Hybrid (reboot), Chapter 7: Congress
Chapter 7:PoliticsJune 15, 2343 In her blue uniform, Alice and her military commanders sat at the front row and center of the auditorium in the Purelif Capitol. She turned her head to glance at the politicians sitting at their personalized desks. The politicians in the room were asset of various extra-terrestrial humanoids. Some were Humans, Hygers, and Cobains. There were humanoids who had fish scales though had appearances of Humans, the Aquatos. A few in the audience resembled birds with feathers and a beak for a mouth, the Mowls. Along with those people were Arthros, massive walking crustacean beings. Komodos, beings similar to Cobains, yet have lizard-shaped heads, thicker muscles, as tall as Hygers. Sitting with the group were shark-like beings wearing ocean suits filled with a filter apparatus, the Tunains. Facing the whole room was an empty front stage table had eight name tags. Everyone was waiting for the eight people to come to the stage and settle at that table. Many of the people in the room were muttering and reading the reports on their virtual glass pads attached to their desks. Others were watching the news on their screens with concern. Then a Human shouted to the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Grand Leaders!” Everyone got up to stand. A door behind the stage table opened and out came eight Purelif’s executive leaders. Each leader is a member of a race. A middle-aged female Human wearing a blue and gold Zulu hat and bazin dress approached the center of the table. She was named Thabisa Khumala. Standing left of her was, Alesantron Galatax an elderly male Aquato wrapped in a aquamarine robe with pictures of ocean creatures swimming. Temi Ozoro, a male Hyger in a Kimono robe stood beside her. Approaching the table as well was Zil Senoj, an elderly Cobain woman with long wavy gray hair reaching for the floor. Yantak Tapelli, a male Mowl with red feathers and wearing in a baggy suit joined with the other leaders. A Tunain woman with an glass aquarium helmet, Jokoo Akeymo and a Komodo man named Zaga Nygin wearing a Incan based robe joined at the table as well. Finally, the last leader to enter the stage was an Arthro man in an black windbreaker cape named Zoc Ganore. As the Grand Leaders all lined up at the table, Leader Khumala spoke, “Please be seated.” Each row at a time, the politicians and military officers lowered themselves back to their seats as the meeting began. She said, “Mr. Wilson, come forward.” Purelif’s Secretary of Defense Kyle Wilson, a middle-aged hispanic man in a black suit remained standing in Alice’s row. He walked to the center space and stepped onto a podium. The Secretary spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen, about 12 hours ago, both the Cobain colony and our outpost on Chartorla had been attacked and invaded by a hostile alien force. We don't know who they are or where they came from. Yet they resembled an enemy that the Republic of Humanity had been fighting for a month within the Virgo Cluster. According to the military personnel on Chartorla Outpost, these hostiles were artificial intelligent beings." Leader Tapelli asked, “The Republic of Humanity has been fighting this enemy and we have just discovered that they are robots?” “Those previous fights were space battles,” said Secretary Wilson. “The enemy just landed on the planet and deployed their army. The soldiers were able to take some of them down and found them to be mechanical.” “Explain to us more,” said Leader Galatax. General Boman picked a tablet off the table and held it horizontally. He stood next to the secretary as he projected an image of a Thresher. “These were the soldiers that we fought on the planet. They did not have any organic traits attached or implanted in their metal and gadgets. They are equip with an array of weapons from laser swords to photon cannons.” “Why did they come to Chartorla in the first place?” Leader Senoj asked. “The Cobain Kingdom did not have any contact with those hostiles. When he heard the news that the Humans were being attack, King Samoht wanted us to help his forces patrol the Vega System thinking the enemy would arrive. However, no one expected them to attack the planet as fast as possible. Now the question is this, what was the motive?” General Boman and Secretary Wilson looked at each other, thinking that question. Then Secretary Wilson said, “We don’t know. We could not communicate with the enemy. It seemed that they don’t want to if they want to kill. If they want to attack any of our outposts and our nation, they could head to Purelif and wipe out the entire population. Our military believe we must increase our defenses and engage in a war.” The audience muttered to each other and then there was silence. Then a middle aged Human woman got onto the stage and walked toward the Leaders’ table. “I am sorry, but King Samoht is calling on your Subspace Viewcom." Leader Ozoro said, “Transfer the call to this room.” From the ceiling, two large clear screens lowered down above the podium. One screen facing the Grand Leaders; one facing the audience. An image of a male Cobain appeared on both screens. He wore a red robe. His long, silver hair was ponytailed on both sides. The Grand Leaders stood up and bowed to him. Leader Ganore spoke to the Cobain, “Greetings, King Samoht!” “Greetings, Grand Leaders and your supporters,” King Samoht slightly bowed. “My colonial world of Chartorla had been invaded by an unknown enemy along with your outpost destroyed. However I thank you and your military for assisting my forces and getting the civilians off the planet safely. But I still need your help in fighting this enemy off.” “We have just discovered that the enemy are robots,” said Leader Ozoro. “The Republic of Humanity had been attacked by that same enemy last month. We don’t know the enemy robots’ origins, names, and where they are located. We have to decide wether or not to strike the enemy.” Leader Khumala said to Leader Ozoro, “We should not just go into war with a race a barely know about.” “My people do not know what these beings are either,” said King Samoht. “That is why I need your full military support with mine so we can better understand who they are and fight them off easily.” Leader Senoj spoke to her fellow leaders, “We must send our forces