Everyone belongs to owners...
The ship folded through the abyss of space at great speed, yet the passengers remained comfortable throughout.
Grand Marshal Braev Lee kept seated, his imposing form silent as the trip continued. He was on a trip to House Dreemurr, to discuss recent developments. When deciding who to take, he was quick to, of course, choose Mahzer, Edea, and Tina, his family, to come with him. Alternis was here as well, in full armor as usual.
His daughter, Tiny Tina, was getting a scolding from her adopted mother. "That's enough of that, young lady."
"But ma!" Tina protested, "Chest pains are a legit medical problem."
Mahzer frowned, "Uou fell asleep with a lit cigarette and set yourself on fire. Smoking won't take away any future chest pains, which are most assuredly caused by fires."
Braev wondered if he should get involved...but he knew Mahzer would insist on doing this herself, having the mother's touch, so he stayed silent and looked out the window. It was House Dreemurr who'd saved the Galactic North from a famine five years ago. They'd saved countless small colonies and nomadic bands of comet hunters.
Good people, yet monsters usually were.
'Monsters' were a unique breed in the galaxy. They were creatures of all shapes and sizes, a commonality being they were composed of magic. As another rule, monsters were more attuned to kindness than any other race in the galaxy.
The Dreemurr's, dating back in history, were largely known for farming. Most of their society was agrarian and even as their technology grew, they never developed many large cities.
Monsters they might have been, but in shape mostly. Without an external threat, they preferred to stay in pubs and eat varieties of spaghetti.
The reason Braev had for visiting them was to finalize an alliance between their houses started by their grandfathers
As of known, the current rulers of the house were Asgore and Toriel, both very kind people. With them were their three children: Blood son Asriel, and two adopted human children, a son named Chara and a daughter named Frisk.
The adoption of Frisk and Chara marked a change in both human and monster society. The children were powerful in the ways of magic, but had used their power to save their world.
Monster and human populations across the sector were more friendly. Old Rickon Stark naming Asgore his official bannermen only sped the integration. It was a momentous occasion, and Braev wanted it make sure this went smoothly as well.
Braev nearly jumped when a meaty hand clamped on his shoulder.
"My lord," Gaston laughed, "we've got an hour and a half before we dock. What do you say us and a few close men get some beers in the ships tavern?"
Braev turned to him. "I'm afraid I must sit this one out. This meeting will be important, and I do not wish to show up intoxicated."
"Quite true." Wes, the beastkeeper of House Lee, spoke up from nearby. "Bad for business."
Wes, alongside his lover Rui, were in charge of the various domesticated animals of the House. Quite good at it as well, to the point they got along more with the animals than other people.
"Indeed," said Rui, "Not to mention you can wait. Dreemurr is known for making the finest wine and spirits in the galaxy. Better than any ship's menu."
Gaston laughed, "I like you, beautiful and smart. Well, this at least gives me time to clean my weapons one last time."
Wes tried not to grind his teeth as the shameless flirting.
Meanwhile, Tina had calmed down and apologized, and Mahzer was pacified, and went back to her usual warm, mother self.
"The Dreemurr station is smaller than most, but Lord Lee will be taking a tour of the surface," said Wes. Turning his mind to work.
"Particularly Mt. Ebbot," said Rui, "it's the home of their holiest shrine, where most of their magic is harvested and where human and monster first learned to coexist."
Mt. Ebbot. A vast mountain range with an underground system, with several different environments within.
It was also the plan to examine the Gourmet World in great detail...in a safe distance of course. Native monster crews were putting in seismic detectors with the help of House Lee technicians.
The worlds supply of magic energy made them a potential target for Skaven invasions. If it came to it, the war would be fought underground as much as in space.
And the Gourmet World was also a target for Skavens for the massive amounts of ingredients that could be found there...
...though practically every time, the rats got completely slaughtered by the harsh environments and lifeforms.
More worrying about Skaven was their habit of leaving radioactive waste wherever they went. They threatened local harvests this way and needed to be repelled.
More than that, it was House Dreemur's diplomatic clout that made them such a powerful ally to House Lee.
So it was good to stay on fair terms with such influential allies.
For now, he just thought, and noticed a Space Bar in the distance. That got him thinking more: Those small space stations, typically containing a western/steampunk design, were watering holes for traders, travelers...
