Lightstream to war

Rough landing

The human monkey's wreck is big; send salvage teams down to cut it up; the metals are valuable; I'll set a defence line. Prator, one of the shuttles, reports a battle sight has been found to the west of the crash; it seems the natives have beaten the monkeys and left the bodies where thay fell; what? How can that be bugs can't organise, Prator? We must Reassess these natives if we are to fight them; yes, I agree, do it, Gann, we don't want surprises; they looked up as a second giant cruiser came in, pulsing the air as it turned to take a position on the field. It settled safely on the plain; Prator Shilith watched as more of his troops ran down the exit ramps and lined up in rows, Gann, have the soldiers send patrols out while the shuttles gather intelligence on the locals. Danna watched from the treeline and said, this is bad; there are too many of them, Virat said, eyes wide. I never imagined the other sky people looked like that; he turned to Danna; we better send someone to Gyeth and tell him this lot looks more dangerous; no, Virat, they have better-looking clothes, hay? look at them, he pointed. Over there, some are going to the battle sight. Virat then said, let's see them closer up. Don't forget Virat; they smell taist and cence at a distance like the other sky people and Virat. It has something to do with their pads, so take extra care. D'Guy, said a soldier, do you won't drones up, No, our sshuttles will cover us while the landing goes on, have your females check everything here for problems or I will have them wiped, yes D'Guy, from the look there's only human bodies stinking up this crash sight anyway, yes, the landing was hard for them, Nie, send some females to check the trees over there, he nodded to the woods, yes Prator, a soldier ran up to them, D'Nie we found a pad under a body, good soldier, D'Guy turned looking at the soldier before him, have I taken you before soldier, no D'Guy I'm with D'Kell, he looked harder at her, go now take three females into the trees with you, check for natives catch some if you can, as she left D'Guy said to D'Nie, I won't her, but D'Kell is your senior, the soldier leader "Bella" walked off talking quietly, D'Nie and D'Guy are male fools; lets just go before I'm sick, in the treeline the four black clad fighters spread out with their weapons ready then they moved into the heavy brush and out of sight, Virat was peeking from his hide made of bushes he slowly released a bird it screeched as it flew up into the trees All four fighters looked up and fell to flashes of blue light, Virat looked at his box then back at the unconscious forms, take everything useful then kill all but one bring it to the village, a warrior said, at least we have a prisoner again, Virat looked back at his weapon, I won't a red box again, Danna saw the prisoner as it was dropped at Gyeth's feet, Gyeth lifted his pad and pointed at it smiling, are you sure it will translate its toung Danna, Gail Stanley said it will, but it's helmet has to be on, Gyeth kicked the black-clad soldier watching as the prisoner looked back at him, I can't see its eyes, Danna tapped the visor motioning it to open its visor, when it did the face revealed was reptilian, he stepped back saying, Gods, Gail told me but to see it's a shock, Virat kicked it saying, talk, but the pad remained quite, Gyeth said, we can wait until it's thirsty; it'll talk then, there ugly things aren't they, Danna took a closer look at it saying, it's a female, this had everyone take a closer look, how can you tell Said Virat, are all the sky peoples sexes fighters, like us, just lock it up said Gyeth, but take its shell off first then put it where we had the others, I'll get it to talk said Virat, the pad thing needs to hear its words to change them I remember that's what Gail said, Gyeth sighed saying, the little sky house we saw today the one that looked at our village confirmed our danger to me, we must move to the caves, why, said Chief Awala, Gyeth said, you saw what the little houses did to the big one on the plain, reports came into Chief's hourly now of the invasion; the black-clad soldiers were everywhere, prisoners were being taken by the hundreds, and people were banding together or hiding all over the land. Danna talked softly to a young warrior named Junta, who'd said he came from sea tribes while trying to explain his blonde hair; Danna just smiled at him and picked up a pad, then asked him to follow him as he left the hut. D'Nil walked up to D'Guy, saying, the females you sent into the trees were found dead; one is missing; it's the leader you liked. D'Guy looked at him and then turned to some soldiers; you, he called to a soldier; she ran up, yes D'Guy, what was on that pad? Only the proof that the natives were speaking to humans. Have any other A.I. devices found handed in? He then looked at her with a snarl: the soldier who gave you the pad is missing, did she know what was on it? yes, D'Guy, D'Nil looked at him; you don't think that has anything to do with it, do you? No, D'Nil, Do you? No, but it's strange. We must send teams to get more prisoners from that area; just tell the soldiers to stop killing them while we're in the dark. I need information. Danna and Junta sat looking in through the bars at the cave prison. Their prisoner lay half naked with its armour removed, which revealed more of its reptilian features; maybe it can't speak, said Junta; surprised, Danna said they have to talk to their leaders; he saw the creature looking up at him and pulled a foil wrapped food bar from his bag, he then handed it into the beast, it moved forward excepting it and spoke, the pad in his hand said, thank you, the warriors both looked