Chapter 25: A New Era
June 20th, 2175
City of Vancouver
Canada
The alarm chimed softly. "It's 8am Dana. Time to wake up." A soft and flutey feminine voice notified her from her bedside table.
Not for the first time she wished she still had a physical alarm clock to wake up to rather than her earpiece acting like a glorified Siri or Alexa. At least with the alarm clock she could turn it off with a good slap of the Snooze button or, failing that, a slam with her fist to shut it up for good. Sadly the earpiece was too useful to pound.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she slid out of bed and grabbed the small flesh-colored device, inserting it into her ear. Next came the pair of clear ocular lenses that sat in a small container of recharging suspension fluid, slipping them onto her eyes like the contact lenses she had once owned. As she walked over to the closet to pick out some clothes for the day the neurochip attached to her brain automatically connected with the devices, booting them up and sending data to them. A small message notification in the form of a translucent blue envelope appeared at the top corner of her vision, a mere thought banishing it from her sight a moment later. Glancing at the full length mirror nearby she gave herself a quick once over.
"One hundred and eighty-eight years old and you still don't look a day over thirty-five." Her husband Alexander chimed in sleepily from the bed, brushing his shoulder-length brown hair away from his dark eyes as he rubbed the sleep from them. "Still the smoking hot and beautiful redhead I married all those years ago." He assured her.
Dana smiled at the compliment. She wasn't vain about her appearance but her crimson hair, emerald green eyes, and slim muscular figure had always drawn mens' gazes wherever she went.
"You're only a few years my senior and still devastatingly handsome for a man your age. What if I'm in my 'work outfit'?" She prompted in amusement.
"Then you're the sexiest Dragon Knight in the entire Radiant Order of Terra." He replied with a smile.
"Sexiest female Dragon Knight you mean." She corrected him. "You're the sexiest Dragon Knight in the Order by a long shot."
"Flatterer." Alex replied with a chuckle.
"You know it." She replied pleasantly as she began dressing. "Sleep well?"
"As always." He replied with a groan as he stretched.
A few rooms away she could hear Charles bustling about.
"Sounds like the butler is making breakfast." He said teasingly.
Dana glanced back at him with a mild glare. "You'd better apologize for that remark when you go out there. He can hear you, you know."
"He knows I'm just teasing." Alex insisted.
Dana shook her head. "I've never liked it that you call him that every now and then. He's not a butler, he's a friend."
Alex rolled his eyes. "He's a Synthoid A.I created by the Emperor who lives with us and helps us out. How is he not a butler?" He asked.
"Because he doesn't get paid and he doesn't have to stay if he doesn't want to." Dana replied a bit testily, having argued the point more than once with him.
"We've offered him compensation before." Alex pointed out.
"Yes, and every time it's the same reply. 'I don't need compensation, being around you and the kids and learning from all of you is all the payment I need.'."
"Well considering he's virtually immortal I suppose intellectual pursuits are more important to him." The man replied idly. "It's not like he needs the money."
"Diggie diggie hole, Alex. Diggie diggie hole." She replied in an unamused tone. "Keep going and you'll be buried in it."
Alex came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug and kissing the back of her neck. "Didn't mean to make you grumble first thing in the morning." He insisted quietly before using a more normal tone. "Didn't mean to call you a butler Charles, you know I'm kidding right?"
His earpiece chimed a moment later. "If I really was offended there are countless ways I could ensure your remains are never found, regardless of whether you were in your draconic form or not." Charles remarked pleasantly. "I'm also quite certain Dana would gleefully help me with the disposal as well."
The two snickered at that as Dana patted Alex's hand. "Good boy."
"Sociopath." Alex suggested with a smirk. "Talking about murder so casually."
"Careful or he'll eat your liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." Dana suggested.
Alex slurped his lips in her ear at the Hannibal Lecter quote before the two finished dressing.
Making their way to the kitchen they saw Charles expertly flip some eggs from behind the stove. The thin and slightly pale skinned male had a mop of short black hair on the top of his head, his face was somewhat hawkish, and his eyes were an exotic violet. His clothing consisted of a simple pair of light brown slacks and black tee shirt. Glancing over at the pair he smiled warmly at them. "So, death threats aside, how are you two this morning?"
"Fine, thank you." Dana replied. "You?"
Charles nodded. "Good as ever. Either of you want anything special on your eggs this morning?"
"No, just the usual thanks." She replied with Alex nodding in agreement before they sat down on the sofa in front of the wide and ultra thin television screen attached to the wall.
With a thought Dana's neurochip sent a wireless command to the television, activating it and automatically switching to the news as she prompted it to send her messages to the television, allowing her emails and personal messages to scroll down one side of the screen while Alex's scrolled down the other side. She could have viewed the information right in front of her eyes via the neurochip's wireless connection to the planetary extranet and her own ocular overlays but she disliked having her vision being crowded with translucent windows. Call her old fashioned but she never liked the notion of having her vision blocked by annoying pop up windows.
She listened with half an ear to the news report while her other ear was focused on her children's rooms nearby. While she tended not to listen in on them out of respect for what little privacy they could actually have, she still wished to ensure they were getting ready for the day without barging into their rooms. By the bustling sounds she heard it appeared they were already awake with two of them reciting some of the Tenets of Faith.
"Rejoice in the coming of the Emperor, for He is the Lord of Light.
Heed the Wisdom of the Emperor, for He brings Enlightenment.
Cherish the Light of the Emperor, for it will lead you into the Future.
Pledge your Heart to the Emperor, for He offers you Immortality.
Pray in Humility to the Emperor, for He answers the needs of His Children.
Live in Service to the Emperor, for He brings Glory in this Life and the Next."
"Rejoice in the coming of the Empress, for She stands at the Emperor's side.
Heed the Wisdom of the Empress, for it will bring you Grace.
Cherish the Light of the Empress, for it brings forth Life.
Pledge your Heart to the Empress, for She will nurture your Soul.
Pray in Humility to the Empress, for She is the Queen of Mercy
Live in Service to the Empress, for She will guide your Steps."
She smiled as she listened to them recite, knowing that their prayers were genuine and their faith real. Due to her and her husband becoming Knights of the Order of the Radiant Dragon almost a hundred years ago they had been in closer physical proximity to the Emperor and Empress more consistently than many and that access had allowed them to bring the girls into their presence on more than one occasion. Each time the girls had heard the voices of the Emperor and Empress not only as they spoke to them physically but also in their minds, granting them guidance and answering their questions. The first time it had happened the girls had been overjoyed with excitement as they had talked non-stop about everything that the gods had told them after their audience. It was nothing revelatory or momentous of course, the gods had simply given them some simple words of encouragement along with thanking them for their faith and giving them some simple blessings. Even so, in that moment, their faith had become personal and powerful for them. Before then they had seen the Emperor and Empress on the extranet or in various media but it had been abstract and impersonal, something that could be produced or made up like a television show or movie with actors, but they had stood in the presence of the gods and the gods had spoken directly to them. They had felt their auras of might and grandeur, heard their words both in their ears and in their minds without making use of any technology and so their faith was cemented.
