“Don't use just your own resources. Use also the land and the enemy.”

***Outer Rim***

***Ouluk***

“You already proved your incompetence in dealing with the situation,” the General's voice booms from above us, berating everyone who is in attendance at this meeting.

I sneakily look around, using only my eyes while I try my best to fade into the background. As long as they think that I am just another lackey, my old bones won't stand out too much. At least that's what I hope.

When the G.S. fleet from the core swept through the fringe systems, they picked up resources and conscripted everything in their way. It was a bold, but necessary move to ensure that they would have the needed numbers to search the region of space in which we lost the humans.

Some of the species which got caught up in this crusade weren't even official members of the G.S., but it wasn't as if they had a choice. My own homeworld had to pay a sizeable tribute.

Our own fleet numbers just a few hundred ships and they aren't even equipped with the technology which is available in the core systems. There would be no way we stand a chance, not even with the technologies which we developed thanks to using the humans as computing devices.

I press my lips together in frustration. If the societies in the core systems had shared their technology with us, there would've been no need to milk the humans for their tech.

The whole system is clearly a pretext to keep the younger societies under control. We are forbidden from developing certain technologies, like computer systems which exceed a set degree of automation. But it's those systems which allow the development of certain key-mechanisms which are necessary to advance.

At some point, it's simply necessary to have devices which are able to make sense of an abundance of data, because a normal organic mind can't deal with the amount of information. It's a sad fact that scientific advancement stands in direct correlation to the ability to process information.

“Don't you have anything to say?”

I look up at the general, Levvi Batlin, who is floating five metres above us. The cathedral-shaped room gives the whole scene a somewhat religious atmosphere, probably an intended effect. There are many species who are susceptible to such things. Though, I would like to know why the General uses a grav-field to move around. There wasn't much information on his species. Maybe they can't deal with standard gravity?

His species is new to this area of the galaxy, so I had to look them up. The Hiak are barely humanoid. They have two legs and two main-arms, a spindly torso, and a head. That's where the similarities end. Their legs are bent backward, while their muscular, but thin arms almost reach the ground.

Despite the inconvenient appearance, they can move incredibly fast, because their strong arms with the three fingers can act as an additional set of legs. Their hands are covered in thick, almost chitinous skin.

Since their main-arms are almost unusable to manipulate small objects, except for smashing them, they have a set of fragile second-arms coming out of their chests. Their fine fingers are perfect for manipulating buttons and to fulfill other tasks in which precision is required.

Their aggressive nature allowed them to become one of the most powerful species in the core systems.

“We had years to prepare for your arrival. Everything that could be said was in our reports. So, unless there was something unclear, we don't have anything to add.”

It's the leader of the G.S.-forces in the fringe areas who spoke, a small, furry Perumbian. Despite their cute and stumpy looks, these mammals are fierce fighters who live in a hive-like society. I frown when I realize that the former military governor of this whole sector is standing right next to me. As if he isn't much more than another footsoldier in an army of subordinates.

The Hiak turns his attention to the speaker. His face is somewhat disconcerting to me since there are no eyes or any orifices. In fact, the database wasn't clear on how the Hiak sense their environment or eat, but I suppose it has something to do with the little tentacle-things which are covering all of what should be some sort of face. Is there something like a mouth and a nose beneath them?

I note that the tentacles shifted towards the speaker as soon as he raised his voice.

The General folds his arms behind him, hiding them from our view. “That's straight to the point, and I like that. Do you know why I had you come here?”

Some of the twenty people who are with me shake their heads, or bob their gelatinous bodies from side to side. Every species has its own way of communicating ignorance. Others choose to stay silent and wait for the inevitable outcome of this meeting.

“I ordered you because you are the highest ranking members of the G.S. military forces which were stationed in this fringe area. If we even want to call your outdated ships G.S. military. Probably you expect me to mete out some sort of punishment, but since your superiors are strangely absent, I choose to stay my hand.”

The floating General regards us for a long moment from his elevated position of power.

“But don't think that you are off the hook. I was relatively certain that the main culprits who were behind the experiments would be long gone before my forces arrive anywhere near this area. Ten years are long enough for even the biggest idiots to hide their tracks, or to run into the deepest depths of the void.

“I don't have any time to point fingers and to order executions when there is an enemy to fight. You people are guilty of, if not for getting the experiments started, then for letting them continue. It's all too easy to say that you just followed orders, and I won't allow such pitiable excuses.”

His little, sensory tentacles swivel from left to right, as if he is regarding each of us carefully. “Your punishment will be a lifetime conscription into my forces. You are not allowed to leave the service until the human threat is defeated... which is unlikely to happen within your, or my lifetime.”

The green blob next to me – a Jehek, a multicellular colony of protozoa – lifts a tentative tentacle, and I curse silently as the General's attention is drawn in my direction.

“You have a question?”

“Does that count for all of the ninety-five billion citizens of the Jehek-Sev-On colony? If so, does that conscription last until this colony perishes, or until the last citizen who was conscripted dies? If so, the conscription would end after eight days, as that's the average lifespan of one of our citizens.”

The General looks clearly confused and I am forced to explain when his attention shifts to me, expecting an explanation.

I clear my throat. “The Jehek are large colonies of protozoa who act according to a majority vote among all their cells. The Jehek-Sev-On who is in front of you isn't the same who was involved in the experiments. All the involved 'citizens' died a long time ago. He is essentially asking you if the children are accountable for the sins of their parents. Which isn't an unknown concept for Jeheks, I might add.”

The General returns his attention to Jehek-Sev-On, clearly put off his stride. “Ahem. I... don't know? Maybe you should go and discuss this problem with one of our lawyers?”

The Jehek bobs in acknowledgement and slowly slurps out of the room, leaving behind a glittering trail of slime. Two service robots do their best to deal with the mess while I return my attention to the General.

He regained his previous demeanour and is now back to lording above us. “As I said, you will probably end your days in the military, fighting to defend the organic species of this quadrant. First scouting missions already reported that they found systems which were cleared of easily accessible resources. So the situation is dire. You may go now.”

I turn with the others to leave when the General stops me.

“Not you, Ouluk. As one of the few head-researchers who didn't mysteriously vanish before I arrived, I have to have a special word with you.”

Lowering my head, I turn back to face the music.