- 7/8/2025
#scifistories1977 #hfy #scifi
We're thrilled to introduce "The Barbarian War" by author u/Hewholooksskyward to our channel, the prequal to 'Barbarians'. We've collaborated to adapt his captivating stories for our channel, and we eagerly anticipate sharing them with you.
We're thrilled to introduce "The Barbarian War" by author u/Hewholooksskyward to our channel, the prequal to 'Barbarians'. We've collaborated to adapt his captivating stories for our channel, and we eagerly anticipate sharing them with you.
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00:00The Barbarian War, Chapters 10, 11, and 12. The Price of Retaliation.
00:07Chapter 10
00:08The fleet was only a few hours from Zack when Admiral Fujimoto requested Nasat's presence
00:14on the flagship Zaronk. It had been politely worded, but something about the note's subtext
00:20put him immediately on edge, so much so that he'd diverted the shuttle sent to retrieve him,
00:25one of the perks of being a general, as it turns out, to swing by the hospital ship Clara Barton
00:31to pick up Rekret as well. Despite his stature in the fleet, they had only been able to see each
00:37other a handful of times during the journey, and he sensed he would need her strength now more than
00:43ever. Arriving on the bridge, he was surprised to see that he was not the only invited guest,
00:49though perhaps the term guest was slightly inaccurate. Hostage might be a little more
00:54on point when describing the somewhat vague status of Jiage, especially when taking into
00:59account his companions. The technician Greybird was seated at one of the consoles, busying himself
01:04with some esoteric bit of electronics, while the leader Musashi stood between the Admiral and the
01:11former Konhim commander. Flanking him, however, were the humans Tango and Whisper. The blonde female was
01:18wearing her auto-pistol in a shoulder holster, as still and silent as a spirit, whereas her
01:23companion. Were it not for the fact he had witnessed humans react the same way in his presence,
01:30Nassat would have felt self-conscious in his urge to place himself as far from the unstable whisper
01:34as possible. He automatically interposed himself between the human and his wife, eyeing him warily as
01:40he toyed with one of his ubiquitous knives. Jiage was doing his level best to ignore the madman,
01:45his back ramrod straight and eyes focused directly ahead, but he was fooling no one.
01:51What sounded suspiciously like a giggle seemed to emanate from Whisper's mouth as he watched his
01:56charge, and Nassat didn't doubt for an instant he was hoping his prisoner would try to escape.
02:02The Admiral stood in front of the banks of monitors, her hands clasped behind her back,
02:07her booted feet planted firmly on the deck. She seemed as solid as a granite statue,
02:12but Nassat was certain that was mere illusion. The death of Marshal Antumi in the defense of
02:17Earth had to have wounded her gravely, yet she gave no outward sign. It was as if she was
02:23husbanding her pain, molding it, forging it into a weapon, and when she was ready to strike—Helaine
02:30turned slightly, acknowledging his appearance with a nod, briefly noting Rikret at his side before
02:35returning her attention to the display.
02:37We are nearing our target, she informed them, as the image of Zack grew steadily larger on the
02:43screen. What kind of forces can we expect to face, Diaksh-Giage? she asked deliberately,
02:49the use of his former position a calculated slight.
02:52Giage stiffened but refused to take the bait.
02:55I have not returned to the homeworlds in many years.
02:58As you know, Admiral, he responded as dispassionately as possible,
03:02I have no idea what new developments Diaksh-Uidan may have emplaced here in my absence.
03:08Rikret grasped her husband's hand tightly as the level of tension on the bridge escalated
03:13dramatically. Admiral Fujimoto in turn gave her prisoner a brief derisive look,
03:17before glancing away once more.
03:19Well, no matter, she said after a moment. I suspect we will find out soon enough for
03:24ourselves. She tapped an icon on her console and began to speak.
03:28This is Zaronk to all units. Carriers are to flush all fighters and take their stations.
03:35All ships are to form Tactical Formation Gamma.
03:38Acknowledgements began coming in as the fleet began to alter their ranks.
