Once Upon The Stars (Updated 08-22-04)

[Atrocities]

Part XIX

Past Tense

Segment A

�The Death toll for the Alorian Homeworld is in the billions!� The headline was morbid. 'How ironic,' thought Tam Christopher as he stood there watching the vid, that he should think this morbid after what they had done? Billions of lives lost, an entire world obliterated, and a race on the verge of extinction. Yes it was morbid, but he does not feel pain for them. Why should he, after all, they killed his wife and daughter. Tam, not wanting to hear any more about the holocaust, switched of the vid and sat down in a chair next to the big window in his office. He swiveled the chair around and looked the window gazing in awe as he at the spectacular view that being one hundred and fifty-three floors up provided of the city that lay far below him.

Soon Earth would face a similar fait and would be reduced to nothing more than a lifeless rock in space thus giving way to the destruction of all of the wonders that make up this beautiful planet including his beloved home city of Seattle. Burned to cinder would be the combined accomplishments of mankind, all of the great achievements, works of art, and history that mankind has ever experienced or created. Nothing will be spared; all that will remain will be the burned and chard remnants of a once pristine green and blue planet. All evidence that a once proud race having called this planet home would be forever be obliterated from is surface. As Tam sat in his chair he began to think about the events of the past, about the Last time he had seen his beloved city in ruin.

Following the defeat of the Galvon, and their efforts to destroy the planets of the Earth Stellar Alliance, as many as a million war criminals were arrested and charge for their crimes and among them, the Leader of the Alorian Imperium.

The Alorians, once a colony world of Earth, had claimed independence some two hundred and twenty years ago and had successfully succeed from the Earth Stellar Alliance. The citizens of the planet Aloria formed the Alorian Imperium, and cut all diplomatic relations with the Alliance sighting fundamental differences in the philosophies of life. At that time the Alliance could careless about one rouge world, especially one that was so far removed from the center of the Alliance. �Let them go, let them fend for themselves,� was often the opinion that most citizens of the Alliance voiced. But secretly, deep down, it hurt them all to see a planet full of humans turn there back on the very people and planetary alliance for which they came. The resentment was out weighted by the presiding belief that one day the people of Aloria would come crawling back to the Alliance begging forgiveness and asking for re-admittance; but that day never came.

The Alorians, basking in the glory of their independence, began a systematic exploration and colonization program aimed at the many worlds along the rim of the galaxy. For well over two hundred and twenty years the Earth Stellar Alliance, an alliance made up of nearly sixty-four Earth colonized worlds, gave the Alorian Imperium absolute reign in the outer systems. Attempts at re-establishing diplomatic relations with the Alorians were met with failure and often more than not; the destruction of the currier ship that had been dispatched to relay the diplomatic peace Messages. Despite this open and often brutal response Earth Command refused to, or more appropriately, chose to ignore these overtures of war. �Let them take the risk of exploring the rim,� was often the comment Tam heard in the Council Chambers in the years prior to the war. �Let them bare the cost of exploration and colonization,� was the common attitude held by most on the Council members back then.

It was true; the Alorians posed no real military threat to the Alliance and therefore were viewed as nothing more than a despondent child, prone to fits of rage of course, off exploring the galaxy. This normally would not have posed a problem except for the fact that the Alorian Imperium had made first contact with an alien race known as the Galvon, a fact that escaped the Alliances intelligence community entirely, and together they were plotting the destruction of the Earth Stellar Alliance.

As he sat in his chair watching the sun go down over Pacific Ocean, Tam remembered the events of his past. Odd how something that had happened so many years ago would still be so vivid in his mind. Tam folded his arms behind his head and leaned back as far as his chair would allow him to go. He relaxed and cleared his mind and began to recall the past where he tried and convicted the monster that had taken his beloved family from him.

�For the record, the events you are about to witness are actual records from the Alorian Imperium Planetary Archives.� Tam Christopher was a tall slender man with jet-black hair, a fairly tan complexion and deep penetrating green eyes. He spoke with a gentle yet firm voice; his stride was sure and precise. He knew what it was he was doing, and it was his faith in justice that drove him with purpose and pride. Today was his day, for he was the Chief Prosecutor for the Alliance and he knew what had to be done. As he slowly stood and walked in a smooth effortless form from his table to the center of the court, making momentary eye contact with each of the six presiding Alliance Judges as they sat in a semi circle behind their bench, he continued speaking.

�You will witness the planing, the betrayal, and the attack, orchestrated by the Alorians against the people of the Earth Stellar Alliance. The very attack that left Earth Command in ruin and nearly hundred thousand people dead.� He paused for effect as he directed his gaze at the tall lightly complexioned Alorian male sitting at the defense table. �Damascus Gore is the mastermind behind the atrocities I am about described.� Now pointing directly at the Alorian, Tam continued his opening statement.

�The prosecution will show beyond a doubt that Damascus Gore, then the Subadar leader of the Alorian Imperium, with full knowledge of his actions and intentions, did enter into a dialect of peace with the Alliance with the sole intent of betraying our trust.� Tam paused for effect before continuing his opening statement. �By ordering an unprovoked and sneak attack upon the Planet Earth during a peace envoy which resulted in a horrific loss of life, Damascus Gore acted with criminal intent.� Tam looked back at the Judges before making his next statement. �When then Subadar Gore ordered the bombardment of the cities of San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, the destruction of Earth Command in Denver, the obliteration of the Earth Orbital Spaceyard Facility, and the destruction of the Orbital Colony of New Prussia, he knew full well that he was violating the established convention of war. By targeting and destroying civilian population centers Subadar Gore committed an open and deliberate act of genocide.� Tam once again paused for effect as he took in the whole of the court. The chamber was full of people who all wore an expression of hatred upon their faces. �Under the code of war, acts of genocide are considered war crimes against humanity.�

No one spoke as Tam returned to his table and sat down. He touched a few controls and the room dimmed. In the center of the court a holographic representation of the Alorian Pro Counsel Chamber took form. Subadar Damascus Gore could be seen entering the room from a side door with two other Alorians followed him as he walked over to six other figures who were standing in the center of the room waiting. Four of them were Alorian security and the other two were obviously Galvon, one a male, the other a female.

Subadar Damascus Gore spoke as he entered the room. The Galvon language was exceptionally complicated and his voice came acrossed as a rash of mechanical scraping noises as the bio-translator converted his words into the Galvon language. A communications translator interpreted what was spoken for all to hear in the Justice Chambers. �Greeting Lord Vassuala. I trust your journey here was a pleasant one.� It was more of a statement than a question. The female Galvon looked at him as he approached and smiled opening.

�Oh it was an excellent trip my dear Subadar.� She said as she continued to smile. She looked over at her male companion and he spoke. He was less than hospitable, a Galvon male trait, and was more direct in his conversation.

�I trust that all was satisfactory?� He asked of Damascus.

The three Alorians had stopped within half a meter of the Female Galvon and her male companion. Again Damascus spoke and once again the communications translator interpreted the language. �It preformed as you had promised.�

The female Galvon put her hands together and spoke in a genuinely soft and comforting tone. �Then it is settled. Your people will do as we ask and join our holly crusade against the vile invaders you call the Alliance?�

Damascus spoke only one word. No translation was needed for what he had said, for everyone present knew the meaning of the word; �Yes.�

[ June 11, 2003, 12:36: Message edited by: Atrocities ]