Eons from now, man will have had left earth in droves, the planet dead from
their relentless assault on it. Leaving behind the depraved; the poor; the
useless and those who do not wish to leave their homes.
As the race of mankind expanded and formed empires which eventually collapsed into dark ages where planets were cut off before someone rediscovered the secrets of the great engines that allowed them to cross the gulfs between the few inhabitable worlds people, those with the lust to become more powerful altered their bodies, starting on the small planet that had birthed them this practice had grown, no longer just the experiments to create the 'perfect' human, but to change the body. Change it utterly and completely so that sometimes it wasn't even recognizable.
The only ones who could afford this were the rich, the powerful, drawing together the greatest politicians, businessmen and other of their ilk gravitated to one another, seeing as the normal humans scorned them. They weren't alone in their disgust as the transformed had all the disdain that the strong usually had for the weak.
Gradually these people, using genetic and cybernetic modifications became so different from humanity they had barely traces of the same makeup of their ancestors. The normal people became slightly fearful of them for many were cruel and had developed a liking for doling out pain.
They were called monsters, demons, devils, and other such names but the one that stuck, that perfectly described them for what they had become was Youkai.
Creatures of power. Creatures who used that power mainly for evil or to gain more power.
Then disaster struck, humanity, who had become engorged, stretched nearly all the way to the galactic center from the arm of their part of their galaxy began the most devastating wars in history.
Almost every single habited world was depopulated; the five great empires fell, carrying their people with them into a grave that was filled with trillions.
When it ended a century later the only true survivors, those who had managed, bleeding and broken but not beaten, to survive, were the Youkai, and the humans who lived alongside them, the tiny section of the galaxy, maybe 20 habitable worlds within a thousand light year radius. Sparsely settled, as most humans despised the youkai but worked for them for money and security that was provided the tiny empire, the only empire left blossomed.
Centuries passed, The youkai becoming more and more secular, the changes made in them becoming permanent, an entire separate race with only tiny shreds of humanity left in them, enough to prove that they were distant relations to the humans and the ability to sometimes breed with them but no more.
Cybernetics and genetics to the scale that needed to alter the body to the degree of the youkai had been largely lost and the youkai reproduced the good old-fashioned way.
After a millennia of rebuilding Humanity once again has spread across the galaxy, not as rampant as before but a good portion of their arm of the Milky Way. The Youkai Empire has been split into four factions, united in name but not much more then that. The four most powerful families of Youkai rule, one for each 'direction' away from the central world of the Youkai Empire.
The Lords of the North, The Tai-Youkai Dragon Clan.
The Lords of the East, The Tai-Youkai Tiger Clan.
The Lords of the South, The Tai-Youkai Ogre Clan.
The Lords of the West, The Tai-Youkai Dog Clan.
Recently, to the great disgust of his peers and to the disgust of both his human and youkai subjects the Tai-Youkai of the Dog Clan has taken a human life-mate. Though both parties have entirely different targets of their disgust.
His previous life-mate had died in a particularly nasty assassination attempt on his life leaving him alone with his only son Sessoumarou to remember her by. Unfortunately history often repeats itself and to the great grief of many, for he had been a caring ruler, another attempt was made and succeeded, leaving his two sons. The cold and aloof Sessoumaru, now ruler of the most powerful clan in the West, and Inuyasha, the outcast, feared and hated by the normal humans and disgusted a reviled by the youkai.
There is one place where humans and youkai, and the occasional hanyou can go where your parents don't matter unless you want up in rank. Where it didn't matter what world or quadrant you were born in. Where your worth depends on how tough you are in a fight. Where you are valued because you can look out for your fellows regardless of anything else. Where your value is seen as the same as everyone else.
The Imperial Youkai Marine Corp.
******
"Jaken, where is Inuyasha? I have not seen him ranting at the help this morning."
"I'm afraid he left last night, before you came back."
The Tai-Youkai raised a single eyebrow and Jaken gulped, his Lord was not pleased.
