The Ninth Cycle of TinTay The Grand Council of the Legion was waiting for the appearance of the High General. When TinTay entered the room the council members rose as one. They sat down as soon as the High General had assumed his throne. Through long tradition the High General of the Legion was also the second highest-ranking Lord of the Empire, second only to the Emperor. During the history of the Legion only 1 High General had attempted to overthrow the Emperor and he had been executed by the Grand Council when his plans were uncovered. TinTay opened the meeting with a declaration that no member of the Grand Council had ever expected to hear at a meeting of the group. “Legionarys, we are fucked, and not in the pleasurable manner. An Unknown World has developed Inner Space travel on its own. Not only have they done that they have built ships capable of fighting in space. Through luck or design they entered normal space on top of a convoy and destroyed 28 of the 32 ships before they went back into Inner Space. I’ve checked the data banks and there are only 10 ships in the entire Imperial Navy that are equipped with weapons that can be used in space. They’re 10 of the oldest ships in the fleet and haven’t been used in hundreds of cycles. While they have been maintained over the cycles the Navy has no idea if they can actually operate anymore; as to their combat ability it’s anyone‘s guess. The Navy ‘s really nothing more than a transport service; they haven’t had to fight in hundreds of cycles so they let their abilities slide. I’ve sent word to the Emperor that I’ll come to Orkon as soon as I possibly can to discuss this situation. I’ve called this meeting to inform you of what I know at this point in time. We’ll need to find out whether the success of the attack on the convoy was by luck or design. Only 6 one-man fighters made the attack yet they carved up our ships like a hot knife through butter. If any other ships were attacked we should learn soon, the levy generals on the Empire planets would know to send word to us of such an attack. But just to be safe I’ve sent messenger ships to the regional capitals to find out if anything of other attacks is known. We’ve had one bit of good luck; one of the attacking ships was damaged by the explosion of one of our ships and was captured by the surviving escort ship. The pilot will be brought here tomorrow. I’ve given orders that he be implanted with a translation device and that it be made fluent in Galachh only. During my interview with him only speak in Galachh.” “My Lord, why only Galachh?” “General ToPher, the levy Doctors are sure that this prisoner is of the same race as the members of the second rebirth of Gkolath.” “How could that be possible?” “I don’t know ToPher. We’ll try to find out when the pilot is in our presence. We need to find out why they attacked us as well. If he’s of the same race as the second rebirth of Gkolath I want to be able to use it to our advantage so only speak in Galachh. If he’s of the same race we’ll deal with it for the benefit of the Legion and Empire. Caldor check the records and see if anything like this has ever happened before. I don’t remember any Unknown World gaining the ability to threaten the Empire but I could be forgetting some vague event from the far past. If these people truly have the ability to jump from Inner Space to specific points in normal space then the Empire’s existence is threatened. While The Legion and the levy armies can protect the planets themselves, from any practical threat. We simply can’t do anything to protect our supply lines and interplanetary connections if they can determine where ships are located in normal space, while they are still in Inner Space, and then jump to that site directly. Formov check the records and see if we can build, and put into orbit, fighting satellites. Recall the Legion here; bring every member to Reborah as quickly as possible. Any comments? Then we will meet again tomorrow when the prisoner is here. I will be the only one to speak directly to the prisoner but if you think it will help unnerve him make comments to each other that he will be able to hear.” “General ToPher come with me, we need to talk alone.” With that dismissal the council members take their leave murmuring to each other as they walk out. High General TinTay and General ToPher walk arm in arm to the private quarters of TinTay. “My Lord what’ll we do if it’s true and these attackers are from Dirt.” “Tophy, I‘ve had your legs on my shoulders and my legs on your shoulders too often for you to be so formal with me in my living quarters.” “Tinny do you ever remember your life before we were taken into the Legion? I try to remember some times but I can barely remember anything. It has been over 60 cycles since the Horab captured us. I remember the first night that I spent in your quarters like it was yesterday. You had just been born a Legionary, the first of our rebirth, and had requested me to be the first baby you would sponsor. You took my anal cherry that night and let me fuck you. My previous sponsors, 3 born siblings, from the first rebirth of Gkolath didn’t partake in anal sex, which was why I was still a virgin anally. I have loved you more than any other Legionary since that night. Those of us of the second rebirth of Gkolath, still alive, have been very successful in the cycles we have been of The Legion. Too many of us died during the horrible reign of Horem though. I sometimes think that he sent members of our rebirth on especially difficult and poorly designed missions simply to kill us off. If these raiders are truly from Dirt what will happen to The Legion? What will happen to us of the second rebirth of Gkolath?” “The Legion will survive, Tophy can you imagine not doing your duty to The Legion and Empire simply because our enemy is Dirt. I only vaguely remember my life on Dirt so if our enemies are from that planet it won‘t affect my fulfilling my duties to the Legion. I think that your thoughts about Horem are probably correct. I remember that first night with you as clearly as you do. I wanted you to be the first baby I sponsored for many reasons but the main one was because you remind me of Brian. Not that you look like him or act like him or anything like that but because you were the first familiar face I saw when I woke up after I was knocked out by the Horab when I resisted being taken away from Brian. I see your face and it reminds me of his face. I love you Tophy and I love and loved many other Legionarys I have known during the cycles I’ve been of The Legion. but I was in love with Brian. I don’t remember much about my life on Dirt, it has been so long and we have done so many things since were captured but I do remember that Brian loved me. He finally was able to tell me that he loved me and then we were torn apart. I’m the High General of The Legion and I’ll do what is right for The Legion and The Empire even if that means conquering Dirt.” “Is that even possible?” “I hope it doesn’t come to that Tophy because truth be told I don’t think that we could conquer them, destroy the planet and ourselves we could probably manage. Destroying a planet and The Legion is not good for the Empire. Maybe we’ll be lucky and the raiders won’t be from Dirt.” “We can hope Tinny, we can hope. My Lord General TinTay I have a formal request.” “Yes General ToPher, what is your formal request of the High General of The Legion?” “Please fuck me for old times sakes before we have to deal with the possibility of destroying our birth planet and ourselves.” “Since you asked formally I will grant your request, get your ass over here so I can ravage it, like only a Legionary can ravage a male ass.”