last?”

Greg smiled grimly. He didn’t like the end result, but
the other Archon was right. This guy was going to die by his own hand at some
point anyway. Might as well get the information now and just use the Kich’a’kat
as a stopgap against the self-destruct from doing its thing.

“I don’t think it’s ever been run continuous,” Greg
said, glancing at the medtechs.

“They’re supposed to last several hours of continuous
use. We always put them into a recharging container when they’re not being used
so it’s never come up before.”

“Get the techs down here to work up a portable
recharger so that it can draw power while functioning and be prepared to camp
out here for a few days,” his attention turned to the Archon. “Tell the other
trailblazers to get their asses here on the double. If they argue they’re busy,
make them understand. Go in person if you have to, but get them here now.”

The ranger didn’t offer any response, not wasting the
second that it would take as he ran out of the room. Greg could have called the
bridge or any of the trailblazers directly using his armor, but he was going to
be busy here and at least some of the trailblazers would either be sleeping or
in battle and unavailable, so he needed someone on that task while he focused
here.

The mastermind regained enough consciousness to begin
to wonder why he was still alive, then looked down at his body and the alien
piece of technology imbedded on his chest.

“
Sorry
,”
Greg said, increasing his telekinetic grip on him as he began to struggle,
intent on ripping the thing off. “
But
you’re not getting off that easy. Your empire has been murdering trillions of
people and doing a lot of other really disgusting things, and I want to know
why, how, and what other things you’re up to that we don’t know about. You may
not be a templar with all the answers, but you know enough to have a kill
switch woven into your genetic structure, and you’re either going to tell us or
we’re going to dig the information out of your mind.
”

The mastermind snarled a string of words that the
translator couldn’t fully grasp, but Greg’s reading of his mind provided the
context. He turned around to face the Knights with a wry look on his face.

“That’s the lizard version of ‘Fuck You.’”

8

June 8, 3221

Krachnika
System
(lizard capitol/homeworld)

Trexklip

Paul walked into the holding cell, seeing Greg,
Jax
, Ace, Taryn, and Dan sitting around silently on tables,
most with their eyes closed, and an assortment of techs monitoring readouts
while a giant lizard stood still as a statue behind a blue containment shield.
The Archon raised an eyebrow and walked past the others, seeing that Dan had a
Lachka tendril wrapped around the lizard to hold him in place and
telepathically signaled to him that he’d take over.

The telekinetic binds shifted from one to the other,
with Paul loosening up the restraints a bit and letting him shift his fleet in
place as he looked up at his pitch black eyes.

“
I am Paul-024,
”
he said without the benefit of a translator, for he wasn’t wearing any armor
since transferring over to Greg’s command ship, though two of the others still
were.

The mastermind’s stance shifted slightly and all the
trailblazers could feel the recognition.

“
You are known
to me
.”

“
I am curious
how much you know of me. Most of the recent invasions haven’t let any ships
leave to report, so how much intel do you have on me?
” he said, making it a
personal connection.

“
You are the
most difficult
spacebound
commander to fight,
”
the lizard said with a mix of disgust and grudging respect.

“
Have you and I
crossed paths before this system?
”

The lizard almost smiled. “
We have
.”

Paul frowned. “
Where
exactly?
”

“
You call the
system
Tyrannus
.”

Paul though back in recent memory, then one campaign
clicked from over 200 years ago. “
You
were in the flotilla that escaped through the asteroid field?
”

“
Your memory is
sound.
”

“
I took that
system, but a small number of your ships got away. I knew one of you was there,
but I could never locate you. You hide exceptionally well
.”

 
“
Why do you bother to speak to me when it is
obvious that you can invade my mind at will? These others
,” he said with
disgust, “
have been doing so for hours
while I am their puppet
.”

“
I can do both,
but prefer actually talking to someone of your skill. Were ships and technology
even, you and the others of your kind would make difficult commanders to
defeat.
”

“
You assume
dominance?
”

“
I am well
familiar with my own skills…though not overestimating them. I am slightly
better at adapting than you are
.”

“
Tell me then
how you discovered my location.
”

“
I’ll admit we
didn’t. You were found in the rubble. We had no idea of your location
.”

