Warpath (Rise of the Empire Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

new opponent, tried to negotiate and make a deal that was more favorable for them. And they didn’t, everything we know indicates that they followed our agreement to the letter, they didn’t even try to infiltrate our territory, to learn how much of a threat we truly were. We had only one system then, two if we count Nuva, if they just tried to learn something they would have known that we weren’t a threat then.” Tomas shook his head. “It makes no sense. Why? Why, would they accept and then keep their word? The fleet they are amassing now to attack Nelus tells me that they were far more powerful than we initially thought. So tell me why didn’t they fight us on the treaty? Why did they agree so readily?”
    “I don’t know Tomas.” Seo-yun said, “They are alien, we can’t possibly understand their motives.”
    Tomas grimaced, “Nel are alien,” Seo-yun started to say something, but Tomas kept going, “Yes, we and Nel are related, I will give you that. But, what about Guxcacul and Mtural? Their survivors live in the Empire now, as citizens. We have much in common with them, and while they are alien, we understand each other. The four Consortium races lived in peace for hundreds of years. So why are Sowir so different?”
    “You are right, but we have much more in common with Guxcacul and Mtural than with the Sowir. Both Guxcacul and Mtural communicate using sounds, they can both perceive light, both can see and hear. We have no idea how the Sowir perceive the world around them. For all we know their perception of the world is so different than ours, so alien, that we might never understand them. You need to realize that you might never get the answer to your question.”
    “So what? We are destined to go to war with them? If we can’t make a lasting peace, something other than this non-aggression treaty, then it will come down to that.”
    “Even if you could make peace, would you?” Seo-yun asked. Tomas looked at her confused.
    “Of course I would!”
    “Truly? You know that you can’t trust their word. They lived as part of the Consortium for a long time before they struck. They could do the same with us. This non-aggression pact we have with them will last only for as long as they want it to. You know that they will attack us. We might not be able to understand their decisions, but we can anticipate them from their past actions. They will attack us.”
    “So even if we make peace it will last only until they gather enough strength to attack us.” Tomas said raising his eyes to look at the ceiling.
    “Most likely.” Seo-yun said.
    Tomas remained silent for a while, Seo-yun studied him. She saw a leader and Emperor, thinking, trying to find a path for his people. Finally, he turned and looked at her. “I made a vow Seo-yun.” He said, and the tone of his voice made Seo-yun shiver.
    “I promised to myself and every being in the Empire that I will protect them. That I will never allow what happened to Earth to happen to us. I swore that we will never again be weak, that I will never allow our people to disappear from this Universe.” Seo-yun watched him as his expression turned hard. “I will not let Sowir be a threat to us.” The finality in his words made Seo-yun uneasy, but she believed in Tomas, the man she loved. She believed that he would do anything to protect his people, human or otherwise.
     

 
    Chapter Four
    Jun; Year 30 – Warpath system
     
    The small ship arrived in Warpath system with a small burst of violet light as it exited the trans-lane from Waypoint system. Adrian sat on the bridge of his small transport ship, looking at the holo of the system he was the leader of. Warpath system was an enormous asteroid belt, or field, orbiting the system’s sun. The Empire’s best scientists were stumped to explain how the belt was formed, but all agreed that it once had planets, and that something catastrophic occurred that resulted in the planets destruction and the creation of