While the leaders of the alliance, now a much larger force with the inclusion of the Ahr'Aht, Tallrulthians, Tekians and other peoples from worlds that were not able to escape the Beast, were talking in private, the Beast planet had returned Lamprey from the void Samateus had blasted her into.
"That damnable Light bearer! When I next see her I will rip out her insides and feed them to those meddling children!" Lamprey screamed an epithet, slashing at the air around her as Voyd released her. He glared silently down at her, Blokk nearby in his new more dangerous form, styled after the beast like Reptizarians with massive talons and more Reptilian appearing overall, though he refrained from teasing his co-commander. Lamprey's rage abated only after she had managed to tear something apart, or if Voyd commanded her obedience.
**They have dealt a blow we cannot recoup. Next time, possess your target more swiftly. Your hesitance gave them a chance to see our latest acquisitions.** Voyd's mental voice weighed on Lamprey viciously, forcing her to the floor in agony for a long moment before it withdrew. **For now, rebuild our standing forces, we are giving them some lead.**
Blokk bowed before Voyd floated away into a darker part of his shell, disappearing and leaving the two agents to themselves. Lamprey seemed deflated, though taller, Blokk realising that she too had been remade this time to be more animalistic, much more the slender serpentine Lamprey she had been named after. He returned to overlooking his thralls, building up their fleet and capital ships once more, new designs and larger yield cannons installed on much grander cylindrical ships, the claw-shaped smaller drone vessels remade to appear far more menacing and vicious.
The greatest change, and one he had been excited for, came in the form of the ships not requiring separate drones to pilot them, instead able to direct them to follow targets and move as a cohesive unit under the direction of one or two stronger drones, given more tactical knowledge and direction from him providing some of his own null essence to each individual. It had hurt, considerably, yet the outcome remained one of his greater achievments, and Voyd had commended him directly for it while leaving Lamprey to her weaving of dissent and struggle in their enemies.
In the long run, he had seen Lamprey manage to collapse seven different societies in advance of their master and his ever hungry maw, leaving them so open and in such panic amongst themselves that nothing halted their advance. Seven different worlds, in the span of a year and a handful of months since that damnable teleport engine had sent them to the opposite side of the galaxy, had been devoured and some elements of each had been adapted to their needs, the raw materials from every world easily reworked and mutated to what they required.
However, they had quickly learned it was possible to use the teleport technology of the prison planet they had devoured to move smaller forces if they had direct line of sight, and later into places they had already seen themselves and knew the relative location of. They used this to get Lamprey into the Icean palace, unnoticed and unhindered, while their shock force attempted to land on the planet and enter from there. That the damnable Light bearer known to others as Samateus, had shown up and thwarted her had been unexpected and unwelcome. Further frustrating was Lamprey's easy defeat and dematerialization, the blast of light having destabilized and sent her screaming back to the Void from whence they came.
Lamprey fumed silently, observing what Blokk had been working on and moving to aid him in smaller adjustments without saying a word. She felt excited at the idea of Blokk creating his own lesser commanders, thinking she might do the same herself later after she learned how he did so.
Returning to the Alliance, Tibia finally landed Lobe on planet Ice as close to the Aurora's personnell ramp as possible, Femur and Sternum having been headed to the Aurora for one last look through before heading home themselves. Pelvus had remained behind, curious about their newcomers and wishing to see the black silouette of Lamprey in the one corridor after learning of what Samateus could do.
"Tibbs? What's up?" Sternum asked, the moniker something they had used in their youth when concocting plots to mess with Femur and Pelvus while staying well out of his father's notice. Femur simply smiled, waggling his eyebrows at her to which she chuckled. She motioned for them to come inside, leading them into the cargo area of her ship, just inside the small ramp, and tapped the wall.
"Hey Lobe, say hi to our Emperors." Tibia grinned, the two looking at her like she was crazy, then saw the words emerge from the surface of said wall, reading 'Greetings Emperors Sternum and Femur' before the two blinked comically, Femur shaking his head in disbelief as Sternum went to gingerly trace over the words. He gaped, recoiling as the wall smoothed out again beneath his fingertips, his eyes wide.
"How... When did you discover this?" Sternum sounded curious and a bit shocked, and shaken, which was not easy to do.
"He's been listening and watching for a while, but just this morning showed me he could talk to me like this. At least, I assume Lobe is a he." She gently and almost lovingly patted the wall she gently leaned on. The word 'Yes' followed by 'Male' in smaller lettering in her line of sight, made Femur lose his cool.
