It didn't take long for Simon and the Elani to reach one of their communication relays and inform the Council about the invasion and the refugees he was bringing with him.
The council was shocked at the news but they immediately started preparations for the defense if the enemy decided to follow Simon's fleet and attack them.
The Elani refugees were not a problem as the scout ships had found a number of planets with gravity similar to their own and ready to be settled by them as humans couldn't settle there because of the detrimental effect of the low gravity on their bodies.
The empress and the council decided that the negotiations can wait until they can speak face to face.
Simon and Alesia also decided to hold a pendant returning ceremony til things calm down a little.
In the meantime the Elani fleet changed course to the planet that the council has given them to try and rebuild their civilization.
The imperial family mostly went with their people,the only ones to stay aboard the Thanatos were the Empress the first prince and Alesia.
They were going to the moon base to meet with the council.
On their way to the Sol system they reviewed all the footage that was captured of the enemy fleets and ground forces.
The conclusion was the same as their first one.
-There were at least five different species involved in the attack but their ship design and armor were very similar to one another which indicated that it was either a coalition of races that attacked the Elani empire or they were working for someone who delivered the technology to them.
This time however they had found a suspect.
One of the recordings showed the prime minister and his men boarding a federation shuttle along with barely alive Irio.
That shuttle belonged to the federation ambassador to the Elani empire.
Knowing what they knew about the federation,it was entirely possible that they were responsible for this attack,using someone else to do their dirty work for them.
-But what would their motives be? It's not like we were planning to attack them or make problems for them.
Alesia asked,when she couldn't find any reason for the attack.
-Most likely they were afraid of losing their influence when the empire and the council decided to become allies.
The empress shared her suspicion.
-This is the most likely scenario.
If we had the alliance and some other smaller star nations joined then they would have a potential threat to their expansion.
Add to that the possibility of the council and empire expansion and we would collide eventually but by then we would be much harder to take down.
Simon shared his thoughts.
-Then you are saying that they want to take us out when we are still vulnerable?
Alesia asked.
-Divide and conquer,that rule has been known to humanity for thousands of years and you wouldn't believe how well it works if used correctly.
Simon said.
-They have succeeded in their plans as our empire was destroyed and we are reduced to the people that we managed to evacuate.
Liara said sadly.
-They have only partially succeeded,all the evidence shows that the enemy was planning to eradicate your whole species and that part of their plan failed.
I'm betting that they were counting on all of you to defend the capital world to the last and they never thought that you would survive the first attack and evacuate before their combined fleet arrived.
Simon said.
-Also they lost quite a bit of their fleet and ground forces in combat so we can say that everything went according to their plans.
Alessia added.
-Yes we did make them bleed but that is all we did and we lost most of our fleets and subjects doing so.
I really don't see us reclaiming our homeworld anytime soon.
Even with the help of humanity it will take decades to muster enough forces and fleets to do so.
The empress said.
Ever since they evacuated she was sad and depressed.
No one blamed her or the imperial family but it hurt losing their homeland that was built over centuries of careful expansion.
-It might take time but we will get your home back and those that tried to destroy you will pay for it.
Unfortunately for now we don't have the forces necessary to go back and we need to make sure that they won't try to do the same to the Terran space.
Simon said.
They all knew that mustering force large enough to take back the Elani empire would take years if not decades.
The enemy won't just sit and wait for them,they will rebuild their forces and strengthen them as well.
The empress and Alesia knew how fast humans could build warships and they witnessed first hand how powerful their fleet was but even the full might of the Terran fleet would most likely lose against the armada that their enemies possessed.
Even if they won it would be a pyrrhic victory for them as most of their fleets would be destroyed in the process.
So for now they had to wait and rebuild their empire on a planet that the humans have given to them.
When they entered the Sol system there was a flurry of activity as the defense fleets were mobilized and the patrol fleets were being dispatched in far greater numbers than before.
There were also more space docks that were constructing ships and even more docks were being built.
The biggest surprise was that there was a dreadnought being built in something that looked like six docks connected together.
Alesia and Liara were shocked when they saw the fleets and defenses of the humanity home system.
If they had the same defenses then they would have a chance to defend their empire.
Humanity turned their system into a fortress that would be a really hard nut to crack for anyone who would be stupid enough to attack them.
The Earth had twelve rings of defense satellites around it,the same as Mars.
Throughout the system there were defense platforms, and fleets of ships ready to intercept any threat that was coming their way.
The space station between earth and moon would not be alone for much longer as there were three other stations under construction and the humans were building a shipyard that could build several ships at once.
Even the dreadnought class ships could be built and repaired inside in batches of six at a time.
-Thanatos, this is the moon base. Please respond.
Came the communication from the fleet command.
-This is the Thanatos.
Simon answered.
-Orders from command are as follows.
All ships from your fleet are to dock with the space docks in for repair and refitting.
The flag ship is to proceed to the moon base for debriefing and resupply.
-Copy that , sending the fleet for repairs and refit,proceeding to the moon base at this time.
Simon answered and started giving orders.