I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo! characters or anything associated with it except for those characters and ideas produced by me, the author. The events of this story take place in the Tenchi Muyo! OAV universe.
UPDATE: Existing chapters have been been reorganized into fewer albeit longer chapters for easier management and a more novel type of format. The overall story is still intact.
How swiftly Caesar had surmounted the icy Alps and in his mind conceived immense upheavals, coming war. When he reached the water of the little Rubicon, clearly to the leader through the murky night appeared a mighty image of his country in distress; grief in her face, her white hair streaming from her tower- crowned head. With tresses torn and shoulders bare, she stood before him in sighing, said: "Where further do you march? Where do you take my standards warriors? If lawfully you come if as citizens, this far only is allowed." Then trembling struck the leader's limbs, his hair grew stiff and weakness checked his progress, holding his feet at the river's edge. At last he speaks. "Oh thunderer… surveying great Rome's walls from the Tarpeian Rock. Oh Phrygian, house gods of lulus, clan and mysteries of Quirinus who was carried off to heaven. Oh, Jupiter of Latium seated in lofty Alba and hearths of Vesta. Oh, Rome, equal to the highest deity, favor my plans! Not with impious weapons do I pursue you. Here am I, Caesar, conqueror of land and sea, your own soldier everywhere now too if I am permitted. The man who makes me your enemy, it is he will be the guilty one." Then he broke the barriers of war and through the swollen river swiftly took his standards. When Caesar crossed the flood and reached the opposite bank from Hesperia's forbidden fields, he took his stand and said: "Here I abandoned peace and desecrated law. Fortune, it is you I follow. Farewell to treaties, from now on war is our judge." Hail Caesar. We who are about to die salute you.
-Chronicle from Marcus Lucanus on Julius Caesar's crossing of the River Rubicon.
-EARTH YEAR 5743 AU-
-PLANET ARMAGEDDON-
The setting sun lit up the surface of Armageddon and made the Governor's Palace and artificial sea glisten and glitter, but made the distant ash wastes look as dead as ever until night fell. Soon the wastes would light up for thousands of miles as an iridescent blue, created from the apocalyptic war that raged here over two centuries ago. Planetary Governor Uriel Severus of the Terran Empire stood out upon his balcony that overlooked the New Aegean Sea trying to admire the view as he waited for his guest to arrive, but it only served as a reminder of past horrors. The governor heard a knock at his chamber door and turned to see one of his aids enter.
"My lord, Professor Cadmos of the Galaxy Academy has just arrived," said the aid.
Severus nodded and in reply said, "Thank you Cleitus. Please show him in."
"Aye my lord," replied Cleitus and turned to the pale man waiting patiently behind him flanked by two palace guards on either side of him. With a gesture of his hand Cleitus waved for the man to enter. Professor Cadmos gave him his thanks and entered the chamber, the door closing behind him.
Professor Cadmos and his escorts made their way over to the balcony where the governor looked on into the distance. By now the sun had set and the distant wastes were glowing signature iridescent blue that dominated the landscape. Cadmos joined Governor Severus on the balcony in looking at this man-made wonder and for a while they just stood and looked. Cadmos could only look on in wonder and amazement. Two centuries ago this planet had been a luscious, vibrant world. Now most of it was nothing more than a giant, radioactive wasteland. Still, the local inhabitants had refused to leave their homes and continued to try and re-cultivate their obliterated world. The Terran Emperor had stepped in as well after the war had ended and since then had worked to atone for his sins. Most had deemed it impossible, but progress could be seen. The vast artificial ocean below was proof of that.
"It's quite beautiful governor," commented Cadmos.
"And just as deadly my friend," replied the governor. "Those wastes can kill a man in a few days if he's unprotected."
"I thought the Emperor's terraforming project was going well here on Armageddon? Are the artificial oceans just as deadly?" asked Cadmos as he gave the governor a look of doubt.