"Sessoumaru-Sama, this unworthy one is not sure but he thinks he went to join the Imperial Youkai Marine Corps, he also brought the Tetsusaiga with him, this unworthy one noticed it gone from its resting place in the vault."
"Jaken, are you telling me he left last night and is most likely already on his way off planet and heading towards the training camps where I won't be able to reach him for three years? And you did not tell me something of this importance?"
Sessoumaru watched as his flunky's greenish skin paled to a dull brown in fear and he began to plead forgiveness.
"Very well Jaken, but one more mistake like this and I shall kill you."
He turned around to contemplate the stretched out city beneath him. "Father, why did you leave us I wasn't ready then. I've barely filled in with you gone and now your reckless hanyou son has most likely gone and began the process of getting himself killed."
Sessoumaru, despite his outward appearances was actually fond of his brother and had tried to protect him as much as he could without ruining his image, which was all that had let him survive those trying times after his father's death.
"Please be safe little brother." A quiet whisper to an empty office. Jaken, long gone seeing his master ignoring him.
******
Two weeks after Inuyasha's departure from the world where he had lived for most of his life in a small shrine, two hundred light years away on a small barely settled world a young woman, just old enough to be accepted into military service began an argument with her grandfather for the umpteenth time.
"Jii-Chan! This is for the shrine, we need money and the IYMC is the best choice for me, I didn't excel at anything in school and menial jobs don't pay enough around here, you KNOW that."
"But Kagome, who will help me with the shrine? Souta isn't interested in it at all and he has just discovered girls! I'll never get him to pay attention."
"Jii-chan you'll do fine! Oh!" Kagome looked up as there was a quiet beep.
"I'll be late if I don't leave now by Jii-Chan." She gave a kiss on the old man's cheek and he sighed as she ran out of there. His eyes widened and he yelled out at her.
"Don't forget the Kappa's foot!"
Calling over her shoulder eyes dancing she called her reply as she slipped into the waiting hover-cab "I fed it to Buyo!"
The old man's jaw dropped.
"But that is wasteful." He wailed to the departing vehicle.
******
It was quiet, the deep darkness of the corridor was undisturbed except for the faint ripples in the air that made out an outline of a man, or a woman. An inaudible sound seemed to emerge from the ripples, as if the were talking to each other below anyone range of hearing.
"Clear."
Two other ripples in the air moved to the first ripple as they advanced down the quiet corridor until the reached the doorway.
"One"
"Two"
"Three"
"Go!"
The door exploded inwards and the ripples moved in to enter where they paused, assessing their surroundings when one abruptly dived back out of the doorway.
"It's a trap!"
She watched in horror as her father and brother turned too slow, suddenly the entire room was filled with an eiry and deadly glow. Her brother collapsing immediately, her father, had been caught part way out the door.
Weakly the man pushed aside his mask, revealing a handsome man of middle age who didn't look very alive at the moment.
"Don't worry Sango, get out, leave us I'm afraid even I can't survive such a dose of Drathian Radiation. Join the IYMC, it'll keep you safe until Naruku gives you up for dead. The instructions should be in Location B"
"Father!"
"Now Sango." The ripple nodded in reply and dashed off before the man pushed something on his lowly revealing form as the radiation slowly ate through his equipment.
A few moments later a massive explosion rocked the building as the ripple moved at almost inhuman speeds away, you would have needed very good hearing to hear her sobs of grief.
*******
*FLASHBACK*
Ten Years ago.
A a young boy stared at his hand in awe. He looked up at his father, a few minutes ago the skin of his hand had begun to peel off revealing a metal- like texture hand with a small opening in the palm, closed for now, but he could feel the ability to open it, and was tempted to do so.
"Are we part-Youkai father?"
"No son, that my son." He pointed at the hand with a saddened face as he peeled the fake skin off his own hand revealing a similar looking hand and limb before continuing.
