Smoke streamed from the hull of the ship. Saurians scrambled over the wreckage, looking for survivors. Bodies were being placed on floating platforms that whisked away. Greys were hauling away machinery and weapons. Others were releasing round drones to help expedite the recovery efforts.
Emerging from a smoldering hole in the hull comes the impressive form of General Kaltchus. His armor was melted to his body and his scaly head was covered in soot and bruises. He took in the surface of a planet he long lived under. He walked up to the first Grey he saw.
“Gather the Captains in that clearing, per my orders.” The Grey scampered off and Kaltchus marched over to the clearing.
With in a few moments, 87 officers stood in formation before him. “General Ithica has.....retired. His failure is yours..”
Kaltchus stopped talking as he took notice of an officer sneaking in, he was late.
“You.” He sad calmly.
The one that was late pointed at himself. “Me?”
“Yes, you. You’re late. Why?”
“I was assisting with recovering the last few bodies my Lord.”
Kaltchus was walking towards him. “Quite noble of you. To care for our dead and dying. But I have a question for you.”
“Yes Lord?”
Kaltchus closed in with a quickness someone as big as him should not have. “You were late!” He said as he slipped a plasma blade between his ribs. “Don’t be late!”
Greys came up to get the body as Kaltchus walked away and began to speak. “You will follow orders. You will follow protocol. You will delegate. And you will not be late!”
“You are behind schedule, you are not properly trained or equipped. You are weak!”
He looked around, some looked at him with hatred, others looked like they knew he was right.
“Why does this area still look human? This earth is a lie. What is stopping this area from looking like Sauria?”
“My Lord, if I may?” a rather large Anole stepped forward. He bowed and saluted the general.
“Speak Captain?”
“Tlaloc” he said. “The terraformers we have received from the fleet are ancient, huge, and not easy to maintain.”
“What do you suggest we do captain? The empress commands a return to our home world, and that it should be as it was before the treaty.”
“I have an idea.”
“Don’t make me wait Captain!”
“The terraformers as we know them are huge, bigger then your flagship. They are several machines in one. What if we were to make the machines separate. The build time would be less than ten percent of the current one. Maintenance would be quicker...”
“Enough Captain, you have proved you point. Who is in charge of the project now?”
“I am my Lord.”
“No longer, Major Tlaloc is now in charge of this operation. You will report to him.”
The former Captain bowed, “Thank you Lord.”
“Don’t fail at this task Major. Now leave and get started on this new task.”
The Major left, and took his crew with him.
“Those that are not tasked with squashing the rebellion are dismissed.”
Most of what was left took their leave.
“What is the status of the rebellion.”
“Non existent locally Lord. West of here, in the area known as Illinois there has been an uprising. The Ransford children are proving to be bothersome.”
“Could it be said that without them, the revolt would fall?”
“Yes Lord.”
“We must end this now.”
ns 18.68.41.148da2
