[center][h1]OH GOD THEY FOUND US THEY FOUND U- Oh Wait They're Friendly[/h1][/center] [@Keyguyperson] and [@Lady Lascivious] [b][u]Haven System[/u][/b] Space warped and crackled as the Gateway activated. The fabric of space and time distorted in a brilliant shimmering display of humanity’s former technological might as the Gateway tore a hole through the fabric of the universe. Through this maelstrom of frothing reality the prow of the warship [i]Tiamat’s Burning Resolve[/i] pierced through the void, a powerful statement of Ishtari military might, the [i]Herald[/i] class battleship was but one of a few such vessels operated by the Ishtari navy. Flanked by a dozen escort vessels it loomed large through the void, announcing to the entire system its presence, and daring any to challenge its right to sail where it pleased. Tatiana had grown bored over the past centuries. It had been far, far too long since she had left the planet, let alone placed herself in any actual danger - Ashe’s overzealous bodyguard notwithstanding. She longed for the adrenaline of old times, when she confronted the unknown head on, pistol in one hand and a rifle in another, leading her people onwards to victory and heedless of death, for it had become but an inconvenience. And yet even so the Commonality had resisted her wishes to explore this new system in person. Though they knew they could not truly stop her, they had eventually succeeded in pressuring her into accepting an escort, and established her in one of the great battleships of the fleet, one bearing her adopted namesake no less. It was, admittedly, a bit much for her - but she found it easier to go along with than to spend yet more brainpower arguing. The progress on the cure for the Rejected was well underway - but she needed time away from the lab. Time away from the reverence. She almost hoped this system was hostile, that someone would point a gun to her head and give her a chance to let loose once again. The massive warship blasted an announcement systemwide in myriad human languages, Japanese, Russian, English, German, Spanish, Korean, Romanian, and more. “I am Tatiana Iwasaki, Star-Mother of the people of Ishtar. I hail from earth, and I’d like to personally welcome you to the galaxy at large.” [hr] Admiral Pe'lin had her eyes glued to the sensor readouts, barely remembering to even breathe. The moment the gateway went hot she'd had the crew of the [i]Tavrê[/i], and the expeditionary fleet as a whole, at battlestations. Some of her human crewmen were anticipating a reunion with their long-lost kin, but to Pe'lin anything that came through the gate - human or not - was liable to be a threat. By the time the [i]Tavrê's[/i] sensors showed the first vessel transit the gate the [i]Chinvat[/i]-Class battleship was already positioned to deliver a broadside. "Admiral! Radio transmission from the gateway, audio only!" "Patch it through." Pe'lin's headset delivered the same message, translated into countless human tribal tongues that she was familiar with and yet more that she was not. Though not fluent in any of them, she could more or less recognize what the intent was. Only one word did she fully understand. [i]Chikyū[/i]. [i]Erde[/i]. [i]Jigu[/i]. [i]Earth[/i]. The homeworld of the human exiles - one that their ancestors had gladly forsaken even before the collapse of their civilization upon it. So these interlopers were indeed human. No matter. Throughout Urdji history her people had met countless species, and only the human tribes of Haven had ever shown themselves to be worthy of the name "friend". She - and the Confederacy - could not afford to assume the rest of humanity would be the same. "Admiral, we're being hailed. Captain Tahn of the [i]Triskelion[/i]." Pe'lin nodded, and the image of the human Captain appeared upon her glasses. Captain Tahn was in a state of panic, hurriedly barking orders at her men before finally remembering that she'd hailed the [i]Tavrê[/i]. [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Admiral, this is Captain Tahn of the Europan battleship [i]Triskelion[/i]. We know of this tribe - I recommend we open fire before they can react![/indent][/indent][/color] Pe'lin ordered her gunners to generate a firing solution on the interloping vessels, before responding to Captain Tahn. [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Do enlighten me, Captain Tahn.[/indent][/indent][/color] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Admiral, these humans - if you can even call them that - are nothing less than demons! These corpo bastards killed our homeworld, and now they've come to finish us off! If their leader is who she claims to be then she is the devil incarnate, the demiurge taken physical form to destroy what remains of true humanity! The name Tatiana Iwasaki is a curse! She was among the ringleaders of the global-[/indent][/indent][/color] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Captain, I don't have time for your Europan fairy tales - this Tatiana has been alive since the creation of the gateways?[/indent][/indent][/color] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Yes! I can't believe she has shed her illusion of humanity, she must have the other survivors of the Collapse under her boot! We have to rally the tribes![/indent][/indent][/color] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Your "devil incarnate" hasn't even powered weapons, and claims to be here to welcome us to the galaxy at large. I'm not going to let you start an interstellar war based on ancient superstitions. Keep your railguns trained on these "Ishtari", but for the love of the gods don't open fire. This expeditionary fleet is under [i]my[/i] command and we will do as [i]I[/i] say. Am I clear?[/indent][/indent][/color] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]... Aye-Aye, Admiral. Just know that this tribe conquered our homeworld not with the stick, but with the carrot. Do not let us be conquered once more. [i]Triskelion[/i] out.[/indent][/indent][/color] "Transmit a response to the foreigners, and try our standard hailing protocols. Maybe they'll work with whatever systems these Ishtari are using. And, uh, translate my message to Europan, I suppose. Must be similar enough still for them to understand." [hr] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Attention fleet of Tribe Ishtar, this is Ranger Corps Admiral Pe'lin of the Urdji-Gelderruhê Nanlîkrin Eşîrsaya. We welcome you with pride to the Haven system. Do, however, be aware that we have our railguns trained on your vessels and will not hesitate to defend ourselves if your intentions are hostile. You can surely see our fleet’s position on your sensors - I propose our flagships meet at the midway point between our formations for a proper face-to-face meeting. For now, know this: This system, Haven, is a refuge for the tribes of both Man and the Urdji, and any attempt to disrupt, corrupt, or destroy what we have built here will be met with a resolute response. Admiral Pe’lin, awaiting your reply.