No Good Option

Few things are as disheartening as being given a choice that is no choice at all. Technically, it was a choice, but the only options were bad or worst. If she called the vote for the resolution, Earth would become a vassal state of a multi-star-system empire for which citizens were resources to be used as the empire saw fit.

The other option would be not to call for the resolution, at which point the blockade of gargantuan warships protecting Earth would leave. Without their protection, Earth would have to fight off the other group of warships currently amassed around Jupiter.

The whole thing started with that other fleet. They had appeared out of a wash of radio waves and x-ray. Where before had been empty space, hundreds of ships appeared. Despite their odd shapes, it was obvious what they were when they moved into a formation and began to head toward Earth.

While governments were still trying to figure out a response to what seemed like a hostile force, a second force materialized in the same manner, just outside the moon’s orbit, and settled into a quick formation around Earth.

It wasn’t like the movies. Nobody tried firing missiles into high orbit to intercept; no hot-shot pilot strapped into an experimental space plane to confront them. The world held their collective breath.

Lara Biagi had been Secretary General for less than a month. As much as she had hoped there were others “out there” in the universe, she had hoped any meeting might’ve been more…friendly.

Instead, from the fleet surrounding Earth, a small craft landed in front of the UN building. Smaller than the fighter jets that shadowed it on its way down, it looked out of place, like a car parked in front of a medieval village reconstruction.

The sole occupant walked into the General Assembly, unfazed by the attempts of the security teams to stop it. No one could get within a meter of it without being thrown back violently. Bullets just…stopped on that barrier and dropped to the ground.

When it motioned for Lara to move over so it could take the podium, she did. It was humanoid, covered with fine scales, with three long fingers and a long thumb on each hand, all of which had too many joints.

That was when it offered the “protection” of its Empire of the Galactic Egg against the other creatures it called the Formoran Raiders. The deciding factor was when it showed what the other creatures looked like. Giant insect-like creatures covered in armor and carrying far too much weaponry.

Now it was down to her to make the call. Either hope that Earth could stand up to the bugs or become part of the Empire of the Galactic Egg. Lara hoped that one of the permanent security council members would veto the resolution before it got off the ground, then it wouldn’t be her fault any longer.

“The resolution for all member nations to join the Empire of the Galactic Egg is hereby put to a vote in the General Assembly.” She banged the gavel and waited for the results to come in.

The alien looked at her with its unreadable black eyes. At least, she thought it was looking at her, based on which way its head was turned.

When the vote was called, there were no dissensions and only three abstentions. She felt ill as she read the resolution into the record, making Earth a subordinate member of the Empire of the Galactic Egg. The aliens seemed to come prepared, as another dozen ships landed around the UN building and the alien lizard people started walking through the assembly making their wishes known.

The aliens demanded seventeen metric tonnes of fissile material, (plutonium or uranium), two million conscripts for their military, and another six million conscripts for labor. All to be provided in twenty-four hours, or they would arbitrarily pluck the conscripts from the populace and take the materials from every power plant and weapon. Just like that, Earth had become slaves.

They even brought their own flag, replacing the UN flag with their colors; a grey flag with subtle stripes and a white glyph two-thirds of the way to the fly end.

The assembly sat; shock, dread, and heavy expectation permeating the chamber.

There was a steady murmur of conversation on the floor when an aide ran to her side with a message. She opened it and swallowed hard. She nodded at the aide who left just as fast as he had arrived.

Lara stood at the podium and cleared her throat. “Honorable members of the General Assembly, I have been given a message to read to you.”

Her hands shook as she looked at the paper and glanced back at the alien. “This message, sent from the fleet around Jupiter, was embedded in the radio waves their fleet emitted as they arrived.

The US Navy has just finished deciphering it.”

There was a commotion on the floor.

Lara held up a hand. “We the people of the Formoran Reach wish to alert you to the imminent arrival of the slavers of—”

The alien cut her off by muting her mic. “Lies! They tell you lies to lower your guard, in order to strip your planet of resources and persons.”

 One of the members on the floor called out, “How is that any different from you?”

“Silence!” The alien darkened the lights, leaving only itself illuminated.

“You, subjects of the Empire, are to provide your levies. Until that time, all other activities are a waste of Empire resources. Leave at once.”

Lara turned to go, when the alien grabbed her shoulder. “Except you. Your world has elected you leader, you are useful to us.”

“You don’t understand,” Lara said, “I only preside over the people here. They now must get their governments to go along. I can only guess how badly most will react.”

“There is no longer a need for any government beyond ours,” the alien said, “and you are our Governor on this planet. Any subjects that attempt to resist the will of the Empire will be dealt with. That is not your concern, now.”

Once the chamber had emptied out, Lara braced herself to confront the alien. Based on what she’d read in the message, she had to ask. “If we had said no, what would the Empire have done?”

The alien pointed at the message Lara still clutched. “They told you that we leave no ground for them? Well, Governor, they aren’t wrong. We would have purged your world to keep it out of their mandibles.”

“I wish they’d voted no,” she said. “A quick death would be preferable to our enslavement. You’ve already demanded a massive chunk of the population. When does it stop? When the Earth is empty?”

“One-tenth of one percent is a light demand. The Empire will not allow this planet to empty as long as it proves beneficial to our aims.” The alien stopped for a moment, as if listening. “I am informed that the raiders have left the system. You are safe.”

“Are we, though?”

“Governor, of all the creatures on this planet, you are the most useful to us as leader of this planet…providing you follow our instructions. That makes you the safest subject in this system.”

In the short time Lara had spent staring at the message, she had memorized the last line, an apology for arriving late, and a way to contact them if Earth wanted to fight back.

Rather than risk the aliens seeing the message, she pulled a lighter out of her pocket and lit the message on fire, letting it burn in front of the alien. “I guess we won’t be needing this anymore.”

The alien cocked its head to one side. “It seems your species is highly adaptable, and open to the acceptance of reality. It bodes well for your people and for the Empire.”

The alien walked toward the chamber doors. “Come, Governor, we will show you how to oversee the transfer of the levies.”

“There will be a number of people who will want my head,” she said. “Could I request a couple of the human guards for my personal safety?”

“We can keep you safer than any of your own people.”

“Be that as it may, we are a social species, and having others of my kind around I can count on would make me feel more secure.”

“We will allow it,” the alien said.

Lara thought about something her grandmother had taught her long ago; “When you get the short end of the stick, don’t give up. Hold on tighter and fight harder.” She didn’t know how, but she would be doing exactly that.