DISCLAIMER: Overlord/オーバーロード belongs to Kugane Maruyama, and Star Wars belongs to Disney (Unfortunately). The scenario and original characters are mine. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter I: The "Switch"
Ten Minutes Before The "Switch"
Onboard the Imperial Super-Star Destroyer, Basilisk (In-Game Avatar's Personal Flagship in Modded Server for Voyages Into The Unknown DMMO-RPG)
As I stood on the bridge of the Basilisk, a ship that I spent six years grinding for, I couldn't help but feel emotional. Part of the emotions I felt were excitement, being a HUGE Sci-Fi nerd, but the other half was sadness. Today was the final day for the game I was playing, and even this modded server wouldn't be saved from the game's impending demise. I looked out of the viewport and into the vastness of space in front of me, reaching a hand towards the stars.
It had taken virtual blood and sweat to come this far. I had to start out as a lowly cadet aboard another Player's Star Destroyer and work my way up from there to become what I was today. I had participated in numerous battles over the years. From boarding actions to destroying enemy fleets, I'd been through it all. While it was only six years out there in the real world, it had been nearly fifteen years in-game. I was promoted on numerous occasions, and my character was even made a Grand Admiral two years ago. I'd already had command of the Basilisk by that point, though. It took nearly five years for people to notice my skill and recommend me for the promotion.
Most of the crew aboard the Basilisk, being an Imperial ship, were Humans, as were the Army personnel stationed here, but all of the Stormtroopers aboard were Fett Clones who were wearing Phase II Clone Trooper Armor. I personally favored the Clones over Stormtroopers because they actually HIT what they shot at. Granted, Stormtroopers were good shots (they're considered the Empire's elite for a reason), but the Clones had a better hit ratio given everything I'd learned about them.
The Clones originally wore the standard Imperial Stormtrooper armor, but I had them switch to the Clone Armor. In-game, my avatar's reason for doing this was because he felt that the Clone Armor was tougher than the standard Stormtrooper Armor, but in reality, I thought the Stormtrooper Armor was dumb-looking. I mean, seriously, who thought a helmet with a frown was a good choice for intimidation? Phase II Clone Armor, in my opinion, was much cooler. The T-visor just seemed more badass than that stupid frown. That doesn't mean I don't have any Stormtrooper Armor, though. I just keep it all in storage.
Those armor sets were placed in there alongside the few battle droids I confiscated off a Pirate Faction's ship near Raxus Prime. I can't remember the exact numbers, but I remember the types of droids I picked up. B2 Super battle droids, BX Commando droids, IG-100 Magna Guard droids, and finally Droidekas, or Destroyers for the uninitiated. It was a pretty good haul.
I lowered my hand and turned around, taking in the crew who were diligently working at their stations. They were all NPCs, of course, some I had created and others that I picked up along the way. The Ship's Captain, one of the NPCs I had made, was standing next to the Admiral's Command Chair, with her second-in-command on the other side.
The Captain of the ship was one of the few high-ranking veteran female NPCs aboard, being at the rank of Commander. Her name was Shara Cavos. Her second-in-command was a Lieutenant Commander named Erza Sarkley. He was an ambitious man (at least, that was what I'd put in his bio, anyway) and was also absolutely loyal to me, just as much as his loyalty was to the Galactic Empire. Cavos was similar, however where Sarkley was ambitious, she was cold and calculating. She was a good tactical advisor, like the commander of the Stormtroopers aboard.
He was an NPC I'd traded for, a Clone Marshal Commander, designation CC-1084/6597. He wore a painted set of Phase II Armor, with a grey and black helmet, red T-Visor, black upper and gray lower chest plate, and gray elbow and knee guards. The guy who traded him to me also sold me the Clones, for nearly six hundred bucks. The reason for the price markup (two hundred for a normal legion of Clones) had been due to the fact that this legion, the 897th Strike Legion, was much larger and had more special properties than usual. For example, they had no age acceleration.
They were, from the original guy's bio, an accident that turned into an experiment for the Kaminoans. Instead of the entire legion being decommissioned, their training was begun as soon as they were able, with mem flashes still being imprinted when they were only a year old. They continued to train until they were ready to be sent out into the field. Due to the amount of training and time they had spent with one another, they were able to escape the Clone Wars with barely any casualties. This was the main reason for the price increase but I had money to burn and figured it wasn't a bad purchase.
The Marshal Commander had been given as a gift alongside the purchase due to a sale the original owner had going on at the time. Half off if bought in two hours. The original guy also gave him the nickname 'Harlow', based on the protagonist from the Red Dead Revolver Remastered game from a few years ago. He was supposed to be the 'fastest gun in the galaxy', but I didn't really believe that. I'd never seen him in a combat situation, after all.
