Humans are widely considered to be some of the most peaceful sapients in the galaxy

The Shurgoth raiding party was looking down on a lone dwelling in a small valley. There was the usual stream running through it, scattered woods and small fields of grains and other plants. The normal type of homesteading that they had seen hundreds of times in their raiding of planets on the edges of the various empires, councils, and theocracy’s they had been skirting for years.

Now this new planet and species they had found would be their new hunting grounds until they attracted too much notice and then they would leave for helpless prey.

As they watched from the cover of a small copse of trees, they saw 5 figures coming back to the dwelling from the fields. Three taller and larger, two smaller, probably spawnlings.

The leader, Phatoosh, signaled for the group of 14 raiders to walk towards the dwelling. There were no weapons on display, no power signatures to indicate weapons inside the dwelling and all he could see being carried were simply farming implements; no danger at all.

As the raiders walked out of the trees, the small group didn’t instantly notice them but within a few minutes, they were spotted and the group of farmers started to show fear signals and their cries echoed.

Phatoosh was feeling happy about this raid and even though it didn’t look like they would get any technology, killing and destroying a farm like this would be fun and blow off some of the aggression they had been feeling.

The farmers sent the younger ones scrambling for the dwelling with some barked cries while the larger members moved in between the raiders and the dwelling.

Phatoosh was surprised that they would even think of trying to fight against his well armed raiders. He motioned for a couple members to fire over the farmer’s heads to scare them a bit and make them run to hide but while the shots made them start, they didn’t run.

Phatoosh thought that this was going to be even more fun when suddenly there was a crack of thunder and one of his crew fell down bleeding from his torso. He looked around and saw nothing but a couple new farmers outside the dwelling holding objects and the younglings behind them.

As he looked closer, the two new farmers raised their long objects to their shoulders and again the crack, but two sounded and then two more of his crew dropped. His scanner didn’t show any weapons, no energy signatures, no combat drones, no emplacements. He couldn’t see where the danger was coming from.

Then he heard a loud noise from the original group of farmers and the three largest members started running towards his raiders wielding their farm implements. He signaled for the raiders to fan out to meet them and kill them quickly so he could deal with the hidden danger.

This appeared to be a mistake as the first raider to meet one of the farmers was cut in half with a single swing of the farmer’s tool. It was a curved blade on the end of a large stick and should have been nothing more than a nuisance blow but somehow it was capable of cutting through the energy armor and the raider wearing it.

The other two farmers were now in range and they too started to cut or slam the raiders they encountered into groaning lumps with the swings of their tools.

Phatoosh called out for a retreat of the remaining 4 members when suddenly a crack and a burning pain went through his left legs, taking him to the ground with a thud and leaving him screaming.

As he laid there in pain, he watched his remaining raiders being cut down by these farmers with no mercy. He lay there helpless as the last raider fell to another crack and his head exploding into a paste, and he wondered when he would be next.

“Dad, is everyone okay?”

“Yes Jenny, we are fine. Are the kids okay? We don’t have a scratch and the worse thing is all this blue and purple blood we have on our scythes and hoes. Did your mom get hold of the guardians yet?”

“Yes, they are sending out a frigate to scan for their ship and the rescue team is coming with a truck to get rid of the bodies and their gear. Oh and that prisoner too. Mom said he looked to be a leader so she shot it in the legs.”

“Good. Maybe we will find out where they come from and why they attacked us with such worthless gear. This rifle thing looks to be an infrared type laser and their clothing or armor is barely more than leather. They do have some electronics on them so the nerds will be happy for that.”

“Okay, here is the medkit so we can see if we can keep that one from dying and mom will bring up the truck to get everything down to the house so it is easier for them to pickup.”

“Well they may be raiders but why attack peaceful farmers? We don’t have anything they would want.”

===End===