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Thanks you. It's certainly been a fun ride.
And sorry for being a bit quiet. The next update grew a bit out of control, but I'm putting the finishing touches on it. Hopefully it will be out soon.
And sorry for being a bit quiet. The next update grew a bit out of control, but I'm putting the finishing touches on it. Hopefully it will be out soon.
- 2
Downfall
Downfall
November 2143 - Centran Ward - Outskirts of Hollow Copse
Two Canadian soldiers overlook the remains of Rushing Spring while a pair of casevac shuttles prepare to land. The battle of Rushing Spring was the first time Humanity encountered determined resistance. It would not be the last. The lessons learned during the battle would influence how Humanity approached the rest of the war.
(Art by Vlado Krizan)
The drones banked right and released their payload. They didn’t stay around to observe the damage. The Humans had different drones for that. Linden couldn’t see the target, but the explosion was followed by dozens of secondary detonations. The rising plume of smoke was massive. Whatever they’d hit, it had to have been important.
Linden adjusted buoyancy and kept moving. The drones fortunately didn’t care about lone individuals. Larch and Cypress would never have let them go otherwise.
The town of Hollow Copse was in much worse condition compared to last time. The power transformer was a mess of twisted metal, and the gymnasium the Army had used as a command post was nothing more than a crater. Several bodies were rotting in the streets. From what Linden could tell, they’d been killed by small arms, not bombs. That was strange. The Humans hadn’t reached Hollow Copse. Not yet, anyway.
Linden did their best to ignore the bodies and move on. They soon found what they were looking for.
The doors to the grocery store were barred, but through some effort, Linden managed to pull themselves through a shattered window. The inside filled them with equal parts hope and despair. The shelves were barren, empty packages scattered about the place. But sprinkled among the debris were discarded or damaged nutrition packs. Some of them were probably still good. Or at least good enough.
Linden scooped up a few packs, even finding some battered water bottles that had rolled under a counter. But there was still one thing missing. The one thing they had to find above all else.
Making their way over to the electronics section, Linden’s heart soared. Rushing forwards, they grabbed the box and immediately realized it was empty. Linden was about to vent their frustration at a nearby shelf when a voice came from behind.
“Don’t move. Try anything funny and you’ll be leaking methane.” Linden froze instantly. “Turn around. Slowly.”
Linden did as they were told. To their immense relief, the person behind them wasn’t wearing a military uniform. Instead it was an older person, probably around the same age as Larch, wearing a dirty grocer’s apron. But they were holding a scattergun, and behind them Linden could see a pair peeking out from behind a doorway. Linden wondered if getting caught by the military would have been better.
“Drop the bag, looter.”
Linden did as they were told, letting the bag drop with a thud. They hoped the battered water bottles didn’t begin leaking.
“You’ve got some guts coming back here,” the grocer said.
“I haven’t been here before.”
The grocer started intently at Linden. Slowly, their expression of certainty gave way.
“Please,” Linden said. “My grandparents… they’re wilting. I need a sun lamp.”
The grocer let the scattergun drop ever so slightly before catching themselves.
“Where are your parents?” they demanded, raising the gun once more.
“Dead.” Linden didn’t elaborate, but nodded ever so slightly up.
It took a moment for the words to process, but the grocer’s aim dropped as the anger evaporated from their face. For a moment it looked like they would float over and comfort Linden, but they quickly composed themselves.
“Sorry kid, but the sun lamps are all gone. The military… requisitioned… them all a while back. Then the looters took most of what was left.”
Linden bobbed slightly. The store had been their only real idea. In hindsight it should have been obvious. The Humans had systematically destroyed the Ring’s transport infrastructure. So of course the shops had been stripped clean long ago.
Linden’s buoyancy shift must have been obvious, as the grocer drew nearer.
“Hey, cheer up, kid. Have you looked anywhere else? I know the field hospital got a lot of my stuff. You could try there. No guarantee they’ll give you anything though.”
Linden took a deep breath, recalling Hazel’s last message about being strong.
“No,” they said. “Where is it?”
“It’s in the Solar district. Go back out on the street and head towards the financial district until you reach the remains of the water tower. There you need to use the backstreets because a ‘militia’ has set up a ‘toll booth’ in the area. If you don’t--”
Linden scrambled to remember all the details. Their panic must have been evident, as one of the two who had been hiding in the doorway came forward.
“I can show them the way.”
The grocer wheeled around in an instant. “I told you to stay hidden, Juniper!”
“If they try to go alone they’ll just end up lost. Or dead. I can show them where to go, then head right back.” The grocer looked like they were about to shoot down the suggestion. “Please. Remember what Katsura said.”
For a moment the grocer looked at something far beyond the walls of the store. When they snapped back, there was a steely glint to their gaze.
“Fine. But straight there, then back. Promise?”
“Promise!”
Juniper wasted no time and grabbed Linden as they moved towards the broken window. Linden only just managed to pick up the dropped bag as they left.
They moved down the street, further into Hollow Copse, making sure not to stray too far into the open. The streets were mostly empty, but Linden could see eyes following them from inside the buildings lining the street.
Linden studied their new travel companion. Juniper was about Linden’s age, maybe a little younger. They didn’t make eye contact a lot.
“The Humans killed your parents, right?” The question came right out of the blue.
“Um, yes. My stamen died during the first war. My pistil died defending the Ring.”
Juniper got quiet for a little while.
“I’m a little jealous, you know. About your parents being killed by Humans. I think… I think that would be easier. To deal with.”
“What do you mean?”
Juniper stopped dead in their tracks and turned to face Linden.
“The Humans didn’t kill my pistil.”
An awkward silence settled over them as they moved onwards, past the remains of a destroyed water tower. Ahead, Linden saw a barricade stretching across the street. Or the remains of one. A dozen corpses littered the street and a group of soldiers were trying to clear the barricade so a convoy of trucks could move past. Several of the soldiers were wounded. Most of them looked dejected and forlorn.
“That’s the toll booth, or at least it was,” Juniper said as the first truck got through and moved past them.
They crept closer until they found one soldier anchored to a lightpost. They were staring off into the distance.
“Um… excuse me,” Juniper said.
It took a moment for the soldier to react to their presence. When they did, they scowled at them.
“What?”
“What happened here?”
“A bunch of thugs thought they were tough guys. They weren’t.”
“Wasn’t the army holding Marchwood Point?” Linden asked.
The soldier stared at Linden for a moment, then glanced up at the passing convoy. Several of the trucks were carrying wounded soldiers. Most of them were bandaged, but it was their eyes that caught Linden’s attention. Hollow… unfocused… hopeless.
Wounded, but not enough to be out of the fight, Linden realized. They looked away when they spotted a few soldiers around their own age.
“Sixth Company is still holding Marchwood Point,” the soldier said. “For all the good it does us. It was a feint. The Humans’ real target was the Firvin River. They crossed it two hours ago. You get what that means, right kid?”
Linden’s brain worked overtime, trying to place fragmentary unit positions within the local geography. The answer wasn’t pretty.
“We’re surrounded.”
“Yup…” The soldier looked inappropriately serene. “The Humans hit us hard before we even knew about them crossing the Firvin. We didn’t stand a chance. Sixth Company stayed behind to buy us time to get away.” Their voice turned to a hollow laugh. “Heh… Get away…”
Bright white streaks came from the sky, striking the ground with tremendous fury. Orbital bombardment.
“Well, I guess the end of Sixth Company is fast approaching. The Humans will be here soon. They’re damn quick once they achieve a breakthrough.” The soldier sounded quite okay with that.
“Aren’t you going to do something?” Juniper asked. Linden shivered. Their tone was far too demanding.
The soldier wobbled. “Surrounded. No ammo. No reinforcements. Not much we can do.”
“There has to be something!”
The soldier’s eyes grew manic. Linden didn’t like it one bit. They reached out for Juniper, but it was too late.
“Oh, there is very much something I can do.” They pulled their sidearm from the holster. “And I very much intend to do it.”
Linden got hold of Juniper, but the soldier didn’t hesitate. They placed the gun to their central stem and fired. The shot ripped through the soldier, splattering Juniper in chlorophyll.
Linden pulled Juniper away as best they could as the soldier’s body deflated and sunk to the ground. The air had the telltale stink of methane. The convoy didn’t stop. A few soldiers looked down as they passed, but beyond that there was no reaction. Only Juniper did, staring at the corpse while chlorophyll still dripped from them.
“I have to get back,” they said, finally looking away from the soldier. “I’m sorry. I have to go back and warn my family. The Humans… The Humans will be here soon.”
“That’s fine,” Linden said, trying to salvage what they could from the situation. “Where’s the field hospital?”
Juniper waved their anchor further down the street.
“Thank you,” Linden said, hoping the directions would be sufficient. But Juniper was already flying off in the opposite direction.
The field hospital was easy to find. For all the wrong reasons.
The convoy had been transporting those still able to fight. Those not able were taken to the hospital, and they vastly outnumbered the former group.
