16th July
15:43 GMT
The Reach Negotiator tries to covertly reach under her robes and activate her emergency teleporter, freezing as she realises that it's inoperative. Another button press gives her emergency anaesthetic, causing her to gasp with relief.
The Convenor makes a vague twisting motion with his right hand. "Security, stand down."
"Aw, really?" Phil grins and heads towards the Convenor's podium. "You sure? I'll spot you my masers?"
"What do you want, terrorist?"
I drop my own invisibility and hold out my hands, projecting a construct image of an Urrigenian brain.
"No one?" Phil looks around hopefully for a moment, then sheathes his sword. "Alright, fine. Business it is. My orange friend up there is showing a picture of your brains." I generate a second image. "And this is your brain on Reach neurotech. Please pay careful attention to that bit near the front." I switch to a cutaway image which more clearly indicates the issue. "A lot of people in your military… And more than a few of your representatives in here have had this done. Improved short term memory and spatial awareness… And an inclination to be subservient to their Reach masters." He reaches the podium, kicking the body of a Reach soldier out of the way as he does so.
"Fortunately for all of you, we Darkstars know a Reach plot when we see it. We know everyone who's had this done and we know how to reverse it." There's a ping inside my armour. Our colleagues have hit the Reach planetside command centre. "And we also have recordings proving that the Reach violated what your government told you was their deal and used their military forces -including a Scarab Warrior- on your planet." He slouches against the podium. "Not to labour the point, but they've done everything we told you they would when we first got in contact eight years ago. We're releasing all of this onto your planet's communications network now. Check what I've said. Check our evidence. Ask your representatives why they've spent eight years lying to you."
He looks up at me. "Orange!"
I extend my right hand to my right, one representative glowing orange. A cut away image of his brain appears just above him. Clean. Another is highlighted, his brain showing the characteristics of Reach modification. I purge them and he collapses bonelessly into his chair. I know from the pilots that he'll be fine once his brain has had a few minutes to adjust. And the next…
As the assembled representatives see their colleague collapse there's a concerted charge for the exit. Phil shakes his head as I have the Hellwraith manifest between them and the doorway, then create an orange barrier just behind that.
The ground rumbles as I continue to work my way around the representatives, flashes of fear from those who know they're on my target list matched by the relief of those whom I pass over. One or two of the more intelligent ones are no doubt noticing that I'm not just striking down those in favour of more cooperation with the Reach… Or maybe that won't be evident until they've had time to review events.
"And that was the Reach trade mission. Hey, guess what?" He turns to the Negotiator. "That makes you the last Reachian left alive on the planet."
"We are a peaceful.. trading empire." She does her best to scowl, but her species don't have the most expressive faces and the drugs in her system are making it even harder. "We're trying to help this world advance. To meet its full potential."
"Just like all of the other places you wiped out. We'll be including them in the data packet too."
"No one will trust your word. You are a murderous thug."
"No." Phil raises his right arm and points it at her head. "I'm not a thug. I'm a soldier. I've got a cause and I've got discipline."
There's a hiss from his maser, then her body collapses as her head evaporates.
He watches her body for a moment as I continue to purge Reach technology from government officials. "Damn. I thought she might have some kind of super mode or something."
"She was a peaceful diplomatic envoy!" The Convenor finally recovers his voice. "You have no idea what you've done to our world by killing her!"
Phil turns back to him, a slightly saddened look on his face. "And you actually believe that, don't you?" He looks up towards me. "You nearly done?"
"I think so." Done, done, done, and a last beam illuminates the Convenor himself.
Nothing.
His brain is unmodified.
He looks up at me as I come in to land. "Surprised?"
"Regrettably, no. Still, I would like to hear why you sold out your world."
"Sold out…" He shakes his head. "I read your files when you people first arrived. You know full well that no world has ever successfully resisted the Reach. I knew that they would take us, one way or another. So I decided to help them conquer us with the least resistance in the hope that they would leave us to manage our own affairs under their dominion. I know from your own records that there are worlds that are permitted that much freedom."
"Yeah." Phil nods. "Until the Reach decide to take it away and their minds are too altered to think of resisting."
"And how many worlds have bled and died and been abandoned by your Darkstars?! How many knew they were lost the moment they started fighting?!"
"Every. Single. One." Phil looks contemplative. "Sometimes the Darkstars die with them, sometimes they fall back to fight again. We've resettled billions away from Reach space, but those places who wanted to fight to the last, they all knew what it would mean. They prepare, they train… Then… Someone in their government gets controlled or turns traitor and the next thing you know there's a whole fleet in orbit because apparently that's enough to make it Reach territory. Then they die, probably killed by expendable soldiers from other slave species. I've seen it happen three times and I admire the people who did it more than I can articulate. But… You?"
Another hiss, and another headless body hits the floor.
"You sicken me."
He floats up into the air, force field shimmering. "Alright! You all know what we've done and why. If any of you escape being killed by your own citizens, get in touch."
I pull in the Hellwraith and the Praexis Demons, following him up and through the hole in the dome. Police attack drones have formed a perimeter, but we both go into stealth mode far too quickly to get a weapons lock. Then we're both heading up, up and away, aiming for a point far above the city.
"I thought that went well."
"I bow to your superior experience. What happens now?"
"Not sure. Depends on their government. A planet that keeps its head can stay free of the Reach for hundreds of years."
"You really evacuate worlds? There wasn't anything about that in the Guardians' database."
"The Controllers can reshape worlds. It's not easy for them and it's not quick, but… Yeah. We can. We get about half of our recruits from those worlds. Threllian comes from there. The Reach butchered most of his people to use their brains as computers."
"Oh."
"If they weren't evil, I wouldn't be fighting them. Alright." He comes to a halt. "I'm staying on-planet, but Ferrin and Rayyana are taking our cruiser back to Maltus. They can introduce you to our bosses."
There's a ping inside my helmet as I receive the coordinates of the ship.
"Thank you."
"Any chance of the rest of us getting rings like yours? I know it's probably a big deal, but one or two-."
"Phil. I intend to do everything I can to ensure that the Darkstars get as many rings as they can handle."
