Saviors

Of the nearly three billion remaining human survivors, every single one of them had received a single C-Grade Enhancer from their Jurian captors.

As the mining operations on the three moons began to commence, the small population of humans was offset by the smaller size of the moons, allowing for the mining to commence rapidly. 

Only the moon of Earth was large enough to actually contain any rare material, and with one of the other two groups mining on Mars, the remaining group was left in space in a camp established by the Jurians to encourage the repopulation of the humans. 

The last thing that the foreign species wanted was for their mining slaves to perish. 

***************

Over the course of the next 350 years, several planets and moons were completely mined of all their natural resources. 

On top of all of the resources that were collected by the Jurians, several generations were born amongst the enslaved humans. Only several million of the original generation of humans were still alive amongst all of those who had received the C-Grade Enhancers. 

The delicate nature of Jupiter as a gas planet made it take much longer to harvest, but the advanced technology of the Jurians, along with the expendable nature of the humans, allowed for the mining to proceed smoothly. 

Amongst the mining slaves, those who lived the longest knew the futility of rebelling, even with the benefits provided by the Enhancers they were given. 

The same did not hold true for the humans left in the breeding camps. The desperation, along with the ignorance that came with being stuck in one, gave room to several attempted uprisings. 

Among those, none were successful, though it can also be said that none were complete failures. 

The understanding of the Jurian language, of Jurian technology, and of Jurian anatomy were among the lessons that the humans learned of the nearly 500 years of enslavement. 

Nevertheless, the strength and overwhelming numbers of the Jurians in the solar system was what kept the humans from ever entirely liberating themselves.

***************

Space Outside of Jupiter. 2489AD. Jurian Command Ship.

Looking out a large window was a tall beetle humanoid. The presence of this figure dominated the space that surrounded him. Any unintentional movement would ripple the very fabric of space in the area close to him. Though at his level of power, there is no such thing as unintentional movements.

"Chief Commander, Sir!"

Barging onto the deck, a smaller humanoid of the same species announces his presence to the dominant figure in front of him.

"Speak."

Though slightly disgruntled at the disturbance, the Chief Commander could sense the urgency in the young officer's voice, giving him room to explain his actions.

"The scanners have detected that there have been several breaches in the space surrounding this system, sir."

This was very problematic, indeed. The only thing able to cause a breach in space large enough to be picked up by the scanners of the ship are ships of the same size exiting from warp speeds. Any other size of ship smaller simply doesn't have the power capabilities to cause a spatial breach in the technology that the Jurians had used to seal the area around the solar system.

Even with the system sealed off from the surrounding areas, to be able to breach inside the Jurians territory meant that whoever did so was highly capable in technological development.

"Such a situation..." A sigh escaped the Commander's lips as he considered what was going on. "Send out all available cruisers capable of fighting. I am afraid that our mission here has been discovered by powers that would stop at nothing to keep us from exploiting this system."

"S-Sir?"

"WHAT ARE YOU HESITATING FOR, BOY!!"

"R-right away, sir!"

For an officer as young as him, hesitation was only natural in such a situation. To send out all battle ready cruisers meant to be prepared for a small war. This was not something that someone his age was prepared to experience, especially not after landing such an easy gig managing mines and their slaves, like he had.

Every species has individuals that were born and raised in a greenhouse. He was one of them.

It can't be said whether this moment of hesitation really jeopardized anything, or if the Jurians were already doomed from the start.

The young officer had only left the Commander on the bridge as a shockwave jared the massive Jurian command ship. 

Before, the ships that were scanned had only entered the space surrounding the Jurian barrier that covered the system. This shockwave, however, signaled that the new ships had breached the barrier.

Alarms began to blare across the 15 Jurian ships near Jupiter. Hundreds of armed cruisers made their way out of the hangers, as the Jurians began to engage in battle. 

But it was too late.

Rather, it did not matter either way. 30 ships began to surround the Jurian ships. Of the 15 Jurian ships, only one was as large as the 30 newly entered ships and that was the commander ship. For the ships that began to engage with the Jurians, the command ship was nearly twice the size of the Jurian Command ship.

As the Jurian cruisers began to arm their weapons, cannon fire that seemed as if it could engulf the small moons of Jupiter began to hit the Jurian ships. It did not take long for 10 of the Jurian ships to break apart, while the remaining 4 were completely disabled; weapons down, power down, thrusters down.

Only the Jurian command ship was fully intact. Completely unscathed from the barrage of cannon fire unleashed by the newly entered ships.

This was not just a courtesy given to the Chief Commander, but a slap in the face. As if to tell the remaining Jurians that their lives were nothing but flame to be blown out.

The cruisers sent out from the Jurian ships powered down as they saw this display of force. An expression of their unconditional surrender. Wanting nothing more than to be able to live just a little longer.

Not many amongst the Jurian fleet were able to recognize the adversaries in front of them. Not many of them were experienced in the wars of their Jurian Empire. They were sent to this system as favors to their families. 

Some may think that if actual soldiers, if experienced soldiers, had been present then the Jurians would not have experienced such an overwhelming defeat. The Chief Commander knew otherwise. He was experienced.

No number of 'true' Jurian soldiers could have saved them from today's annihilation.

They may call themselves the Jurian Empire, but they merely ruled a small province of the galaxy.

A 'true' Empire was this. A 'true' Empire ruled over a full quadrant of the galaxy. A 'TRUE' Empire was the Eden Federation.

***************

There was not much that could stop the human miners from doing their duty. The Jurian guards watching over them simply wouldn't allow it. No sickness was enough, no injury. If you live and if you breathe, you must mine.

The shockwave as the Eden Federation breached the solar system changed that. It wasn't just the ships in space that could feel it. Every inch of the mines could as well.

The slaves were able to take the chance while their guards were trying to communicate with their command ships to look up into the sky.

It did not take long before they were able to witness the cannon fire go out. The sight of the explosions filled the human slaves with an inexplicable sense of joy. As the barrage ended and the Jurian ships broke apart, the human slaves acted. 

Taking advantage of the shock the Jurian guards had received, for the first time since their enslavement, the human miners attacked the slavers across the planet in unison. Taking weapons from those they killed, they killed even more. Using the advanced technology they were given to mine, they burned and crushed the Jurians alive. In a matter of minutes, the humans in the mines had overwhelmed and overturned their slavers. 

No amount of preparation could have ever made such an event possible. It was but an instinct upon seeing the Jurians they had feared so much be wiped out by the newly arrived forces. Every individual had the same thought at once.

'Fight.'

439 years after being enslaved in an instant, they gained their freedom in just the same way.

Whether the newly arrived ships would grant them freedom, or treat them the same as the Jurians had, it mattered not. 439 years worth of vengeance has been delivered.

Now they could only wait and greet whoever would come down. Be it their new masters, or their saviors.