Enemy - Part I: Federation of Races

This first part was simply an experiment for me to see if I could make a story with no character dialog. The 2nd part I simply "had" to make because "Enemy" needed the other side's viewpoint in order to be complete.

by Matthew "Dra'Gon" Stohler

    A world of extreme beauty, a world of extreme terror, a world of death. Of all the inhabited systems in the galaxy, this was the most feared. The first beings to land on its world’s surface were never heard from again. Over the millennia, many different races attempted to land on this world, some for exploration, and some for exploitation. But none ever returned to their home systems. Expeditions were then sent to discover what was happening on that world. They were given orders not to land, but it didn’t help. Reports were sent that ships were approaching from the lone planet of the red star and attempts at communication with these ships were being ignored. Then the reports ceased.
    A single scout ship returned from one such expedition sent by a collaboration of races. But the being inside that ship could report nothing for he was incoherent from fear. The ship had recordings, however. The beauty of the world’s surface and its inhabitants were unimaginable to all who viewed them, no matter which race viewed them. But the recordings couldn’t be viewed just once. Those who had seen those recordings had to watch again and again, until they were finally forced to stop. Then they became unmanageable to the point of violence. The recordings were quickly destroyed and no further expeditions were sent. That system was avoided at all cost.
    But it was far too late. One by one, inhabited star systems closest to the shunned one ceased contact with the rest of the galaxy. When they were investigated, the beings of those systems were found to be dead. Their faces were masks of terror. The inhabitants of the shunned system had not bothered to colonize these defeated systems, their only purpose seemed to be eradication.
    War was declared and a Federation of Races was formed. Yet again, it was too late, for that unknown race had adapted quickly to the technology it had stolen. Of the first fleet to go up against the Enemy, fully a hundred ships strong and the best of the Federation, five returned. Their small crews were as terror-stricken as the pilot of that first scout ship. Another fleet was sent when ten more inhabited systems became silent tombs. This one had a thousand ships. Not one returned.
    Though war was well known by the star-faring races, they had never come across such an enemy as this. One who conquered, not for territory, but for total destruction and genocide. To combat such a menace, they needed an equally destructive race. One which would be under their control. To find such a race, the Federation sent out their fastest ships, cruisers built for speed with a crew of thirty. Two hundred of these ships were sent out all over the galaxy.
    Almost fifty standard years had passed before the first had returned. It had discovered many races, pre-space and those just beginning their forays into space, but none had the capabilities the Federation required. One by one the cruisers were returning with nothing they could use. Meanwhile the Enemy continued its swath of destruction and slaughter. It seemed as if every ten standard years another system was murdered. It didn’t matter that the Federation had figured out the pattern. When they evacuated a system meant for destruction, the next closest one was attacked.
    Then one cruiser returned with only half its crew, one hundred and ten years after its departure. Those who were left reported finding a race on the far side of the galaxy. This race had been so violent that they warred with each other.  They were just reaching into space, but they wasted so much of their planetary resources that the race may not survive long enough to become truly space faring. As for the crewmembers who had died, this particular race had an innate fear of anything dissimilar to them. Two of these beings had been brought back and examined. They were bipedal with small bodies.
    The two didn’t appear particularly warlike, but the cruiser’s captain thought to provide a demonstration. They were put in a cell and given food and drink. For days, the routine was the same, then a volunteer guard was purposely lax and left the cell door unlocked. Wary at first, the two beings crept out of the cell and made their way down the empty passage. The same guard who’d left the door opened sat with his back to an open doorway in another room. The beings could have passed quietly, but instead chose to attempt to murder the guard. One was just about to when both were suddenly stunned by hidden emitters, then taken back to their cell. When given a choice of flight or murder, their choice was obvious. They would be perfect.
    A delegation was sent to the third planet of the distant yellow star. They were careful in dealing with the beings, using an interpreting device programmed with the multitude of languages used on the odd planet. The beings were told that the Federation wanted nothing more than friendship with the infant race. There was much distrust - particularly from those who believed in some form of local deity - but eventually the Federation’s message was believed and emissaries were exchanged for brief periods of time.
    It was during these exchanges that the delegation “allowed” itself to be talked into helping the race with technology. Over the next thirty local years, the “humans,” as they called themselves, learned how to build and fly spaceships designed by the delegation. By the time another ten years had passed, the humans had a fleet of two hundred ships of varying sizes. They had gone to neighboring star systems and even conducted mock battles with the ships of the delegation, based on what little the Federation knew of the Enemy’s tactics. When the humans were thought to be ready, three volunteer ships were sent to escort two-thirds of the human fleet to the Federation.
