The final round of the Sci-Fi smackdown. We've been given until the end of the month to write up to 10,000 words of epicness. Hope you enjoy it enough to follow the updates over the coming weeks.

Word count on completion: 4657 (according to the word counter)

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Part 1 - The Invitation

Thoughts of why didn't cross my mind. All I knew was the Taistainae had sent a personal invitation for me to join the meeting. I ignored the bang of the door-bar being slid into place and joined my uncle near the front, taking the only seat left in the room.

He seemed surprised to see me, but continued with his address to the crowd. "The attack was over within minutes. There's no way they could have known that every head of state would be in the Sung Building at that point in time, other than if they had someone on the inside feeding them information."

"Aye, and I heard they hit each of the defence posts on every planet at exactly the same time too. Whoever it was, had to be high up to be privy to that sort of info." Someone a few rows behind added.

Uncle Landon nodded in agreement. "The only survivor from the Sung attack was Councilor Exo."

Arium gasped at the slur on the infamous councilor's name. "You think he was in on it? But why would he do that? Why would he give us up as slaves to the humans when he spent most of his life building our defences against the Naerg and Bourgonas?"

"I don't know, Arium. Perhaps he thought it was better than whatever alternative they offered."

My hand flew to my mouth to stifle the laugh that threatened to burst free, and sank lower in the chair.

"Bria? Do you wish to speak?"

"I'm with you, Uncle," I replied, tentatively. As much as I hate being the centre of attention, I couldn't let my thoughts go unvoiced. "Although, if the better option is death and slavery for our people, I can't think of anything that a leader of our worlds could possibly have considered worse. No, I reckon they promised him immunity or wealth."

The small room fell silent as each of the assembled members of the Taistainae considered my treasonous words.

"The reason is irrelevant now anyway," I added with haste. "We need to figure out what we're going to do about it."

Arium stood, commanding attention from the semi-circle of his seated comrades - those few who had managed to evade capture when the rest of our village were gathered in the square and given the choice to serve the humans or die. "We need to infiltrate their ranks and find a way to stop them." He searched each of their faces as he spoke. "I've aquired one of the devices they use to communicate with us. If we can figure out how it works, we can spy on them." He spotted the face he'd been looking for and waved for him to stand up. "Dinar? You've had a chance to study the device, do you think you can do something with it?"

"I believe so. At least in part. The decryption side should be easy enough to hide if it's implanted under the skin behind the ear. However, our voice generator is too delicate to withstand the invasive surgery involved to hide the encryptor. That type of surgery is beyond my capabilities. Whomever you choose to use it will understand what is said, but will not be able to respond in their tongue."

Uncle Landon snorted. "That's all well and good, Dinar, but what exactly are we listening for? Anything worth knowing will come from the leaders and all their leaders are under protection in the council quarters. No one gets within sight of them never mind earshot."

Arium answered, "Except the servers. Tir has sent word that she has access to everything within the main house as her mistress insists on help with everything. These humans are lazy. Our spy will infiltrate a leader's home as a slave. The only problem I foresee is them allowing a male so close. According to Tir, all inner house servers are attractive, young females."

Realisation came swiftly on the heels of Arium's words. The reason for my invitation to the secret meeting blatantly obvious once Dinar glanced in my direction. Evidently all except my uncle were in agreement. I'm to be offered up for slavery. Unfortunately for me, I could see they were right.

"No," Landon said with vehemence as he too realised their intention. He stepped in front of me. "I promised her mother I'd keep her safe."

"We have no choice, Uncle," I whispered, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "This is what I was born for."

He turned and cupped my cheek, studing my features. "You look so much like your mother. You're all I have left, Bria. Please don't do this. We'll find someone else."

"Someone else's daughter, sister, mother? None have been blessed with my appeal. Besides, I'm the only Wicca, and the only chance any of us have." Placing my hand on top of his, I smiled despite the threat of tears stinging my eyes, drawing his hand from my cheek to kiss his palm. "I have to do it."