ALIENS ARE, by definition, different. They have different physical structure and developed in often radically varied environments. The Gerin’s differences made them a challenging opponent. Their similarities made a collision with man inevitable.
The Gerin are true amphibians. A Gerin is octopoidal—that is, it is radially symmetrical and has eight arms. These arms are much stronger than those of any earth octopus, as they are adapted to carrying weight as well as to locomotion. Each arm ends in two “fingers.” The average Gerin weighs over two hundred pounds and is stronger than a human. A large centralized eye is capable of discriminating fine details and is supplemented by two much smaller light-sensitive organs that are barely visible higher on the Gerin’s face.
This race developed in oceans that resemble those of Pliocene Earth. These waters were filled with creatures more vicious than any Terran shark. There were probably very few moments when the primitive Gerin felt secure. A healthy degree of paranoia was required for survival and has become ingrained in all Gerin attitudes. Also, as amphibians, the early Gerin were limited to a habitable zone comprising only the shallow waters at the continent’s edge. This created intense competition between Gerin for the hunting grounds available.
The Gerin individually are driven more by their instincts than are humans. Strong among these instincts is the need to protect the race by destroying any intruders into “their” territory. These same instincts make it nearly impossible for a Gerin warrior to surrender. But more than anything else, the Gerin are driven by racial and personal need to dominate or destroy any potential opposition.
In combat as well, instincts drive the Gerin to fight in patterns laid down in the shallows eons earlier. As reflexes developed in the waters of an ocean are three-dimensional, these often serve the Gerin warrior well in space. They also can be used to an opponent’s advantage, in that they often make Gerin tactics predictable.
In nearly every combat situation, the Gerin fight in multiples of three. Their smallest unit is the triad. This is led by an experienced warrior, who is supported by two younger Gerin whose position is similar to that of a twelfth-century squire. On a higher level the theme of threes seems preferred, but is often sacrificed to necessity. All command is centralized and failure is often rewarded with punishment; some Gerin commit suicide. The entire race is ruled over by a Supreme Triad whose decisions are implemented by three further triads, served themselves by nine triads in an ever-expanding pattern of threes.
A combination of extended lines and stiffening resistance slowed this second Gerin onslaught. Many of the remaining human planets had at this time small or weak navies. Most of the planetary forces were composed of nothing larger than a few destroyers supported by unshielded fighters, these being more experienced at rescues than at combat. Everywhere among the Far Stars, worlds strained to produce ships capable of self-defense. During this crucial time the entire burden of defense fell upon those few ships and men that were ready.