Page 87 of Hope Forged
Barro froze, then blustered as if insulted, “How dare—”
“We found the facility on Vora, Barro. There is no use in denying Maloid’s involvement in the genocide of Durn.” Xeus leaned against the wall, his stance nonchalant. “All evidencewill be brought before the G.C., and if they fail to act, consider Etteria at war with Maloid.”
“A war we are more than ready for,” Kanzo said, his tone droll. “And if the council chooses to act, then Maloid will be sanctioned indefinitely.”
“Sanctions?” Barro scoffed. “A slap—”
Illan punched him, relishing his fist meeting the male’s jaw.Elorach, that felt good.“More mercy than you deserve.”
“No bartering, no travel beyond your world?” Xeus said.
“No Maloidian steel for your ships?” Barro massaged his jaw but couldn’t hide his smirk.
“We should turn your weapon onto your planet,” Illan said, the idea just occurring to him. “Your world for mine.”
Barro paled, his spots darkening. “You are too soft-hearted—”
“Am I?” Illan chuckled. “Do you know many Durns there are to make such a statement? Oh, wait, no, you do not. Why is that, Barro? Why are there so few Durns left?” Illan crowded the male, his fist raised. “Why? Why do this to an entire planet? Why kill so many? What did Maloid hope to gain? What had my people ever done to yours to deserve this fate?”
“They…interfered,” Barro muttered, leaning away from Illan.
Xeus straightened and pushed off the wall, closing the distance between them. “In what? A bargain?”
Barro winced, a ripple of pain traversing his body. “Durn was not our initial target. We had cultivated, for centuries, the aggression in one species, only to discover that they had reached out to you to ‘fix’ their barbaric nature.”
Ice slithered down Illan’s spine, and a tingle followed. “What?” he whispered, too stunned to form a proper question.
“By removing your…kind, we prevented any future attempts to meddle.” Barro laughed. “Little did we know how that ‘fix’ would kill off their birthrate. By then, it was too late to undo the destruction of your homeworld. A pity.”
Xeus loomed, his expression murderous. “Are you implying—”
“I cannot mention specifics…” Barro clasped his head, agony in his twisted features. “To do so might trigger—”
“A deathkill switch?” Xeus asked.
Barro nodded, his lips pinched.
“Why abandon your people then?” Illan demanded, uncaring that the male could die from their own brain implants.
“We assumed we were being monitored—our destinations and communication. To reach out to Vora would draw unwanted attention.”
“But for so long? I understand that your people have a long lifespan, but—”
“The loss of a few outweighs the future of many,” Barro said. “It is the way of things.”
“And Queen Alllero?” Xeus asked. “Was she complicit?”
“Of course not,” Barro snapped. “The society has governed Maloid for as long as we existed.”
“The what?” Kanzo’s eyes narrowed, distrust in his stiff posture.
“I cannot reveal more.” Barro curled into a ball, agony in his voice. “Kill or release me, for if I continue along this path, I will surely die.”
“Tell me, Ambassador, if you had discovered this had been done to your people, how would you retaliate?” Xeus’s calm question whipped Illan’s gaze to him.
“This was our retaliation.”
“To what slight?” Illan roared.