03:43Sensors indicate approximately three dozen ships of various class,
03:46one of the bridge officers reported. We're reading some clutter on the nearest approach,
03:51Admiral.
03:52Adjust course, she ordered. 307 degrees by mark 115.
03:58Aye, aye, ma'am, the helm responded as the fleet began to shift.
04:02Jiage noted her response and nodded in understanding, something that did not go
04:06unnoticed by the Admiral.
04:08We've learned a few tricks since that first battle at Uzawank's, she sniffed derisively.
04:14Musashi raised his eyebrow at that, but for reasons of his own said nothing.
04:18A thin smile appeared on Helene's face as she spoke to her communications officer.
04:23I believe a little music would be appropriate, don't you? she said almost airily, though beneath
04:29every word lie a frozen dagger. The comm officer merely nodded, tapping an icon on her console as
04:36the bridge was suddenly filled with the sounds of stirring strings and blaring horns.
04:40The humans reacted immediately, leaving those not from Earth looking to one another for an
04:46explanation. Ride of the Valkyries, she smirked, though there was no warmth in her words.
04:52A little something from our past. There was a part of Nassat that wanted to inquire more
04:57about her choice of compositions, but wisely refrained.
05:00Starfires have made contact with the enemy vessels, the tactical officer reported.
05:07Engaging now.
05:09Nassat watched as the agile fighters swooped in, firing at the ships defending the planet,
05:14who were moving to intercept the fleet and returning fire.
05:18Behind the fighters, the battlecruisers moved in for support, adding their own salvos of antimatter
05:23into the fray. Even though naval tactics were not his specialty, Nassat could see that the
05:28Konheim defenders were at a disadvantage here, outnumbered as well as outgunned. The battle
05:33wasn't completely one-sided, of course, and already a number of fighter craft had disappeared
05:38from the display. One of the battlecruisers, Scimitar, according to the digital readout,
05:44had taken several hits and was in the process of falling back as her squadron mates moved to
05:50cover her. The Konheim ships, on the other hand, were taking horrendous casualties. One by one,
05:57they were shattered and broken, staggering off course as they went black and silent,
06:02or disappearing in fireballs. The flagship itself was now in range, as Zaronk belched a continuous
06:08volley of deadly projectiles, tearing into the enemy without pity or mercy, until finally the
06:15survivors decided they had had enough. A mere handful of ships reversed course, diving away from
06:20the Tetrarchy fleet with the Starfires in hot pursuit. Let them go, Fujimoto ordered, as Nassat felt a
06:27sudden stirring of hope. The Admiral turned away from the monitors, fully facing Jiage for the first
06:34time since his arrival. She cocked her head, studying him as if he was some curious form of insect.
06:40I chose this planet as a test, she informed him, a way to bloody our pilots and gunners.
06:46And now that its defenders are in full retreat, Zack lies naked and exposed. She took a step forward,
06:53her eyes boring into his. Shall I ask their surrender, Diaksh? She asked mockingly. Would
06:59they yield to me? Can they even conceive of such a thing? A sneer appeared at her lips. Or would they
07:05prefer death instead? His entire body trembled with emotion, working his jaw as he bit back a response.
07:12The sneer became a sardonic grin. I thought so, she said in exultation as she turned her back to him,
07:18striding to her console. Zaronk to all ships! Attack formation Shiva! she snarled as the
07:25fleet began moving once more, taking stations surrounding the planet. Nassat could remain
07:30silent no more. Admiral, what are your intentions? he demanded. Helene spun on her heel, her eyes blazing
07:37with fury. My intentions? she shot back. My intentions are to follow the orders of Prime
07:43Minister Singh, General, she said in dangerous tones. She ordered the Konheim broken, as you may
07:49recall, and their worlds shattered. And for once I am thrilled to obey. She spun away once more and
07:56growled into her mic. Zaronk to all ships, you may commence firing. For a moment it seemed as if the fleet
08:02had hesitated. But Nassat quickly realized the ships were merely coordinating their assault.