at each other smiling, Danna said, you don't need your helmet, she pulled an earpiece out of her ear and put it back saying, you won't get anything out of me anyway, Prisoner! Said Danna; we need to know why you're here; it's the humans we hunt them, not you, humans. Is that the other sky people? She laughed at him, but after an hour or so, Danna had an idea for better communication. D'Gann said a soldier, yes? why do you disturb my rest, soldier? D'Gann, a shuttle, reports losing a human shuttle in a fight over the ocean; they said it crashed or dived in, but It's a deep area, so they lost it. D'Gann said, have satellites watching for it; it's done already. D'Gann, ahh, this planet is getting on my bad side already. I will inform the Prator of it, soldier. Just get some food for me. Virat ran with his warriors to a hill where a sky house had landed the warriors who saw it told him that two little sky houses fought one fell into the sea after a flash of yellow light hit it, but said the sky house that chaced it until if fell, landed, Virat ran hoping to take prisoners but when he met with his watchers they told him they saw the first house came out of the sea, that's when we saw it Virat, said a warrior, the one that landed its smoking maybe it's broken, the new heavy weapons taken from the new sky people made Virat feel even more powerful the weapons had proved to be deadly when tested so he said, our stealth in an attack will help us but remember their sky eyes, check everywhere, they crept up to see a long black sky house of a new type it had two soldiers walking around the back ramp both had rifles ready while watching another soldier in blue opening panels where the smoke was, look, it's the new sky people said a warrior, they look different somehow not like the first ones, a group of four stood looking out over the gully ahead, Virat thought his luck was in as the two tall guards joined them there backs were turned he was about to signal the attack when a hand on his arm stopped him he looked where the warrior looked, ten more of the tall soldiers were marching in from the side sixteen he thought and signalled his men to backup, the soldiers had left a metal frame beside the sky house it's eyes of night were on flashing but when the house flew away a bird thing came out of it and landed on the frame, Virat watched the house fly out of sight while one of his warriors walked out looking at the frame, suddenly a red flash killed him his burnt body lay smoking freezing all the men Virat screaming with rage opened fire with the new weapons but to his surprise only one spy eye was destroyed and two other warriors died, Virat, called a warrior, what was the glow around it, when we used our weapons, I think it stopped our red lights, this new enemy is a different enemy, said Virat, his men ran back to the main armys new cave camp, Danna sat with his hands on his head a woman warrior was tied at his feet she looked up at him, you can't win you must know that, Danna raised his head, we would rather die than let your people kill us, Bella, was a lowly soldier in the Dreen army just a woman she said, she told Danna of her life and of how her friends could be used by any male or killed for no reason, she told how her people sold populations into slavery and how they had the power to stop it but held back in fear she saw his uneasy manner around her, could it be? That this enemy had a heart the females she'd seen here were equal with males they could fight or have families most chose families though a choice, she looked up at Danna a tear running down her cheek, they will kill me I can't go back to my people, but you were captured, she thought he couldn't understand so said, our way of life turned evil when males found greed, I was abused daily by the Males, they twist our minds to make us afraid, I told Gyeth of it the males keep us locked in starships, it works because I can't jeopardize my soldiers lives, Danna said, would they rather die than go back if they were out of it, like you, oh yes its hard Danna, we are genetically altered bigger stronger but held back in fear to protect our friends we have organised but fear to commit, I just won't to die, Danna looked at her thinking of what they were going through he told her that she had to do something he saw it in her eyes her alien eyes, Bella, you're a female in a race of mostly females if your to survive you must be an equal, but we are slaves Danna, thrown in to die first, Danna watched her shaking his head, later Gyeth sat at Bella's side as she sat on a log, free, I thank you he said, we only wish to be left in peace but can't help feel for you and for what your going through Danna told me you are treated as sex slaves, Bella's eyes broadened, not true slaves it's our army, can you explain it said Gyeth, women are one hundred to every male born so we are forced into the army and treated as worthless our leaders who are all male do it for troops to fill the ranks it's all about greed they raid planets for wealth I'm sick of it Gyeth same as my sisters are, but you don't fight back said Gyeth, what can I do now Gyeth if I hadn't been captured maybe, but thanks for listening, Bella you said you are a leader could you take the power back and free your millions of women, there must be millions of people who feel as you feel now people who have been taken from loved ones, I can only say shame on you yes shame Bella you had the chance and didn't take it, Danna sat with Virat and Junta, brothers hear my heart I have listened to the Dreen it is unhappy with its leadership we can't win with this army but may be able to take advantage of the unease, over three quarters of their Army is female and suffering.