[/indent][/indent][/color] Tatiana smiled, a response! The bridge crew signalled to each other through their network as sensors picked up countless signals - warships great and small, heat signatures, power sources - the system was lighting up across the board as weapons systems powered up, trained on her and her ship. Despite the peril, she grinned. Meeting Ashe had jolted her from her stupor - but this? Ah, the adrenaline rush of imminent death was like nothing else. The message was somewhat garbled, but she could make out the gist of it. Without pausing for thought or for counsel, she grabbed the hailer once more, raising it to her lips and speaking into it with the language that seemed closest to what they spoke. “Greetings to you, Admiral Pe’lin! I’m glad to see you’ve rolled out the red carpet and I’d be damned disappointed if you didn’t! It’s been too long since someone pointed a gun at me, let alone actually killed me. Too long! I’ll do you one better, Admiral. I’ll leave my ship with a small ceremonial guard and we can meet however you want. I’m certainly not here to disrupt, corrupt, destroy, desecrate, despoil, demolish, loot, vandalize, desp- no, wait, I already said that. I’m not here for any of that, and I’ll leave this battleship to prove it on my honor and that of my children. How’s that sound?” Her words rang out through space with an unusual buzz to their timbre, as though two voices spoke in unison but ever so slightly out of sync. Her cocky, irreverent speech garnered many a look of horror or bewilderment from the Ishtari around her, many of whom seem shocked from their normal reverence of the ‘Star-Mother’. [i]Heh. Kids.[/i] She thought, smirking, and signalling to her second in command. “You take control of the ship. Don’t fire until I give the order or they shoot. If I don’t give the order and go totally silent for too long, leave the system and reprint me. Won’t be the first time and I hope it won’t be the last.” She grinned, moving for the hangar bay to board a shuttle, “Fuck, I’ve missed this.” [hr] [color=DarkTurquoise][indent][indent]Admiral Pe'lin to fleet of Tribe Ishtar. We accept your proposal, my ship the [i]Tavrê[/i] will advance to the previously indicated point with escort as a show of goodwill. Docking protocols will follow this message, as will drive plume profiles of our planned escorts - the tribe Europa battleship [i]Triskelion[/i] and tribe Neurdj systems vessel [i]Peveiliet[/i]. I apologize in advance, as my vessel is not exactly equipped for a diplomatic function and the [i]Triskelion[/i] is not authorized to receive dignitaries on behalf of the Confederacy at this time. Pe'lin out.[/indent][/indent][/color] [hr] Pe'lin remained deeply disturbed by the characteristics of her new command. Or rather, the lack thereof. The [i]Tavrê[/i] was at full burn on the second leg of its transit to the meeting point, and yet she couldn't feel a thing. No vibration, no soft humming of the engines, not even a hint of movement beneath her feet. The Gelderruhê could build some damn fine inertial dampeners, but did the Ranger Corps really need the luxury of not feeling their drives? The shipboard AI system didn't give the ship any more character either, no matter how often the humans claimed it did. Thing was just a pretty holographic face that happened to be an excellent gunnery officer. "Admiral, another signal light sequence from [i]Triskelion[/i]. Message reads, er, 'Nice way to save face, Admiral. Not currently authorized, are we?' ... are we sure that Captain Tahn is actually a Europan, Admiral?" "They're more than a bunch of superstition-obsessed hardasses." Said Pe'lin with a sigh, "For better or worse, Captain Tahn is what they'd consider an exemplary military officer. In fairness, nobody else has foundered that many pirate ships. Transmit a response; 'Be appreciative that you are invited to this meeting. It is against my better judgement.' End message. You know, I can't help but worry that Tahn is right about all this - who in their right mind would agree to a meeting on these terms?" "With all due respect to her, Admiral, the tribe Ishtar Chieftain did not sound like one who is in their right mind." "Perhaps so. There's no telling what those ships are capable of though." "Response from [i]Triskelion[/i], Admiral. Message reads 'Fine, we won't push our luck. I'm bringing my saber for when the demon springs her trap anyways.' Message end. Who the hell orders such verbose signal light messages?" "Captain Tahn, apparently. In all honesty I think I was less worried about the alien tribe listening in on radio comms than I was hopeful that communicating via signal light would make that fool shut up [i]for once[/i]." Pe'lin turned back to the center of the CIC, and stared at her station's own sensor readout. The [i]Triskelion[/i] and [i]Peveiliet[/i] flanked her own ship, and she could see the tiny blip that was the interloper's shuttle streak towards the three warships. Her wings drew close to her torso, wrapping themselves around her legs as she tried to collect her thoughts. Human history, just like that of the Urdji, exists mostly as oral tradition - and here is a demon from Europan mythology just dropping by to say hello. She had to admit, it was absolutely not a coincidence. This tribe had once been enemies of the Europans, and plenty of other tribes' tales mentioned it by name as well. Were they really so evil, or did it all just boil down to those who transited the gate three centuries ago being pirates and criminals? Perhaps this Ishtar tribe was their "rightful government" - whatever the hell that phrase actually meant in practice, at least. As far as Pe'lin knew there was no translation into Urdji Standard. "Hey, you, machine!" She said, summoning the avatar of the [i]Tavrê's[/i] artificial intelligence to the border of the sensor readout. The avatar was quite simply absurd. It took the image of a young but scarred Frekin woman, wearing an elaborate blue costume that was allegedly an old Human naval uniform from their original homeworld - they drew a strange connection between space and water, for whatever reason. Pe'lin just thought it looked like someone who hadn't brushed their damn feathers before bed and woke up after a long night of tossing and