[INDENT][H3][SUB][color=#AD8251]|[/color] [color=#C79C67]E[/color][color=#D4A973]A[/color][color=#E1B67E]R[/color][color=#EEC38A]T[/color][color=#E1B67E]H[/color][color=#D4A973]-[/color][color=#C79C67]6[/color][color=#BA8F5C]6[/color][color=#AD8251]8[/color][/SUB][/H3][COLOR=#EFC48A][SUP][COLOR=2C2C2C]__[/COLOR]THE VEGA SYSTEM - THE EREBUS, THE CITADEL FLAGSHIP[/SUP][/COLOR]
[indent][COLOR=darkgray]The Tamaranean woman walked the bottom-lit hallway flanked by a pair of armed Gordanian guards. Long black hair flowed from the back of her alien orange skin, falling against her back and spilling over the purple fabric of her intricate bodice's train. Waiting for her on the massive vessel's bridge was Lord Antar Ftt B'Jan. He was a Kree deserter, though despite being a tailcoat, it hadn't stopped Ftt B'Jan from having a bloated sense of self-importance due to his position as the sole autarch of the desolate world of Hny'xx. The Tamaranean Queen was familiar with the Kree male, as like herself, Antar had forcibly been made to sign an alliance with the Citadel when they sieged the Vega System.

[color=white]"<Ah,>"[/color][color=gray][sup]1[/sup][/color] Antar acknowledged the Tamaranean Queen coldly as she entered the room. [color=white]"<Queen Kormand'r, your sister sends her regards.>"[/color]

[color=786DAE]"<I'm surprised her heart still beats in her chest. I thought your pits were supposed to be only for the strong.>"[/color]

[color=white]"<Your disdain for your sister blinds you if you think her weak.>"[/color] Taunted Antar,  [color=white]"<You gifted me my champion, she's the strongest contender in the pit. But!>"[/color] He paused, rubbing his hands together wickedly,  [color=white]"<I have someone [i]new[/i] I'm eagerly anticipating will give her a challenge.>"[/color]

[color=786DAE]"<They had better provide more than a challenge,>"[/color] Kormand'r snarled, [color=786DAE]"<They had better kill her or I'll personally be visiting your backwater little world to finish the job personally!>"[/color]

[color=B9B56A]"<Might we remind you, your majesty,>"[/color] A new voice hissed, [color=B9B56A]"<You are not in charge here.>"[/color] The Psion added, their reptilian tongue darting in and out from between their scaly lips as they approached the bickering pair. Kormand'r froze for the slightest second, her hair standing on end upon seeing not only a Psion, but this particular Psion again. Her right hand balled into a white-knuckled fist, fingernails threatening to draw blood from her palm as she increasingly squeezed.

[color=B9B56A]"<My Lady sends her regards and flagship in her stead, but she will not join us today. Our forces on the Shi'ar front are more demanding of her focus at this time.>"[/color]

[color=786DAE]"<Plytus.>"[/color] Kormand'r started, steeling her tone to hide any hesitation in her voice, [color=786DAE]"<Lady Styx does herself a disservice sending a Kraalian crotch-worm in her stead. Our history is hardly cordial, I should cut you down where you stand.>"[/color]

The Gordanians flanking the Tamaranean Queen tightened the grip on their weapons, but to Kormand'r's surprise, they were not pointed at Plytus, but rather at her. The crocodilian-like guards had an almost sly smile to their toothy snouts. Their long tails raised from their relaxed position on the floor, balancing them to spring into action. Perhaps it should not have surprised Kormand'r where their loyalty would truly lie as she looked from one reptilian species to the other. The Gordanians after all, were made in their creator's image.

[color=B9B56A]"<And you, my dear Queen,>"[/color] Plytus replied, raising a clawed limb signalling the Gordanian guards to relax, [color=B9B56A]"<Need to remember to whom your position is owed.>"[/color] Plytus purred walking past the Tamaranean without fear of harm.

