“Fleet Admiral, you look as young as ever,” Admiral Ichika said as the dilating door slowly opened and he saw the Fleet Admiral standing near his ship.

“Thank you, Admiral,”

“Thank you, Madame Councilor,” Admiral Peters responded. “Countless people gave their lives during that Battle, so I would be remiss if I did not insist that they are the ones who we owe a great debt.”

“Indeed, Admiral,” Harrison replied. “Now, on to business. We have a lot to discuss.”

“Yes we do,” the Admiral said, looking around at all twelve members of the Defense Council. “I come before you today with a recommendation for a military operation that I am sure you will all disagree with at first. However, I must stress that you all hear me out, as I have devoted many years working with our top intelligence agencies, scientists and researchers in learning as much as we can about the alien threat and developing a strategy to deal with them. As such, the plan I am presenting to you now is one that has been many years in the making, and the best possible option for mankind.”

“Okay then, Admiral,” another Councilor said, “we are all ears.”

Admiral Peters took a moment to gather himself. He had been preparing for this briefing for years now, ever since the announcement of Dr. Edward Higgins’ success in developing a working Hyperdrive Core. Now that the Ares One was deemed fit for deployment, it was time for the UNEM to begin taking the proper steps to combat the alien threat, and having dealt with politicians and bureaucracy in the past, the Admiral knew that presentation was often just as important as substance when trying to sway government officials to your side.

Admiral Peters withdrew a keychip from the pocket of his uniform and placed it in the slot of the podium he stood in front of. A hologram projection of a strange structure popped up from the floor between the Admiral and the Defense Council. The Admiral gave the Council a few moments to take in the image before he spoke. He wanted their minds to wonder. He needed their curiosity and their concern.

“And what is it we are looking at, exactly, Admiral?” Councilor Harrison finally asked. Her tone carried the concerned curiosity the Admiral was hoping for. The structure was a long, cylindrical shaft with two, rounded cone-shaped points on either end, resembling a double-edged spear.

“What you see here is an image taken directly from data recovered from one of the destroyed alien ships during the Battle,” the Admiral began. “This is one of many images we managed to recover and decipher.”

“Is there a reason you are showing this particular image to us, Admiral?” Another Councilor inquired.

“Yes,” the Admiral said. “From the data we have recovered and deciphered over the years, we have deduced that of all the locations of alien structures known to us, this one in particular is closest to Sol.”

“And how close are we talking, Admiral?”

“Roughly three hundred light years away in the 42 Draconis system,” Admiral Peters replied. “As of now, we estimate that it would take the Ares One approximately three to four weeks to get there from Sol.”

“Why would we want to go there, Admiral Peters, when the Ares One has not even left the solar system yet?”

Here we go, the Admiral thought.

“It is my firm belief that humanity’s best response to the alien threat is a counterattack,” he said, wasting no time to respond. His response was met by murmurs and whispers and Council members shifting in their seats. The Admiral seized the opportunity to continue.

“From what we’ve been able to gather, should humanity simply sit and wait in Sol and do our best to build a more capable defensive force against an inevitable second attack, we would be wiped out and defeated swiftly,” the Admiral said, his tone punctuated by certainty.

“The threat we face is one that is comprised of multiple alien species rather than just one,” the Admiral continued.

“We are aware of that, Admiral,” one of the Councilors interjected.

“Yes,” the Admiral replied as amiably as possible. “What that means, however, is that the force we defeated in the Battle was barely even a fraction of what the threat is truly capable of, and our victory came very, very narrowly. If we sit and wait, the same threat will undoubtedly send a much more capable force which could defeat us in a matter of mere hours.”

“So what logic is there in launching an offensive against a threat capable of such force?” Councilor Harrison asked.

“More logic than humanity sitting and waiting to be exterminated,” the Admiral answered. He had a tendency to be blunt, and that tendency often came through even when a conversation called for a more amenable approach.

