Read Monsters Win Wars: A Novella for Free Online Page A

he won’t see that. I heard the way he
talked to you. In his mind, you can never have the upper hand.”
    “Commander!” said a voice coming down the
hall. They all turned to see another Saurian troop running up to
them. He wore a pair of headphones around his neck, and held a
clump of papers in his hand.
    “Sir.” The troop stopped, and slammed his
right claw against his left shoulder. Henry had learned that this
was the Saurian salute. Aric returned the salute, and asked the
troop what he wanted.
    “There is a human military dreadnought about
to enter Saturnian space.” He said, handing the paper in his hand
to Aric. Emily walked over, and they both looked over the
printout.
    “Shit.” She said, taking the paper from
Aric’s hands.
    “Have they found us yet?” Aric asked.
    “No.” The communications trooper said. “We’re
still too far away for their scanners to break through our jamming
signals. But they are getting close. We estimate they’ll be over
Titan within the next four hours.”
    Aric turned to Emily and asked, “Can your
jamming signals work if they’re right over us?”
    “I don’t know.” She said. “They’re going to
be using the latest military-grade equipment.”
    “Is there any way to increase the signal
strength?”
    “Maybe, I do have a few ideas.” She looked up
at the trooper with the headphones around his neck. “Let’s go.”
    The trooper nodded, and they took off back to
the communications room. As soon as they left, Rand swore in his
Saurian tongue.
    “We’re running out of time. We need that
information from him now.” Rand said.
    “We have other things to worry about besides
the interrogation.” Henry said.
    “Don’t you see, if we interrogate him right
now, we could get that dreadnought off our backs.”
    “He’s right.” Aric said. “If he can tell us
the exact frequency codes for the sensors on the dreadnoughts,
it’ll be easier to jam their signals.” Henry bit at his lower
lip.
    “But we don’t have enough time.” The rebel
leader said.
    “Yes we do.” Aric said. “Rand is one the best
interrogators you’ll ever meet.”
    “It won’t take long at all.” Rand said. Henry
looked at those dark yellow eyes, and saw a pinch of a smile at the
corner of his reptilian lips.
    He remembered the brutality with which he’d
dispatched the soldiers in the villa, and said, “No.”
    “Senator, we don’t have a choice.” Aric
said.
    “I know, but I don’t want him doing it.”
    “Why not?” Rand asked. Henry stopped to pick
his words carefully.
    “I want you to….”
    “To what?”
    “Senator,” Aric said. “I know you place human
rights and dignity in very high esteem, but this is war.”
    “I won’t hurt him.” Rand said. The other two
stared at him. “I will get the information without giving him a
scratch, or breaking any bones.”
    “You swear?” Henry asked.
    “Interrogation is primary about intimidation
anyway, and there are many ways to intimidate without causing
serious physical injury.” Henry stared at him for a few moments,
searching the reptilian face for any hint of his true intentions,
but couldn’t find any.
    “Alright,” Henry said finally. “But remember,
we’re soldiers, not monsters.”
    “Yes sir.” Rand said. He nodded to Aric,
before entering the cell.
    “What is he going to do?” Henry asked as the
saurian closed the door behind him.
    “He has his methods, and they almost always
work.” Aric said. He turned to Henry, and saw the bags that hung
under his eyes and the sunken-in cheeks on his face. “How long has
it been since you’ve eaten?”
    Henry shrugged and said, “I don’t know. Me
and Emily have been very busy. I think I’m going to go meet her in
the communications room.”
    “I’ll go with you.” Aric said, and they
left.
     
    Upon opening the cell door, the president
stood up with a start.
    “You…your one of them.” He said. Rand didn’t
look at him. He just closed the door