Anger boiled beneath the surface of his scales. Despite the importance of tonight's event he struggled to focus on the tasks at hand. No matter the result he would always remember this day as a personal failure, and a source of humiliation that would shadow him till his dying day. That day wouldn't be too long in coming if he didn't swallow his pride, keep the rage contained and complete this galling ritual.
He sat alone in his command chair near the rear of the shuttle. His entourage familiar with his moods had wisely left him alone to brood rather than risk his wrath with a failed attempt at levity. The rest of the shuttle's occupants including the pilot were part of his bodyguard, stoic and efficient warriors all. In the past his shuttle would have been packed with petitioners, consorts and advisers. Their absence a physical reminder of how low he had fallen, from being the undisputed and universal adored leader of the Empire whose star was always in the ascendant to a tarnished Despot trying to salvage something from the greatest defeat of his life. A defeat that should have been his Crowning achievement, an event that would guarantee him immortality as the most successful Leader his people had ever known.
It should have been as easy as it was glorious, the opposition were a bunch of mammalian savages without space travel, but whose world had an abundance of natural wealth. And whose population had an abundance of nutritious flesh, enough to solve his peoples hunger for energy and food and secure his stranglehold on power making him invulnerable from any conspirators plot. But within a few short years victory had soured, the mammals these "humans" went underground, regrouped and fought back. On its own that wasn't a problem, in fact the presence of hostile elements would make the legendary conquest of the riches of earth much more palatable to future generations by entertaining their minds with visions of barbarous alien savages being vanquished by noble and determined storm troopers.
All for the price of a few patrols of foot soldiers conscripts for the most part, quite the bargain for eternal glory. But it didn't end there; the humans were winning, destroying key installations exposing the Expeditionary forces commander "John" as he was known to them and aiding that seemingly invincible band of traitors the Fifth Column. The Fifth Column operations were a reminder that he had failed to eliminate all opposition to his rule, it also raise questions of loyalty among his subordinates prompting another purge, at a time when they needed unity the most. But had the situation not developed further he could still fulfil his aims both material and personal. But it did develop further, a lot further. Somehow despite the lack of scientific achievement amongst the human population they managed to develop a weapon as powerful as it was clever. A bacterium, that was harmless to earth life but incredibly lethal to his people, the so called "Red Dust". Even on the streets of his capitol city and the decks of his Flagship that name caused fear.
The Red Dust may have poisoned the earth but its effects spread much further. Ships had mutinied at the mere rumour of an outbreak; whole cities were engulfed in flames and rioting at the sight of unfamiliar red substances or unusually high rates of illness. It looked as if the Earth crisis as it came to be known even by his top advisors would eclipse him and shake apart his entire regime. But then a year after the day Red Dust made its debut he was given an unexpected reprieve.
The expedition force he had stationed in Earth's system purely as a way to stall for time by looking as if a solution was close at hand reported receiving a transmission by a survivor from the original invasion force! Such news was welcome it could only mean that this Red Dust was not nearly as infallible as first thought. His enthusiasm increased exponentially when the survivor was identified, one of his consorts "Diana" possessing a powerful combination of talent, ambition and beauty she had been one of his favourites. Though his valued position had meant his grieving for her assumed demise was rather short. Still personal liaisons could wait this was an opportunity not to be missed, ordering an immediate invasion. The time for subterfuge had passed he awaited news of the conquest of the earth.
That news never came, apparently the Red Dust was still quite potent in parts of the planet, and that knowledge was bought with the lives of thousands of troops. Such reckless blundering had dampened enthusiasm and the destruction of the Triax the fleet most powerful weapons platform and key to the defence and should the political situation deteriorate domination of the home system had been destroyed. Resistance even in clean areas continued and more and more corpses were returning for less and less resources, it was another quagmire only this time he couldn't shift blame on unforeseen circumstances or inexperienced subordinates. The Fleet Commander "Lydia" had been personally selected by him and Diana was well known to be a favourite of his. There was no way he could not tarnish them without tarnishing himself, nor could he replace either without looking like an indecisive fool.