The lizard’s face twisted up in a mix of rage and
satisfaction, knowing that he had not been bested, only caught by bad luck. “
And what do you hope to gain from me?
”

“
Feel like
changing sides?
” Paul asked casually.

“
You do not
understand us if you think there is even a chance of that
.”

“
I don’t fully
understand you
,” Paul said in all seriousness. “
You are misusing your skills and have become a threat I have to deal
with. I would much prefer to be allies, yet the Li’vorkrachnika seem bent on
exterminating all other life in the galaxy. Why must you expand in such a
manner?
”

“
We do not have
much use for slaves.
”

“
But why kill
everyone else? Why not coexist with at least some of them?
”

“
We coexist with
those that we must
.”

“
And kill all
those that you can? What is your end goal? Even if you are able to conquer the
galaxy and destroy every other race in it, what does that gain you?
”

“
The galaxy
.”

“
To do what with?
”

“
Whatever we
wish
.”

“
Is there no
purpose to your civilization?
”

“
My purpose is
to serve my civilization. Others set the direction and goals
.”

“
But what are
they? I’m not asking you divulge secrets…we’ll probably get those anyway with
time, but just in general, why are you expanding? Is there a limit you wish to
reach or are you going to continue expanding indefinitely?
”

“
The larger we
grow the more powerful we become
.”

“
True
,” Paul
conceded, “
and not without merit. How you
expand matters greatly, which is why we’re presently in conflict. But is there
nothing else driving you beyond expansion?
”

“
You seek common
ground?
”

“
I seek an
option other than having to hunt down and kill every last one of you.
”

“
Submit
.”

“
And what will
that gain us, other than an eventual stab in the back? We’ve seen what you’ve
done to former associates and slaves. And you’ve been eating the prisoners in
this system. Is submission truly a valid option for us? If we agreed to a line
that neither side would cross, would you always honor it, leaving each
civilization to their own pursuits? Do not bother lying, I am in your head and
know when you do.
”

“
Why do you not
eat other races?
” the mastermind asked instead. “
Why do you war and conquer those who do?
”

“
Because we
respect the sovereignty of life. Being dominant doesn’t mean you own the
subordinate. They have as much right to live as we do. It is the place of the
dominant to protect and guide the lesser, not to consume and exploit them
.”

“
Do you find
strength in that approach?
”

“
Is that a
genuine question or a veiled insult?
”

“
You should
already know that. Do you believe your victories over us flow from your
philosophy, or do you succeed in spite of them?
”

“
We make it
harder on ourselves because of them in many cases
,” Paul admitted freely.

“
Why do so if
you have that knowledge?
”

“
Therein lies
the purpose behind our civilization, which is why I ask what yours is. Ours is
not to expand, dominate, or even survive. Those are all lesser goals, but we
will not pursue them if they conflict with the primary. And the primary is to
do the right thing
.”

“
Ambiguous at
best
.”

“
For you more
than most. Are you aware that your genetic structure has been altered in order
to assure loyalty and obedience, and that in doing so your sense of right and wrong
has been at least partially suppressed?
”

“
My mind cannot
be suppressed. It would be counterproductive
.”

“
We’ve never
captured one of your kind before, but we created a genetic profile on you as
soon as you were onboard this ship. I consulted it on my way over. I can assure
you the blocks are there, same as with your other breeds. Curiously, we have
failed to recover any detailed files on you or your leaders.
”

“
Such knowledge of
them is restricted to even me
,” the mastermind said, but Paul could sense a
twinge of doubt mixed with professional curiosity.

“
The blocks in
question make it very difficult to consider options beyond what is mandated.
How can you be such a good tactician despite those restrictions?
”

“
I have no
restrictions
.”

“
Then you could
choose not to kill yourself if you wanted? Out of all the Li’vorkrachnika that
we have encountered, none have accepted surrender. And those that we did take
prisoner anyway sought to kill themselves or each other without exception. How
do
you
account for that?
”

“
What is there
to account for? Perhaps you are merely accustomed to disorderly races
.”

“
Granted. But is
your order achieved through skill and loyalty, or genetic manipulation that
keeps you submissive to the group? Such a device might be effective, but it
would also be a sign of inferiority. My kin and I need no such mechanisms. We
are united in brotherhood. Other races may not be, but our Archons have never
had a traitor. Have never conflicted with one another. We are solid. If the
Li’vorkrachnika have to artificially create such a state, there will be
drawbacks
.”

