My planet is infested with Goblins

Noah had expected the representative responsible for his mission to resemble Steward Halren: reserved, formal, and careful with every word. Instead, when Halren led him into another section of the hidden Aelwyn estate several hours after he left the time acceleration chamber, the atmosphere changed almost immediately.

The polished halls and carefully maintained gardens gave way to reinforced doors, plain stone corridors, and rooms filled with maps, communication formations, and equipment Noah associated more with a military headquarters than an aristocratic residence. Men and women wearing dark uniforms moved between the rooms carrying documents and crystalline communication devices, and unlike the servants in the residential areas, nearly all of them carried weapons.

Halren stopped before a thick metal door and placed his hand against a small identification formation. The surface briefly illuminated before opening inward. A large table occupied the center of the chamber beyond, surrounded by several chairs. Maps covered one wall, while the opposite side contained a projection formation displaying what appeared to be a rotating planet.

A single man waited beside the table.

He appeared to be somewhere in his middle years, although Noah knew physical appearances meant little among gods. Short gray streaks ran through otherwise dark hair, and a narrow scar crossed the left side of his face from temple to jaw. He wore no ceremonial clothing or visible jewelry except for a small Aelwyn insignia fastened near the collar of his dark military uniform.

Halren introduced him without unnecessary ceremony.

"Commander Garran Aelwyn. He will brief you on the assignment attached to your agreement with the family."

Garran looked Noah over once before turning toward Halren.

"I can take it from here."

Halren gave Noah a slight nod and left the room.

The door closed behind him.

Garran gestured toward the table.

"Sit."

Noah followed his instructions.

The commander remained standing.

"You received access to the restricted treasury and a time acceleration chamber. From what Halren reported, you made reasonable use of both."

Noah wondered how much Garran knew about the development of his planet. He doubted Halren knew about One Percent Genius, but there was little reason to hide the obvious fact that the acceleration had produced a much more advanced goblin civilization.

"It was very much useful."

Garran’s expression barely changed.

"Useful is one way to describe centuries of free development."

Noah said nothing.

Garran touched the projection formation. The rotating image expanded until an unfamiliar planet filled the space above the table. Large oceans separated several landmasses, while colored markings appeared across one of the largest continents.

"This is Edras. House Aelwyn discovered it during an exploration operation several decades ago."

Noah studied the image.

"An unclaimed planet?"

"No planetary lord. Naturally developed civilization."

The projection zoomed toward one continent. Borders appeared between numerous territories.

"The dominant intelligent inhabitants are humanoid. Physically similar enough to humans that you would recognize most expressions and body structures immediately, but biologically distinct enough that the family classifies them as another species. Their civilization is currently at what you would call a medieval level."

Images appeared beside the planetary map. Noah saw stone fortifications, walled cities, armored cavalry, agricultural villages, sailing vessels, and infantry formations carrying spears, shields, and bows.

Garran continued.

"They possess iron and steel weapons, professional armies, noble levies, cavalry, bows, crossbows, primitive siege engines, developed agriculture, trade networks, and established kingdoms. Nothing impressive by the standards of the God Civilization, but more than sufficient to kill newly awak species."

Noah looked toward the kingdoms highlighted across the continent.

"If the family discovered the world decades ago, why does it still have independent kingdoms?"

"Because conquering every primitive world the moment we discover it would be an impressive waste of personnel."

Garran enlarged one region.

"Planets like Edras have value, but not enough to justify deploying major Aelwyn military assets without reason. Resources are surveyed, strategic locations are secured, useful populations are monitored, and the world is gradually incorporated when convenient."

A kingdom along the eastern side of the continent changed color.

"This is the Kingdom of Caldris. This is your mission’s primary concern."

Caldris covered several fertile river valleys and possessed a long eastern frontier protected by mountains and fortified settlements. Garran brought up additional information showing roads, cities, castles, and estimated military concentrations.

"Caldris is one of the stronger regional kingdoms. Its crown can theoretically mobilize tens of thousands of soldiers if given enough time, although most are distributed between noble territories and border garrisons. Its royal army is smaller but better trained."