to the Cobain Kingdom. As one of the two military amendments of the Purelif Republic states that we can only send our military to any nation for our help. The second amendment states that in an act of war, we increase our border security to prevent an invasion.” “Though the members of congress must approve it,” Leader Galatax reminded them. “However, I believe the Mowls, Tunains, Aquatos, Hygers, and Komodos would need our support. Those hostiles could attack them as well." “What about the Arthros?” King Samoht asked. Leader Ganore said with confidence, “Arthros are people born to fight. They do not let any enemy enter their territory, not matter who they are.” “However, we can provide assistance if they need them,” said Leader Galatax. King Samoht said, “It is imperative that I am provided with military assistance urgently. Those robots if that is what they are would return and attack more of my colonies.” “If this is urgent, then we would enter and secure your space region for a while,” said Leader Khumala, rasing her hand. “Unless we get more information about this enemy. All those in favor of increasing our border defenses and sending our forces to the Cobain Kingdom for three months?” “I am in favor,” said Leader Akeymo. “I hope we learn more about our enemy,” said Leader Nygin. “I am in favor.” “Yes,” Leader Galatax nodded. “I am in favor,” said Leader Senoj. “Anything to help my race.” Leader Ganore nodded, “I am in favor.” “I am in favor,” said Leader Ozoro. “I am in favor,” said Leader Tapelli. Leader Khumala spoke to King Samoht. “We will send our forces to your kingdom immediately.” “Thank you,” King Samoht slightly smiled. “I hope this conflict would end soon.” Leader Galatax said, “We will do what we can.”********** After the meeting, Alice, Commander Hogan, and General Boman were escorted into a small conference room next to the office of Leader Khumala. Their leader sat at the front end of a long centered table. Leader Galatax and Tapelli sat beside her as the military officers sat at their seats. “Give us a few more minutes before this meeting begins,” said Leader Galatax as he pushed a button on the corner of the table. A holographic computer screen appeared and slowly solidified. He reached to touch it as he dialed numbers. He touched the call button and the screen dissolved. On the other side of the conference room, a wall opened to reveal a white screen. The screen flashed to blue at first and then an image of the Cobain popped into it. “Thank you for setting up this meeting,” said King Samoht. “You’re welcome,” said Leader Tapelli. “Thank you for giving up more of your time with us.” “Commander Hogan, General Boman, and Lieutenant McAullife,” Leader Khumala turned to her military personnel. “I guess you all know why we and King Samoht summoned you here.” General Boman guessed, “This is about this boy we have rescued.” “Yes, General Boman,” King Samoht nodded. “As my forces evacuated the colonists off the planet, your comrade, Lieutenant McAuliffe have rescued this boy whom his named is Alexander.” An image of Alexander hovered over their round table. The Leaders and Military officers passed copies of his background record. Alice looked at the file and boy’s background was labeled unknown. General Boman flipped the reports back and forth as he was confused as to why Alexander’s background is unknown. Leader Khumala said, "King Samoht, your background of this child is not filled in within your records. Why is that?" King Samoht explained, “It was the Prophet and her fellow priests that insisted that his records must be kept confidential to the public. They said that he is born from the gods after they perished from the End Fire. They think that this boy would save us from the upcoming apocalypse. This was the reason why his file was never filled in.” “I see,” said Leader Galatax. “Lieutenant McAuliffe, when you were on Chartorla, could you tell us more about this rescue?” Alice explained, "When our ship split during the crash, I was separated from my special forces. I managed to meet up with Cobain soldiers to help me get back to the outpost. That was when I spotted this boy sprinting up a mountain. That horde of robots were chasing after him, even the one that looked like a grim reaper. There were many of these robots that seem to want him dead for some reason. I could not let him die. So I drove the warthog into a temple and had to fight off this grim reaper. I think that thing was a robot I was fighting. Luckily, the soldiers and I destroyed it and managed to get Alexander into one of our ships." "An entire army chasing a boy?" Leader Tapelli asked. “Why would they go into all this trouble for a boy?” “Apparently so,” Alice nodded. "As I watched him get chased, he could get to the top of a tree in one jump. He does leaps, swings, and sprints as if he is a child Superman. Nothing I have ever seen from other beings in this galaxy." “And yet you brought him with us without knowing about him," said Commander Hogan as he knew she was not thinking straight. "His family was killed!" Alice turned to her commander and raised her voice. "The robot assholes were going to kill him!" "We know nothing about him," said Commander Chan. "We can't just trust him." “I agree with Lieutenant McAuliffe,” said King Samoht. "Commander Hogan, if the Prophet and her priest wanted his records sealed from the public believing he would save the Universe, I would trust them." Leader Khumala added, “We can't just decide that he is a threat. Beside, he is just a boy." “You still have him under your care,” King Samoht. “Where is he located now?” "For now, he is under child protective custody on Purelif," Leader Tapelli said. “Since his family has been murdered, our guessing is that you want him back.” “No,” said King Samoht. “I want you to keep Alexander on your homeworld. If the enemy wants him dead, it is better that you protect him. My people must fight these machines and keeping him out of the war would ensure our survival.” “So you want us to supervise him?” asked Leader Tapelli. “That is correct,” King Samoht nodded. “Very well,” said Leader Khumala. “He will remain on Purelif.” “Thank you, I must go now,” King Samoht bowed to them. The screen turned blank blue and the wall closed in as they ended their virtual conversation with the Cobain King....
CommnderShepard117