Once I was done taking it all in, I let out a melancholy sigh and began to walk towards my quarters slowly. They were two levels down in the Officer's Quarters, put squarely in the middle of all of the other rooms. Once I arrived at my room, I took a moment to reminisce all the times I had come out of the room to lead my ship in battle. As I walked in, I was greeted with the sight of Taver Slazin, my in-game avatar. The mirror, for whatever reason, had been put in front of the door by the game. I took a second to look my avatar over.
I fidgeted with my avatar's mustache out of habit. It was something I had written in his bio as a nervous tic. I wanted to keep up appearances since this would be the final time, I would see this face. I felt the scar just under my eye. My character had gotten it when he'd had a way too close call with a Vibroknife during an early boarding action. I'd been an Ensign, then. Feels so long ago now…
I turned my head and looked at the desk that was situated near the middle of the room. On it, my character's datapad was lying there, as I had tossed it onto the desk when I'd exited the room earlier that morning. I went over and sat down, opening a drawer to extract a few items.
I pulled out a Shento cigar, one of the few that I saved for special occasions. I didn't need to worry about cutting it as I'd done so when I first purchased it on a furlough on Corellia. I then grabbed a box of matches and an ash tray. I struck a match against the matchbox, igniting it and holding it to the end of my cigar.
After a few testing puffs, I shook the match to put it out. I thought about grabbing a bottle of my favorite Cognac, but I decided against it. I had many bottles within my drink closet. There were some fine wines and brandies, a few bottles of expensive liquor, like the Cognac, and if I wanted to celebrate a victory or some other fantastic thing, I had a few high-quality Champagnes.
As I sat at the desk, blowing a smoke ring, I looked up into the corner of my HUD.
"Only a few seconds left. Well, it's been fun, old girl," I thought as I tapped the end of the cigar into the ashtray.
I closed my eyes as I placed the cigar back in my mouth. I counted down in my head alongside the timer that had been in the corner of my HUD.
00:03… 00:02… 00:01… 00:00…
The "Switch" + 00:00 (The "Switch")
Onboard the Imperial Super-Star Destroyer, Basilisk, My Quarters
00:00… 00:01... 00:02... 00:03...
I opened my eyes, spluttering and coughing out smoke as the taste of the cigar smoke filled my mouth and lungs. The cigar nearly fell out of mouth, but I took it out and quickly set it down in the ash tray. I looked around, and to my astonishment and increasing dread, it wasn't my room. At least, not the one in the real world with my gaming rig.
I was still seated at my desk aboard the Basilisk. Not only that, but my HUD was gone. I motioned for the console so that I could call an Admin, but nothing happened. I tried again, and still nothing.
"What the hell is going on?" I thought as a sudden chirp came from the intercom on my desk. This meant someone was trying to call me from somewhere on the ship. I hesitated for a couple of seconds, and then pushed the talk switch.
"This is Slazin. What is it?" I asked in a deep cold tone, confusing me for a second. It was weird to talk with someone else's voice.
"Sir, you're needed on the bridge," a female voice answered, most likely Cavos's.
"On my way, Commander."
I was about to leave my room, but I stopped and changed direction. I walked over to one of the many bookshelves I'd had installed two years after I became the Grand Admiral of the Basilisk. As I stood in front of it, I searched for the one book that I'd made sure would stand out.
The bookshelf contained the history of the Star Wars galaxy, up to the point of five years before the Battle of Yavin, or a New Hope if you were going by the movies. All of the books on the shelf were either biographies, memoirs, original documents, or old maps that were all either written on flimsiplast or held inside datapads. There was one, however, that did not belong. It was titled 'The Causes of Separation: A Look Into The Separatist Causes', and was a treatise on the supposed causes of the CIS's creation. In actuality, it was a switch for a hidden armory I'd had installed. One could never be too careful, after all.
The bookshelf slid into the floor after I pulled on the switch, revealing the small collection of weapons and items that I had accumulated over the years. In one corner, there was a set of old Republic Trooper armor from the Great Galactic War. That gem took me many years to find, especially since most of the items of that period had degraded over the centuries. I found it at an ancient outpost near an equally ancient Sith-held world. The armor had been kept in a hermetically sealed environment, the wearer not having aged a moment since they died. I had the body brought aboard once we were finished clearing the place out and making it ready for Imperial use. The owner was buried near the entrance to that outpost as a reminder of the ancient Republic, without which there would be no Galactic Empire.
