The Bug Wars by Robert Asprin

I quickly took the flyer into a slow spiral climb and hovered over the entrance, waiting for the rest of the team to emerge. As they appeared one by one and climbed to join me, I felt a certain sense of accomplishment. Over a year on Enemy-held terrain and we survived with all equipment intact and only one member lost. Then I thought about Ahk and the feeling faded.

I was about to signal for a formation movement, then noticed there was another formation of flyers working in the near vicinity. I activated my flyer’s intrusion beacon to advise them of our presence.

“Identify!” came the beamed thought from the other formation’s Commander.

“Commander Rahm and survivors of the last attack on this planet. We request permission to join your command for the duration of this mission.”

There was pause.

“Survivors from the last attack?”

“Confirmed.”

“Then you have not been informed…”

There was another long pause.

“Clarify,” I prompted.

“The Black Swamps have been destroyed!”

My mind reeled under the impact of the news. Shocked disbelief swept over me, followed closely by a dark rage. The Black Swamps!

We had all known that this might happen. It was for that reason we had relocated the Empire into the colony ships before entering into the War. Still, the reality was a crushing blow. The Black Swamps! The Swamps were the point of origin of our race as well as our traditional burial grounds. We came from the Black Swamps and would return to the Black Swamps. It was part of our heritage, part of the Empire. Particularly with the new technology, it was one of the few stable elements of our culture. The Black Swamps! Destroyed!