...and most notably, mercenaries.
Mercenaries were the gray area between the lawful and the outlaws. They came from a variety of backgrounds, but across the vast distances of space, they were often the difference between victory and defeat.
Ages ago, House Lee drove out the drug dealers and slavers from the space stations, but they kept the loyalty of the mercenaries.
They charged a considerable amount, but it was often worth it, as they were usually very skilled fighters. Knowing this, mercenaries only deployed their considerable services to the highest bidder.
And that was the thing about House Lee, their prominence in the exotic animal market gave them considerable funds for mercenary armies.
Often times, House Lee officers would oversee a larger mercenary force and command them well enough to multiply their effectiveness and morale many times.
It could be a tough job, but it was worth it, and he could see both his daughters doing the same, even better than he had.
As for bars...well, he preferred the more rustic and quieter inns at Skyrim if need be.
Dreemurr owned a nice planet, but they didn't have Nord mead or even Alto wine.
Braev considered the planet he was coming to. He'd gone on many hunting expeditions as a boy there with his father and the old king of Dreemurr. So if need be, he knew the surface well.
The first stop, though, was the Dreemurr station, Home.
Asgore was a man of many talents, notably gardening. Naming things...was not one of them. Heck, Asriel's name was a combination of his parent's names.
Indeed, the very slogan of House Dreemurr was "Growing strong"
While technically a nobleman, he'd distinguished himself with the garden trowel rather than the sword. He'd bred sunflowers that sucked up pollution and turned poisoned industrial worlds into gardens. He'd created vegetables that would grow in zero gravity with very little light.
While he wasn't much of a warrior, he was excited to have Braev Lee on his humble station
And woe betide any fool who dared hurt his family, as Asgore still knew how to use a trident, and was armed with potent fire magic.
There were many in the corporate sector and the old aristocracy who still harbored anti-monster sentiments. They'd tried to rise against his house both with overt and covert action.
He'd shown pirates hired by House Zeal just how deadly his magic could be. Not to mention that of his adopted children.
Monsters...odd folk, but good unless provoked.
And soon, Home came into view. Small for a station, it was still very large, in order to hold both people and facilities. It was built into a small moon, little more than a captured asteroid in the planets gravity. It had the advantage of always facing the sun, so the station had perpetual solar power.
Driven by steampunk solar and backup fusion reactors, it was a highly effective and efficient little station
Quite a cozy homestead as well, suited for hosting guests. The Lee ship soon docked within, ready to disembark from their long trip.
The first thing the embarking Lee party noticed was the amount of plant life. Dreemurr station was lousy with flowers, bushes and trees. It looked more like a magic fairytale cavern than the home of a noble house.
Braev Lee breathed deeply of air full of fragrance and food smells.
Captain of the guard, Undyne, soon came with others to escort them. A fish-based monster, Undyne was incredibly passionate in regards to everything, and she approached everything with fiery energy. "Lord and Lady Braev," the fish woman smiled, "on behalf of House Dreemurr, let me welcome you to Home Station. You are expected at Royal Headquarters."
"Sounds good." Edea nodded with a smile. "Been cooped up for some time."
"No part of our station is off limits to you." Undyne explained. "Your security is free to inspect our defenses and you are all invited to the Garden Core, where the stations food and oxygen is produced."
"And the bomb range?" Asked Tiny Tina.
Undyne answered evenly ,"Only with your parents consent and supervision."
"...Let's get settled first." Mahzer suggested.
"I agree" Braev rumbled. "Good to get situated first."
Tina nodded, pacified by the answer. She was grateful for her parents. While she was still an insane little helion, she was grateful for the stability and normality in her life.
The family headed down the central boulevard, filled with shops and merchant stalls. "Perhaps we can get a look at the famous lab," Rui suggested.
The lab, run by Elco, Alphys, Zelda, and Gaster, was the large place where species and food from the Gourmet World were studied. Seeing what had the most flavor and how they worked.
The lab was a true marvel of science. A place where knowledge was used only for good. It was this place which allowed the planet below to become one of the most fertile places in the galaxy despite still being a Death World.
This place was also the main supplier of food for the Imperial Capital.