Noah leaned forward.

"What does the family want me to do?"

"You will participate in a military operation against Caldris."

Garran paused long enough to make sure Noah understood.

"You will not be alone. Several other recently awakened planetary lords connected to House Aelwyn are receiving the same assignment. Each of you will deploy forces from your own civilization. Together, you will enter Caldris territory and wage war against the kingdom."

Noah’s attention sharpened.

This was different from the academy assessment. The monthly battle would involve controlled rounds designed to test survival. Edras was a real world populated by real civilizations.

"If my goblins die there, they stay dead."

"Yes."

Garran answered without hesitation.

"Treat every casualty as permanent because it will be."

Noah looked at the projection again. Only hours earlier, he had watched the Varkesh, Skargrim, Viridian, and Luminous empires develop through centuries of warfare. For the goblins themselves, conflict was nothing new. What would be new was fighting a species that had evolved entirely outside their planet.

"How do we reach Edras?"

Garran changed the display again. Several glowing points appeared across the planet.

"Normally, planetary deployment uses one of two methods. For developed targets, we bring personnel through atmospheric wormholes or transport them aboard divine airships capable of crossing the planetary boundary and descending directly."

Noah had seen enough God Civilization technology to understand that either method could place armies almost anywhere on an ordinary world.

Garran pointed toward one glowing mark hidden within a mountain range east of Caldris.

"Edras is different. House Aelwyn discovered it while the local civilization was still young enough that its inhabitants possessed no means of observing what we were doing beyond the immediate surface. We installed permanent portal anchors in several isolated regions decades ago."

Noah studied the mark.

"You built portals directly on the planet?"

"Correct."

"The locals never found them?"

"Some were discovered but they have no idea of their function."

Garran sounded entirely unconcerned.

"The locals do not know what they are. One became the center of a religious cult before our operatives relocated the entrance. Another was mistaken for the ruins of an ancient civilization. Most remain beneath sealed facilities in regions that mortals rarely visit."

A faint smile appeared on Garran’s face.

"Primitive civilizations are useful that way. If they cannot properly understand their own atmosphere, they certainly cannot detect a portal installation placed beneath a mountain."

The projection showed the portal location in greater detail.

"You and the others will enter through this site. It is outside Caldris proper but close enough to its eastern frontier that you can begin operations quickly."

Noah considered the logistics. A stable portal would make deployment much easier than transporting an army through the atmosphere.

"What is the portal capacity?"

"Large enough that troop numbers will not be your primary limitation. Logistics will."

Garran turned toward him.

"Do not hear that and decide to send half your planet."

"I wasn’t planning to."

"Good. Newly awakened planetary lords frequently confuse population with disposable manpower. Then they discover that fifty thousand soldiers consume food even when there is no enemy nearby."

Noah had watched enough wars between his goblin empires to understand that lesson already.

"What are the restrictions?"

Garran folded his arms.

"Your civilizations conduct the war. That is the preferred arrangement. You are there to command, observe, make strategic decisions, and learn how foreign planetary operations actually work."

Noah noticed the wording.

"Preferred?"

Garran looked directly at him.

"Edras has local gods."

That was the first part of the briefing that made Noah reconsider the apparent simplicity of the mission.

"How strong?"

"Their strength varies, and our information is incomplete."

Several symbols appeared across the kingdoms on the projection.

"The inhabitants worship multiple divine beings. Some are little more than regional gods supported by a few cities. Others have been worshipped for centuries. Their exact relationships with the mortal kingdoms are inconsistent. Some of them intervene regularly. Others barely acknowledge their followers."

Noah looked toward the symbol positioned over Caldris.

"And the gods worshipped by Caldris?"

"At least three significant cults operate inside the kingdom. We believe one god has direct ties to the royal family. Another is associated with warfare. The third has influence over agricultural regions."

Garran tapped the table.

"Do not make the mistake of measuring them by the technology of their followers."

Noah waited.

"A kingdom can fight with swords while the god above it has spent a thousand years accumulating power."

That changed the nature of the mission considerably.

