[ WP ] A peaceful alien race is besieged by another race in the same galaxy . As their last planets fall and their home-world comes under threat they do the unthinkable . They ask for aid from the only known creatures more brutal than their foes in exchange for FTL technology . Humans accept the deal .

Foreward: Been playing Stellaris a lot lately, so this was a fun write. Used a couple races I made in that as inspiration. It's been a busy day, so I've had to write sporadically. Hopefully I was still able to make something readable. 
 
 # Wolves # 
 
 Admiral Jenner scratched at the arm of his command chair compulsively, studying the movements of the people below him. The bridge of the U.T.S. *Salamis* reminded him of what the NASA control center had looked like five years ago, in form if not feature. The rows of monitors and equipment were the same, spread with efficient uniformity before him in the softly lit forum. But all of it had been advanced by a century at the least, courtesy of mankinds' new patrons, the Echysian Polity. Holographic projections, data feeds, and tactical assessment kept operators in a constant state of motion and information analysis. In place of a wall monitor, a view screen took up the entire north wall, floor to ceiling, giving the admiral and his crew a clear and vivid picture of a foreign star system. Otalp, the Echysian representative assigned to the *Salamis*, stood at Jenner's side, staring quite literally into space. This seemed to be an odd mannerism of the Echysians; they often stared straight ahead, expressionless, as if they were in a constant state of consideration. Even so, Jenner got the sense that his compatriots mind was absent. 
 
 `` Something wrong?'' 
 
 Otalp glanced down at the admiral from his revery. `` What's the longest you've been away from home, commander?'' He asked, his voice tinted with a strange cooing intonation. 
 
 Jenner shrugged. `` Well, I did a tour in the Second Korean War. I was gone... I guess, five years altogether. I went on leave though, went back for visits. This assignment is probably the longest consecutive time I've been away.'' In fact, he'd been commanding the Salamis for nearly two years now, spending most of that time on board in space. He noticed then the fresh rivets he was scratching into the pristine sheen of his arm chair, and tucked his hand by his side. 
 
 Otalp stared off into the view screen again, his eyes running over the barren, blue surface of a minor planetoid. `` I boarded the *J'Val* over a decade ago as part of the Seventh Defense Fleet, right before the Blockade. My last view of home was out of a port view screen as we warped out of the system, away from the Appaq. It looked... so beautiful... I still remember the atmosphere's shade of blue, the reflection from the suns. That was eleven years ago. I'm not even sure I have a home there anymore.'' 
 
 Jenner studied the strange being, his stoic features tinged with sympathy. He turned back to the view screen and answered softly `` Somethings are universal. Greed, aggression, war. I think... I think we always hoped it would be different, out here.'' 
 
 ``'Fundamentally, all life remains as it was. Its aspects simply become greater, or smaller.' Setarcos the Seeker.'' 
 
 `` What's the first thing you're going to do when you get home, Otalp?'' 
 
 `` Find my family.'' He responded immediately. 
 
 Jenner nodded. `` Of course.'' 
 
 `` What about you?'' 
 
 The admiral was silent for a moment. 
 
 `` I really miss the smell of lilacs.'' 
 
 `` Lilacs?'' 
 
 `` It's a kind of flower, lovely aromatic. I had a garden of them right next to my porch. On a cool summer evening, the smell would waft right up and tickle your nose.'' He gave a small smile. `` I can almost taste the sweet tea now.'' 
 
 `` Sweet tea?'' 
 
 `` Hmph.'' Jenner replied, readjusting his focus as a metallic spire came into view around the horizon of the blue planetoid. 
 
 `` Hiris V shipyard coming on view screen, admiral.'' An ensign reported redundantly. Scaffolding extended out into space along a complex structure of metal extensions built around the kilometers tall spire. Hundreds of hulls and exposed skeletal structures could be seen hanging among the scaffolding, like metal insects caught in a spiders' web. The Hiris V shipyards were a challenging target for the fleet. A forward base of operations, its destruction would cripple enemy supply lines in this sector. Jenner was more than a little hesitant at attacking a target like this, especially with the fleet operating on experimental tactics. But he was more confidant that they needed a challenge; the validity of these experimental tactics had to be proved in a true crucible. Around the edges of the shipyard in a ring formation came the Fifty-Sixth Appaq Lance. The sharply angled vessels looked devilish in the light of the K-class star. Jenner began firing off commands, leaning forward in his command chair. 
 
 `` Comms, signal the fleet, battle order 104, engage on my signal. Helm, takes us in towards the capital ship, comms make sure the corvettes keep the fighters off our backs, we're gon na have a hard enough time as it is. Brace for contact in t-minus 17 seconds.'' 
 
 The opposing fleets began to ungulate like a swarm of agitated bees. Fighters little bigger than terrestrial jets orbited the massive cruisers, as the two alien trained their guns on one another. While the enemy feet was still several hundred meters away, Jenner called out `` Fire at will, battle protocol 104!''. The human/Echysian ships lit up like a bank of fire works, pre-firing into the hostile mass. Few of the shots hit, but it allowed them to quickly adjust their shot into the enemy inertia. Energy beams followed soon coming from the Appaq ships. The energy weapons were built to carve up allied armor, but the humans modified kinetic weapons easily penetrated Appaq shielding, which energy weapons would have been ineffective against in any case. Still, the dichotomy meant that the human ships had to strike a crippling blow within the first few minutes, or be forced to fall back; and if an Appaq ship was able to strike the first blow, more likely than not it was the human ship that went down. 
 
 The view screen of the *Salamis* could see little of the battle raging around them. It's electric eye was focused firmly on the Appaq capital ship, a massive vessel with a crew compliment of over a thousand. Compared to the graceful, aerodynamic design of the smaller ships that surrounded it, it was a bulky behemoth, designed to take a beating as it carried the highest ranking officers in a fleet. 
 
 Jenner stared the ship down from his seat, rocking as an energy blast glanced off the *Salamis*'s hull. 
 
 `` Engaging the capital ship sir.'' An ensign reported, swiping furiously though holographic displays. 
 
 `` Target the shield array, we need a clear shot for the missile pay load.'' 
 
 Energy discharges slammed into the hull, ripping open holes into open space. The bridge shook violently with each hit, the room vibrating with the report of recoil guns returning fire. A bridge console overloaded, exploding in a shower of white hot sparks. Fire containment crews rushed in while console officers pulled away their dead and wounded. 
 
 `` Scans report generator down, sir!'' 
 
 `` Missile bay, activate Greek Fire, target the thinnest layer of armor, on my mark... fire!'' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

