The Watchkeepers

A story that could use a bit of polishin

I wrote this story in about an hour, tell me what you think, Im thinkin I could polish it a little, but we'll see if i ever get around to it im so busy most of the time

I was standing in the spaceport, surrounded by members of the station’s elite security unit. Their big bodies with me standing there made me feel somewhat insignifigant. However, I knew that what I was tasked to do would make all the difference.
I watched as a squadron of Battleship Class Hammerheads touched down on the station. The security guards tensed, I could sense it. I watched as thirteen warriors streamed out of the lead vehicle. Behind me were a number of officials, from the regional government to the military.
A soldier grunted to me as they approached, “Presenting Arkh-Duik. The First WatchKeeper for the Trojan Empire.”
Their head man came straight up to me as arranged and I stuck out my hand. He hit it away and embraced me, “I am glad to meet the Watchkeeper for such a glorious state as yours. Brothers and Sisters,” he said to his fellow warriors, “This man will take care of me. You may return to your ships.” Eleven of the warriors grunted approval and returned to their ships.
The one that stayed grinned a toothy grin at me as the other went around, greeting the other officials, “I am the Captain of the Death Trap, and head captain for my squadron. I am correct in thinking you are the Watchkeeper for the Government of the Confederation?”
I nodded, “The First Watchkeeper.” He grinned and patted me on the back. “I am glad to know that you will work with my brother here to end the war that has long raged bewteen our two peoples.” I nodded, even though the real situation was that the Trojan Empire was swallowing the Independent States fast enough that the Confederation was beginning to strain fighting the Trojans and Centaurians. Hopefully, an alliance could be achieved, boosting the capabilities for the Trojans and the Confederation.
I smiled, “Surely it has been a long day? We will meet tomorrow at the Council Room to begin nego....discussing our Brotherhood at breakfast?”
The warriors nodded and after shaking my hands, both departed to the ship.
I turned to the other officials, Maj. Smith, Dockmaster Truant, Councillors Hyes and Foros, and two or three more. The major looked at me, “You think we can sort this out?” I nodded.
“I suggest you all prepare for tomorrow. The Watchkeeper has brought some of his closest brethren to come with him, and you were only chosen because we have all worked before in the past together.”
Hyes stood a little strangely, “What’s a Watchkeeper’s position exactly?”
“They are supposed to protect the Trojans from afar off threats. They are something of a mixture between a diplomat and someone to protect from scandals. They even are allowed to take command of a single ship at any time if it will protect the Trojans. However, if one of the core planets of the Trojans are struck, the closest one is held accountable if the strike is devastating. Any more questions?”
Silence.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast. The menu will include Muir-Duk from the Trojans and scrambled eggs with salsa. See you then.” I departed, having been standing in that spot for ten hours, waking up five hours previous, so now I was tired and as soon as I entered my quarters, I collapsed on my bed.

Seven men sat at my table. I watched Five warriors file into the room, two of whom I recognized, “Good morning.” I said to them as we all exchanged the ritual greetings. They all nodded and sat at their table. Conversation took off as we began to eat, we received compliments on our food and we dealt them out gladly. The food was magnificent, and I made a note to myself to have Trojan food more often. If all of it was this good, the rest surely must be good. As the food was cleared away, talk got to serious business.
I began, “Despite the friendship between us, we must turn our attention to the reason why you were asked to come. We must go over why we fight, and we must sort it out.”
“I agree. To long have we bickered, we must find common ground so we may fight the Centaurians.” I nodded. The Centaurians were a huge cluster of stars that had extended their control to North, and eventually had taken up a border with the Trojans. We all knew that if they were not stopped, they would overwhelm us all.
“First, I would like to know why you think we fight?” I asked.
“One hundred years ago, one of our watchkeepers was flying to your capitol to sign a peace treaty with your government. He was killed by your local patrols.”
Maj. Smith began, “Your Watchkeeper came not under the watchful eye of a captain and his squadron, rather ten squadrons. That is forty ships, sir. We viewed it as a precurser to invasion and acted appropriately.”
“Acted Appropriately!” the Watchkeeper said, stunned, “You could have given a warning!”
“It was forty ships, and due to the somewhat hostile nation by our two states on the border...” and it went on and on. The rest of the conversation will only be needed to know that the five Trojans stormed out of the room in anger, shouting at Smith for his foolishness.
Hyes waited a minute for the media to leave before grinning, “How’s that for a first day of negotiations?” I chuckled and told the dockmaster to send a message to the ships to try again at dinner.

It was dinner time, and I had wracked my brains trying to get the stubborn warriors, who only agreed to go if that ‘hotheaded warrior who does not even have the integrity of a young child’ did not come. By that they meant Smith. I agreed.
“Let’s try to go over this again. It is because our authorities killed one of your watchkeepers and his warriors?”
They nodded. I kept a cool head, “I was thinking over this today. What would you say if I took twenty battleships to your homeworld to make negotiations. Now, say that the negotiations get out of hand and I storm away in anger. Now, what would my troops do on the way back?”
:”Wreak havoc, obviously.” said their head captain.
“What if you thought I was purposefully going to storm away in anger?”
“You would be a dead man before you even got past our borders.” It clicked in him and he stuttered, “But, we had no such intentions.”
“Is it not true that warriors have been known to be somewhat paranoid if the defence of their people is at stake?”
“Uh...yes.” he stopped.
The Watchkeeper began, “So, are you saying it was your warrior’s overzealousness for their cause that chose them to make this decision?”
I nodded.
“So...they were merely trying to achieve honor for their cause?”
I nodded.
They stopped to consider, and began to speak slowly, “We...might be willing to...overlook such an offense in that case. Of course, only if all the correct terms were looked to.”
I nodded, “So...you will forgive us?”
That night ended on a good note, much better than the morning. I had quite a good feeling. However, I knew that my job was only partly done.

It was lunch the following day when we met them again. “So...now may we make an alliance?” He asked.
I shook my head. “Your reasons for war have been looked to, however, ours still persist.”
His mouth was agape, “What are your reasons?”
“Firstly, it was that you had always attemtped to attack us because of the fight over your watchkeeper. Now we have two more reasons. The first of which is that you continue to swallow up independent states around you.”
“Yes.”
“How do you justify it?” I asked.
He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, “We wish to expand ourselves so we may challenge the Centaurians, and in doing so provide safety for the entire universe. So...it is overzealousness.”
“Can you honestly say that the Independent States agreed to this without putting up a fight?” Now I knew I was trusting in the integrity of their people, but I knew I could only make them see their faults by doing so.
He shook his head. “But, without the resources on these planets, we will not be able to challenge the Centaurians.”
“So...your conscience is clear?”
“No.”
“Then you must set them free.” I said, knowing they would agree.
He nodded, “It shall be done. What next?”
“We have a planet on the border of our space which you claim is yours, and we claim is ours. We propose that you may have it in turn for giving up your resources.”
The gleam in his eyes returned, “Aha! Of course we would watchkeeper.”
That was it. The negotiations were over, and we embraced as Brothers, both signing a treaty that said that our nations would ally against the Centaurians. I even exchanged the bond of brotherhood with him, by us both branding our right shoulders with a piece of metal twisted into the shape of two circles crossing eachother.