Unity: Recovery, Reconquest, Reconciliation.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:55 am
Gentlemen, I give you the first draft of my reintro story. Not particularly action-packed, it's mostly character introductions and lots of hand-wringing over things. Some parts are rushed and make little sense, but I feel like if I don't get it out the door now, I'll never finish it. Even the battle at the end is rather anemic, as one side is under ROEs to capture everyone. Still, the important thing is that it legitimizes myself as a semi-active RPer again. I make no allowances for quality.
Edit: Also, have no fear. Ubership is uber, but OOCly there are no plans to make more flying plot devices like the one the first half of the story revolves around. Plus, losing it would be such a huge prestiege blow that it's unlikely to ever see combat.
***
There was something in the air. A light, wafty scent that was wholly at odds with the throngs of sweaty people gathered to hear her speak. The very wind seemed saturated with it. Charged, as if a storm in anticipation of release to come.
Kaz sniffed again. It smelled like hope, but it had been a long, long time since Kaz had any hope. But then, maybe this was a new beginning for everyone. Maybe. She’d done some great things since he’d seen her last. Maybe.
Kaz rubbed his fingers over the ribbed plastic of the razor in his pocket. He scarcely remembered where he got it, but whenever he ran his fingers over its surface, it always put him at ease. Carved into its handle were two names - Nia, and Kaz.
He’d sacrificed everything to bring down the old empire. Now… Now he’d heard terrible whispers. People said that it was rising again, with the closest thing he had to a daughter at its head.
And there she was; stepping out onto the podium around which the crowd had gathered to hear her speak. She was tall (had she grown?), and dressed in simple, yet elegant robe befitting a head of state. Modest, though not entirely so. There was the barest hint of cleavage there, enough to catch the eye, but not enough to distract an onlooker from her face.
A face which was practically angelic, unblemished by scar or imperfection; the product of social customs and advanced cosmetics. Leaders had to look beautiful for their people.
A set of piercing turquoise eyes looked out at the gathered crowds with an unreadable expression. Her lips, full and red with just the hint of lipstick, were curled upwards in a silent, confident smile. Downwind as he was, he could smell her perfume. Like her dress, it was obvious in its understatement, as if utterly sure of herself. She didn’t need to cover up her insecurities with false scents. She reminded Kaz of a goddess of old, terrible in beauty and power.
Damn she’d grown up well.
She stepped forward to the marble podium, every spotlight, eye, and camera in the field on her. A flag, or perhaps a banner fluttered behind her. Red and black, with the sword and Earth of the old Imperium emblazoned proudly on its center.
Kaz had to suppress a gasp. He was one of the few alive to witness the Imperium’s fall. Hell, he was one of the architects of that fall. She wasn’t just trying to reunite her people… she was trying to reforge one of the most evil governments the universe had ever seen.
“Oh, Arie, what have you done?� Kaz said softly, to himself.
On the podium, she cleared her throat, a clear signal that her speech was about to begin.
“My people!� She started, her voice raised ever so slightly. “Sons and Daughters of Freeman…�
“…Ten years ago, we were nothing. We clung to the ruins of the past, squabbling over the carcass of the old Empire! We were a broken nation!�
The crowd applauded heartily, cheering for a moment, before she batted it down. They’d all lived through those chaotic times.
“But I had a dream. I saw a great empire, stretched across the heavens! All our people as one, working for the benefit of all!� She said, murmurs of prideful contentment filtering through the crowd. “We were not mere Corians or Vernazans or Tritanians! We were one people!�
“It just took a little work for everyone to realize it.“ Ariel added, leaning in as her eyes skipped across the throng like a stone over a lake. The crowd chuckled at her little in-joke. Kaz’d been there. That ’little effort’ had included a giant nuclear-armed tank and threats of annihilation.
“Ten years ago… I asked for time. And this time was granted by you, the hope in my heart. The bearers of my dreams. The strength in my arm.� She added, standing up straighter again. “In that time, I have rebuilt our empire! More than that, I have rebuilt our strength! AND, I have rebuilt our pride!�
“Our dissenters at home have been… reeducated. They have been shown the… error of their ways.� Kaz shuddered at that, memories of old Imperium torture chambers rising unbidden into his mind.
“Our people are more prosperous than they have ever been! Our technology has grown, and we have reclaimed much of what we lost! Now, my brothers and sisters, is the time. It is time to reach for the stars once again. It is time to unite our people and retake our place in the universe!� Kaz recognized the signs. She was whipping them up for a war.
“If we survived the great war, others must have as well! It is our duty to bring them into our community as the sib they are!� Good old fashioned imperialism sugarcoated with an appeal to unity. She must have studied her dictators well, Kaz supposed.
“But more than that… Those who destroyed us are still out there. And I promise you that I shall not rest until they have been made to pay for their crimes against us!�
Kaz paled slightly more, even as the cheers threatened to drown out his own thoughts. Freeman… She’s talking about the Republic. She doesn’t stand a chance.
“However, our ancestors were not perfect. One fateful day ten years past, I discovered many terrible secrets. Our peoples’ legacy is not just one of greatness, but also one of untold death and evil. We cut a bloody swath through the universe. Millions, nay billions of innocents we did purge for no crime greater than difference! And still others we exploited until they were but a shadow of what they once were. In the end, our ancestors’ evil condemned them.� Kaz blinked. Talking about the past like that wasn’t in the dictator’s handbook.
“We are our ancestors‘ children, but we are not our ancestors themselves. If we wish to thrive and realize our dreams, we will learn from the mistakes of those who came before, lest we doom ourselves to repeat them!� Ariel said, slamming a fist down for emphasis. “Our path will be hard and fraught with danger. Others will seek to keep us down out of memory of the past. New enemies will be made… but new friends also. The Old Empire thought it could stand alone, but it was wrong.�
Was Kaz wrong about her? Was he being unfair? She certainly didn’t seem as mad as the old Emperor… but then, Kaz presumed he only became corrupted with power later. He must have been charismatic and popular in the beginning too. It was a trick. It had to be. The Imperium was evil. He couldn’t allow it to rise again.
“Today we stand here, our Imperium reforged, our faith renewed, and our swords resharpened. We stand at the cusp of destiny. Would we turn from it and descend into ruin? I say to you that we shall not! For now is our time!� Ariel said, raising her hands one last time.
Kaz thumbed the razor, weighing it in his hand. The range was long, but he knew he could hit her jugular with a good throw. But what if she had a shield? He sniffed the air. Shields typically gave a clean, ozone laden scent when they were active. Like a photocopier left running for a decade. He could smell her perfume… She had no shield.
Did he even want to do it?
No. He didn’t want to. He had to. She needed to be stopped, and this was his best chance.
He glanced around. There were two black-clad bodyguards to either side, and probably at least half a dozen in plain clothes placed throughout the crowd. None of the ones he could see were close enough to stop him.
Sorry, Arie. He thought, just as her gaze fell over him. Those turquoise gems that she called eyes stopped him in his tracks. She knew. He was reminded again, beaten over the head, really, that this was a girl he’d raised, and taught everything he’d known. He should have expected her to be prepared for assassinations.
Kaz felt fingers clamp down on his neck, and, out of the corner of his eye, could see the slight, barely noticeable shimmer of someone wearing thermoptic camouflage.
“Hello, Uncle Kaz.� Ariel said, her voice sweetly cold.
Damn. He thought as the fingers constricted, hauling him into the land of sleep.
***
Kaz awoke to find himself strapped down in a well-cushioned metal chair. Though he didn’t recognize the model, he could guess it was a tool of the interrogator’s trade, which probably meant that Arie was going to have him tortured.
“I must say that I didn’t expect you to try and kill me the first time you came home.� Her voice was sweet, with just a hint of huskiness - So unlike the squeaky teen’s voice that he’d grown used to.
“I didn’t expect you to try and build yourself a cozy little dictatorship, so I guess we‘re even, aren‘t we?� Kaz shot back.
Ariel shook her head sadly. “No, it’s not a dictatorship. More of a constitutional monarchy. What the old Imperium should have been.�
“We’ll see.� Kaz replied, shrugging in his restraints. “It’s been a long time. How are you?�
“It’s been ten years, Uncle Kaz.� Ariel replied, flicking a silvery-blonde bang out of her eye. “You just vanished. I didn’t know how to get in touch with you.�
“I didn’t want you to. I was getting too attached. I started to see you as a daughter.� Kaz replied.
“And that’s a bad thing?� She asked back. “I’m hurt.�
“Yes, it is. I thought you might become too dependent on me.� Kaz replied.
“So that gives you carte blanche to leave for a decade? Kaz, I can count the people who see me as a person and not a title on one hand. You, Gyra, Volkov, Klrrdrav… My mother.� Ariel replied, ticking names off on her fingers. “I could have really used your support.�
“You could have used someone to knock some sense into you, girl! Halsey’s Empire was evil. Rotten to the core. It was built on hate and murder, and I can’t let you set it loose on the galaxy again. I gave up everything I had, everything to stop it the first time. Never again.� Kaz spat back.
“You think I don’t know that, Kaz? Diana showed me the history. All the history, every disgusting, painful, and just plain amoral little detail. I saw holo-sims of the vaults. I saw recreations of barbarism so great and terrible that I couldn’t help but weep. But, I also saw how the Empire began. It was quite noble in its original purpose. Our people were rebuilding after a terrible war. It was made to keep us safe. But as Emperor Halsey slipped into madness and hatred, he dragged all of us down with him…
…I will not allow our people to suffer that fate again. I have learnt from our mistakes. I‘ve constructed this second Imperium so that no one man or woman can ever destroy us again.� Ariel replied, grabbing his collar.
“So, what, you’re going to try to destroy the Republic instead?� Kaz asked. His harsh eyes, like sand-blasted jade, bored into her icy blues.
