Fragments 1: Devolution Landing

Invasion

Two large Trucanni starships landed at noon. They came in from the west and hovered before landing halfway between the original crash site and the riverside settlement. The vessels landed on four angular side sections which served as legs, wings and weapon arrays. On landing they gave the appearance of skeletal spiders curved inwards in a deadly embrace.

The Trucanni soldiers disembarked in small units. Their uniforms included the ubiquitous fake fur which formed sharp diagonal stripes on black faux-leather jackets. Their hair was cut short but capped with sophisticated instrument arrays that presumably enhanced communications or combat data.

Professor Androbos watched them arrive from the shelter of an open tent. He knew their appearance was intended to be intimidating, and he was willing to admit to being more than a little intimidated.

"You have got rid of any guns you had with you?" he asked.

"Of course I have," muttered Ran Perracheck who was standing beside him. "I buried them last night - and everything else that might identify me."

"Thank you. I just wouldn't want you to get any silly ideas. We are going to surrender you know."

"Yes, I know..."

They watched as the Trucanni soldiers divided ranks and one group marched in the direction of the dig. They moved with precise military precision, like troops on a parade ground. They were not expecting resistance and every member of the survey team had been ordered to give none.

"Well, I suppose we should get this over with," Androbos announced as he stood carefully and walked out slowly to meet the approaching army. Over at the crash site, Glas Orobos would be doing much the same.

He met the Trucanni officer on the edge of the site. The other archaeologists stood behind him watching warily. He raised his hands in an attitude of surrender.

"We are Federation citizens," he shouted out. "We are civilians. We will not fight."

Then Trucanni officer raised his hand to signal his men to halt. He stepped forward and inspected the unkempt archaeologist.

"I am Lieutenant Gibraan Col Bahest of the Trucanni League," he barked in a guttural accent. "We have come to take back our property. If you are telling the truth, you have no permission to be here and we will remove you."

He shouted a few words of instruction to his men in Trucanni. They began fanning out as they searched the site.

"Do you have any identification?"

"Our papers were taken at the space port, but the Rymerian survey team will be able to confirm who we are."

This was a lie, but it did give them a way of avoiding unpleasant conversations about Marcus Babin and his dodgy passport.

"We will check," the Trucanni officer announced as he inspected the team with his eyes.

"What will you do with us?" Androbos asked carefully.

The lieutenant looked down at him with a haughty air.

"You are of no consequence to us, but we will honour interplanetary agreements for the treatment of non-combatants. You will be held here until arrangements can be made for your safe return."

Androbos opened his mouth to ask another question, but the officer cut him off.

"That is enough," he announced angrily. "You will follow our orders and we will treat you well. Disobedience will have consequences!"