As for the visit…
"Oh, yeah. Lord Asgore DID say for you to stop by there, both for recent developments and how the Gourmet World works." Undyne admitted.
Up ahead the party was coming to a series of flower and vegetable gardens. At the Center of this garden district was the Lords Residence.
Far from looking like a galactic nobleman's home, it looked like a luxurious vacation home. Inviting and friendly.
Once the families met, they would proceed from here to the lab, to discuss recent events. But first, greetings must be made.
The wooden doors parted and there waiting for Braev Lee and his family were the rulers of House Dreemurr.
"Hello, old friend," said Toriel.
The goat like monster, Toriel, was a warm and motherly individual, like Mazher, who always wanted the best for family, people, and friends.
Mazher embraced the goat woman like they were sisters. "It's been much too long, Toriel."
Braev himself hugged Asgore like a brother, "It's like I never left home."
At that moment, Gaston chose to ruin the feeling. "I'm going to set up a sniper's nest on the roof. If you hear shots fired, assume the worst." The man then turned and left to head to the roof. At least now he could stay away from any happy family matters.
Toriel sighed, but gestured for the rest of the Lee's to come in.
Inside, Asriel, Frisk, and Chara were waiting as well.
Asriel was a sweet and sensitive soul, kind like his parents. Frisk was a quiet girl, yet possessed deep kindness. Chara was a bit more brash and had a morbid sense of humor, but he love his family deeply.
Toriel led the procession to the supper table. It was hardly worth visiting the famous Gourmet World without sampling the food. Dinner was a simple affair, just a roast with some herb encrusted veggies.
Chara winked at Tiny Tina, whom he sat next to. "When we're older, you'll be my Salt Wife in the Ironborn style."
Tina frowned, "As opposed to what, your pepper wife?"
It was well known, though, that Chara had something of a crush on Tina, something that Edea like to mention in her 'gadfly' moments.
For a boy with a morbid sense of humor and a dark way of viewing the world, a child weapons expert like Tina Tiny was more desirable than any princess and more interesting.
Frisk just rolled her eyes at her brother's crush. He had a long way to go before Tina would give him the time of day. Per family tradition, it fell to her to say a word of thanks before supper.
"I like to give thanks to all those who have braved the Gourmet World to obtain the best food not only for us, but for our friends and all the people in the galaxy." She stated. "And bless Hylia."
"Amen," said her father Asgore. "Amen," said her mother, Toriel.
Braev felt a warmth in his chest that was better than any beer or even the rush from a good hunting trip. he wasn't used to this level of humility from anyone. He never felt safer than when he did around his long time friends.
As Asgore began to plate for his guests, Toriel asked of him. "Did you have a safe journey, Braev?"
"Thankfully, yes." Braev replied. "Neither pirates nor others hostiles bothered us on our journey. We were fortunate."
"Ah, good to hear." Asgore replied. "Sometimes it just feels as hostile activity has increased in some parts of the galaxy."
"Success breeds jealousy," Mazher lamented, "And sadly success also attracts the greedy and the ruthless."
"And we owe our thanks to you and your mercenary forces for policing the space lanes," Toriel comended.
Braev shook his head, "Without your mages to pinpoint the pirates strongholds and refueling stations, our star fighters would be chasing our own tails."
Asgore nodded, but then turned grim. "And yet, we still cannot track down the dreaded pirate, Terumi."
Yūki Terumi was the one he was referring to. Terumi was one of the most feared space pirates out there. The two words to best describe the pirate would be these: Evil incarnate. The man was a vile, sadistic, cruel, and twisted individual, even by pirate standards, and thrived on the suffering, misery, and despair of others.
Braev frowned, the food on his plate losing some of its allure. "It feels like every day, the monsters of the galaxy find a new member of their fraternity; always willing to do something to stand out from the rest of the pack."
"Even among the pirates, Terumi is highly elusive," said Mahzer, "Some of our Raven Navigators think he's a Null; a person without a soul, who pushes away magic and the ether away from him just by existing."
Toriel pursed her lips. "Yes, he has been on the move as always, which makes it difficult to track him down..."
"We're not sure yet who's supplying him with weapons, or purchasing his stolen goods," said Braev, "But thus far our spies have pointed to a certain Tarantulas as a possible accomplice."
