Sachem Trys’lin appeared very happy. He sat high up behind his oversized desk, grinning, and watched as the planet’s adjudicator Reez Treqqer entered the chamber. Although this didn’t cheer Treqqer at all, because Trys’lin’s smile was exactly the same as his grimace and until he knew which this was, his expression would best remain neutral.
‘I understand you’ve been informed of Gradulin’s success, my Sachem?’ said Treqqer, hoping this was the reason for the possible smile, while bowing at the waist.
‘I have indeed,’ said Trys’lin, the malevolent grin widening even more. ‘It seems the whereabouts of a dangerous rival cult has also been established, hmm?’
‘Correct, my Sachem. That is the reason for my presence. Gradulin has requested an audience with yourself at your earliest convenience.’
‘Has he now?’ said Trys’lin, rolling his eyes and summoning his amanuensis. ‘Confident little shit, isn’t he? Reminds me of someone!’
Treqqer allowed himself a little smirk, as he knew the comment was aimed at him.
The huge carved timber doors to the Sachem’s chamber were opened by two guards stationed outside. The Sachem’s personal amanuensis strode in confidently, bowed and sat at his small desk to the left of the Sachem’s dais.
‘Be sure to send me Gradulin as soon as he arrives, Adjudicator,’ said Trys’lin, waving his hand to indicate he was to leave.
‘As you wish, my Sachem,’ said Treqqer. He bowed again, turned and marched smartly away, leaving the Core Precinct and returning to his little corner of fiefdom at the back of the Precinct Chambers.
Captain Gradulin arrived at his office a short while later, escorted by one of the precinct guards. He stood erect and still, staring straight ahead, only bowing to Treqqer when he glanced up from his monitor.
‘Captain Gradulin reporting back, Adjudicator,’ he boasted confidently.
‘So I see,’ said Treqqer. ‘Am I to understand the new Hass drive trials were a success?’
‘Indeed they were, sir,’ he said, keeping his gaze straight forward.
‘And the final colony ship?’
‘Retrieved and undergoing asset recovery, sir.’
‘What of the interfering alien ship?’
‘We ignored them. Our damping field seemed to disable their ship and we detected their personnel in the engineering section at the rear of the colony ship. Their threat was eliminated when we neutralised the vessel’s drive capabilities and exposed the area to space, sir.’
‘Hmm, excellent. Your report stated the original captain was awake?’
‘Yes, sir. Captain Ralt was discovered hiding in her cabin and is now secured aboard my ship. She states she is the only surviving member of the original crew, but the planet however has millions of potential Callametan vassals ripe for exploitation.’
Treqqer smiled and nodded.
‘Tell me about this GDA threat,’ he asked.
‘The computer system aboard the colony ship has data indicating a group of humanoid worlds in a far arm of the galaxy. We believe the ship present when we arrived was from this cult. The data is limited but as our technology appears to be superior, and the Callametan world we found is part of their group, I envisage a swift strike to eliminate their leaders would open up a whole new region to us.’
‘Do you now?’ said Treqqer, staring at his subordinate. ‘And how do you envisage doing that?’
Gradulin glanced down as he shuffled his feet slightly, appearing to lose some of his confidence.
‘I would suggest filling the colony ship with space debris and jumping it into their system from afar, ensuring it emerges so close to the planet that whatever defences they engage, it would be way too late.’
‘They’d be able to destroy one ship, surely?’
‘I’m counting on it, sir,’ he said, with a slight grin. ‘They might destroy the majority of the ship, but not the trillions of tonnes of rocks travelling at over half the speed of light.’
Treqqer continued staring at the captain and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
‘How long would it take to install a Hass drive on that ship?’
‘We wouldn’t need to, sir,’ he said. ‘I would use my ship again.’
‘Explain?’
‘Jump in from afar, adjust course to perfect the trajectory, release and jump away, sir.’
‘You’ve put a great deal of thought into this, haven’t you?’
‘Sir.’
‘Timescale?’
‘The sourcing and loading of rocks and boulders into those huge hangars would take the longest period of time. Probably a few weeks, sir.’
‘If you took it out to the belt, you’d have an unlimited supply,’ said Treqqer, grinning. ‘I’m going to take you through to the Sachem now, Captain. Tell him everything you’ve just told me.’
‘Yes, sir. There was one more thing,’ Gradulin said.
‘Go ahead.’
‘We found two of the original sleepers trapped alive in one of the hangars. They stated that the alien vessel we ignored had only recently killed the majority of their colleagues by spacing them.’
Treqqer raised his eyebrows at this revelation and felt his face flushing with anger.
‘Pass the alien ship specifics to the fleet with my authority to destroy it on sight, absolutely no survivors,’ he spat. ‘Is that clear, Captain?’
‘Very clear, sir.’
Treqqer stood up.
‘Now, come with me. You have an audience with the Sachem and our new friend from afar.’