Free Star Force: Quenar (SF88) (Star Force Origin Series) by Aer-ki Jyr Page A

Trinx are…I do not even know the right phrase to
use. Disappointment is too kind. Do you plan a reprisal?”
    “The Uriti that they possess will be coming here
eventually, one way or another. But that will be a long time in the future. We
lost a lot of ships in that battle. Replacing those and building the Preserve
is going to be a very large effort in order to do it right, and it will take
time.”
    “You have honored your promises thus far. Continue to
do so and you will have no quarrel with the Sety. But you do not have our
trust.”
    “I don’t need it. Just your compliance.”
    “You will have it,” the Sety said as he ended the
conversation with a mild tone of disgust.

 
 
    7

 
 
    January 9, 3258
    Alamo System
    Inner Zone

 
    Davis watched from the observation deck as Nami traced
her slow path across the star system from pylon 5 to 6, making yet another lap
of the course laid out for it by the trailblazers. Within a month they’d begin
weapon tests, adding a small target for it to destroy at the end of its circuits,
and many of the races that were still present in this system were eager to see
that. The first embassy station was partially complete, but many of the
observers had not requested a presence there. There wasn’t much eagerness for
participation, yet, but a handful of races beyond the already allied 7 had
deposited at least a minimal presence on the station.
    Davis wasn’t going to be taking residence there. That
was Duke Setti’s job. She was going to handle the
diplomatic liaison between Star Force and any and all races that came here
while Duke Pryon was going to oversee the warden function of the Preserve,
building the necessary infrastructure and anything the trailblazers needed with
regards to their handling of the Uriti, then a third Duke would be added later
if needed to handle the visitors and tourist traffic that may or may not
manifest. The trailblazers had already assured Davis that they’d work out the
necessities of the training package and in the process give him a good show to
put on for outsiders to see how much control they actually had while not
revealing too much information.
    Nefron was being kept away from the other races, the
silent partner in all of this despite the many protests. Of those races
talking, most wanted to speak with him out of either curiosity or a wish to try
and influence the single individual who had the power to control the Uriti…and
the longer Davis kept them thinking in terms like that the better. Nefron
wouldn’t change his allegiance, nor was he worried about such things. What he
was worried about was outsiders coming in and taking immediate action. The
longer that didn’t happen and Star Force’s position here stabilized, the more
leverage he would have against many races that had technology levels equal to
or partially superior to their own.
    That technological advantage wasn’t complete, for Star
Force was building based off the V’kit’no’sat tech tree and making a few
upgrades of their own enroute. That gave them a much more comprehensive base
than other races or empires possessed, but some of the individual engines,
shields, or weapons that these races were fielding were damn impressive and
dangerous, as were so many being in the same place at the same time without a
strong controlling hand governing them all.
    Davis had as many ships here as he could manage
without stalling the war with the lizards. That border had to keep pushing
forward else more people would die as the lizards continued to spread into
areas not yet contained. Drawing ships from the ADZ was problematic, for he
didn’t want to delve too deep into their reserves, but he needed as many here
as possible to forestall brash actions. The upcoming weapons demonstration by
the Uriti would hopefully give anyone thinking of trying to usurp Star Force
additional pause.
    And while more Star Force ships were incoming, so were
the Voku. They were manifesting at odd