Free Terra Dawning by Ben Winston

hypersleep, the remainder of our people fought against the Sal'andori. It was a fight we were losing. Then the Lizarrus, intent on destroying all trace of the Sal'andori everywhere, attacked the orbiting fleet and deployed troops on planet. At first, our people thought they had found a new ally, until one of our patrols discovered a group of Lizarrus sharing a meal.
    “When we finally kicked the Lizarrus off the planet, the ecology and environment were damaged beyond its ability to sustain human life. The survivors of the human race, most of which had no idea we even existed, left the planet to try and reach a safe world they could live on in peace while the Earth healed itself.
    “During the wars, several refugee ships had fled the fighting. These ships were how the Lizarrus learned of the Sal'andori and as it turns out, a new source of protein. The ships that left after our discovery of the Lizarrus headed in a different direction. Those that got through were picked up by Hyclarion warships and their occupants immediately arrested as Lizarrus spies.
    "From what records Mother could find on InfoNet, our people were not executed as spies due to a lack of confirming evidence and condition of their vessels. So they were simply imprisoned and held pending the outcome of the war. It didn't work as planned.
    “In the general confusion of the armistice and the surrender of the Saurian Fleets, Humans fell through the cracks. By this time, the human ships had been destroyed and humans, now little more than slaves, had forgotten who they had been and where they had come from.
    “The general area of origin was known based on the recorded trajectories of the ships that were intercepted. The Lizarrus quickly claimed the displaced people as vassals, but the Hyclarion Emperor saw through the claim and decreed that under no circumstances were humans to be eaten, nor could they be kept as non-indentured slaves.
    “The rest, I believe you already know,” Jorga finished. “Only we have the records to back all of this up; although they could be challenged as fabrications.””
    “How long ago did all that take place?” Elrond asked, awed.
    “Roughly eight-thousand years ago; just before the beginning of the current planetary ice age,” she replied.
    ––––––––
    A rgassi Aerie
    Anti-Piracy Command, Regional Headquarters
    Terral III, Duchy of Cassius (Earth)
    Hyclarion Imperial Consortium
    ––––––––
    “C ommander Jance, you've seen the new scans. How will you proceed?” Warmake asked.
    “Very cautiously, Task Commander. I believe we have an area to search, but we have to do so in such a way as to not rouse suspicion. I had planned to impose on you and your pilot for a 'final' inspection of the Aerie site before I file my final report,” Jance said smiling. ““However, I would like to take some equipment with me, so would it be too much of a bother if we left the normal crew behind and only took my team?”
    “That is a reasonable request. If we depart now, however, we will not arrive before sunset. You would be forced to work in the dark. If we depart tomorrow before sunrise, we can arrive at the location just after sun rise,” Warmake replied, in a somewhat snobbish way. He gave the Ranger a brief smile so she knew he was playing to an audience.
    Jance gave a well-worn sigh and nodded. “Very well, Task Commander, but I want no more excuses. We will be in the air tomorrow by sunrise or I will forgo your assistance completely. As it is, I will be forced to report your reluctance in assisting us.” She rolled her eyes at him so he knew she was acting as well. “Thank you, you are dismissed.”
    It was close to the end of the day shift, but it wasn't actually the end, so Warmake didn't leave. Instead, he acted slightly offended and walked over to one of the clerks operating a console. He thrust a file folder at the young operator. “See to it that this gets filed in the appropriate