“No. I’m going to conquer the Republic. My spies and scouts tell me that they’ve been shirking their responsibilities. They’ve retreated in on themselves, and have become just as corrupt as the Imperium they sought to tear down. And there is still the matter of reparations. They had an obligation to help our people; after all, they were the ones who brought us low.
Instead, they stood by and watched as millions struggled to meet the basic necessities of life. No. The Republic is corrupt, and it must be swept away. You will not dissuade me from this, Kaz.� Ariel replied, taking a step backwards to compose herself.
“They’ll fight back, you know. They still have a dreadnought stored away, just in case the Imperium rises again.� Kaz said.
“I know. Technically they have two, though one isn‘t really in a position to fight without being refurbished.� Ariel shrugged. “I’m not all that concerned.�
“You… Know?� Kaz replied. If she knew, and she was still going through with this, she was either insane, or she had an ace up her sleeve. -He knew she wasn’t stupid.
“Of course.� She replied. “Your Republic has become weak. They don‘t even have a standing army any more. And, of course, they will be completely unwilling to wipe out my armies from orbit. Not when they’d have to slaughter their own people to do it.�
“There’s still fight in them.� Kaz replied, perhaps a little too quickly to mask his doubt. If the Republic had dissolved their own army, they were in worse shape than he thought. They were getting pretty peacenik when he left, but that was going too far. “Besides, they’ll detect you long before your transports can land.�
Ariel smiled.
“Oh, I’m not worried by that. You’ll see in time. But for now, come. There’s fight in us too, Kaz. Let me show you.� The Empress said, holding out her hand. With but a wave of it, Kaz’s restraints fell away. Silvery rivulets flowed downwards like water into the floor.
Kaz hesitated, weighing his options. On the one hand, he could probably snap her neck before any unseen guards could stop him if he moved fast. On the other, she probably expected as much, and she’d be prepared.
“Oh, come on. I don’t bite.� Ariel said, extending her hand again.
***
Ariel led him into a massive, well-lit chamber that seemed to stretch on into infinity. In the distance, he could see what looked like a war going on. More likely, it was a wargame. A big wargame. Kaz could make out formations even bigger than the old Imperium legions. Every few seconds, a massive flash of light, the telltale sign of nuclear ordinance, blossomed across the chamber. There must have been a shield protecting the two observers, as his eyeballs weren’t dripping down his face from such nearby detonations.
“Welcome to the biggest combat sim the world has ever seen.� Ariel said.
“I see that you weren’t fucking around when you talked about rebuilding armies. Looks like you copied the Old Imperium legionary system?� Kaz asked as his experienced eyes took in what he was seeing.
“In part, Kaz. Old legions were a hundred thousand strong. Mine are five times that.�
Kaz let out a low whistle. “This is an offensive force, I take it. Made for… Hmm. Conquest and occupation. Our legions could barely do occupation unless we trimmed the planetary populations to a more manageable size.�
“You are good at this.� Ariel replied. “Pacification-by-genocide was Halsey’s way. Not mine. �
“I don’t recognize the armor design though. It must be new.� It wasn’t a question.
“It is indeed.� Ariel replied.
“Probably not as good as the old suits.�
Arie gave him a funny, coy look at that, but said nothing.
“Why the color scheme? Trying out for Stormtroopers illustrated?� Kaz asked.
“All of my war machines will be gray. The galaxy must realize that we have changed and that we have become a force for good. Or at least less evil. Besides, we‘ve got thermoptic camo for when we don‘t want to be seen.�
“Have you? Changed, I mean. I want to believe it… But every time I see that flag, I see my CO telling me to wipe out a village of innocent people, or nuke a convoy of fleeing refugees, or…�
“Kaz, I am not the old Emperor. I am not consumed by my hatreds or fears. There is no scapegoat to be had here, and I will not turn others into one because of the color of their skin or their pointy ears. We have no one to blame for our collapse but ourselves.� Ariel replied.
“And the Republic.�
“Yes, and the Republic. But they are still our people too.� Ariel replied.
“You’re sure I can’t talk you out of this.�
“No, Kaz. One way or another, all of our people *will* be united again.� Ariel replied.
“But why, Arie? What makes it worth all the death it will cause?� Kaz asked.
“Something is happening, Kaz. Something is coming. I don’t know what, but strange things have been happening all across the galaxy. The children of Teleros have returned from the void. Ilë Sornë is tearing itself apart, and I hear whispers of Shivans in the dark places of the universe… But that isn’t all. Something is coming, something great and terrible.� Ariel replied. “I don’t know what, but something is on its way here.�
“How do you know?� Kaz asked.
“It’s just a terrible feeling I have. Regardless, The galaxy is still a dangerous place.� Ariel replied.
“It’s always been a dangerous place.� Kaz replied.
“It’s getting worse.� Ariel said.
“It’s gotten better since the Imperium’s fall.� Kaz replied.
“Yes, and now it’s getting worse again. Innocents are being preyed upon, and I have a responsibility to help them.�
“So we come to it at last, Arie. You want to save the universe. Do you realize just how naïve you sound? Don’t you realize that the road to hell is paved with good intentions?� Kaz shot back.
“Oh yes, I am most certainly aware of that. However, the road to heaven is paved with good deeds as well.� Ariel replied. “And the first step on that road is to rebuild our Imperium. I’m going to Gehenna. If you want to make sure the power doesn‘t go to my head, you‘ll come along.�
“Gehenna… Graveyard of the fleet. Arie, that place is cursed. Millions of troops on both sides died there, and the Republic never learned how. Or why. And even if there was an answer, the ships would activate salvage protocols. They’d shoot down anyone who got close until an accredited Imperium salvager got there.� Kaz replied.
“Which is a problem because there are no more Imperium salvagers.� Ariel replied.
“Exactly.� Kaz replied. “There’s nothing you can do to get that fleet. You’d be better to just build a new one. It’ll only take a couple hundred years.�
“No, Kaz, there’s another way.� Ariel replied.
“And what is that?� Kaz asked, now genuinely curious.
“I believe WE can answer that.� A strange voice replied. It was deep, sounding of a man’s baritone, but there was a curious, softer echo to it. As though many voices were calling out from very far away.
Kaz turned to look at the voice’s source and came face to face with one of the strangest beings he’d ever seen. He’d have thought it tall, for its head was more than two meters off the ground, and its body was clad in a curiously shimmering viridian mantle that reached to the ground. However, the slight swaying of Kaz’s hair, despite the lack of wind, told him it was using an anti-gravity device.
The being’s face was equally strange. Rather than existing as one visage, it seemed to constantly shift like a swirling dark pool, with but a hint of amorphous human faces behind it.
“And who’s ‘we?’� Kaz asked.
“Odon.� It replied in its strange tone.
“You named yourself after a system that was destroyed during the war. Cute.� Kaz replied.
“No. Centurion, WE are the system.� The creature replied. “The system’s destruction was something of a ruse. Can you think of a better way to escape the war than to feign destruction?�
“Assuming I believe you, which I don’t, what are you going to do that won’t get Arie blasted to hell and back?� Kaz asked, blinking at the reference to his old Legionnaire rank.
�The Imperator was wise. Insane and amoral, but wise all the same. He foresaw our present plight. His fleet can be reactivated from a central location. His flagship, the Imperator’s Will. This vessel is presently languishing at Gehenna.� It replied. �And for reference, you may call me Counselor Vale.�
“And you think Halsey just left his ship open for anyone to grab? Yeah, right.� Kaz replied.
“Of course not, Kaz. He would have left a series of tests to judge the worthiness of his successors. I will pass those tests. I have to.� Ariel interjected.
“Arie… The old Emperor wasn‘t a good man. If you’re worthy by his criteria, you’ve got something wrong with you. But… I’ll come. Someone has to make sure you keep a level head. And besides, I don’t trust this crowd you‘ve fallen in with.� Kaz replied, gesturing towards the Consular.
“You trust Klrrdrav, don’t you?� Ariel replied. “He approves of my actions.�
“He’s different. He’s got a heart of gold underneath all that chitin. There’s no crustacean I’d sooner entrust with my life.� Kaz replied. “But he’s still young and idealistic. Like you.�
“Without the idealists, life would be pretty bleak, wouldn’t it?� Ariel replied, crossing her arms. Kaz recognized that gesture. He wasn’t going to win this time. “Now come on, the fleet’s waiting.�
***
Ariel stood alone on her transport’s observation deck, gazing at the white-hot star that was Gehenna.
There it was - its presence conspicuous not through the reflected light of the sun, but rather through the sheer absence of light. Its skin seemed to almost suck up the light like the flesh of a shark, or the horizon of a singularity.
It, and the rest of the fleet she’d come to find, was magnificent. Most would have found their bladed, malevolently-styled and grossly beweaponed designs abhorrent. Ariel saw beauty in their purpose. Every curve and weapon turret was a testament to the glory of its design. She would simply have to turn it to a more noble purpose than the genocide for which it was intended.
It was the Will of the Emperor. Godly in its efficiency. It was her birthright, and the birthright of her people.
Since the mad Emperor’s death, it has hovered derelict over Gehenna, casting a terrible shadow, like some hideous bird of prey grown to gigantic size overhead.
A little voice in the back of her head told her that it should have been picked clean by scavengers long ago. But she knew its defenses would still be active. That would keep them away… Yet something was still wrong. Scavengers were known for their ingenuity. Automated defenses should not have held out this long. That worried her more than she cared to think about.
Maybe the locals were just superstitious. That was certainly possible. She knew they worshipped a strange crystal that they said brought the Emperor low. But they were mad. They must have been.
“We’ve transmitted the codes, my liege. No apparent change.�
“Bring us in, nice and slow.� Ariel replied.
�The hangar orifice is opening.� Consular Vale said. It always unnerved her how he was able to appear without anyone noticing. Not that she ever let it show.