[color=B9B56A]"<After all I fixed you.>"[/color] He stated before taking a seat in the commanding officer's chair on the [i]Erebus[/i]' bridge. 

[color=B9B56A]"<You're welcome to cut me down, but that would make you a traitor to the Citadel. Your death would not be so quick, and Tamaran would be forfeit. Tell me, was the physical price you paid so high that you'd let your world die for revenge?>"[/color]

Kormand'r locked eyes with Plytus, defiantly staring the reptile down before the tense silence was broken by Antar.

[color=white]"<As I have no interest in this stalemate, I would ask why, if the Lady could not be present we were summoned to her flagship, Herald.>"[/color]

Plytus gave Kormand'r one last smug look before turning his eyes towards Antar.

[color=B9B56A]"<Centuri VI was lost to the Reach.>"[/color] The statement hung in the room, even the Tamaranean seemed stunned enough to stifle her feud with the Psion, at least temporarily.

[color=B9B56A]"<The Hive has begun a hostile expansion and we can't be sure that the Vega System is not in their path. The Citadel is already at war with the Shi'ar and we have barely settled our ceasefire with the Kree Empire. Tensions are high and a single ship in the neutral zone could make the entire Rann-Thanagar Treaty fall apart. Lady Styx expects the utmost competency from you both. Get your houses in order before the Reach is on our doorstep.>"[/color]

Plytus looked down at both the leaders before him.

[color=B9B56A]"<Did you think your Lady did not know about the uprisings on Tamaran? Sparing the resistance simply because your brother is among them, now who is weak your majesty?>"[/color] The Herald scolded before turning to Antar. 

[color=B9B56A]"<And you, using prisoners for entertainment instead of harvesting the resources that Hny'xx holds beneath her surface. You were a traitor to your people, the Citadel did not put you on Hny'xx to indulge in a hedonistic fantasy. You are there to work, you are there to make sure that planet is stripped to its core for the glory of the Citadel! Stop wasting their strength in the pit when it should be used for the quarry!>"[/color] Plytus roared, salvia flying from his maw.

[color=B9B56A]"<Guards!>"[/color] The Psion snapped, motioning towards both the Queen and the Lord. [color=B9B56A]"<Get them out of my sight.>"[/color]

As she was escorted from the bridge, Kormand'r managed to steal one last look at Plytus. She could still smell the sterile lab environment as she looked at his smug visage, still feel his cold-blooded fingers ignoring her cries and still hear the hissing laughter at her agony.

The reptile would die by her hand.[/COLOR][/INDENT][color=gray][sub][sup]1[/sup] - Translated from a Vega System Pidgin Dialect.[/sub][/color][/INDENT]
[color=gray][INDENT][/INDENT][CENTER][COLOR=#AD8251][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5494906][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1192220234057265232/1192870402507153478/Guardians_Banner_1.png?ex=65aaa622&is=65983122&hm=985e627ef4307d34f9ed0290661584bd1beac296ef78b8c988fb33ac0817b8f3&[/img][/url][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=#EFC48A][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]The Gladitorial Pits[/I] - [I]Hyn'xx, 'Hope's End'[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=#EFC48A][b]The Chain #1.01:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Albatross[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=#AD8251][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][INDENT][sub][color=#EFC48A][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]None[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=#EFC48A][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I]None[/I][/right][/SUP]
[color=darkgray][INDENT][b]Thud.[/b]

The leathery fist made contact with Carter's face. The meaty slap echoed across the open arena, eliciting a cheer from the crowd and a muted grunt from the Terran combatant. Rearing back a fist, the four-armed Branx held the Thanagarian warrior tightly between his lower arms while continuing to swing wildly with his other two arms.

[b]Thud.[/b]

	Thud.

		[I][color=#A9A9A9]T[/color][color=#A0A0A0]h[/color][color=#989898]u[/color][color=#909090]d[/color][color=#888888].

The wall suddenly gave way, revealing the hidden chamber behind the ancient wall. Entering the new opening, Dr. Carter Hall straightened his hat before igniting his flashlight. The beam refracted off the metallic hull of the vessel within.

