The King and his royal guards toured around the new temple. The Prince was present to show off the new architectural design of the temple to his father. Unlike the old temple, this was built with the most modern machinery available.
"It took many cycles to build the first temple but within a fraction of a cycle you have created a new one," the King mused.
"Credit goes to the workers, my King," the Prince said humbly.
"Of course," the King allowed. "Tell me the story of this god."
"This god pledged to kill every beast on the planet to show his strength and courage. However, the planet's goddess found out about his plan and sent the scorpion to kill him," the Prince recited.
"There must always be a balance between death and life," the King said.
"You speak the truth, my King," the Prince agreed.
"Why the scorpion?" the King asked.
"To show that even a god can be killed by the smallest of creatures," the Prince answered.
"All of your wives but one is here," the King noted.
"The last one is supervising the palace," the Prince said vaguely.
"You should bring her here," the King suggested.
"My King, she is not a believer," the Prince protested.
"You do not need to be one to admire the art present here," the King said.
"As you wish, my King," the Prince said and then motioned for Kachina to come to him. "Fetch her," the Prince ordered as the King continued to look around.
Lex's idea of supervising the palace was sleeping in late, taking a long shower, and working on a computer. Kachina rushed in as she slouched in bed. "You must go to the temple now," she told her.
"I thought I was excused," Lex said getting up.
"The King demands your presence," Kachina said getting her clothes together.
Lex sighed. "I would have been ready if I had known I was going."
"You're never truly ready. You are always a mess," Kachina chided.
Kachina dressed Lex in royal robes that fit her stature as the lowest ranking. However, even the lowest ranking had to be impressively dressed for the occasion.
Kachina and Lex finally transported themselves over to the temple. The Prince's wrist band displayed a text message alert that Lex had arrived. The Prince hid his discomfort from the King as they continued to walk around the temple.
"Your family should make the first sacrifice," the King said.
"You should have the honor, my King," the Prince replied.
"Do it in my name then," the King allowed.
The seven wives approached the Prince. "My wives, my King," the Prince introduced again.
"You make it easy for me, son. Unlike the others, I can count them this time," the King joked.
"If I have any more, I would be impoverished," the Prince joked in kind.
The King chuckled. "Then I am very poor."
The King then approached the wives, each one of them bowed before him including Lex this time. The King locked on Lex seeing her obvious difference from the others. "I understand you have three daughters now. Perhaps a son next time," the King said to Lex.
Lex felt the urge to tell-off the King that biologically speaking the male is responsible for the sex of the child but kept her composure. "Perhaps next time, my King," Lex said respectfully.
"Lead the sacrifice and maybe the gods will grace you with a son," the King suggested.
The Prince stared at the King and then back at Lex. "I can't do that, my King," Lex said politely.
"The priests can teach you the procedures," the King assured her.
There was a pause as Lex considered what to say. "I refuse."
The Prince cringed. "You refuse the King?" the King asked seriously.
"I refuse this order, my King," Lex replied.
"It is only symbolic," the King chuckled to the Prince.
"Her god demands complete loyalty. On Earth, many died a martyrs death refusing to do symbolic rituals of another religion," the Prince said. "If a King of an alien world were to demand my loyalty, even if it were symbolic, I would rather die," the Prince added.
"Well said, my son," the King agreed.
The King then stared at Lex. "You have defied death so many times. How much easier it must be to defy a King."
Lex said nothing wondering whether she was in the clear or not. The King then turned to Makawee. "Lead the sacrifice for me."
"Yes, my King," Makawee bowed and took the other five wives with her. The Prince turned showing his backside to Lex. In his hands was a dagger that he slowly placed back in his gear.
Lex watched on as the group took a large animal and burned it in the center of the temple. The smoke went up to the ceiling and then exited out the top. The King then continued the dedication. Once the ceremony was over, the King left with his royal guard. The Prince gathered his wives for the return trip.
"That could have ended differently," the Prince said. He focused on Lex. "If I had been King a few cycles ago, I would have executed a religious dissident. You have changed my thinking," he said.
"So, you are tolerant of other religions now?" Lex asked.
"Oh no. I simply respect deep religious convictions that are held privately," the Prince replied.