She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the simple pleasure of having them going through their daily routines. They were growing up so quickly, all three about to hit their teenage years. Even after one hundred and fifty years and a few generations of children under her belt, the joy of being a mother never faded and she adored all of her children. Part of it was due to the fact that she was fortunate to have them at all, cancer had struck her at a young age and while the doctors at the time had managed to remove it, the procedures had left her ability to have children in serious doubt. Fortunately the gods and their regenerative miracles had allowed her body to be restored to its full health, allowing her to become pregnant and give birth naturally. It was something for which she and her husband were eternally grateful and it had been part of the reason why they had endured the trials of Knighthood as well as the pain of the Rituals, their bodies genetically reforged from Human to Dragon, so that they might serve the gods down through the centuries.
The three young girls came out of their rooms a few moments after each other, dressed for school.
"Morning mom!" They chorused as they made their way over to the dining room table as Charles began setting places for them.
"Morning!" She smiled, turning off the television.
"Hey munchkins, don't I rate a 'good morning'?" Alex asked with a grin.
"Morning dad." They replied in dutiful but monotonous tones as they seated themselves at the table, grinning at him.
"I see where I stand in this household." He grumbled good-naturedly as he and Dana made their way to the table.
"In my experience, in a few more years they will be doting on you." Charles suggested with a smile as he began putting the food on the table with everyone digging in a moment later.
"Thanks Charles!" The girls said cutely with grins.
"You're welcome ladies." Charles smiled with a twinkle in his eye.
"They always have doted on him, at least the girls did." Dana replied.
"You raise them well." Charles complimented.
"Well after the first time or two raising kids gets a lot easier once you know what you're doing." Dana remarked.
"Are we still going to the concert tonight?" One of the girls asked in excitement.
"Yes Dani, we certainly are." Alex nodded. "We'll go once we get home from work and have a bite to eat."
"Will the Emperor and Empress really be there?" Another asked with equal excitement.
"From what I understand they are, Krystal." Her father replied with a nod and a smile.
"Are you going to be guarding them at the concert?" The third asked.
Alex shook his head. "No Dalinda, we'll be off duty by then so we can sit with you all during the concert. I understand Metallica 2.0 is going to be performing a new song they wrote for the Emperor personally."
The girls grinned in excitement at that. "Cool!" They chorused.
"I take it then that we're going to be foregoing your usual workout routine for today?" Charles asked them.
Dana nodded. "We can afford to skip a day I think."
"Lovely, the bruises on my bruises will have time to heal a bit." Charles teased.
"Mom, have you been beating up Charles again?" Dani asked with a grin.
Dana smiled. "Only because he asked me to."
"If I wasn't there doing something similar I'd wonder what you two got up to in that dojo." Alex joked.
Dana sighed in amusement. "Yes Alex, we're both masochists and I'm having an affair with him behind your back." She drawled, making the girls giggle.
"Does that mean we can kick you and you'll like it?" Krystal asked impishly.
"Does that mean you're having sex with him?" Dani asked with faux innocence.
Dana gave them sardonic looks. "No, because I don't allow my daughters to kick me unless we're sparring, and no I'm not having sex with him since that would be inappropriate and disrespectful to your father whom I love very much." She replied admonishingly.
"Aren't you two a little young to be asking questions like that?" Alex teased.
"We're almost thirteen, dad, it's not like we're four or five." Dani insisted.
"Speak for yourself, I'm almost fourteen." Dalinda insisted.
"Yes Eldest, we hear and obey." Dani sighed dramatically.
Everyone chuckled quietly as they continued eating for several minutes.
"Make sure to turn in your assignments today." Dana remarked to them. "I don't want your teacher calling again and asking why it was late. It shouldn't be possible for you to forget to turn them in these days. Even when we only had cell phones…"
"We know." The girls droned unenthusiastically.
Alex snickered. "You're doing the 'when I was your age' thing again dear."
"Shush." Dana insisted, shoving him playfully.
Finishing breakfast the girls spent a few minutes grabbing their bags and browsing online before heading to the door to catch their transport to school, waving goodbye as they left while Alex and Dana finished their own meals.
"Delicious as always Charles." Alex sighed before standing. "Shall we?"
"We shall." Dana nodded as she stood as well, both of them moving to the other room to grab their duffel bags of gear. Focusing their wills and muttering the draconic incantation of teleportation under their breaths they vanished in flashes of golden light.
The same moment
Equatorial-Prime Meridian Confluence (0' Latitude, 0' Longitude)
Off the western coast of Africa
The two flashed across the globe for thousands of miles before reaching a solid wall of pure divine energy created by the careful construction of many thousands of interlocking warding schemes and runic arrays. The potent divine magic held them in place as it encircled and scanned them down to the very depths of their souls, searching out not only their true identities but also for any hints of malicious intent or the taint of evil, before allowing them to permeate the barrier and reappear at one of the various entry points into the Imperial Court.
Far larger than the original asteroid city the gods had arrived in, the massive artificial island sat at near sea level, its base a solid mass of duracrete and other stone-like material while above the surface sat a wide plane of heat resistant and reflective metals, forming the foundation upon which sat the vast Imperial seat of government. While some of the Imperium's most public acts, such as full meetings of the Imperial Senate and the Council of Sol, went on at the old United Nations building in New York, most of the actual administration and work of the massive interstellar body was done here in grand neo-classical and neo-Deco structures of white stone and various polished metals. Near them stood lush parks allowing the various bureaucrats and government officials to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature to refresh themselves as well as residential areas, various infrastructure sections, military installations, and all of it culminating with the awe-inspiring sight of the Pyramid of Divinity itself at its center. Covered in silvery chrome and gold the massive structure dominated the entire city-state, standing as an eternal symbol of divine power, a beacon of white light shining from its apex into the sky like a shaft to the heavens itself.
In the distance, in what had once been the country of Gabon, stood the towering megastructure of one of Earth's space elevators, the exterior sheathed in cream and white along with a series of blinking lights, linked to a massive orbital hub in geosynchronous orbit.
