Star Force: Quenar (SF88) (Star Force Origin Series) by Aer-ki Jyr Page A

laid down a network to gather any tips on
any information about the Uriti or the Ancients that might surface. When Nami
got loose they couldn’t do anything about it, but they watched from afar. When
they saw that we could control them that sent the spark out to who knows how
many races in the Uriti preservation club that are now on their way here.”
    “What’s the end game?” Paul asked. “I doubt all of
these races are simply being prudent guardians of sleeping monsters.”
    “Leverage would be my guess,” the Director said,
leaning back in his chair. “You find the giant Easter Egg and lay claim to it, you then possess the ability to release an unstoppable
plague on the galaxy. Even if people figured you were bluffing they’d probably
regard you as worthy of respect…or fear trying to conquer you. Last resort
might be releasing the Uriti so it could destroy the invaders or perhaps just a
‘screw you’ last measure as they were wiped out. There are a lot of
possibilities, but I think the bottom line is that if you control a Uriti site it bumps you up into a very elite status.”
    “And we just outdid them all,” Pryon noted.
    Davis nodded. “They’re either coming to suck up, or
because they’re ticked that they’re no longer top dog and want to try and find
a way to reassert themselves, either through bluffing or taking action. I think
we’re exposing a very secret society that extends well beyond The Nine. It may
be that these other so-called guardians were in contact with one another rather
than acting in seclusion. In which case we could be getting visitors from the
other side of the galactic core.”
    Jason whistled. “I hope they don’t take a short cut
through the middle.”
    “We need more firepower,” Paul said, realizing just
how outclassed they might be in short order.
    “We need control,” Davis corrected. “Part of that is
firepower, but the greater part is they’re seeing that there is a purpose in
this system and that we’re driving it. We have to be doing things with the
Uriti rather than just sitting on it. We’ve already established that we’re
making this system an embassy for these various races to permanently inhabit if
they wish, which will make us the arbiters and hosts, but we need more than
that. Experimenting with the minions is a double-edged sword. It could scare
some, but entice others that also want to study them. Those races that play
nice we’ll let observe, but control stays with us. They can make suggestions,
but they never give orders. That’s one optional activity, but we need more than
that.”
    “It depends on what they want from them,” Yetti summed up. “Are there any material gains that can be
had?”
    “Observational data of a waking one,” Riley offered.
“Beyond that, unless you want a lot of holes in a planet for some reason,
there’s nothing beneficial from them.”
    “Unless they want you to use one to bust up their
rivals,” Pryon suggested.
    “We’re not going to do that,” Davis said firmly, “and
we need to make them understand it from the get go. We’re not utilizing their
combat capability in any way, but if we are ever invaded that restriction could
be rescinded. We’re not actually going to do that, but we are going to offer
the promise of containment and hold to it firmly in order to gain credibility
over time. The threat of us having cause to rescind that promise, legitimately,
is our leverage point. We’re not going to use it to make gains, however, and
that should also send a message. It’s going to be defensive leverage.”
    “Over the long term,” Paul clarified.
    “Yes,” Davis said with regret. “Such things take time
to develop. The most dicey timeframe is now, so what else can we do to be
driving events?”
    “Visible construction will send the signal that we’re
active,” Yetti noted, “but if we rotate the Uriti
between a couple , or maybe 3 or 4 systems periodically
will demonstrate that we do have