“
You have seen
our effectiveness. What ‘drawbacks’ have you noticed?
”

“
Negotiation,
trade, information exchanges, outreach. Your inability to interact with other
races aside from killing them on the spot is a rather large inability on your
part
.”

“
Do not mistake
our unwillingness as ineptitude
.”

“
So you can make
deals?
”

“
We typically do
not seek them out, but we can if needed
.”

“
But do you
honor them, or is it merely a tactic to manipulate your enemies?
”

“
Whatever is
needed
.
”

“
No, no
,”
Paul said, waving a finger in front of him, “
there is a great difference. That is obviously a technique that you
have not used before. One negotiates simply through your actions. By being
honest and carrying through on established deals even if it turns out to be
disadvantageous to you, you then generate reliability in the minds of others.
That reliability can then be used as an asset. I do not believe that the
Li’vorkrachnika possess that weapon in your arsenal, nor do I think you are
capable of doing so with your current blocks in place. Perhaps your leaders are,
if they do not have the blocks, but the rest of you cannot without being
extremely strong willed.
”

“
Strong willed?
”

“
The blocks make
independent thought difficult, not impossible
.”

“
Is that why you
are talking to me? Hoping that I will have the will to betray my
responsibility?
”

“
I am trying to
ascertain what that responsibility is so I can propose an alternative that does
not conflict with it.
”

“
My
responsibility when captured is to escape if possible…
”

“
No chance of
that
.”

“
…or die so to
not give the enemy any information or assistance in any form
.”

“
And those two
things are not currently possible
,” Paul pointed out. “
So tell me, is your intelligent mind considering other alternatives in
this unforeseen circumstance, or is your mind driven to the same repetitive
conclusion that you must kill yourself?
”

“
How are you
preventing me?
”

“
That device
heals you, but it cannot finish its task while your own body betrays itself. It
is interfering with the process, but cannot stop the trigger. If we take it off
you, you will die. That’s why I’m holding you in check physically.
”

“
And how exactly
do you accomplish that?
”

Paul looked at him with all respect. “
If you only want to die, and there is no way
to return that knowledge to the others, why do you ask? You have curiosity, the
blocks have not eradicated it. You must use that curiosity to overcome the
blocks.
”

“
I will not
assist you
.”

“
Then how about
assisting yourself? What if I agreed to let you go?
”

The lizard saw the other Humans twitch, then regarded
Paul skeptically. “
Why?
”

“
If I wanted to
use you as a courier to send back a message to your leaders, wherever they are
now, could you do it? Or would your mental constrictions have you kill yourself
the moment you were outside our control?
”

The lizard began thinking hard. “
What message?
”

“
Irrelevant.
Could you do it, or would you be compelled to carry out your self-destruct
order?
”

“
It is not an
order, but a necessity. Take away the necessity and it no longer becomes an
issue
.”

“
Would the other
breeds do the same? Are they intelligent enough to make that distinction?
”

The mastermind regarded him skeptically. “
You have tried this approach before and
failed?
”

“
If they were in
our custody they would kill themselves, without fail. Only when we rendered
them unconscious then delivered them to another location or free ship did they
not do
so.
Tell me, if they did return to the others
what happened to them? Were they reincorporated or destroyed?
”

“
I have no
personal knowledge of this
.”

“
What would you
do if I sent a captured ship back?
”

“
For what stated
purpose?
”

“
None. I just
released it from our custody after a period of time. None but your crew onboard
.”

“
I would destroy
it before they had a chance to contaminate others
.”

“
Contaminate?
”

“
Subterfuge of
some sort. Biological, explosive, software. You would not return them to us
without purpose
.”

“
There is your
answer. We would, and have in a few occasions, because we didn’t want to keep
them sedated or restrained indefinitely. We’d rather they die against us in
combat than to allow them to die as prisoners at their own hands. We did not
tamper with them, we respected them for the living beings that they are. And
from what you’ve said, I would guess they were killed upon returning, assuming
they didn’t fly themselves into a star on the way back to save you the trouble.
Your blindness to the possibility that we could have no malevolent motive has
caused you to waste resources and personnel.
”