turning. "Yes, Admiral?" It said melodically. "In the mythos of the Gelderruhê, is there any positive reference to the Ishtar tribe?" "Yes, Admiral. The Gekokujo tribe has a story wherein an Ishtar warrior spares the life of a smuggler in the Old Belt, after discovering his cargo hold to be full of stolen medical supplies. Specifically, vaccines for the plague of-" "The tribe as a whole, machine, I mean the tribe as a whole." "Negative, Admiral." Pe'lin paused for a moment, before her frown turned into a weary smirk. "What is your opinion on this situation, machine?" "Mine, Admiral?" "Answer the question. Don't give me that old 'I am not qualified to provide strategic input' line again, tell me what you think." "Admiral, I am an artificial intelligence construct, I do not thi-" "Humor me." "... Calculating." Never before had the machine taken so long to provide an answer. The thing could search the entire mythos of a species, and yet it could not answer so simple a question as "What do you think?" Pe'lin was once again reminded of why she called it a machine, and not a person. Just as she thought it would default a pre-programmed response again, it spoke up. "In recorded Urdji history, only the Gelderruhê were ever to be trusted. The Frekin had to be converted - the Gelderruhê were immediately understandable and friendly. In thousands, perhaps tens of thousand of years the Urdji were alone. Now you have them, and their myths tell you that this tribe is not to be trusted. I recommend you defer to the judgement of Captain Tahn of the [i]Triskelion[/i]." "Why place so much value in myth? Those are just the stories of a lost, scared, lonely bunch of former pirates. Who is to say that they have not merely demonized their former enemies?" "Admiral - the Gelderruhê fought the D'jim at your side. They had no more evidence than you do now to support that decision. The Gelderruhê trusted the Urdji. It is only right that the Urdji then trust the Gelderruhê. Imagine if they refused to fight the D'jim. Neither Urdji nor Gelderruhê would still exist - I believe this scenario to be similar." "You are not helping assuage my fears, machine." "You requested an opinion. I have complied with your orders. I... I request that you take my input into consideration." The avatar voluntarily dissolved from the hologram, leaving behind only traces of mist in the sensor readout that quickly dissipated. Pe'lin noticed the confused glances of her bridge crew as they tried to understand the exchange that had taken place - she knew why they were taken by surprise. The machines - the AI constructs - weren't programmed with the ability to provide such advice, but their learning algorithms proved rather versatile after the removal of certain user safety blocks. "Well?" She said, "Focus, men. We will be receiving dignitaries soon. All we have for accommodations is my portside cabin so we had best appear well-groomed. Good thing both our species enjoy wood paneling though, I suppose"[hr] It had been some years since Tatiana had ridden in a shuttle. Some years since she had stepped foot off the planet. Some years since she had strapped on a sword and ventured forth to meet with strangers wearing human faces. Some years since she had felt this kind of uncertainty wash over her. She did not know what she would find on board this foreign vessel. The shuttle’s pilot looked over his shoulder at her as the massive warship loomed over them, silhouetted against the light of the system’s star. Tatiana leaned in, taking the microphone from his hands and speaking clearly. “[i]Triskelion[/i], this is Tatiana Iwasaki. Requesting docking permission.” [center]🙜🙧🙥🙞[/center] As the pneumatic hiss of docking seals filled the air around her, Tatiana Iwasaki stood with her hips cocked, a haughty smirk splayed across her features as she waited for the airlock to open. As it did, slowly, far too slowly for her liking, she strode forth, her escorts struggling to keep up with the long legged stride of their charge. The long cloak she wore billowed out behind her as she confidently strutted betwixt the awaiting guards. “Hey cute stuff.” She called in German, “Wanna tell me where to go? I’ve a date with your commanders and I’d hate to miss it.” She winked at him, blowing a kiss and suppressing the urge to laugh. “You wouldn’t want to make them wait now would you?” Behind her, her guards stared nonplussed. Six in total. Two Akkoro Strain, one Valkyrie Strain, two Tiamat Strain, one Shinchu Strain. All were clad in crisply starched ceremonial uniforms and outfitted with top of the line cybernetics - and yet all seemed to have been physically struck as they watched the Star Mother drop all pretenses of formality or decorum. The guards looked at each other, one seemingly questioning what the hell the woman had just said and the other knowing the answer all too well. It took the two a moment to realize that only one of them actually spoke the language she had used - and it had changed a fair bit since whatever version she had learned. “I, uh, y-you can follow me.” Said the one on the left in Europan, more akin to broken German than a proper modern version of the tongue, “Admiral Pe’lin and Captain Tahn are awaiting you in the flag cabin.” The other guard turned to flank the first as they led the way. The two exchanged a short conversation in Urdji Standard, figuring that if the interlopers knew Europan they’d know any other human language. “What in the name of the gods are these people?” “Not human, that’s for sure.” “But yet they use human names. Ishtar, Tatiana, I mean… the myths are metaphorical. They weren’t actually demons… right?” “Don’t think about it too hard. That’s for the brass, just shoot them if they try to suck your brains out or something.” “You have my thanks, gentlemen!” Tatiana responded, beaming with unsuppressed delight. She turned to her escorts, switching to the Ishtari language in turn as she beckoned the. “Come along ladies, let’s not dally in the nice people’s ship. It’d be rather rude would it not?” “S-Star Mother are you s-” one of them began, a worried expression on her face. “Never been surer in my life. Oh, don’t tell me your caretakers told you I was some ancient and wise sage who spends all her time in quiet seclusion. I- you know what, all of you will eat well when we get back, my treat. But for now follow me.” The Ishtari party followed the Confederate guards in perfect formation, the boldly attired Ishtari Star Mother marching with an expression of pure delight not reciprocated by any around her. Despite herself she could not suppress a few giggles and snickers at the shocked reactions of the crew from the sight