Next to that was a wall of slug-throwers, ranging from a Quadruple-Barreled slug-thrower to one that looked very similar to an amalgamation of the block and trigger mechanism of a Browning High Wall with the barrel and lever of a Martini-Henry. On the pedestal next that was a pair of Wookie arm blades. Then there was the small assortment of blasters that ranged from the Nabooan Model Q2 Hold-Out blaster pistol to one of the last remaining reciprocating quad blasters in the galaxy. I was more focused on the object in the middle of the room, however.
There, sitting comfortably within an ornate display case, was a lightfoil. The difference between this weapon and a lightsaber was very noticeable. Let's say that someone was to try and find an example on Earth, then the best weapon that would comparison to the lightfoil would be either a rapier or cutlass, whereas the lightsaber was more of a broad sword. It had been passed down through the Slazin family for generations. Of course, that 'passed down' tidbit was just added as flavor text.
I opened the case and grasped the elegant weapon, holding it in front of me. I then placed my thumb on the activation switch, making the blade shoot forth from the hilt with a snap-hiss. It hummed as I held it, its bright silver blade lighting up the room. When I designed it, I went for the cutlass look, since I'm an officer in a navy. Granted this isn't some wooden-hulled sailing ship from the eighteenth century, the design did have a certain appeal.
There was a guard in front of the hilt, which would cover my hand from an oncoming blow from an opponent. The blade itself was silver because I wanted to evoke the blade of an actual sword instead of the red, blue, yellow, etc. color of normal lightsabers. I deactivated the blade and clipped it to my belt, right behind the holster for my pistol.
I closed the hidden door as I left the room. Once I left the armory, I headed towards the elevator. As I pushed the button to summon the elevator, I tried to think of what exactly was going on. Could this be some new type of DMMO-RPG? No, I could still feel that my throat was dry, and I could still taste the cigar that I'd been smoking mere seconds ago. If this was a new type of game, then I certainly wouldn't be feeling any of that, right?
The doors slid open, revealing a pair of Clones with shouldered DC-15A Rifles. They saluted as I entered, to which I gave them a quick sharp salute in return. I entered the elevator and one of the troopers poised a finger toward the elevator floor console.
"Where to, sir?" the trooper, asked all business.
"The bridge, please," I answered. The troopers nodded as the one poised by the console activated the button for the bridge.
As the elevator began to ascend, I stood facing the door. It was kinda awkward to just be standing there when there were two other people with me.
Bridge of the Basilisk
The doors slid open once more to the bridge. I motioned for the troopers to follow after me as we left the elevator. I spotted the Lieutenant Commander and the Commander by the Command Chair, the Lieutenant Commander admonishing an Ensign for a simple error that he'd made.
"Lieutenant Commander, that is enough," I commanded as the man stiffened and quickly came to attention.
"O-of course, sir," he said, turning to face me alongside the Commander. She also stood at attention, waiting for my command.
"At ease," I said, making everyone on the bridge loosen up as I sat down. I spared a glance at the Ship's Captain as she motioned a Communications Ensign forward.
"Sir, this man claims that there are no communications with any ships within this entire region," she explained as the Communications Ensign handed me a datapad. I gave it a quick look, and then turned my gaze upon the man.
"Explain."
"It's just that, sir. I've tried every available Imperial channel. There's nothing," the man said worriedly. The Lieutenant Commander bristled and was about to speak when I held up a hand.
"Have you tried anything outside of military channels?"
"Yes, sir. Still nothing."
"Hm... odd."
"Yes, sir, I don-"
"Hold on a moment, did anyone, perhaps, take a look outside the viewport?"
The Commander turned and scrutinized the viewport glass, then her eyebrows steadily rose as it became obvious that the ship wasn't where it was supposed to be. Before, we'd been in front of an asteroid cluster, and now a planet was sitting where the asteroids had been, give or take a few miles. The Lieutenant Commander quickly noticed also, "What in the Empire?"
"Well, Lieutenant Commander, it appears that we have been moved involuntarily," the Commander noted to Sarkley before turning to me for orders.
"Perform a bio-scan reading on all surrounding planets. Call for me once you've found one that has a suitable atmosphere for us. Is that understood?" I ordered, to which replies of either 'Yes, sir', or 'Yes, Admiral' resounded across the bridge.
I stood from the chair and headed toward the elevator; the two troopers were about to follow but I halted them.
"You two, stay here," I ordered, the two troopers nodding in unison.
My Quarters
As I reached my quarters, I locked the door. I went over to my bed and sat down, placing my head in my hands.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS GOING ON?" I thought multiple times as I stared at my polished black boots.
