Rod had just started explaining the Thran military structure when Gwen summoned him. He glanced at his watch. It was midnight, but there were some things Jeff needed to know right away. For instance, he needed accurate information about the Thran psi Scorpian Military Forces, not the slanted and somewhat sensational stories he’d heard in the news all his life.

Rod was beginning to regret his decision to raise Jeff as a Terran. It had protected the child from the anti-Thran elements in the WSA, but it was sure causing trouble now.

Gwen spoke quietly to Rod and then led him into the living room. A tall, powerfully-built man, dressed in night-operations camouflage, stood as Rod came in and thrust out a big hand. Rod shook it firmly, then motioned the man to sit down.

“What brings you out this time of night, Tage?” Rod asked as he sat beside Gwen on a sofa.

Tage Bennet shook his head at Gwen’s offer to refill his coffee mug. “Two things,” he began. “First, the RiaZan are closer than we thought. The infiltrated Bergan territory in sector four while the Conroe was in space dock for repairs.” Bennett curled his fingers around the mug as though savoring its warmth. “Toyer was almost surprised when he resumed patrol out that way. If he hadn’t caught a signal and rendezvoused with a Bergan scout ship on its way to warn us, he’d have lost his men and his ship.”

“Slave ships already there?” Rod asked.

Bennett nodded. “Came in with the first wave according to the youngster who warned us. The Zan must be experiencing widespread famine to risk heading up an invasion convoy with those stinking rot boats.”

Rod was silent for a long moment. The news could hardly be worse. It explained why the Nobility Council had gone into emergency session and also explained Bennett’s grim look. “You mentioned two items of business?” Rod finally asked.

Bennett sat the mug on a side table, suddenly not looking at either Rod or Gwen. “Masterson thinks the Zan can be surprised and driven away from the Bergan Worlds. Their two planets are in the same system, and neither is heavily populated because of past raids.”

“A space battle?” Rod asked, wrinkling his brow disappovingly. The Thrans had a sizable fleet for their number; only there weren’t that many thrans. Even with loyal Terran pilots like Jack Troyer, who worked with Thran Space Marines, there still wouldn’t be enough.

Bennett was shaking his head. “I’m afraid that’s not what he has in mind. He wants the Scorpions to go in.” He paused. “And of course, the Nobility Council will back him.”

Rod studied Bennett, then frowned. “That didn’t work on Pgar four years ago, as you know. So what makes Masterson we can think we can succeed against the overwhelming hoard that the RiaZan can Field against us now?”

Bennett glanced at Gwen, whose face had gone deadly white. He dropped his gaze again, but Rod also began to understand before he could speak.

“You man activate all twenty-eight teams?” There was an incredulous shock in Rod’s voice. “The support personnel are in no way ready for that, in numbers or training. Also, the people of this planet are not prepared. Only a few top WSA people know our real potential in that area.” He Paused. “Tage, you can’t bring 280 psionic warriors to full power without making waves. You know the trouble it caused when just five teams were activated long enough to fight in the Pgar War.

“Worse yet,” Bennett added softly. “Masterson wants the Gold Leader prepped, trained, and ready to take command of the teams by the time the mission lifts--no more than two months from now.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, then Gwen cried out, “Jeff’s too young! They can’t do this!”

Rod’s stomach felt like it had stood the blow of a sledgehammer, even though he’d suspected this was coming. He took Gwen’s hand in support as tears sprang to her eyes.

“We only started telling him about things tonight! Jeff could never be ready in time!” Gwen wiped the tears with the back of her hand as anger began to dispel some of the shock. “It was Lors Masterson’s decision, wasn’t it? That toady creature hopes Jeff will get killed out there!”

Bennett stood and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Gwen. We all hoped Jeff would have more time. “We’ve not heard from Tahlles in over two decades. There may not even be a Thalles anymore. We man be all that stands between the RiaZan and slavery for all of Earth.”

Then why can’t we wait until Earth is actually threatened?” Gwen demanded.

Rod sighed. “Sweetheart, whatever his motives, I’m afraid Lors Masterson is right on this one. Selfish as it sounds, it’s always better to fight the enemy on someone else’s soil rather than your own. The Zan are already attacking the Bergan World. We’ll try to stop them there” Rod waited as he saw the ‘I know all that, but…’ look come on his wife's face.

“Jeff has to fight him eventually. We’ve always known that. It just came sooner than we excepted. And he should be trained.” Rod put in his last argument.

Bennett cleared his throat in mild embarrassment. “One more thing. Throughout this coming month, and possibly the next, the Gold leader and the rest of the Scorpions will be brought into casual contact with girls they could mind-mate with. Of course, none of them is to know the reason. The Council doesn’t want self-consciousness to affect the Scorpions’ training.”

Rod had to laugh. “Tage, you’re going to bring girls of marriageable age onto a secluded military base and NOT affect the men’s training. I’d like to know how you will pull that off!”

Benett pulled heavy, black gloves from his belt and started stuffing his hands into them. “Not my job, for which I’m eternally grateful!” He glanced at Gwen. “I’m told the psychology department will hand it. Lots of luck!” He started for the door.

Rob stopped him. “Tage.”

Bennett glanced back.

“With you dressed up tonight, I suppose Tessa’s would-be kidnapper won’t be returning to Eurasia any time soon?”

The big man grinned and snapped his fingers. “Almost forgot him! I meant to tell you first thing. The man’s name is Orin Boveck, and he’s already taken care of. Bolivia’s team took out his transportation; my men handled the backup shuttle. We all escorted Brovec to the city park in Lauterville, gagged him, and chained him in a position of honor to the mad ax-man statue.”

