Dark Matter by Rob Riddell - ?Chapter 3 or something like that. 

The orc pilot explains that craft fly a little differently now. He says that for them to overpower him and try to fly the craft would be suicide because the craft is attuned to him. The console has two indentations where the pilot lays his hands. The orc pilot invites one of them to try the controls. Clause and Chundra look at Vikena. She steps up to the console and lays her hands in. She waits a moment and then a blue flash sends her flying backwards to the back of the craft. Claude helps her up. The orc pilot shrugs and says again that the craft is not attuned to her. Nor any of the other humans.

He waves at the orcs above him and clamps release. They start to fall to Earth. Claude asks where the rockets are. The orc explains that rockets are not required. They fall and the Earth gets bigger. The orc begins to talk. He says that they have found that the more they explain to the conqueored humans, the more they cooperate. He says that just as gravity exists, so does anti gravity, but only through the use of living being like the plant they have developed, can antigravity be harnessed to fly to and away from planets. The live tree that is growing in the craft also creates an energy field that holds the atmosphere in around the craft. The void still surrounds them.

They drop through the atmosphere without getting hot. Claude and Vikena are flabergasted. the pilot says that they will land in a camp held by the Mellencez Mob.

Chundra asks if other mobs live on Earth now. The pilot is puzzled by her question. He asks if they were oriented about the new world before they left the station. Claude says no. And what kind of machine is it that can fly like they are flying. The orc pilot laughs and says that the plane flies like magic.

Vikena asks about the other mobs, if they exist. The pilot considers for a moment and says yes. They had better know that because at the moment, only the Mellencez Mob will protect them and guarantee their safety. ***********June 17/97

As Vikena's ship swoops down, one of the guards points to an encampment. "That is our landing base." The crew flies down lower, and wobbles as it is wounded, towards the fortified base. Arcane artillery pieces point outwards from the fortified wall. A nearly invisible shield crackles with energy. At each juncture or tower of the defensive shield is a group of three people. An attack is in progress on the north shield. The kraft passes over it on its emergency flight route. The attackers faces look up and aim at the kraft as it passes over the attackers. They all are large with mottled skin, and have pointed ears with fangs. The pilots curse and identify the attackers as Ogrum. The pilot aims at a net strung on the runway of the fort. Shots at the kraft stop as it gets in the center of the fort and the large runway is visible.

The kraft crashes, but all inside survive easily. A sargeant runs up to pull them all out of the kraft. he starts spouting about the attack. Claude asks who the attackers really are. They are the Katrills says the sargeant. A loud explosion knocks them to the ground. Suddenly the attack stops. A stretcher bearer runs by with two people on the thing.

Chundra shakes her head in a worried manner. (She has just crashed back to Earth after being sentenced 15 years previous to life mining in the asteroids. Subjective time she has spent a little less than two weeks since she was convicted of the crime of international agitation.) She says disgustedly to the aliens, world peace my ever lovin' ass. She gets out. Claude gets out and asks how do the goofballs pilots do what they just did.

The pilots run off a bunch of pseudo technical terms. They say that the modulations of certain words in conjunction with a preset mental attitude allows them to utilize the essence of unseen material in the universe. Some creatures believe that the energy is supernatural, but the mob has access to micro-analysed information that the energy comes from a different dimension that is tangential to the dark matter in the universe.

Claude laughs and asks them if they really have any idea what they just did. They cock their head to one side as if he was stupid for not understanding or asking that question.

Vikena presses a bandage against her head. She demands to see the camp commander. The small guard from the space station comments that he would be a little busy until the end of the attack. A large flaming ball arcs into the camp. The explosion knocks them down. The pilots wave the survivors to follow them.

Inside a bunker they wait. Claude shakes his head. Chundra burries her face in her hands. Vikena looks at them and sags back against the wall. Chundra sobs just once. She sits on the floor against a wall. Vikena opens her eyes at the sound. She watches the two of them. She looks at her two human companions. A look of resolve fixes on her face. The small guard asks the pilots if they know how the attack is going. They shrug that they do not. Small guard reaches into a pocket and pulls out a crystal ball. Vikena points this out to Claude. Claude shakes his head in disbelief. Vikena asks if he is going to see into the future with that thing.

An image similar to the holo-vid rises out of the ball. The face of the camp commander shows. She looks around then focuses on the image to the pilot. (Similar to a newsperson looking for the right camera.) She says to clear the channel. The pilot says that he has brought down the guests from the space station. The Commander she will send extra guards to their bunker. She adds that the pilots should die before the guests do. She turns and looks back over her should at them. She asks if Evok if she got permission to come down to the planet from her commander. The small guard stands and says no. The commander smiles then turns away shouting that they need more power on the west shield wall. She orders a barrage of plasma flux as the image fades to a cloud.

