Distant Hope

CHAPTER 20 - SIRENSON

News of Earths capture quickly spread throughout the Alliance and its citizens feared what maybe next. However news that the President had survived and was rallying the remaining Alliance to fight on gave its citizens some hope but many knew that time was not on their side.

Away from war Lisa landed the Avenger and the crew disembarked weary and followed Lisa home to a modest single storey house that had a central hallway that had bedrooms and other rooms flowing off it.

The lounge looked onto the high mountains in the distance.

Natav looked to Lisa as she walked into the kitchen to make herself a drink "What do we do now."

Lisa turned to look at him "I don't know. The President said after we landed said to return home and rest and that he would be in contact."

Natav continued "I've catched up with the news. Your right and we have been fighting for months and rarely won. We don't have long and we need to prepare for the worst."

Lisa turned to him "I've been studying the Iquan and I do not want to be around when they take over. The records speak of their brutality. I do not want to live that way."

Natav looked to her "Your saying we run I thought you of all people would stay and fight"

Lisa smiled "I remember my father clearly saying to me when I was at home on Mars that you cannot win every battle. You have to choose your fights and that means sometimes you walk away until your ready."

Natav looked to her "Your saying we leave but go where. Territories close to the Alliance have signed non aggression treaties."

Lisa stroked her chin "Last night I was studying new star charts that I bought only a few months ago. On there are a few planets not claimed by anyone."

She walked to a duffell bag that contained the map and put it onto the table.

Natav looked to them impressed by their detail "These maps are really good. Where did you get them."

Lisa looked to him "Remember that Zantayan you know the one with four arms and a dodgy sense of humour. He hired us to carry some fertiliser to Obius."

Natav smiled "I remember."

Lisa continued "I got these maps off him. I exchanged a few tonnes of hydranium in return. I was looking at this place called the Trequan nebula. The scans say little about its interior but suggest a planet inside."

Natav smiled "You have a plan don't you."

Lisa looked to him "I do the Alliance will fall within months. The nebula will be a perfect place to escape to."

Natav frowned "Wheres the money in this. Wheres the deal?"

Lisa looked to him "I can't ignore whats happening out there. Yesterday I learnt that the Wovan Trading Syndicate had fallen."

Natav look to her "We're out of business then."

Lisa nodded "We're out of business and this is no longer about money but survival.

Natavs eyes lit up "Your right". "Does your sister or William know of what you've been planning?"

Lisa shook her head "No I've been planning this for a while ever since leaving Eden. I care about this crew."

Natav interrupted "We have worked and fought together over the past ten years. You want our help you have it but we need to tell the others."

Lisa nodded "Lets do it then."

The crew assembled on Lisas veranda looking out onto distant hills and Lake Vouchon a vast lake in the distance.

William and Priette reacted with little surprise and they had suffered at the hands of the Iquan and she had known of friends and family killed. Money was the furthest thing from their mind and realised that nothing would be the same any more.

Lisa left the house to see the governor who was an old family friend.

Lisa sat quietly with the Governor a triangular grey headed Venat who was of medium built with a reputation for wisdom and cunning.

Lisa sat in the Governors home a large opulent house made of grey granite, marble and exotic alien materials "Its a good plan. But there is a flaw."

Lisa was intrigued "How so?"

The Governor looked to Lisa both had been good friends for years "Sirenson is one of the few planets untouched by the Iquan. Besides not everyone can come with you. There are to few ships for so many people."

Lisa nodded "I sense your desire to protect your people. But we must survive. My plan gives us the best chance to do that."

The Governor smiled "You didn't allow me to finish. I saw the last Iquan war I was there as it destroyed our forces. I also knew your father well. I met him on and off when I was a politician and we talked during the time he came to Eden."

Lisa looked to distant views of open fields full of wheat "My father did speak of you fondly."

The Governor nodded and smiled his thin lips "Exactly he would be proud of you right now. You think like him and you care for others. But your also right we must be prepared for the worst. I am not the only person who thinks like this. Their are others in this part of space who will provide ships.

My suggestion is that you take as many people as you can and go. Give me a week or so. You will have the ships and the things you need. We will also begin evacuating soon. The rest of us will stay here."

Lisa looked to him "Genzet you can come we will need strong leadership."

Genzet smiled "My dear you flatter me but I can not leave our people. But you will be well equipped and you did not here this the Alliance are secretly planning to surrender within a few weeks the losses are too great to sustain."

Lisa looked to him "I thought we had a few months at most."

Genzet nodded "Things are worse than the media says. Meon has only just surrendered as has Zantaya. Sirenson and a few of us are holding out but the Iquan will soon be here and we need to act swiftly."

Lisa looked to Genzet who had been a surrogate father since her own fathers sacrifice at the Battle of Callisto which saw the Iquan defeated and pushed back to their own space.