08:09In a single massive burst, the Tetrarchy Armada exploded, raining fire down on the surface below.
08:15Red-orange blooms began to appear as matter and antimatter annihilated one another, leaving devastation
08:22in their wake.
08:22And now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds, she whispered, as Zak suffered her wrath.
08:30Rikret's grasp threatened to crush his hand, but Nassat barely noticed. The two Sortors were
08:36utterly horrified at what they were witnessing, and as for Jiage, he seemed to have disappeared
08:41deep within himself, struggling to shut out the atrocity being visited upon his people.
08:46But the Admiral was not willing to leave it at that.
08:49She turned away from the Burning World and approached him once more.
08:54I wanted you to witness this for yourself, Diaksh, she hissed at him. I want you to always remember
09:00what your kind has unleashed, and every world we destroy, I'll make sure you have a ringside
09:05seat. I want you to see it all. The Konim could only stare at her as she bared her teeth.
09:11You sowed the wind, now reap the whirlwind.
09:16Chapter 11
09:17Dear Creator, they are no better than the Konim, Rikret managed to get out, still in shock
09:24over what they'd just witnessed.
09:26As much as Nassat would have liked to disagree with his wife, he couldn't. The destruction
09:31of Zak had shaken both of them to the core, and now there was a rather large question looming
09:36over the both of them. Namely, what did they do now?
09:41We always knew the humans possessed a barbarous streak, even a vicious one when needed, but you
09:47are absolutely correct. What they are doing now is little different than the Konim attacks from the
09:52last war. He closed his eyes and strove to recall the meditation techniques he had learned as an
09:59acolyte, but they danced just out of his reach. Sighing heavily, he opened his eyes once more.
10:05Perhaps we should not judge them so harshly, he said after a moment's reflection. They did lose
10:11three of their worlds to devastating attacks. Had we their skills and temperament ten years ago,
10:17is it not possible we also would have responded in such a manner?
10:21I would hope we would not be so eager to leap into the abyss, she said bitterly, grimacing as her
10:27husband looked as if he were about to say something, and then very quickly changed his mind.
10:33Sighing, she reached for his hand.
10:36I have not forgotten how I almost killed Ji-Aj out of hand, Nassat,
10:40Rikret said at last. I was not in my right mind then, as you know.
10:44And neither are the humans, I think, he replied, giving her a gentle smile.
10:49Though in the Admiral's case I do not believe it is the loss of the human colonies that has so
10:53deeply affected her, but the death of Marshal Antima. She was furious when Zion was destroyed,
10:59but not—not—he stumbled for a moment, grasping for an appropriate word.
11:06Malevolent, she suggested.
11:08Malevolent, yes, Nassat agreed. Her treatment of Ji-Aj in particular. He is not responsible for
11:15these attacks. No, just the attack that murdered my family, she said darkly. He may be innocent of
11:22these crimes, but never forget his hands are still covered in blood.
11:27I have not, my wife, Nassat vowed. And many other families as well. But despite all of that,
11:33I know in my heart that this is not the way. And the Prime Minister's orders? she asked.
11:38Do you not have a duty to obey? I am unsure, he admitted. Before tonight my path was clear,
11:46but after witnessing that—he shook his head, trying to clear away the image.
11:50I do not claim to be an expert in human history. Far from it, to be certain. And yet I can recall
11:58many occasions in their past where blindly following orders was the path to ruin. Even
12:04damnation.
12:07Rikret suddenly became very still. Her eyes were huge golden orbs as she stared at her husband,
12:13grasping his hands tightly.
12:15Nassat, listen to me very carefully. Whatever you are about to say next,
12:18choose your words with care. You know I would never betray your confidence, but others might.
12:24Especially if the Admiral were to learn you were contemplating treason.
12:28Nassat stared at her in shock. Treason? I have said nothing of treason.
12:33And just how do you think Admiral Fujimoto, in her current state, would react if you said this to her?
12:39She demanded. I fear that right now, in this moment, there are only two groups in her mind,
12:45those that follow her orders, and those that would conspire against her. I dread what would
12:49happen to you, should she place you with the second faction.