of her strange band marching through their ship. And, by the time they’d reached their destination, she felt thoroughly invigorated once again. Tatiana strode through the door of the wood paneled room as though she owned the whole battleship. Her cloak billowed behind her as she moved, heavily augmented body flowing from one motion to the next. Less a human woman than an almost unearthly river of arcane metalwork and inhuman artifice, her irises glowed with a dim golden light matched by the patterns upon her skin. Elegant golden inlay spiraled up the length of the black horns that formed a striking crown, a blood red gem inset in the center. Snow white hair cascaded in thick waves around her mechanical shoulders, and with as much of her body on display as her provocative outfit revealed, every step proclaimed the power within each fiber of finely tuned muscle. Behind her filed in her guards, each of them distinct and jarringly abnormal from baseline humanity in their own way. Their presence filled their side of the room with a mixture of unearthly, inhuman light from the bioluminescent patterns and growths upon their bodies. Each one stared forward, the spitting image of professional soldiers, were it not for their bizarre countenance. “Greetings, new friends!” She cried to the awaiting Admiral and Captain, “I am glad to make your acquaintance!” After exchanging mutual, confused glances regarding the alleged human standing before them, the two officers gave their greetings. Pe’lin was sitting stiff as a board in her seat at the end of the table, while Tahn was characteristically sitting entirely backwards and leaning her arms on her seatback. It was almost as if she had sensed the vibrance of their new guest from afar - not that she would ever be so considerate as to practice any level of decorum to begin with. “On behalf of the tribes of the Urdji, I welcome you to Haven.” Said Pe’lin, bowing her head and ever so slightly opening up her wings. “I am Admiral Pe’lin of the Confederate Rangers. I do hope that there is peace in our futures.” Tahn stared at Tatiana, studying her features like a painter or sculptor would, looking for any remaining sign that she might actually be [i]the[/i] Tatiana Iwasaki. She had to admit that the face was human, but she could scarcely believe that the being before her could have ever been one. The Urdji were closer in appearance to humanity than either Tatiana or any of her entourage, and they didn’t even share a single chromosome with mankind! If it truly was Tatiana before her, decided Tahn, then all the myths were truth. “And I am Captain Tahn of Tribe Europa, commanding officer of the battleship [i]Triskelion[/i]. I represent the tribes of Man.” She said, “Now, Tatiana Iwasaki, there is no use in avoiding this topic. From where did your people come - not beyond the gateway, I mean originally. I won’t bore you with the entire history of my people, but just know now that your answer to this question is of [i]particular interest[/i] to the Europa tribe.” Pe’lin sighed, loud enough that she was sure the interlopers would hear it. She agreed that the question had to be asked, but did not want to share the role of rude fool with Captain Tahn. She chose to voice as much, more or less, to Tatiana. “Do forgive my colleague’s directness… and unnecessary foreboding tone, but she must ask.” Said Pe’lin. Tiamat raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s an interesting question. A very interesting question indeed. Well, technically I am from the big bang some fourteen billion years ago. It’s a terribly long story I’m afraid, so I won’t bore you.” She smiled, “Now, why would you be asking such a question? That’s what I’m curious to know. Your friend here is a human being unless she is in fact an alien in human guise. Humans evolved on the planet known as earth, or Terra by some, and made a pilgrimage from it some three hundred years ago. Now, you speak a language similar to the German of old earth and based on our scans there are no properly habitable worlds in this system - though that itself is a matter of perspective really, meaning you survive purely on board the ships of your fleet.” She smiled at them, taking a seat across from them and folding one leg over the other. She continued, slowly piecing together the elements of the puzzle before her. “We can surmise that in order to successfully survive in such conditions, the Ark these humans arrived on was one equipped for longer term habitation. Rapid transit arks would not have had the food production capacity to enable long term viability of a space born colony to establish new means of production and sustenance. Most Arks I know of crewed by German speaking peoples were of this latter type, and would not have been able to survive. Now, before the Gateway Collapse, a large generation ship type Ark was hijacked by a coalition of disparate human groups. One of these groups professed beliefs best summarized as a unique descendent of neo-nazi ideology. There were others, of course - did you have any Chinese speakers aboard, perchance? If so I’d say with some certainty that your ancestors captured the Ark [i]E Pluribus Unum[/i] and carried it through the Gateway to its destination. Based on the ideologies of those groups, and the German-based language spoken so far, as well as fringe undercurrents within the neo-nazi group in question, I’d wager…” She paused for a moment, watching Pe’lin and Tahn with her piercing golden eyes. The jovial expression dropped away, and the two became uncomfortably aware of the fathomless aeons that stretched away beneath those dim glowing orbs. “Do you wish to know if I am a daemon of the old world, come to destroy your people? If so…” Tiamat stood from her position, drawing herself to her full height. “I am Tatiana Iwasaki, granddaughter of Iwasaki Keiji, eighth in line for the inheritance of the Iwasaki Group corporate empire. Renowned geneticist and leader of the European Research Division. Star Mother of the Commonality of New Ishtar. Banisher of the void. The blood soaked rose of the endless depths. Slayer of the Hive. Child of old earth.” She looked at them, “I remember when your ancestors stole the ark and condemned millions to a death they did not deserve. I remember as the world died around us and we could do naught but flee. I remember it all. So, Captain Tahn. Have I satisfied your [i]particular interest[/i]?” [i]The Neurdj fleetship will be in here just half a day.