Bennett dropped something into Rod’s hand. “Here’s the only key. You’ll have plenty of time for a private talk with him. Those chains resist even laser torches.

Bennett paused. “I’m to be one of Jeff’s instructors, so I’ll see all of you tomorrow at the terra base. Delta Station Nine has been informed that you’ll be a day or two late.”

“Thanks, Tage.”

“No charge. Goodnight.”

When Bennett was gone, Rod touched the button on his cell phone that put him through to WSA’s Intelligence Chief, Walter Tate. A few minutes later, Rod’s rough voice carried all the way to the kitchen. “I don’t care what time it is over there, Tate! If your fat carcass isn’t here by 0600 hours My time and in My living room, I’ll send a Scorpion team for it!”

Rod hung up the phone and started tiredly for bed. He glanced at the key in his and dropped it on the shelf. He’d give it to Tate in the morning. Rod was afraid to go near the man who had grabbed Tessa so roughly and tried to stuff her into his car. He might lose control he had and kill the thug.

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World Security Association Executive President Carter Merrick rubbed weary eyes as he glanced at the latest Thran-related report on his desk. When would Walter Tate and his hand-picked goon squad learn to leave the Thran alone? WSA, or Earth for that matter, couldn’t afford to antagonize the Thrans. The psi-talented aliens were all that stood between Earth and a nightmare straight from the pits of hell if the Intelligence report could be believed.

Merrick sighed and hit the direct comm link that would put him through to the Military Intelligence Office. “Sonia, put General Tate on the line if he’s in. If not, track him down for me.”

The executive security officer was apologetic. “Sorry, sir. General Tate’s on his way to Jamerica for a meeting with the Thran physicist, Dr. Rod Carlisle. I could probably connect you to his heli-jet if you’d like.”

“No, I’ll get with him later. Goodnight, Sonia.” Anyway, Merrick thought, it sounds like Walter was about to get the scolding Merrick had in store for him straight for the source.

Merrick scanned the personnel board on his tablet and noticed a name that was highlighted. Taro Samuru was still in, working late as usual. He was a conscientious young man who was going to go far—starting right now.

Merrick touched the name on the screen. Soon the office door opened, and Samuru stepped in. “You wanted to see me, sire?”

Merrick waved him in to sit down. He hit a button, and a beverage menu appeared on the desk. Taro chose an expresso, and the small replicator hummed in the corner. The air fuzzed for a second. The hot drink appeared. Taro grabbed it, and then Merrick ordered his own.

Merrick sipped at a piping hot tea he had ordered. I’ve been reading your file, and quite frankly, I’m impressed. You achieved the rank of brigadier general in your country’s military in record ti and earned it too, from what I can see.”

Samuru shifted and frowned a bit. He seemed to be uncomfortable with the praise. “Thank you, sir.”

“You may not be thanking me by the time you leave here,” Merrick said solemnly. “Tell me, Taro, what do you think of the Thrans?”

Samuru frowned, “Cold, Isolated, clannish is what comes to mind, sir. Occasionally one of them will marry one of our kind, and they hire a few Terrans to do menial labor. Otherwise, they have completely isolated themselves from us. However, it does seem to stem from their Nobelity council, which doesn’t want to share any Thran Technology to help us. Though in my experience with different cultures, the leadership does not always reflect the sentiment of the people under them.”

“Merrick nodded. “Concise and accurate. What have you heard about the alien race called ‘RiaZan’?”

Samuru pondered a moment. “Nothing official. I’m only cleared for level six, but rumor is they’re incredibly dangerous and a threat to us.”

Merrick drummed the fingers of his left hand on the desk absentmindedly for a long moment. Finally, he came to a decision. “Well, rumors are right for once,” he said curtly. “Look at this file. Merrick Pushed the tablet toward Samuru. Don’t worry about clearance. I’m upgrading to a level nine because you’ll need it for your new duties. I’ll make it official while you look at it.” Merrick turned towards his laptop.

Minutes later, Samuru looked up, his face pale. He swallowed hard. “I hope you about to tell me we've got some plan in place.” Samuru pushed the tablet back towards Merrick. “I don’t object to dying an honorable death in the line of battle, but being butchered and eaten by aliens isn’t anything any race should have to face.”

Merrick nodded grimly. “Do the names Unic or Pgar mean anything to you?”

Samuru shook his head, no.

“They’re planets, in systems scores of lightyears away. The RiaZan attacked both of them. Unci, some fifteen years ago and Pgar just four years back.” Merrick leaned in on his elbows, studying the young officer under him. “The thrans went to the defense of both worlds. They kicked the RiaZan off Unic, and then they helped the citizens of that world build a workable defense. However, they lost Pgar. Something about too little too late. That’s all the information we could get, and our source was shaky on that.”

Merrick stood up and stared out the window behind him. “The Thrans defended those words. We must know if they’ll defend Earth when the RiaZan attack or abandon us and return to Thalles.”

There is a Thran leader who is rumored to be sympathetic to humans and often in conflict with the Nobility council. Unfortunately, one of the less desirable elements in the WSA tried to kidnap his daughter.

Samura Scowled. “Let me guess, Tate?”

“Unfortunately, he has some powerful ties, so I can’t just hack him. But I’d like to undo the damage he did if we could and get some information from him.”

“So, Taro, I’m promoting you to Assitant Chief of Military Intelligence with a special attachment to this office, so you don’t have to answer to Tate. You’re to report directly to me. You’ll get your official papers in the morning. See if you can undo some of the damage that idiot did.”

Samuru stood when Merric did and shook his hand. “You’re right, sir; I’m not particularly grateful for this promotion at a time like this.”