Chapter 2: The Human-Thraxian War

"Mou, you sound just like mom. Please can we get some," Iris spoke and hugged her brother tighter.

Jake sighed and spoke defeatedly "Fine, but you're gonna walk the rest of the way back."

"Yaay" his sister squealed before hopping off his back and dragging him to the stall.

The stall was small with a counter and prices on the front with a grill and freezer on the left.

A savoury aroma was present in the air as hisses could be heard as the person behind the stall placed new kebabs on the fire.

The man behind the counter was an old man with grey hair, likely a mine worker who after retiring had to work a job less physically demanding of him.

Most of the people who worked in the mines would work another job after retiring at nearly 90 years of age. This man was likely around a hundred and thirty.

"Well hello there young ones, What would you like little girl" the old man spoke with a gentle voice.

Iris hid behind her brother and shyly spoke " I-I want a kebab" enough for the old man to barely hear her.

Jake smiled and rubbed his sister's head before he said "Old man can we please have 2-." His sister poked his back and interrupted him. "Hah," he sighed "Make that 4 kebabs please" Jake finished his order.

The old man chuckled and said, "Of course, give me 2 minutes to finish... In the meantime, here, my wife baked these sweets for me to sell but you can try them for me and tell me how they are".

Iris beamed in delight before she grabbed one and hid behind me not before saying "Thank you".

They both took a seat on some chairs before Austin tapped the tiny strap on his wrist which displayed a holographic screen on his face.

Although cybernetics were quite common on Earth and systems closer to it, here on the edges of human civilization it was rare and only the rich or those in important positions had them installed.

The first thing Jake did was check the news, even though he was essentially exiled, Earth was still his home and 13 months of living on the moon of Naru hadn't changed his feelings.

"Hello, I am Anastasia Steele and you are watching Sol News, your number 1 news channel for all news on Earth."

A young woman in her 20s with shoulder-length blonde hair and cat-like brown eyes wearing a dark blue sleeveless dress was reading the news.

Jake listened intently as the reporter discussed major business deals, political decisions and new terraforming projects.

But what caught his attention was the announcement of a joint Human-Kreedian naval exercise.

Jake remembered what his father had told him and what he had read about the war almost 4 centuries ago.

In the year 2033, Earth was invaded by the Thraxian race. A race of olive green humanoid lizards that stood 8ft tall.

The Thraxian race was losing face as a galactic power and after numerous border skirmishes had lost almost half their territory.

In a last-ditch effort to recover their galactic power and standing, they sent almost 50 percent of their military to the Sol system almost halfway across the galaxy to establish a distant colony and enslave the primitive species residing in the resource-rich system.

When they arrived, Earth was overwhelmed by the massive technological advantage that the Thraxians held. Almost 3 billion lives were lost in half a year.

The Thraxians realising humanity was close to collapse had eased up their assault and started terraforming the rest of the solar system while leaving a rear guard to bombard and blockade any vessel from leaving the upper atmosphere.

The Thraxians had figured that the primitive monkeys would realise that resistance was futile and the government would soon approach with surrender terms.

After all, any rational species would realise that in the event of total annihilation, any species would prefer slavery over death a deadly misconception that they would come to regret till this day.

Humans had always been a tribalistic species and had been killing each other throughout their entire history and their greatest enemies were themselves.

However, when faced with an enemy that had threatened to destroy their esteemed way of life, The entire world's governments joined forces out of sheer spite and vowed to completely eradicate the aliens that had descended from the sky.

Less than 2 months after the Government of Earth was formed, a team of global scientists had managed to completely analyse a damaged Thraxian supply ship.

The vessel which in military terms was an insignificant loss on the scale of which the war was being fought, had advanced humanity half a millennium.

Humanity's first-ever warp drive was manufactured 3 months after its discovery and changed the way both air and spacecraft would be designed.

The government of Earth held a massive recruitment campaign and transferred the entire planet into a global war economy.

Even though a third of humanity had perished, with the help of religious leaders and a massive propaganda campaign the GOE had managed to completely eradicate any sentiments of dissent and wavery.

Globally, almost 2 billion men had been trained and prepared for the upcoming offensive.

Almost every resource had been diverted to military production.

The GOE had planned an offensive to completely eradicate all Alien life from the System.

By managing to stall negotiations for another 9 months, the GAE, the Global Army of Earth had launched their first and final offensive which they dubbed 'Operation Retribution'.

Previously whenever humanity had tried to engage the enemy using smaller tactical groups, they would be targeted and destroyed almost instantly regardless of their advanced technologies and systems.

The GAE had concluded that only overwhelming firepower could dislodge the Thraxians from their defences.

The first fleet of light cruisers and smaller fighter and bomber craft were used to prod and find the weakest section of the blockade.