"Without this creature," Mazher reasoned, "Terumi would quickly run short of spice for navigation and healing, plasma cores for his space folding engines and special torpedoes. Tarantulas is one of the few with the means and the will to sell to a creature like Terumi."
Asgore grimaced again. Tarantulas was a Predacon scientist who went rouge several years back, becoming his own agent. A nasty piece of work, his experiments were unlawful and unethical, and he took sick pleasure in performing such deeds.
Toriel shook her head, "It makes me long for the days when the worst of our worries was that reprobate, Snake Jailbird. At least he limited himself to mere theft."
Snake. Persistent but small time crook. Affably even. Those were better days.
But soon the meal was finished and Asgore stood. "Well, enough grim talk for now. Let's head to the lab. Mata Nui is here as well, in fact."
"The robot?" Tiny Tina asked.
Braev forgot to chastise his daughter for her lack of manners, he himself was too surprised. "Mata Nui? Toriel, Asgore, you are full of surprises. what did you to get him of all people out of his isolation?"
"He seemed to be intrigued by the recent events going on, and he wished to help as well in the turbulent times." Asgore replied as he stood, walking out with the entire group. "I admit he's more than a bit inscrutable," he went on "He is over one hundred thousand years old. he more or less precedes modern space travel of any kind."
Toriel began to gather the dinner plates from her guests. "Please, come with us to meet him. If you like after that, we may all sit down for some after dinner drinks."
"That does all sound so good." Edea admitted with a nod. "Alrighty, lead the way."
And so, it was not long before they reached the large lab.
Unlike the rest of the House, the Lab was state of the art, one of the best anywhere in the galaxy. And an orange, female reptile was trying to talk down a large, green creature with a gun and a broomstick.
"Strong, friend," begged Alphys, "Please, I want to thank you for taking care of the rat problem. But in the future just leave out some traps."
The creature looked a little like an ork, but it lacked the massive underbite and fangs. In fact it was one of the fabled Super mutants from New Vegas. The creature, Strong, rumbled in repy. "Strong kill and eat rats. Traps no fun!"
Another scientist, a skelton-like monster named Gaster managed to talk the super mutant down. "Strong, go into the ammo dump and detonate some expired bombs for us. We have business with the Lord and Lady of our house."
"Strong go!" The mutant bounded off happily.
Alphys sighed. "Ah, t-thank goodness that's taken care of." The usual nervous and flustered monster sighed with relief as she put the broom down.
Gaster nodded as he turned to the group. "Ah, Lord Dreemurr and Lord Lee. Good to see you today."
"A pleasure as always, Gaster." Brave nodded to the scientist. "What you you and the others have for us today?"
Gaster gestured to the path where the Super Mutant had gone. "Well we have fairly definitive proof with Strong and a dozen others of his kind that Super Mutants can coexist peacefully with monsters and humans; that is when they're not using guns to open soup cans and soft drinks." He flashed a knowing grin, "But I think you'll be more interested in the anti-piracy measures we've been working on."
Alphys jumped up, filled with nervous excitement. "Yes! We've been working on ways that pirates avoid conventional scanners and space mines. This in turn can be used to get the jump on Tyranid Bio-fleets or the spores that Xenomorphs launch into space from planet to planet!"
Alternis nodded. "That is good to hear. The virus must be cleaned before they can take root!"
"First one must study the virus." Another voice caught their attention. A blond Hylian female with a blue shirt and black pants. Zelda, an scholar, researcher...and tsundere.
"Most people believe that the egg or the face hugger is the basic Xenomorph unit," Zelda explained, "In fact, most Xenomorph infestations start with something called black goo; a highly virulent mutagen that infects groundwater and transforms native life into zombies. When these zombies die, they birth large worms which impregnate new hosts and produce a Deacon; which then evolves into a queen."
The Hylian looked somber at her announcement, "With medical research from House Nui, we've made the first steps to developing a vaccine and even a cure for the Black goo, and for the facehuggers."
"It is our pleasure," said a wise voice, "For long I spent ignoring other beings, taking for granted they would always be there," said Mata Nui himself.
All turned to see the Lord of House Nui. A tall biomechanical being, Mata Nui was a golden figure, wearing the Mask of Life, Kanohi Ignika, upon his face. An artifact of great power, it was not to be used rashly.
