85 Natives.
Shi Lang and Tian left the base riding on an off-road old hummer jeep. To think that the civilization was still using vehicles based on the old designs, despite overhauling them with advanced technology.
The terrain of Carta-shyn was like a mountainous region with rocks scattered everywhere. Stalin, the acting commander of the Terran base was sitting in the front seat while Shi Lang and Tian sat in the back. Stalin’s adjutant was responsible for driving. Behind them, another vehicle was following.
Shi Lang asked, “Tell us the situation in the native settlement and how did you guys reach peace?”
Stalin said, “When we first landed here and deployed the base, the natives were attracted to our movements. Brigadier Jun was the person who interacted with the elders of the natives and the elder calmly stated that they do not wish for struggle and let us do what we wanted to.”
Shi Lang asked, “Do you know how big is this planet and what is the population residing here?”
Stalin nodded and said, “This place is twenty-five thousand four hundred eighty-five kilometers in diameter. Slightly bigger than the Federation. The landmass and water are in the same ratio as the Federation. However, the population is scarce, other than the flora and fauna. Intelligent species is low.”
Shi Lang sighed and said, “Did you all think that one settlement is peace-loving so the rest are the same as well?”
Stalin said, “Sir, we are just a frontier recon brigade. Our task was to secure a landing site and the main forces will come over in the next six months to take charge. We had no idea something like this would happen.”
Tian said, “This is nothing but an excuse. This is the reason why we from the secret division will have to come over every time and wipe your butts clean.” her tone did not hide any sign of blatant disdain and contempt she held in her mind for the frontier forces.
Shi Lang noticed that the two people in the front clenched their jaws at this remark. He said, “I understand that your jobs are not easy and that your life is at risk at any given point during deployment, but that is all the more reason for you to be cautious. As for Tian, do not mind what she said. She is not very good with words.”
The lady gave him a sideway glance and returned to her silent form. Shi Lang said, “How long before we can reach them?”
Stalin said, “Five minutes.” in a slightly colder tone.
…
Five minutes later the two vehicles stood in front of a wooden fence. Shi Lang and Tian got off and the boy said, “You all can stand down here, we will walk inside alone. I do not wish to entice the people here to come out go ballistic because of your appearances.”
Stalin nodded and they all stood up. Shi Lang took out his service phasor hand gun and handed it to Stalin and Tian did the same. The latter was confused by his actions and the boy said, “To earn peace one must give up weapons.”
Then he turned around and walked over to what seemed like the gate to the settlement. Tian stood half a step behind him and asked, “How do we go about it?”
The boy said, “We wait and lower ourselves in front of them. This is their turf and our people already dealt them mental damage despite them being accommodating. We no longer have an equal foothold. Thanks to the dimwitted people.”
Tian nodded. What Shi Lang said was true. She said, “Have you turned on the smart translator in the mask?”
The boy nodded. The reckon brigade had already recorded the videos and audio files of the people conversing in the quantum computer on the ship and with that, they have decoded the language. The mask they wore could help them translate the language into their own and what they speak in the native tongue. The settlement looked very peaceful from the outside.
Shi Lang stood there patiently and soon a native spotted them. The native had calves like a goat and the torso of a human, He wore a coat made of wool. The native walked over cautiously after issuing a few loud sounds in the native language. The noise was caught in the mask interceptor and after translation, it came out, “Elder Thie, there are outlanders at the gates.”
Shi Lang said, “We come to apologize.” his voice was quite loud and then he knelt on the ground using one knee.
He said, to Tian, “Follow my actions, I can sense their hostility. Look vulnerable and only when things are out of tolerance should you show resistance or pride.”
Tian nodded and followed his actions. She could sense the hostility coming from the people as well. The native walked over to the gate and after he saw the two people kneeling on the ground he stopped. His facial features were similar to an average human. He snarled and said, “Why do you blood-thirsty animals come here? Have you become addicted to killing us?”
Shi Lang shook his head and said, “We come here to provide you with an explanation of what happened. We had no intention of going on a rampage. The people who did this are all punished and killed back at our home already. Please listen to what we have to say.”
Before the man-goat in front of him could say anything, a deep voice sounded in the mask, “You come here and say that you will provide an explanation, however, will your mere words, bring back my brethren? What can you do to appease the orphans and the widows? Can you make their families whole again? Once the souls are stained with blood they can never be cleaned. Begone, we have no intention of communicating with you.”
Shi Lang sighed and said, “Elder, I come here with due sincerity. I cannot do anything out of the ordinary, I am not a god. I can kill those who did this but other than that nothing. The forces here are not the true strength of my people. Out leaders will not hesitate to destroy entire planets for what they want, you can call them cruel but this is how the strong see the world.
If they do not get what they ask for nicely, they just snatch it. I hope you do not wish that to happen to your people. I am nothing but a foot soldier and I also do not wish to see bloodshed. It saddens me to hear what happened in the past. But I seek your co-operation so that the rest of you can live peacefully. I guarantee this, my leaders will not do anything harmful if they are not met with resistance. Please consider this elder.”
He fell silent after this. The reason Shi Lang uttered all this was that the person in front of him had a golden mane like a lion and his facial features resembled that of the beast. His body was bulky and the strength that he radiated was stronger than a seven-star Terran. Even if Gamma was here, she would not survive the attacks if she was to fight it out.
Shi Lang cleared his status as the foot soldier who was following orders and was forced to do things. He also stated that the whole planet can be destroyed if they were to resist too much. Resources can be obtained from the debris of the broken planets.
Elder Thei cast him a glance and asked, “Since you seek peace, I shall think about it, if you can fulfill a few of my demands.”
The other natives standing around him gawked at him and Shi Lang asked, “What is it that you demand?”
The lion-man said, “I want the culprits of those heinous acts to be left at my disposal. This is what my tribe deserves. If you cannot even do that, then get lost.”
Shi Lang thought a bit and said, “Elder, allow me to contact my superiors and then I shall come back to you.”
Thei said, “Come back when you have them, otherwise, the answer will be the same, and next time I will kill you to send a message to your people.”
Shi Lang nodded and stood up from the ground but kept his head low. Tian did the same and they walked after turning around. Tian asked in a low voice, “Is it okay to show them or back?”
Shi Lang nodded and they came back to the convoy where Stalin had been watching them. He asked, “Why did you kneel? Do you not know that it was humiliating, you carry the honor of the federal army, and now you beg them peace?”
Shi Lang raised his head and before anyone could react he appeared in front of the Acting commander and his knife was resting on the latter’s neck, as he said, “If you had the honor, then you would not have let the moles dig in your base if you know your duties than you would not have let things come to this point.
You hypocritic bastards, do you know that they have natives stronger than a seven-star Terran? If that person decided to raid the base, he can slaughter at least half of your mongrels before you can take him down. Yet they allowed you peace. Frontier forces really need to have their brains and breed checked.”
He was pissed off, the natives had put him in a position where either they surrender their own or they go to war. Either way it will cost lives, the question was how many.