".is our death sentence, one day, the black hole produced by these things, will go unstable and swallow me along with a good portion of the scenery. You see a long time ago your great-grandfather was in the same business as I am, sort of a family business as it were. We worked on troubleshooting rogue computer systems and on occasion, youkai. He was tracking a vicious youkai at the time who was known for his ability to change shape, and remain hidden as any youkai or human form he wished. Something like a kitsune but much, much more nasty and a whole hell of a lot more powerful."
He breathed in and smiled wryly.
"Also like me your great-grandfather was something of a pervert and fell for Naruku's scheme when it turned into a woman and injected a tube of experimental nano's that gave him this. Cursed and his children cursed. And to fix it would cost more then everyone on this planet had combined. Naruku told him that if Naruku died then the nano's would deactivate. Giving him a false hope since Naruku left the planet shortly after and he was unable to follow."
*END FLASHBACK*
The young man slowly turned his hand around looking at the seemingly innocent limb, covered in synth-flesh.
"Only way to track down Naruku is to go off-planet." He laughed bitterly. "Only way off planet is to get a job on a tramp freighter, where I would have no clue as where we would head." He slowly looked up at the building in front of him.
"Or join the Marines."
On it read "IMPERIAL YOUKAI MARINE CORPS - COLONIAL MANGEMENT CENTER"
Below on the window.
"Please enter and join today, you're government needs you!"
The man's face-hardened as he walked up to the door and opened it.
******
"Name?"
"Inuyasha."
"Youkai or Hanyou?"
"Hanyou."
"Type of youkai?"
"Inu."
"Political motivation."
"Nothing."
"Special abilities?"
"I can fight."
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
The scanner ran along it and the man's eyebrows rose fractionally, reminding Inuyasha too much of his brother, restraining a growl he stayed silent.
"Class A Morph Energy Sword? Impressive."
"Keh!"
"Welcome aboard Inuyasha! After training your personal effects will be returned to you, good luck!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? Teme!"
"All personal effects will be retained by the IYMC until basic training is completed, you will receive your effects when you're done or when you get kicked out."
The man smirked.
*****
"Name?"
"Kagome Higirashi"
"Human, Youkai or Human?"
"Human."
"Political motivation."
"Umm. nothing is that alright?"
"Yes Kagome it is."
"Special abilities?"
"I can hit anything I aim at. With anything, I once picked up an old fashioned bow at hit my target on first try." She smiled it was her one secret passion and skill, useless in the quiet planet she lived on.
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
She laid the two small bags on the counter; she knew of the IYMC's policy on personal belongings, she just wished she could keep the few holo- pictures with her.
"You are aware that all personal affects will be retained during the period you are undergoing basic training."
She nodded.
****** "Name?"
"Sango."
"Youkai, Human or Hanyou?"
"Human."
"Political motivation."
"I support the current Inu clan head."
"Special abilities?"
"I was training to be a member of a Taiji-Ya Clan."
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
Sango laid her equipment from the profession she had trained for all her life on the counter. Including her most prized weapon, the thing that had made her clan famous. The giant gun she had named affectionately as the Hiraikotsai
"You are aware that all personal affects will be retained during the period you are undergoing basic training."
Sango cringed slightly but nodded.
******
"Name?"
"Miroku Houshi."
"Youkai, Human or Hanyou?"
"Human with minimal youkai blood."
"Political motivation."
"None."
"Special abilities?"
"System debugger and hacker, rogue youkai tracker and I have a black hole generator in my right hand."
The woman quietly entered the information, not batting an eye.
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
A staff with a built in beam weapon lay on the counter along with a small pack of goods.
"You are aware that all personal affects will be retained during the period you are undergoing basic training."
Miroku nodded, glad that after each generation the kazaana grew increasingly stable before destabilizing and taking its holder out with it. He could afford wandering around the galaxy for a few years, for wherever there was trouble Naruku or at least Naruku's henchmen would be nearby. And the Marines would go to deal with that trouble.