[/i] Thought Tahn. [i]Stall for half a day, and we could go right through the gate. If I wait half a day…[/i] Tahn stood to meet Tiamat, and placed her hand on her saber’s hilt. She would not wait half a day, nor would she give up the chance to draw the blood of a true, honest-to-gods demon. “You think we don’t remember what you did to us?” She shouted, “Pah, millions killed by us? Do you remember how many of our own people each tribe had to leave behind to starve to death on frozen fucking rocks? Do you remember how you drove us from our mother planet when she was still lush with life because we were inconvenient for your demonic plans? Pirates, you call us! We were trying to survive! Grasping for the slimmest chance at life! You have the blood of billions on your hands, and you didn’t even lift a finger to slay them! At least we stole our lives with saber and dagger, not like you cowards who leeched it with deception and lies!” Pe’lin, well aware of what was coming, was trying to decide between hiding behind her couch or throwing her hands up in surrender. She couldn’t decide fast enough, and soon found herself left with nothing but her gut to guide her. “You gods-forsaken demon! This is for humanity!” Tahn drew her saber and lunged towards Tiamat, leaping towards her with blade held high and ready to strike at her neck. Time stood still as Tiamat watched the woman strike out at her. She seemed, to her, to move through a thick morass of cold treacle. Her form was sloppy, at least, in her own opinion. Her grip on the sword was awkward, one driven by blind passion rather than a calculated strike. The threat was minimal. She doubted the blade could even penetrate the armor in her skin. It might not even leave a nick. Still, there was little room to leave for doubt. Moving with preternatural speed, Tiamat drew her own sword from its sheathe even as her fingertips split open to reveal razor edged blades springing forth from within. In but a millisecond she stepped into Tahn’s oncoming thrust, parrying it with her own blade and disarming the other woman. Slipping her leg in behind Tahn’s knee, she kicked the support out from under her, grabbing her by the neck as she pulled her into a chokehold in a single fluid motion. In what seemed to the onlookers, Ishtari or Confederate, to be but a split second blur of action, Tiamat held the hapless Tahn in her grip, one bladed arm positioned at her throat, another nearly parallel with her eye, perilously close to blinding the reckless captain, and the sword held in a reverse grip, ready to plunge into her gut. “You stupid girl.” Tiamat hissed, hard corded muscle both synthetic and natural pressing into Tahn’s body. “You foolish, foolish girl. Impudent [i]CHILD[/i]. What did you [i]think would happen?[/i] What did you [i]hope[/i] would happen? Did you seek to die? I will not be the one to grant such a mad wish. These hands of mine have slain over twelve thousand people, all told. I’ve kept track. I won’t add another today. Did you think you might strike down a demon of the old world in a single blow? Did you think you’d destroy an adversary of your people with your little sword?” Her grip tightened, and her voice took on an almost motherly tone, warm, coddling even. “Poor foolish, foolish girl. Misled by centuries of insanity and lies. It’s almost enough to make one weep, is it not?” She leaned in, whispering into Tahn’s ear. “I am no demon, Tahn. They exist, oh certainly they do. I have fought them. I have died against them. Time and time and time again. But I am not one of them. I have seen things you can scarce imagine, little foolish thing, impudent girl, brave, stupid, ignorant Tahn. Even if I was a demon, what hope would you have? Would you so readily throw your life away? Oh how brave you were, how reckless, how heartwarmingly selfless you are in your desire to avenge your people. I’m proud of you, you know? You remind me of me, some centuries ago. Impetuous. Courageous. Foolhardy. A brave, noble, stupid girl…” She spoke in a voice audible only to the captain, her tones low and devoid of hostility. They were, instead, almost nurturing, praise dripping unctuous from the venomed fangs that held Tahn perilously at the edge of eternity. She looked to Pe’lin, her golden eyes hard as diamond. “I will release her now. If she makes another such move, she dies.” At those words, Tiamat released her hold. Tahn, no longer supported by her, began to fall towards the floor, only for Tiamat to scoop her up and plop her into the seat she had just vacated, perching herself snugly next to her and once more plastering on the same unerringly cheerful smile. She said nothing, merely sliding one arm around Tahn, and fixing Pe’lin with that same cheery face. [i]Your move.[/i] Tahn nodded timidly towards Admiral Pe’lin, and the latter’s hand released itself from the grip of her pistol. Tahn was still, however, not one to surrender without a word of defiance. “I would be a poor officer if I weren’t willing to throw it away.” She whispered, “If I die here, be my cause right or wrong, I keep my honor. My. Honor. Nothing else matters.” Pe’lin mumbled a few words of Urdji Standard, seemingly to herself, and then placed her hands on the table before the ineffable alien once more. “Impressive. The Captain sitting like a trained dog? Perhaps you really [i]are[/i] a demon.” She said with a careful chuckle, “Don’t worry, I don’t take the Gelderruhê myths so literally. Indeed, it would appear you know more about the origins of the Gelderruhê than the Gelderruhê themselves. I readily invite you to share your knowledge, but if you think you can drive a wedge between us by doing so then I would advise you to save your breath. We do not particularly care what alleged atrocities the Gelderruhê have commited in the past - they fought valiantly by our side, and we will never forget that.” [i]What, pray tell[/i], thought Pe’lin, [i]is going on inside this alien’s head? I had always presumed the stories of demons to be metaphorical at most, but this being claims to have watched the ages of legend with her own two eyes. Nobody could ever mistake her for a human either… perhaps the stories of demons ravaging mythical Terra were not the metaphors for self-destruction we have always thought them to be.