Midan City, Tau Ceti 5.

11:40 Hrs Earth EST, Day 47 after the battle.

Much had happened since Captain Greenfield was lost in the battle. The Klankharis Realm had instigated emergency measures throughout their fleet. Ship Construction was made a top priority, with the restoration of Earth following that. Davidson and his people had decided unanimously that they wanted Earth to be re-established and that once this was done, his people would build their own fleet of ships, utilising the technologies acquired from their previous trade with the Klankharis Realm and the acquisition of those salvaged units from the surface of Earth. Although all the working units had been destroyed in the battle around the Moon, the units that had not been completed because of the early fight were still available for research. The two combined elements meant that, once Earth was in a position to begin building again, they would have the technology for both space folding and weapons research.

If anything, Earth had a great deal of firepower at their disposal, thanks to the Machine War. Most people agreed that this was more than likely the only thing good to come from that accursed time in their history.

Terraforming on Earth had already begun, with the second phase underway. The first involved over a hundred ships collecting samples from the atmosphere of the planet. The reason for such large numbers was so that they could defend themselves against any remaining possessor infestation on the planet. The second phase involved cleansing the atmosphere and decontaminating the water on the planet. Phase three involved replacing the plant-life and greenery required to make the planet a self-sustaining world as it once was. The final phase would be the attempted re-introduction of Earth’s pre-industrial ecosystem.

While all of this was happening, the surviving population had all been transferred to Tau Ceti 5a, a small moon that had previously been terraformed as farm stock for the vast Tau Cetian population. However, it was recognised that the humans needed somewhere that did not resemble a bomb shelter to stay while their home was being reconstructed. The Klankharis Realm had other planets that had been terraformed for farm stock and there was more than enough production to meet demand, even with the humans, though they had decided to work the planet themselves and try to survive on their own.

“It’s a commendable way of doing things,” Hendirim told everyone seated in the conference on Midan. “The human people are resilient, as I have seen. They remind me a great deal of our own people during the war years.”

The war years for Klankharis went between Earth’s calendar date of 1056 and 1080 AD, and had involved a great deal of bitter fighting against the Possessors the first time around. At this time, Klankharis Prime was the only world to exist for them, and the war had decimated them to such a point that they were reduced to almost nothing. It was a difficult war to fight for the Klankharii, as Stephen and the others had discovered. Consequently, both people now had something in common.

“How are your people?” Hendirim went on to ask.

Davidson answered. “Our medical officer has begun to take part in medical duties on the colony world,” he told everyone. “Most people try not to let her do too much in light of her present condition.”

Helen had progressed from a state of almost total lethargy since the Captain was lost. Stephen felt that maybe she was beginning to come to terms with her loss. But then, they all had to in some fashion.

“John has begun to train the others in how to cook,” Davidson continued with a hint of amusement. “It’s been a long standing joke that he always made everyone ill from his own cooking, though he’s actually pretty good at it now.”

John began taking up the art of cooking as soon as everyone was brought to the new home world. He also completely avoided violence now, even as far as almost being killed when Jason went out of control again, just before they were moved to the colony. Stephen was so furious he would have rendered Jason limb from limb but Janet beat the living daylights out of him far more brutally than he would have done. She had also changed a great deal, she had gained weight, changing from a half skin and boned waif, to a healthy and incredibly attractive young woman, and she was becoming more open with people, not just Stephen. It was as if she was beginning to get used to the idea that other people can be trusted. Still, there was a long way to go but she had proved that she had absolute trust in Stephen, when he told her it was time for their relocation to the Tau Ceti system. She hadn’t even flinched at the news, but accepted it. Lately, she was by his side almost all the time he was awake.

She had also proven an adept leader, not only managing to convince her own people of what was required now that they were no longer alone in the local galaxy, but she had somehow managed to gain the support of most of the other fifty-seven thousand survivors from Earth. Reports from various sources maintaining a watch over the human population were favourable where she was concerned. She had even managed to slowly integrate communication between them and the visiting Klankharii who met them from time to time.

She didn’t like having to find somewhere else to go while he attended this important meeting, which would start any time Miradima arrived from her ship. Stephen had managed to interest her in some of the recreational activities on the planet beforehand. Thoughts of her were comforting, and she was always soft and tender with him, even if they argued frequently.

“Stephen?” someone called him.

“Sorry, I was miles away,” he said quickly. “Did I miss something?”

Everyone smiled tolerantly at him. It was no secret that he was gone on her. “We were mentioning how well the survivors were looking since we brought them here,” Hendirim told him.

There was a knock on the huge conference hall doors. Hendirim pushed a button on the table surface, and the doors swung open. Two guards stood in the doorway, while Miradima passed them into the conference hall. The doors closed again.

“Apologies for the delay,” Miradima told them all. “The testing of the defensive systems around the Sirius system took longer than expected.”

“How did they perform?” Hendirim asked.

“Excellently,” Miradima replied. “Power output has doubled, efficiency has increased to ninety-three percent.”

“That is most excellent news,” Hendirim replied. “Would you like to sit, fleet commander?”

Stephen gave a start at the title accorded Miradima. He had no idea she had been promoted to commander of the entire fleet.

Neither did she according to her surprised exclamation. “Prime?”

“Your promotion was approved two days ago,” he replied equably. “We are in dire need of strong leadership, ever since Darlamar retired on health grounds three weeks ago. You’ve been the best choice for us since meeting the humans.”

Clearly she had to absorb this information, as she sat slowly, next to Davidson. “Thank you,” she replied, clearly speechless otherwise.

Stephen thought she had deserved such an honour, especially as she was so instrumental in defending Earth against the enemy. Thoughts of what happened haunted him from time to time, and he felt uncomfortable in the hot conference room.

“It is difficult to get away from, I understand,” Hendirim suddenly told him. “Your thoughts are clear from your discomfort. Do you wish to take a recess?”

“No sir,” Stephen replied. “Just some unwelcome thoughts. I’m ready.”

“Very well. Shall we begin?”

“Yes,” Miradima replied, pressing a key on a pad she had extracted from her breast pocket. “The plans for a new alliance against the enemy.”

They had all been briefed on the advisability of forming a new alliance. The benefits of such an alliance were an intercommunication between the species at far more levels than would be possible with just a peace treaty or a trade agreement, and of course, provision of resources from the Klankharis Realm whenever the humans needed help from them. The terms of the alliance were to be decided in this meeting, but it had been decided that any human world in the Klankharis system would be classified as a protectorate of the Klankharis Realm, with the Sol System classified officially as the human home system, once Earth was habitable once more. Another big concession that everyone agreed on, though the humans were surprised at it’s initial inclusion, was that before Earth was officially declared independent once again, Klankharis Fleet Command would work closely with Earth in extracting mineral resources from nearby planets and the asteroid belt, and the construction of shipyards, and consequently a fleet belonging entirely to the humans. Much had already been granted the humans in just these two concessions alone. Stephen finally felt that the future was looking up for them, though the whole point of the alliance was so as they could both pool their combined resources later, into making sure the Possessors could not take either of their worlds again.

“Yes, let us begin in earnest,” Hendirim began eagerly.

And so, the meeting began.

THE END... FOR NOW.