Chapter Seventeen — Part 2

When I stepped into the Central’s chamber, I was thoroughly surprised. The Central was only about three feet tall, sitting in a human type throne. He looked almost like a human in insect’s armor. He had a third eye, right in the center of his forehead. Two were dull red and one bright purple. Only a woman’s sense suggested to me that he was male at all. The egg bearing females around me confirmed my sense.

One spat an egg from its ovary tract, seemingly content at its purpose. They were different than the Scandivats, their sole purpose was to lay more eggs, and their limbs were little more than fat covered stubs. The chamber was warm and moist, to help the process along, and I felt sticky sweat crawl down my back.

Feeders carried a sugary substance to the females, and occasionally one of the older feeders, after having expired all of its fluids, became part of the meal.

Had the central been female, the breeder structure would have been different. Captain Reed had explained it all to me, to prepare me for these inhuman events. No amount of discourse can prepare one for such base cannibalism. Oddly, the feeder did not struggle as its body was crunched on and devoured. I looked away, waiting to be addressed.

He looked at me through his three eyes. “Human, you’ve been granted entrance. Why are you here?”

I felt it important that he know my name. “I’m Captain Bit, pirate and Governor of the Forever Children. I’ve come on a mission of mercy, in the name of Humanity.” I said with the notes of my flute. “Earth is the human home. Why are you taking your colony there?”

The Central chirped a few commands to the worker drones, then returned his attention to me. “Our race can no longer survive on our home world. A localized apocalypse has destroyed many of our resources and poisoned our fields. The atmosphere and surface has been severely damaged.”

“We went to your home world. It is true that it is dying, but it can be healed.”

“We have already had negotiations with a Human point of contact, how is it that the human Central can change its mind after so many years?”

“Humanity isn’t a centralized organism. I’m a separate entity, and so was the one who spoke to you. There is no the Central for humans.”

“There’s an incongruency. We must determine truth.” Within a few moments, Prince Wastik was ushered into the Central’s chamber, escorted of a Hunter carrying a massive metal mace.

“Hello, Wastik.” I said cordially.

“Hello, Captain Bit.” The Prince whistled through his teeth. “Is there a problem with this outcast?” He asked, then added in Galactic standard. “I’m surprised that you had the courage to come here. You can see my plan unfolding, can’t you?”

“This man is the outcast. He’s dangerous and cunning. He’s using you for his own devices.”

“This is the Human Ambassador. This is the true representative of the Central. We’re to share Earth with the Human Race. We were told that there would be some resistance by outcasts such as yourself, but that peace would be the inevitable outcome.” The Central whistled.

I looked at the Central, then at Wastik. He smiled cunningly. “The Central doesn’t understand Galactic Standard, and your precious Hunter friend is in a decontamination cell — and has no link to the central consciousness. He will stay separated for the good of the collective, until he dies. You’ve been a problem to me for quite some time. But there’s nothing you can do now to save your precious Earth, and when all is done, my allies will rise up and crush the Scandivat Collective like the bugs they are — reclaiming Earth for the Elves.”

“This man is insane,” I played on my flute. “If you could only understand what he’s doing.” I could not allow him to harm them further.

I continued my explanation. “Two sentient species cannot successfully coexist on one home world as separate populations. We can share other worlds, but not home worlds. Wastik knows this and he intends to use you to destroy the local humans and others of our kind who don’t fit into his quest for power. Then his allies will crush your kind, reclaiming Earth in his name. He’s using you.”