"No way. NO FUCKING way. Our ships are sentient? Bullshit!" Femurs outburst made Lobe shudder, Tibia simply smirking as the ship responded by suddenly lifting the floor beneath one of the stout Emperor's feet to set him into a roll right back down the small foot ramp to land on his rump on the ice, completely at a loss for words. Sternum chuckled lightly at the display, turning back to her and going completely serious as Femur started to process what this could mean.
"This could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how we approach it. We've always known the ships to be able to feel pain and understand their pilots far more intimately than they or even we realise, but this... This is something else." Sternum gently gave the wall a pat, a reassuring one, a light rumble of contentment uttering from the very walls around them, Sternum flattening his fins down briefly before he grinned. "Perhaps our new allies might be interested in helping us learn a bit more. They are all psionic, like Zuma and the Sand -err, Zumahim- but far more developed and open with it. Told us some things none of us knew, about ourselves and each other, and added that they had known the Makers." Tibia's eyes widened even more, fins going flat as Lobe rumbled curiously at the mention of the Makers, though of course they had no idea that had piqued the ships interest.
"The Makers? So those massive ships, they are a different species? Are they the same as the ones that seem to be wearing armour and flying around fighting as though ships themselves?" Tibia asked, feeling the curious rumble of Lobe more than hearing it. The sound still unnerved Femur, who had managed to calm his rant and returned to them, fins flat back almost in fright as he stood next to Sternum.
"No, those are the Taalrulthians, they're elementals apparently, though I'm not certian what that means on a more individual level. Their leader, who goes by Samateus, is some form of... Avatar for a diety both races worship, though the dieties' visage is used on almost everything they have, armour, ships, even the armoured helms of the Taalrulthians are shaped in her likeness. They both, Samateus and Xerxes, have offered everything we could dream of, and then some, in exchange for nothing." Sternum explained, Femur nodding when Tibia looked to him as though expecting Sternum to be deceiving her and that Femur would be the one to give a sign of it.
"It's all true toots, Tekla found more of her people with them, even one who turned out to be her betrothed." Femur added, offering an understanding grin. "But, they seem interested in helping set up lichen in... Hydra... Hydroponics bays?" Sternum nodded at the confused glance from Femur, nodding lightly that he had remembered correctly.
"And something to hopefully help the Firian's on the battle moon with that weird skin issue some are having."
"How do we know we can trust them?" Tibia brought up the question both had expressed themselves, Sternum smiling lightly and chuckling.
"They have put themselves, their entire peoples, between us and the Beast, I believe they are genuine. Not to mention that Xerxes himself, with two others of his people -who are shapeshifters, Femur saw himself when Xerxes turned into an Icean-" Femur's energetic and almost comical nod made Tibia blink but motioned for Sternum to continue. "Were in our home system and visited each of our worlds. Xerxes was on Ice and Fire, while the other two had visited Rock and Bone independently, to research our peoples and learn our customs and laws. While we do not know who specifically had been on Bone or Rock, nor their names while they were amongst our respective peoples, Xerxes stated he had saved King Cryos' life from a cavern collapse." Sternum explained, Tibia straightening up.
"Wait, the one that Frost put together under your father? I remember you telling me about it and how absolutely livid Spine was after it failed." Tibia looked at Femur who tried to stop her from voicing that fact, Sternum sighing.
"The Same, though Femur, they likely already know. Xerxes probably learned all that when we were sitting with the rest. It passed through my surface thoughts and Samateus briefly reassured me that they do not fault us for what our father foolishly did. He's the entire reason the Golden Jubilation failed, imagine what could have happened if we were all united when the Beast first showed up? We would have gathered around in solidarity and done everything possible to protect our homes, and each other, as we have been since Tekla showed, within reason of course." Femur relaxed immediately at the revelation that Samateus had caught on that their father had been the one who attempted to kill Cryos, through a like-minded person on planet Ice who wanted to end the warring by taking control of Ice for himself, and would have arranged a very one-sided trade agreement in the favour of Spine and planet Bone. He omitted the revelation that Frost had attempted another desperate power move just earlier in the day, neither commenting on the Prison planet and that Sternum had been there when things had begun to come full circle with the Beast.
"So wait, you're telling me that Galen, was this Xerxes?" Tibia gaped when Sternum and Femur both nodded. "Shit... I gotta talk to this guy. I want to know how he escaped himself." Before either could respond, a curious trill from outside warranted a response from Lobe, followed by another curious trill. Sternum stiffened, Femur turning to waddle out to peer around the side of the ship, falling backward over his own tail with a yell when Samateus leapt into view, paws landing on either side of the prone Femur with her nose only a handwidth from his, lightly laughing at him.