Glancing about to take in the scene, a brief flex of will allowed their human bodies to shift as they reverted back into their true Draconic forms. Human flesh was replaced with steel-colored scales in the shape of kite shields, their bodies retaining their lean but muscular forms, their fingers terminating in sharp claws as well as their feet. Short sword-like frills grew from their elbows and heels as well as along their heads creating a layer of laid back spikes. Their humanoid faces became covered in tiny scales, their eyes forming reptilian slits and their ears becoming pointed at the tops. From their backs sprouted wide wings, the 'feathers' in the shape of blades and at the base of their spines grew long tails with a row of spikes along it. Human beings no longer, in their place stood Alextros and Danavae, Steel Dragons of the Radiant Order and protectors of the divine household.
~~Always disappointing to see your chest become slimmer when you change.~~ Alex remarked to her over their private wireless network as they began walking, various other officials and dignitaries materializing nearby every so often from their own teleports.
~~You would focus on that aspect of my anatomy rather than tell me how beautiful I look as a dragon.~~ Dana replied teasingly. ~~Weren't you the one telling me I was the most beautiful of all the Knights on Earth?~~
~~Yes I did, and so, since I already told you how beautiful you are, I am allowed to tease you about your cup size suddenly shrinking from a D-cup to an A.~~ He snarked.
Pouting her mouth with a glare she smacked him lightly on the shoulder. ~~Be thankful I don't lay your scalie butt on the ground right here and now.~~ She informed him.
~~Save the kinky stuff for the bedroom dear.~~ He replied with a smirk.
~~You're impossible!~~ She said with fond exasperation.
~~You love me.~~ He replied with a smile.
~~Yes, yes I do.~~ She agreed with a mental sigh.
As they made their way up the causeway to the central administration area their eyes glanced about constantly as they observed the various foot traffic moving about the grounds as well as the magical energies that flowed across the complex, looking for irregularities. Even though neither of them were technically 'on the clock' as of yet they both took their duties seriously and noticing something odd before it became an actual issue was what they were trained for.
To the outside observer with normal human senses the entire island appeared to be quite exposed and open with no obvious defenses or barriers to protect it. Most would assume that with the gods in residence there would be no need for such protections, for if the gods could not provide sufficient protection for the island, then what could? However, they and the rest of the guards knew the truth. The gods were often absent, having to deal with matters in Oerthian space as well as the various Void Habitats that existed throughout the inner solar system. Each of these habitats was a semi-independent nation state and there were also the various asteroid colonies out near the belt that existed as the Imperium's 'frontier'. As such the gods were often occupied, ensuring matters progressed as they should and that their interstellar government functioned properly in all areas of their domain. If they expected to be absent for an extended period of time they would leave behind an Avatar or possibly even an Aspect of greater power to oversee the needs of their people and answer prayers as well as protect the realm while their main focus was elsewhere. Regardless of which were used, the truth was that the gods in their full strength were often not present, leaving the defense of Earth to others.
Hence the array of hidden defenses that were all around them.
Here and there she could see the slightest twinkle of the AngelNet, the swarm of nanomachines floating through the air all around them. The machines themselves were harmless and most people had them in their system without even knowing it, having breathed them in or out at some point. However, the fact that they were constantly in the air allowed for virtually complete coverage of the region as well as allowing the priesthood's Technomancers to make use of them should the need arise. When the Emperor had first transitioned to divinity hundreds of years ago the amount of nanites he was able to produce was somewhat limited. However, thanks to the various nanoforges he and the priesthood had created over the years, nanite-infused materials were now extremely common, allowing for virtually all goods and materials to self-repair. There were countless other applications for them, depending on the need, but in the hands of the priests swarms of nanites could become anything from a suit of skin-tight armor to simple weapons, stabilizing elements for use in healing, or in the case of the island, a swarm of monitoring devices.
Next there was the island itself. The duracrete structure beneath them was not only for stability but also housed a massive underground complex of offices, research laboratories, server arrays and archives, as well as a host of submersible vehicles for defensive purposes and civilian use. Mages specializing in hydromancy and other similar arts were permanently stationed here to help ensure the safety of the ocean surrounding them and to sense any incoming threats. While powerful advances in sonar technologies had been made over the years nothing could compare to a skilled hydromancer who was fully in tune with their element. The body of water they attuned themselves to would become almost an extension of their very beings, allowing them to sense even the slightest disturbance within it whether on the surface or its deepest depths. Every creature and object within it was known to them and the control they exercised over it was almost absolute, allowing them to shift areas from one state to another or manipulate it as they wished, creating areas of ice where a moment before there had been pristine water or massive tidal waves taking the place of placid seas.
The same was true of the surrounding skies as aeromancers plied their trade alongside powerful radar installations and an entire suite of powerful sensors to augment them. These mages continuously monitored the air currents of the surrounding area as well as any aircraft passing through. Changes in heat or unexplained turbulence could detect cloaked craft in seconds and their senses extended for miles in all directions, allowing them to sense any incoming object from a bird in flight to a person in free fall or a missile. Working in concert, a moment's concentration from these elite sorcerers could turn the clear skies into a whirlwind of hurricane force winds with the island at its epicenter, forcing aside or outright destroying any threat that sought to attack them, even from space-based weapons.
Even the Pyramid itself was designed with defense in mind. While magical shielding reinforced the structure, the Lord of Technology refused to rely solely on magic and had constructed the pyramid itself out of a myriad of durable materials. The exact composition was a state secret but it was rumored that the combination of metals, ceramics, and exotic material could easily withstand the most powerful weapons humankind could muster, even something as obliterative as a pure antimatter detonation. Additionally each level of the pyramid contained integrated banks of various weapon types from railguns to missile banks to energy projectors of various types, allowing for long range precision strikes or broad short range attacks.
The grounds themselves were also guarded as vigilantly as the air and sea. Passing by a group of administrators one of them sent the pair a ping to their neurochips, the modern equivalent of someone hitting their radio button to create a click or hiss of acknowledgement. Various guards moved incognito about the temple grounds, blending into the crowds and often near various groups to provide backup or assistance. While their clothes appeared simple, each and every one wore an undersuit of nanoweave armor that was resistant to standard weapons. Additionally their enhanced biology and the nanites in their blood would protect them from various biological weapons or gas attacks as well. Of course these guards were merely assigned to protect the outer areas of the island itself and give the various attendees aid if needed. If pressed they could be overwhelmed by force of arms or a small army with the proper protective gear, assuming such a force was able to gain access to the island.
Not so with the Radiant Knights.
As the personal bodyguards and servants of the Emperor and Empress Dana and Alex like all other such Knights were augmented far beyond a normal human. Their Draconic bodies were naturally far more durable with at least two of each vital organ and dense muscles along with an adamantine-infused skeleton. Their dragon scales functioned as natural armor that was stronger than most ballistic armor, their senses were far keener, and their reaction times were faster than any human. Their claws and talons could shear through most common materials and their fangs could easily break a normal human's bones with a single strong bite. Years of simulation training in tactics and warfare as well as weapons of all types allowed them to excel in any form of conflict they might find themselves in and their arcane prowess at casting combat spells ranked alongside some of humanity's most powerful mages. Only an attack with the destructive force of a direct missile strike could hope to incapacitate such a Knight and that was assuming they were unable to defend themselves while in normal civilian attire.
