Chapter 192: Round 2
The air in the central command chamber of the Krill lunar headquarters was thick with a tension that even the efficient atmospheric processors struggled to dissipate. Holographic projections of Earth and its surrounding orbital zones flickered erratically, painting a grim tableau of their recent, humiliating defeat. Most harvest leaders, admirals, and generals of the Krill forces assigned to Earth were gathered, their scales duller than usual, their posture tense, a collective wound of pride still festering.
Chancellor Shuha’dar, surveyed the grim faces before him. His own expression was a mask of controlled frustration, his eyes scanning the room, lingering on the glaring absences. Several command stations, usually bustling with activity, stood empty, their consoles dark.
"Report," Shuha’dar’s voice was a low, gravelly rumble that cut through the agitated murmurs. "Where are the Harvest Leaders for Switzerland, Russia, USA, China, Canada, Brazil, and the other South American zones? Krill Khian, Krul’kahn, Shen, Kai... they are nowhere to be seen."
A younger Krill officer, his scales a nervous pale green, stepped forward, stammering slightly. "Chancellor, repeated attempts to establish contact have failed. Their last known positions were within their designated zones during the human counter-offensive. We... we assume they are either deceased or have gone AWOL."
Murmurs of discontent rippled through the chamber, louder this time. Most of the present harvest leaders were safely resting in their own quarters, having been assigned to manage post-conquest transfers, not direct combat. Their assigned countries or zones were supposed to be secured, their human harvests ready for processing. The disappearance of such high-ranking, highly reputed harvest leaders implied not just failure, but potential treason and rebellion – a severe blow to the Krill command’s morale and trust, a crack in their rigid hierarchy.
Shuha’dar raised a claw, silencing the murmurs. His voice gained authority, cutting through the lingering tension. "Their disappearance matters not. Their fate is irrelevant to our true objective."
He paused, letting his words sink in, then gestured to the holographic Earth, now a vibrant blue and green jewel, seemingly mocking their failures. "We are not here for a glorious conquest. The armies and fleets assigned to Earth were few enough because we, and the Imperial Council, thought humans were still too primitive. We thought a few battalions of Krill Vanguards and squadrons of drone swarms, coupled with our control over their governments and economies, would be sufficient. We underestimated them. Terribly."
A stunned silence fell over the chamber. This was not the usual rhetoric of Imperial might. Shuha’dar’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone, barely above a whisper, yet it resonated through the chamber with chilling clarity. "Our objective was to gather as many humans as possible and fly off to another star system, far away from our Emperor’s avaricious and gluttonous craze that is coming to Earth fast. This was a way for our species to grow human settlements elsewhere, to ensure our survival and wait for the population to grow, away from his insatiable demand."
The implication hung heavy in the air: they were not just invading, but fleeing the Emperor’s wrath, using Earth as a desperate last resort for sustenance, a temporary larder before a desperate exodus. The very foundation of their mission, as understood by most present, shattered.
"Requesting reinforcements from the Imperial Capital is possible," Shuha’dar continued, his voice grim, "but it would take the main force to arrive in five years. By then, it would be too late. For us." The fear of the Emperor, a silent, ever-present dread, now manifested as a ticking clock, driving their desperate gambit.
Admiral Khizar, still bitter from his fleet’s retreat, stepped forward, his scales bristling. He glared at General Z’gor, a ground forces commander whose unit had seen heavy losses. "Chancellor, with all due respect, our approach to ban orbital indiscriminate bombardments cost us! We were only a few, and our ships were picked off like insects because we couldn’t level their defenses from orbit!"
General Z’gor, a hulking Krill with battle-scarred scales, countered, defensive. "And if we had, Admiral, we would have incinerated our primary resource! The Harvest Leaders would have mutinied! Our objective was to collect, not destroy!"