Yet for all his power, Mata Nui was a humble figure, evidenced by his pet Scarabax Beetle, Click, who rode on his shoulder.
"Lord Dreemurr," he bowed, "Thank you for having me. And Lord and Lady Lee, thank you for answering our summons in the name of friendship and peace."
"Friendship runs strong between my house and Dreemurr," said Braev, "But I'm afraid myself and my forefathers only knew you by reputation lord. What brings you out from your homeworld?"
Mata Nui smiled. "I wish to aid the galaxy at large as hostiles begin to grow in numbers. It is my home as well."
"True..." Edea noted. "Well, it's good to have you around for the future."
"Indeed." Zelda nodded. "Now, let us show you around."
Alphys took over for the Hylian Princess, "Oh there's so much to show! Where can we even begin?! Why just over there, we have engineered a new flower that can nullify Yautja cloaking devices. X-rays, infrared, subspace, their invisibility can resist them all, but our flower can flush them out and force them out of hiding!"
"For that we have House Dreemurr's long history with farming and horticulture," Zelda elaborated.
"And speaking of which." Zelda went over to a console and summoned a holographic map of a planet.
The Gourmet World
"220,000 kilometers in circumference, this planets has countless species of flora and fauna." Zelda explained. "We actually divided the world into two sections. 30 percent is what we call the 'habitual zone', where, while still quite dangerous is certain areas, it is stable enough where we built large settlements and cities there. The remaining 70 percent, though, is what we call the 'True' Gourmet World. Consisting of eight massive continents, the environments and animals here are powerful beyond belief, and only experts can safely travel there."
Alternis knew that well. A few months ago, in a reckless moment, he traveled to that part of the Gourmet World to seek ingredients for his family.
Had it not been for Urbosa, he would have been killed.
Toriel regarded Zelda with respect, "Indeed, the so called Gourmet Zone is where House Dreemur trains our Citizen Militias. Not to mention the fact that there are still thousands of isolated farmsteads in the Gourmet Zone; protected only by basic ring forts and the willingness of their owners."
Mata Nui nodded, "And I take it this Habitable Zone is where most of your House's manufacturing and commerce takes place."
"Indeed." Zelda nodded. "Though even that Zone has dangerous environments. Ice Hell is one such example."
"Ah, yes. Ice Hell." Asgore smiled weakly. A continent composed entirely of ice and snow, it was below freezing there, and one must have both good equipment and preparation before going there...lest one ends up as frozen statue.
The highlight there was the 'Century Soup', a soup formed every hundred years by the mixture of frozen ingredients.
"But even more Important though it Hotland, my old home!" squawked Alphys.
Zelda brought up a map of an arid, dry desert. "Indeed, It's the source of most of Dreemurr's mineral extraction. It's the home of the planet's industrial revolution and also the main source of lasers."
"And conveyor belts!" reminded Alphys.
"Indeed, and it's actually one of the more safer areas, compared to other deserts, like," Zelda zoomed in on another section. "The Sand Garden, located the Habitable Zone, is a desert region of 39,000,000 Sq. kilometers. Dangerous, yes, but also prime source of desserts."
"And nothing beats those!" Edea grinned happily.
"Indeed," said Zelda, "It's the sale of desserts on the intergalactic market that funds nearly two thirds of the research here as well as making up over twenty percent of the planet's exports. Though a region which could use some more lockdown and security is The Core."
"It's gotten bad recently," said Gaster, "The Core the source of much of the planet's magical electricity and a major producer of ozone. However, there's a logic plague among the robots of the region which is rendering it more hazardous than the electrical storms, deadly insects and other hazards make it."
"Hmmm," Braev rubbed his chin in thought. "That is distressing to hear."
"And to compound matters," Elco, another scientist, stepped forward. "The powerful lifeforms on the Gourmet World attracts Yautja, who see the animals as supreme trophies."
"We have a delicate balance with the Yautja," said Toriel, "They've always had a gentleman's agreement with us; they don't hunt the monsters and we don't stop them from hunting the wildlife. However, that agreement doesn't extend to any of our allies or any humans on the planet."
Mahzer sighed. "Well, no pact is perfect, sadly."
Braev nodded silently, knowing all too well of the deadliness the Yautja presented. Many of brave Nord had fallen victim to the hunters, converted to trophies for the ships of the predators.