The hospital was based out of a theatre, but the wounded had spilt out into the square in front of it. It was covered in cots holding the wounded. Some didn’t even have cots, instead lying on the ground with only a blanket between them and the pavement.
Linden had imagined there would be a lot more people screaming in agony at the hospital. Instead, it was eerily quiet. The heavily wounded were all unconscious, zoned out on painkillers. The lightly wounded just sat there, dim, hollow eyes staring out. Out towards the advancing Humans.
In the distance, the orbital bombardment that had pounded Marchwood Point stopped. Linden was running out of time.
They moved across the square and into the theatre. Getting inside was easy. With the hustle and bustle of people moving in and out, there was no real security. Most of the security was probably preparing for a final stand. Or dead.
Once inside, Linden quickly realized that those they had thought were heavily wounded were in fact not. Inside were rows and rows of cots, all holding the dead and the dying. Linden didn’t need to be a doctor to know most of them wouldn’t survive.
Making their way along the cots, Linden found a storage room filled with medical supplies and a handful of battered old props. It didn’t take long to find a small pile of sun lamps. All of them were the same model as the box Linden had found at the store.
Almost floating into the sky with elation, Linden shoved the lamp into their bag and hurried out of the building. They were almost at the door when someone grabbed them and slammed them into the wall.
“Stealing from a hospital, even as the Humans are beating down our gates?! You are a real piece of work, you know that?”
Linden, still reeling from the impact, looked up and saw an old soldier wearing the uniform of the military police. Their face was scarred with burn marks and their anchor ended in a stump. Both injuries looked recent.
“High Councillor White Pine was quite clear: treason against the Republic at this most desperate hour must be dealt with harshly!” The MP dragged Linden towards the door. “The Captain will decide your fate. If you’re lucky you’ll get to redeem yourself against the Human killers.”
“Please, I just need a sun lamp! My grandparents are--”
The MP slammed Linden into the wall again, opened the door and threw them outside. Linden hit a lamppost which knocked the buoyancy out of them. Sinking towards the ground, Linden heard the tinkle of broken glass from inside their bag.
Linden didn’t dare move. It was quiet. Eerily quiet. Moreso than before.
The MP didn’t pick Linden back up, or slam them into the pavement once more. That was strange. After what felt like minutes, Linden dared to look up.
The MP hung in the air, seemingly frozen in place. Their eyes were transfixed on something on the other side of the square. Slowly, Linden turned to look.
The vehicle wasn’t one Linden had seen before. It was clearly military in nature, but it wasn’t designed with Lilarobius bodies in mind. Next to the vehicle stood a figure.
Bipedal, with two rigid protrusions extending from its torso, it looked weirdly elongated. Imposing even. Linden realized they were much taller than the vids had implied.
The Human stood there watching them. Every Lilarobius still conscious stared back. It was wearing a face mask that covered the lower parts of its face, but the eyes were still visible. Cold, dead eyes of white with blue disks in them that darted around. They lacked the warm glow of Lilarobius' eyes. For a moment Linden wondered how they were even able to see without the glow.
It took a moment for Linden to realize it wasn’t alone. The same strange, elongated figures moved in the shadows of the surrounding buildings. Linden counted a dozen. Probably more.
A gunshot rang out and the Human reached for its weapon, though it didn’t seem too concerned. Linden turned around for the source and saw the MP fall to the ground with a bullet hole in their central stem. Their sidearm hung limply from one tentacle. The smell of methane washed over Linden.
They looked back at the alien and their eyes met. The Human’s gaze bored into Linden as it began walking closer.
* * *
It only took seven hours between the last shot of the Battle of Lav and the first shot of the Siege of Lav. Admiral Shen was very keen on “getting shots on target” as soon as possible in an effort to maintain maximum pressure on the Lavis Republic.
Despite this, she still had to secure the system’s shipyard which was still somewhat operational despite having a ship’s reactor fail inside its dockyard. She also had to send rescue crews to the four corvettes that had been destroyed, but had not suffered from reactor failure. She had been instructed to do the same for any Ring Defence Fleet ships that had survived reasonably intact, but Shen was clear that she did not consider this a high priority.
The initial bombardment was sporadic and patchwork. While naval intelligence had worked hard to gather as much information on the military situation, there was little information about Ringside infrastructure. Captain Schützmann of the Margay described it thus:
“For the first few days it was a scramble. The parts of the crew not currently busy would pour over orbital photographs, looking for anything that ‘looked important’. Once they found something, they would pass it on to the intelligence wonks who would determine if it was a legal target. Anything deemed acceptable was then sent to me and the Admiral for final approval. If it passed muster, we would level it.
Some of the men turned it into a game, with a scoreboard listing what ships had identified the most targets. By the time we left the Ring for a refit, I think the Margay was fourth on the scoreboard.”
As time went on, the orbital bombardment got more structured. The use of unmanned aerial drones assisted with reconnaissance and analysts developed a better understanding of Lilarobius infrastructure. The result was a systematic destruction of the Ring’s surface industry. Ponderosa Pine, who lived through the siege and later wrote the book ‘Endtimes: Our Final Days’, describes the escalation:
“At first it was almost harmless, an army base was destroyed here, a munition factory there. As long as you didn’t live right next to something that could threaten the Humans, you were quite safe. Naturally, we were confused by this, as we’d been told the Humans would start by levelling cities. We huddled in service tunnels inside the Ring, expecting every day to see the Humans come down and kill us.
Then, just as we were beginning to get used to the situation, the Humans began targeting infrastructure. We were already suffering from supply shortages. Those got much worse once the Humans began destroying roads and trains. They also targeted power and communication. And in the absence of clear news, rumours spread like wildfire.”
Despite this, Admiral Shen and the Executive Council were unsatisfied with the results. The Ring was, as feared, full of service tunnels far below the surface. These proved hard, if not impossible, to crack for the orbiting ships. This gave the SSA two options: starve out the Lilarobius[1], or land troops on the ring.
The Lilarobius were not entirely passive through this. While the Lavis Republic had not colonised any other worlds due to issues with the Lilarobian immune system, there were mining outposts and other installations with small populations found throughout the surrounding systems. These populations now faced a decision about what to do.
Some were desperate to drive Humanity away from the Ring. But without weapons they instead resorted to suicidal tactics. In the early days of the siege, a number of freighters, construction ships and courier boats would enter the Lav system and try to ram the Human ships. Every single attempt failed.
A Lilarobius construction ship that tried to ram the Home Fleet. It was destroyed by a pair of corvettes on picket duty before it came within 1 AU of the fleet. As the ships were civilian in nature, they did not possess the armour needed to stand up to Human weapons.
The Remnant Fleet as it is leaving Lavis space. The fleet would cause no end of trouble for other stellar nations as it scavenged and stole resources in order to survive. Deeply xenophobic, they refused any offers of help.
(Art by Tenement01)
On the domestic front, a lot had happened since the war began. Just prior to the war, the preparations needed to colonise Samdeeram II had almost been completed. With the outbreak of war, those plans had been put on hold. Now, with the Ring Defense Fleet destroyed and the Lavis threat bottled up on the Ring, the project was given the final resources needed.
However, reconnaissance suggested that the Collodor system bordering the Lav system contained a potentially life-bearing world. This would be much closer than both Samdeeram II and Saldropis IIIa, which was also a candidate for colonisation.
Saldropis IIIa was technically a moon, but could also be considered a double planet, as both worlds were similar in mass. The exploration of Saldropis IIIa had to be cut shut after several encounters with the local wildlife, which was described as “exceptionally aggressive”.
All of this mattered very little to the average citizen on Earth. With the immediate threat contained, their attention soon turned back to issues that had been brewing before the war. Namely rising unemployment.
During the buildup to the First Lavis War there had been significant cuts to basic income to fund the fleet expansion. The effects of this had been buoyed by industrial expansion to feed the fleet buildup and by colonial ventures creating more jobs. Now many of the new jobs were being automated once more, both on Earth as well as in the colonies. The issue of rising unemployment had been buried by the outbreak of war, but once again the SSA and national governments were facing criticism from the voters. This played a large part in the delay to the invasion, as both the SSA and the Great Powers feared a costly victory could create a rift in the alliance.
On the 2nd of October, 2142, the geopolitical situation gained a new wrinkle as the Beldross embassy requested an urgent audience with the Executive Council. Once gathered, the Beldross requested that Humanity serve as mediators between them and a third party. While hesitant, the Executive Council agreed. A few hours later the Beldross delivered a message on behalf of the Suramo of the Welfon-Boordar Trade Association.
First contact with the Welfon-Boordar Trade Association was almost a disaster as a bug in the translation software caused a misunderstanding. The Suramo accused the Beldross of sabotaging the talks, which required a great deal of effort to ease over.
This came to a head at some point following the Battle of Lav, when a Beldross patrol craft boarded a Welfon-Boordar cargo freighter in a disputed system. The Trade Association claimed that the Beldross boarded the craft, killed the crew, and then “reprocessed them” (i.e. ate them). The Hive did not dispute them boarding the craft and “reprocessing” the crew, they denied killing them, instead claiming that the crew had died due to a fault in the life-support system.