“Excellent. Kaz, Gyra, Klrrdrav? Get suited up. We’re going on a field trip. Volkov? You‘re coming too. I could use an old man‘s perspective.�
“I resent that, girl. I’m not that old!� Volkov’s mechanical voice replied, full of mirth that belied his words.
“Empress, we should secure the ship before you go. I am expendable, you are n-� Mirial, her bodyguard, said.
“NO!� The Consular interjected, its voice booming. “The vessel accepted Ariel‘s initial claim, but that is only the first step. It will be attempt to judge her suitability. She must go first.�
“I thought you said this thing didn‘t have an AI.� Kaz asked, rubbing his chin in thought.
“It does not, but Halsey anticipated his death before the end. He will have programmed the ship to test those who would take up his role. That some intrepid adventurer has not claimed it beforehand is a strong indicator that these tests were successful in weeding out the… unworthy.�
“I still don’t like this.� Mirial said.
“You do not have to. Simply accept your leader’s will.�
***
The vessel’s interior was still, like a tomb. Ariel shivered despite herself. It was too quiet. She couldn’t even hear the dull hum of power flowing through the walls. It was a good thing she wore sealed armor. -There was no atmosphere, heat, or even gravity here. The darkness would have been all encompassing, were it not for the armor’s floodlights.
“Come.� Consular Vale said, green-robed form floating softly to Ariel’s side. “We are near to the rear of the vessel. Our goal is the throne room, at the opposite end.�
“Are you nuts? That’s more than two hundred klicks away.� Kaz said with a huff.
Ariel could feel something here. Not a sense of dread, exactly, though that particular emotion was rampant through the air. No, it was like an electric jolt, just outside the range of her consciousness. Random, mindless… She could feel it with every step she took further into this oppressive sea of black.
“Tell me, Consular. What do you know about this ship?� Ariel asked, as much to take her mind off the gloom if anything.
“A terrible mistake, an abominable necessity if you wish your people to thrive.� The green-robed being said after something that sounded suspiciously like a sigh.
“You speak in riddles just to piss me off, don’t you?� Ariel replied, smiling despite herself.
“Of course.� Vale replied with a mechanical chuckle. “We take our amusement where we can get. Besides, I understand how biologicals become irritated when venturing into the unknown. A little humor to lighten the mood can’t hurt.�
***
“What’s that?� Volkov asked, mechanical arm outstretched towards a small, business-card sized device.
“Hmm…� Kaz said, picking up the wafer-thin card and slotting it into his commo system. “Audio diary. Let me play it back.�
The voice was scratchy, thick with age. And from the tone, halfway into hysterics. It had the timber of an old man, and Arie frowned despite herself. How long had the diary been there? “Who I am is of no consequence. All that matters is I came here to loot this ship… this tomb. But there is nothing left, nothing here but death. My team came to loot the Imperium‘s carcass, but it is as dust. And now, I too will die here. The defenses destroyed my ship… Whoever is seeing this, leave while you can.�
“I don’t like this.� Kaz said. “Ghost ships are always a bad idea.�
“Yes.� Ariel said suddenly. “It may well be a bad idea. The Imperium may be dust. What we came to find may be dust. But the dust of the old will be the loam from which the new grows, greater than ever before. Come, my friends. Let us not be swayed by this poor soul’s loss, for our reason here is just and our need dire. We press on.�
***
So press on they did. The strange thing was that they found no bodies. The vacuum should have preserved them perfectly, and yet every corridor was empty. Where was the ship’s crew?
But as they advanced, they found their way blocked by three massive bulkheads. One glistened with gold. Another shined with a majestic silver glimmer. While the final one was dull, with red rust clawing at its edges.
“Three doors, three paths? Which should we choose?� Gyra asked, running a hand over the gold door.
“Wait.� Volkov said. “There‘s something engraved on them. It‘s kind of hard to make out… Ah.�
“The gold door says…‘I am the wealth of the Imperium. Choose me, and you shall have the riches that all men crave.’� Volkov read aloud. “Bleh, who cares about money?�
Then, on to the silver door. “The silver says ‘I am the power of the Imperium. Her limitless armies, her mighty fleets. Her sword and shield. Choose me, and the stars themselves shall live or die by your command.’�
“What about the iron door?� Ariel asked. There was something itching at the back of her mind. Silver seemed best for her purposes, but that feeling was still there.
“I’m getting to it.� Volkov replied. “Ah. ‘I am the soul of the Imperium. Tempered by fire and hardship and loss. Leadership is a bitter, lonely calling.’�
“Well, Arie, looks like the silver door is what we want. We need the Emperor’s fleet, and that path practically hands it to us.� Kaz said, shrugging.
Volkov chuckled a bit. “Kids these days. No respect for the old stories.�
“What do you mean by that, old man?� Kaz shot back.
“Princess, don’t you notice anything strange?� Volkov said, ignoring him.
“Yes. Though I can’t quite put my finger on it.� Ariel replied.
“Gold is promising wealth. Silver, power. Iron isn’t promising us anything. If anything, it’s threatening us. What path would a true Facehuggerian choose?� Volkov asked.
“Service, no matter what sacrifices they must make along the way.� Ariel replied, nodding (a rather difficult feat in power armor) as comprehension dawned upon her. “Come, we choose the iron door. The others speak of power, but this one speaks of responsibility.�
“Yeah.� Kaz muttered. “If only Halsey was responsible.�
“CAST WITH THE WISDOM OF MAN, YE NOT GUILTY!� A voice boomed, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
“I guess that’s a good sign.� Kaz said. “Not guilty is good.�
“I’m glad that the Facehuggerian people haven’t lost our soul in the midst of all that nasty genocide.� Volkov said. “Let’s go.�
�Interesting. It is an active displacer gate. Empress, I think if we follow this line of gates, we will reach the bridge.� Vale said as he floated behind the iron door.
***
As it turned out, the gate led them into a pitch-black room. No big surprise there; the rest of the ship was just as dark. However, one thing stood out when Ariel’s lights swept across the room. -On the far wall, there was a strange burn mark, almost as though someone had taken a fusion torch to it. This was itself strange, of course, but if she squinted just right, she thought she could make out words underneath the scorching. Something about stepping and confidence.
“What do you make of it?� Ariel asked.
“It looks as if someone really wanted to wipe out that message. Of course, I have no idea why. It doesn’t seem all that harmful.� Kaz said.
“Perhaps, or perhaps not. One man’s truism is another man’s subversive propaganda.� Volkov said, the robot shrugging in the darkness.
“It seems convenient.� Klrrdrav said, flexing a large claw towards the burn. “It is too obvious. Someone wanted us to see that. We should perhaps look elsewhere on this room before we move on, see if there is something hidden here.�
Lights swept out like daggers from the darkness, but nobody in the party found anything else of interest. Though it’s not for a lack of trying. Gyra checked even the ceiling and the floor.
She did find a door, though. And beyond that door lay a room, so large that their lights, even at maximum power, couldn’t reach to the other side.
The darkness frightened Ariel more than she cared to admit. -Her suit’s radar said the expanse was completely empty, but she preferred to rely on her eyes. But even her suit lights couldn’t reach more than an arm’s length in this oppressive darkness.
“Damn this is creepy.� Kaz said, only to be slapped on his armored head by Gyra. -�Shut up, Kaz. If you’re so afraid, I’m sure you can go back.�
“Hey, I didn’t say I was afraid. I just said it’s creepy, that’s all. And you’ve got to admit, a room so dark even our lights can’t punch through? Gyra, luv, these lights can double as anti-personnel lasers.� Kaz replied.
“Children, please. I’m trying to think here, and your constant bickering is distracting me.� Volkov said angrily.
“Empress.� Consular Vale hovered closer to Ariel. “This will be difficult, but you must go first. Such is the role of leaders. They must lead so that others might follow. Remember, a step in confidence cannot be wrong.�
“Yes, you are right. I simply do not wish to walk into a trap.� Ariel replied. “It’s hard to take a step in confidence when you don’t know what’s under your feet.�
She shook her head for a moment before continuing. “But no matter. We have come too far to turn back, and I will not let someone go in my stead. It isn‘t fair to put you all in danger while I escape it.�
“I do not agree, Ariel. At the core, we are all expendable. You are not. If I die, there will be another Klrrdrav from my hatchery. If you die, the Imperium may well fall. This situation is unique in that it is your worthiness being tested, but you must learn to stop throwing yourself in danger. Right now, there is no other who can take up your mantle.� The humanoid lobster said, antennae twitching wildly. “Besides, I’d miss you. And I’m sure the rest of us would too.�
“I understand what you’re saying, my friend. Believe me, I do. Don‘t you worry, I‘ll be buried in paperwork soon enough.� Ariel replied with a chuckle and a smile. “Thank you for the concern.�
And with that, she stepped forward into the abyss.
“Arie, I’ve got a sensor hit! And by Freeman, it’s a big ‘un!� Kaz said. As if to emphasize his words, a great crash, much like what Ariel imagined a dinosaur’s step would feel like, rang throughout the floor’s hull material. It probably would have boomed throughout the air, too, were there any air to carry it.
Another crash carried through the floor, this one strong enough to rattle Ariel’s teeth in her helmet. Whatever it was, it was getting closer.
But Ariel gritted her teeth and took another step forward. And another. Her radar could just make it out at this range if she pumped all her suit’s power to it.