*********
Well what do you think?
As the race of mankind expanded and formed empires which eventually collapsed into dark ages where planets were cut off before someone rediscovered the secrets of the great engines that allowed them to cross the gulfs between the few inhabitable worlds people, those with the lust to become more powerful altered their bodies, starting on the small planet that had birthed them this practice had grown, no longer just the experiments to create the 'perfect' human, but to change the body. Change it utterly and completely so that sometimes it wasn't even recognizable.
The only ones who could afford this were the rich, the powerful, drawing together the greatest politicians, businessmen and other of their ilk gravitated to one another, seeing as the normal humans scorned them. They weren't alone in their disgust as the transformed had all the disdain that the strong usually had for the weak.
Gradually these people, using genetic and cybernetic modifications became so different from humanity they had barely traces of the same makeup of their ancestors. The normal people became slightly fearful of them for many were cruel and had developed a liking for doling out pain.
They were called monsters, demons, devils, and other such names but the one that stuck, that perfectly described them for what they had become was Youkai.
Creatures of power. Creatures who used that power mainly for evil or to gain more power.
Then disaster struck, humanity, who had become engorged, stretched nearly all the way to the galactic center from the arm of their part of their galaxy began the most devastating wars in history.
Almost every single habited world was depopulated; the five great empires fell, carrying their people with them into a grave that was filled with trillions.
When it ended a century later the only true survivors, those who had managed, bleeding and broken but not beaten, to survive, were the Youkai, and the humans who lived alongside them, the tiny section of the galaxy, maybe 20 habitable worlds within a thousand light year radius. Sparsely settled, as most humans despised the youkai but worked for them for money and security that was provided the tiny empire, the only empire left blossomed.
Centuries passed, The youkai becoming more and more secular, the changes made in them becoming permanent, an entire separate race with only tiny shreds of humanity left in them, enough to prove that they were distant relations to the humans and the ability to sometimes breed with them but no more.
Cybernetics and genetics to the scale that needed to alter the body to the degree of the youkai had been largely lost and the youkai reproduced the good old-fashioned way.
After a millennia of rebuilding Humanity once again has spread across the galaxy, not as rampant as before but a good portion of their arm of the Milky Way. The Youkai Empire has been split into four factions, united in name but not much more then that. The four most powerful families of Youkai rule, one for each 'direction' away from the central world of the Youkai Empire.
The Lords of the North, The Tai-Youkai Dragon Clan.
The Lords of the East, The Tai-Youkai Tiger Clan.
The Lords of the South, The Tai-Youkai Ogre Clan.
The Lords of the West, The Tai-Youkai Dog Clan.
Recently, to the great disgust of his peers and to the disgust of both his human and youkai subjects the Tai-Youkai of the Dog Clan has taken a human life-mate. Though both parties have entirely different targets of their disgust.
His previous life-mate had died in a particularly nasty assassination attempt on his life leaving him alone with his only son Sessoumarou to remember her by. Unfortunately history often repeats itself and to the great grief of many, for he had been a caring ruler, another attempt was made and succeeded, leaving his two sons. The cold and aloof Sessoumaru, now ruler of the most powerful clan in the West, and Inuyasha, the outcast, feared and hated by the normal humans and disgusted a reviled by the youkai.
There is one place where humans and youkai, and the occasional hanyou can go where your parents don't matter unless you want up in rank. Where it didn't matter what world or quadrant you were born in. Where your worth depends on how tough you are in a fight. Where you are valued because you can look out for your fellows regardless of anything else. Where your value is seen as the same as everyone else.
The Imperial Youkai Marine Corp.
******
"Jaken, where is Inuyasha? I have not seen him ranting at the help this morning."
"I'm afraid he left last night, before you came back."
The Tai-Youkai raised a single eyebrow and Jaken gulped, his Lord was not pleased.