“Again, from what we’ve gathered, these aliens seem to consider us a rapidly advancing species; a species which operates and moves and grows and evolves at a rate which they have not themselves seen. This is likely the reason why we have not experienced a second attack in over half a century, as from their perspective, not much time has passed since the Battle itself.”

The Admiral expected a stern follow up question from the Council, but was instead met with silence. He pushed ahead.

“The way in which these aliens perceive us, therefore, is ultimately rooted in fear, whether they would admit it or not. We must utilize this perception in our favor. Make no mistake; these beings know that at the end of the day, they are more than capable of erasing us from existence with little effort as of now. That said, if they thought we were the threat we could potentially be, they would’ve sent that force already. Yet they haven’t.”

“With respect, Admiral, I still fail to see how launching an attack against this threat is either a good idea or even a plausible idea.”

“I understand your reservations, Councilor,” the Admiral said, this time with a more measured tone in his voice. “The objective behind launching an offensive is to put the threat on the defensive; to discourage them from immediately launching a second attack against our home. We must demonstrate to them that we too are capable of extending our military reach far beyond our solar system. If we keep them on their toes, we may give them more incentive to take a more defensive or measured approach, thus reducing the chances that Sol sees a second attack any time in the near future.”

“Admiral, you use words like ‘may’ and ‘chance,’” one Councilor said. “Your own language suggests a tactic like this may not necessarily yield the desired results you speak of.”

“Of course, Councilor,” the Admiral admitted. “We cannot rule out any possibility. When it comes to war, anything can happen. My duty – our duty – is to give humanity the best possible chance to survive and win this war, and having dedicated so many years to outlining a strategy, I believe this provides us with that chance. It may not be a sure thing, but I firmly believe it is the best option we have.”

“Do we know what kind of facility this structure is?” Councilor Harrison asked.

“We only have a rough idea, I’m afraid,” Admiral Peters answered. “The structure itself is certainly larger than either of the massive alien ships we faced in battle, and is around three to four times the size of any of humanity’s largest habitable space stations. From the data we deciphered, both of the capital ships we fought against stopped at this facility prior to arriving in Sol. Despite that, data suggests the facility is not necessarily military in nature. It is more likely an outpost for resource-gathering, though military and security forces will certainly be present as well.”

“Admiral, you are suggesting that we launch an attack against what might ultimately be a civilian or scientific facility?”

Admiral Peters paused and stared at the Councilors. If they intended on refusing to follow his plan because of some ill-founded moralistic reasoning, then humanity was doomed. A swell of angry passion built up inside the Admiral.

“Perhaps,” the Admiral said, attempting to control his tone. “Whether or not it is should not matter. This is a threat that sought to exterminate us without prejudice. They made no distinction between military or civilian lives, and if we are to deal with them effectively, neither should we.”

The Admiral could tell his response struck a cord with the Council, tempering the anger growing inside him.

“Further, launching an attack against this facility will serve other purposes,” the Admiral said, adjusting the image to show a more detailed view of its features.

“As you all know, in addition to constructing the Ares One, we have been hard at work at developing weapons and assets we believe will be more effective against the enemy based on our experiences in the Battle. I, along with some of my most trusted colleagues, have developed a very specific plan of attack.”

The Admiral used the touchpad on his podium to zoom in on a spot just under one of the cone-shaped tips of the facility.

“This area here is a primary docking bay for the station. If we were to launch an attack, we would most likely have the element of surprise. Using certain weapon assets we have developed, we would be able to cut off any defensive forces responding to our attack before they can even make it out of the station itself. Not only will this make the overall operation easier, but it will allow us to dictate the flow of the battle, providing our pilots the opportunity to gain experience in fighting the enemy in a relatively controlled live-combat environment.”

“How can you be so sure that we would be able to dictate the flow of the battle, Admiral? By your own admission, nothing is certain.”

“No, nothing is certain,” the Admiral reiterated. “Again, however, the data we have recovered rather conclusively suggests this is not a military facility. We can be sure of this because we have data regarding other stations and facilities that indeed are military in nature. Thus, so long as we have the element of surprise, we can expect significantly less resistance in attacking this particular facility. What resistance we do face will serve as a crucial learning experience for our pilots.”