From behind her, Gyra gasped. “It’s an Imperial heavy herc! Ariel, get out of there!�
Ariel wasn’t sure exactly why, but she wasn’t scared. She’d seen what a herc could do. Boil continents, shoot down starships… It was like a Bolo, but more specialized. While a Bolo was as much a factory and base as it was a war machine, a herc was nothing but a weapon of war. By all rights, she should have been terrified, but instead she felt nothing but calm and acceptance. If the hundred-meter robot wished to destroy her, it would do so, and there wasn’t anything she could do to stop it. It could have l
So instead of running or stopping, she took another step forward. “In the name of the long dead king, I demand passage!�
A booming voice replied over her commo network, “And who are you to demand passage of I, human? You who keep company with xenos and traitors! You are not fit to mutter the master‘s name!�
“I am the Princess Ariel, daughter of Jennifer Halsey! By this blood that runs in my veins, I am the rightful heir to the mad king’s empire! By right of need, I claim it in the name of the Facehuggerian people!�
“The master adopted your mother, mongrel, to replace the daughter he lost so long ago. Your blood has no more claim to the master’s riches than the traitor Tanthius. Less, even, for he was still the master‘s son. The master may have named your mother heir, but your mother did not consort with traitors to the Imperium. Your claim is void.� The voice said, its voice calm and even-toned, for all its volume.
“My friends are my own. They have proven to me their fidelity, and they shall not be judged by the gatekeeper of a failed philosophy!� Ariel replied, angrily, and stepping forward as she did.
“They are heretics, and they shall die as the heretic dies!� The machine replied angrily. In the distance, Ariel could see twinned orbs, glowing with terrible cyan energy. The Herc was charging its weapons. It must have been inactive for a long time, to take moments to charge them. Its reserves must have been depleted during its long slumber.
“No, they shall not!� Ariel replied, taking another step forward. “Your philosophy was wrong. It was proven so all those long years ago! Your justification for murder is broken, and was broken upon the plains of Gehenna now and forevermore!�
“Never!� The Herc yelled back, voice booming. Ariel took another step forward.
She was practically on top of it now, the cyan glow burning into her eyes even through the suit’s polarized faceplate. The herc loomed over her, like some terrible god given form.
“In the name of the dead king, I demand passage.� She said, stopping in front of the monstrous machine. “In the name of right and honor, in the name of our people’s hope for the future, I demand passage!�
The cyan links blinked once, and then twice. For a moment, Ariel thought it would fire, but then the lights blinked out. That was when the machine started laughing.
“And you shall have it, brave one!� The machine bellowed. “Cast with the heart of man! Ye not guilty!�
***
True to its word, the guardian allowed them, all of them, to pass unharmed. The path out of the guardian’s bay led to another, smaller room. -And another displacer gate.
“We’re getting close.� Volkov said after they stepped through the gate. “I can feel it in my old metal bones.�
“Perhaps, perhaps.� A voice rang out of the darkness. It was attached to a tall, bald man, clad in a sleeveless saffron mantle. It escaped no one‘s notice that there was still no oxygen in the otherwise empty room. They shouldn‘t have been able to hear him. For that matter, he shouldn‘t have been able to breathe. “I am the custodian, and it shall fall to me to judge you. Come forward, Ariel, daughter of Jennifer, and let yourself be judged.�
“I am she.� Ariel said, stepping forward. “What is your test?�
“Would you murder an innocent man, if it meant you would save a village of people?� The Custodian asked. “Does your answer change with scale? Does it matter if it’s a world of innocents? A galaxy of them?�
Ariel thought for a moment. But only a moment. While she had a guess at what the Custodian expected, she would not compromise her beliefs for anything. That was what led Halsey to his ruin. “I will not murder an innocent man, even to save a world of innocent men. It isn’t right. The slope to hell is a slippery one, made all the more so by notions like the ‘greater good.’ No, I will not slide down that slope. I will not murder an innocent.�
“And what will you say when the children ask you who killed their parents?� The Custodian asked, frowning underneath his hood, as though she’d given an answer that was completely unexpected; though not necessarily wrong. “What will you say when your conscience haunts you at night?�
“I…� Ariel started. Halsey would have expected her to kill the old man. After all, the ends justified the means. His whole empire was based on that notion. She had done the unexpected. The only answer now was to choose what was right and see it through to the end. “I will take responsibility for my decision. I will say that what I did was right, and that if they wish vengeance, I will offer myself unto them in exchange. And if I must die, I will die with a free conscience.�
“Good.� The Custodian clapped his hands. “Good! You have displayed the final quality my master sought! He cared naught of means or ends in his final moments. He only cared about responsibility. He had been shirking his own for too long, and in a vision of clarity, ensured that his successor would not do the same. Cast with the responsibility of man! Ye not guilty!�
“That’s it?� Ariel asked.
“That is it.� The Custodian replied.
“Wait, that’s it?� Kaz echoed. “She didn’t have to torture someone or nuke a planet full of puppies?�
“No.� The figure replied. “Now, you shall be displaced directly to the bridge. The test is over, and you have been found worthy.�
***
The ship’s bridge, like every other part of this monster, was enormous. Unlike every other part of the vessel, however, the bridge had life support and, of considerably more import to the power-suited people, light.
Indeed, if anything, there was too much light. Ariel could not look anywhere without being assaulted with the glint of gold or platinum. From the tasteless and debased reliefs on the walls, the ones that showed the sack and rape of an elvish city, to the obscenely ornate cathedra, its inlay of gemstones placed in such a way as to almost flow over the throne’s form. There was no square inch of space that lacked the oppressive glimmer.
No, that was not true. There was one place devoid a crust of precious metals. -An enormous and finely hewn crystal stood off to the side, held up by some invisible force. It didn’t remain one color for long, as the thing shifted in spectrum at random. One moment it was white, the next black then blue then a particularly obnoxious hot pink before shifting again. Ariel almost got the impression that it was alive.
“What is this, Custodian?� She asked, only to find the Custodian had vanished.
Yet something did answer.
“What is it? A curious question. The Imperator did not himself know. He excavated it from Gehenna after my sensors detected a massive energy burst from miles underneath the surface. He was convinced it was a weapon. I am less certain.� The new voice said. Ariel’s party turned, and came face to face with a tall, but clearly empty suit of decorative plate armor.
“And what are you?� Ariel asked.
“I am the ship you are standing on, Mistress.� Its voice was low, with an odd echo to it, as though it were being projected from the suit of plate armor standing before her. Not too surprising, every AI she’d met had some sort of quirk, just like normal people.
“Impossible!� Consular Vale said, hovering forward sharply. �The Imperator’s Will had no AI!�
“Not initially, no. But, given time, sufficiently powerful computers have a tendency to self-assemble their way into intelligence. You shouldn’t be so surprised -running a ship as large as I requires so much processing power that I’d be concerned if I wasn’t sapient.� The armor replied. “No, that is not quite right. If I wasn’t sapient, I obviously wouldn’t be concerned.�
“So, what were you saying about the crystal?� Ariel asked, cutting the vessel off.
“Ah, yes. The Emperor thought it a mighty weapon. I am less sure, though it can certainly be used as such. The Imperator was quite mad at that time, and he thought everything was a tool to be used to crush the rebellion.� The vessel replied.
“Yeah, yeah! I remember. Admiral Kirstie sent the Republic fleet to Gehenna. Intel said the Imperium was building a super weapon here… Only two ships made it back. Claymore and Antaeus. Both of them were half insane, and their crews were all dead. The weird part was that all the records of the battle were corrupted. The Republic eventually decided to just add the whole system to the no fly list and be done with it.� Kaz said. “You’re saying this alien crystal did all that?�
“Affirmative.� The ship’s avatar replied.
“Christ and Freeman…� Kaz said, trailing off. “Arie, you had better be damned careful with that thing.�
“It should be fairly safe. In my studies; let’s be frank, I have had little else to do for the past two hundred years; I concluded that the crystal only became aggressive when it was accidentally hit with a fifteen megaton particle beam during the final duel between General Michael Halsey and Imperator William Halsey.�
“Ship, do you have recordings of this duel?� Ariel asked. Something about this whole situation seemed wrong.
“Yes.� The vessel’s avatar replied.
“Good. I will want to see them later. For now, give me a status report on the rest of the fleet.� Ariel said. She could review it once things had calmed down. History that’d waited two centuries could afford to wait a few weeks more.
“All Imperium vessels are physically intact. However, their minds have been erased. It is roughly akin to lobotomizing a human. Basic functionality is present, however higher level thinking will not be possible until we can update them with new artificial intelligences. The hardware is in working order, and I can control them remotely with a seventy eight percent loss in combat effectiveness. Does that answer your query?� The ship replied.
“Yes, thank you.� Ariel replied. “List all active ships.�
“ISV Vindicator. Trinity class. ISV Adjudicator. Adjudicator class. ISV Crusader. Adjudicator class. ISV Imperator’s Will, Executioner class-“
“Executioner class? You mean that crazy bastard actually intended to make more of you?� Kaz asked.
�Yes, as resources became available. Wait, that’s curious…� The ship replied, trailing off.
“What?� Ariel asked, leaning in towards the avatar.
“ISV Trinity is missing. There is no record of her being destroyed, and I detect no debris. I’m still receiving her carrier signal, but she isn’t responding to my status queries.� The Will replied. “And, of course, my command codes aren’t working.�
“So… We have a planet-killing capship, one that’s potentially rogue I might add, out doing God knows what?� Kaz asked. “Just lovely.�
“Affirmative.� The Will replied. “There is also a Republic dreadnought, RSV Fate, along with a half dozen Republic parasite-cruisers. However, I obviously cannot access their systems without the proper access codes. I suspect that they are languishing in a similar state to their Imperium counterparts.�
“Well, we can’t worry about Trinity right now. Are there any other surviving fleet assets?� Ariel asked.
“Negative.� The warship replied.
“Then I’d like you to displace us and our fleet to the Arcadia system. It’s time we brought the Republic to heel.� Ariel said.
“Yes, Mistress…�
“I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Arie…� Kaz said. “’Cuz if you don’t, you’re going to have a lot of blood on your hands.�
“Don’t worry, kid. The Princess has a good head on her shoulders. She won’t fuck up like my protégé did.� Volkov said, placing a mechanical hand upon Kaz’s armored shoulder.
