The cafeteria lunch had been brief. Brenden had wolfed down three sandwiches while flipping through Warden's notes. Vor had quizzed him on the coalition races between bites. By the time the bell rang for History, Brenden felt marginally less doomed.
"Second lesson on Nephtaris," Damian said as they walked to class. "Luther's going to be fired up."
"He's always fired up," Magnum replied.
"Yes, but today he's covering why the war started. That means talking about alien betrayal." Damian shook his head. "He's going to explode."
Arthur took his seat at the front. "Good. He's more interesting when he's angry."
"You have a strange definition of interesting," Brenden muttered.
The door swung open. Sergeant Luther marched in with the same stone-faced expression as always. He placed the Pirstein book on his desk — Volume II — and faced the class. His eyes swept across them.
"Last class, we covered the prelude to the Siege of Nephtaris. The colony. Commander Voss. The coalition races. The ultimatum." He paused. "Who can name the three coalition races?"
Arthur's hand went up instantly. Damian's followed. Magnum, Oliver, and Noah joined a moment later.
Luther pointed at Brenden.
Brenden froze. "Me?"
"You. Storm. Name them."
Brenden swallowed. "Syllvans. Four arms. Infantry." He paused, thinking hard. "Gorath. Big. Seven feet. Shock troops." One more. His mind raced. "Vexxi. Grey skin. The... the brains."
Luther stared at him for a long moment. Brenden prepared for the worst.
"Adequate," Luther said.
From Luther, that was practically a compliment. Brenden exhaled.
"Today," Luther continued, "we discuss the political situation that led to the siege. Why the coalition formed. Why they attacked. And how the rest of the universe watched."
He opened the Pirstein book and began.
---
From the Pirstein Series, Volume II, Chapter 3 (Continued):
The Political Landscape Preceding the Siege
To understand the Siege of Nephtaris, one must first understand the delicate political balance of the Aquarius Constellation in the late 26th century. Humanity had established itself as the dominant power in the Milky Way — a Level 7 civilization among a sea of Level 4 and 5 species. This disparity created resentment.
Humanity's policy of colonization was not inherently hostile. Planets were settled, resources harvested, and in many cases, native races were offered technological advancement in exchange for cooperation. Many accepted. But not all viewed this arrangement as beneficial.
---
"What kind of technological advancement?" Oliver asked.
"Infrastructure," Luther said. "Medicine. Energy systems. Humans helped lesser civilizations build thermal plants, medical facilities, and defense networks. On the surface, it was generous." His voice hardened. "But generosity breeds jealousy."
Arthur raised his hand. "Sir, was there any resistance to human colonization before the coalition?"
"Good question, Reinhart." Luther seemed pleased. "There were protests. Diplomatic complaints. A few minor skirmishes. But nothing organized. Humanity was too strong to challenge directly. The allied races needed a unifying force."
He turned back to the book.
---
That unifying force emerged from the Vexxian Nebula. The Vexxi High Council, a body of twelve elder strategists, had long observed humanity's expansion with growing alarm. While the Syllvans and Gorath harbored grievances over territory and resources, the Vexxi harbored something more dangerous: ambition.
The Vexxi believed that humanity's strength was an illusion — that humans relied too heavily on technology and had grown soft after centuries of uncontested dominance. They theorized that a decisive victory against a human colony would shatter the perception of human invincibility.
---
"They thought we were soft," Magnum said, disbelief in his voice.
"They always think we're soft," Luther growled. "Every single race. Every single war. They look at humans and see weak creatures with no claws, no fangs, no natural weapons. And every single time — "
He caught himself. Took a breath.
"Every single time, they are proven wrong."
---
The Vexxi High Council dispatched envoys to the Syllvanis system and the frozen moon of Gorathis Prime. Their message was simple: unite under Vexxi command, attack the human colony at Nephtaris, and claim the planet's thermal energy reserves for themselves. The Syllvans were promised expanded territory. The Gorath were promised resources and glory. Neither race questioned the Vexxi's true motives.
By the time the coalition was formalized, their combined forces numbered ten thousand. Against the two thousand soldiers stationed at Nova Spire, the odds seemed insurmountable.
---
"Ten thousand versus two thousand," Warden said quietly. "That's five to one."
"And they still lost," Noah added.
"They hadn't faced Commander Voss yet," Arthur said.
Luther nodded approvingly. "Exactly."
---
The Neutral Observers
The Siege of Nephtaris did not occur in isolation. Across the outer constellations, multiple unaligned races watched the conflict with keen interest. Among them were the Thalassians of the oceanic world Pelagora, the insectoid Krixxis Hive of the Vermillion Nebula, and the reclusive Durnok Enclave of the asteroid belts.
These neutral races had not yet chosen sides in the broader human-alien tensions. A swift coalition victory at Nephtaris would likely have swayed them against humanity. Conversely, a human victory would affirm Earth's dominance and discourage further rebellions.
---
"So the whole war was a message," Damian said. "Both sides were trying to prove something."
"Yes," Luther said. "The coalition wanted to show that humans could bleed. We wanted to show that we could not be broken." He tapped the book. "Every neutral race in the quadrant was watching. Waiting. Deciding who to ally with."
"What did the Thalassians do?" Vor asked.
"Nothing. They watched from their ocean cities and waited for a winner."
"And the Krixxis?"
Luther's expression darkened. "The Krixxis Hive was... opportunistic. They had no loyalty to either side. They would have joined whoever won and scavenged the corpse of the loser."
"And the Durnok?" Arthur asked.
"The Durnok Enclave was the only neutral race that privately expressed support for humanity. They had been treated fairly by human traders in the past. But they were too small to intervene. Their support was symbolic."
