Intelligence Failure

A small illustration slowly began to form on the paper before be, the black ink flowing from my writing instrument. It was the figure of one of those aliens, the Xyphonites, being attacked by my father with the World-Hammer. Then, I was quickly tapped on my arm by Cal, with his backhand, which grasped my attention. I looked to him, but when I turned my head to the right, I saw his figure standing up, and then I heard everyone else in the room stand. I instinctively followed suit, turning to face the source of the disturbance.
My father, the Emperor, had entered the room. We all bowed our heads slightly yet respectfully. My little brother, the heir presumptive, walked behind His Majesty. At the time, young Zorus was only twenty. His Majesty sat down in the large chair for him, and Zorus took a position right next to on his left. On His Majesty’s right was me, followed by Cal, who was His Majesty's Treasurer, and then Sar, the Director of the General Directorate for Information and State Security, and finally Ordos, who was Minister of War. Despite being distant in the order of succession, Drila was still Minister of Foreign Affairs, and thus was needed for this meeting, although Vub, our eldest brother, was absent.
His Majesty gestured for all of us to be seated, and so we did. Aside from key members of the Imperial Family, there was also in attendance the Grand Marshal, her chiefs of staff, the Lord Protector of the Assembly of Worlds, one of the Patriarchs of the Church of Darkness and Light, and the Director of the General Directorate of Foreign Security and Intelligence. We were all seated in a circular conference table, brightly illuminated by a system of lights hanging from the lofty ceiling. The room was largely in darkness, with a map of the galaxy installed on one of the walls, towards the ceiling.
“Tell me, Director Vaha,” said His Majesty, “what news have you from your latest reports. What new information of this recently discovered species have you brought for us?”
Director Vaha, his visage largely cloaked in shadow thanks to the hood over his face, procured a small data preservation device. His somewhat short snout barely escaped the cloak of darkness, and its fur was of a dark brown coloration. He had a faint scar on his nostrils.
When the device was accepted into a retrieval port at the conference table, various holographic images appeared before us. These aliens were indeed quite strange. They were about our height, but that was perhaps the only similarity we shared from a glance. They had no fur, no feathers, and no scales, simply bare skin. Some had facial hair, while others did not.
“Based on rough translation, this species calls itself ‘Humanity’ or ‘Human,’ began Director Vaha, his airy voice speaking softly yet clearly. “They occupy portions of the Silansir Tract, scattered across dozens of star systems. We are unsure of their numbers, but I personally estimate their population to be twenty to thirty billion individuals. We do not know the location of their homeworld. Perhaps the most interesting fact to note is their diplomatic history: they have been at war with the Xyphonites for nearly thirty years now.”
I looked at His Majesty. He frowned. “And I have just now learned of this? Only now have I discovered that our greatest enemy has been occupied with waging war against another species for almost half of my reign?”
Director Vaha shrunk, declining to look at His Majesty out of shame. “I admit, Your Majesty,” he said with a very faint quiver, “this… substantial intelligence failure is my responsibility. I shall have it rectified forthwith.”
“Indeed you shall,” replied His Majesty with a subtle growl at the end of his statement. “Are you at least privy to the losses sustained by the Xyphonites in their war against Humanity?”
Director Vaha rubbed his hands against one another nervously. “We have no precise number, but I estimate that they have lost at least one billion individual warriors.”
“Majesty, if I may,” said the Grand Marshal. His Majesty looked at Grand Marshal Ordon, and gestured for her to speak. “Majesty,” continued Ordon, “if Director Vaha’s information is even partly correct, then the time to strike at the Xyphonites is now. They are distracted, embroiled in a substantial conflict. With the combined strength of this alien species and our own, they will not survive a two-front war. I predict that if we launch a full-scale invasion of Xyphonite space now, you will triumphantly march down the corridors of their capital starbase by the end of this year.”
"I agree with the Grand Marshal," said Ordos. "Although we will need time to mobilize our forces, and replace officers lost in... recent security sweeps." All, save for the Director of InfoSec and His Majesty, moved slightly uneasily in their seats.
“Lord Protector, what have you to say?” asked His Majesty.
“This could mean the final blow to our ancient enemy,” answered Lord Protector Ahernabinen. “I think most of the population will quickly rally to support the invasion. There are a few pacifists in the Assembly, but they are most certainly in the minority.”
“Your Holiness?” said His Majesty to Patriarch Ygran II, who looked perturbed.
“The Church is concerned by the losses our nation might sustain. But if it means the vanquishing of these infidel Xyphonites, then it is the will of Erd-El. However, we must also take care of these… Humans. Please, allow me to send missionaries to proselytize in their realms, and refrain from raising the hammer against them.”
His Majesty nodded. He then looked back at Director Vaha.
“What of Humanity’s military capacity?” asked His Majesty.
“Their technology is substantially inferior to ours. However, they have offered the Xyphonites significant resistance, and their conflict has lasted decades. From what limited reports I have received so far from my agents, they consistently use tactics employed by our forces in the opening months of the First Contact War, as well as during Operation Comet in the War of Devolution. If we were to wage war against Humanity, we would most likely be in a position not completely dissimilar from the Xyphonites.”
His Majesty let out a gruff “hmm.” Then, he stared at the holographic images for a few silent, tense moments. Then, he looked at his children – us. With my mind, I sensed his shifting emotions go from frustration with Director Vaha, then to contemplation and care, and finally the familiar fiery determination I grew up sensing from him.
“Alert all commands. Deploy the Cosmic Defense Force. Issue mobilization orders. We will break the Xyphonites and their heathen Covenant once and for all.”
Category:The Weekly