Read Star Force: Liberation (SF56) Online
Authors: Aer-ki Jyr
“Such as?”
“Drop a bioweapon into the atmosphere or slingshot
around the sun to go back in time and steal some Humpback whales.”
Davis cracked a smile. “Not a direct threat, but
they’re obviously here for something.”
Roger’s head twitched. “Got a relayed hail through one
of the closest drones. Coding is weird, but compatible with ADZ
comm
protocols.”
“Put through a copy when you get a chance.”
“They’re using a laser transmission, tight beam to one
drone in particular. Shields were blocking it until we made adjustments. This
is going to take a few minutes, it’s not audio or
holo
.”
“Please tell me it’s not a computer virus.”
“They’re not hacking our systems,” Roger said
defiantly, knowing full well how much time and care had gone into crafting
their drone control systems. Communications research in the pyramid database
had been stamped with the number 1 priority, with it being well ahead of the
other prototypes Star Force had constructed based on that data.
Davis waited patiently while the army of analysts
worked through the signal, then Roger raised an eyebrow and hit a few buttons,
sending something to Davis that popped up in
holo
beside him, though all he saw was statistics.
“What is this?”
“
Comm
protocols. They’re
telling us how to interface with their systems.”
“How long to make the adjustments?”
“Not…long,” the Archon said as a repetitive message
popped up on his screen, being transmitted continuously from all of their ships
but using a form of signal transmission that Star Force couldn’t previously
recognize. “Well, looks like they’ve been transmitting since they entered the
system after all.”
“Why didn’t we pick it up earlier?”
“Stellar interference. The filters assumed it was
garbage…and it’s written in English.”
“Care to share?” Davis asked.
Roger’s hologram looked up at him almost in apology,
then sent a copy to him. Davis saw it was a very brief introduction,
identifying who they were and the fact that they were here to negotiate with
Star Force concerning the mutual threat of the
Li'vorkrachnika
. It took Davis several moments to recognize
the name, with it being what the lizards referred to themselves as. The
Alliance always called them the Cajdital and this was the first time he’d ever
seen the official title in use.
They were
here as representatives of another Alliance that was engaged with the lizards,
and from the position data given in a popup map it indicated that they were
located well
rimward
of the ADZ, farther than Star
Force had scouted to date, but the biggest thing that stood out to Davis was
the name of the race that the ships belonged to, for it was familiar to him.
He’d read about them in the very first data packet he’d gotten from the
original Alliance.
Like the
others he’d written them off as long dead, but it seemed the intel he’d gotten
had been a bit more on the assumption side than the factual, for the
H’kar
were literally standing on their doorstep and wanting
to talk about their mutual enemy.
“Roger,
I’ll let you handle this. I’ll just eavesdrop.”