"Am I allowed to fight them?"

"If they do not involve themselves, you should not involve yourself directly in mortal battles."

Garran’s voice remained calm.

"Your goblins fight Caldris. Their soldiers fight your goblins. You do not descend into a formation of mortal infantry simply because destroying it personally would be faster."

"And if their gods intervene?"

"The rules change."

Noah remained silent as Garran continued.

"If a local god descends and begins destroying your forces, blessing armies beyond what your followers can reasonably confront, or directly targeting you, you may respond."

"By descending myself?"

"You may."

Garran leaned slightly against the edge of the table.

"Whether you should is your decision."

Noah understood the distinction. Permission did not make intervention wise.

Garran seemed satisfied.

"If one local god kills a dozen scouts, you may decide exposing yourself is unnecessary. If that same god begins erasing entire regiments, allowing it to continue would be equally foolish. You will have to judge the threat yourself."

"And if I underestimate one?"

"I know you have the answer."

There was no dramatic emphasis behind the answer.

Garran continued.

"This is not an academy arena. House Aelwyn will not arrange the battlefield so that every opponent is exactly your level. We selected Edras because the overall operation is appropriate for newly awakened planetary lords, not because every possible encounter is harmless."

Noah looked toward Caldris again.

"Will the family intervene if one of the local gods is stronger than expected?"

"If the operation develops into a threat beyond the assigned level, military supervisors can intervene. Do not interpret that as permission to behave recklessly."

Noah nodded.

"What about the other planetary awakeners?"

"You will meet them before deployment."

"How many?"

"You’ll see."

Garran continued.

"Some are Aelwyn descendants. Others come from subordinate houses or families attached to us. Their starting species and planetary development are their own concerns. You will learn what they can field when you meet them."

"So part of the mission is cooperation."

"Of course."

Garran deactivated several sections of the map until only Caldris remained.

"A planetary lord rarely chooses every ally in a real campaign. You need to learn whether you can coordinate with armies built around entirely different species, military doctrines, and capabilities."

Noah immediately thought of his own choices. The Varkesh Empire possessed strong logistics and maritime experience, though that mattered less inland. Skargrim had perhaps the most disciplined conventional army. Viridian forces understood difficult terrain and river operations. The Luminous Empire possessed large organized forces influenced by a powerful religious hierarchy.

He would need far more information before deciding which empire should provide the expeditionary force.

Garran noticed his silence.

"You are thinking about troop selection."

"Yes."

"Good. Ask questions before choosing numbers."

Noah looked toward the terrain east of Caldris.

"What is the climate around the portal? How far to the nearest fortified settlement? What roads can support large forces? How much food can we obtain locally? Are we expected to occupy territory or only defeat armies?"

For the first time since the briefing began, Garran looked slightly pleased.

"Those are questions worth asking."

He restored several layers of tactical information.

"You will receive detailed maps before deployment. The initial portal zone is mountainous and forested. Caldris maintains several frontier forts within marching distance. Your coalition’s first task is simple: enter the theater, establish a secure position, and begin offensive operations against the kingdom. The specific campaign objective will be issued once all participating planetary lords are assembled."

Noah looked toward him.

"So this briefing is only the mission assignment."

"Correct."

Garran shut down the projection completely. The planet disappeared, leaving only the quiet briefing room around them.

"You have seven days before your academy assessment. You will not spend all seven on Edras unless you are spectacularly inefficient. Complete the operation, return, and attend your assessment."

Noah stood.

Garran remained across the table.

"The time chamber gave your civilization centuries that many of your competitors never received. That was the advantage House Aelwyn offered you."

His eyes settled on Noah.

"Now we see what those centuries produced."

Noah thought about the four goblin empires continuing their lives on his planet, unaware that another inhabited world had already been selected as their first foreign battlefield. Their ancestors had once believed the oceans separated everything that existed. Grik had destroyed that belief by crossing the western sea.

Soon, the goblins would encounter a far greater truth.

Their planet was not the only world inhabited by civilization, and the first outsiders they met would not arrive as merchants.

They would meet them in war.

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