Star Force: Retribution (SF60) by Aer-ki Jyr Page A

hidden map as well?”
    “Not a current one, no. We’ve shared what we have with
you.”
    “And the one from your ancient empire?” Cal-com
guessed/prodded.
    “Too ancient to be relevant,” Paul half answered.
    “Then allow me,” Cal-com said, bringing up the secure
file that he’d constructed for use based off the knowledge downloaded into his
mind via the Elder’s implants. The whole of lizard space was finally available
for Paul to see, along with numerous highlighted smaller regions around the
edges.
    “Damn, they’ve got a lot of territory.”
    “And adversaries. Recently they have been consuming
new territory faster than they can maintain it. I am told they will be forced
to go through a consolidation period. It is not apparent to outsiders, for they
still retain the strength to counter incursions and continue to expand, but the
bulk of their territory is not reinforced as strongly as one would expect. As
you and I assumed previously, if we apply consistent pressure they will be
unable to respond with such effectiveness as everyone assumes is their norm.”
    “How stretched are they?”
    “Not enough to deliver a lethal blow, unfortunately,
nor to make easy gains against, but a strong push will result in a
counterattack…but the counterattack will be vulnerable. If we can sustain
ourselves against it they will have little to follow up afterwards. It is a
bluff, but a dangerous one on their part, for they still have the ability to do
great damage. If we expand recklessly they will be able to overwhelm us. If we
proceed wisely, with the additional troops I will be bringing to bear, we can
break their hold and run rampant over this region for a time.”
    “Then we have to turtle up as the rest of their gains
begin to reinforce them.”
    “They are going to become very strong once the new
territory reaches further advancement, as you well know. No one can kill them
before that time, not even the Nexus if they chose to devote their full resources.
I wish they would, because they would cripple them, but the lizards have too
many systems for them to strike at. Even if we could take out their core
systems it would not stop them.”
    “What do you know of the Nexus?”
    “More than you, I would wager. They too are spread
thin, but their technology allows them to maintain dominance.”
    “That much I suspected.”
    “There is no power in the lizards’ path that is
capable of defeating them, except for the Skarrons…and they cannot because they
are out of position. By the time they realize the true nature of the threat,
the lizards will be too strong for even them to stop.”
    “So we’re going to get you to your wards, turtle
up…and then what?”
    “That is my mission. I leave the rest to you.”
    Paul nodded slowly. “I can work with that…but before
we start making any firm plans I need to know what your new tech is going to be
capable of doing.”
    “I could say the same to you,” Cal-com countered.
    “I think yours will be online a bit sooner.”
    “Honestly I do not yet know. I have received
speculations only.”
    “Alright then, let’s pull this back a bit. What can or
should we go after in the next decade?”
    “That will also depend on how many H’kar you have at
your command. I hear more are coming by the day?”
    “Their new commander is a legend to them, but to be
honest he’s a glorified newb . I met with him once and
he’s close to dying. No sense of training or strategy above and beyond
tradition. He has made a few wise deviations, but he is not in our league.”
    “They are regimented?”
    “They fight like dumb brutes,” Paul said flatly. “But
they’re slowly learning, and more are coming based solely on this commander’s
reputation.”
    “They have fought well in our raids.”
    “They have not fought so well on their own borders,
which is why they’re coming here. It’s also why Vedja came out of retirement to
come here. He wants to kill lizards and finds his