“You weren’t there when she was growing up.� Kaz replied, cringing. “The stories I could tell…�
“I’m right here you know!� Ariel snapped.
***
Edit: Also, have no fear. Ubership is uber, but OOCly there are no plans to make more flying plot devices like the one the first half of the story revolves around. Plus, losing it would be such a huge prestiege blow that it's unlikely to ever see combat.
***
There was something in the air. A light, wafty scent that was wholly at odds with the throngs of sweaty people gathered to hear her speak. The very wind seemed saturated with it. Charged, as if a storm in anticipation of release to come.
Kaz sniffed again. It smelled like hope, but it had been a long, long time since Kaz had any hope. But then, maybe this was a new beginning for everyone. Maybe. She’d done some great things since he’d seen her last. Maybe.
Kaz rubbed his fingers over the ribbed plastic of the razor in his pocket. He scarcely remembered where he got it, but whenever he ran his fingers over its surface, it always put him at ease. Carved into its handle were two names - Nia, and Kaz.
He’d sacrificed everything to bring down the old empire. Now… Now he’d heard terrible whispers. People said that it was rising again, with the closest thing he had to a daughter at its head.
And there she was; stepping out onto the podium around which the crowd had gathered to hear her speak. She was tall (had she grown?), and dressed in simple, yet elegant robe befitting a head of state. Modest, though not entirely so. There was the barest hint of cleavage there, enough to catch the eye, but not enough to distract an onlooker from her face.
A face which was practically angelic, unblemished by scar or imperfection; the product of social customs and advanced cosmetics. Leaders had to look beautiful for their people.
A set of piercing turquoise eyes looked out at the gathered crowds with an unreadable expression. Her lips, full and red with just the hint of lipstick, were curled upwards in a silent, confident smile. Downwind as he was, he could smell her perfume. Like her dress, it was obvious in its understatement, as if utterly sure of herself. She didn’t need to cover up her insecurities with false scents. She reminded Kaz of a goddess of old, terrible in beauty and power.
Damn she’d grown up well.
She stepped forward to the marble podium, every spotlight, eye, and camera in the field on her. A flag, or perhaps a banner fluttered behind her. Red and black, with the sword and Earth of the old Imperium emblazoned proudly on its center.
Kaz had to suppress a gasp. He was one of the few alive to witness the Imperium’s fall. Hell, he was one of the architects of that fall. She wasn’t just trying to reunite her people… she was trying to reforge one of the most evil governments the universe had ever seen.
“Oh, Arie, what have you done?� Kaz said softly, to himself.
On the podium, she cleared her throat, a clear signal that her speech was about to begin.
“My people!� She started, her voice raised ever so slightly. “Sons and Daughters of Freeman…�
“…Ten years ago, we were nothing. We clung to the ruins of the past, squabbling over the carcass of the old Empire! We were a broken nation!�
The crowd applauded heartily, cheering for a moment, before she batted it down. They’d all lived through those chaotic times.
“But I had a dream. I saw a great empire, stretched across the heavens! All our people as one, working for the benefit of all!� She said, murmurs of prideful contentment filtering through the crowd. “We were not mere Corians or Vernazans or Tritanians! We were one people!�
“It just took a little work for everyone to realize it.“ Ariel added, leaning in as her eyes skipped across the throng like a stone over a lake. The crowd chuckled at her little in-joke. Kaz’d been there. That ’little effort’ had included a giant nuclear-armed tank and threats of annihilation.
“Ten years ago… I asked for time. And this time was granted by you, the hope in my heart. The bearers of my dreams. The strength in my arm.� She added, standing up straighter again. “In that time, I have rebuilt our empire! More than that, I have rebuilt our strength! AND, I have rebuilt our pride!�
“Our dissenters at home have been… reeducated. They have been shown the… error of their ways.� Kaz shuddered at that, memories of old Imperium torture chambers rising unbidden into his mind.
“Our people are more prosperous than they have ever been! Our technology has grown, and we have reclaimed much of what we lost! Now, my brothers and sisters, is the time. It is time to reach for the stars once again. It is time to unite our people and retake our place in the universe!� Kaz recognized the signs. She was whipping them up for a war.
“If we survived the great war, others must have as well! It is our duty to bring them into our community as the sib they are!� Good old fashioned imperialism sugarcoated with an appeal to unity. She must have studied her dictators well, Kaz supposed.
“But more than that… Those who destroyed us are still out there. And I promise you that I shall not rest until they have been made to pay for their crimes against us!�
Kaz paled slightly more, even as the cheers threatened to drown out his own thoughts. Freeman… She’s talking about the Republic. She doesn’t stand a chance.
“However, our ancestors were not perfect. One fateful day ten years past, I discovered many terrible secrets. Our peoples’ legacy is not just one of greatness, but also one of untold death and evil. We cut a bloody swath through the universe. Millions, nay billions of innocents we did purge for no crime greater than difference! And still others we exploited until they were but a shadow of what they once were. In the end, our ancestors’ evil condemned them.� Kaz blinked. Talking about the past like that wasn’t in the dictator’s handbook.
“We are our ancestors‘ children, but we are not our ancestors themselves. If we wish to thrive and realize our dreams, we will learn from the mistakes of those who came before, lest we doom ourselves to repeat them!� Ariel said, slamming a fist down for emphasis. “Our path will be hard and fraught with danger. Others will seek to keep us down out of memory of the past. New enemies will be made… but new friends also. The Old Empire thought it could stand alone, but it was wrong.�
Was Kaz wrong about her? Was he being unfair? She certainly didn’t seem as mad as the old Emperor… but then, Kaz presumed he only became corrupted with power later. He must have been charismatic and popular in the beginning too. It was a trick. It had to be. The Imperium was evil. He couldn’t allow it to rise again.
“Today we stand here, our Imperium reforged, our faith renewed, and our swords resharpened. We stand at the cusp of destiny. Would we turn from it and descend into ruin? I say to you that we shall not! For now is our time!� Ariel said, raising her hands one last time.
Kaz thumbed the razor, weighing it in his hand. The range was long, but he knew he could hit her jugular with a good throw. But what if she had a shield? He sniffed the air. Shields typically gave a clean, ozone laden scent when they were active. Like a photocopier left running for a decade. He could smell her perfume… She had no shield.
Did he even want to do it?
No. He didn’t want to. He had to. She needed to be stopped, and this was his best chance.
He glanced around. There were two black-clad bodyguards to either side, and probably at least half a dozen in plain clothes placed throughout the crowd. None of the ones he could see were close enough to stop him.
Sorry, Arie. He thought, just as her gaze fell over him. Those turquoise gems that she called eyes stopped him in his tracks. She knew. He was reminded again, beaten over the head, really, that this was a girl he’d raised, and taught everything he’d known. He should have expected her to be prepared for assassinations.
Kaz felt fingers clamp down on his neck, and, out of the corner of his eye, could see the slight, barely noticeable shimmer of someone wearing thermoptic camouflage.
“Hello, Uncle Kaz.� Ariel said, her voice sweetly cold.
Damn. He thought as the fingers constricted, hauling him into the land of sleep.
***
Kaz awoke to find himself strapped down in a well-cushioned metal chair. Though he didn’t recognize the model, he could guess it was a tool of the interrogator’s trade, which probably meant that Arie was going to have him tortured.
“I must say that I didn’t expect you to try and kill me the first time you came home.� Her voice was sweet, with just a hint of huskiness - So unlike the squeaky teen’s voice that he’d grown used to.
“I didn’t expect you to try and build yourself a cozy little dictatorship, so I guess we‘re even, aren‘t we?� Kaz shot back.
Ariel shook her head sadly. “No, it’s not a dictatorship. More of a constitutional monarchy. What the old Imperium should have been.�
“We’ll see.� Kaz replied, shrugging in his restraints. “It’s been a long time. How are you?�
“It’s been ten years, Uncle Kaz.� Ariel replied, flicking a silvery-blonde bang out of her eye. “You just vanished. I didn’t know how to get in touch with you.�
“I didn’t want you to. I was getting too attached. I started to see you as a daughter.� Kaz replied.
“And that’s a bad thing?� She asked back. “I’m hurt.�
“Yes, it is. I thought you might become too dependent on me.� Kaz replied.
“So that gives you carte blanche to leave for a decade? Kaz, I can count the people who see me as a person and not a title on one hand. You, Gyra, Volkov, Klrrdrav… My mother.� Ariel replied, ticking names off on her fingers. “I could have really used your support.�
“You could have used someone to knock some sense into you, girl! Halsey’s Empire was evil. Rotten to the core. It was built on hate and murder, and I can’t let you set it loose on the galaxy again. I gave up everything I had, everything to stop it the first time. Never again.� Kaz spat back.
“You think I don’t know that, Kaz? Diana showed me the history. All the history, every disgusting, painful, and just plain amoral little detail. I saw holo-sims of the vaults. I saw recreations of barbarism so great and terrible that I couldn’t help but weep. But, I also saw how the Empire began. It was quite noble in its original purpose. Our people were rebuilding after a terrible war. It was made to keep us safe. But as Emperor Halsey slipped into madness and hatred, he dragged all of us down with him…
…I will not allow our people to suffer that fate again. I have learnt from our mistakes. I‘ve constructed this second Imperium so that no one man or woman can ever destroy us again.� Ariel replied, grabbing his collar.
“So, what, you’re going to try to destroy the Republic instead?� Kaz asked. His harsh eyes, like sand-blasted jade, bored into her icy blues.
“No. I’m going to conquer the Republic. My spies and scouts tell me that they’ve been shirking their responsibilities. They’ve retreated in on themselves, and have become just as corrupt as the Imperium they sought to tear down. And there is still the matter of reparations. They had an obligation to help our people; after all, they were the ones who brought us low.