12:53Prime Minister Singh would never allow anything untoward to happen to me, or to us, he said
12:58confidently. We are still far too valuable to her.
13:01The Prime Minister is also very far from here, she said nervously, and quite possibly would never
13:08learn the truth if the Admiral decided you were a supporter of the enemy. I fear she is already
13:14suspicious of you, given your relationship with the former Diaksh. She ordered me to bring him here,
13:21Nassat reminded her. And tonight you learned why, Rakrit said quietly. For the sake of our children,
13:28do not give her reason to do the same to you. At that very moment, Leandra Singh was standing
13:35before the glass wall of the Minister's Chamber, gazing out over the alien city. She had come to
13:41this place decades ago as a supplicant, begging for table scraps, and now, in a very real sense,
13:48she commanded all that she surveyed. There were times when she was able to enjoy the heady emotion
13:52that came with that realization. But today was not one of them. Admiral Fujimoto's report of the
13:59destruction of Zack filled her thoughts, as she questioned yet again her orders to the fleet.
14:05She sighed and turned away from the view. In the end, what other choice did she have?
14:10The Konhim had to be stopped, and if she had learned anything in the last war, it was that raw violence
14:16was only thing they recognized. If they were pounded hard enough, they would eventually see the error of
14:21their ways, or at least recognize that continuing along the same path would quickly become a very
14:27expensive proposition. Make the price high enough, and sooner or later the enemy would refuse to pay it.
14:33Are you certain that's what this is about? A traitorous voice in her head asked,
14:37not merely revenge? And that was the big question, wasn't it? The images from Persephone,
14:43from Thule, and from Zion had shaken her to the core. It wasn't the first time she had seen ravaged
14:48worlds, of course, except that these were human worlds. That shouldn't have made a bit of
14:53difference, but it did. Oh yes, it did indeed. In the last war, she had been the one counseling
15:00patience to the other ministers, as they scrambled to create a military from scratch. She had
15:06sympathized with their pain, of course, even shared it. But in the end, she had been willing to accept
15:12the horrendous losses, telling herself that there were still plenty of other triumvirate worlds,
15:17and trillions of citizens still alive. In retrospect, perhaps it had been callous and
15:22cold-blooded, but what other choice did they have? What cannot be cured must be endured.
15:28Now, of course, the situation was different. They had a military, far more powerful than what they
15:33had managed to scrape together to fight the last war. They could strike back now instead of being
15:38forced to simply absorb the blows. That had to change the equation, didn't it? Didn't it?
15:43How she longed for Marshal Antumi's counsel, now more than ever. Even in their darkest hours,
15:50he had radiated a calm sense of purpose and reason that had helped guide her decisions.
15:55She had come to depend on him these last ten years, and his loss felt as if her right arm had
16:00been torn from its socket. Admiral Fujimoto was a skilled warrior, to be sure, but would never be
16:05able to take Kwasi's place, not in the way she needed. She and Antumi hadn't become friends,
16:10exactly. The very nature of her position precluded her calling any one friend. But she had grown to
16:16trust and respect the man. And now he was gone. Even though he hadn't said a word, she knew he had
16:23been uncomfortable with her orders to shatter the Konheim. He'd understood the necessity. He had
16:28been far too skilled a strategist and tactician not to. But there had been a shadow on his face when
16:33she'd given the order, as if he were staring into a dark future only he could see. Except that now,
16:40she was beginning to sense it before them as well. His sacrifice had had a profound effect on humanity.
16:46For a brief moment, mankind had breathed a sigh of relief. Only now, whatever comfort they had taken
16:52from their salvation had galvanized their terror and anger in a way that was beginning to frighten her.
16:57The mature and civilized veneer man had worked so hard to cultivate, had been stripped away in a heartbeat,
17:03revealing the ravenous beast beneath. The mob now howled for blood and it would not be denied.