"You're too easy to spook. Hope you didn't pinch your tail." Samateus grinned, perking up when Tibia gaped and pointed at her, Sternum simply laughing.
"Tibia, meet Samateus, of the Taalrulthians." Sternum announced, Samateus stepping back from Femur and offering a light bow, bringing her head to her chest and stretching one forelimb forward, bending the other briefly in a sort of curtsy before she straightened back up.
"A pleasure, I... I'd ask you inside but, I don't know if you'd fit." Tibia returned the bow herself, enamored with the furred quadruped after seeing some of her kin chasing Beast drones on her way here. Samateus chuckled, shaking her head before she arched her neck and gently nozed the side of the ship.
"It's alright, Lobe would try and accomodate me but I'm quite fine out here. Having fur is a benefit I will never take for granted, well, except on planets far too hot for my liking." She smiled, Tibia and Sternum blinking comically as Femur righted himself, muttering under his breath about people spooking him for no reason.
"You... How much of our conversation did you hear?" Tibia asked, though realised that it could be taken in two different manners, the verbal speech, and what their minds would relay that she could potentially read.
"Physically, none of it. Psionically, Lobe told me. He's still learning written language and body language, knows you quite well." Samateus smiled at the contented purr coming from Lobe, Tibia still gaping. "Careful, there might be Ice flies around." Tibia quickly closed her mouth, looking to Sternum and then Femur, before turning back to Samateus.
"So I assume you know their dad had been behind the attempt on Cryos' life?" Tibia asked the question that all three dreaded, Samateus' expression going neutral as she nodded.
"As I stated before, the sins of the Fathers will not be held over the Sons. Nor will we make it known to the others, though I'm certain they already suspect, after Spine's interference at the Golden Jubilation. Xerxes was almost caught in that blast too. So twice Spine had nearly killed the one I see as a brother, but I will not fault either Emperor of Bone for his transgressions." Samateus remained unreadable, her golden gemfire eyes calmly meeting Tibia's. Sternum was almost curious enough to ask if meeting her gaze envoked anything for Tibia, Samateus smiling lightly after a while. "Tibia, I'm very glad to meet someone similar to myself, seeing through the surface and understanding that sometimes, the appearance of someone can be vastly different from who they are as an individual. Like your ship, and others like him, and how they are rather, picky, about their pilots." She grinned lightly when Lobe trilled back at her.
"What'd he say?" Tibia asked, figuring the trill to be a vocalization she could understand.
"Just making sure I heard him, he wanted to let you know others are coming over, Jade and Cryos with Blaze... I-oh no, no. They are not going to corner you like that." Samateus growled after a moment, briefly scanning the surface thoughts of the three approaching. "Not without Pyrus or Graveheart. That's not fair." She stepped back, lowering her head down as the trio turned around the side of the ship, and saw her there, with Femur at the bottom of the ramp as Sternum moved to stand with him and Tibia stood in the doorway, back against the support side of the portcullis.
"Sam... We weren't expecting you to be here..." Cryos stiffened, antennae standing straight up as all three could almost feel her distaste, and knew that if she were here, that she likely would not allow them to talk to Sternum and Femur about their involvement on Ice years ago. Her narrowed eyes at his thoughts made him sigh, shake his head and crossed his arms lightly. "So you know."
"Yes, and I've already spoken with them, and Tibia." Samateus snapped, barely containing her distaste that they would attempt to shame their own, emotion passing to Blaze, Cryos and Jade, all three appearing to deflate under her ire.
"Our father involved us only in showing us his plan and how he had goaded one of Ice's own to do what he had thought would make him able to use Ice and its resources for our benefit. And we heard his rage-fuelled rants afterward, when word had come back that Cryos had survived and the majority of the cavern was still intact." Sternum explained, moving to reassurringly lay a hand on Samateus' shoulder nearest them, the female Taalrulthian straightening up to stand in a more relaxed position. Jade sighed, nodding as well as Cryos, Blaze the only other of the four alliance worlds who had known about Emperor Spine's attempts at destroying the stability of the peoples of the rest of the alliance.
"I'll add that Spine was very angry that none of you were even injured when you went to Fire for the Golden Jubilation with Mantle, Cryos, but his agent there must have supplied the information that cornered Magmus." Tibia offered, a bit saddened by the whole event herself. None even commented that she did not use an honorific for the other planetary leaders, feeling quite safe around them in speaking as a normal person. Blaze flattened his ear spines back, nodding to her.