It was exactly as he recalled it through his ancestor's memory. It was perfectly preserved despite the passing of several millennia, the damage sustained from the crash was barely visible as the Nth Metal slowly healed itself using the vessel's dwindling power reserves. The Brontadon had once been cutting-edge technology and by Earth standards, it still held up. Its Nth Metal construction made it capable of exiting the atmosphere with next to no difficulty, easily defying gravity all while giving the ship an almost organic construction.

Removing it from Egypt was no small feat, but after managing to circumvent several layers of red tape, Carter had the Brontadon back state side where Pat Dugan whistled admirably at the sleek construction.

[color=silver]"Don't worry, Carter. I can definitely get this bird back in the air."[/color]

He was true to his word too as Carter found himself making his first jump to lightspeed. The ship handled beautifully until it suddenly didn't. Pulled from lightspeed, the console was flashing various shades of amber, red and orange. Weapons' fire rained along the hull and Carter found himself in a dogfight without a gunner. The Wingships were designed to be flown by a team of two, a gunner and a pilot. 

Out maunevered and flanked, the Brontadon soon was entangled between four tractor beams and Carter found himself looking up into the mask of the pirate captain. His ship stolen, stripped for its precious resource, Carter was given as tribute to a local despot. The despot recognized him as a Thangarian, a fighter. 

Leading to Carter joining the pits.

T[/color][color=#909090]h[/color][color=#989898]u[/color][color=#A0A0A0]d[/color][color=#A9A9A9].[/color][/i]

[color=#A48C04]"Enough of this."[/color] Carter roared as the final punch split his lip. Warm blood dribbled into the thick layer of stubble that had begun to cover his chin. Tucking his knees to his chest, Carter drove his heels straight forward into the Branx's abdomen, aiming for where the diaphragm was located on a human. Whether he struck the equivalent alien organ or not, it was enough to loosen the larger sentient's grip. Using the advantage, Carter took ahold of the alien's wrists, pulling his knees up again but this time twisting his torso upwards. Delivering another set of sharp kicks, Carter struck the underside of the Branx's jaw, driving its tusks upwards into its own cheekbones.

Its cry of pain echoed across the arena as the spectators jeered at Carter's sudden reversal. Free from the alien's grip, the Thanagarian warrior retrieved his sword, sliding between the towering alien's legs and slashing across the back of its calves. Following up with a swift kick to the back of its knee, the Branx howled with agony before dropping to the ground. 

A pommel strike to the back of the head was enough to completely daze the creature before Carter slid the blade of his weapon under its chin.

[color=#A48C04]"At least make it a challenge for me!"[/color] He mocked, looking defiantly towards the ruler of Hope's End, Lord Antar Ftt B'Jan.

[color=#A48C04]"Do you yield?"[/color] Carter roared in the Branx's earhole as the crowd jeered again.

[color=white]"<No.>"[/color]

[color=#A48C04]"So be it."[/color] Carter muttered as the warm silver liquid spilled over his blade and onto the rusty sand below. The displeasure of the crowd echoed in Carter's ears as he returned to the undercroft beneath the arena's floor.[/INDENT][/color][/INDENT][CENTER][COLOR=#AD8251][sub]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/COLOR][/center][COLOR=#AD8251][SUP][table][row][sup][h1][color=2c2c2c][b]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/b][right][b]▅▅▅▅▅[/b][/right][/color][/h1][/sup][/row][row][cell][color=#2c2c2c]- -[/color]|◄ [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5495263][COLOR=#EFC48A][b]FIRST[/b][/COLOR][/url][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][center]◄ [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5496089][COLOR=#EFC48A][B]PREV[/B][/COLOR][/url] || [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5496089][COLOR=#EFC48A][B]NEXT[/B][/COLOR][/url] ►[color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][/center][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][INDENT][right][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5496089][COLOR=#EFC48A][B]LATEST[/B][/COLOR][/url] ►|[/right][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/color][/COLOR]