The incident was the latest in a long line between the two states, and several prominent Association board members were openly calling for “the enforced deregulation of Beldross markets”. The Hive, hoping to avoid conflict, suggested involving the Space Security Administration as neutral arbiters. The Suramo were sceptical, but agreed.
It is not clear what the Hive hoped to achieve with this suggestion. The most common theory is that the Hive expected Humanity to side with them in the dispute, potentially even lending its military weight. If so, it was a great miscalculation.
For the first time since leaving the Sol system forty years ago, Humanity had met an alien civilisation that was both like them, and did not want to see them dead. In newspapers and online, there was a palpable relief at finally finding “equals”.
Meanwhile, the Welfon-Boordar Trade Association was thrilled to meet a new potential trade partner and used the Human position as “neutral” arbiters for all it was worth. The Association extracted several concessions from the Beldross Hive, most of them superficial in nature. The true goal was nurturing a relationship with Humanity.
It did not take long before the Suramo broached the subject of formal diplomatic relations. This had some logistical issues since neither side had direct access to the other.
The Executive Council sent their instructions before the agreement was even finalised. On Neu Brandenburg, engineers were instructed to pack up the Psionic-Augmented Quantum Entanglement Binary Communication Device and pack it onto a courier boat. It was to be shipped to the Welfon-Boordar Trade Association main office and installed there.
The Psionic-Augmented Quantum Entanglement Binary Communication Device (affectionately known as the Russalka Phone by engineers working on the project) was an experimental communication device. Using Dr. Heinemann’s work studying the “Living Sea”, the device created a pair of “linked” particles, one on Earth and one on Neu Brandenburg. These particles could then be used to transmit binary data without regard for the distance between the devices. The bitrate was atrocious, but it still allowed for instant communication over vast distances.
While this change was clear from the negotiations with the Suramo, the final nail was when a few months later the Beldross enquired about a technology-sharing agreement. The proposal found very little support in the Administration Assembly, and behind closed doors the Executive Council was advised by military leaders to reject it. Already the plans for a potential war with the Hive were being updated.
The agreement was rather one-sided, as the Beldross were falling behind on technological developments. The Hive was clearly trying to improve its position relative to the Welfon-Boordar Trade Association.
Despite pounding the Ring near constantly for two years, the effects of orbital bombardment were still limited. The Navy was confident they could break the Lavis military, but the most optimistic estimates required another two years. The more pessimistic estimates required five. This was a blow to the Great Powers, where there were increasing demands to have “the troops back for Christmas”[5]. While China, Russia and especially Germany had hoped to minimise Human casualties, the prospect of a long war was equally unpopular.
On the 2nd of September, 2143, Admiral Shen was informed that the Executive Council and the Administration Assembly had given the order to land troops on the Ring. She passed this message on to the overall commander of the ground forces, Feldmarschall von Carlowitz. Most of the preparations had already been done, and Humanity would have boots on the Ring in only four days.
The first wave lands on the Ring. While the Lilarobius tried to oppose this landing, they faced the full might of the Home Fleet’s orbital bombardment. A beachhead was established within hours, allowing the rest of the 1st Expeditionary Army to follow.
(Art by James Lewis-Vines)
This success came at a cost. The rapid Human advance not only caused panic among the military ranks, but also in the civilian population. Whenever Human ground forces were pushing towards a city or village, there was always a stream of refugees fleeing on overloaded trains, ships and other means of escape. Often this would not be fast enough, and the refugees would arrive at their destination only to find it already occupied by Humanity.
A German drone carrier (or Drohnenvogel), used both for air superiority and close air support. Germany had brought two of these to the Ring, while China and Russia had brought one each. These were instrumental in the rapid advance, as they could respond faster and more accurately than orbital bombardment.
The suffering of the civilian population did not lessen after being overrun. Von Carlowitz reported that “I do not have time for humanitarian[6] activities. I have a war to end.” Basic supplies for the Lilarobius were often scarce, and what supplies there were was often stuck in place as the military prioritised supplying Human troops.
Worsening the situation was the various holdouts, partisans and resistance groups. Most of these operated from bases located inside the Ring. The task of clearing these out was given to the Japanese.
Japanese troops were woefully unprepared for the kind of war the Great Powers were fighting. Equipped only with open-topped trucks that could only do 80 km/h on paved roads and no armour, they often found themselves lagging hundreds of kilometres behind the front. Admiral Ikegoshi openly worried that he and his troops wouldn’t see any fighting. So when the opportunity arose he committed to it fully.
Clearing the tunnels under the Ring was, as expected, some of the fiercest fighting of the campaign. The Lilarobius holed up in them were often trapped, fanatical and ready to die. They would often charge at Japanese soldiers in “human” wave attacks while screaming “Lav Certyin” (t.l. For the Eternal Ring, a phrase with spiritual connotation for the Lilarobius). These “Certyin charges” were rarely successful, but frayed the morale of the Japanese troops.
The fighting got so intense that Admiral Ikegoshi requested permission to clear the tunnels with chemical weapons, a request supported by Admiral Shen. It was denied by the Executive Council, but permission was given to use incendiary weapons. This decision would prove controversial later on, but at the time it was quite effective.
A Japanese soldier clearing a holdout with a flamethrower. Incendiary weapons proved very effective in clearing enemy positions. However, their true potential came as a side effect of Lilarobius physiology. The large methane bladders that let them float could be ignited by something as simple as tracer rounds (a fact exploited by machine gun teams who would load more tracers than normal). Purpose-built incendiaries had a devastating effect on enemy morale, and holdouts would often surrender the moment they learned that Humans were planning on using them.
(Art by Atomicsandwich)
The biggest coup of the war came with the attack on the capital of the republic, the city of Shining Falls. As the seat of the Lavis government, High Councillor White Pine made holding the city the highest priority. Furthermore, they demanded that Humanity be stopped outside the city. They were warned that doing this would be extremely difficult, as the military leaders instead wanted to use the city as a battleground. The High Councillor overruled them.
It is not entirely clear why White Pine made this decision. The leading theory is that they were worried about a potential coup. White Pine’s popularity had been declining since the end of the First Lavis War. It has been theorised that they began the second war in an effort to unite the Lilarobius and boost their flagging popularity. This had spectacularly backfired, and the ensuing two years of orbital bombardment had led to open calls among the populace for their removal. Losing Shining Falls might cause some in the military to heed those calls.
The Lilarobius set up positions around the city, which left them dangerously exposed and overextended. Human intelligence was able to pick up on this, and von Carlowitz and his staff set out to make a plan. Instead of engaging the enemy and then letting them retreat back into the city, the Germans (most of the forces involved in the operation were Germans) would instead focus on a single Schwerpunkt, push through and occupy the city before the Lilarobius could react. It was a bold plan, but one the German army had executed before. A member of von Carlowitz’ staff, Generalmajor Amelie Schneider, commented that “It will be like visiting Paris. Again.”
The assault began on November 22nd with orbital bombardment and air strikes. What followed was an overwhelming attack by some of the most elite military units of the Heer, including the largest concentration of drone tanks seen during the war. The defenders, still reeling from the bombardment, were quickly overrun. The Germans, barely stopping to take stock of the situation, pushed on to Shining Falls.
The citizens of Shining Falls had less than two hours between the news that the defensive line had been broken and the first Human troops entering the city. Only the highest members of government, including White Pine themselves, had the time and means to evacuate. Most of the citizens huddled in terror as the Germans seized key positions. They expected the worst. But it never came.
Humanity had seized the capital of the Lavis Republic while hardly firing a shot. Even von Carlowitz expressed surprise at the ease of the attack. Moreover, a significant portion of the Lavis Republic’s civilian government had been unable to escape the city and were now in Human hands.
After securing the city, the German troops took the time to arrange a parade down one of the major thoroughfares of Shining Falls. While officially a display of force, unofficially it was a massive photo op. Pictures were circulated widely, with comparisons being drawn to the occupation of Paris during the Nine Week Directorate.
Despite Shen’s lack of tact, the talks kept going. With the loss of Shining Falls it was clear that the Lavis Republic had lost the war. Humanity was progressing rapidly on all fronts, and continued fighting would only prolong the suffering of the populace. Black Spruce requested, and was given, permission to present the High Councillor with Humanity’s terms.
The offer did not go down well. White Pine accused Black Spruce, and the entire population of Shining Falls, of treason and wowed to continue the fight until the stain of collaboration had been burned from the Ring. It has been noted, both at the time and by later historians, that White Pine only mentioned Humanity twice during the discussion.
What followed is a bit muddled, with conflicting accounts and little hard evidence.
The official account from the Lavis Republic is that following the talks the High Councillor went into a deep depression that lasted for several days. They, and what little remained of the Republic’s government, were holed up in the Deeps, an especially large set of tunnels that had been used as a strategic command centre for centuries. Surrounded and without access to sunlight, the base was in a state of siege.
