Chapter 2

To be perfectly honest, over the years I have become friends with Torak he is a great guy, but I don't know if it is a Valian/Human culture barrier or what, but some times the creeps me out. My sleeping pattern had been adversely affected by school and had gone to hell ever since my ex slammed me. I was slow to finally sleep and woke up groggy with a mind full of fuzz. This time when I was finally conscious the first thing I realized was that I ached from my ears down. The position I slept in did not help my neck, back, legs, and anything else that could feel. This had not been unusual during my trip because I didn't get as much exercise while sitting in my car. As I was dealing with my aches and pains I remembered the crazy dreams about aliens. That's a first since I never remember dreams. Then I looked to my right and there he is sitting just staring at me. I said out loud more to my self then to him, "I guess that I wasn't dreaming"

"No but you could be hallucinating" Torak replied in English and smiled.

Now I don't know what surprised me the most, that he understood me without the translator device; that he spoke in English; or that he made a joke. I never thought of aliens being the 'funny type'.

"You speak English? Since when? If so why did we have to use that translating device?"

"While I was in the Medical Pod I had your language uploaded. When we met last night I did not know your language. I didn't have time between landing and meeting you to have it uploaded. That is the reason why I had the computer translating for us."

"Uploaded how?"

He turned around and pointed to a small metallic disk on what I assumed was the based of his skull "The implant allows for information to be uploaded into my brain".

"Lt Torak why did you want me to accept you surrender last night? I am confused as hell about that."

He sighed, "My people are at war with the Sarik Empire. We are loosing and four days from now a general surrender goes in effect. We were given 10 days to surrender so that those that would not surrender could fight to the death. You see human the Valian code of Honor dictates that once you surrender to an enemy you admit the victor superiority and you serve them until death or they surrender to someone else. I had an idea. Surrender to someone else and continue the fighting! It's a way to avoid death, dishonor and servitude."

"Wait a minute what makes you think that I am going to fight the... What ever empire?"

"Sarik Empire, you have to your planet is on the invasion list. They are already here in fact. Their agents have control of the governments of this planet that could mobilize resistance to the invasion. Even if they didn't control the governments your planet is not capable of resisting, their technology is far superior to your."

"The government is being run by aliens? Wow I always thought it was big corporations!"

"The government and corporations made a deal with the Sarik. They will use money and influence to prevent resistance to the invasion. In return the Sarik would delay the invasion and keep the elite heads in power as caretakers and governors of this new Imperial province once the invasion came."

"When is the invasion? How long do we have? We have to warn the public."

Another sigh and a shaking of the head, "The first part of the invasion is already here it won't do any good to warn your people."

"Why not?"

"Your people were genetically altered to be susceptible to subliminal control. The Sarik with your governments' help developed a part of your gene that made people submit to the Alpha leader. It is a genetic remnant of your less evolved days. Most of your population possessed it in either a dormant or active form. Using a retro virus mutated to trigger the genes they made your people genetically susceptible to being their slaves, willing slaves."

"If that is true how come you are telling me this, if I am programmed to be a slave how come you want me to help?"