In exasperation he had sent one of his most accomplished strategists "Charles" and for a while the situation started improving, then Charles was killed by poison, something about an affair and jealousy among the crew. After that sordid affair he decided to take command of the invasion personally, only there was no way he'd set foot on that ship of the dammed. A relay connecting his citadel to the "Battle sphere" a new and powerful battle computer seemed a perfect alternative. He could direct the wings of Sky fighters and ground assaults well beyond the reach of any enemy mammal or reptilian. But once again he was foiled by the incompetence of the fleet officers, some human had hacked into the Command ships systems and overpowered the Battle spheres instructions. Sky fighters literally fell from the Sky as foot soldiers ran in circles. The situation dragged on and on with no end in sight.
And beneath the growing frustration of the people there were whispers. Whispers that the Leader had become a liability, that he had become too greedy, that maybe they'd be better off with a new leader. His intelligence officers had sent report after report from all over the Empire, from civilian centres and military bases. They differed wildly in content except for one word; just one word was guaranteed to come up sooner or later "Democracy".
Just thinking about that thrice cursed word irritated his venom sac, suppressing the urge to spit he forced his mind to think on another word that he held almost but not quite as much loathing "Pretonama" or "peace" as the humans called it. Since his fleet had failed him as Warlord it now fell to him to become the peacemaker and salvage something from this cursed venture. Despite the attention Earth warranted and the damage to his reputation it had inflicted Earth was only a secondary theatre, the constant drain on resources was threatening to exhaust his entire war machine and jeopardise his much larger war with the Zedti. The Zedti were always the main threat, technologically sophisticated and more than capable of attacking his worlds. Letting Earth dominate his strategic outlook was he admitted a mistake, though its resources would help to ensure victory and the destruction of the Zedti letting just one world drain his armies when the Zedti fleets were still in existence couldn't be allowed to continue.
He had tried conquest twice now, and the situation hung by a thread, it was time for decisive action, to restore faith in his leadership and wrong foot the opposition. It was time for a makeover, though the humans fought long and hard, it was still their world that was being ripped to pieces by the conflict. He'd felt sure they'd be willing to make peace if they thought it was a genuine overture. This was why he had come to this world, The Leader of the "Visitors" in the flesh both real and synthetic. The humans were cautious but after a withdrawal from the surface and a release of all foo- prisoners they would eventually come around to the idea of a peaceful compromise.
The proposed treaty had been devised by his most unorthodox advisers to ensure no delay in the signing. The Visitors would agree to never set foot on Earth without prior authorisation, and give the humans the medical and ecological research promised to them during the original takeover. A cure for a condition called cancer seemed to be a high priority considering how much effort the humans had dedicated to its eradication prior to invasion. In exchange for regular supplies of water, chemicals and livestock of the non-human variety, the latter was a point of fierce debate, The Leader's best negotiator had suggested alternatives such as selecting prisoners or the recently deceased but overtime it was decided to drop the idea entirely, the humans were stubborn creatures after all. A pity as they were quite a delicacy according to reports, another point of contention were the Fifth Columnists, public executions of those traitors would appease the military hardliners and be a source of personal pleasure. But for reasons that escaped him the humans seemed quite attached to their cold blooded pets, according to some reports that he had supressed they had even started breeding. After that revelation The Leader quickly agreed to a proposal to let them stay on Earth, though they were forbidden on pain of death from ever leaving the Earth system. If the humans didn't mind half-breed perversion then the better to keep the rot contained.
The Treaty had been drafted and redrafted, all that remained now was to get the humans on board and prepare the signing ceremony, and the pilot informed him that there had been another incident. The shuttle sent ahead of his had been attacked and destroyed. It seems he was right to listen to the advice of the Inspector General "Philip" though such an outrage could not be left unpunished. Reports were confused as to the identity of the attackers but that could wait. Now that he was so close to the Command ship he could sense that mind again, only this time without the need of an amplifier. They called her the "Star child" and despite the revulsion he felt at her existence he had to admit he found her mind and its potential quite intriguing. Philip had suggested that the Star Child or "Elizabeth" as a cross breed would make a good symbol of peace. At first he had been horrified of having such a mockery of His races superiority closely associated with his legacy. But now, but now that he could sense her he was beginning to come around to the idea. One thing his people respected far more then purity was power and this creature was very powerful indeed.
The shuttle began its landing preparations; it would soon be time to board and see the architects of his humiliation and possible renewal for the first time. The shuttle hatch hissed open, and he called out to the assembled delegates, for it was time. Time to secure his place in history, even if it wasn't precisely how he wished to remembered. He was still The Leader and that meant it was his right and duty to lead, whether through the fields of victory or the maze of peace.