Why Humans Avoid War

Kilon POV

The atmosphere on board the Terran flagship was much different from my previous visit. The Commander left me in a meeting room with two armed guards while he spoke with Terran Intelligence about Ula's treachery. He claimed it was for my protection, but judging by their demeanor, that wasn't exactly the truth. The duo watched me with suspicious eyes the entire time, never cracking a smile or saying a word.

Thankfully, Rykov wasn't gone for long. I couldn't help but notice his face was creased with worry when he returned. Whatever he had just learned, I had a feeling it wasn't good news.

"You're back. Did they say what they're going to do about the sabotage?" I asked.

The Commander sighed. "Earth has bigger problems to deal with, apparently."

My antennae twitched in confusion. "What could be bigger than treason? They have to do something about the Speaker!"

"They agree that something has to be done, but she's on their radar for other reasons," he replied. "She's been encouraging acts of violence against our civilians. There's been enough incidents the past few days that Earth has closed its spaceports. We can't risk a terror attack on our soil."

"Terror attack?" I figured the phrase must be some Terran military jargon I was unfamiliar with. "What does that mean?"

Commander Rykov's eyes widened. "You don't...uh, well, it's a form of violence against civilians. Mass casualty events that are planned, done publicly, and meant to frighten a certain group of people."

The fact that the Terrans had a term designated for such an attack implied that they occurred with some regularity. I shuddered at the notion of civilians, slaughtered in broad daylight for sole purpose of cruelty. For all the wars the Jatari fought in our early years, the violence was never so senseless. Yet the Commander spoke of these 'terror attacks' as though they were just something that happened, like a natural disaster.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Rykov scowled, crossing his arms. "Don't you dare try and act like that stuff never happens in the Federation."

I shifted awkwardly. "Well, it doesn't."

"That's not how I see it. You know our embassy in the Federation capital?" He paused, waiting for my nod. "Demonstrators stormed it, took the diplomats hostage. Now they're holed up inside, threatening to blow the place to the high heavens if we make a move."

"What? Why would they do that? Humans have been nothing but kind to us, there's no reason for bloodshed."

"Try telling that to them. The way I see it, they're terrorists, but that's still the subject of debate back home. We should be taking the embassy back, not trying to negotiate with these people. They won't even talk to anyone that's human!"

I could sense that there was something Rykov wasn't telling me. He cared for the people under his command, and for the preservation of life in general, but never to the point where you could hear it in his voice. If this mission was personal to him, I needed to know why. He was a competent commander, but nothing could cloud one's judgment like emotions.

"I don't mean to pry, but..." I placed a hand on his shoulder, and noticed the guards tense up at the contact. "Do you know someone there?"

"Was it that obvious? Yeah, my brother lives at the embassy. He works for the State Department," Rykov replied.

I frowned. "Maybe we can help somehow. What are your orders?"

"Well, first they were to return to Earth with the refugees. I asked to join up with the tactical team outside the embassy, but was told, and I quote, 'You're too close to this.' The bigwigs really expected me to sit this one out?"