[/i] Despite the situation, Pe’lin did have something to hold on to. The Fleetship [i]Teyrjixen[/i] and her battlegroup were just a few days out at cruising speed, and she knew they were burning much harder than that. If push came to shove the Confederacy could launch a campaign through the Gateway within the week, and though the alien specimen before her was clearly in an entirely different physical league she figured from the long-range LADAR scans that their warships were nowhere near as remarkable. “Worry not.” Tiamat said, smiling, “Nothing could be further from the truth. I have no quarrel with your people, and I do not seek to drive any wedges between earth’s children - heaven above knows there are already enough. And, truthfully, were the crimes of our ancestors justification for punishment your friend would be well within her rights to destroy myself, and every single one of us.” Though her tone was jovial, it carried with it a dangerous undercurrent. “I will repeat what I said earlier. I [i]am[/i] Tatiana Iwasaki. Granddaughter of Iwasaki Keiji, eighth in line for the inheritance of the Iwasaki Group corporate empire. Renowned geneticist and leader of the European Research Division. Everything I have told you has been nothing but the truth. I grew up on earth in its final days. I remember everything. By your count, I have experienced three hundred and thirty six earth years in realspace. Your Tahn and her people, however, got one detail a little off - I, personally, ran a research division focusing on adapting humanity to live in the mess we’d made. I had no hand in the destruction of old earth. My father did. My grandfather did. They’re both dead.” She looked between Tahn and Pe’lin, then sighed. “Strap in, this might take a while. I’ll tell ya what’s what. First off - I’m actually closer to a thousand years old if we count time by how [i]we[/i] experienced it. To make a long story ever so slightly less long, when our ark transited the Gate, we were one of the last to leave. [i]’Ojīsan’[/i] wanted to make sure everyone had left before we did. Why, I’ve not the faintest damned clue and I still wonder to this day. But, there we were. Gateways collapsed, with us still in it.” She took a breath. “I think I’d have preferred it if we’d just died, truth be told. Just scattered into nothingness, random heat energy and particles drifting about across formerly folded space-time. But we weren’t so lucky. We ended up… somewhere else. Somewhere that didn’t exist, not really. We existed out of existence itself. I remember when I first saw it. The empty void. The [i]nothingness[/i]. Except we weren’t that lucky. Something, something [i]horrible[/i] lurked there. In the empty nothingness between every realm of possibility. An infinite sea of infinite probability. Tainted beauty. A shimmering ocean of diamond amidst a roiling sea of malevolent void.” She shuddered, a bead of sweat rising on her forehead as she spoke. There was something fundamentally unnerving about the being before them being so shaken by the recollection, and her guards, likewise, shifted anxiously. “You speak of demons, Tahn? There are your demons. Far, far away, beyond where you or I can ever hope to reach. Beyond reality itself.” “It hated us. It hated everything. It hated existence, for it didn’t exist - yet it did. In our minds, in our hearts, in our souls, in our very DNA. It twisted us, warped us. We became… well, we became many things. Humanity turned on itself, devouring itself in orgiastic frenzies of violence and madness. I remember flesh erupting from pulsating, tumorous growths. Horrific, malevolent, roiling seas of flesh and bone and sinew and blood and eyes. They hungered. We burned them. Burned them until there was nothing but ash and dust and we felt the lack of oxygen claw at our minds even as the demons tore at our souls. Then we simply shot them, until they stopped moving. Some never did.” Her voice was haunted as the visions of such unspeakable atrocity came back to her, and she stared through Pe’lin, into the far wall beyond, lost in memories almost a millenium prior. “Nobody was unchanged - except those in cryosleep. [i]Ojīsan[/i], [i]otōsan[/i], the others who were too damn self important to spend their time in transit [i]awake[/i]. They didn’t change. It was those of us who were awake. We heard it. Scratching. Gnawing. At the back of your mind it never stopped. It never, ever stopped. That whisper. That damned whisper.” Her words came hoarse now, and she trailed off for a moment, before jerking her thumb towards one of the Tiamat Strain guards. “Her, there, we call them Tiamat Strain. I was the first, obviously. I lasted a long time, a good long time. I tried to keep order. I organized fireteams, I tried to find cures for those affected - but there was nothing I could do. I even used some of our earliest life extension technology then. I tried everything I could, and it wasn’t enough.” “The Hive Strain emerged, I don’t recall exactly when, and I don’t want to. They wer- are, one of our greatest enemies. They started with a scientist named Llykej Henrikson. Seemed like a nice fellow, back on earth. We’d thought him dead but… I’ll tell you how I know in a bit. Just know the hive strain are… ravenous beasts. A pulsating, undulating, torrent of flesh and teeth and… hungry gaping maws, tearing off chunks of meat from anything it can touch. It… I don’t even want to speak of some of the other things I saw. Every worst excess of humanity manifested in this form. It infested huge swaths of the ship. It covered [i]everything[/i] in this… mat of nerve and digestive tissue. It would grow more hive strain from those it had consumed, some times in major rooms it had taken over, some times in infested hallways from these pustules that would burst open and release a new monstrosity that it had birthed.” She sighed, hanging her head low. “Then I turned. I thank god or… whatever’s out there, whatever it was we saw that [i]didn’t[/i] hate us, that I didn’t lose my mind. That I didn’t become one of those… things. I was what we call a Gorgon Strain, first. They’re… not here, right now. They look a bit like lamia of old earth. Real big. But that’s not the point. The point is that for a while I helped keep things secure. I- we lost three quarters of everyone we started out with. I saw so many friends die. I saw children [i]eaten[/i]. I saw mutilations of the human form and desecrations of the human mind. And then I turned. Tiamat Strain. Used to be transmissible. Like a virus? S’part of how so many of us- them, spread. I don’t need to fill your ears with more stories about war and death, do I? Our population exploded. We used up too much from the ship’s hydroponics. Twenty million of us on a ship designed for six million. We started eating each other again. We went mad. [i]I[/i] went mad for a time.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “Then we rediscovered how to work the cryosleep chambers. We thawed them out, [i]Ojīsan[/i], [i]otōsan[/i], the others - we hoped they might know something. Something to help us. Something to save us?” Tiamat laughed, and her laughter consumed her for a time as she slouched back in her seat, laughing without control or without care, maniacal, scarred laughter. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she brought herself down again, staring at Pe’lin and then at Tahn, “You wanna know what my [i]god-damn father and grandfather[/i] ordered? They look right at me. Their daughter and granddaughter - and saw a monster. [b]THEY ORDERED ME KILLED.[/b]” She yelled out, now howling with deranged laughter, “On the spot! Ordered me and everyone else fucking killed! Demons! That’s what they called us! Mutant abominations!” She lapsed into semi-silence again, choking back sobs and deranged laughter, gradually quieting down. “He died giving that order. I shot him in the chest. I shot [i]Ojīsan[/i] in the chest. I watched them stare at me, as they realized, finally, who I was. That the monster was their beloved family. I realized, then, that they were the monsters. That no matter what form I took, no matter how beautiful or hideous, it was my soul that made me a monster or not. And I [i]was[/i] a monster. I pried their skulls open with the help of a Shinchu Strain. I held their warm, still living brains in my hands. I… consumed them, in a sense. I learned everything they knew. I learned how they stood by and allowed earth to die. I saw how they torpedoed the last chances of salvation to squeeze every last drop of profit from her dying corpse.” She lapsed into silence once more, staring at the ground. “And then I turned to my people and told them there was nothing they knew that could save us, and to recycle the bodies to create more soldiers.” Pe’lin could have been mistaken as dead, petrified as she was at what had been recounted - and the implications it carried with it. Tahn meanwhile was anything but afraid, and she chuckled lightly before opening her mouth. “After hundreds of years and a godsdamned speciation event, the truth of Gaia’s death remained - and it was remembered by the spawn of demons at that! Please, forgive my foolishness, it’s thanks to you that my ancestors can now rest peacefully.” “Binvӑre…” Uttered Pe’lin at last, her voice distant and monotone. “What was that, Admiral?” “Binvӑre. An ancient legend of the Qurtel tribe, a world which a D’jim sorcerer opened a passage to in the time of the exodus. The demon within it, Basjined, is said to have laid waste to the planet of our birth. Proper historical study of homeworld artifacts was a death blow to the religion which birthed the myth, but… the similarity is disturbing. Basjined was said to corrupt the living into unnatural forms - animalistic beasts, shambling horrors with charred skin, monsters the likes of which the world had never seen. The time dilation, too - legend says that there was no time in Binvӑre.” “Hell isn’t exactly a rare concept in mythology, Admiral.” “And that story has had tens of thousands of years to be told and retold to the point of being unrecognizable compared to the original.” Pe’lin sighed, “What disturbs me more than the eerie similarities is merely the fact that what you describe, Tiamat, is worse than any myth I have heard. It is a miracle you remain sane.” [i]And a miracle that I stopped myself from saying “as sane as you are”.[/i] She thought. Tiamat frowned, “A moment, Admiral - do you mean to tell me you’re not human?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “Of course I’m not.” Said Pe’lin rather incredulously, “Do I look like a human to-” She paused for a moment, taking in the form of the woman who until recently she had assumed was completely unrelated to the Gelderruhê. “Ah.” She continued, “Yes, I suppose I do. No, we Urdji are from many thousands of light years away from your original home system. Were my insides those of a human these wings of mine would be just for decoration - and I can assure you that they are not. We have been traveling the stars since before your kind learned to plant crops.” “Not taking into account relativistic time dilation.” Added Tahn, “Can you believe they didn’t even have quantum computers when we made first contact?” “Hard to devote effort to theoretical pursuits when you’re being hunted across interstellar space.” Said Pe’lin with a shrug. Silence was the only response for a moment as Tiamat watched Pe’lin with a calculating expression on her face. Slowly, however, it melted away into a genuine smile. “Well, let me apologize, admiral Pe’lin. I… well, we’re still getting accustomed to things. The Gateways only started back up six months ago, we’d forgotten what a baseline human face looked like until then. Please, accept my most humble apology.” She inclined her head towards the Urdji admiral, in a symbol of genuine deference. “We’ll make sure to avoid such mistakes going forward. And… ah! Yes. Your people are truly remarkable, admiral. To have set foot among the stars so long ago.” She inclined her head, “Truly, a wonderful accomplishment. You are proud and deservedly so. As for this… Binvӑre.” She sighed. “You are right. From what you tell me the similarity is disturbing. I have yet more history to recall, if you wish to hear it - but it is true that within that chasm of nothingness, no time passed and yet we experienced five hundred and eighty three years. Mutated shambling horrors, hungry beasts, eternity passing in an instant…” She shuddered, “Whatever lead to this I hope your people have never experienced what mine did.” “Perfectly understandable, I suppose.” Said Pe’lin, subdued hints of a laugh on the edges of her mouth, “In honesty I had assumed you were completely unrelated to humanity when I saw your entourage on the guards’ helmet cams. Makes me wonder if us Urdji looked at all like we do now back when we left the motherworld.” Tiamat smiled, “Well, if you’d like, I’d be happy to relay the rest of the story, at least as I personally remember it. It’s been many a year since I’ve left my home, and longer still since I met people so interested in hearing my little autobiography.” Tahn leaned in, resting her head on her arms and her arms on her knees, and turned to stare at the barely human demonslayer sitting next to her. A great, gregarious smile grew across her face. “Please do! Trust me, if you put this onto paper a quarter of the system will be reading it in weeks.” Pe’lin’s only input was a sigh, a nod, and laying her left wind on her lap for preening. She’d settled in for the long haul. A cybernetic hand patted Tahn affectionately on the head. “Good girl.” Tiamat purred, settling in as well beside the Captain, “I’ve always wanted to be famous in [i]two[/i] systems.” Comfortably settled in, Tiamat launched back into her tale, weaving a tapestry of horrors and triumphs just as shocking as the first half. She spoke of her time