Hours passed; the sun began to settle low on the horizon. The Druin outpost was in shambles, the guards had secured a perimeter around the communications hub and were beginning to rebuild their communications hub that had almost completely been destroyed by the attack. This would be a long endeavour as he had basically reduced it to ashes though the explosions, and as a result they would have to build it anew.
On a human ship that was floating though space heading towards the Druin outpost, General Maple was awaiting the signal from the scout team.
"How long until the outpost goes dark? When is the scout team going to finish their job" said General Maple impatiently they had been waiting over a week for the scout team to get into position and conclude their mission.
"We are not getting a signal sir, the outpost has gone dark, scout team mission is successful".
"Move too 9000km from the Druin planet and maintain an orbit around the planet, until full intel is collected".
"Yes sir".
The human ship resembled a lump of metal. It was made in orbit around the old main world planet. It was made for space travel, and it would never enter an atmosphere. Forever it would be floating in space, allowing it to be the simplest form that best suited space travel. As such the ship was a sphere that looked like a large asteroid. This shape allowed thrusters on all sides of the ship, allowing it to travel in any direction without turning.
This ship was old, very old. It was one of the first ships made in space to fight the war against the Druin. It was now a relic of an older time, a simpler time, but it was still powerful.
The space around the ship contorted, distorted by some wave that spread out from the ship. The space around the ship shot backwards like a dagger into space itself, the ship shot forward.
In the most centre rim before the very centre that housed the fuel for the ship stood the bridge and consequently, General Maple.
"How long until we reach the planet with the Druin outpost?"
"Less than 15 minutes General".
"Get the fighters ready for a full-scale war"
"Yes sir"
'Damn those scouts are useful for infiltration but they are unreliable, lacking the military discipline to make them even more useful. The delay has cost us too many supplies and too much time, once this war is over and we no longer need them, I cannot wait until those genetic freaks no longer pollute my army. They can die on some forgotten rock somewhere away from humanity.' Thought the General.
"How many platoons can be mobilized in that time?" Asked the General to his second in command.
"All of them sir, they have been prepping for multiple days waiting for the orders to come through."
"Do we have the number of Druin on the outpost, the location of key facilities, local terrain and the armaments they have on hand?" asked General Maple.
"Yes sir, numbers from the scout, local terrain from the scout, armaments and facilities will be collated from our scans when we are in range"
"How many Druin soldiers?"
"Sir the scout team reports over 10,000 Druin in the outpost"
"That cannot be the right amount for a single outpost, check again"
"It is unconfirmed sir; I am unable to confirm as we are not in rage yet but if that is the case it is the most ever in a single outpost"
'Damn those demons, they have been putting up more of a fight than ever. I thought we were supposed to ambush them, taking them by surprise. Why are there so many? Let's hope it is a scout boasting.' Thought General Maple.
"Sir we will be coming into range to scan the outpost soon"
"Scan it as soon as possible, we need accurate intel before we can initiate our attack. I will be in my quarters until then" said General Maple before he left the bridge and moved up into to the living ring of the asteroid shaped ship. Entering his living quarters, he sat down in front of his desk. A single photo was on top of it, the woman inside was happy and younger than the general. She looked like him, with brown hair and his sharp nose.
"My dear, why did it have to come to this, we should not have gone through with this"
He slowly put the photo down out of view. He removed a small wooden looking box from the desk that had been nestled with his personal effects. He placed the box on his desk and after another long pause and a large sigh he waved his hand across the surface of the cube. The cubes surface rippled and turned into a shimmering metal before the top opened like a flower. The inside was wet and shimmered in the light. In the middle, a single droplet of water collected from the water streaming down the petals of the open flower, before above the cube a man's face appeared.
"What do you have to report Maple".
"Ten minutes out from the Druin outpost Sir, the scout reported more than 10,000 Druin in the current outpost. When we are within range of the planet, we will either confirm or deny these numbers"
"Is that all Maple? A scout lying to you and you are believing them when they say that more than 10,000 Druin. Will you be able to kill all inhabitants on planet even if the true number is 10,000?"
"Yes sir"
"And the scout" asked the mysterious man.
"The scout's position is south of the outpost. They are currently waiting at an oasis"
"Who knows the scout's location?"
"Only me sir, the team reports directly to the General of each ship"
"Good, make sure he is taken care of"
"Yes, sir I understand. He died valiantly in battle for the outpost," said General Maple.
"See to it Maple. Not all believe in the cause as we do"
"Yes sir"
"For Humanity"
"For Humanity" echoed General Maple.
A click came across the cube before the water making up the man's face descended back into the cube, and the petals closed back up making the top of the box flat again. The surface moved before the box returned to how it looked before, plain and wooden.
"Those extremists, I don't like their methods, but I need them right now, right baby" he held the photo gently stroking the girls face.
"Soon the Druin scum will be dead... and I will have avenged you my dear girl"
The general took the picture of his daughter and held it tight. He spent several minutes in this embrace, a tear started rolling down from his closed eyes before he wiped it away.
"Look at me, your silly father crying, you were always far stronger than I was. I wonder what you would have done in my place. I bet you would have made better decisions then I. You were always so smart, my smiling little girl" he smiled weakly before the tears burst from his eyes and he placed the photo down.
After cleaning himself up, the General left to meet a man who was under his command. He went to the man's quarters himself.
The door slowly opened, and an old man stood behind it, ushering the general inside.
"Kraft, how are you?" said the General.
"I am good, but I know you are not here for a social call"
"I am not" said General Maple while stepping past the threshold and closing the door behind him.
"I have gotten a task from a friend," said General Maple.
"How is our friend general?"
"He is good, but there is a wondering eye he wants taken care of before the ball is empty and in play"
"God in hell. Always with these codes who do you think could be listening," said Kraft.
"We are required to use the code Kraft, you know that better than I, as you have been part of them longer"
"Yes, and now I cannot be bothered with these childish games. Tell me in plain English, who do you want killed," said Kraft.
"The Scout".