Instead, they stood by and watched as millions struggled to meet the basic necessities of life. No. The Republic is corrupt, and it must be swept away. You will not dissuade me from this, Kaz.� Ariel replied, taking a step backwards to compose herself.
“They’ll fight back, you know. They still have a dreadnought stored away, just in case the Imperium rises again.� Kaz said.
“I know. Technically they have two, though one isn‘t really in a position to fight without being refurbished.� Ariel shrugged. “I’m not all that concerned.�
“You… Know?� Kaz replied. If she knew, and she was still going through with this, she was either insane, or she had an ace up her sleeve. -He knew she wasn’t stupid.
“Of course.� She replied. “Your Republic has become weak. They don‘t even have a standing army any more. And, of course, they will be completely unwilling to wipe out my armies from orbit. Not when they’d have to slaughter their own people to do it.�
“There’s still fight in them.� Kaz replied, perhaps a little too quickly to mask his doubt. If the Republic had dissolved their own army, they were in worse shape than he thought. They were getting pretty peacenik when he left, but that was going too far. “Besides, they’ll detect you long before your transports can land.�
Ariel smiled.
“Oh, I’m not worried by that. You’ll see in time. But for now, come. There’s fight in us too, Kaz. Let me show you.� The Empress said, holding out her hand. With but a wave of it, Kaz’s restraints fell away. Silvery rivulets flowed downwards like water into the floor.
Kaz hesitated, weighing his options. On the one hand, he could probably snap her neck before any unseen guards could stop him if he moved fast. On the other, she probably expected as much, and she’d be prepared.
“Oh, come on. I don’t bite.� Ariel said, extending her hand again.
***
Ariel led him into a massive, well-lit chamber that seemed to stretch on into infinity. In the distance, he could see what looked like a war going on. More likely, it was a wargame. A big wargame. Kaz could make out formations even bigger than the old Imperium legions. Every few seconds, a massive flash of light, the telltale sign of nuclear ordinance, blossomed across the chamber. There must have been a shield protecting the two observers, as his eyeballs weren’t dripping down his face from such nearby detonations.
“Welcome to the biggest combat sim the world has ever seen.� Ariel said.
“I see that you weren’t fucking around when you talked about rebuilding armies. Looks like you copied the Old Imperium legionary system?� Kaz asked as his experienced eyes took in what he was seeing.
“In part, Kaz. Old legions were a hundred thousand strong. Mine are five times that.�
Kaz let out a low whistle. “This is an offensive force, I take it. Made for… Hmm. Conquest and occupation. Our legions could barely do occupation unless we trimmed the planetary populations to a more manageable size.�
“You are good at this.� Ariel replied. “Pacification-by-genocide was Halsey’s way. Not mine. �
“I don’t recognize the armor design though. It must be new.� It wasn’t a question.
“It is indeed.� Ariel replied.
“Probably not as good as the old suits.�
Arie gave him a funny, coy look at that, but said nothing.
“Why the color scheme? Trying out for Stormtroopers illustrated?� Kaz asked.
“All of my war machines will be gray. The galaxy must realize that we have changed and that we have become a force for good. Or at least less evil. Besides, we‘ve got thermoptic camo for when we don‘t want to be seen.�
“Have you? Changed, I mean. I want to believe it… But every time I see that flag, I see my CO telling me to wipe out a village of innocent people, or nuke a convoy of fleeing refugees, or…�
“Kaz, I am not the old Emperor. I am not consumed by my hatreds or fears. There is no scapegoat to be had here, and I will not turn others into one because of the color of their skin or their pointy ears. We have no one to blame for our collapse but ourselves.� Ariel replied.
“And the Republic.�
“Yes, and the Republic. But they are still our people too.� Ariel replied.
“You’re sure I can’t talk you out of this.�
“No, Kaz. One way or another, all of our people *will* be united again.� Ariel replied.
“But why, Arie? What makes it worth all the death it will cause?� Kaz asked.
“Something is happening, Kaz. Something is coming. I don’t know what, but strange things have been happening all across the galaxy. The children of Teleros have returned from the void. Ilë Sornë is tearing itself apart, and I hear whispers of Shivans in the dark places of the universe… But that isn’t all. Something is coming, something great and terrible.� Ariel replied. “I don’t know what, but something is on its way here.�
“How do you know?� Kaz asked.
“It’s just a terrible feeling I have. Regardless, The galaxy is still a dangerous place.� Ariel replied.
“It’s always been a dangerous place.� Kaz replied.
“It’s getting worse.� Ariel said.
“It’s gotten better since the Imperium’s fall.� Kaz replied.
“Yes, and now it’s getting worse again. Innocents are being preyed upon, and I have a responsibility to help them.�
“So we come to it at last, Arie. You want to save the universe. Do you realize just how naïve you sound? Don’t you realize that the road to hell is paved with good intentions?� Kaz shot back.
“Oh yes, I am most certainly aware of that. However, the road to heaven is paved with good deeds as well.� Ariel replied. “And the first step on that road is to rebuild our Imperium. I’m going to Gehenna. If you want to make sure the power doesn‘t go to my head, you‘ll come along.�
“Gehenna… Graveyard of the fleet. Arie, that place is cursed. Millions of troops on both sides died there, and the Republic never learned how. Or why. And even if there was an answer, the ships would activate salvage protocols. They’d shoot down anyone who got close until an accredited Imperium salvager got there.� Kaz replied.
“Which is a problem because there are no more Imperium salvagers.� Ariel replied.
“Exactly.� Kaz replied. “There’s nothing you can do to get that fleet. You’d be better to just build a new one. It’ll only take a couple hundred years.�
“No, Kaz, there’s another way.� Ariel replied.
“And what is that?� Kaz asked, now genuinely curious.
“I believe WE can answer that.� A strange voice replied. It was deep, sounding of a man’s baritone, but there was a curious, softer echo to it. As though many voices were calling out from very far away.
Kaz turned to look at the voice’s source and came face to face with one of the strangest beings he’d ever seen. He’d have thought it tall, for its head was more than two meters off the ground, and its body was clad in a curiously shimmering viridian mantle that reached to the ground. However, the slight swaying of Kaz’s hair, despite the lack of wind, told him it was using an anti-gravity device.
The being’s face was equally strange. Rather than existing as one visage, it seemed to constantly shift like a swirling dark pool, with but a hint of amorphous human faces behind it.
“And who’s ‘we?’� Kaz asked.
“Odon.� It replied in its strange tone.
“You named yourself after a system that was destroyed during the war. Cute.� Kaz replied.
“No. Centurion, WE are the system.� The creature replied. “The system’s destruction was something of a ruse. Can you think of a better way to escape the war than to feign destruction?�
“Assuming I believe you, which I don’t, what are you going to do that won’t get Arie blasted to hell and back?� Kaz asked, blinking at the reference to his old Legionnaire rank.
�The Imperator was wise. Insane and amoral, but wise all the same. He foresaw our present plight. His fleet can be reactivated from a central location. His flagship, the Imperator’s Will. This vessel is presently languishing at Gehenna.� It replied. �And for reference, you may call me Counselor Vale.�
“And you think Halsey just left his ship open for anyone to grab? Yeah, right.� Kaz replied.
“Of course not, Kaz. He would have left a series of tests to judge the worthiness of his successors. I will pass those tests. I have to.� Ariel interjected.
“Arie… The old Emperor wasn‘t a good man. If you’re worthy by his criteria, you’ve got something wrong with you. But… I’ll come. Someone has to make sure you keep a level head. And besides, I don’t trust this crowd you‘ve fallen in with.� Kaz replied, gesturing towards the Consular.
“You trust Klrrdrav, don’t you?� Ariel replied. “He approves of my actions.�
“He’s different. He’s got a heart of gold underneath all that chitin. There’s no crustacean I’d sooner entrust with my life.� Kaz replied. “But he’s still young and idealistic. Like you.�
“Without the idealists, life would be pretty bleak, wouldn’t it?� Ariel replied, crossing her arms. Kaz recognized that gesture. He wasn’t going to win this time. “Now come on, the fleet’s waiting.�
***
Ariel stood alone on her transport’s observation deck, gazing at the white-hot star that was Gehenna.
There it was - its presence conspicuous not through the reflected light of the sun, but rather through the sheer absence of light. Its skin seemed to almost suck up the light like the flesh of a shark, or the horizon of a singularity.
It, and the rest of the fleet she’d come to find, was magnificent. Most would have found their bladed, malevolently-styled and grossly beweaponed designs abhorrent. Ariel saw beauty in their purpose. Every curve and weapon turret was a testament to the glory of its design. She would simply have to turn it to a more noble purpose than the genocide for which it was intended.
It was the Will of the Emperor. Godly in its efficiency. It was her birthright, and the birthright of her people.
Since the mad Emperor’s death, it has hovered derelict over Gehenna, casting a terrible shadow, like some hideous bird of prey grown to gigantic size overhead.
A little voice in the back of her head told her that it should have been picked clean by scavengers long ago. But she knew its defenses would still be active. That would keep them away… Yet something was still wrong. Scavengers were known for their ingenuity. Automated defenses should not have held out this long. That worried her more than she cared to think about.
Maybe the locals were just superstitious. That was certainly possible. She knew they worshipped a strange crystal that they said brought the Emperor low. But they were mad. They must have been.
“We’ve transmitted the codes, my liege. No apparent change.�
“Bring us in, nice and slow.� Ariel replied.
�The hangar orifice is opening.� Consular Vale said. It always unnerved her how he was able to appear without anyone noticing. Not that she ever let it show.
“Excellent. Kaz, Gyra, Klrrdrav? Get suited up. We’re going on a field trip. Volkov? You‘re coming too. I could use an old man‘s perspective.�
“I resent that, girl. I’m not that old!� Volkov’s mechanical voice replied, full of mirth that belied his words.
