Freedom Vs. Aliens (Aliens Series Book 3) by T. Jackson King Read Free Book Online Page A

Katsaros said, gesturing to two women assistants to leave his presence.
    “Answers,” Jack said, lowering his gloved hand. “Why did you send five ships to attack one of our Belter habitat asteroids? And why is Earth trying to reclaim control of Sol system, when your own Unity Congress passed the law you wrote that abandoned such control?”
    The man grimaced. “That law was invalid. Passed under deadly threat. The Unity represents all humans! It was our duty to reclaim system control and seek a peaceful agreement with the Aliens you keep killing!”
    Jack felt his patience growing thin. “Do you doubt the AV broadcasts we’ve made? Of multiple predator species hunting and killing intelligent beings in other star systems? Then eating their corpses?”
    The man shrugged, the thin white lines of his formal suit creasing slightly. “We believe the broadcasts. But humanity cannot defy an interstellar culture that has controlled the Orion Arm for three thousand years! It’s madness to try that! Best for Earth and all humans to reach an understanding with these Aliens who have come to our system.”
    “Oh?” Jack said, gesturing to Denise to continue recording their discussion. “Do you mean an understanding that includes yearly culling of millions of humans to provide meat protein to Aliens? An understanding that allows Aliens to plant a colony on Earth, perhaps taking over Australia? Or Madagascar? Tell me, why should humanity become serfs to Alien masters?”
    The man’s expression went politician blank. He sat back in a chair that automatically matched his body shape. “The Unity has ended all wars on Earth. There are no more mass famines, unlike earlier this century. Food, water, shelter and education are provided to all peoples of Earth. If a few humans must die to preserve peace, to allow us access to Alien technology, so be it.”
    Jack held back from sending a thermonuke torp down to vaporize the man who felt it was his right to decide who among Earth’s peoples should live and who should die at the teeth of Aliens. “And the ships you sent against us? Why pick a fight you cannot win?”
    Fury filled the man’s face. “You pirates of the Asteroid Belt are troublemakers from antiquity! You deserve to be killed, or tamed to civilized behavior. If we had had more gravity-pull drive ships, we would have sent them all against you!”
    It was enough. “One last question. Will you and the Unity surrender all power to us? And to the individual nations of Earth?”
    “Never!” The man slammed a beefy fish against the solid oak top of his executive desk.
    Jack smiled. “Is the Unity Congress in session? The web internet says this morning was the start of a full conclave.”
    Puzzlement showed on the man’s swarthy face. “Yes. The Congress always meets in full panoply in the first week of September. That has been the practice for decades. Why?”
    “ Then, in the few seconds you have yet to live, you may wish to advise your fellow politicians to say their prayers to whatever deity, beyond money and power, they believe in.” He looked back at Denise. “Shut off the link.”
    “Shut down, Captain Jack,” the young woman said, her tone sounding normal despite her awareness of impending events. “The whole session has been recorded to the ship’s Library computer.”
    “Good. Thank you.” He looked to the images of his allies. “Admiral, captains, the Unity had their chance to surrender. Their Dictat has refused my request. It is time to end their rule. Join your antimatter beams with mine to take out every building occupied by the Unity Congress and their staff!”
    “ D’accord !” “ Hai !” “Will do!” and other agreements sounded from Hideyoshi, Minna, Gareth, Zhāng, Ignacio and every other fleet captain.
    Jack looked at the holo image of Maureen. Whose expression was sober, not eager, not impatient. “Combat Commander O’Dowd, list for me and our allies the buildings that compose the