Fully armed and armored they were a literal wall of adamantium and certain death against any foe who might try to destroy them or those they had sworn to protect.
Passing through the administrative center of the island they came to the entrance of the Pyramid itself with its massive gold and bronze doors depicting the Seal of the Imperium. The doors themselves were somewhat ajar given the constant flow of foot traffic. Even so the pair could feel another set of scanners and wards scouring every inch of their bodies as they passed through the entrance. Within the Pyramid were a multitude of cameras both covert and overt as well as scrying devices and the ever present Angelnet tracking their every move along with all other visitors. Privacy might be dead but at least in most places of the world it was covert enough that there was some semblance of the illusion. Here it was anything but. If Dana focused she could even feel the attention of the Dark One like a pair of eyes staring at the back of her mind.
The third member of the Divine Trinity went by various names as those who were familiar with him were wont to attest. Most of the general population was completely unaware he existed, content to believe that there was only the Emperor and Empress, the perfect divine family of Father and Mother. Of course his existence was not strictly a secret as the gods refused to hide such a huge truth from their people but neither was it advertised. If one was bold enough to ask then the truth, or at least part of it, was revealed to them. The truth that the divine family was not just made up of two but rather three. Not a son or daughter but one that stood as their dark shadow and adviser, a counterpoint to their holiness, a being of darkness that knew what evil lurks in the hearts of men and women and exploited it for the gods' own ends. The Emperor and Empress had their antithesis in the embodiment of all dark desires and powers. Always hidden, never spoken of blithely, but omnipresent and always watching in the shadow of the Emperor's light. A dark god of all the evils humanity had ever known and patron of any who walked away from the Path or fell away from it.
A moment later both Dana and Alex received a ping from their superior, Lord Commander Altaris, head of security for the Pyramid and the cadre of Knights assigned to protect it, and by extension, the divine family.
~~Coming on duty in a minute sir.~~ Alex remarked dryly as the pair connected to him on a private channel. ~~We only just got here.~~
~~Good. They're expected back for a few minutes to allow for the shift change in their detail before heading out again. Be in the throne room in 15 or you'll miss the bus.~~
The connection terminated and the two made their way to the security wing of the palace, quickly putting on their armor that served as both protection and uniform. The helmet, breastplate, greaves, gauntlets, and shin guards were modern in design and forged of adamantium, the outer coating of nanites chrome-like in color, polished to a mirror shine. The joints and sections between the armor pieces were a mix of carbon nanotube material and divine nanites. Gold in color, it behaved like cloth but was virtually impossible to pierce with any known weapon and had incredible tensile strength. The utility belt at their waist held several pieces of equipment including crowd control grenades, a firearm similar to a Desert Eagle done in plated gold, and a modern plasma sword. The weapons were master-crafted, the sword having a silver pommel with the snarling head of a gold Dragon at the end and golden crossguard in the shape of wings in flight. The blade itself extended out to four feet in length and was a mix of raw white plasma infused with divine energy due to the Emperor's blessing, giving it a shifting gleam of white and gold like the aura of the Emperor himself. A first aid kit, magazines of blessed ammunition for their sidearms, along with an omni-tool, a simple serrated dagger of magnetic metal, and a batch of emergency nanites commonly called 'blessed goo', were also included.
As they finished putting on the armor the systems within it booted up and connected to their neurochips as well as the devices on their bodies, syncing to them and giving them status reports as the suit itself clamped down around them, fitting them like a second skin and sealing them against the outside environment. It was mostly a precaution given that few biological agents could adversely affect a Dragon and even the void of space was only a serious threat if they were lost with no hope of quick rescue but even so, the Emperor was nothing if not cautious. Over the centuries on Oerth and on Earth the Knights had become a symbol of righteous invincibility and holy purpose with few of them ever falling in battle unless matched against truly horrific or powerful foes and he fully intended for the Knights to retain that aura of invincibility.
The pair quickly made their way through the various sections of the palace, meeting up with the other Knights that made up the day shift as they headed to their final destination near the apex of the Pyramid. Stepping into the throne room they took their places with the other Knights in formation as they waited for the gods to arrive. The room itself was a testament to the gods and their domains. Technically both the Emperor and the Empress had their own smaller throne rooms a level below which they could use to entertain or receive visitors specific to them if they wished and in those rooms their particular virtues were extolled, but here there were a mix of both. Styles from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum blending together creating a holistic scene that merged technology and nature, machines and organic life. The floor was covered in brass and copper with geometrically straight lines with symbols of cogs, arrows, and other geometric shapes that bespoke of civilization and progress while mixed in were fluid shapes in natural colors of green, white, and soft yellow, referencing the Empress's domains of life, nature, and healing. The walls were a mix of greenery held in brass and the ceiling was composed of arched buttresses. In the middle of the room was a long silver and gold train that led to the back of the room whereupon a pair of thrones sat, backlit by a massive stained glass wall depicting the gods in golden armor and white robes, arms raised in blessing and strength.
The thrones themselves were solid and intricate with dragon heads at the backs as well as the armrests, done in gold, platinum, and white marble with plush white cushions on the arms and seat.
Suddenly there was a flash of brilliant light and a moment later the gods stood among them.
Standing before the thrones the divine pair were dressed in surprisingly normal attire, wearing simple shirts and pants. Of course, when in the company of their Knights, away from the public, they had no need for ostentatiousness. The Lord Commander saluted and a half second later all of the Knights did the same.
"Good morning everyone." Prometheus greeted them. "I hope everyone slept well."
Their HUDs were suddenly filled with information about the day's activities and their locations, including the layouts of multiple space habitats and various locations on Earth.
The gods spoke with their stewards as well as various other officials, giving the Knights time to familiarize themselves with the details. Normally such a glut of diverse locations with different routes, checkpoints, and security details would have been daunting to memorize in such a short time but the Knights' already powerful Draconic minds were augmented even further, allowing them to quickly assimilate it.
Various questions were quickly asked across the private channel the Knights used about various details and concerns, all of them quickly answered by the Lord Commander. Once the chatter had silenced the divine pair turned to face them.
"Shall we?" The Emperor smiled cheerfully.
The Knights saluted again and quickly got into formation, surrounding the Emperor and Empress with quick efficiency.
A second later the group was gone in another flash of light.