Accounts from those at the base say that after a few days of denial, White Pine asked their remaining generals to meet in the command room. There they announced that Shining Falls had fallen due to treason, and that the same was true of every other city that had fallen to Humanity. White Pine then ordered a nuclear strike against Shining Falls and several other major cities[7].
According to the official account, the assembled generals refused to follow this order. White Pine is then supposed to have then threatened them with a sidearm. A scuffle broke out, during which White Pine was accidentally shot. They passed within the hour.
This account is suspect, as the individuals present at this meeting then ordered that White Pine’s body be burned. This naturally prevented Human examination of the body, but in Lilarobius culture burning the remains of the deceased is considered a mark of great disrespect.
Regardless, with the High Councillor dead, command of the Republic passed to First Chair Chestnut Oak, who was sworn in within hours. Their first, and only, act as High Councillor of the Lavis Republic was to order all Lavis military units to stand down and formally surrender to Humanity.
On the 5th of December, 2143, 263 years after High Councillor Shellbark Hickory announced the end of the Unification Wars and the formation of a united Lilarobius state, the Lavis Republic was dissolved. All duties of the Republic were transferred to the Space Security Administration military, and all current and former members of the previous government were detained. The Second Lavis War was over.
[2] - Silver Maple had been out of the system at the time of the Battle of Lav. Unable to contact any senior members of the Lavis Republic, they assumed Humanity had already destroyed most of the Ring.
[3] - While there were traditional nation-states on the Suramo homeworld of Athanebia, these possessed only nominal control of their territories. The WBTA maintained a monopoly on space travel and had complete control of any colonial holdings. Most member corporations had moved their offices off-world; primarily to be out of reach for any national governments, but also for tax reasons.
[4] - Named for the contested region of space that had led to the confrontation.
[5] - The Navy dryly noted that they “clearly meant by Christmas 2144”, as transporting the troops back to Earth would require about a year.
[6] - The term was typically used in a bit of a tongue-in-cheek manner. An official “replacement term” had not been agreed on.
[7] - There had been previous attempts to use tactical nuclear weapons against Human forces during the invasion, but all had failed. In every instance, the nuclear radiation of the weapons had revealed them to the orbiting fleets the moment they were removed from underground storage. That site would then face the full might of the Home Fleet.
Well, this chapter got a bit out of hand. It’s now the longest chapter of the AAR, at around 6.900 words. For comparison, the previous longest chapter was Prologue: The Space Race, which was just shy of 4.800 words.
And as @Chasetheace110 pointed out, it has now been a year since I posted the first chapter of this AAR. I would like to thank everyone who has been reading along. This story has really rekindled my passion for writing after a few years of not feeling motivated.
The next part will be another interlude, so that will hopefully be a little shorter. But me being me, it has already grown beyond its original scope…
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Really great update. I liked and appreciated the perspective of the Lilarobius as they were conquered, we don't frequently hear from the losers of a war, and the whole thing was very well imagined, as well as the fallout.
The internal Earth politics also continue to be wonderfully though out and written. I'm glad you're enjoying writing this, I am certainly enjoying reading it.
The internal Earth politics also continue to be wonderfully though out and written. I'm glad you're enjoying writing this, I am certainly enjoying reading it.
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I noticed this thread a while ago but never got around to catching up to it. We'll, now I will!
This chapter was masterfully written, a very complete and well rounded account on the last phase of the war. You even made me empathise with the Lavis characters, despite being 1) plants and 2) waging a genocidal war. I'll be sure to follow this story!
This chapter was masterfully written, a very complete and well rounded account on the last phase of the war. You even made me empathise with the Lavis characters, despite being 1) plants and 2) waging a genocidal war. I'll be sure to follow this story!
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I'm reminded of when David Cage claimed we needed photo realistic characters in games for players to empathise with them. Then someone brought up how players empathised with coloured rectangles in Thomas Was Alone.
Of course, Thomas didn't want to commit genocide.
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Now humanity has to decide what to do about now occupying an entire ring world. That’s several Earths worth of ground to cover. Not to mention, humanity has to figure out what to do with ruling over an entire different species. Humanity already has trouble dealing with each other if they are merely different cultures. I can’t imagine how much worse that is with aliens. Especially aliens that have been taught by their government that anything not Lavis is a dangerous monster that has no right to exist.
Humanity will have to tackle some difficult questions going forward.
Humanity will have to tackle some difficult questions going forward.
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This was a brilliant update! It was really nice to get a Lilarobius perspective again.
I'm now curious to see how the ring will be treated after the war, what rights will the Lilarobius still have?
I'm now curious to see how the ring will be treated after the war, what rights will the Lilarobius still have?
Just wanted to let you know that I had the honor of bestowing the WriAAR of the Week to you for the writing in this AAR. Congrats and keep it up
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Interlude: Family
Family
December 2143 - Marchall Residence - Toronto
“You know, spacecraft don’t veer off course like that when they’re destroyed. They keep going in the same direction as before.”
Dylan ignored his father and had the toy ship blast off into space. He hadn’t decided if it was called the Tiger or the Bear. Dad had told him that ocelots were a type of cat so the Tiger was the most appropriate, but Bears were much stronger. It didn’t matter just yet. He just had to have decided by the time he showed it to John and Gabriel.
“Also, spaceships don’t make any sound as they travel,” Dad continued. “That’s because--”
“Jordan, how old is Dylan?”
Dylan looked up at his mother. “Six!”
“That’s right,” she said. “So maybe wait with the physics lessons until he’s eleven or twelve.”
“Whats fysiks?” Dylan asked.
His mother made the expression she often gave Dad. He grinned.
“Ever thrown a ball? That’s physics.”
“Ok,” Dylan said, not sure what they could tell him about throwing balls. He was very good at throwing balls. He did it all the time.
Uncle George turned on the TV. Dylan looked up to see if it was cartoons. It wasn’t. Instead it was one of those shows where people in suits just talked. It was pretty boring, but sometimes they showed videos of spaceships or tanks, which was pretty cool. Grandpa sat down to watch, speaking in low tones with Uncle George. His brother Trevon hung around the edge of the conversation.
“Honey, could you get the table ready?” Mom asked. “The roast is almost done.”
“Sure,” he said, then he turned to Dylan. “Do you want to help me set the table?”
Dylan was on his feet in seconds. “Yes!”
They walked out into the kitchen and Dad gave Dylan some plates. Dylan carried them into the living room, where Dad put them on the table. It took several trips, but they finally got all the plates in place. Now they only had to get some knives and forks, as well as some glasses for everyone. That would probably go quicker. Dylan could carry more at the same time.
Dad was rummaging through the top cupboards, far out of Dylan’s reach, when Mom screamed. Dad was out of the room before Dylan knew what was going on.
He ran after his father into the living room and found everyone staring at the TV. Mom and his older sister Amber stared at the screen in shock while Uncle George did a fist pump.
“Fuck yeah! Get fucked, weeds!” Trevon shouted. Normally bad language would have gotten him into trouble, but Mom didn’t seem to notice.
Grandpa and Grandma were the only ones not looking at the screen. They stared at Dad, who was staring transfixed at the TV.
“We do have confirmation from a Space Security Administration spokesperson that the surrender is unconditional,” the suited man on the TV said. Normally, they looked so calm. Now he looked a bit unsteady. All around him were red banners. Dylan tried to recall what he’d learned in school.
“B… R… E… A… K… I… N… G… Breaking,” Dylan said. “What has broken?”
His mother and grandparents suddenly noticed he was in the room. Dad was still staring at the screen.
“To anyone who has just joined us: the Lavis Republic has surrendered to Human forces on the Ring,” the man on TV said.
His father fell to his knees and began howling. Tears ran down his face. Mom and Grandma rushed to him, Mom hugging him closely, just the way she hugged Dylan when he’d hurt himself. Grandpa stepped over to Dad and rubbed his back.
“It’s okay, Jordan. They can’t hurt you anymore. They can’t hurt anyone now.”
“Why is Dad crying?” Dylan asked. He’d never seen his father cry. He hadn’t thought he could cry. Dads didn’t cry…
Everyone looked at him. Everyone except Dad, who kept sobbing. Mom let go of Dad and was halfway up when Grandpa stopped her.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this,” he said, and Mom sat back down.
Grandpa came over and knelt down next to Dylan.
“I heard you got a new spaceship for your birthday.”
“Yes…” Dylan answered, unsure what that had to do with his father crying.
“Why don’t you show it to me.”
“Okay…” Dylan didn’t understand. He’d shown the ship to Grandpa and Grandma when they’d arrived. But he led Grandpa over to the table where he’d left the ship.
“Ah, an Ocelot,” Grandpa said as he picked up the model. “That’s a powerful ship.”
His grandfather bent down so he was at eye level with Dylan. He held the ship in front of him.
“Now, Dylan, a long time ago, before you, or even Amber and Trevon, were born, your father worked on a ship like this. Not this kind, a smaller one.”
Dylan reached out slowly and picked up the ship.
“Dylan, do you know about the plant aliens?”
“Yeah, the weeds.”