“All that aside, Admiral, how can we possibly expect to launch an offensive attack three hundred light years away with only the first ever Interstellar Military Starcruiser which hasn’t even left the solar system yet? And how can we leave Sol virtually defenseless while the Ares One is deployed?”

The Admiral closed the hologram image. He took a moment to look into the eyes of every Councilor before speaking.

“By recommending this strategy, I do not necessarily suggest we immediately launch an offensive,” Admiral Peters began. “Instead, I recommend that the Ares One follow through with the Defense Council’s own plans to construct the Extrasolar Perimeter. Not only will doing so allow the Ares One to go through several test flights, but it will provide us with an expanded defensive presence while the Ares One is deployed. Additionally, while the Extrasolar Perimeter is being constructed, I recommend that the Council approve funding and resources for the construction of additional Interstellar Military Starcruisers to further bolster our defensive capabilities.”

“That’s asking a lot, Admiral,” one Councilor spoke up.

“We all must ask a lot of ourselves and each other if we are to win this war,” Admiral Peters retorted.

The Councilors again whispered amongst themselves. Admiral Peters had made his case. Now he awaited only their questions.

“Admiral, supposing we were to implement your strategy, how soon would the preliminary measures – the Extrasolar Perimeter and the additional Starcruisers – need to go into effect?”

“Preferably as soon as this briefing is over, Councilor,” the Admiral bluntly stated. “If we got started as soon as possible, the operation could be launched within the next decade.”

Again, the Admiral patiently waited while the Councilors discussed amongst themselves in hushed voices. After a few moments, Councilor Harrison spoke up.

“Admiral, you firmly believe that this is absolutely humanity’s best option?” She asked.

“I do, Councilor, without a doubt.”

“Okay,” she said. “By order of the UNEM Defense Council, the Ares One will be deployed to the Alpha Centauri system in forty eight hours. The Ares One will scout the system to determine an ideal location for the construction of the first space station to form the Extrasolar Perimeter. Once construction is underway, the Ares One will be deployed to additional nearby systems for additional stations.”

Each Councilor typed away on hologram keyboards as Councilor Harrison spoke.

“During this time, the Defense Council will also allocate resources for the construction of additional Interstellar Military Starcruisers and will appoint senior military officials to command them. Although we will retain sole authority over the appointments, we will be glad to consider any recommendations you might have, Admiral.”

As the Councilors finished typing, Councilor Harrison looked up from her screen at Admiral Peters.

“We have faith in your assessment, Admiral Peters, and we will follow your advice. You have everything you need, though we do expect you to keep us updated on any changes or occurrences that may impact your plan.”

“Of course, Madame Councilor.”

“Good luck, Admiral.”

As Admiral Peters exited the Council chambers, he recalled everything he had experienced and been through leading up to this moment. The Admiral had a perspective of the coming war that few others had – either human or alien. He fought in the Battle for Human Survival and lived to tell about it. He spent over half a century studying what information humanity had at its disposal regarding the enemy and developing a long-term strategy accordingly. He had seen what the enemy was capable of and had an overview of their greater society and military force. He witnessed the millions upon millions of lives lost in an effort to stave off that threat. Admiral Peters couldn’t go anywhere in public without someone thanking him for his service; for everything he had done. Not that the Admiral didn’t appreciate the sentiment, but those words came across as though his service had already been completed.

I haven’t even begun, the Admiral thought. He solemnly reflected on the many friends and fellow pilots who perished to protect their own kind, and those who would undoubtedly perish in the future.

This one is for the Fallen, for the Living, and for Those Yet to Come. This is for the Perished, the Valiant, and the Brave Souls who seek to carry on their Legacy. This is for our Tragic Past and our Prosperous Future. This is for Humanity and our Destiny.

The Admiral stepped into the elevator to take him to the Shuttle Bay. The image of the fully-functional Ares One crept into his mind; its thrusters emitting that dark purple energy, as if begging for deployment.

This is the War to Come, and it is Retribution.