The Yautja were violent, no member of their society no matter age or gender were except from the hunts. Despite their violent nature, they were not like the Orks or the Xenomorph. They were intelligent, and they had a sort of code of honour.
They sought out the strongest prey, to weed out the week and benefit their society as a whole; individual trophy taking was a means to an end for their nomadic, tribal culture. But as shown with the Monsters of Dreemurr, they could be reasoned with on some level.
"Anyways," Mata Nui went on. "All is otherwise well so far?" He tilted his head. "What is the status of Hyrule?"
Zelda's expression grew dark. "Ganon has uploaded his mind into a super computer called Calamity Ganon, many years ago; He's taken control of several biomechanical constructs our greatest scientists built. Food from house Dreemurr is keeping us in the war."
She took a deep breath, "Our Champion Link is taking the war to Ganon. He's lost most of his factories and his allies are deserting him. But my main worry is that King K. Rool is thinking of sending the Space Marines to intervene."
Mata Nui and Braev nodded grimly, thinking of not only Link, but the other Champions as well: Mipha of the Zora, Revali of the Rito, Urbosa of the Gerudo, and Daruk of the Goron. Together with Link and Zelda, these were Hyrule's best, and were personally recruited by Asgore to serve as his elite guard (and in Zelda's case, scientist). They thrived on to this day, due ot various reasons.
Mahzer spoke. "Has Ganon tried to use the constructs to invade the Gourmet Zone?"
Gaster smirked. "Tried, but the Eight Kings take care of them. Ganon is smart," Heexplained. "But he doesn't understand magic, he's never respected it. You can't study magic or use it effectively if you don't play by its rules. It'd be like building electronics without using insulated wires."
"But he still keeps trying," Alphys lamented, "Evil as he is, the guy is as persistent as Link, his arch enemy"
As for the Eight Kings, they were the most powerful known animals in the Gourmet Zone. Each one ruled over one of the eight continents, and to cross one was a bad idea.
"The Eight Kings fundamentally preserve the balance of the ecosystem," Gaster went on. "They're fundamentally neutral to what goes on about them as long as the integrity of ingredients are preserved. Only Bambina has the slightest interest of anything going on outside this planet."
"However it was the Guardian Heracles who crippled Gannon's fleet in orbit with her air powers when his activities threatened her foal," Zelda interjected.
"Not to mention Moon's ability simply absorbs anything that gets too close." Elco added. "All in all, these creatures are dangerous, but simply wish to protect their homeland."
"As with many things," Toriel explained, "That which is dangerous is not always evil. That which helps you is not always good. The livelihood of everyone, monster and human, depends on the ingredients of the Gourmet world. To tame the world would be to kill it. Even the violent Yautja don't harm the sacred air trees or the children of the eight Kings."
"If it came down to it," said Mata Nui, "Do you think your world could withstand a siege by the Tyranids . . . or the space Marines?"
Asgore had to pause and think on that for a moment. Then he spoke. "It is difficult. There is much even we do not know about the Gourmet World...what mysteries lie within."
"But that's why we've been working on some Robos to remote control, so we can explore the World without risk!" Alphys piped up.
"Given how Tyranids exterminate all life anywhere they go, even more systematically than Xenomorphs, it'll be unlikely that the Eight Kings take it lying down," Gaster pointed out, "The Moon that absorbs everything will help us funnel in their bio-ships in for a specific angle; allowing our anti-space guns to concentrate our firepower."
"And barring that," said Alphys, "there's a number of ingredient rich caves and rock formations which we could use to build garrisons and entrenchments that would allow us to stand year long sieges."
"And," Zelda went on. "The Snake King has been know to extend its body into space to eat, so it will likely attack anything hostile that gets to close."
Braev nodded. "Good, good."
"I believe the galaxy is due for a time of chaos," said Mata Nui, looking directly at Braev. "A sit stands, all of our houses face deep, ongoing problems with no real solutions in sight. But there is more on the times are good, the Noble Houses can do no wrong, when times are hard, the Noble Houses can do no right. What we need is to act before the start of the dark times."
"Don't you think you're being a bit dramatic?" said Braev, "If we're under threat from Tyranids and who knows what else, the King will act. He may be a buffoon but he can be counted on to defend his throne."