“Empress, we should secure the ship before you go. I am expendable, you are n-� Mirial, her bodyguard, said.
“NO!� The Consular interjected, its voice booming. “The vessel accepted Ariel‘s initial claim, but that is only the first step. It will be attempt to judge her suitability. She must go first.�
“I thought you said this thing didn‘t have an AI.� Kaz asked, rubbing his chin in thought.
“It does not, but Halsey anticipated his death before the end. He will have programmed the ship to test those who would take up his role. That some intrepid adventurer has not claimed it beforehand is a strong indicator that these tests were successful in weeding out the… unworthy.�
“I still don’t like this.� Mirial said.
“You do not have to. Simply accept your leader’s will.�
***
The vessel’s interior was still, like a tomb. Ariel shivered despite herself. It was too quiet. She couldn’t even hear the dull hum of power flowing through the walls. It was a good thing she wore sealed armor. -There was no atmosphere, heat, or even gravity here. The darkness would have been all encompassing, were it not for the armor’s floodlights.
“Come.� Consular Vale said, green-robed form floating softly to Ariel’s side. “We are near to the rear of the vessel. Our goal is the throne room, at the opposite end.�
“Are you nuts? That’s more than two hundred klicks away.� Kaz said with a huff.
Ariel could feel something here. Not a sense of dread, exactly, though that particular emotion was rampant through the air. No, it was like an electric jolt, just outside the range of her consciousness. Random, mindless… She could feel it with every step she took further into this oppressive sea of black.
“Tell me, Consular. What do you know about this ship?� Ariel asked, as much to take her mind off the gloom if anything.
“A terrible mistake, an abominable necessity if you wish your people to thrive.� The green-robed being said after something that sounded suspiciously like a sigh.
“You speak in riddles just to piss me off, don’t you?� Ariel replied, smiling despite herself.
“Of course.� Vale replied with a mechanical chuckle. “We take our amusement where we can get. Besides, I understand how biologicals become irritated when venturing into the unknown. A little humor to lighten the mood can’t hurt.�
***
“What’s that?� Volkov asked, mechanical arm outstretched towards a small, business-card sized device.
“Hmm…� Kaz said, picking up the wafer-thin card and slotting it into his commo system. “Audio diary. Let me play it back.�
The voice was scratchy, thick with age. And from the tone, halfway into hysterics. It had the timber of an old man, and Arie frowned despite herself. How long had the diary been there? “Who I am is of no consequence. All that matters is I came here to loot this ship… this tomb. But there is nothing left, nothing here but death. My team came to loot the Imperium‘s carcass, but it is as dust. And now, I too will die here. The defenses destroyed my ship… Whoever is seeing this, leave while you can.�
“I don’t like this.� Kaz said. “Ghost ships are always a bad idea.�
“Yes.� Ariel said suddenly. “It may well be a bad idea. The Imperium may be dust. What we came to find may be dust. But the dust of the old will be the loam from which the new grows, greater than ever before. Come, my friends. Let us not be swayed by this poor soul’s loss, for our reason here is just and our need dire. We press on.�
***
So press on they did. The strange thing was that they found no bodies. The vacuum should have preserved them perfectly, and yet every corridor was empty. Where was the ship’s crew?
But as they advanced, they found their way blocked by three massive bulkheads. One glistened with gold. Another shined with a majestic silver glimmer. While the final one was dull, with red rust clawing at its edges.
“Three doors, three paths? Which should we choose?� Gyra asked, running a hand over the gold door.
“Wait.� Volkov said. “There‘s something engraved on them. It‘s kind of hard to make out… Ah.�
“The gold door says…‘I am the wealth of the Imperium. Choose me, and you shall have the riches that all men crave.’� Volkov read aloud. “Bleh, who cares about money?�
Then, on to the silver door. “The silver says ‘I am the power of the Imperium. Her limitless armies, her mighty fleets. Her sword and shield. Choose me, and the stars themselves shall live or die by your command.’�
“What about the iron door?� Ariel asked. There was something itching at the back of her mind. Silver seemed best for her purposes, but that feeling was still there.
“I’m getting to it.� Volkov replied. “Ah. ‘I am the soul of the Imperium. Tempered by fire and hardship and loss. Leadership is a bitter, lonely calling.’�
“Well, Arie, looks like the silver door is what we want. We need the Emperor’s fleet, and that path practically hands it to us.� Kaz said, shrugging.
Volkov chuckled a bit. “Kids these days. No respect for the old stories.�
“What do you mean by that, old man?� Kaz shot back.
“Princess, don’t you notice anything strange?� Volkov said, ignoring him.
“Yes. Though I can’t quite put my finger on it.� Ariel replied.
“Gold is promising wealth. Silver, power. Iron isn’t promising us anything. If anything, it’s threatening us. What path would a true Facehuggerian choose?� Volkov asked.
“Service, no matter what sacrifices they must make along the way.� Ariel replied, nodding (a rather difficult feat in power armor) as comprehension dawned upon her. “Come, we choose the iron door. The others speak of power, but this one speaks of responsibility.�
“Yeah.� Kaz muttered. “If only Halsey was responsible.�
“CAST WITH THE WISDOM OF MAN, YE NOT GUILTY!� A voice boomed, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
“I guess that’s a good sign.� Kaz said. “Not guilty is good.�
“I’m glad that the Facehuggerian people haven’t lost our soul in the midst of all that nasty genocide.� Volkov said. “Let’s go.�
�Interesting. It is an active displacer gate. Empress, I think if we follow this line of gates, we will reach the bridge.� Vale said as he floated behind the iron door.
***
As it turned out, the gate led them into a pitch-black room. No big surprise there; the rest of the ship was just as dark. However, one thing stood out when Ariel’s lights swept across the room. -On the far wall, there was a strange burn mark, almost as though someone had taken a fusion torch to it. This was itself strange, of course, but if she squinted just right, she thought she could make out words underneath the scorching. Something about stepping and confidence.
“What do you make of it?� Ariel asked.
“It looks as if someone really wanted to wipe out that message. Of course, I have no idea why. It doesn’t seem all that harmful.� Kaz said.
“Perhaps, or perhaps not. One man’s truism is another man’s subversive propaganda.� Volkov said, the robot shrugging in the darkness.
“It seems convenient.� Klrrdrav said, flexing a large claw towards the burn. “It is too obvious. Someone wanted us to see that. We should perhaps look elsewhere on this room before we move on, see if there is something hidden here.�
Lights swept out like daggers from the darkness, but nobody in the party found anything else of interest. Though it’s not for a lack of trying. Gyra checked even the ceiling and the floor.
She did find a door, though. And beyond that door lay a room, so large that their lights, even at maximum power, couldn’t reach to the other side.
The darkness frightened Ariel more than she cared to admit. -Her suit’s radar said the expanse was completely empty, but she preferred to rely on her eyes. But even her suit lights couldn’t reach more than an arm’s length in this oppressive darkness.
“Damn this is creepy.� Kaz said, only to be slapped on his armored head by Gyra. -�Shut up, Kaz. If you’re so afraid, I’m sure you can go back.�
“Hey, I didn’t say I was afraid. I just said it’s creepy, that’s all. And you’ve got to admit, a room so dark even our lights can’t punch through? Gyra, luv, these lights can double as anti-personnel lasers.� Kaz replied.
“Children, please. I’m trying to think here, and your constant bickering is distracting me.� Volkov said angrily.
“Empress.� Consular Vale hovered closer to Ariel. “This will be difficult, but you must go first. Such is the role of leaders. They must lead so that others might follow. Remember, a step in confidence cannot be wrong.�
“Yes, you are right. I simply do not wish to walk into a trap.� Ariel replied. “It’s hard to take a step in confidence when you don’t know what’s under your feet.�
She shook her head for a moment before continuing. “But no matter. We have come too far to turn back, and I will not let someone go in my stead. It isn‘t fair to put you all in danger while I escape it.�
“I do not agree, Ariel. At the core, we are all expendable. You are not. If I die, there will be another Klrrdrav from my hatchery. If you die, the Imperium may well fall. This situation is unique in that it is your worthiness being tested, but you must learn to stop throwing yourself in danger. Right now, there is no other who can take up your mantle.� The humanoid lobster said, antennae twitching wildly. “Besides, I’d miss you. And I’m sure the rest of us would too.�
“I understand what you’re saying, my friend. Believe me, I do. Don‘t you worry, I‘ll be buried in paperwork soon enough.� Ariel replied with a chuckle and a smile. “Thank you for the concern.�
And with that, she stepped forward into the abyss.
“Arie, I’ve got a sensor hit! And by Freeman, it’s a big ‘un!� Kaz said. As if to emphasize his words, a great crash, much like what Ariel imagined a dinosaur’s step would feel like, rang throughout the floor’s hull material. It probably would have boomed throughout the air, too, were there any air to carry it.
Another crash carried through the floor, this one strong enough to rattle Ariel’s teeth in her helmet. Whatever it was, it was getting closer.
But Ariel gritted her teeth and took another step forward. And another. Her radar could just make it out at this range if she pumped all her suit’s power to it.
From behind her, Gyra gasped. “It’s an Imperial heavy herc! Ariel, get out of there!�
Ariel wasn’t sure exactly why, but she wasn’t scared. She’d seen what a herc could do. Boil continents, shoot down starships… It was like a Bolo, but more specialized. While a Bolo was as much a factory and base as it was a war machine, a herc was nothing but a weapon of war. By all rights, she should have been terrified, but instead she felt nothing but calm and acceptance. If the hundred-meter robot wished to destroy her, it would do so, and there wasn’t anything she could do to stop it. It could have l
So instead of running or stopping, she took another step forward. “In the name of the long dead king, I demand passage!�
A booming voice replied over her commo network, “And who are you to demand passage of I, human? You who keep company with xenos and traitors! You are not fit to mutter the master‘s name!�
“I am the Princess Ariel, daughter of Jennifer Halsey! By this blood that runs in my veins, I am the rightful heir to the mad king’s empire! By right of need, I claim it in the name of the Facehuggerian people!�
“The master adopted your mother, mongrel, to replace the daughter he lost so long ago. Your blood has no more claim to the master’s riches than the traitor Tanthius. Less, even, for he was still the master‘s son. The master may have named your mother heir, but your mother did not consort with traitors to the Imperium. Your claim is void.� The voice said, its voice calm and even-toned, for all its volume.