17:10Dear God, what of the Konheim unleashed? she asked herself yet again, as she wondered how many more
17:15worlds would have to die before the beast was placated once more.
17:21Chapter 12
17:22Philippe Granville looked up in surprise as Admiral Uri Matavozian burst into his office.
17:29Governor, we've just received a priority alert from one of our deep space array satellites in
17:34orbit over Neptune. We've spotted dozens of point targets entering the system, on a direct course
17:39to Earth. The color drained from the Governor General's face. Dear God, another RKKV?
17:46The Earth Force commander shook his head. No, sir. We're not seeing any signs of another planet
17:51killer. It appears to be an attack fleet of some kind, consisting of warships. We're still waiting
17:56for a breakdown of the ship classes involved, but I can tell you this much. They do not appear to be
18:02the same type the Konheim used in the last war. The Governor closed his eyes and slowly nodded.
18:08So, we're not the only ones who have been building new ships. He took a moment to steady himself before
18:14looking back up at the Admiral. How long until they arrive?
18:18At current speed, roughly five hours, Matavozian replied. We caught them earlier this time. We are
18:25redeploying the ships within the system to meet them. Will it be enough? he asked quietly. With the
18:31loss of Marshal Antuma and Jatutaz, do you have enough to stop them? The Admiral met his gaze and shrugged.
18:38I don't know, sir, he answered reluctantly. Jatutaz was the only dreadnought we had in the system,
18:44and as for the Marshal— He suddenly looked worn and haggard. Quasi was the best there was,
18:50bar none. In my guild days, I never came close to beating him.
18:54Thankfully, you don't have to, Philippe reassured him, since you're facing the Konheim,
18:59and not the Black Death, giving him a wry look as he used the Marshal's old guild handle.
19:04Quasi always hated that nickname, Matavozian smiled briefly, though he wasn't above using
19:11it to rattle his opponents. The smile quickly died away, as he looked out the window.
19:18He'll be missed, especially now. Yes, he will, the governor agreed somberly.
19:24But he's not here, and you are. So I ask again, can you hold?
19:28Hold. Admiral Matavozian snapped to attention. We'll hold, sir. One way or another, we'll hold
19:35the line. Granville nodded curtly. Whatever you need, consider it done. He took a deep breath and
19:41asked, Should we begin evacuating the cities? The Admiral shook his head. Five hours' notice
19:47isn't enough time. You'd only start a panic. And if the Konheim managed to break through—he sighed
19:53heavily. It wouldn't make a difference. Understood, Governor Granville said quietly.
20:00Please keep me apprised of any changes. In the meantime, the public needs to be told.
20:06He was already mentally preparing the speech he'd have to give, and choking on every word.
20:12Yes, sir, Matavozian replied, spinning on his heel and retreating back the way he'd come,
20:17already issuing orders via his comm link.
20:19God be with you, Philippe whispered, praying Earth had one more miracle in its favor.
20:26The fleet that guarded Earth had a distinctly ragged appearance. Ships were still scrambling
20:31to report in from all across the solar system, the remnants of the task force that had stopped
20:36the RKKV mere weeks earlier. They hung in deep space, far from the planet's gravity well,
20:42watching and waiting for the enemy's arrival. Admiral Matavozian had made Kestrel his flagship,
20:48being the largest surviving vessel available. The carrier had already disgorged its fighters,
20:53waiting in formation forward of the fleet. The starfires would be his eyes and ears,
20:58probing the Konheim armada and looking for weaknesses. The battlecruisers would then
21:03hopefully exploit any chinks in their armor, but as the enemy drew closer, the numbers were not
21:08encouraging. It was likely to be a far closer fight than any sane commander would willingly court
21:13if he had a choice. But of course, he had no choice at all. This was Earth, the one planet they could
21:19literally not afford to lose. The Konheim knew that, which was why they were attacking again so
21:24soon after the last attempt. No follow-up offensives had been necessary at the other colonies,
21:30but the one aimed at man's homeworld had been stopped cold. The Konheim were obviously going for
21:35the knockout blow, hoping to cripple the humans and thereby opening the doorway to their ancient enemies.