What followed was nearly ten hours of non-stop activity as the Emperor and Empress gave various speeches and met with countless dignitaries while touring the facilities they arrived upon. Their first stop was the Void Piercer Habitat, the first O'Neill-style cylindrical space habitat the Emperor had constructed once several asteroid mining colonies in the inner system had been established. Far more than simple space stations, the habitat and others like it had an interior volume the size of most countries, large enough to contain their own weather systems and cloud formations as they slowly spun, generating artificial gravity via centrifugal forces. Space inside the cylinder was abundant enough that it contained its own mountain ranges, farm lands, cities, small seas, and forests. In one of the natural parks that had been cultivated specifically for its diversity of colorful blooming plants the Emperor and Empress toasted the Governor and the works that the people there had produced, being one of the many hubs of commerce near the asteroid belt that separated the inner planets from the outer system. The Knights scanned the crowds constantly as well as any area that might contain a threat, as unlikely as it might be to find malcontents, as the Emperor and Empress moved about the exuberant crowds, shaking hands and bestowing blessings as they went.
Their business concluded the divine rulers then teleported themselves and their entourage to the mining industrial complex on the asteroid Ceres, the massive object nearly large enough to be considered a planet in its own right. The first asteroid to be colonized by Humanity due to its size and stability, massive mining conglomerates had created vast mineral wealth for the entire solar system, the asteroid having massive deposits of many valuable metals such as gold, platinum, and palladium, as well as rare earth elements such as promethium, thulium, and neodymium. The pair spent their time touring some of the facilities and speaking with various employees from the CEOs to common miners before teleporting across the void once again, this time to Mars itself.
When the stellar expansion into the solar system had begun many had expected that Mars would be the next logical target for colonization, apart from the moon, given what humanity had already attempted to accomplish and the research that had been done to establish a colony there by NASA as well as various private companies. However, while some colonies had been built for human settlement, the Emperor had instead decided to devote his resources to the construction of the space habitats, finding them a cheaper and safer alternative, given the easy access to materials in the asteroid belts. However, that did not mean that Mars did not factor into the Emperor's plans. The planet's terraforming was far from complete with the soil still mostly barren and the atmosphere only able to support simple microbial life as well as provide some protection from cosmic radiation. However, it was a work in progress and the planet's geography had already been mapped out and zoned for when it was finally habitable in the centuries to come. In the meantime the world had been given over to the Synthoids to make use of with the understanding that they would eventually be joined by their human counterparts; the few groups of humans that remained behind did so for research purposes or those that had been heavily augmented to endure the Martian surface. The marked industrial zones had been transformed into massive complexes that churned out industrial goods and materials of all types and above the atmosphere in geosynchronous orbit floated massive orbital shipyards, microgravity research laboratories, and planetary defense installations. Fed by supply chains constructed by the habitats that stretched across the system like gossamer threads of ships, the world had become the solar system's largest producer of goods, from military equipment to raw materials, chemicals, and even consumer goods. All of the functions and processes were overseen by the near hive-mind coordination of the A.I's that ruled there under the overall direction of the Emperor.
The meeting and visitation of Mars was brief in comparison to the ones from before. While the Synthoids there could easily carry on animated conversations if they wished, those that lived and worked on Mars were of a different bent. The natural growth process of a Synthoid's quantum parallel processors mimicked the growth of neuronal patterns in the human mind to ensure its true intelligence and consciousness. However it also created a wide variation in personality similarly to human minds. As a result there were some that were more suited to certain tasks and took to them with a single-minded focus that found outside distractions pointless, some almost savant-like in their thought processes and attitudes. Rather than attempting to force them into a different mental mould the Emperor chose to make use of them here where their talents and dedication would be an asset and the Synthoid would find a sense of accomplishment and purpose that it would be unlikely to find elsewhere, given their unique mindsets. Communicating at literally the speed of thought between electronic brains and divine consciousness, Prometheus and Arianasa were given full reports before showering all of them with praise and approval of the good works they were doing, citing many examples of their usefulness.
Luna was the next stop on their list of destinations. Unlike Mars, Arianasa held no illusions about being able to transform Earth's satellite into anything approaching habitable for human life. As a result the entirety of it had been turned over to the Synthoids for their use as a world to call their own, should they desire it. A human would have found the gesture insulting in the extreme, considering it a consolation prize at best, but the Synthoids with their completely artificial natures found it akin to a garden world as it suited them perfectly. The crust was filled with various substances they would need to sustain themselves such as silicon, titanium, and aluminium. The lack of atmosphere ensured that power collectors on the ground or in low lunar orbit would be completely efficient when turned towards the sun. The possibility of an asteroid strike was always a concern and an inconvenience, even for them, but the Synthoids had resolved this issue handily by constructing massive underground bunkers and connected complexes far beneath the surface. Like the Dwarves of legend they hollowed out vast tracts of the lunar crust, seeking the riches beneath and transforming them into usable material, building a civilization for themselves and trading the extra they did not need to Earth in exchange for other supplies that, in their eyes, were considered luxury goods. These days Luna was considered not only a production center similar to Mars but a major defense platform for Earth as well. The world itself contained powerful sensor suites, telescopes, and scanners unhindered by atmosphere and so they kept an ever vigilant watch as they circled the homeworld, their electronic eyes peeled for any unexpected incoming object. In addition Prometheus had instructed them to build orbital infrastructure including defense platforms, shipyards, and military facilities in order to provide reinforcements on the off chance that Earth was attacked. While no alien life had yet been discovered the Emperor was not naive to think that the universe in all its vastness only contained one planet with intelligent life. In his mind, any life that was curious enough and inventive enough to become space faring would also have an instinct for self preservation, and by extension, a willingness to protect itself.
Having spent the morning beyond Earth, the pair now returned to it around noon, meeting with various national leaders for a power lunch in Switzerland. The country was still a neutral nation even after all this time and one of the very few that still was. Time and familiarity had worn down and almost completely eroded any sense of nationalism the various nations might have once held. While their histories and cultures were still preserved they were now a part of the global community under the direction of the Council of Sol and the gods themselves. There had been some remaining holdouts in the early years after the gods had taken direct control of China but after the near destruction of Earth by the actions of Vecna and his subsequent destruction it was a foregone conclusion that the world and its nations would be bending the knee to Prometheus and serving him, either out of gratitude, the expectation of access to advanced technology as well as increased wealth, or simple revolution as the people rose up in protest against the old order that had failed to serve their needs. Switzerland had been allowed to maintain its neutral status as a symbolic gesture of respect for their dedication to the ideology as well as the potential need for a neutral site upon which to discuss various negotiations. There were a few other such small holdouts and bastions of the old world, including religious sites such as Jerusalem and Rome, but these had become more museums of history and historical sites of great importance like the Pyramids of Egypt or Stonehenge in Great Britain. Some small political and religious communities still survived there, clinging to their old beliefs, but for the most part they were considered pious but harmless eccentrics who refused to open their eyes to the light of the gods' wisdom, and as such they were either pitied or ignored entirely.