    In reality, the humans were being led to the Enemy’s star system. They were within five hundred light years when they encountered the Enemy, on their way to another attack. The Enemy’s response was immediate and sixteen human ships were destroyed before the humans could react and start fighting back. As for the three escort ships, they had been behind the human fleet and quickly left the scene. The humans were understandably upset by the desertion and vowed to get even. But first they had a battle to fight.
    The humans fought back with fervor. The Enemy had obviously never had such opposition. Whatever it was that they’d done to the Federation’s survivors, it wasn’t affecting the humans. The humans were ferocious and considered the battle won only when every last ship of the Enemy’s was destroyed, even those fleeing the battle. Only nineteen human ships remained to return home. As soon as they entered their own system, the captain of the lead ship transmitted the report, including the behavior of the escorts who had also returned to the human system.
    After much discussion, and many arguments, the humans demanded that the captains of those three ships be turned over for disciplinary action. The delegation, of course, refused and was told that such refusal was cause for war. This was not in the Federation’s plans so the delegation had no choice but to do as the humans wanted. While the entire delegation watched with growing horror, the human courts found the Federation captains guilty of desertion and treason, then summarily executed them.
    After the executions, the humans requested that the delegation leave the system, rather emphatically. The delegation retreated out of the system a few light years and requested instructions from their superiors. While they were waiting for a reply, the humans sent nearly all of their ships out system. To where, the delegation had no knowledge, for the humans had ceased all contact.
    During the next six years, the humans built a hundred more ships. These ships were different in that the humans had gone beyond the technology and designs they’d been given. These new ships weren’t even close to Federation designs. Five of these new ships approached the delegation and told them that no ship of the Federation was to come within a hundred light years of the human system. Any such incursion would be viewed as an act of aggression and that ship, or ships would be destroyed.
    They also informed the delegation that a small fleet would be visiting the Federation Headquarters. No reason was given and the human fleet escorted the delegation to the designated border. The delegation returned home with the ominous message and the Federation wondered what it had loosed upon the galaxy. One thing was clear, however. No more systems were being destroyed by the Enemy.
    The Federation wanted to investigate but dared not. They did not wish any more of their ships to be destroyed or captured. Ten standard years passed, then twenty, and still nothing was heard from the barbaric humans. Those who governed thought, and hoped, that perhaps the Enemy and the humans had destroyed each other. Nearly two hundred more years had gone by and the Federation had begun to relax when reports started coming in of a large fleet of unknown origin making its way toward Federation Headquarters. A thousand ships stopped just outside the double star, six-planet system which was the decision-making center of the thirty-two races of the Federation.
    Attempts at communication with the invading fleet were ignored and days passed with the fleet saying nothing and sending no one. But when Federation ships attempted to enter or leave the system, warning shots were fired. An envoy of three ships was sent towards the fleet. Again, the nearest of the strange ships fired warning shots, narrowly missing each of the three ships. More days passed then, one after another, the home worlds of each race reported fleets of a hundred ships stopping outside each system. Only when all thirty-two were so approached, did the primary fleet make itself known.
    They called themselves the Galactic Empire and demanded that the Federation surrender its ships and weaponry. According to the message, the worlds of the Federation were now subject to Empirical law and any disobedience will be dealt with accordingly. Those who previously had governed the Federation were now declared outlaws and required to present themselves to the Fleet Admiral for prosecution within five galactic standard days.
    This message was broadcast on all known frequencies to all of the Federation’s 2,680 worlds and pandemonium ensued. Any ships attempting to leave the home systems or Federation Headquarters were immediately destroyed. Much of the Federation’s vast fleet responded to the threat by attacking the invading fleets and war broke out all over the Federation. The Empire’s largest fleet moved in on the double-star system and obliterated all life there, swiftly and efficiently. When that was done, the thousand ships departed in groups of two hundred to hunt down the Federation war ships.
    Except for the home worlds, all other Federation planets prepared for war. They knew it was only a matter of time before this “Empire” came to their worlds demanding surrender, or worse. As for the home systems, they were lost. Not one remained habitable when the Empire’s fleets had left. Once again, the Federation was faced with an implacable enemy. This one far more devastating than the last. Though it was one of their own devising, the Federation knew it had to destroy it or be forever subjugated. On every Federation world, the Empire was not called by that name. It was called, the Enemy.