"Sessoumaru-Sama, this unworthy one is not sure but he thinks he went to join the Imperial Youkai Marine Corps, he also brought the Tetsusaiga with him, this unworthy one noticed it gone from its resting place in the vault."
"Jaken, are you telling me he left last night and is most likely already on his way off planet and heading towards the training camps where I won't be able to reach him for three years? And you did not tell me something of this importance?"
Sessoumaru watched as his flunky's greenish skin paled to a dull brown in fear and he began to plead forgiveness.
"Very well Jaken, but one more mistake like this and I shall kill you."
He turned around to contemplate the stretched out city beneath him. "Father, why did you leave us I wasn't ready then. I've barely filled in with you gone and now your reckless hanyou son has most likely gone and began the process of getting himself killed."
Sessoumaru, despite his outward appearances was actually fond of his brother and had tried to protect him as much as he could without ruining his image, which was all that had let him survive those trying times after his father's death.
"Please be safe little brother." A quiet whisper to an empty office. Jaken, long gone seeing his master ignoring him.
******
Two weeks after Inuyasha's departure from the world where he had lived for most of his life in a small shrine, two hundred light years away on a small barely settled world a young woman, just old enough to be accepted into military service began an argument with her grandfather for the umpteenth time.
"Jii-Chan! This is for the shrine, we need money and the IYMC is the best choice for me, I didn't excel at anything in school and menial jobs don't pay enough around here, you KNOW that."
"But Kagome, who will help me with the shrine? Souta isn't interested in it at all and he has just discovered girls! I'll never get him to pay attention."
"Jii-chan you'll do fine! Oh!" Kagome looked up as there was a quiet beep.
"I'll be late if I don't leave now by Jii-Chan." She gave a kiss on the old man's cheek and he sighed as she ran out of there. His eyes widened and he yelled out at her.
"Don't forget the Kappa's foot!"
Calling over her shoulder eyes dancing she called her reply as she slipped into the waiting hover-cab "I fed it to Buyo!"
The old man's jaw dropped.
"But that is wasteful." He wailed to the departing vehicle.
******
It was quiet, the deep darkness of the corridor was undisturbed except for the faint ripples in the air that made out an outline of a man, or a woman. An inaudible sound seemed to emerge from the ripples, as if the were talking to each other below anyone range of hearing.
"Clear."
Two other ripples in the air moved to the first ripple as they advanced down the quiet corridor until the reached the doorway.
"One"
"Two"
"Three"
"Go!"
The door exploded inwards and the ripples moved in to enter where they paused, assessing their surroundings when one abruptly dived back out of the doorway.
"It's a trap!"
She watched in horror as her father and brother turned too slow, suddenly the entire room was filled with an eiry and deadly glow. Her brother collapsing immediately, her father, had been caught part way out the door.
Weakly the man pushed aside his mask, revealing a handsome man of middle age who didn't look very alive at the moment.
"Don't worry Sango, get out, leave us I'm afraid even I can't survive such a dose of Drathian Radiation. Join the IYMC, it'll keep you safe until Naruku gives you up for dead. The instructions should be in Location B"
"Father!"
"Now Sango." The ripple nodded in reply and dashed off before the man pushed something on his lowly revealing form as the radiation slowly ate through his equipment.
A few moments later a massive explosion rocked the building as the ripple moved at almost inhuman speeds away, you would have needed very good hearing to hear her sobs of grief.
*******
*FLASHBACK*
Ten Years ago.
A a young boy stared at his hand in awe. He looked up at his father, a few minutes ago the skin of his hand had begun to peel off revealing a metal- like texture hand with a small opening in the palm, closed for now, but he could feel the ability to open it, and was tempted to do so.
"Are we part-Youkai father?"
"No son, that my son." He pointed at the hand with a saddened face as he peeled the fake skin off his own hand revealing a similar looking hand and limb before continuing.