As the minutes went by, I replayed the events of the day, trying to figure out if there were any signs that this was going to happen. I then thought about calling an admin and stiffened as I remembered something from my early days in the server. All DMMO-RPGs had an in-game voice messaging system, allowing us to communicate if we weren't face to face. In the server, though, it was made inaccessible without a special item: an optional implant. I'd been one of the first to get one about a year into the game, seeing its use. With this in mind, I could use it to contact an admin and get help!
"Activate!" I thought as I remembered the activation order.
It was a dial tone, at first. Then, something connected, and an unfamiliar voice spoke.
"...Hello?" it asked, deep and commanding while also sounding wary.
"Yes, is this an Admin? I need help," I pleaded, to which the voice gasped.
"Wait, are you a real person?" it asked cautiously.
"The fuck do you mean by real?"
"Prove to me that you're from my world."
"Ok, how the Hell do I do that, exactly?"
"Simple. What does the name DMMO-RPG stand for?"
"…You serious?"
"Tell me or I'm ending this call."
"Alright, alright. DMMO-RPG stands for 'Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games'."
The voice grew silent after I finished explaining what DMMO-RPG meant (an odd and somewhat dumb question if you ask me) for several minutes. He finally spoke again after three or four minutes had passed.
"…I can't believe it. You're actually a real person! Not an NPC who gained sentience or whatever the Hell just happened, but an actual Human Being! Where are you?!"
"Whoa, calm down man."
"Sorry, it's just a relief to know that I'm not alone in this world…"
"Wait… world?"
"Yeah, world. Where else would we be?"
"Aboard a ship, like I am?"
"Ship?"
"Yeah, I'm on an Imperial Super Star Destroyer. Are you saying you're already on the planet?"
"Star… Destroyer? …What game were you playing before you came here?"
"A modded server in Voyages Into The Unknown, why?"
"I was playing YGGDRASIL before whatever happened…"
"What? YGGDRASIL and Voyages Into The Unknown going offline on the same day and the same weird event happens to us both? That can't be a coincidence."
"No, it is not. What's your name, by the way?"
"My name is… was… Alan Dalton, but my online username is ImperialToTheCore"
"I'm Suzuki Satoru, though my username is Momonga. I'm from the guild Ainz Ooal Gown."
"No way. Are you fucking with me right now?"
"No?"
"That is so fucking cool that I have no words. Do you have any idea how famous you and your guild are, dude? You guys are practically legends in the DMMO-RPG Community!"
"Wait, seriously?"
"Dude, have you never checked the forums? Ainz Ooal Gown is practically number one in the top Fantasy DMMO-RPG guilds."
"I didn't know the guild was that famous."
"That's beside the point. Right now, my crew is scanning the surrounding worlds for life. They haven't gotten back to me, yet."
"Do you wanna meet up?"
"Why the hell would I not want to?!"
"Not so loud, dude, you'll fry my brain. If you get into orbit, do you think you could spot the Great Tomb of Nazarick?"
"Yes, I think I should be able to."
Just then, the intercom buzzed, and the Lieutenant's voice came through.
"Sir, we've scanned the surrounding planets. Only one has any kind of life, but they are a level one civilization. We aren't detecting anything beyond crossbow stage on the world."
"I will be there shortly," I replied, turning off the intercom.
"Suzuki, I'm going to be sending a probe down to the planet. It'll be a robot making a weird sound every other minute. I would stand at the tomb's entrance and make it clear that it is you," I said to Suzuki before getting up and heading for the bridge.
"Right. See you soon."
"Yeah, see you."
Bridge of the Basilisk
After I ordered a Viper probe droid be sent down to the planet's surface, it took about an hour for the droid to find the Great Tomb of Nazarick. I was standing on the bridge when one of the Ensigns called out and said something was blocking the probe's path. I ordered him to get me an image, and a holographic screen popped up with a live feed.
There, standing in front of the droid, was a large skeleton holding a golden scepter. It was obviously Suzuki. Even in Voyages Into The Unknown, the story of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown was pretty well known. I smirked to myself as the Captain raised an eyebrow and the Lieutenant looked at Suzuki with contempt. I noticed his expression and my face lost all signs of emotion.
"Is something wrong. Lieutenant Commander?"
"It's just the gall of this freak to challenge us, sir," he replied, and my gaze sharpened on his back.
"Do not assume that he is challenging us, Lieutenant Commander. There is most definitely an intelligence behind those glowing orbs," I stated as Suzuki asked a simple question.
"Is the one I spoke to earlier able to hear me?"
"Yeah, I am. I'm going to ask for your name since there wouldn't be any way for the others on the bridge to know how I'd know your name," I said through the Player-to-Player Comms, and said aloud, "Yes, he is. State your identity, creature."