The afternoon was spent travelling to various regions, visiting the palaces and offices of their Governors, allowing the Governors of each nation to speak with the gods personally about various matters of state or any personal concerns they might have had regarding matters of a sensitive nature. The couple then returned to their palace in China to enjoy a light dinner before returning to the Pyramid, allowing the day shift to retire and the night shift to take their places.
Divesting themselves of their armor and weapons Dana and Alex returned home and greeted their children as they waved to them from the dining room where they were working on their homework.
"Welcome home." Charles said, greeting them. "The girls have already had dinner and I prepared something for the two of you as well so that we can get to the concert on time."
Dana grinned. "What would we do without you Charles?" She asked fondly.
"Chinese takeout?" The Synthoid suggested with a teasing smile.
"Probably." Alex agreed with a smile as they put their bags away and sat down to eat with Charles serving them as the girls completed their work, telling them about their day and the events that had happened. The family quickly cleaned up, putting on some nicer clothes before teleporting across the Pacific Ocean to Beijing.
National Centre for the Performing Arts
Beijing, China
The family arrived moments later before the great structure, its ellipsoid dome surrounded by an artificial lake. The girls marveled at it for a moment before one of them looked at Dana.
"How come it looks like an egg?" Dani asked.
Dana shrugged. "They wanted it to look that way I suppose." She guessed, admiring the form, one half of the 'egg' seemingly covered in golden plates while the other half was covered in shining panes of glass.
Large crowds were already in attendance and security was quite formidable but the pair's security clearance allowed them to make their way through the crowds unimpeded. Heading into the concert hall they purchased some drinks and snacks before making their way to the main hall itself and finding their seats. Others began filing in moments later, the massive semi-circular and multi-level room holding several thousand people with more standing room at the rear. At the rear of the seating area was a massive cleared space with two golden cushions set into the floor as well as a pair of human-sized thrones before them, allowing the divine couple to enjoy the event in either their Dragon or Human forms.
When the concert hall was about half way full and the start of the concert only minutes away the gods made their appearance, entering the room with a flash of light surrounded by their Knights. All in attendance quickly turned and bowed or knelt as was their preference.
"Rise, everyone, rise!" Prometheus announced with a smile and dismissive wave. "Please don't mind us!"
Everyone tittered at the small joke before seating themselves once more and continuing their conversations as various concert goers approached the pair to engage them in conversation or simply to have a picture or video taken with them.
"Mom, Dad, can we go say hi?" Dani asked eagerly with Krystal and Dalinda nodding along with her.
The two parents glanced at each other before nodding. "Only if you behave respectfully to everyone and wait your turn." Dana informed them.
"What about if someone tries to kidnap us or touch us in bad places? Do we have to be respectful to them too?" Dani asked with an impish smile.
"Of course." Alex replied with a smile. "While you're kicking their butts halfway across China."
"Just because you're giving someone a beat down doesn't mean you have to be rude about it." Dana chimed in with a smile of her own.
The girls giggled, giving them a chorus of thank you's before leaving their seating and walking quickly to the back of the room.
"We're raising a trio of psychopaths you know." Alex offered in amusement. "They'll be using proper language and apologizing while slicing people up with swords or shooting them."
"Well if they are then there will be a good reason for it." Dana replied nonchalantly. "And if they do go to prison they'll get out early for good behavior."
~~Sometimes you frighten me.~~ Charles remarked teasingly over their private communication channel.
~~Just keeping you on your toes.~~ Dana replied.
The great hall was soon filled and the girls returned with grins on their faces as the concert began to start.
~~How was it girls?~~ Alex asked them, not wanting to disturb those around them by speaking.
~~They were awesome!~~ Dani said happily. ~~The Empress was so nice and she looked amazing in that kimono she was wearing!~~
~~The Emperor even told us he'd been hearing our recitals in the morning and enjoyed listening to them every time!~~ Krystal added eagerly.
~~Well of course he did.~~ Dana replied easily. ~~He loves to hear from you and talk to you. So many people just ask him for things or pray once in a while.~~
The lights went down a moment later and the opening act began, consisting of the Royal Orchestra. Classical Chinese stringed, percussion, and wind instruments melded together a flowing and serene yet complex melody for long moments before the conductor welcomed everyone to the performance, the ubiquitous neurochips in use by virtually everyone in the audience allowing for instant and perfect translation into their own language. Several more classic and modern Chinese pieces were played using a variety of different instruments, some slow and haunting while others were upbeat and lively before a special act was introduced.
Walking out onto the stage were the band members of Metallica 2.0.
While the original Metallica band had retired years before the gods had arrived, the band members of the famous heavy metal group had still been alive at the time due to the primitive but effective life extension treatments available. The gods' powers of healing had allowed them to live for another decade or two but in the end they had decided, like many at the time, not to over-extend their lives and join with the gods in eternity. Before they transitioned, however, they had permitted the Emperor to create digital copies of their minds which were then inserted into new Synthoid bodies, claiming that it would be the greatest of travesties if their legacies could not fully embrace becoming 'Metallica' in every sense. These new versions were subtly different from the originals, of course, having a different outlook on their lifespan and experiences, but the creative processes and vitality was still there. Having gone through a literal rebirth they refused to claim themselves as a continuation of the original band out of respect for what their progenitors had accomplished, but instead chose to call themselves its next iteration, hence Metallica 2.0. Even now, over one hundred years later, they were still producing new music, much of it just as popular as the original band's hits.
They spent a few moments tuning their equipment before launching into a swift thrash sequence and began to sing in their rugged baritone voices.
"Come unto me and you will find perfection! Come unto me and dedicate! Come unto me, you'll never feel rejection! Come unto me and terminate! Remove your heart, it's only good for bleeding! Bleeding through your fragile skin! Remove your thoughts! Thoughts are only for deceiving! Deceiving thoughts destroy within! Disappear like Man was never here!
Long live machines! Our future supreme! Hu-man overthrown! Spit out the bone!"
The girls grinned and cheered along with the crowd while Dana and Alex sat quietly. While the band was not one of their favorites they could still appreciate the lyrics for what they were and the energy the band put into their performances.
"Plug into me! I guarantee devotion! Plug into me and dedicate! Plug into me! I'll save you from emotion! Plug into me and terminate! Accelerate the Utopian solution! Finally cure the Earth of sin! Exterminate, speeding up the evolution! Set on course a master plan! Reinvent the earth inhabitant!
Long live machines! Our future supreme! Man overthrown! Spit out the bone! Yeah!"
The two parents couldn't help but chuckle privately at this.