"You three must be close then, as I was with my Emperor and the Vizier in our youth." Blaze hazarded, offering a smirk when the three Bonean's nodded almost in unison. "He was not cornered, no. I watched him fight off three Bonean warriors on his own, one managed to graze his side, and that was enough for the poisons to work." The silence that fell over the group then bothered Samateus a great deal, the furred Taalrulthian snorting after a while, garnering the attention of the rest.
"Perhaps then that is something that will help solidify Bone's support of the alliance?" Samateus offered, the quizzical glances she was met with, and a knowing smile from Tibia, made her chuckle. "The antidotes and counters for the poisons Bone has been using. There's no need for them to be kept secret now." She shrugged, realization on the faces of the others and an impressed nod from Jade made up the minds of the Bonean Emperors.
"I agree, though many will not be happy with such." Sternum nodded, gently nudging Femur who nodded agreement. Tibia facepalmed, Lobe making a curious trill and alerting Jade, Blaze and Cryos to the new development with the Bonean ship.
"Did this ship just... Talk to you?" Cryos asked, looking to Samateus, who chuckled and looked to Tibia who groaned.
"Yes and no, Lobe is just making sure I'm okay." Tibia explained, looking to Samateus who grinned back at her.
"Oh no, this is your show." She responded cheekily to Tibia almost begging Samateus to explain things for her wordlessly.
"Ugh, you're almost as bad as these two." Samateus feigned disgust at her comment, smirk showing the others that they were already teasing each other like sisters, Jade smirked to herself at Tibia almost squirming as the rest waited. "I don't know exactly how much has been shared by these two with the rest of the alliance, but our ships, like Lobe here, have been showing signs of independent thought and sentience. Like how each Carapace Fighter can be really picky about their pilots, even going so far as to just refuse to power on for one individual, but operate completely normal for another." Cryos and Jade nodded, Blaze listening yet reserving his own thoughts on the matter so he could relay them to Pyrus later. He had heard of the strange activities of the Bonean ships, but did not think anything of it, more that the Boneans were becoming inept with their own technology.
"Well this is way beyond that. Lobe has learned to respond to me, and ask questions or give simple answers based on my interactions with him. He's the only one I know of to do what he can. Remember when I was on Ice a couple months back, and that cross wind picked up suddenly?" Tibia addressed Cryos who nodded. "Lobe adjusted his internal and external vents to make certain I didn't get thrown out by him being affected by that Cross wind. I didn't make any trips into the cockpit or do anything to the local controls, I know you saw me lurch but not fall. He did that on his own." Tibia lovingly patted the doorway next to her, a pleased rumbling uttering from the ship.
"Have any other ships shown this intelligence?" Jade asked, looking to Sternum and Femur.
"One, well, two. There was a test going on with two Carapace fighters, one in a stable hover, the other responding to remote access. The one on remote had lurched sideways suddenly and almost collided with the one in a hover. The one hovering actually dipped its closer fin down and moved lower to avoid the first before returning to the exact same spot once the one that almost caused an accident powered down and landed on its own. The entire Machinists guild were in hysterics."
"Sam, you can confirm that there is a sentient mind in this ship?" Blaze asked, still somewhat skeptical. She narrowed her eyes at him, yet nodded.
"Lobe is much further along than any other Bonean ship, the Carapace fighter I interacted with earlier definitely cringed at my touch, but relaxed very easily as its pilot remained calm. I'd equate it almost to my interacting with my Isopod unit, just not as direct." Samateus shook herself lightly, scooting over carefully so Tibia could see the armoured purple Isopod on her back buried in her fur from her vantage point still somewhat inside her ship. Cryos and Jade shared a glance, Blaze nodding as the explanation did sound plausible.
"Though I have to add, Phalange has clawed his way out of the hole he wriggled into last time he was almost caught." Tibia smirked at the mirrored reactions of the two Bonean brothers, their groans and facepalms almost perfectly timed. Cryos and Jade frowned, looking to Samateus and then Tibia who chuckled. "Justicar Phalange, he used to help Spine make his more elaborate plans. Many a raid was thwarted or annihilated by his tactics, we just haven't found anything that would see him brought to Justice." Samateus' predatory grin made another appearance, even Tibia shuddering at it.
"Oh I would enjoy meeting him, so would Xerxes. This one sounds like he might have also been behind most of the events Spine orchestrated." Sternum nodded to Samateus, crossing his arms.
"He had been the one to suggest an explosive at the Golden Jubilation, and Spine jumped on that. Phalange didn't want the credit, just took Spine's enjoyment of the idea as his own. It was rather... Slimy."
"Well, that is how I tend to refer to him. Slimy finger." Tibia grinned, Samateus letting out a hearty laugh.