“Don’t call them that.”
“Trevor calls them that all the time.”
“Calling them that could lead to terrible things. Your brother is a fool if he doesn’t realise that.”
Grandpa looked down for a second, then took a deep breath.
“Back then, the plant aliens tried to hurt us. All of us. Every living Human being. So a lot of brave men and women stepped forward to keep the aliens from hurting us. And a lot of them got hurt in the process. Your father was one of those people. He worked on a ship like that, and kept us all safe. Me, Grandma, your mother, even Uncle George.”
Dylan clutched the ship. It seemed much more important now. But it still didn’t make sense.
“But why is Dad crying? He stopped the we— the plants.”
“Yes, he did. But they tried again. And this time some different brave men and women stepped forwards to keep us all safe. And what the man on the TV just said is that the aliens agree not to try to hurt us again. Your father is just very happy about that. He was worried about them hurting you or your siblings.”
Dylan glanced at the TV. They were showing people cheering in the streets, celebrating. None of them was crying.
“How about we go and see if Dad is doing better?” Dylan nodded and followed Grandpa.
Dad was sitting in his favourite chair. Someone had given him a glass of water and Mom was stroking his head. He looked pretty normal, except for the red, puffy eyes.
“How are you doing, Jordan,” Grandpa asked.
“Better,” Dad said. His voice sounded rough, like he was sick. “I still can’t believe it.”
Dylan stepped forward, still holding the model. “Grandpa told me you used to work on a spaceship. And that you kept everyone safe…”
His dad looked him straight in the eyes. “Yeah… That’s right. It was a very long time ago.”
Dylan took a deep breath. “When I’m older, I want to keep everyone safe too!”
Mom gave him a weird look, but Dad leaned closer and put his hand on Dylan’s head, stroking his hair.
“No, Dylan. You don’t have to.”
* * *
December 2143 - Aid Station 46 - Former Folvaris Ward
The Human soldier looked down at Linden from the watchtower. It made Linden feel very small and vulnerable, which no doubt was the intended effect.
The Humans preferred to keep their distance. It was something Linden had noticed after the surrender. They’d asked a few people about it and gotten different answers. Some said the Humans were afraid of them. Others said that the Humans found Lilarobian bodies disgusting. The explanation Linden put the most stock in was that the Humans wanted clear sightlines if any of them got out of line.
Once inside the camp gates, there were several lines, all of them endlessly long. Fortunately they were all labelled.
The inside walls were covered in instructions for what you should and should not do. They were written in several different local languages. Occasionally, there was stuff written in Human languages as well. Their scripts were so weird, angular and… alien.
Linden waited. The line moved regularly, but it was so long it felt like it would take too long. They were clearly not alone in thinking that, and tensions in the line were high. At one point a couple of people up ahead started fighting. Linden didn’t catch why, but the local security was there a moment later.
They were Lilarobious too, hired by the Humans to keep order. Everyone hated them. But they kept the Humans from getting involved. Usually.
One of those fighting didn’t understand that, and they smacked a guard in the gas bladder. As the guard went down, the Humans came in. Four of them grabbed the two fighting, while a fifth tended to the downed guard. Nobody tried to fight back, and the Humans removed both of the fighters from the line. After that there was no more fighting.
It took hours to get to the front of the line, but Linden could finally see the end. Two Humans and one Lilarobian stood behind a table. All of them wore uniforms, though the Liliarobian’s had been stripped of all rank and unit patches. Only the medic patch remained.
Linden studied the Human uniforms carefully and was relieved to see a patch with white, blue and red lines. While none of the Human soldiers were especially friendly, most of them weren’t out for blood.
But the key word was “most”. Linden had seen a group of Human soldiers, those with red circles on a white background, beat someone senseless just for bumping into them. And rumours suggested it could be far worse.
It was finally Linden’s turn and one of the Humans waved them forward. They were just about to move when someone barged in front. They had a wild look to them as they floated up to the table standing in front of the Humans.
“You have to help me! They’re sick and I don’t know how long they will last!”
“No cutting in line.” The robotic voice coming from the translator on the Human’s wrist made it sound like they were bored. Maybe they were. “Go to the back of the line and wait your turn.”
“You don’t understand! It’s my child! They’re suffering from black knots! They’re going to die!”
The other human pointed to Linden. “You! What are you here about?”
“Um…” Linden froze for a moment as they became the centre of attention. “It— it’s my grandparents. They’re wilting, and I can’t help them. I don’t know what to do.”
The Human returned their attention to the interloper. “See? This is the line for medical assistance. Everyone here is in dire need of help. You are not special. Now get to the back of the line.”
The translator rendered every word in the same monotone, but Linden didn’t need it to hear the anger and frustration in the Human’s voice, strange and guttural as it may be.
The interloper was about to say something when they noticed the local security standing by, with Human soldiers standing a bit further away. For a moment they lost buoyancy, then they floated towards the start of the line. The Human waved Linden closer as if nothing had happened.
“Grandparents are wilting, huh?” they said, looking to the medic.
“Are they still buoyant?” the medic asked.
“No. We were hiding in a service hatch and now I can’t get them out.”
“How is their skin? Any brown?”
“Not yet. But it is starting to discolour. And it’s dry to the touch.”
“Sounds like medium to advanced wilting,” the medic said to the Humans, the translator sputtering out guttural sounds. “They will need a sunlamp or two, but the best solution would be to get them out of the service hatch and into a sun-facing shelter. Give them some nutrient packs to speed up recovery.”
The Humans waited for the translator to finish, then pressed a button. When next they spoke, the translator was silent.
They spoke for a few minutes, Linden growing anxious as they did. If the Humans didn’t help, then Linden didn’t know what to do. Going to the aid camp had not been an easy decision.
Finally the Humans stopped talking. One touched the translator again, while the other worked on their slate.
“And this over to the people by the vehicle park,” they said, handing Linden a piece of paper with some symbols on it. “They will help you. Next!”
Linden had little time to process what had happened before being shuffled out of the line. Clutching the piece of paper hard, they made their way to the vehicle park. There were far fewer people there, and Linden was met by a few Humans as they approached. Wordlessly, Linden held out the paper.
Their leader read it, then the Humans discussed it amongst themselves. Finally the leader turned on a translator.
“Wait there,” they said, pointing to one of the strange Human vehicles. “We’ll be there shortly.”
While the Human had said “shortly”, it still felt like an eternity to Linden. They still had no idea what the Humans were planning, and if whatever they were planning would work.
At long last someone came. A group of four Humans and another Lilorobian in a stripped-down medic’s uniform. The Humans largely ignored Linden as they began loading equipment onto the vehicle. Only one of them approached Linden.
“Where are they?” the Human asked, holding out a slate with a map.
Linden pointed to it, and the Human studied the location for a moment.
“Everyone get on! It’s a short ride, if a bumpy one.”
The Humans climbed onto the vehicle and Linden followed. It was awkward to find somewhere to anchor, so the Lilarobian medic floated over.
“Hold here, and hold on tight. These trucks were made with them in mind.”
The engine roared into life and the medic was instantly proven right. Every turn, start and stop jostled Linden and the medic around. The Humans, aided by gravity and friction, didn’t move nearly as much.
They drove through the remnants of Hollow Copse, getting priority passage through all the checkpoints. As they did, Linden caught a few nasty glances from people along the road. Linden tried to not let it get to them. They must have done a pretty bad job.
“They’re not looking at you,” the medic said. “They’re looking at me.”
Linden stared at them for a moment, considering what to say.
“But why? You’re helping.”
The medic bobbed, which was impressive given the bumpy ride. “Yeah. But they’ll call me a traitor even as I bandage their wounds, treat their children of needle blight, or try to comfort them in their final moments. Emotion makes fools of us all.”
The rest of the trip was done in silence. Mostly due to the uneven dirt roads throwing Linden and the medic around.
At the end of the dirt road, they arrived at a small clearing with a low earth mound. There were thousands just like it all around the Ring, maybe even millions. The Humans unloaded their equipment from the truck and then made their way over. Linden had left the hatch open and they all made their way into the darkness.
It was tough going for the Humans as they were too tall and gangly to navigate the tunnels comfortably. But after a while (and a few Human exclamations that the translators struggled with), they finally reached the chamber that had been home to Linden for more than a year.
Larch and Cypress were still lying where Linden had left them. Fear shot through Linden as Larch didn’t move. The medic rushed over, lighting a sunlamp and examining them.
“Both are suffering from advanced wilting. I can stabilise them, but we need to get them out of here.”
“Are they safe to move?” one of the Humans asked.
“It should be fine. Better than leaving them here anyway.”
Larch began to stir as people talked. They mumbled something and turned to look. When they saw the Humans, they screamed and flailed away. Their words were slurred and incomprehensible.
“Larch, they’re here to help!” Linden shouted. It didn’t have any effect. Instead the screams got worse.
“They’re delirious! I’ll have to sedate them!” the medic shouted. “Hold them down for me.”