~~I like that bit, the 'Utopian solution'.~~ Alex remarked. ~~They're really going for 'on the nose' aren't they?~~
~~Please, they've gone beyond the nose.~~ Dana replied. ~~At this point they're flat out mocking him. To his face I might add. That takes balls of steel.~~
~~Well they certainly have them. It wouldn't surprise me if they had literal steel balls inserted into those bodies just so they could say they had them with total sincerity.~~ Alex suggested.
"The flesh betrays the flesh!" The band shouted lyrically. "Human has had its time! We lay him down to rest! Machine, the new divine!"
The band broke into a series of guitar riffs and scales as the two continued their discussion.
~~Regardless of their having balls of steel or lack thereof,~~ Dana continued, ~~Prometheus and Arianasa seem to be enjoying it as much as anyone.~~
~~Please!~~ Alex huffed in amusement. ~~They could be furious and still look perfectly serene. They wouldn't dare make such a spectacle in front of everyone here, the media would go absolutely nuts and the audience would probably tear the band apart in righteous zeal for daring to upset or embarrass them.~~
Suddenly the two felt the touch of the divine in their minds as Prometheus interjected himself into the conversation.
Despite what you may think Alextros I do have a sense of perspective and I also have a wife whose duty it is to keep me humble. The god remarked in mild amusement. To me the lyrics are a mix of praise as well as a warning to not make technology so smothering that it dampens or extinguishes the human spirit and its boundless possibility. Of course, given that I am the God of Technology and Innovation it would be difficult for me not to increase my own domain's power and reach but I do agree that with technology, as in all things, there can be too much of a good thing. Thus my wife and I work in tandem to ensure technology and nature work hand in hand to flourish equally and thus strengthen each other.
The two couldn't help but acknowledge the wisdom of his words before the god's presence withdrew, allowing them to focus on the band once more.
"Stop breathing and dedicate to me! Stop dreaming and terminate for me! All meaning, you dedicate to me! All feelings, you terminate for me!"
"Disappear like man was never here! Long live machines! Our future supreme! Human overthrown! Spit out the bone, yeah!"
The song ended with a powerful climax and the crowd cheered along with Prometheus and Arianasa while the band bowed. A few other bands next came on stage, one after the other, to present various regional pieces including Tibet, Russia, and Nigeria before the performance came to an end. Clapping along with the rest they disposed of their trash and shook hands with a few people who had sat near them, making small talk and briefly comparing notes on which pieces they had enjoyed while the girls showed off their social skills, being respectful and courteous as well as inquisitive. Finally the family teleported home, tired but satisfied before heading to bed.
Interdimensional Jump Gate
L1 Lagrange Point
Gravitationally stable region 1.5 million Km from Earth
Several hours later...
The massive portal several kilometers in circumference erupted in a plume of exotic and magical energies. From within the portal's swirling vortex emerged the massive asteroid city that Prometheus and Arianasa had used to traverse the solar system and arrive upon Earth all those years ago. Within the throne room of the great city Aurelius Ironheart oversaw the megastructure's transition into reality. The golden Dragon was clad in his human form, his aristocratic face impassive as his long blonde hair fell about his shoulders, his toned body encased in resplendent silver and gold plate armor with his hands clasped behind his back like a soldier at parade rest. The city itself had been granted multiple upgrades over the years. No longer reliant on the energy produced by a god or goddess in order to power its massive drives, the city now contained massive fusion reactors that enabled it to travel under its own power as well as providing additional energy to the local reality generator and its other systems. As such the control throne that had been connected to the main engines had been replaced with an updated version that allowed for direct control of various systems as well as a minor power shunt that allowed the user to provide auxiliary power to the capacitors should it be necessary. In front of the throne sat various consoles as well as a plethora of virtual and physical screens showing the different aspects of the ship and its position in relative space.
"Transition successful, my Lord." The Helmsman stated. "Astro-cartographical maps confirm our position."
"Excellent." Aurelius replied crisply. "Set course for Terra, Helmsman, best speed."
"Yes my Lord." The man replied as he began plotting their course.
Moments later the massive drives along the aft section of the city lit up and began pushing the asteroid forward.
"All drives green, ETA to Terran orbit, one hour thirty-two minutes."
"Good. I look forward to seeing what strides the Emperor has made here." Aurelius remarked blithely. "No doubt he is eagerly awaiting my arrival."
A few minutes later the Dragon felt the touch of the Emperor against his mind. Allowing him entry Aurelius greeted him respectfully.
Aurelius...what a surprise. The Emperor stated neutrally. I was not aware you had decided to pay Earth a visit.
It has been far too long since I have visited your homeworld, your Eminence. Aurelius replied smoothly. I thought the visit was long overdue and so…
As I recall you have never visited Earth or this reality Aurelius, due to a lack of interest. Prometheus replied mildly. What has piqued your curiosity so much that you would not only visit but bring my city through the portal? Has there been some desire on the part of the citizens to begin a mass migration to Earth or the solar system that I am unaware of?
There are many who desire to see Earth and the various worlds you have uplifted during your time here. Aurelius agreed. And so, gracious and economical soul that I am, I decided to kill two wyverns with one blade and not only bring them, but myself as well, to see what all the fuss was about.
The Dragon thought he heard the slightest sigh from his liege though he put it aside as a figment of his imagination.
I look forward to receiving you and the various citizens. Prometheus informed him. Once you arrive in orbit the flight coordinators will assist with docking.
No doubt we shall receive the finest berth in the entire system and be given first priority due to our importance. Aurelius replied expectantly.
This time he could feel the god's frown within his mind. Earth has become much busier and it relies on the trade lanes not being interrupted. The city will receive a berth appropriate for its size and consideration will be given but I will not halt the flow of trade for an entire planetary system to accommodate you Aurelius.
Aurelius felt himself become chilled at the god's warning tone. My Lord, I would never dream of such a thing! You mistake my comments, surely! He protested.
Surely, that must be it. Prometheus replied coolly. I await your arrival. He stated before severing the link.
Aurelius swallowed softly, holding onto the backrest of the command throne to steady himself before seating himself in it. He did not know what had caused Prometheus to apparently be in a foul mood but as a loyal servant of the Emperor he would do what he could to improve his Lord's state of mind as well as his own standing. Several minutes later he was still pondering his options when one of the crew called for his attention.
"Sir, multiple incoming contacts, bearing 157 ventral." The Sensor tech informed him.
"Probably a group of haulers delivering freight." Aurelius sighed. "Still, we would be remiss in our duties not to check. On screen."
Six large ships appeared nearby. The center ship was a large blocky behemoth built around a large central cannon with three muzzles that pointed forward, giving it the look of a powerful and dangerous predator that focused on function over form while the others floated around it in a screen that protected it from all sides.
"Sir! Incoming vessels do not match any known Imperial design! No recognized IFF transmission!" The Sensor technician reported. "Main ship is Cruiser class based on size, the others seem to be Frigate class!"
