The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 14.3

"Miah's descendants have lived on Praxatillus for thirteen thousand years," Sabrina said. "Miahns and Praxatillians alike are proud, free peoples. Such a long history of independence cannot be forgotten overnight. What if I say to you that we prefer to destroy the Great Crystal rather than submit?"

A faint sneer crossed Asnefer's face. "Then I say you are not the benevolent guardians you have always claimed to be, for that would destroy the Realm—which your Guardian is pledged to protect—and trillions of innocent beings. To suicide—yes, I believe you are all stubborn enough. But to murder, and on such a scale—no. Everything in your philosophy, your history, forbids it."

"Everything in our history forbids us to surrender to you," Sabrina replied.

"You have no choice."

"There are always choices," Sabrina said. "We are capable of expelling you from our space."

"If that were true, you would already have done so."

"No, for that would truly leave us defenseless against the Reissians. Let us negotiate a temporary alliance instead of a surrender. Believe me, you would find us very uncomfortable colonists."

"I can well believe that," Asnefer said, "but you have nothing to offer us except the security of knowing you are under our authority."

"There are other ways to achieve security."

"The history of our two peoples indicates otherwise." Asnefer considered. "I might be willing to consider defending you until you are able to do so yourselves, and then going away and leaving you to your own devices, if you would be willing to surrender Tirqwin Arakshanarfelaouzan and Wayship Khediva. They are, after all, the reason for hostilities between our worlds."

"That is not feasible."

"Then I again ask you, will you surrender?"

Sabrina's expression grew cold, mask-like. "I tell you," she said in a low voice that made Scotty twitch, "that we will never surrender to you. If we can come to no accommodation, then we will expel you from our space. And then we will fight the Reissians to our last breath. And when they have finished with us, they will come for you—either in control of the Great Crystal, or having set its destruction—and yours—in motion. I mean this with everything in me."

There was a long silence. Then Asnefer said, "You are a fool."

"Think so if you like," Sabrina said, her eyes glinting dangerously. "It won't hurt me, but it could kill you."

Asnefer looked like she wanted to stamp her foot in frustration. "How can you sit there and demand an alliance when you have nothing to offer us?"

"We do have something to offer you: a chance to defeat the Reissians here, in our space, before they carry the war to Homeworld. They won't forgive your interference. You have started a war with them, and you will have to deal with them, and soon. It would be better to do so here and now, before they can gear up for a massive assault on Homeworld even worse than the one they inflicted on us. "

"We will do that after you have surrendered to us."

"I have told you, we will never surrender. And even if we did, we would certainly not help you against the Reissians. Besides, having to enforce your authority here would only dilute your own forces and leave you more vulnerable to the Reissians. But as allies, we can both dedicate all our resources to the defense effort."

Asnefer frowned, but she was losing her scornful look. "We intervened to save you. Your helping us should be in gratitude for that."

"And so it will be if we are allies, but no one owes their conqueror gratitude," Sabrina pointed out.