Two of the Humans stepped up and held Larch down. One of them spoke as Larch screamed even more. The translator came with its monotone voice a moment later.
“We’re here to help. Stay strong. Don’t be afraid. Everything will be okay, I promise.”
The words cut into Linden and touched something. Something that they had suppressed for two years. Something they had never had time to deal with. Something that was still raw.
Linden screamed, then broke down and sobbed.
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The two contrasting images of the war’s end. I found enjoyment in the simple domesticity portrayed at the beginning with Dylan and his family. Something about a family going about their day always charmed me. My heart went out to Dylan’s father when he started crying in relief at the news of the Lilarobous’ surrender. It’s clear he has PTSD, or at least some very unpleasant memories, from fighting the last war against the Lilarobius. For them to finally be defeated, for him to no longer have to fear for his families safety in the face of a genocidal alien empire….I can’t imagine the relief he’s feeling. I appreciate the grandpa telling Dylan that bad things could come from calling the Lilarobius weeds. Seems he understands that the end of the Lavis Republic will not mean the end of humanity’s interactions with the Lilarobius; and that letting hate for the Lilarobius fester, even in small ways, could lead to dark things down the line.
For Linden, all that’s left if the war is to pick up the pieces amidst the wreckage; and make sure their loved ones survive. Having to rely on the very aliens that invaded you for aid has got to be a nerve wracking experience. Honestly, Linden is having a really rough go if it all things considered, especially their breakdown at the end. Hopefully things will get better someday for them; and their remaining family receiving much needed medical attention will be a good first step.
For Linden, all that’s left if the war is to pick up the pieces amidst the wreckage; and make sure their loved ones survive. Having to rely on the very aliens that invaded you for aid has got to be a nerve wracking experience. Honestly, Linden is having a really rough go if it all things considered, especially their breakdown at the end. Hopefully things will get better someday for them; and their remaining family receiving much needed medical attention will be a good first step.
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I really like the way you describe the occupation of the Lilorobians. It shows how their fanatic xenophobia is more of an ideological dogma than a genetic predisposition. And Linden is a great character, perfectly representing the limbo in which his people are living now, forced to rely on the soldiers of the people they've been at war with for decades!
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It's the same magic when I was reading for the first time Atomic Crown, but it's focused on Germany and in space.
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One of the things I love about Stellaris (and Victoria, to an even greater degree) is how a nation's people can shift, putting them at odds with the government. And the government can try to fight it, or embrace it and change as well.
That is some high praise. The Crown Atomic very much inspired me. I like to think that the backstory is sort of a reversal of fortune, with Canada suffering from the stagnation and lack of legitimacy that Germany had to deal with in that story.
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Our Oldest Enemy
Our Oldest Enemy
June 2144 - The Ring - On approach to Fort Barbarossa
A propaganda poster on the Ring, warning the Lilarobius that “You cannot hide. I see everything.” The figure would become synonymous with Humanity for the generation of Lilarobius growing up in the aftermath of the war. Among Humans stationed on the Ring, the figure was affectionately known as “Orwell”, with the exception of Japanese troops, who instead called him “oniisan”.
The Gardens of Justice had been an important part of Lilarobius culture. A sort of supreme court that had preceded the formation of a united state. From the reports, the navy had hesitated to open fire on it during the siege. That was until they began pronouncing propaganda during the ground invasion. The bombardment had been intense. Not a single structure remained standing. A statement, from Humanity to the Lilarobius.
Building a Human fortress on the site was another statement.
Fort Barbarossa was the only permanent Human facility on the Ring. The aliens were forbidden from getting within 50 kilometres of it, and the exclusion zone was enforced by the fleet in orbit. It would be Hyun-ae’s home for the next two years, possibly more.
The shuttle touched down inside the courtyard and she stepped out as work crews approached to unload the cargo. Carrying her bag, she walked towards the main entrance. She did not know where she was going, but there weren’t that many options.
“Detective Kim,” a voice called out. She turned and saw her new boss, Commissioner General Christopher Sharp walk towards her. “Welcome to the Ring.”
Hyun-ae dropped her bag and saluted. Sharp looked amused for a second, then did one himself. It would not have passed muster back in Seoul.
“How was the trip?”
“Long, or so I’m told. Slept through most of it.”
“Yeah, that’s the benefit for people like us. Got a friend in the navy who was here during the war. Said the worst part wasn’t the fighting, but the months of being stuck in a tin can with nothing to do. I imagine…” He trailed off, and Hyun-ae saw the work crews giving them a sour look. They were in their way. “Well, I can tell you later. Let us get you settled.”
Sharp went about doing just that, showing Hyun-ae to her new quarters, the mess hall and the various recreation areas. They were on their way to the briefing room when they encountered a man going the other way.
“Ah, perfect timing,” Commissioner Sharp said. “Detective Amamiya Ren, meet your new partner, Detective Kim Hyun-ae.”
The man, a tall, somewhat pale and lanky individual with messy hair, stared at her for a moment. Then looked to the Commissioner.
“We’ve got an incident.” He turned to Hyun-ae before Sharp could say anything. “Have you had your security briefing?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a weapon?”
“They wouldn’t let me down to the surface without one.”
“Excellent. Get some class 2 armour and meet me on the landing pad in twenty minutes.”
Amamiya walked away, marching down the hallway as if he’d never stopped. Sharp looked bemused.
“Seems you’re being thrown into the deep end.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way. Where’s the armoury.”
Twenty minutes later she was in body armour and boarding a shuttle alongside Amamiya and a platoon of well-armed German soldiers. As soon as they were underway, Amamiya spoke over the comms.
“All right, we’ve got ourselves a dead Lilarobian in the Velsynt District. The victim was a local garrison member who did not return from leave. The body was found in an alleyway earlier today.”
“Are we moving out due to a dead weed?” one of the soldiers asked. “I mean, a hundred of them die every day.”
“True, but local forces seem to think this is politically motivated. That makes it our jurisdiction. So we’ll sniff around a bit and if we find anyone, we’ll bring ‘em back to Fort Barbo for a chat.”
Hyun-ae chuckled at that. “Is that what we call home?”
Amamiya looked at her, then switched to Korean. “It sure is. You’ll be amazed at how many of the non-Germans struggle with the name. The Japanese keep finding new and interesting ways to butcher it.”
Hyun-ae raised an eyebrow, and Amamiya caught on immediately.
“Hey, my ancestors crossed the straits in the early 2000s. My Cantonese is better than my Japanese. Now, if only Commissioner Sharp would realise and not try to stick me with the Japanese troops.”
Hyun-ae glanced back at the troops. “Given the choice, would you rather be stuck with the German troops, or the Japanese?”
“Oh, German, any day of the week. They only cause trouble when they’re drunk. Which, admittedly, is fairly often.”
She laughed, and Amamiya joined in. That earned them some confused stares from the German soldiers in the back.
After an hour in the air, they slowed down above the remnants of an alien city. It was a strange mix of standing (if damaged) buildings, rubble and new construction. Surrounding the city was a sprawl of tents, many of them quite shabby. They landed in front of an imposing building that was mostly intact, though Hyun-ae could see the marks where the symbols of the Lavis Republic had been crudely removed.
A group of Lilarobius were waiting for them. Amamiya took one look at them.
“Make sure you glare at them.” He then turned on the translator and stepped out.
“Greetings, magnanimous emissaries of Earth. I am Guelder Rose, Security Chief here in Velsynt District. This is Investigator E--”
“We’re here to see the body, not socialise,” Amamiya interrupted, giving the alien a stern glare. “The sooner we’re away, the better for everyone.”
Guelder Rose bobbed slightly. Hyun-ae’s briefing said that was a sign of discomfort or unease. She suspected she would see a lot of bobbing Lilarobius in the coming years.
“Of course, of course. Please follow me.”
Guelder Rose led them into the precinct house. The aliens cleared the way ahead of them, jumping into side corridors and rooms when they saw them coming. Civilians, or at least what Hyun-ae assumed were civilians, cowered as they went past.
Finally they reached the morgue. There were a dozen bodies in the room, but there was only one that interested Humanity.
Guelder Rose pulled back a soot-stained sheet and revealed the burned remains. There was not a lot left. Hyun-ae had read accounts from the war about what happened when the Lilarobius caught fire. Seeing it up close herself, she realised they’d undersold it.
“We’ve identified them as Holm Oak, a member of the local garrison,” Guelder Rose said. “They were on leave last night with members of their unit. They didn’t return.”
“Has their unit been interrogated?” Hyun-ae asked. Guelder Rose bobbed at her speaking.
“The military police questioned them. They were out drinking. According to them, Oak remained behind to chat up a local prostitute.”
Amamiya poked at the charred corpse a bit, then turned off the translator.
“What do you reckon?”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s here or back home, lighting someone on fire requires a fair bit of anger. Could be an angry pimp, but I doubt it.”
“Yeah, the Weeds especially don’t like fire. We’ve seen a lot of cases like this. Perceived traitors or collaborators are burned alive.”
“Could it have been done post-mortem? Trying to destroy evidence?”
