They killed our children. The research station Noble Light had been humanities first attempt at an interracial exchange with the galaxy, its goal had been to find ways for all races to visit earth, and for humans to visit all the homeworlds of every race, there had been a massive vote of approval from the galactic senate in regards to this effort.

Of course, as with any effort such as this, there were some holdouts, most notably the Vendriq. The Vendriq had previously been one of the more advanced races, but after generations of isolationist ideologies, and failed genetic manipulation programs, they had managed to devolve themselves from their previous spot at the top of the galactic food chain to something that resembled a Goblin. The only thing that had not changed was their belief that they were the top dogs in the Galaxy.

When Noble Light had gone live and been inhabited, the Vedriq had approached the station under the guise that they wished for help reversing the effects of some of their genetic tampering. When they had been welcomed to the station, they had waited until they were shown to the center of the station before detonating an anti-matter warhead that ripped the station to pieces.

One of the unique things about Noble Light was that its inhabitants were entirely composed of military spouses and dependents. It was the latest in a long line of programs that the military had implemented to guarantee employment for military spouses in the face of unprecedented employment opportunity shortages.

Fredric had been off-world, commanding an op in the aide of the Vilthren who were having a problem with invasion, when he received orders to return to Earth with all haste. The trip took fourteen days and he was the last to arrive. When he set foot on Earth, he was immediately ushered into a room with 1400 other military personnel, ranging from the lowest enlisted to a single four-star general.

A man who Fredric recognized as the Earth global council's advisors stepped up to a podium. "ladies and gentlemen." His voice was shaky compared to what Fredric remembered. "I have been tasked with bringing you all some terrible news. I want to preface this with the statement that should anyone desire counseling, teams are standing by. There is no good way to say this so I will just tell you, Noble Light has been destroyed, there are no survivors, all souls were lost."

Outrage, anger, and grief boiled in the room as everyone started shouting at once. The general who Fredric knew personally caught his eye and nodded. Fredric nodded to the general and then suppressed his emotions walking up to the podium where the Council Rep was panicking, not knowing what to do. "I'll take it from here, son." Fredric said to the younger man and then shoved him aside.

Fredric stood tall and called upon his time as a drill sergeant. Using his best command voice he shouted into the mic, "Room Ten' Shun!" Instincts that were drilled into every member of the military overrode their baser instincts and the entire room snapped to attention at their feet. The General walked up to the podium. "Now sit down and shut up." Fredric said and the room did so.

"Thanks, Fred." The general said, and turned to the Council Rep. "Now, young man, tell us who did this."

"It was the Vendriq." The man said, looking around in shock at how quickly Fredric and the General had taken control of the room of men and women, most of whom still had tears streaming down their faces. Fredric was nearly in tears himself, every muscle in his body was flexing, wanting to kill whoever had taken his daughter and son-in-law from him. "They released a message claiming responsibility and stated that any further efforts by any race to facilitate interspecies relations in the manner that Noble Light did, would be met with similar results. As such..."

"That's enough." The General said, interrupting the man. "Now tell us what is being done about this as far as a response."

"The Galactic senate deemed this an interracial issue, and left it up to the Earth Council." The man looked hesitant to continue but at a look from Fredric he did. "The council has deemed this as acceptable losses."

"You are dismissed, young man." The general said, his tone flat.

"I have more that I am supposed to inform you of." The man protested.

"Sir, let me make something clear." The general said, placing his hand over the microphone. "That man," he gestured to Fredric, "just lost his daughter and son-in-law, and now has a granddaughter that has no parents. He also happens to be, arguably, one of the deadliest human beings on the planet. If you do not leave now I am going to let him take his anger out on you. Understood?" The man scampered off the stage and out a door faster than he should have been able to.

"Okay folks." the general said, after taking his hands away from the mic. "That is the official position of the council and the galactic senate. What do you want to do, I know that Fredric here is probably already plotting his own personal invasion to the Vendriq homeworld. I for one intend to join him." A roar of approval shook the building.

"Very well," the general said, a tear leaking out of his left eye, "but I would ask that any of the married couples only send one. Please discuss amongst yourselves, and whoever is not going leave, anything after this point will be considered traitorous by the Earth Council." The couples in the room began arguing.

One couple approached the general. "Sir we are both orphans, our only family was our daughter, please let us both come." The general nodded, and they saluted.

Fifteen minutes later after tearful goodbyes, the room was vacated by those leaving, and after a quick headcount, they had an even thousand. "This is the last chance for anyone to leave." The general said, and not a single muscle twitched. "Good. Fredric, I nominate you as commander of our little legion here." Another roar of approval.