"And yet..." Mata Nui paused. "What if it's JUST the throne, and nothing else?"
Braev had no answer for that. Deep down he wondered about the state of things in the Royal House. It...got under his skin sometimes, worrying about his family as well.
"King K. Rool will do anything to keep his throne," said Mata Nui, "But do not mistake that for patriotism. I've watched many tyrants fight back the Tyranids and other monsters from the void; only to bleed their kingdoms of treasure and people in the process. They rule over a pile of ashes, but they still rule."
"Remember the history of the Barrow Kings," said Zelda, "Who ruled the North thousands of years before the Starks. the Last of them stopped a Grox invasion by using atomic weapons on Grox occupied worlds; burning out their armies but also turning thousands of planets into glassy wastelands. After the Grox were gone, the Barrow kings turned to banditry and theft to pay for the tremendous cost of the war."
Braev nodded grimly once more. Indeed, he knew corruption well. Several decades back in his youth, a religious sect, known as the Sparrows, had power over a portion of the Galaxy. Acting as benevolent caregivers, they were in fact a fearsome and intolerant militant force, eager to convert all those to their faith-and root out those 'unclean' such as homosexuals and the like.
The Sparrows had tried to push their faith onto the native peoples of Skyrim, hoping to use the chaos of the Civil war as a cover for their brand of fundamentalist violence. Braev himself was a worshipper of Talos; a god of strength and war, but not a god who policed his followers in the bedroom.
The Sparrows would keep their Seven, or their version of the Seven. Talos would be more offended by their treachery, using kindness to mask cruelty than he would be of a man and a man or a woman and a woman together.
Braev himself did not care really about what a 'proper' relationship was. If a man loved a man or a woman loved a woman, then so be it. Eventually, he tracked down their leader, a man known only as the 'High Sparrow'.
Digging up records, Braev discovered the man, whose name was never known to him, was once nothing more than a shoemaker.
Before he became the so called "High Sparrow," the Shoe maker had been a man of some wealth and status. His luxury shoes were in high demand from the nobility and a pair could fetch a year's salary. Back then he'd been known for his drunken debauchery rather than fundamentalist preaching.
It scared Braev, to think of how the man could go so wrong. One day the High Sparrow had turned from drunken lecher to healer, teacher and helper of the poor. Yet the man's heart had turned very dark, it wasn't long before he was wanted in connections with lynchings, attacks on minorities and queer people.
And most alarming of all, K. Rool's spies and policemen had done nothing to stop him; even as his fundamentalism and cruelty grew too great to ignore.
The worse part? The High Sparrow was not doing this out of money and and material gain, as he beloved such things were worthless. No, the High Sparrow truly believed what he was doing and preaching was right, the will of the gods.
Eventually, Braev knew he had to take matters in his own hands, to protect his lands and his loved ones. Gathering not only the best Nords he knew, but other great warriors he allied with, he led an assault on the Sparrows.
By the time it came to end it, the Sparrows had gathered a powerful and fanatical army; many of them former mercenaries and poor kids who'd only known hardship. They had a well trained and armed space force and the High Sparrow was not too proud to take advice from people who knew more about warfare than he did.
With his best mercenaries and finest captains at his side, Braev had broken the Sparrow's citadel and fought his way past the gates to the great Sept of Baelor.
it was there in what should have been a holy place of a major galactic religion that he'd faced the little old man who'd been so kind and caused so much death and misery.
He did not seem to fear Braev, seeming accepting his end, but also asked if Braev was willing to spill blood in such a holy place.
Braev paused, knowing the High Sparrow had some points...but he had come to safeguard those he cared for, not an ideology.
When Braev answered yes, the old man confided that he was in fact afraid of death; but that there were more important things. That any man alone was poor and powerless, but together his Sparrows could bring an empire to its knees.
It was then that old man revealed he had a hostage, Mahzer; the woman who would in the future become his wife. Frail and sick, she'd been getting treatment in the White Magic Hospital in Eternia when the High Sparrow's agents had kidnapped her.
It was Mahzer, who despite having a gun to her head, suggested the Notorious "Trail of the Seven."
Braev, deep down furious at this cowardly tactic, had to agree, unwilling to let her die.