".is our death sentence, one day, the black hole produced by these things, will go unstable and swallow me along with a good portion of the scenery. You see a long time ago your great-grandfather was in the same business as I am, sort of a family business as it were. We worked on troubleshooting rogue computer systems and on occasion, youkai. He was tracking a vicious youkai at the time who was known for his ability to change shape, and remain hidden as any youkai or human form he wished. Something like a kitsune but much, much more nasty and a whole hell of a lot more powerful."
He breathed in and smiled wryly.
"Also like me your great-grandfather was something of a pervert and fell for Naruku's scheme when it turned into a woman and injected a tube of experimental nano's that gave him this. Cursed and his children cursed. And to fix it would cost more then everyone on this planet had combined. Naruku told him that if Naruku died then the nano's would deactivate. Giving him a false hope since Naruku left the planet shortly after and he was unable to follow."
*END FLASHBACK*
The young man slowly turned his hand around looking at the seemingly innocent limb, covered in synth-flesh.
"Only way to track down Naruku is to go off-planet." He laughed bitterly. "Only way off planet is to get a job on a tramp freighter, where I would have no clue as where we would head." He slowly looked up at the building in front of him.
"Or join the Marines."
On it read "IMPERIAL YOUKAI MARINE CORPS - COLONIAL MANGEMENT CENTER"
Below on the window.
"Please enter and join today, you're government needs you!"
The man's face-hardened as he walked up to the door and opened it.
******
"Name?"
"Inuyasha."
"Youkai or Hanyou?"
"Hanyou."
"Type of youkai?"
"Inu."
"Political motivation."
"Nothing."
"Special abilities?"
"I can fight."
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
The scanner ran along it and the man's eyebrows rose fractionally, reminding Inuyasha too much of his brother, restraining a growl he stayed silent.
"Class A Morph Energy Sword? Impressive."
"Keh!"
"Welcome aboard Inuyasha! After training your personal effects will be returned to you, good luck!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? Teme!"
"All personal effects will be retained by the IYMC until basic training is completed, you will receive your effects when you're done or when you get kicked out."
The man smirked.
*****
"Name?"
"Kagome Higirashi"
"Human, Youkai or Human?"
"Human."
"Political motivation."
"Umm. nothing is that alright?"
"Yes Kagome it is."
"Special abilities?"
"I can hit anything I aim at. With anything, I once picked up an old fashioned bow at hit my target on first try." She smiled it was her one secret passion and skill, useless in the quiet planet she lived on.
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
She laid the two small bags on the counter; she knew of the IYMC's policy on personal belongings, she just wished she could keep the few holo- pictures with her.
"You are aware that all personal affects will be retained during the period you are undergoing basic training."
She nodded.
****** "Name?"
"Sango."
"Youkai, Human or Hanyou?"
"Human."
"Political motivation."
"I support the current Inu clan head."
"Special abilities?"
"I was training to be a member of a Taiji-Ya Clan."
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
Sango laid her equipment from the profession she had trained for all her life on the counter. Including her most prized weapon, the thing that had made her clan famous. The giant gun she had named affectionately as the Hiraikotsai
"You are aware that all personal affects will be retained during the period you are undergoing basic training."
Sango cringed slightly but nodded.
******
"Name?"
"Miroku Houshi."
"Youkai, Human or Hanyou?"
"Human with minimal youkai blood."
"Political motivation."
"None."
"Special abilities?"
"System debugger and hacker, rogue youkai tracker and I have a black hole generator in my right hand."
The woman quietly entered the information, not batting an eye.
"What baggage do you plan on bringing?"
"This."
A staff with a built in beam weapon lay on the counter along with a small pack of goods.
"You are aware that all personal affects will be retained during the period you are undergoing basic training."
Miroku nodded, glad that after each generation the kazaana grew increasingly stable before destabilizing and taking its holder out with it. He could afford wandering around the galaxy for a few years, for wherever there was trouble Naruku or at least Naruku's henchmen would be nearby. And the Marines would go to deal with that trouble.
*********
Well what do you think?