Chundra smiles thinly at the pilots. She turns to Vikena and says she bets that makes them popular with the pilots. Vikena asks the small guard if Evok was her real name. Another explosion rocks the bunker.

Claude asks where the world peace is. The small guard says that only for the humans is there world peace. Claude says he is starting to not like that statement. Chundra asks what world peace means to them. Vikena laughs and asks Chundra if she thinks she is in a courtroom debating. Aron asks why the four of them are so important. The tall pilot is about to answer and then Evok cuts the pilot off and says that all humans were precious because they were mostly untarnished by contact with interdimensional forces of evil.

Aron says you have to be kidding. Claude says he thinks he would like to be tarnished. Evok hurriedly and emphatically says no! Aron rubs his hands with anticipation.

The tall pilot sarcasticly folds his arms and asks if he and his buddy are tarnished because they wield the forces. Evok says no .. but! The pilot says to his buddy, that obviously they were tarnished.

Claude says he wants to see some other humans. Vikena says she wants to see her kids. Evok looks away at the ground. Vikena is angry and alarmed immediately. She yells she wants to see her children.

A large explosion rocks the bunker. The pilots say the Ogrum might have broken through. Evok says not possible. Aron asks what the pilots and Evok call themselves. Evok answers the Mobz. Aron asks what species. The pilot turns and proudly says the Orcanz. His tone implies a lot of pride and aggression.

Aron turns to Claude and says the Ogrum, the Orcanz, .. where are the humans? Claude turns to Vikena and asks where are all the people? Vikena says there had better be at least two children belonging to her still alive somewhere or there would be alot more than just hell to pay. Evok whips her head around. Evok asks her not to say a phrase like that, or it might come true. Vikena snarls, ya, right. Chundra mutters that maybe it already has.

The pilot yelps and digs out the crystalline orb andthen drops it like it gave him a shock. The Commander talks in an even voice that contains stress. She says that the eastern barrier folded and droped for a couple of moments. There are Ogrum in the perimeter, but not many. She expects they will be looking for the humans.

The pilots curse and Evok starts assembling a weapon out of sticks and wires, and a power pack. The pilots bring out similar weapons. Evok asks them to go to the crashed kraft and retrieve the heavy weapon. They do it. Evok barks out, in the name of the Creatrix, do it now, before the group needs it.

They rush out. As they are returning to the bunker, Ogrum shimmer into existence between the kraft and the bunker. The pilots drop down and begin firing their hand-held weapons. They drop the heavy weapon. Inside the bunker, Evok and Vikena curse at the same time. They exchange a glance of surprise. Evok orders Vikena out to retrieve the weapon. Vikena flips her the bird.Claude says he will go, but he asks for Evok's weapon.

Evok says that he does not know how to use it. Claude yells for her to give it to him if she will not go out to help. She tosses the hand-held weapon to Claude and runs out. He aims the weapon and sights along the sort-of-barrel. He yelps with a feedback shock from the rifle.

The five of them watch as the Ogrum nail the pilots to the ground. The pilots hit two of the three invading Ogrum. The third Ogrum blasts an energy gun at them. They appear dead. The Ogrum turns to Claude who has dropped his weapon. The Ogrum trains his weapon on Claude then Vikena comes screaming out of the bunker. Claude delivers a viscious uppercut to the Ogrum, then kicks the creature on the side of the knee. There is the sound of a bone breaking. Vikena jumps and lands on the throat of the Ogrum. Her landing has a martial arts flair. The Ogrum is dead.

Claude and Vikena see Evok running towards them. Claude says he is alright, and Evok runs right past him to the heavy weapon. She lifts it and asks for help. Claude and Vikena help lift it. It is a heavy weapon. Chundra is leaning over the two pilots. The smaller sub-pilot is dead she says, but the other lives. Evok sasy that that was their job, to protect the humans from the Ogrum.

Claude asks why Evok did not help him. Was she a coward? Evok says that everyone has their function. The pilots tried to do theirs. Her job was to protect as many as possible. Even when Claude ran out there were still three in the bunker. Vikena asks what about when she, Vikena ran out. Evok figures that she was safe there, and stayed to protect the more valuable.

Claude asks Evok which single person is the most valuable. Evok asks why, would the other three kill that one person so that the other three had more importance? Is that the way live on the planet used to be before the beginning of this great pacification.?

Chundra looks up and says in horror Pacification!!!

Evok holds the silence a listtle longer, as she tries to reconsider a better way to rephrase what she has just said. Evok innocently asks what does that word really mean?

Chundra says extermination.  Claude agrees.  Aron says conquering a group so as to manipulate them to your own end.  Evok turns to Vikena.  Vikena snarls stealing my children.