Free Star Force: Bahamut (SF86) (Star Force Origin Series) by Aer-ki Jyr

forming having been obliterated. As you know, many of
the Li’vorkrachnika worlds are heavily populated.”
    “No, really?” Riley said sarcastically. “Has it hit a
non-Li’vorkrachnika system?”
    “Not an inhabited one, but it has planted itself in
several unclaimed systems. It does not require atmosphere, and has taken to
several airless worlds. Most of its minions will not grow there, but a few
varieties will.”
    “How did you fight them there?”
    “We have a machine army,” the Trinx answered. “They
are costly to produce, and are reserved for situations the Li’vorkrachnika
cannot handle.”
    “And why haven’t you been able to produce more over
the past 500 years? That’s enough time to expand and build up multiple planets
for the specific purpose of housing the industry to create them.”
    “We would never be able to field enough units to
replace the Li’vorkrachnika.”
    “You could have tried,” the cyborg responded, breaking
the bit of decorum they had. Apparently there was some bad blood between these
races.
    “I need a list of assets,” Riley said before they could
start arguing. “Your assets. Your planets, fleets, territory…all of it. I want
the full history of the past 500 years since this one got free and how you’ve
dealt with it…and how it’s adapted to you. Do not hold anything back. I’m not
asking for the schematics to your technology, just a tally of it and its
abilities so I can assess what’s been going on,” he said, looking first at the
Trinx, then the others, “and how seriously you’ve been dealing with it.”
    “Our entire civilization has been devoted to stopping
these beasts,” the Trinx said, holding his anger in check.
    “Then my request should be fairly simple. Are you
interested in stopping this one, or playing games with me?”
    “We will pursue any chance of stopping the Hamoriti.
But so far all you have done is talk.”
    “He has knowledge that he otherwise should not,” the
Yisv disagreed. “I do not doubt his claims. We will gladly provide you with the
information you requested. But I do have a question. Do you know the origin of
the Hamoriti?”
    “Yes.”
    “Where did they come from? You mentioned they were
created? How?”
    “They are alterations, massive alterations, to
creatures that inhabit the deep core of the galaxy. A wayward one was captured
and experimented upon, then the Chixzon altered it to turn its offspring into weapons
they could use to crush their opponents. Each Uriti is unique, and the older
ones are far harder to control than the newer ones, thus I need to know which
one has been released.”
    “And these Chixzon? What happened to them?”
    “They were destroyed by a galactic uprising against
them.”
    “The Ancients,” another race said reverently. “They
must have had numerous allies across the galaxy. That’s why we didn’t know of
the others.”
    “No,” the cyborg differed. “The Ancients built this
prison, like the others. Yet there is no mention of it. That question is not
answered.”
    “Were any of them destroyed?” the Yisv asked.
    “We only know of two, early on, when the Chixzon sent
them against too strong of opponents out of arrogance. After that point they
deployed them more wisely. We do not have information of what happened to the
Uriti after their civilization fell.”
    “So there could be 116 left in the galaxy?” a
shape-shifting lump of mass asked as its head rippled with distortion.
    “Possibly.”
    “And you haven’t sought to find them?”
    “We had no idea even one was still out there, let
alone where to look.”
    “Where did you recover the knowledge of the Chixzon?”
the Sety asked.
    Riley gave him a mocking stare. “That’s something
we’re going to keep to ourself .”
    “That data cannot be allowed to die with you.”
    “Who’s dying?”
    “We must earn their trust,” the Yisv said viciously,
the animosity surviving the translation. “I suggest we each provide