Week 04: Angle of Defense [Unedited]

Not everybody spoke the same language. It would have been pretty presumptuous to believe that every person happened to be completely fluent in the Human dialect when, laughably, Humans were about one of the last races to attend the universal dance and boasted far fewer numbers than any other race who had long since been a galactic participant.

The fact of the matter was that before the Space Force came around, Humans were the universe's laughing stock. Nobody wanted to invade Earth, subjugate the planet, or destroy it because the comedy was just too great. But rather, playful wagers were constantly made in jest as to how long their world could survive without tearing itself apart. Burdlit often wondered who was playing whom during those times.

For Humans to have gone from the self-inflicted blights of so many sectarian squabbles - whether political, international, or regional (all petty to an outside observer) and through the mania of unimpassioned influence peddling by their best and brightest - but altogether (supposedly) authoritative and in the know which never left anybody better off in the short or long term...to owning a quarter of the universe was mind-boggling! It was as if the Space Force knew of Earth's perception and silently built their dominance while the rest of the universe's inhabitants sat around distracted by the shuttle wreck that a Human might call society.

No, not everybody spoke the same language. And many more were not even on the same page with the Space Force's level of underhandedness which led to an unprecedented rise to power. The Slorgs? Fine. The most populous race was respected and had a right to call some shots. The Dorans? Okay. The most feared race who made a household name out of ethnic cleansing with a technological ability to convert foreigners to their genetic makeup was assured a seat at the table of clout. The Pillorian Regime? Certainly. Those Ethereals probably built the entire universe, so that faction's freedom to wield will went without saying.

But Humans? No. Never. Unacceptable. The principle of it was just all wrong, and to Burdlit, these were not some minor prejudices. The Space Force was disruptive like a publisher who ignored the style guides of tradition and refused the formulaic approaches of commodity. Simply put, they had no respect for the closed architecture of the clique and churned along irrespective of the grain or their status in quo.

Burdlit and even the Carriveaua at large were jealous of no race. Envy, however, was a completely different emotion. It was the difference between realizing what one did not have but then feeling sorry for oneself and recognizing what one did not yet have but then doing something about stemming the deficit. So, were these concerns warranted? Absolutely, they were. Look at what the Space Force had achieved in decades when it took all other races eons to carve out but only meager portions of the universe. His people wanted in.

So no, not everybody spoke the same language. However, technology like Ear-To-Mouth Coms from the Space Force's corporate offshoot, Ennead Tech Corp, made it not only possible but feasible for every being throughout the universe to be able to at least communicate with one another. A powerful device in its own rite, the insane collection of translation codex which encompassed all dialects (not most or many - all) gave them an insufferable competitive advantage by taking away everybody else's!

So devious and yet so earnest - the only time that the Space Force ever seemed to subscribe to standards was when those initiatives held a homogenizing effect which could better the universe by uplifting its masses to a more level playing field. Burdlit witnessed this previously with the advent of their communication beacon network that had revolutionized universal communications until Ennead Tech Corp put the stamp on this culmination of advances with a stranglehold - namely the Ear-To-Mouth Com. As a result of the trendsetter advantages, people could no longer live without the ability to communicate universally, and the Humans had technological credibility to go along with their military strength.

The irony of it all was that Burdlit could not go one day without thinking negative thoughts about Humans. After seeing Janette off to the transport module which would lead her back to the surface of Dio Qze, he turned around to an Inner Corridor that was filled with the rest of them who he had to deal with on a daily basis and who each humbly deferred to his extensive experience in and knowledge on dealing with the presence of Deews - the way that it should be.

The Carriveaua could have never gotten away with this type of deception at the level of a Space Force-aligned world, but these unincorporated planets of Galaxy Bloc could not secede away from their faction of origin fast enough. And they did so right into the waiting arms of Burdlit and those like him who were more than willing to lend helping hands under the cover of offering a potential, new ally a head start. Unfortunately for them, these foolish Humans were to be the way in that he was seeking which could allow his associates to unleash a sinister delivery system that would destroy the Space Force from within.

How was that for reestablishing one's dominance? Destroying a megapower - the thought of which brought back the smile to Burdlit's scaly lips. The Carriveaua were once on the cusp of heralding the very faction spot that the Space Force now coveted (read: stole), and they wanted it back - willing to take their respect along with it in the process.

Taking a pass on the transport module, Burdlit opted for the stairs as the exercise did his already muscularly fit and trim build well. He lived in quarters which were only one floor up from this lowest level of the Power Authority, so being overly slothful did not bode well for the advisory role of his employment. Generally revered by the Humans as being some sort of suave weapons expert who was tasked with stopping the Deew at all costs which the scientists likely could not afford, it was imperative for him to maintain this charming outer exterior at all times if the humble guise were to remain intact.

The emotion of everything aside, the Space Force really was a danger to the rest of the universe. Galaxy Bloc might not have bought into the impending war sob story, but the Carriveaua knew the warning to be factually accurate and were going to leverage the hesitancy of all these unincorporated planets throughout the faction's midst in order to hit the unsuspecting megapower where it hurt.

Peace rarely seemed to follow wherever the Space Force happened to go, and it was idiotic to believe that an intergalactic war would just be between them and the New Alliance. Interstellar conflicts always had a way of spilling out damage in collateral directions, and this was becoming a sickening pattern of their faction. First, the Slorgs. Now, the Dorans. Who was next? The Pillorian Regime? The Carriveaua would not put it past them, and these egregious acts of entanglement were not something that could simply be passed over.

Upon entering plush quarters of a stained wood grain ambience, Burdlit set aside his laser rifle - leaning it up against the imitation leather couch that sat parallel to three-quarters of the cabin's walls and defined the entertainment center area. Yes, the Humans took care of their honored guest. His tail, which was normally kept taut when dealing with them so as to keep up with that aforementioned tight appearance, now slithered more freely as he worked his way down one side of the subtle three step drop and up the other side which formed a pseudo pit - complete with a coffee table that was made of metal and glass in its center.

Coffee.... That sounded like a good idea, right about now - Burdlit thought. Once out of the entertainment center area, he entered the more functional portion of his quarters which featured an office toward the right and the normal amenities like a bedroom and kitchen to the left. All of the furniture was constructed in the metal and glass style, and each of the inner walls to the cabin were see-through. As personal as a preference got, the color scheme made it easier for him to blend in with his surroundings, and warriors were always looking for ample opportunities to showcase their varied abilities. Practice made perfect in any culture, and the perfection of guile was more of a mantra than a trait at this point.

Drawn to the coffee machine which sat atop Burdlit's desk in the office for all those long nights of late work or pleasant evenings of curling up with an eBook from his all-time favorite - the Domina series, he had become quite fond of (read: addicted to) that liquid mixture with the French vanilla creamer. Well, these Humans managed to get one thing right.