The governor replied reassuringly, "The technology of the Divisio de Scientia has ensured that the New Aegean Sea as well as all other bodies of water and developing environments on this planet are quite free of the planet's massive radioactive effects. But enough of that, let's go inside shall we?" As the two men then ventured inside and closed the balcony door behind them, Cadmos continued their conversation.
"And where is the Emperor? Last I heard he was here on Armageddon to check on the progress of the terraforming project."
"He and Lady Washu of Jurai have returned to Terra for the anniversary of the Unification Wars and left prior to your arrival," said Severus.
"The Unification Wars..." thought Cadmos. "The series of conflicts waged by the Terran Emperor in order to drag the people of Earth kicking and screaming into one single nation," he recalled one of his professors telling him those many years ago at the academy. Back then he was still a wet behind the ears assistant lapping up any experience he could get while pursuing his doctorate. The Great Galactic War had ended some twenty years prior to that, the very year he was born in fact. He was lucky to have avoided all those years of bloodshed and constant warfare. No one knows how many died but it was estimated to be in the tens of billions. The Terran and Jurai Empires along with the Galactic Union were all still recovering from the effects of the war two centuries later but so far the peace has been maintained as a result of the armistice. The Terrans ruled over roughly one half of the galaxy while the Juraians and Galactic Union the other.
It wasn't until the Jurai Empire and the Galactic Union joined forces that they were finally able to slow and eventually stop the relentless advance of the Terran Empire. The planet Kanemitsu or Armageddon as it is now known was the high water mark of the conflict. It was here that the final battles of the war were raged and a vibrant world that was once one of the great centers of galactic trade was obliterated. When the Terrans couldn't take it they decided to rain nuclear fire down on the planet and its defenders with the end result being the state the planet is in now. It was also here that the current boundaries of the galaxy were drawn. The planet itself was divided up into different zones with each major power claiming a piece for themselves and it was here that the peace was kept.
Cadmos sighed. The mere complexity of the situation here on Armageddon was enough to make anyone's head hurt. He turned his mind back to the task as hand and replied, "That's unfortunate. I had hoped to meet the Emperor in person."
After making their way into the study, Governor Severus offered Professor Cadmos a seat in a leather chair that sat before a roaring fire while the two guards stood outside the doorway. The governor then made his way over to a large oak table on which sat a number of crystal decanters that contained a smorgasbord of spirits. He chose one that contained an amber spirit and opened it and put his nose to it, taking in the aged smell of amasec. As he grabbed two glasses and began to fill them, Cadmos amused himself by looking around the study. It was a far cry from the rest of the Governor's Palace which was mostly of white marble and granite while as most of this study was predominantly wood. As he continued to survey his surroundings a large, old oil painting on the wall caught his attention. The painting portrayed a series of warriors encased in black, blood stained armor charging gallantly towards a defensive wall being desperately held by Juraian soldiers. The light from the sun was piercing through the smoke from the battle and lit up the warriors in black as if they were divine. At the head of their charge was a large, magnificent crimson standard emblazoned with gold. At the center was an eagle surrounded by a wreath of olive leaves and perched on a branch and below were large letters that read SPQR. It was lit up by the light of the sun as well and was being carried by a gravely wounded, white haired man who held it high for all to see. Leading them on at the front with the standard bearer was who Cadmos presumed to be the leader. The man brandished an ornate sword that seemed to have a white flame writhing around it and the blade was brighter than any sun. He stood tall on the defensive wall and pointed the weapon towards the enemy defenders and looking back urged his men to surge ever onward into the wall of enemy fire.