At the palace, the Prince got Lex to get the chapel/shrine put together. "If your religion is to embarrass me, you better practice it," the Prince said annoyed.
The shrine held an altar and a box with various religious symbols made out of metal. "I will have a small fountain installed later," the Prince promised.
"What for?" Lex asked.
"I believe it is called a baptism," the Prince recalled.
"It has to be a tub. A fountain isn't going to work," Lex said.
"What's the difference?" the Prince demanded.
"It requires full immersion," Lex insisted.
"I do not believe it is wise to have the infant fully immersed in the water," the Prince said.
"It doesn't happen now. They have to be of age," Lex said.
"I believe the majority factions of your religion baptize young children in a small fountain," the Prince recalled.
"Sorry, I am not part of the majority faction," Lex said.
The Prince sighed. "I am surprised you are not insisting that the children be your religion," Lex noted.
"If they were sons I would. As they are daughters, they can believe whatever they want," the Prince replied.
Yautja Colonial Outpost
Citali sat on his throne bored. He was in charge of the entire outpost but that didn't make him feel any better. He was certain that his third brother Nahuel was plotting to overtake him at the capital. That day, the alarms sounded off throughout the outpost's capital.
A messenger hurried into the throne room. "We are under attack. There is a rebellion."
"What is the cause?" Citali asked.
"I do not know, my Prince. Brother have turned against one another," the messenger said.
Citali looked upon his city and saw flames erupt everywhere. The rebels weren't attacking the palace or the government's infrastructure. "Give me my weapons and armor," Citali ordered his messenger.
"How will you know friend from foe?" the messenger asked.
"I'll simply kill them all," Citali answered.
Yautja Prime
Nahuel was alerted to a distress call on a colonial outpost. It didn't take him long to realize that his first brother and heir to the throne was on the outpost. Nahuel considered doing nothing but then reports came in of a massive alien fleet nearby.
"Ready the fleet. We leave on the King's order," Nahuel ordered his men.
Battleships and cruisers rose from Yautja Prime to contest the invading force. The Prince and Lex were on the bridge as the battleship moved into formation. "Who is it this time?" Lex asked.
"They are known as the 'Galactic Confederacy' although I am sure they are called something else in their own tongue. Little is known about them. I did not think they would extend this far," the Prince said.
Once the fleet was ready, all of them went faster-than-light towards the colonial outpost.
Yautja Colonial Outpost
Citali didn't ask questions as he engaged all enemies. Using two plasma cannons and a spear he began killing every combatant. As he considered it, anyone that didn't immediately put down their arms in his presence was a threat. Citali's guards behaved in a similar fashion while giving the prince cover.
With the battle largely over, Citali was given time to recover from his blood-lust. Large black ships descended toward the capital. Citali knew that his planetary defenses would be no match against this invading force. He had been disgraced, exiled, and now he would die so close to the throne.
The ships opened flaps revealing bright blue energy within the ships. Blue streaks of energy hit the surface. Citali and his guards moved away from the beams as they rattled the surface. Citali felt a strong attraction towards the light as if it were calling to him. Some of his guards started moving towards the beam. Alarmed, Citali blasted off one of his guard's head off as a warning. His guards remained firm despite the temptation.
There was then a strong wind as living bodies were picked up into the air. Hundreds of bodies were sucked inside the ship. Citali fired on the ships but none of his plasma bursts had any effect on the ships.
"We fall back for now," Citali ordered his guards.
With the majority Yautja colonist sucked up into the ships, they rose into orbit around the planet. Smaller ships the size of jet air-liners exited and shot off to other planets.
In his command bunker, Citali assessed the situation as more cities were attacked. "Launch fusion warheads," he ordered.
Planetary silos launched missiles towards every major city on the planet. Citali watched patiently as the missiles shot towards the cities. The missiles hit the cities creating nuclear fireballs. The heat and shock waves destroyed the colonists before they could be sucked up into the space ship. The alien ships were damaged by the blasts but quickly repaired themselves.
Citali watched as his cities burned in nuclear fire. "Indeed, I am merciful."
The Prince studied a map of the colonial outpost. The population had just dropped significantly and radiation levels had increased. "What does this mean?" Lex wondered.
"It means war," the Prince replied.