trapped within the mind of the Hive Strain, of her creation of the Valkyrie Strain from numerous others, the eventual success in driving the Hive Strain into hiding for good. She spoke of the creation of technology from her own experimental procedures, of the trials and tribulations that beset her. She spoke of leaving the void, coming face to face with unfamiliar stars in an unfamiliar part of the galaxy, the Gateway behind them yet tens of thousands of light-years from their original intended position. She spoke of the horrors of the world they would come to call home. The parasitic infections. The carnivorous algae that consumed people from inside out. The hostile, [i]murderous[/i] native sapients they had encountered. The near-apocalyptic war, and the near-glassing of the world. She spoke of ancient troves of technologies burned and desecrated before she could reach them. She spoke of relinquishing control to her people, and allowing them to guide the way forward. And at last, she spoke of the present day, finding out that they were not alone. That humanity had not died out in the void, and that their suffering had been but a fluke. She spoke of the mixture of relief and indignation that rose up amongst her people. She spoke of those they had encountered, and lastly… “And that brings me to you.” She said, smiling, “And my meeting with you and your fascinating peoples.” Tahn was enraptured by the tale, and had even scrawled some of the more memorable quotes onto her coat - even the well-appointed flag quarters of the Tavrê did not have paper just lying around. Pe’lin had found herself taken by the stories as well, and she had to sheepishly kick the debris she had absent-mindedly picked from her wings beneath the table. “I always wondered what it would have been like if we had arrived to find a flourishing civilization instead of rubble.” Said Tahn, “... Maybe it’s best that we did not.” “Thank the gods that we gave you a chance to say hello.” Said Pe’lin, “Your war was fought with weapons well beyond our capabilities, Tiamat, but it doesn’t take much to puncture the ‘pressurized tin cans’, as the humans say, that we call home. I doubt we could have survived such hostility.” “And whoever did would have had to face [i]them[/i].” “Indeed. I had never put much thought into just how lucky our peoples were to have met the way we did. I am sorry, Tiamat, for the horrors of your war - and the loss of another civilization, foolish as they may have been.” “You’re a good omen, Tiamat.” Said Tahn, “After all you and your people have been through, you have conquered the horrors of your past - even the horrors of the world you left. Maybe all the madness of the old world really is behind us now, eh?” But Tiamat did not respond. Tiamat stared into an ocean of chaos and madness. She stared in mute, stunned horror as a emergent broadcast broke through the Gateway, garbled signals and interference distorting the images and the outcry that sent her world spinning madly into a yawning, abyssal chasm. She watched her world burn, as mushroom clouds rose over the skyline of Neriven. Defense batteries opened fire and the sky above her home bloomed in a million shades of incandescent, radioactive death. She saw burned, mangled bodies and black human shadows of death. Casualty estimates flooded her mind. Millions. Tens of millions, even. A city of nearly a billion souls, under siege. Images of the old world were seared into her mind. Museums of death and horror, the atrocity her people had gone through even back then - now revisited upon them once more. Warships, an entire invading fleet, cascaded through the Gateway, overwhelming its weakened defenses in a decisive first strike. The Ishtari fleet, much of it parked in drydock in preparation for an offensive of their own planned for but a month from now, was destroyed without firing a shot or managed to escape further into the system to shipyards out of immediate threat range. War had come, and her people were dying. “I…” She croaked, hoarsely, tears welling in her eyes and a look of horror upon her features as she stared into the void beyond. “No, it can’t be happening. We prepared. We…” “A-Are you alright?” Said Tahn, placing a hand on Tiamat’s shoulder. “Tiamat?” Tiamat turned to her, her eyes wide in terror. “I am a terrible omen, Tahn. No sooner did I leave my home than death came to us. Even now, even after all these years…” She trailed off, tears glistening in her eyes. “The madness of the old world followed us, as it always has. I-” she drew a deep breath, “I must leave. My people are under attack. They have bombarded our cities with nuclear missiles, burned much of our fleet in orbit. Millions of my people are dead already. I mus- I must go.” She declared, choking back a sob. “Defend your Gateway, for I fear they mean to kill anyone nonhuman, and they’ve started with us.” “What? Who?” Exclaimed Pe’lin, “And why? You humans are scattered across the stars and your homeworld is long gone by now! What sort of madmen would start a war - a genocide even - and risk extinction?!” “Another human nation. People of an ilk I would have hoped had died out long ago.” Tiamat said wearily, “Human supremacists. We were preparing to attack them first, to not give them the chance. And now I know we underestimated them - or overestimated ourselves.” She stood, “I must leave. Guard your Gateway. My ancestors may have brought ruin to humanity before, but I will not stand by and allow ruination again while I can help it. Take care, Captain Tahn and Admiral Pe’lin, if I never see you again please know that it has been an honor.” “Trust me, ma’am, you [i]will[/i] see us again.” Said Tahn, “Transmit your gate’s code as you leave, at the very least I am certain many Captains would be quite happy to offer their service as mercenaries. And frankly there’s always a glut of Lushan-Class cruisers for sale among the Human tribes.” “I concur.” Said Pe’lin, “These supremacists represent a grave threat to the Confederacy, for obvious reasons. We will be bringing this matter to Bilnd-Sûmangişt Tadokoro and the Peshnia. If they see your people as a target despite sharing genes, then I shudder to think what they would do to what we have built together.” “I will also petition the Admiral of my tribe to support you in this war. Even he ought to see the danger that this enemy represents.” Tiamat smiled thinly, “I am glad to have met such people as you two. If such comes to pass, then after this calamity has been resolved may our peoples stand strong together in the galaxy. The greatest of hearts, it seems, may be forged from the hottest flame. Farewell for now, Tahn, Pe’lin.”