"Just so you know, I changed my name to Ainz Ooal Gown a couple of minutes ago," he thought, and said aloud, "I am the Lord Ainz Ooal Gown of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. What is your name?"
"My name is Taver Slazin, and I am a Grand Admiral of the Galactic Empire. I must ask how you contacted me, as it is quite apparent there is no technology on your planet that would allow you into my thoughts."
"One of my spells connected my thoughts to yours, Grand Admiral."
"I see. So, you used some sort of 'magic spell'?"
"Yes, though it is much more complicated than that."
"Hm. Well, you have my attention, lord Gown. Would it trouble you greatly if I and a few others came to your tomb? I feel talking face to face may be more beneficial to us both."
"Of course, you are welcome to come here."
"Then by all means, we shall be arriving shortly."
"I shall make arrangements to receive you, then."
It took only a few moments to load into the Lambda-Class shuttle once we arrived in the hangar bay. The shuttle left soon afterward and descended toward the planet. I was strapped in near the cockpit while the others who were accompanying me were near the exit ramp. The others mostly consisted of five Clones, including Marshall Commander Harlow, and the rest being Commander Cavos, Lieutenant Commander Sarkley, and an Army General named Cyrus Jidak. The shuttle was being piloted by two Humans, both wearing TIE Fighter pilot uniforms.
"Approaching the coordinates now, Grand Admiral." the first pilot stated, as the other began to lower the landing gear. I nodded and turned back to the others.
"Prepare to disembark!" I called which made the Clones stand up and place the barrels of their DC-15A rifles on their shoulders, while Harlow held his DC-15S across his chest.
The "Switch" + 02:00 (2 Hours Since the "Switch")
The Great Tomb of Nazarick, New World
It took an hour to get from the Basilisk and down to the Great Tomb. As the shuttle landed, I noticed a massive wave of dirt coming towards one of the walls through the cockpit's viewport. There was a being atop that wall, and their hands glowed green. As the ramp to the outside lowered, the four rifle-armed Clones marched down the ramp and stood at attention on either side of the path. Jidak and Harlow were next, followed by Cavos and Sarkley. I went after them and walked into one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen. The stars glittered like diamonds in the night sky, unmarred by any artificial light.
When my gaze shifted back down, I saw a man in a red suit with a tail standing next to a tall woman with horns. They motioned for us to follow, and I gestured for the troopers to cover the front and rear. We entered the Great Tomb behind the two and were taken to an area that teleported us to the throne room.
There, seated at the end of the room, was Suzuki, surrounded by the other denizens of Nazarick. On the path leading up to him were maids, who kneeled as we approached the throne. As we passed, they stood up and fell in behind us.
"I present to you, lord Ainz Ooal Gown," the tall woman said as she strode to be at her master's side. The man with the tail did the same and moved to Suzuki's right.
"Who among you is the Grand Admiral?" he asked, raising a bony finger towards us. I stepped forward.
"I am the Grand Admiral, lord Gown," I stated, giving a respectful bow. He nodded and motioned for me to rise.
"You need not refer to me as lord Gown, Grand Admiral."
"But I insist that I must refer to you as such, for that is your position here."
"I see. I understand your situation is similar to mine?"
"Yes. Like you, we have been displaced."
"Then perhaps we could help each other?"
"Perhaps. However, I would suggest privacy to discuss the details."
"Are you mad, sir?" Jidak whispered as he grabbed my arm while looking up at Suzuki. The Captain and the Lieutenant also gave me questioning looks.
"To be clear with you three, I want to make sure the deal is truly fair. If you hadn't noticed the looks some of these creatures are giving us, then I advise you to look now."
They casually glanced around and saw that some of the monsters surrounding them were giving them looks that would have burned them alive if looks could truly kill a person. The General looked uncomfortable while the Commander kept her composure. The Lieutenant Commander's eyes narrowed, and he cursed.
"Blasted alien freaks."
"I'd say they have the same opinion of you, Sarkley." I replied, and Suzuki stood from his seat.
"If you would follow me, Admiral? Albedo, make sure our guests are made comfortable," Suzuki ordered the tall woman. I followed him as the others in my party followed Albedo.
Once we arrived in Suzuki's private chamber and he cast a noise-canceling spell on the door, we began our discussion.
"Before we begin, I apologize for the looks some of my subordinates gave your men. They're not overly fond of Humans, you see?" Suzuki said in a relieved tone as his red glowing orb eyes disappeared and his mouth hung open. He was seated at a large wooden desk with me sitting across from him.