Lennard, that's the third shuttle today. Check the blocking field around us is working correctly. Damm it, Carter, between you and the Sargent. I must check it every five minutes; shut it, Hammond; people are trying to sleep. Samuels, we aren't going to last a month like this. We need to find some friendly natives we can talk with; we can now, Lennard, isn't that right, Gail? It could be safer now for us; Carter, you're not the only one pushing my buttons on this, so let me think, okay.
A warrior walking along a hunting track looked through a gap in the trees and froze at the sight. There was a sky house on the ground, and he saw men and women by it; he ran. Prator called D'Guy, yes, what do you want, the intelligence is in on numbers of the natives, yes, go on, twelve million nine hundred thousand planet-wide, I see a potentially profitable slave market ready to supply the empire with funds set up a call to the mother ship for me will you and have D'Kell and D'Nil come to my room in the flagship for dinner tonight oh and send that soldier from two nights ago to my bed at midnight I like the little ones, the soldier aid sent the messages then called her Frend, Gashet I'm not able to do this much longer the Prator talks like I'm not there I just sent that soldier Vigil to his bed again he said he likes little ones, have you heard that Bella is dead she was our best hope, he likes little ones I'm sick of them, I'm sorry but that job is better than being on the planet two of my Nabours were arrested for no reason, Gashet, have you heard anything from the resistance, no but be careful what you say on long calls please it's dangerous, sorry my minds a mess at the moment be safe, the Prator walked into his bedroom where two naked females sat waiting, get on the bed girls I'm in a hurry tonight now who's the first? You! On your knees and turn around, and you! Can undress me. Danna put his earpiece in and spoke into his pad, Gail Stanly, are you there, Gail jumped when her pad lit up. Samuels heard and called to her, Gail, we may need to talk with them down the line, so talk to him. Gail picked up the pad and went into the forest. Danna, are you still there? Yes, Gail, I'm hoping you're well. My offer still holds; Danna, it's hard for me. I need time, I understand that, Gail, but I want to thank you, oh, for giving you help to kill my people, Gail; I don't know what to say to you about that, but remember your people spilled first blood, Gyeth talked with Virat about the new sky people, Virat we can't win, and if that Gail is correct, we are just slaves to them. Whole villages are being rounded up by them already, Gyeth, we have to fight. The weapons we have now can help; we just need a good plan; where is Danna? Bella walked in with her armour on; Virat jumped up. No! Sit Virat, Bella has the freedom of the village; she sat looking unhappy. Virat could tell it, even with her alien face. I don't understand Gyeth, he said; her people are about to enslave us; she is dead to them, and from what she's told us, their animals, greedy animals; he's right, Bella said, Virat. I hope to help you if I can; many of my soldiers are loyal to me. Gyeth then asked, do you think they can help us? It's dangerous for them, and if what you said about killing your soldiers is so easy for them, Gyeth, if I can get to the right people on a pad, we have a chance. But it has to happen quickly, or the males will shut us down. Virat looked at Gyeth and said, we are in a lot of trouble, Gyeth. I can't see us surviving this; Virat said. Bella, this is bigger than you think. Billions of people are affected by the army, in other words. Still, there is resistance there to help if we are quick enough. The battlecruiser Herrick arrived In orbit around Panya, the home planet of the native peoples; D'kell sat in his command chair talking to his leader, the Prator, on a screen; the natives will be easy to round up D'Kell; we have transporters coming with the enslaver, yes Prator I see you've been on the surface all day, yes, we chased the monkeys away and have shot there biggest ship down making it safe for us to land, we are in the process of cutting it up now I don't think the humans fleet is capable of returning, but won't you too team up with our fleet until this planet is stripped, yes Prator, D'Kell could see the Prator was busy by the naked women on his bed he was sure the mirror was placed where it was so he could see her and smiled. A group of warriors raced through the forest, trying to avoid a flying thing. It followed everywhere they went, even at night; it chased them twice. They'd split up, and it still followed with just the two women: Nimim said, you go that way, Fewa, I'll go the other. They split. Nimim was sure she'd lost it, but after a while, she sat to drink and was surprised when a black shape grabbed her. She was then placed in a flying house with the other warriors.