It took some time for the Commanders to appear and the Representative had made his excuses about an urgent bureaucratic problem and left. There were six of them in total each responsible for the defending forces in their area. They were all middle-aged and immaculately dressed in the blue uniform of their rank.
Timothy could sense their fear. None of them looked at him directly, they were sweaty and fidgety.
He knew that they needed motivation and a belief that victory was at least possible. It was the time for him to speak.
“The great menace facing us overwhelmed the last planet that I was on. All humans, animals, plants, and microbial life were wiped from its surface, leaving a thriving world of billions just a dead rock floating through the void that is space.
I should have died then too but the Emperor still had plans for me. He brought me here to help defend your world, and together we will. I believe that this world will not be as amenable to our enemy. That, despite our low numbers, we can stop them right here and right now. For the Emperor.”
“For the Emperor,” came the half-hearted reply.
“Tell me your names. So that I can have them written for posterity.”
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