"No need to say sorry, man. The Empire itself is highly xenophobic, so I wouldn't be surprised if your subordinates got the same looks if you had come to us rather than us coming to you," I replied, fidgeting with my mustache again.
"True. I'd forgotten about that little quirk with the Galactic Empire… speaking of, you're not…?"
"No, I'm not. I chose the Empire because I like stability, and honestly, they look cooler than the Rebels."
"Ha! So, how'd you get here, anyway?"
"To be honest, I have no idea. One minute, everything's normal, right? The next I'm actually in my in-game avatar's body."
"Same here, and the minute the NPCs started doing things on their own? Yeah... Something had definitely changed."
"How'd you find out all this was actually real?"
"I... I groped Albedo."
"Well, you got good taste, that's for sure. Can't go wrong with a lady like her."
"Yeah… Anyway, how did you find out?"
I noticed his tone saddened for just a moment, but now wasn't the time to talk about it.
"I'd been enjoying a cigar before the 'Switch' and noticed my throat was dry right after it happened. We had that before, yeah, but it always had a sort of artificial quality to it, ya know? This felt all too real. Nearly coughed up a lung, too."
"The 'Switch'?"
"That name makes about as much sense as anything right now."
"Fair enough."
"So… when you asked about helping each other out, what did you mean?"
"I was thinking we could join forces."
"Sort of like an alliance?"
"Exactly that."
"Hm. I suppose it makes sense to stick together since we're the only people from the real world who have found each other so far."
"Yes. Also, I think it'd be easier to call people like ourselves Players. We were playing a video game before this happened, so the name makes sense, right?"
"Yeah, it does."
"Alright. I've got a couple questions I want to ask you, if that's alright?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"My first question is a little more out of curiosity. Are you still going to call yourselves Imperials, or are you going to call yourselves something else since you guys don't really have an Empire anymore?"
"We'll still call ourselves Imperials as it only makes sense. We might not have an Empire now but come on. This world is gonna be ours in a few years at the very least. A lot of my crew is also made up of practically fanatical Imperial loyalists. If I change our name, then I'd likely be thrown in the brig."
"And that brings me to my second and final question. Do you have any prisoners?"
"Yeah, we do. About ten, if I remember correctly. Six organics and four droids."
"What are you going to do with them?"
"I'd imagine I'd have the organics executed. Droids can be reprogrammed, after all."
"I see. Could you spare the six? They might prove useful, and I wanted to run some tests."
"Sure. I've got a question of my own, regarding those tests."
"Go ahead."
"What exactly are those tests that you were talking about? I don't really care about the ethics of it, I'm just curious."
"I'm wondering if I used one their bodies to create a Death Knight, would it retain the memories on handling guns and military tactics?"
"That makes sense. Also, one final question"
"Yes?"
"What do you need help with, exactly?"
"I wanted help looking for more of us, and the way I think we can accomplish that is by forcing them out into the open. Conquering this place might go a long way in achieving that."
"Not a bad idea. I'm sure some guy or girl like us would either be trying to hide or be some sort of adventurer. I'm betting a few played RPGs, so it only makes sense they would do that, you know?"
"Right. So, are you in?" he asked, reaching a skeletal hand toward me.
"Well, you only live once, right?" I asked as I firmly grasped his hand and shook it.
After we finished finalizing the details of our alliance, Suzuki led me to where Albedo had taken my entourage. As Suzuki led me to my party, the man in a red suit and tail rejoined us. He asked what had transpired in the meeting. I smirked as Suzuki told him that the Great Tomb of Nazarick was now in an alliance with my ship.
"I see, my lord," he said as he turned toward me.
"Yes. I have even offered your lord a tour of my ship, along with his top advisors, should he so wish," I stated formally, making the man grin.
"That's quite generous of you, Grand Admiral."
"It was only fitting, Mr...?"
"Demiurge, and I am the Floor Guardian of the Seventh Floor."
"Yes. Your lord allowed us into his home and was an excellent host. It would be remiss if I did not offer the same to him."
"If it is alright with you, Grand Admiral, I will also be taking him and Albedo with me to see your ship."
"Very well, lord Gown. I only ask that you do not disturb the crew."
"But of course."
As we approached my party, the Clones came to stiff attention, as did the General, Captain, and Lieutenant. With a quick command of 'At ease', they relaxed, while the troopers still had their rifles balanced on their shoulders. Albedo kneeled before Suzuki before he commanded her to rise.
"If I could have a word with you, Albedo?" he asked, motioning with his hands for her to follow him away from my entourage.
"Lord," she said simply before doing as she was asked.
"Sir?" Cavos asked once I reached the group.
