Galaxy of Heroes

The humans on the terraces and throughout the city looked up at the screens that displayed Capt. Spade’s scowling face. The screens then switched back to Verman Jod.

The Portogallans listened intently to his words.

Capt. Casey pushed her way forward and caught a glimpse of the large, gangly man standing tall in the center of his arena.

“The Crypto Syndicate has perpetrated a hate crime against humanity,” Jod proclaimed. “They live amongst us—humans like you and me. But unlike us, their dark, greedy hearts have sold us to a cruel empire for nothing more than a few g-notes and a false promise of privilege. But, make no mistake, my fellow humans; there are those of us whose souls cannot be purchased for mere currency or petty favors. There are those of us who have stood up and fought back against these subhuman traitors. This crime will not stand.”

Humans wearing black Gallos Defense Force uniforms entered the pit, dragging corpses behind them. The corpses were clad in the blue and white armor of the Heliac Defense Forces.

“These humans were foot soldiers of the conspiracy!” Jod exclaimed.

The screens throughout the arena displayed the faces of ten dead humans lying on the floor of the pit. The camera panned across the lifeless face of a large blonde Megalan woman, then the rugged face of a Heliac man.

“Yancy!” Capt. Casey gasped.

Sgt. Yancy’s grizzled face appeared on the screen. His mouth was open and his eyes were rolled back. He had been shot in the stomach—his guts were exposed in a large, ghastly wound and were entangled in his mangled body armor.

Capt. Casey’s hands began to tremble.

Jod pointed down at the bodies. “These worthless excuses for humans were indiscriminately slaughtering innocents on their drive to the city center. But brave humans from the Gallos Defense Force set up an ambush and cut them down in a tremendous firefight. These Cryptos may have caught us by surprise, but we fought back and delivered our justice. We turned back their onslaught of terror. Next time we will be ready, and we will crush them all!”

A cheer rose up in the arena and across the city.

“Make no mistake—our foe is deceptive and cunning. The enemy could be anyone—your brother or sister, your crew mate, your trusted business partner, even your lover. We must remain vigilant. These killers are everywhere.”

A rumbling spread through the crowd as the humans scanned the faces around them.

“Take a long hard look at the face of this man,” Jod said. “This man is the leader of the Crypto Syndicate.”

Capt. Jace Spade’s face reappeared on the screens. Spade’s mouth was twisted in an angry snarl. The scar that ran down the left side of his face seemed more pronounced than Capt. Casey remembered it.

“Spade!” Jod explained. “That is the name of the leader of this scum!”

Video displayed Capt. Spade at the spaceport unloading armonium cannons from his ship. Spade was turning the cannons over to the Paltran named Galazar, who was assisted by several henchmen.

“This ruthless terrorist has supplied his infiltrators with weapons given to him by the Diocon Empire. The murderous Diocons have designs to kill us all. They will turn our beautiful planet into a barren desert, with the help of Spade. But now, my fellow humans, you know his hateful face and his intentions.”

Capt. Casey’s eyes darted from face to face around the arena. These humans were shell shocked. Jod was providing them with answers and clarity. Everyone was engrossed in his words.

Capt. Casey’s eyes fell upon a Paltran standing on a crowded terrace across the arena. He was looking at her through glowing green eyepieces.

She recognized him. It was Tarvey Rigo. He shook his head as if disgusted. His rifle was cradled in his arms.

“I have been in contact with emissaries from the Craaldan Empire,” Jod said.

A hush and then a rumble arose from the humans.

“Although the Craaldans have caused us much suffering and pain, they have made me an offer that we must consider. The Craaldans maintain that if I am able to keep this planet from falling into Diocon control, they will let us live here in peace. They have offered me a pact that will allow us to build lives here. There can be a new tomorrow for humanity on Gallos. But for this dream to become reality, you must follow me without question. You must have faith.”

A voice from the crowd rang out, “The Craaldans cannot be trusted!”

Another voice shouted, “Craaldans bring only lies and death!”

Jod thrust his finger upward at the voices. “Listen to them, humans of Gallos. They stand here with us. But I say to those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror through the slaughter of innocents, that with my unwavering determination and my clenched fist, I will defeat you. I will roll back your specter of doom with which you threaten this planet. Your hatred and fear will not destroy our chance for freedom.”

Spade’s scowling face reappeared on the screens.

“The Craaldan Empire has given us its word. We must live up to our side of the bargain and shine the light of justice on the Crypto Syndicate and drive them out from the shadows. We must find Spade and exterminate him and his minions! We will root out the traitors amongst us! When this is done, then we will know peace!”

A roar rose up across the city as the crowd reacted to Jod’s words. Arguments broke out over whether the Craaldans could be trusted.

“He’s lying!” Capt. Casey shouted across the arena.

The roar subsided and thousands of faces turned to her.

“He’s lying to us!” she repeated.

All eyes in the arena were on her.

Jod peered upward trying to find the source of the shouts.

“I know Captain Spade and I knew those humans on the ground down there! They were not killers. I swear it. This is all lies so he can control you! Drugs, prostitutes, casinos! Listen to him! He’s sounds no different than the politicians of antiquity! Verman Jod is your enemy!”

Her blood boiled as she looked down at him standing over the mutilated bodies of Yancy and the others.

Jod pointed up at her. “This one is so bold as to stand here with us after the great crime she has helped perpetrate. She is a member of the Crypto Syndicate! Seize her! Seize that Crypto trash!”