Behind the Juraian defenders stood Tenju, the ginormous tree that served as the Imperial Palace for the Royal Family of Jurai. The painting was a scene of absolute chaos, desperation and death and at the same time was also a beautiful depiction of glory, determination and sacrifice. As Cadmos continued to observe the painting it was the standard in this work of art that caught his attention among all other things. There was something so familiar about it. As he continued to think on this he finally recalled reading a description of the standard in an eye-witness account during his research of the Immortals and the Seven Days War. He was now sure that this man he had come to see was an original survivor of this conflict, though most people would dismiss this notion as being ludicrous. The battle portrayed in the painting took place almost four millennia ago. The chance that the governor of this planet was an original survivor was almost impossible. There could be thousands of other people in the galaxy that could bare the same name as this man and just as well any one of them could be the man Cadmos has so desperately sought after. No, he was sure of it. This is the man Cadmos has sought after for so long.
"The Battle of Heavens' Tree," said a voice from behind.
Cadmos turned his gaze to Severus who handed him a glass of the amber spirit and took his seat and turned his gaze to the antique painting. Cadmos gave his thanks and took a drink of the liquor; it had a strong taste and burned all the way down his throat. Severus followed suit and took a drink of the liquor as well taking in its full flavor.
"Are you familiar with it professor?"
"Oh yes, very much so. That's why I' am here."
"And you are with the Historical Department of the Galaxy Academy, correct?"
"That is correct, governor," replied Cadmos.
"Then tell me what you know of it if you would."
"Very well," said Cadmos confidently. "The Battle of Heavens' Tree was the last ditch effort for the attacking Terran forces to secure their independence from the Juraian Empire in the Seven Days War. The charge portrayed in the painting succeeded in penetrating the palace's outer defenses, but unfortunately the Terrans were unable to penetrate the palace itself. There are many questions I need answered and only you can answer them... Captain Nicolai Karzanovich.
Severus stopped drinking and looked at the professor with a wide-eyed look for a few moments. He then set his glass down on the small, oak table that sat between the two men's chair and stood up. Cadmos watched his as he walked over to the fire place. Lacing his hands together behind his back the governor walked to the front of the fireplace and stopped.
"I'll not ask how you came to know this information professor," the governor said coldly.
"I have my ways sir."
"By knowing this fact I could have you locked up for the rest of your life; even executed. You were aware of these risks I assume?"
"I was," Cadmos replied simply.
"And yet you still came, knowing what the consequences might be?"
"Yes."
For a time the governor continued to look into the fire as thoughts and decisions raced through his mind.
"Guards!" he said aloud. The two men came rushing in and snapped to attention.
Cadmos began to fear that he would have to face the consequences of his actions. If that was the case then there would be no power in the entire universe that could help him now.
"Yes sir?" asked one of the guards.
"Leave us and make sure that we are not disturbed." The guard hammered his fist to his chest and bowed.
"As you wish my lord," replied the guard and along with his counterpart left the room. Before he spoke Severus waited until he heard his chamber door close to make sure they were alone.
"It's said that they were the greatest fighting force in the history of all mankind," he started to say. "It is true that the forces that assaulted Jurai are possibly considered to be the greatest fighting force in history, but it was the Immortals who were responsible for our many victories during the war against the Shank Pirates and their allies. Without them we wouldn't have even gotten within a thousand light years of the Jurai home system, let alone gotten as far as we did on the surface."
"My research says that...", Cadmos started to say before being cut off.
"Your research is based on relatively few facts my friend. Your books documented a mostly false history, the true story has never been fully told. Time and the will of the victors has a way of smudging fact over long periods if not outright omitting them."
"Then tell me, who were the Immortals really?" Cadmos asked curiously.
"They were once the protectors and rulers of an ancient empire on Terra for over a thousand years. When their mighty empire fell, their sense of purpose was lost and they scattered across to the four corners of the Earth." Severus then made his way over to the oil painting, reaching out with his hand and placed it on the two men in the center of the painting. "It was Durante and Vincere who nearly led us to victory on Jurai after we were betrayed. Our sacrifices during the war and the promises made to us by the Juraians and the Galactic Union were thrown to the way side in the name of self interest," said Severus with a hint of disdain as he turned around to face the professor.
"You wish to know who the Immortals are? Then I shall tell you their story," he said as he placed his hand back on the two men in the painting. "I shall tell you about these gods of war."