"Lord Gown and I have come to an arrangement. We're to enter into an alliance with him, and in exchange we'll be able to jointly rule this New World we find ourselves on. The details haven't been truly finalized yet, but I believe it will come to favor us more so than him," I answered her unsaid question, lying only slightly.
Yes, Suzuki and I were working together, but there would be no attempts at upstaging one another. We clearly have different strengths in certain areas. While I'm certain I could crush his forces with my army and ship, I doubt I'd be able to stop any magic he has. Likewise, he may be able to destroy any forces I send to the planet, but I can easily destroy the planet from orbit with my ship. Mutually assured destruction can be a wonderful reason to be allies rather than enemies, no?
"I'm not so sure this is a good plan, Grand Admiral…" Cyrus whispered, sparing a glance at Suzuki and Albedo.
"I understand there is a rather major amount of risk involved in this agreement, but it is a chance I'm willing to take. We can't survive on our own, General."
"Can't we simply take what we need from the primitives, sir?" Sarkley asked, a frown marring his features.
"We could, yes, but I believe caution to be the better plan for now. We have no information regarding this place besides the fact that the populace is at an extremely low civilization level. Lest we forget, I was contacted via magic. We shouldn't assume Gown and his lot are the only ones with magic on this world. To do so would be our folly."
"Grand Admiral?" Suzuki called out, causing me to turn toward him, Albedo, and Demiurge.
"I'm assuming you wish to begin our true talks aboard my ship?" I replied with a final tone, quelling any objections that the others could bring up.
"Yes. The quicker we have finalized our agreement, the better."
"Then let us be on our way! Marshal Commander, if you would be so kind as to lead the way back?"
"Yes sir."
The journey back to the shuttle was a quick one, and an even shorter trip back to the Basilisk.
The "Switch" + 03:00 (3 Hours Since the "Switch")
Onboard the Imperial Super-Star Destroyer, Basilisk, Hangar Bay
As we landed on the hangar bay deck, we were greeted by a gathering of the crew, the Army contingent, the Naval Troopers and Commandos, and finally the Stormtroopers and their own special forces. They saluted as we came out of the shuttle, with myself coming last as I led Suzuki, Albedo, and Demiurge out. The two NPCs from YGGDRASIL and the one Player stared around in awe at the sheer size of the Basilisk's hangar.
TIE Fighters, Bombers, Interceptors, and other variants of the Sienar Systems TIE-Series hung from their stations above us. Our troop transports, shuttles, and various other ships and vehicles were kept in the opposite hangar bay. Alongside those ships were a few Clone Wars-era ships. They were all Republic models, such as the LAAT/I and ARC-170, as well as a few modified LAATs.
The modified LAATs had been designed for clandestine missions, being painted black and dark gray to match the night, when most operations would take place. There were also more subtle modifications than the paint job. The first key modification was that they had a cloaking device, similar to the TIE/ph Phantom. This, combined with a noise dampener and the less bulky outer weapons on standard LAATs made them perfect for black operations. Other modifications included the removal of the ball turrets and swapping them out with heavy repeating blaster cannons that, in my opinion, resembled old M61 Vulcan miniguns.
The ships were also piloted by a droid brain, to remove the possibility of human error. This wasn't foolproof, however, and I did not use them too often when I was still playing Voyages Into The Unknown. I imagine I'll be using them more often on the New World because there is no real defense against them. Before coming here, I had to worry about jamming devices destroying the droid brain in those LAATs from the other factions, such as the Rebel Alliance or the Pirates.
"What are those strange vehicles?" Albedo asked, pointing at the TIE Fighters.
"Those are starfighters, Ms. Albedo. If you want me to be specific, that one you are pointing at is a Sienar Systems Twin Ion Engine/Line Starfighter. I'll be happy to give you all a more thorough education on us at a later time, if that's alright with lord Gown?" I replied easily as I led the group toward the wardroom that I'd added for high-ranking Imperial officials, dignitaries, and any other VIPs who happened to come aboard. Suzuki nodded just before we all entered the lift.
Basilisk VIP Wardroom
As we all took seats, with myself and the other higher-ranked Imperials on the left and Suzuki, Albedo, and Demiurge on the right, a few service droids brought out cups of steaming caf and placed them in front of each of us. Demiurge and Albedo eyed the drinks while Suzuki kept his focus on me.
"Shall we get started, Grand Admiral?" he asked, reaching for his cup of caf.
"Hold on just one moment, lord Gown, I need to call one of my service droids. I want an official document drafted to solidify our relationship, and it will be easier with the droid recording us. Once we're done, I'll have a specialist draft it. That is, if it's alright with you?" I answered calmly as I motioned for another service droid.