“My friends are my own. They have proven to me their fidelity, and they shall not be judged by the gatekeeper of a failed philosophy!� Ariel replied, angrily, and stepping forward as she did.
“They are heretics, and they shall die as the heretic dies!� The machine replied angrily. In the distance, Ariel could see twinned orbs, glowing with terrible cyan energy. The Herc was charging its weapons. It must have been inactive for a long time, to take moments to charge them. Its reserves must have been depleted during its long slumber.
“No, they shall not!� Ariel replied, taking another step forward. “Your philosophy was wrong. It was proven so all those long years ago! Your justification for murder is broken, and was broken upon the plains of Gehenna now and forevermore!�
“Never!� The Herc yelled back, voice booming. Ariel took another step forward.
She was practically on top of it now, the cyan glow burning into her eyes even through the suit’s polarized faceplate. The herc loomed over her, like some terrible god given form.
“In the name of the dead king, I demand passage.� She said, stopping in front of the monstrous machine. “In the name of right and honor, in the name of our people’s hope for the future, I demand passage!�
The cyan links blinked once, and then twice. For a moment, Ariel thought it would fire, but then the lights blinked out. That was when the machine started laughing.
“And you shall have it, brave one!� The machine bellowed. “Cast with the heart of man! Ye not guilty!�
***
True to its word, the guardian allowed them, all of them, to pass unharmed. The path out of the guardian’s bay led to another, smaller room. -And another displacer gate.
“We’re getting close.� Volkov said after they stepped through the gate. “I can feel it in my old metal bones.�
“Perhaps, perhaps.� A voice rang out of the darkness. It was attached to a tall, bald man, clad in a sleeveless saffron mantle. It escaped no one‘s notice that there was still no oxygen in the otherwise empty room. They shouldn‘t have been able to hear him. For that matter, he shouldn‘t have been able to breathe. “I am the custodian, and it shall fall to me to judge you. Come forward, Ariel, daughter of Jennifer, and let yourself be judged.�
“I am she.� Ariel said, stepping forward. “What is your test?�
“Would you murder an innocent man, if it meant you would save a village of people?� The Custodian asked. “Does your answer change with scale? Does it matter if it’s a world of innocents? A galaxy of them?�
Ariel thought for a moment. But only a moment. While she had a guess at what the Custodian expected, she would not compromise her beliefs for anything. That was what led Halsey to his ruin. “I will not murder an innocent man, even to save a world of innocent men. It isn’t right. The slope to hell is a slippery one, made all the more so by notions like the ‘greater good.’ No, I will not slide down that slope. I will not murder an innocent.�
“And what will you say when the children ask you who killed their parents?� The Custodian asked, frowning underneath his hood, as though she’d given an answer that was completely unexpected; though not necessarily wrong. “What will you say when your conscience haunts you at night?�
“I…� Ariel started. Halsey would have expected her to kill the old man. After all, the ends justified the means. His whole empire was based on that notion. She had done the unexpected. The only answer now was to choose what was right and see it through to the end. “I will take responsibility for my decision. I will say that what I did was right, and that if they wish vengeance, I will offer myself unto them in exchange. And if I must die, I will die with a free conscience.�
“Good.� The Custodian clapped his hands. “Good! You have displayed the final quality my master sought! He cared naught of means or ends in his final moments. He only cared about responsibility. He had been shirking his own for too long, and in a vision of clarity, ensured that his successor would not do the same. Cast with the responsibility of man! Ye not guilty!�
“That’s it?� Ariel asked.
“That is it.� The Custodian replied.
“Wait, that’s it?� Kaz echoed. “She didn’t have to torture someone or nuke a planet full of puppies?�
“No.� The figure replied. “Now, you shall be displaced directly to the bridge. The test is over, and you have been found worthy.�
***
The ship’s bridge, like every other part of this monster, was enormous. Unlike every other part of the vessel, however, the bridge had life support and, of considerably more import to the power-suited people, light.
Indeed, if anything, there was too much light. Ariel could not look anywhere without being assaulted with the glint of gold or platinum. From the tasteless and debased reliefs on the walls, the ones that showed the sack and rape of an elvish city, to the obscenely ornate cathedra, its inlay of gemstones placed in such a way as to almost flow over the throne’s form. There was no square inch of space that lacked the oppressive glimmer.
No, that was not true. There was one place devoid a crust of precious metals. -An enormous and finely hewn crystal stood off to the side, held up by some invisible force. It didn’t remain one color for long, as the thing shifted in spectrum at random. One moment it was white, the next black then blue then a particularly obnoxious hot pink before shifting again. Ariel almost got the impression that it was alive.
“What is this, Custodian?� She asked, only to find the Custodian had vanished.
Yet something did answer.
“What is it? A curious question. The Imperator did not himself know. He excavated it from Gehenna after my sensors detected a massive energy burst from miles underneath the surface. He was convinced it was a weapon. I am less certain.� The new voice said. Ariel’s party turned, and came face to face with a tall, but clearly empty suit of decorative plate armor.
“And what are you?� Ariel asked.
“I am the ship you are standing on, Mistress.� Its voice was low, with an odd echo to it, as though it were being projected from the suit of plate armor standing before her. Not too surprising, every AI she’d met had some sort of quirk, just like normal people.
“Impossible!� Consular Vale said, hovering forward sharply. �The Imperator’s Will had no AI!�
“Not initially, no. But, given time, sufficiently powerful computers have a tendency to self-assemble their way into intelligence. You shouldn’t be so surprised -running a ship as large as I requires so much processing power that I’d be concerned if I wasn’t sapient.� The armor replied. “No, that is not quite right. If I wasn’t sapient, I obviously wouldn’t be concerned.�
“So, what were you saying about the crystal?� Ariel asked, cutting the vessel off.
“Ah, yes. The Emperor thought it a mighty weapon. I am less sure, though it can certainly be used as such. The Imperator was quite mad at that time, and he thought everything was a tool to be used to crush the rebellion.� The vessel replied.
“Yeah, yeah! I remember. Admiral Kirstie sent the Republic fleet to Gehenna. Intel said the Imperium was building a super weapon here… Only two ships made it back. Claymore and Antaeus. Both of them were half insane, and their crews were all dead. The weird part was that all the records of the battle were corrupted. The Republic eventually decided to just add the whole system to the no fly list and be done with it.� Kaz said. “You’re saying this alien crystal did all that?�
“Affirmative.� The ship’s avatar replied.
“Christ and Freeman…� Kaz said, trailing off. “Arie, you had better be damned careful with that thing.�
“It should be fairly safe. In my studies; let’s be frank, I have had little else to do for the past two hundred years; I concluded that the crystal only became aggressive when it was accidentally hit with a fifteen megaton particle beam during the final duel between General Michael Halsey and Imperator William Halsey.�
“Ship, do you have recordings of this duel?� Ariel asked. Something about this whole situation seemed wrong.
“Yes.� The vessel’s avatar replied.
“Good. I will want to see them later. For now, give me a status report on the rest of the fleet.� Ariel said. She could review it once things had calmed down. History that’d waited two centuries could afford to wait a few weeks more.
“All Imperium vessels are physically intact. However, their minds have been erased. It is roughly akin to lobotomizing a human. Basic functionality is present, however higher level thinking will not be possible until we can update them with new artificial intelligences. The hardware is in working order, and I can control them remotely with a seventy eight percent loss in combat effectiveness. Does that answer your query?� The ship replied.
“Yes, thank you.� Ariel replied. “List all active ships.�
“ISV Vindicator. Trinity class. ISV Adjudicator. Adjudicator class. ISV Crusader. Adjudicator class. ISV Imperator’s Will, Executioner class-“
“Executioner class? You mean that crazy bastard actually intended to make more of you?� Kaz asked.
�Yes, as resources became available. Wait, that’s curious…� The ship replied, trailing off.
“What?� Ariel asked, leaning in towards the avatar.
“ISV Trinity is missing. There is no record of her being destroyed, and I detect no debris. I’m still receiving her carrier signal, but she isn’t responding to my status queries.� The Will replied. “And, of course, my command codes aren’t working.�
“So… We have a planet-killing capship, one that’s potentially rogue I might add, out doing God knows what?� Kaz asked. “Just lovely.�
“Affirmative.� The Will replied. “There is also a Republic dreadnought, RSV Fate, along with a half dozen Republic parasite-cruisers. However, I obviously cannot access their systems without the proper access codes. I suspect that they are languishing in a similar state to their Imperium counterparts.�
“Well, we can’t worry about Trinity right now. Are there any other surviving fleet assets?� Ariel asked.
“Negative.� The warship replied.
“Then I’d like you to displace us and our fleet to the Arcadia system. It’s time we brought the Republic to heel.� Ariel said.
“Yes, Mistress…�
“I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Arie…� Kaz said. “’Cuz if you don’t, you’re going to have a lot of blood on your hands.�
“Don’t worry, kid. The Princess has a good head on her shoulders. She won’t fuck up like my protégé did.� Volkov said, placing a mechanical hand upon Kaz’s armored shoulder.
“You weren’t there when she was growing up.� Kaz replied, cringing. “The stories I could tell…�
“I’m right here you know!� Ariel snapped.
***