Aurelius frowned grimly. "Possibly a new race of space-farers. They are obviously capable of attacking us but the Emperor would be quite upset if we did not attempt diplomacy first. Bring us about and hail them on all frequencies."
"Aye Sir!" The man stated.
IDS Bloodbringer
The same moment…
"Interesting," the Ancient Vampire Commodore mused to the Captain.
"They are hailing us Sir." the Sensor operator replied.
"We have our orders. The Emperor wishes to know what occurred here, something of such import that he was able to sense it from light years away, so… respond." the Captain ordered.
"Comm lines are open, both audio and visual."
"Thank you Lieutenant," the Captain replied.
Asteroid City throne room...
"Channel is open sir, we should have visuals in just a second." The Sensor tech stated.
"This is Aurelius Ironheart, envoy and herald of the God-Emperor Prometheus Sunflare!" Aurelius stated pompously. "Whom am I…" He paused in shock as the video feed came through, showing the Vampire Commodore along with a mix of living and undead crew manning the bridge.
The crew of the throne room stared in shock at the display. "What in the Nine Hells is this?!" Aurelius demanded harshly. "Identify yourselves at once!"
"Commodore Xenth Nightwing of the 64th scout array. Servant of God-Emperor Xaphras Deathwalker."
Aurelius bristled at this. "Your master dares to claim such a title as if he were an equal to our Lord?! And how is it that an...abomination like yourself is in command of this force?! For that matter, why are you even here? You have entered Imperial space without authorization!"
"You have some nerve talking down to me boy, but I will humor you." Nightwing growled.
"I came to command of this force by earning my rank in our military. I followed my orders and carried them out, we do not discriminate on a person's life force or lack of one."
"Discriminate?" Aurelius scoffed in disbelief at the notion. "Every undead we have ever encountered has desired only the destruction or subjugation of the living! An undead army nearly ravaged our world and if not for the ascension of the God-Emperor all would have been lost! I refuse to believe that a noble undead now suddenly appears in our realm with peaceful intentions!"
"Your world, not ours. I served the Deathwalker military for 60 years and when I passed of natural causes I was offered a chance to continue serving in said military. I outlived all my family so duty was all I had left. Young man, we are defined by our choices, not by our abilities."
The Commodore's remarks barely fazed Aurelius as he continued to stare at the Vampire with barely restrained disgust. "You still have not answered the question of why you have come here and invaded our territory!"
"You call this an invasion? If you consider a Cruiser and six escorts to be an invasion force I shudder to think at what you consider a dedicated assault fleet. As for why we have come, our Emperor sensed something amiss, a great change in the galaxy and ordered us to investigate. One does not idly ignore the orders of their God."
"On that one notion we can agree." Aurelius growled. "But my orders from my God are just as clear and they are the extermination of any evil or unholy thing that might threaten our Empire!"
With that Aurelius cut the feed.
"Strengthen our shields and prepare to fire on those ships!" He ordered.
The crew glanced at each other nervously. "Sir…" One of the technicians began timidly, "technically we have not received any orders from the Emperor or the fleet master to engage them. Perhaps…"
Aurelius's nostrils flared and the crew could swear smoke began to billow from them. "Did you not see what was on that screen?!" He seethed. "You have your orders! Fire on them at once!"
IDS Bloodbringer...
"SHIELDS!" The Commodore roared on his ship. "Charge all guns! If they want a fight, we'll give them one!"
"Railguns and pulse lasers are arming, missile launchers and plasma torpedoes are almost ready, MACs 1 and 2 are at 30%, Mac 3 is right behind at 29%."
"Enemy is firing! They managed to collapse the shields as they were coming online! Forward plating took 3 hits, minimal damage to outer plating, ablative sheeting is gone."
"Return fire, all batteries, then fire all MAC guns when they are ready."
"Yes Sir!"
The Bloodbringer opened fire with dozens of railguns and pulse lasers, lashing into the shields of the city ship. Numerous Crossbow missile pods and plasma torpedoes launched to further damage the shields as they began to waver.
Asteroid throne room…
From the command throne Aurelius watched in fury as the ships fired on them before smiling coldly as they impacted against the reality bubble surrounding the megastructure.
"Wretched filth! Thinking we would perish so easily!"
"Sir! Enemy shields are down but our weapons did minimal damage to their hull." The Weapons tech reported. "Shields are down to 45%!"
Aurelius frowned at this. "Refocus all weapons on one of the escort ships! Perhaps if we destroy one of them easily the rest will think twice about continuing this battle. All batteries fire!" He ordered.
A few seconds later the spread of massive cannons affixed to the superstructure fired. The first several rounds slammed into one the escort Frigate's shields, making them flicker out, before the next tore into its hull, destroying sections of several decks, making them bleed atmosphere. The kinetic force flung the ship away, making it slam into one of the other Frigates, tearing down their shields and ripping open the aft portion of the vessel, destroying their engines.
The undead force returned fire and a massive coilgun round slammed into the city ship's shields at 15% of lightspeed, causing the structure to shake and its shields to flicker dangerously. A second obliterated the shields entirely, the feedback causing the Infinity drive and its backup generators to explode catastrophically. Internal fissures and stress fractures surged across the bedrock of the city ship as a powerful blast of exotic and magical energy tore through the superstructure, destroying countless warding arrays and infrastructure. The third round smashed straight through into the bedrock, dealing the asteroid a mortal wound as buildings collapsed with massive chunks of the structure being obliterated, the interior warped beyond recognition due to unimaginable stress levels.
Within the throne room alarms blared as the city began to crumble around them, the power spiking wildly before failing, the emergency generators kicking in seconds later while the bridge crew shouted status reports frantically.
"Critical damage to multiple systems!"
"All shielding systems offline! Reality generator not responding!"
"Engines offline! No response from engineering teams!"
"Fires reported throughout the city! Structural integrity failing!"
"Sir! Another shot like that and we're finished!"
Aurelius frantically wracked his brain for a solution as the situation continued to devolve into chaos. "Can we get the citizens to the Pyramid?!"
"Negative sir! Stress fractures have damaged all of the main thoroughfares and seismic activity is increasing! The ground is literally falling apart around us!"
Aurelius slammed his hand against the arm of the throne, denting the metal, before he nodded. "Seal the Pyramid and send an emergency distress signal to anyone who might hear us!"
Meanwhile the scouting force advanced, drawing closer and firing on the orbital structure, blasting the asteroid apart moments later, the pyramid floating freely having broken away from its moorings. Satisfied, the attacking force turned and prepared to depart. Generating a gravitic field, a wormhole appearing similar to a black hole erupted in front of the ships and swallowed them, leaving nothing but debris and death in their wake.