"I have no issue with that. I understand the importance of such things."
"Thank you for understanding, lord Gown."
"Grand Admiral?" the service droid, an RA-7 unit, asked as it stopped next to my seat.
"Record our conversation, please."
"As you wish, Grand Admiral."
We spent the next four or five hours discussing terms that would be beneficial to both parties, with a few that favored one side or another only in some areas. For example, if the Empire, as represented by my ship and my forces, came across any magical artifacts then they would be given to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, as represented by Suzuki and his subordinates, for study before being given back to us.
On the surface, it seems to favor the Great Tomb more than us, but in actuality, if the artifact found by us were somehow dangerous, it had the chance to affect Suzuki rather than us first, allowing us to decide what to do with it. Another example would be the allowance of the Great Tomb to take any killed enemy combatants that are of no significance regardless of who killed them. This was made in mind with Suzuki's abilities as an Undead Overlord.
Once it was all said and done, the RA-7 unit was taken to the specialist I'd mentioned earlier and within an hour the first draft of the Basilisk Agreement was in front of us. After we had all looked it over, we found no issues and signed the sheet of flimsiplast. Suzuki then created a duplicate through some magical means, so that there would be two copies if one had somehow been destroyed or lost. I doubted that could happen, but it didn't hurt to be careful.
As Suzuki and I were about to shake hands again, someone knocked on the door to the wardroom.
"Enter," I answered once Suzuki finished shaking my hand.
"Beg pardon, sir, but the prisoners you requested have been made ready," the man, a Junior Lieutenant, stated quickly, coming to attention.
"Very good. Lord Gown, if you would follow us once more? We shall wrap up and you may have your test subjects."
"Very well. Let us see these 'volunteers'," he said darkly, giving a slight chuckle.
The "Switch" + 08:00 (8 Hours Since the "Switch")
Basilisk Hangar Bay
As we exited the elevator, I saw the six organic prisoners I was going to send with Suzuki. There were two Humans in that bunch, the other four being various different species. The leader of the prisoners, an old Twi'lek male, glared up at me from his kneeling position, his mouth gagged to stop him from speaking or trying to spit. His hands had been cuffed behind him as well.
"Any problems?" I asked, looking at one of the Stormtrooper guards.
"None that we couldn't handle, sir," he replied as Suzuki approached.
"These are the prisoners you mentioned?" Suzuki asked as he gestured at them with a bony hand.
"Yes, all the organic ones, anyway. I doubt you'd get anywhere with the droids… you don't exactly have the right facilities for dealing with them."
"True," he replied, waving his hands as a dark swirl appeared at his feet. A moment later, a large magic circle, a portal to the Great Tomb, appeared behind the group of prisoners.
The group turned around, shocked by the circle's appearance before Demiurge used some kind of spell to make them jump through. Once this was accomplished, the circle closed and disappeared. I glanced around and made placating gestures at the troopers. They'd been caught off guard and were ready to fire on the Nazarick trio. Seeing my lack of concern, they complied immediately.
"Please tell me when you're going to do stuff like that, alright? My guys are tense enough already. Fuck, they were ready to shoot at you just now," I said through our message system as I grimaced at the trio.
"Apologies, Grand Admiral. I'm used to doing such things and forgot where I was for a moment. I'll warn you before I do it again," he apologized as he slightly bowed.
"Thank you. Would you like us to take you back, lord Gown?"
"That's quite alright, Grand Admiral. I'm going to open another portal now, so please keep your men from shooting me?"
After I gave him a nod, he summoned another portal. Within two seconds, the three were gone. I checked my watch and sighed as I realized how late it was. It had been a very long day and I needed to rest. I dismissed the Stormtroopers and headed back to my quarters. As I made myself ready for bed, I thought about what happened to the prisoners. Imagine my surprise when I realized I didn't care about what happened to them. Maybe it was because they used to be NPCs? Sure, they gained sentience, but honestly, they were just AI in a video game. Why should I care what happens to them? They were never real, after all.
Once I finished getting myself into bed, I quickly fell asleep.
Author's Note: I've been reading these first chapters I posted and realized they weren't really that great quality wise. So, to that effect, I've decided to spend my time rewriting them, and hopefully make the fic a little better than what it was. This will be a long process with how much I've got going on at work and at home.
For those who decided the AN was TL;DR: I'm revamping this fic chapter by chapter before publishing the next one.
Also, level one civilization does not refer to the Kardashev scale. It is my own headcanon regarding technological advancement within the Star Wars Galaxy. For example, a level one civilization is a medieval society, whereas a level fifteen would be the highest a planet could achieve society-wise, like Coruscant or the Core Worlds.
