Chapter 382 (2/2)

Nakteti accepted a small tuft of vegetation, dipped it in sauce, and nibbled at it.

”The Unified Council possesses thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of worlds, tens of billions of soldiers, trillions of citizens with just the Lanaktallan, not to mention the rest of the member species of the Unified Council,” she said. She took another nibble. ”However, militarily, the Lanaktallan and the Unified Military Council, like everyone else who has tried their hand against the Terrans, have come up lacking. From what I understand, there is very little militarily that the Unified Military Council can do to resist the Terrans.”

”Is it true they were foolish enough to attack Earth itself? To throw themselves against Fortress Sol?” another asked. Again, Nakteti noticed it was a younger one, grand-daughter to a mining consortium.

Nakteti nodded. ”The Lanaktallan are not known for their pattern recognition, especially when the pattern is not one they want to see. The Mantid diplomat team could have told them how foolish it was to attack Terra had they asked.”

There was silence for a long second and Nakteti watched the others carefully.

”All of you are more nervous than a two legged male at a genital kicking contest,” an older one suddenly snapped, stepping forward. Nakteti's implant tagged her as the CEO and owner of multiple mega-corps, two shipping lines, a singing label, and even an entertainment video studio.

”After the Mantid destroyed us, attacked Earth, attacked the Treana'ad,” the female said.

”They did not attack the Treana'ad, they offered them a truce,” Nakteti said. ”The Treana'ad had the numbers to offset the Mantid.”

The older Pubvian nodded. ”Well, once the Third Republic had been attacked,” she paused for a second and Nakteti could feel the tension ramp up. ”What happened?”

Nakteti didn't say anything.

”What... what happened to the Mantid? Why did the Earthlings spare them? How did the Earthlings spare them?” Krestalli asked, her eyes wide and her nose wrinkling slightly with the stress. She glanced at Major Carnight. ”The Third Republic was only a few short weeks ago for us.”

”How did the Mantid defeat the Immortal Janissary?” another whispered. ”They are all gone but Daxin, how?”

”How did the Confederacy arise?” another asked.

The oldest one, Krestalli, made a chopping motion with her middle hand. ”Enough,” she looked at Nakteti. ”We do not want the story in the histories, in the history files that seem to have been altered while we were dead, we want to know the truth,” she took a deep breath, leaned forward, ”Tell us, outside officialdom, is the Terran Confederacy strong enough to resist another species of Ancient Ones come to destroy all that is soft and wonderful?”

Nakteti thought for a long moment. ”I fear,” she said softly. She glanced at Major Carnight, making it obvious to the surrounding female Pubvians, ”That the answer is less can they defeat the Unified Council, but what does a malevolent universe really intend on producing?”

That made all of them nod.

Refledrex, a female Pubvian who owned star liners, nodded slowly.

”Terra was attacked by a Precursor Autonomous War Machine before they even colonized another stellar system,” one of the females who's names were in small type said softly. ”Their first Precursor contact.”

”The Mantid attacked, wiped us out, wiped out the Oomnaverra, damaged the Terrans,” another small type labeled female said softly, hugging herself with her two outside arms.

”Then a second type of Precursor attacked you, a Precursor Autonomous War Machine built by the Mantid, and you were saved by Daxin the Janissary, who fought the Mantid, who fought the War Against the Machine,” another said.

Nakteti stared at the eldest Pubvian, ignoring the ones who were talking softly's presence but listening to their words and watching the eldest's expressions.

”Then the Lanaktallan, the creators of the Ancient Warship, attacked the Terrans,” another said.

”Soon, we fear, another Ancient Warship will attack, heralding the arrival of another Precursor species, as they attempt to reestablish dominance over the Galactic Arm Stub,” another said softly.

”Your people are in need of assistance,” the eldest one said. ”The Pubvian people are willing to assist them.”

”And what will this assistance cost?” Nakteti asked. She laid her ears flat. ”We were forced to submit to the Lanaktallan, to the Unified Council. Our homeworld was destroyed by the Autonomous War Machines and we were forced to flee. We will no longer submit to a malevolent universe.”

Krestalli made an outward signal of pleasure. ”To stand with us, as we stand with Earth. To help us understand this new universe where even those that die no longer stay dead.”

She looked up at Major Carnight, still speaking.

”Pubvia needs allies, allies who are new to the Confederacy as Pubvia,” she said. ”Allies are willing to raise their voices with the great hairless ape's roar of 'we will not yield.'”

Nakteti nodded. ”I will have to speak to my people. I speak only for my ship.”

”Sometimes, it is one ship that can make the difference,” another Pubvian said.

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Nakteti sat down, stripped down to her modesty garments, and picked up the heavy brush made of precious metals and inlaid with precious biological extrusions like 'mother of pearl' and naturally flawed gems. Gems could be made, but natural flawing only occurred in naturally occurring gems.

She began brushing her fur, slowly, thinking over the party. Not just what was said but how it was said, body language, the topics, and who maneuvered to speak with her and who had not.

Nakteti had noticed that not even the Pubvian military officers had approached her that night, politely making small talk until they could break away, and avoiding Major Carnight completely as often as possible.

That told her a lot. They were worried, despite devoting their entire fleet, about the war against the Unified Council.

The Pubvians were looking forward, past the war against the Unified Council, but what the tides of destiny could carry their way next.

She had avoided making any promises, had dribbled out information, and in return gotten a wealth of information and more than a few promises in return.

Nakteti looked at Major Carnight's reflection in the mirror, noting how he was slightly blurry.

Only the dull red of his eyes clearly visible.

The ties that bind us can also be the chains that weight us down.