"Very well." Fredric said, accepting the blind faith they placed in him without question. "Let's begin." The conversation was short, Fredric selected a few to act as battalion commanders, and told them that they should all find their way to Kilanr'Teq, a known smuggler world, within the month. He also said that they should bring any kit that they had. They left in a somber mood.

As The general and the battalion commanders talked with Fredric, his phone rang. "Hello?" Fredric answered wondering who in the hell had gotten his private number meant only for his kids.

"Hey, Fredric." A female voice said it was his Son-in-law's mother Sara.

"Sara. I take it you heard?" Fredric asked.

"I did, I also know that we never saw eye to eye on much, but if I know anything about you, you are probably assembling a force to get revenge." Sara said. She had never understood the drive to serve in the military, as she was the CEO of one of the largest companies humanity ran. She was also one of the top ten wealthiest people on the planet. "I don't know what to do in a situation like this, but I want you to know that anything you need, I will bankroll."

"I have one thousand troops, all parents and siblings of the dead, who are assembling on Kilanr'Teq in one month." Fredric said.

"Understood, I will have the best weapons and armor money can buy waiting for you." Sara said and Fredric could hear keys from an old-school keyboard tapping away.

"One more thing Sara. Get us any tech you can that is military use, I don't care what race it comes from, as long as it isn't genome encoded." Fredric said.

"Consider it done. Call me back on this number if you think of anything else." Sara said. "Godspeed Fredric, and kill them all."

"Goodbye Sara, and if I don't make it back, tell Jannet that papa loves her more than anything." Fredric said and wiped the tears from his eyes before hanging up and turning back to the group. "My son-in-law's mother is going to finance weapons, armor, and any tech she can get her hands on for the entire legion."

"Good." The general said.

"I have one more thing I can offer." Fredric said. "The Vilthren prince owes me a favor, a big one, and honestly he has a very human belief system." The others all raised their eyebrows. The Vilthren were the leading geneticists of the galaxy, it was the only thing that their race did. "I will call in my favor and get us all the top of the combat enhancements that I can if you want." The group nodded and Fredric pulled out a device that allowed for interstellar communication, and attached it to the phone, dialing a very long number.

Two months later, the legion was assembled, had collected the gear that Sara had secured, and a shocking amount of military tech from various races, and had accepted everything that the Vilthren Prince had offered. Each of the members of the Legion was now sterile but had strength and speed that was several times that of the greatest Olympic competitors. They would live for several times the normal life span of a human, could regenerate entire lost limbs and were immune to almost any kind of radiation in ludicrous concentration. The name Legion of the Damned was chosen by the group, as they would live long past the acts of horror that they would commit.

The next step of their plan involved hijacking seven Vendriq ships, which they did with ease, and retrofitting them with dispensers that would pump neurological agents that only affected the Venriq. The retrofit took another month. When it was all said and done, the legion of the damned loaded into the ships and made their way to the Vendriq homeworld.

Upon arrival, the ships landed around the outskirts of the capital city, everyone disembarked. Seven volunteers stayed on board and took the ships to the seven nearest cities to the capital. Upon arrival, they landed as close to the center of the city as possible and set the pumping sequence, which after expelling a massive cloud of the toxin, would trigger an implosion of the antimatter drive.

The rest of the Legion went to work on the capital, they washed over the city like a tide of death. Thousands upon thousands fell at their hands, killed in ways that would later become outlawed. A constantly transmitting signal played, simply stating one thing over and over, "For our loved ones. For Noble Light."

When every single Vendriq in the capital was killed, the legion spread out. Operating in two-man teams, they spread out across the planet like a virus. In the wake of each team, the dead were left mangled and piled. When it was all said and done, the thousand members of the Legion of the Damned reconvened in the capital. Not a single member of the Legion had fallen, but millions of the Vendriq had.

Once they were all together. The Legion mourned. Sobbing over the things they had done, the things they had lost. The General and many of the others left finding quiet places to sit and activate a genetic sequence that was effectively the only thing that could kill them other than old age.

When they left, there were fifty left. The remainder of the Legion returned to Earth on a vessel that they sank in the Atlantic ocean, and went their own ways. They agreed to speak nothing of the acts they had committed before separating. Fredric knew where he was going, and went to get his granddaughter.

When they arrived on the newly settled world of Illinitria, Fredric decided then and there that he would never lose family again. He would do whatever it took, and happily repeat the atrocities of the past, if it meant that Jannet would be safe.