Challenge #02241-F051: Courage Pour L'enfents
There is no living creature more dangerous than a mother wanting to protect children. Even if the mother is an Havenworlder. -- Anon Guest
The UFTP vessel Vengeance tried their best to make it to the Havenworld Yannomar in time. They had pushed everything to the limit, including the Human crew. They had hoped to make it in time to save lives, and found scenes of devastation instead. Too late. The Konthar had already struck, and apparently left the southern continents in ruin.
"Weird that they didn't do the whole planet," noted Jors.
Captain Smith raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Real weird." They opened comms and called down to offer assistance. They hadn't expected an immediate greeting, especially not from the devastated area. They certainly didn't expect any Yanishi to be greeting them with victorious auras about their persons. The whole thing about being covered in Kontharian blood was also a lot of a surprise. By all rights, the Yanishi should have been in dire straits. "Are you... okay down there?"
"Shock supports wearing off," said the caller, "So... not for long. All assistance appreciated. Come soon. Come very soon."
The Humans did that, bringing everything with them that they'd need for helping the frail little lizards through something that -for them- was high-impact dangerous. Full suites of support sarcophagi, calming medication, cleansing equipment... and someone to go through the records and ascertain exactly what had happened on Yannomar when the Konthari had attacked.
They had barged in, as they generally did, with an aim to securing Yanishi eggs for illegal cogniscent trafficking, and found what they thought was an ideal prize - a large communal creche care facility. They expected an easy conquest because Havenworlders were renowned for being fragile.
They didn't bank on encountering a horde of angry mothers and caregivers.
If there is one cosmic rule beyond, don't ask questions with painful answers, it is this: never ever attempt to separate a child from its primary parental. It just never ends well in either case.
In this case, the Konthari were routed, a bare handful lucky to escape with their lives and one ship intact. They had no haul with them. The Yanishi survived it all intact, with little else needed but some cleansing and topical medical care. A turn up, as the Humans were wont to say, for the books.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / bozhdb]
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