Ambassador of War

Chapter 6

"Has that scout reported back?" Elder, the Protectorate Special Forces' lieutenant, asked.

"He gave a report yesterday," the High Ambassador replied. "I had it relayed to my office on arrival; he found the pests. No response since; we do not know if he was captured." With the new dawn came a meeting with his military leaders, to determine what their next move would be. With their new information, they could finally stamp out the scum they'd spent the last few months trying to hunt. They stood around a map table; on it, the rough location of their enemy was drawn. What was inside remained a mystery.

"He said he encountered some incoming raiders – the ones from the airfield. Maybe they caught him."

"I don't think so. They passed him by. I'm willing to wait until tomorrow morning – he may still be in cover. If we've had no word, we move in with what we've got."

"Do we know what the raiders were doing?"

"Still to be determined," Wing Commander Boron reported. "No deaths, nothing stolen; it may have been reconnaissance."

"Make sure you get those answers," the High Ambassador ordered. Boron replied with a nod. "The likelihood is their forces are exclusively elites; the Special Forces will attack under my direct command. I do not think we'll need to waste fuel to raze them, but," and he addressed Boron again, "be on standby to launch if circumstances change." A second nod.

The High Ambassador now turned to the head of his standard military force. "Tumrin, keep your troops nearby but out of the way; the Special Forces shouldn't have any trouble clearing their soldiers, but they might put up more of a fight; this is their last stronghold. They'll have nothing to lose. Hold to the south-west, here." He placed a finger to the map, near the outlined square. "I'll bring the Special Forces from the south, along their border;" he now ran both hands along the southern edge, and up. "We'll sweep through, open fire policy. Nothing behind this line will be left alive. Once we've finished our sweep, you come in with flamethrowers, burn the village to the ground. Leave no trace.

When tomorrow evening comes, they will be but a memory; this threat to our way of life will be quenched.

Boron, stay behind; I have some more questions for you. The rest of you are dismissed."

When the other commanders had left, the High Ambassador turned to Boron. "Any word from the invasion?"

"Nothing for a few months," the Wing Commander replied. "I assume some of the colonies are still resisting, however Hiln's little militia is proving itself to be incredibly effective – they haven't needed reinforcements for a while – and he's proven himself plenty of times. I would be happy to run escort duty so you can inspect for yourself; get some answers directly?"

"After we've dealt with the savages." The High Ambassador rubbed beside the two nostril slits above his mouth. "One thing at a time. Hiln is trustworthy, if a little strange; he'll get the job done. We'll have access to Angril's resources and manpower soon enough, then we can expand with earnest."

"The rebels might be trouble."

"Hopefully, we'll have those bugs to deal with them. Give them weapons and the threat of a painful death if they don't obey; they're formidable, they'll tear the rebels to shreds, with any casualties replaced within a year. Those rebels will fall."

Boron nodded again. "Sounds like a plan, though he might have slightly different ideas."

"Whatever we do, I just hope it works." Boron thought his leader looked tired, burned out. "We need to stabilise; if we don't, we'll be in tatters if they find us, and we cannot afford that, under any circumstance. I will not let the Ambassador people fall back down under my watch. Not if I can help it."