Magnum raised his hand. "Sir, why didn't the neutral races help us if we had treated them well?"
Luther's jaw tightened. "Because neutrality is safe, Windbreaker. Helping humanity meant risking coalition retaliation. Staying silent meant surviving regardless of who won. It was cowardice." His voice rose. "They watched fifty-three thousand civilians face annihilation and did nothing!"
He slammed his hand on the desk. The book jumped.
"Cowards! All of them! The Thalassians with their ocean palaces, watching through their telescopes like it was entertainment! The Krixxis waiting to feast on human bones! And the Durnok — "
He stopped. Breathed heavily.
"I apologize." He adjusted his collar. "The Durnok, at least, sent medical supplies after the siege ended. Small, but not nothing."
Arthur watched Luther carefully. The man's hatred for the alien races ran deep. But beneath the rage, there was something else. Pain. Loss. Arthur recognized it. He had seen it in the mirror.
---
The Coalition's Justification
The coalition's official declaration of war cited three grievances against humanity:
1. Territorial Encroachment — The coalition claimed that human colonies had expanded into regions traditionally controlled by the Syllvans and Gorath.
2. Resource Exploitation — They accused humanity of extracting resources from shared systems without proper compensation to native races.
3. Cultural Erasure — The Vexxi argued that human technology and language were erasing native cultures and traditions.
---
"Were any of those true?" Oliver asked.
Luther's lip curled. "The first claim had some basis. Human colonies had expanded. But the regions in question were unclaimed — no Syllvan or Gorath had lived there for centuries. They were opportunists."
"And the second?"
"Resource extraction benefited everyone. Humans built thermal plants that powered Syllvan cities. Medical facilities that saved Gorath lives. The compensation was in infrastructure, not gold. The coalition conveniently forgot that."
"And the third?" Arthur asked.
Luther paused. "The third claim... was more complicated. Human culture did spread. Human languages. Human customs. Some native traditions faded." He looked at Arthur. "Culture changes when civilizations meet. That is inevitable. But it was not genocide. It was not erasure. It was evolution. The Vexxi twisted the truth to justify murder."
---
The ultimatum was delivered on the first day of the siege. A Vexxi envoy, accompanied by two Gorath guards, approached the gates of Nova Spire under a flag of truce. The terms were unconditional:
- All human soldiers must surrender their weapons.
- All civilians must accept coalition authority.
- The thermal energy reserves would be transferred to coalition control.
In exchange, the civilians would be permitted to live — as subjects of the coalition, not as free citizens.
---
"What was Commander Voss's response?" Damian asked, though he already knew.
Luther allowed a thin smile. "She stood at the gates. Looked the Vexxi envoy in the eye. And she said — "
He turned the page and read aloud.
---
Commander Voss's response, recorded by multiple witnesses, was as follows:
"You come to my home, stand on my ice, and demand my surrender. You threaten my people with death and call it mercy. You offer slavery and call it peace. I have only one answer for you."
She drew her blade.
"Come and take it."
---
Silence filled the room.
"She drew her blade," Warden repeated, his voice almost reverent.
"On an envoy under a flag of truce?" Magnum asked, shocked.
"She didn't attack him," Luther said. "She made a statement. The envoy left unharmed. But the message was clear." He looked at each student. "Nova Spire would not surrender. Not then. Not ever."
Arthur leaned forward. "Sir, was that when the first assault began?"
Luther nodded. "The next morning. But that is for our next lesson." He closed the book. "Today, I wanted you to understand why the siege happened. It was not random violence. It was a calculated political move. The coalition wanted to break humanity's image. Commander Voss refused to let that happen."
He stood and faced the class.
"You have all improved since our first lesson. You are asking better questions. Paying better attention." His gaze moved across them. "I was not sure about this elite class at first. A special program. Hand-picked students. I thought it would be... soft."
Brenden straightened in his chair.
"But you are not soft," Luther said. "You are paying attention. You are learning. That is more than I can say for most cadets I have taught." He paused. "Keep it up."
From Luther, that was practically a love letter.
"Next class, we will discuss the First Assault — how ten thousand coalition soldiers attacked Nova Spire and how Commander Voss broke their front line. Read ahead if you wish. If not, pay attention in class." He fixed Brenden with a look. "Especially you, Storm."
"Yes, sir," Brenden said quickly.
"Class dismissed."
---
As they gathered their books, Brenden turned to Arthur. "Did Luther just... compliment us?"
"I think so," Arthur said.
"I need to sit down."
"You are sitting down."
"Then I need to lie down."
Damian laughed. "You did well. You named all three races without panicking."
"I panicked on the inside."
"But not on the outside," Warden said. "That's progress."
They walked toward the door. Luther was at his desk, organizing his notes. As Arthur passed, the sergeant spoke.
"Reinhart."
Arthur stopped. "Sir?"
"Your father fought in the Aquarius Constellation. The fourth battle. Solaris Binary."
"I know, sir."
Luther looked at him. His eyes were unreadable. "He would have liked Commander Voss. They had the same... stubbornness."
Arthur didn't know what to say. He simply nodded.
Luther turned back to his papers. "You may go."
Arthur walked out. Brenden was waiting in the hallway.
"What did he say?"
Arthur was quiet for a moment. "He said my father would have liked Commander Voss."
Brenden smiled. "That's high praise from Luther."
"Yeah," Arthur said. "I think it was."
They headed toward the training ground. Combat class with Captain Leo was next. But for the first time, Brenden wasn't dreading the next History lesson.
He was almost looking forward to it.