Defenders by Will McIntosh Page A

at the comm. “That’s why I didn’t ask.”
    Although those questions aren’t the real reason your people are so eager for you to open communication with me.
    Oliver froze, slowly canted his head to one side. “What do you mean?”
    There’s no point in speaking aloud. I don’t have ears, or the capacity to detect sound.
    “It helps me organize my thoughts.” Oliver wasn’t going to let this creature tell him how to behave. A good interrogator was always in control of the situation. “You said there was another reason they want me to establish contact with you. What’s the reason?”
    Ariel cut in on the comm. “Oliver, what is it saying? Give us an update.”
    Oliver ignored her, waited, watching the Luyten groom itself with its cilia.
    Isn’t it obvious?
    “Not to me.”
    “Oliver? What’s going on?” Ariel asked.
    They want to discuss terms for surrender.
    Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but the sheer magnitude of the words, the finality of what Five was suggesting, rocked Oliver. He turned to face the comm.
    “It says I’m here to discuss terms for surrender.”
    There was a long delay, then “Hold on.”
    Surrender? His head spinning, Oliver tried to unpack what that would mean. Would humans lay down their arms, and the Luyten take control of everything—all the territory they didn’t already control? In exchange, no more humans would be killed. But how would they be treated?
    “President Wood is coming down,” Ariel said.
    The president of the United States.
    Was coming down to speak to him.
    Under different circumstances he would have been excited by that prospect.
    Oliver headed to the bathroom to check himself in the mirror, to make sure he looked presentable.
    Surrender.
    How had it possibly gotten to this point?
    When the starfish first rained from the sky, spinning like pinwheels, protected as they entered Earth’s atmosphere by huge porous bags that bore zero resemblance to any Earth transport, everyone had been terrified. But in every case, they’d dropped into unpopulated wilderness, in groups of three, and at first did little more than hide.
    Oliver set his comb back on the sink and headed back into the living room.
    When they began to attack, the targets were small, the goal more likely sabotage than occupation. They would hit a railway line, a wind farm, an isolated community, then disappear back into the trees, or underwater in breathable embryos that turned out to be miniatures of their mother ship. People were petrified, but it felt more like some horrible infestation than an invasion.
    When it became apparent the Luyten could read human minds at will, people got really scared.
    The attacks grew steadily bolder. Satellites. Weapons systems. Nuclear plants. Attacks on people living in the country escalated to the point where most fled to the safety of urban hubs, ceding more and more territory to the Luyten.
    It had been a brilliantly executed attack.
    The elevator flashed, indicating visitors.
    President Wood was short and stocky, with a crooked nose and a curled-down mouth set in a perpetual sneer. Two Secret Service agents hung back near the elevator as Wood crossed the room to shake Oliver’s hand.
    “You’re doing good work,” Wood said. “You’ve succeeded where many others have failed.” He held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen your résumé. You have forty IQ points on me, and I’m not as dumb as I sound, and your work on influence techniques at NYU?” He shook his head. “Remarkable.”
    “Thank you, sir.” Oliver motioned toward the little kitchen. “Can I get you something?”
    “Nah, I’m good.” Wood wandered over to Five’s cage, studied the creature. “So why don’t the three of us have a talk?” Wood waited a beat, then turned to Oliver. “Did it answer?”
    “No.”
    Wood turned back to Five. “What harm would it do to talk?” He looked at Oliver, eyebrows raised.
    Oliver shook his