Amamiya shook his head. “No. Look at how the central bladder has been ripped apart. That means it was still filled with gasses when they were lit ablaze. Which means they were neither dead nor unconscious at the time.”
Hyun-ae studied the body, following along as Amamiya pointed. “Damn, someone really hated them.”
“I suspect someone was sending a message.”
“So our next step is tracking down Oak’s movements last night, starting with whatever bar they were hanging out at.”
“As good a place as any.”
They hunkered down at the precinct house until the end of the work shift. The Ring didn’t have a day/night cycle, but it did have a routine. And they hoped to find as many regulars as possible.
They tore down the streets in armoured personnel carriers and arrived in front of the bar about two hours after the last shift ended. The soldiers fanned out and covered any doors before anyone inside had time to react. The aliens out on the streets, however, disappeared quickly.
Hyun-ae followed Amamita into the bar along with a couple of troopers. Those inside hadn’t noticed yet, and the place was filled with chatter and laughter. When they stepped inside it died in less than three seconds.
Rows and rows of glowing eyes followed them as they walked up to the bar counter. A few Lilarobius who had anchored by it slipped away as they approached. The bartender didn’t have that option. Amamiya slid up to the counter.
“Were you working here yesterday?”
The bartender looked around, desperately searching for help. For some reason, they looked to Hyun-ae.
“Um… yes.”
Hyun-ae put a picture of Oak on the counter and slid it over. “They were found dead earlier today. Their friends claim they were here yesterday.”
The bartender bobbed so hard it looked like they were about to deflate. “I don’t know anything about that.”
“That is very convenient,” Amamiya said. “Maybe you want to make a statement down at the fort.”
“No! Wait! I mean, I saw them!”
The bartender began to vomit details at Amamiya. Hyun-ae didn’t pay much attention. She was looking past them, at the shelves behind the bar. A mirror had been set up, and she used it to scan the patrons behind her.
Most of them were working hard to be as unnoticeable as possible. A few glanced at the door, or rather, the guards standing by it. None of them made any move. The rest kept a close eye on Amamiya. Or most of them were.
One patron was looking all over the place. From Amamiya and Hyun-ae, to the guards at the door, to an opening leading into the backrooms. Several times they shifted closer to the opening.
Hyun-ae turned off the translator. “The one in the corner. I want to have a chat with them.”
Amamiya turned to look at the alien and it froze. “Any particular reason?”
“Intuition. Be ready.”
“Got it.” He touched his radio. “All units, high alert.”
Hyun-ae stepped away from the bar and walked slowly, but deliberately, towards the Lilarobius in the corner. They had frozen stiff, while the rest of the patrons followed her every stop.
She was about two-thirds of the way when the alien threw a plate at her and lunged towards the opening. Hyun-ae lazily dodged the plate and watched as the suspect disappeared through the opening. She reached for her radio.
“Charlie team, you got incoming. I want them alive. If possible.”
She followed leisurely after the alien, the mess they’d left behind showing the way. When she stepped out the back door she found four soldiers on top of the alien. She knelt down next to it.
“Good day. I am Detective Kim Hyun-ae of the occupation authority. I would like to ask you some questions. Were you at this establishment yesterday?”
“No, I was at home. I haven’t done anything!” the alien managed to whimper.
“For some reason, I’m having doubts about that. I asked the bartender, and they said you were here yesterday,” Amamiya said as came sauntering out the back door. “Good call, Detective.”
“I’m innocent!” the alien shouted.
“I want to have a word with Oak’s squad as well,” Hyun-ae said, ignoring the pleas. “They’ll be able to tell us if they’re the one Oak was last seen with.”
“I’ll have the military police send them over to Fort Barbo as well,” Amamyia said. “Then we can establish a timeline in comfort.”
“No! Wait! Don’t take me to the Fort!”
But Detective Amamyia was already on the radio calling for a shuttle.
* * *
Humanity’s reaction to the unconditional surrender of the Lavis Republic played out in several stages. The first was the most immediate and most obvious. As the news spread[1], people took to the streets in celebration. On several colonies work ground to a halt as people were at first too busy partying, followed by being too hung over to do their jobs.
One of the many spontaneous street parties following the news of the surrender. Scenes like this played out across Human space and would sometimes literally last for days.
With the threat of the Lavis now lifted, there was a gradual decrease in their use for the first time in decades and researchers who had attributed the increase to the threat of extinction felt vindicated. One former user described it “as if there no longer is a bear ready to pounce. Is this what we’re supposed to feel like?”
The third, and most influential, stage began nine months after the surrender. Prior to the Johannes von Gmunden’s first jump to Alpha Centauri four decades earlier, most nations on Earth had maintained largely stagnant population numbers, with overpopulation and lack of work not encouraging large families. In Germany, they had expected this to change as new worlds, and new opportunities to make a living, were discovered. However, this did not materialise. China and Russia experienced a slight boom, given their far-flung colonies, but even for them the effect was limited.
This changed with the end of the Lavis Republic, and most nations on Earth (but especially those with off-world colonies) saw a massive population boom. Dubbed the “Stellar Generation”, sometimes affectionately, sometimes derogatorily, these children would prove to be a massive pain for civic planners, as there was a marked increase in the need for hospitals, kindergartens, schools and everything else needed to support children.
However, that was for the future. For the Space Security Administration, the surrender of the Lavis Republic brought a fresh problem: the largest military occupation in Human history.
The planning for the occupation of the Ring began only days after the victory at the Battle of Lav and the destruction of the Ring Defense Fleet. Dozens of different plans were drawn up to consider various eventualities. As the siege wore on, these plans were iterated on and in some cases discarded and redrawn.
The planning was complicated by conflicting priorities between the various Great Powers and Japan. Japan wanted nothing more than to demonstrate its military capability, and had an endless supply of soldiers. Germany, meanwhile, still haunted by the failure of the Australasian Intervention half a century earlier, wanted to keep troops (or rather, casualties) to a minimum. Russia, China and Canada were mostly interested in getting their troops home, but not in a way that would compromise the peace.
After a lot of back and forth, it was decided to dig deep into the history books and try a method that had been used with some success almost two centuries earlier: the occupation of America following the Second Weltkrieg.
Much like America, the amount of ground that any occupation of the Ring would need to cover was enormous: 3.6 times the surface area of Earth. Improved technology, and especially orbital supremacy, would give an edge compared to 1946, but it would not be nearly enough.
However, much like the Union of Socialist American States, the Lavis Republic was not as unified as it had presented itself. Lingering regional differences had persisted since the end of the Unification Wars, despite (though some would say thanks to) at times ruthless repression from the government. This had been reinforced by the stalemate of the First Lavis War, and then reached a boiling point during the siege.
So the SSA sought out suppressed minorities and other dissidents and elevated them to positions of regional power. Several of these groups had formed paramilitary militias to protect their communities during the siege. Few of these had ever engaged Human forces, as Humanity had not been the primary threat. Now they were given official sanction, and authority, to keep the peace.
Another source of local manpower came from the defeated military. In the aftermath of the Australasian Intervention, one of the lessons learned was that disbanding the Australasian military following the invasion had been a mistake. This had sent thousands of young men, trained in armed combat, home. As there was no work to be found, these former soldiers would end up forming the backbone of the Australian insurgency.
On the Ring, Humanity had taken millions as prisoners of war during their campaign. Now that the war was over many of these were released. However, prior to release, every soldier was given a choice: either be given 5.000 mark[2] and transportation to wherever they considered to be home, or be employed in a new “Ring Security Force” and be posted somewhere far from home. The hope was that this way they would not have divided loyalties about fighting “their own”.
The Human part of the occupation would thus be placed in orbit, except for a single stronghold on the Ring. Human troops would only be deployed when the Security Force could not handle the situation. And Humanity would bring the full might of their military.
A pattern thus formed, with local security skirmishing with insurgent forces and both sides trying to achieve their goals while avoiding escalating so much that Humanity got involved.
The system was far from perfect and the Ring would be plagued with guerrilla war and terrorist attacks for years to come. But it did keep Human losses to a minimum. When later asked to defend the system, von Carlowitz stated that “If a bomb kills a hundred weeds and two Humans, the story back home will be about two Humans dying due to a security failure on my part. The aliens will be lucky if they’re mentioned as a footnote.”
Steps were also taken to establish some form of civilian control, if only in name. Black Spruce, who had led the peace “negotiations” was allowed to form a cabinet that would assist with the distribution of aid and rebuilding critical infrastructure. Their mandate was severely limited, and Feldmarschall von Carlowitz and Admiral Shen routinely ignored them.
Despite this, Black Spruce thrived in the position, positioning themselves as the “Savior of the Ring”, who had prevented the power-mad White Pine from killing them all in a blaze of nuclear fire. It thus caused a stir when Human forces arrested Black Sprue after five months, charging them with “crimes against sentient life”[3]. Black Spruce thus found themselves in a relatively small group of prisoners awaiting trial.