21:40It was a huge gamble, especially considering Helene Fujimoto's assault on their own planets.
21:47But it was becoming obvious the new Diaksh thought it was worth the risk. Only one way to find out.
21:54Matavoshian turned to the tactical officer. How long until the enemy is within firing range?
22:00The lieutenant checked her display. Approximately .25 minutes, sir, she replied.
22:05The admiral nodded, taking that in. In the last war, he'd been a lieutenant himself.
22:11Piloting one of the old comets alongside their Ophiptrin and Ronin allies. The last battle
22:16over Zoronk had been a bloodbath, and to this day he still wasn't sure how he'd managed to survive.
22:22Afterwards, the Navy had undergone a massive expansion program, and he'd found himself being
22:27kicked further and further upstairs. He had the rank, but in terms of actual experience?
22:32Woefully inadequate. Of course, he was hardly alone in that. It was a service-wide problem and
22:38would be for decades. You don't spend a century disassembling your military without a huge loss
22:43of institutional knowledge, and on the triumvirate side, things were even worse. They were learning,
22:48slowly but surely, except that final exams had come before anyone had expected.
22:54And graduation in this school meant staying alive. A test far too many of them would fail.
22:59The status change, the lieutenant shouted suddenly, throwing up her plot onto the main display.
23:06The Konheim have altered course now bearing 234 degrees by Mark 027. The computer dutifully
23:12plotted the new course, an angry red arrow pointing to their new destination.
23:17Mars, Matavosian whispered. Apparently, he'd spoken loud enough to be heard.
23:24Yes, sir, the lieutenant confirmed. Revised ETA has the Konheim fleet within range of Mars in
23:30.12 minutes. The admiral mashed down his comm button. This is Matavosian to the fleet.
23:37All ships increase to flank, best possible speed to Mars. Any ship that can't keep up gets left behind.
23:42He cursed his own folly even as he switched channels. The Governor General's face soon appeared
23:47on his console display. We know, Philippe Granville said grimly, obviously viewing a plot of his own
23:54back on Earth. Can you get there before the Konheim? A question he had been asking as well,
24:00as the computer crunched the numbers. The response appeared on his screen, and it was only by sheer
24:06force of will he managed not to give out a low whistle at the answer. It's going to be close,
24:11sir, he said after a moment. Their trajectory gives them an advantage, probably why they waited
24:16until now to spring their surprise. You should inform your counterpart her people better start
24:21hunkering down. Already done, Granville confirmed. Luckily, Mars has maintained the old shelters from
24:28before the terraforming. He paused for a moment, as his face turned to stone. Of course, the population
24:35was much lower back then. Yes, sir, Matavosian said in understanding. What was left unsaid was how
24:42little warning the Martians had been given. Their forces were on alert, of course. Had been ever since
24:47the Konheim entered the system. But given the assumption the enemy armada was racing for Earth.
24:52We'll do our best, the Admiral said finally. Matavosian, clear. He swiveled back in his chair,
25:00watching the plot as the numbers slowly ticked down. The computer was continually updating its
25:05estimate, and now it appeared the Konheim would be entering Mars orbit, just as they were within
25:10weapons range. Barely within range, as it happened, but at that distance a miss came with its own little
25:17complication. Namely, hitting the planet with their own weapons. Their own antimatter weapons. He could
25:23wait, of course, letting them get close enough to at least ensure any misses wouldn't endanger the
25:28planet. But that would allow the Konheim to begin their own planetary bombardment. They wouldn't need a
25:35lot of time to ravage Mars. Not much time at all. He wanted to wait. Dear God, he wanted to wait.
25:41Even a minute could improve their hit probabilities to the point where he'd be certain their own fire
25:46wouldn't impact the planet's surface. But with an enemy fleet in orbit overhead, 60 seconds was an
25:52eternity. Matavosian watched the tactical plot as the range distance showed in red. His finger was
25:59already stabbing the comm button the instant it changed to yellow. All ships, fire!
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