Free Star Force: Liberation (SF56) by Aer-ki Jyr

see.”
    “What things?”
    “Important things, but let’s start with what you think
of Star Force and where you want to make yourself involved…”

 
    “These images are live?” Nadei asked.
    Larissa nodded, her usually loose demeanor tightened a
bit as they orbited high over a world in Scionate territory where four races
were battling on the surface in three separate theatres. Nadei was watching a
holographic display in the command nexus onboard the warship that Larissa had
been taking her around the ADZ on the past 2 months, with the images of ground
engagements floating in air beside the pair.
    “Hammid, Jeen , Gnar , and…”
    “ Zati ,” Larissa finished
when she couldn’t identify the fourth.
    “I didn’t know they were involved in the war.”
    “Recent addition.”
    “Won’t they incur penalties?”
    “Yes, but they don’t seem to care.”
    “Why are they doing this? It seems so pointless…and
who’s winning?”
    “The Scionate faction is winning here, prior to the Zati arrival. Not sure yet how much that is going to swing
things. As for why you’d have to ask them. Long term there is no end game for
them, and I think they’re just focusing on the here and now trying to grab up
any advantages they can get.”
    “But if they can’t keep them?”
    “We’ve told them as much, but so far they don’t seem
to care.”
    “Why haven’t you taken these worlds from them yet?”
    “How would we do that?” Larissa asked in an
instructing tone similar to the one she’d been using throughout the trip.
    “Bring in a Star Force fleet and…”
    “Fight them?”
    “Maybe,” Nadei said, suddenly unsure.
    “Then we would be wasting resources fighting our own
that could better be put to use reclaiming worlds on the Skarron border.
There’s still one in Dvapp territory that we haven’t reclaimed and dozens along
the border that need to be taken in order to create a buffer zone similar to
what we’ve established along the lizard front. Knowing that would you waste
warships and ground troops here?”
    “When you put it that way no…but it feels like
something should be done about this.”
    “Agreed, but what?”
    “I don’t know,” Nadei said honestly.
    “We have plans in place, for the long term, which is
where you come in, actually.”
    “Me?”
    “Not as far as stopping this fighting, but in
preventing a future one.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “The Bsidd would be here, in this fight, if they were
strong enough. They’re not our ally, not now. Before they were when they had their
own empire far from here, but now they have next to nothing and are seeking to
replace what they’ve lost rather than assist us.”
    “I know,” Nadei said apologetically.
    “One problem with dealing with the Bsidd is their hive
mind, making it difficult to deal with any individual when the group will is in
effect. We removed that hive mind influence from you, before you were hatched,
so you could make your own choices without it pushing you one way or another.
The Bsidd out there are not your entire race, not now. They’re just a rogue
faction, as far as Star Force is concerned, while you and the others are the
real ones.”
    “Because our minds are free?”
    “And because we’re not willing to give up on your
race. You know that other Bsidd are living in Axius?”
    “Yes.”
    “What you don’t know is that there are other queens,
hatched the same time as you. 11 others in fact.”
    Nadei’s eyes widened. “There
are?”
    “Yes. We kept you separate so we could observe you and
your development and see if there would be any differences...and there were.
Some of them have chosen to return to the other Bsidd, while some are going
into Axius as civilians. You are the only one who wants to remain in Star
Force.”
    Nadei was taken aback. “They’re leaving?”
    “It’s their choice.”
    “But why? Why would they go back to those… traitors. ”
    “Traitors how?” Larissa asked, curious