Another playbook brought forth from the Second Weltkrieg was Desyndicalisation, now rebranded as Normalization[4]. The programme focused on imprinting a collective responsibility on the Lilarobius for the attempted genocide. But it was understood that some were more responsible than others.
The surrender brought significant political shifts on the Ring. Some called for a more open society, especially given White Pine’s increased authoritarianism following the First Lavis War. Others reached for religion, while more still asked that Humanity just leave them alone on the ring. Some of these causes even found Human sponsors willing to advocate on their behalf on Earth.
But the Ring was not the only focus of the Space Security Administration. While the victory celebrations would go on for a while, the war had masked several developing problems.
The most immediate was a rise in unemployment. While the militaries that had conquered the Ring had been relatively small considering the scale of their undertaking, demobilisation still meant thousands of returning soldiers. Most of whom expected more than a pat on the back before being thrown out on the streets.
Compounding the issue was the sharp reduction in government spending on new warships. This led to several arms manufacturers and shipyards laying off workers. While the latter expected peace to bring more civilian work, this would take time. For some, this was not enough, and they decided to take matters into their own hands.
Following the war’s end, many governments resumed various basic income and social security programs that had been cut or curtailed to fund the needs of the military. These benefits were, needless to say, not extended to the Lilarobius.
At first, the main issue was a rise in smuggling. Resources extracted within the Sol system were not subjected to the SSA tariffs, so over time a complicated system of “ore laundering” developed. High-value minerals and ores, especially those extracted from the hundreds of mining facilities that dotted Human space, were shuffled into mining stations in the Belt or around Saturn. When done properly, the outer systems seemed more sparse, while Sol boomed.
To the SSA, smuggling was an unfortunate, but low-priority problem. But over time, other elements got involved. Using small, fast shuttles, often with rudimentary weapons bolted to them and operating from motherships, criminal elements would board transports and take the ship’s crew hostage. The boarders would then ransom the crew and ship back to the ship’s owner[5].
This was a much more pressing problem for the SSA. Doubly so after the agricultural carrier Crescent Rose was boarded, and her crew massacred. Public outrage, mixed with economic concerns, led the Executive Council to order a new anti-piracy task force to be assembled. While only a handful of corvettes, these ships would patrol Humanity’s trade routes and often engage and detain suspected pirates. In peacetime, these postings would be some of the most sought-after, as they provided ambitious captains ample opportunities to prove themselves.
The Crescent Rose was an agricultural carrier ferrying supplies between Russalka and Earth. It is not clear why the boarders massacred the crew. The surviving pirates explained during their trial that the crew had attacked them some time after they gained control of the ship. The prosecution retorted by asking them why they had purged the ship’s surveillance systems shortly before being boarded the SMR Myrtenaster. All the surviving pirates were sentenced to life in prison.
During the Siege of Lav, the SSA had redirected some funding to create a new exploration craft, the Clarence Chant[6]. During the war, she spent most of her time digging through wrecked Lavis ships. But with the end of the war, she set a course for the Collodor system, neighbouring Lav. Sensors suggested that a potentially hospitable world could be found there, untouched by the Lilarobius.
Clarence Chant entered the Collodor system only days after the surrender came into effect. It didn’t take long before Earth received reports of a habitable ocean moon.
Collodor IIIa, a small, fairly unremarkable, if life-sustaining moon.
However, Collodor was rather small. While it would no doubt be of great interest to a smaller nation, Canadian pride demanded the greater prize. As Canada had been promised the world shortly after the First Lavis War, few held this against them.
This opened two new questions: who would get Collodor IIIa, and who would get Samdeeran neighbour, Saldropis IIIa?
Saldropis IIIa was, like Collodor, a small moon. It was, however, slightly larger and more resource-rich. It was also significantly less hospitable, with dense jungles covering most of the planet. These jungles were also host to several deadly apex predators.
Japan (and that is to say, the Japanese government, as few had much access to the Japanese public) had come out of the war with a renewed sense of pride. After their military successes on the Ring[7], they now considered themselves fully equal, a fifth Great Power. And they fully expected to be next in line for a world of their own.
The actual Great Powers were less than pleased. They were even less pleased when, in a signal intercept from Admiral Ikegoshi to Emperor Tomohito and Minister-for-Life Furukawa, Ikegoshi described Saldropis as a “springboard for further colonisation”.
While this little tidbit was kept a closely guarded secret, the Japanese desire to be next in line was quite public. This unleashed a fierce debate about how colonial rights should be administered. Some figured that Japan deserved it after their contribution during the war. Others considered them a threat. Some were concerned about a Great Power monopoly, while others argued that only they could protect such faraway worlds.
Over time, the debates grew increasingly vicious, often mixing in old grievances and latent racism. This was often mirrored in the Administration Assembly, and while superficially more polite, where one could often draw a direct line from arguments in the press to arguments in the Assembly.
German Chancellor Anna Schumacher, speaking to the press, remarked that “It seems that after defeating one enemy, we’re back to fighting ourselves again. Our oldest enemy. In a way, it’s comforting.”
The solution came from an unexpected tragedy. Flash floods followed by an unexpected drought struck South America. The crops that weren’t washed away by the floods wilted under the scorching sun. The end result was famine. Humanitarian organisations rushed vast quantities of rice and other staples to the area, but struggled to reach several inaccessible areas.
South America had never really recovered from the nuclear strikes of “El Error” nearly a century before. The continent had some of the lowest life expectancy on Earth, and the standard of living was appalling. Unemployment was colossal, and most of the nations in the area could not afford even a minimum of basic income.
There had been great a great effort to rebuild following “El Error”, and the modern skyline of Curitiba was often used as an example of this. Though from any of these corporate high rises, one had an excellent view of the favelas stretching for miles in every direction.
(Art by Zane Baylon)
It is unclear if Bouchard-Clarke’s suggestion was idealistic, or coldly calculating, denying the Japanese their preferred colony and giving Canada a neighbour of their own choosing. In later statements, she would always claim the former. Regardless of her motivations, the Great Powers jumped at the idea. More importantly, the idea was popular with the public. Those that doubted Bouchard-Clarke’s motivations still had to acknowledge that a colony could improve the situation for South America.
The only real opposition came from Japan and they found very little support. Behind the scenes, the Chinese security service decided to pull some strings. Using a poorly secured line that they knew the Japanese were monitoring, Chinese officials “discussed” their hope that Japan would reject the offer. They would then instead offer the world to their Korean allies.
This was of course not true, but it spooked the Japanese. And it being “offered” to the Koreans especially wounded Japanese pride. As a result, Japanese opposition to the plan got a lot more muted following the “leak”.
In July of 2144, less than a year after the surrender of the Lavis Republic, three colonial projects were brought before Administration Assembly. The first was the Canadian expedition to Samdeeran II, now called Albion. The second was the Japanese expedition to Collodor IIIa, dubbed Hoshi No Umi (星の海), or the Sea of the Stars. The last was a multinational expedition to Saldropis IIIa. Officially dubbed Andeas, the moon would soon be known as Lluvia, or Rain, after its most prominent feature.
Map of Human space following the Second Lavis War, including colonies (current and future), the Lav Occupation Zone and the Pithria observation station.
But as the Administration Assembly approved new colonies, the Executive Council were having meetings behind closed doors. Before the last colony ship had left Earth, Humanity’s relationship to the rest of the galaxy would once again shift.
[2] - Even by the standards of the time, this was a paltry amount. But the value of the Lavis Fells had collapsed along with the Republic, and Human currency thus became the backbone of the new Liliarobian economy.
[3] - Black Spruce’s arrest was the result of Human researchers going through the remains of the Lavis Republic State Archives. A lot of government documentation had been destroyed during the war, both intentionally and accidentally. However, one archivist uncovered some speeches Black Spruce had made in the years leading up to the Second Lavis War. Needless to say, they didn’t paint them in a very good light.
[4] - The term Delavification was briefly used, but was quietly dropped when the SSA realised that once translated it implied the Ring would be disassembled.
[5] - Frequently this involved the ship’s operator bringing vast sums of money to middlemen in South America, India, Indonesia or, in one instance, Australia. The local governments often had little ability, or incentive, to go after these middlemen.
[6] - Naming the ship after a Canadian astronomer had been intended to serve as a consolation for the delays in establishing a Canadian colony. It failed in its intended purpose, instead becoming a humiliating reminder for the Canadian government.
[7] - Most non-Japanese commanders on the Ring had very few good things to say about the Japanese military. In his account of the invasion, written a decade later, von Carlowitz said that the chief virtue of the Japanese troops was “their expandability.”
- 4
Big brother is watching.
And of course, “oniisan” means “big brother”.
And of course, “oniisan” means “big brother”.
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- 3
The Lilorobians are not in for good times ahead. The Fortress seems to have already been made synonymous with a local of suffering and enmity, and collaborators are being burned in the streets. Not an auspicious beginning for the new human-lilorabius relationship!
- 1
Things are only marginally better than when Humanity was bombing the Ring from orbit, and now they're deliberately driving a wedge between groups. It could be a long time before Humanity sees them as anything other than a threat.
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