The fighting called a ceasefire as the preparations were made.
The Rules of the trail were simple but not easy. Each side would field seven champions and whoever won had the will of the Seven Gods on their side. To Braev, it seemed a barbaric and arbitrary thing; but he could not deny that the Sparrows would not back down from such a challenge.
Alternis, Reinhardt, Rui, Wes, Tsubaki Yayoi and even a newly hired, fresh faced Gaston had agreed to join Braev in combat against the High Sparrow's hand picked killers.
Among those was a young man named Lancel, who had joined the Sparrow after some personal crisis.
The fight was short but bloody. Although Tsubaki lost her life, she died boldly, never one crying or begging for her life. Defiant to the very end.
Young Lancel had fought with a poisoned weapon; the smallest scratch being what ended Tsubaki, who killed two more men even while succumbing to the deadly venom. In a bit of vengeance, Gaston put an arrow through Lancel's eye.
Braev and his men prevailed, but the High Sparrow refused to relinquish his hostage. And Mahzer surprised everyone by stabbing the High Sparrow with his own dagger.
Mahzer ran to the group afterwards with the teenage Alternis guarding her as Braev approached the wounded Sparrow and finished him off with his great sword.
He took no joy in his task, not even satisfaction. He simply did what he had to do.
Even in his final moments, the High Sparrow had been sure that his had been the moral path. The scary part was that Braev could see himself in the man. He'd once flirted with crystal orthodoxy as a jaded young man, nearly falling to fundamentalist faith.
Had his life taken a different turn, he could have ended up being a Sparrow instead of a follower of Talos.
In killing that old man, he buried a part of himself; a part that was better off dead.
What happened next was simply cleaning up the mess. The Sparrows were disbanded, Tsubaki was giving a honorable funeral, and those had suffered were taken care of...
But enough on dwelling on the past. Braev had to focus on the now.
"Myself, my house and my family will give our last treasure and our last drop of blood defending our allies and our Kingdom," he told his friends, "We will defend it from threats internal and external; I'll even defend all of you from our King, if I have to."
Mata Nui put his hands together and smiled, "That, Lord Braev Lee, is exactly the answer I was hoping for. Now then, I believe I will share some of my advancements. It is time for me to help defend this galaxy from anyone who would threaten it."
It was then Ciel chose to come in.
"Thank you for having me and giving me such fine hospitality," the genius girl said to her hosts, Toriel and Asgore. "And as per your permission, I've managed to set up the CIEL-SYSTEM aboard this station. Now if the solar power is cut off, you won't have to rely on expensive, imported anti-matter to provide power. You can just use energy crystals which are abundant on the planet's surface."
Toriel bowed, "We are only too humble to have your aid, my dear."
Ciel smiled kindly, "More than that, I've figured out a way to punch through the communications blackout caused by Tyranid Hive Fleets; known as the Shadow in the Warp."
The Shadow...no one knew exactly how it worked, but apparently the Hive Mind guiding the beasts and the ability to completely screw up communications and travel. It was quite distressing, and Ciel's research to counter it would be much appreciated.
What it meant was that when a hive fleet attacked a solar system, the Shadow would cut off all communications and block fold space travel. The world in question would be cut off and left vulnerable.
"I came upon the seed of my research from watching recorded footage of Skaven Horde Fleets use focused warp lightning to punch through the interference and Yautja ships wage guerilla attacks despite the shadow in the warp; using faster than light travel freely."
"Hopefully," Mata Nui added. "We can counter the threats before they begin, and help stabilize Worlds around the sectors."
"Yes!" said Ciel excitedly, "that's the entire point of my research! Distribute the CIEL system ahead of anti-matter shortages. Detect Hive Fleets before they get within attack range. Sniff out Skaven activity in Dark space before they attack. Our Galactic Kingdom is too vast and the King's power too diffuse to be reactive. We, the people, the Houses must be proactive in the time to come."
Braev nodded once more, happy to hear such advancements have come far...
But sometimes science could be both beneficial AND dangerous...Wes and Rui were good examples. While they had served Braev for some times, they both only looked like very young adults.
The reason: Experimentation.
The two were orphans captured by a scientist named Fuyuhiko Date, who performed nasty experiments on them, to build new types of soldiers. The effects gave them better connection to animal life, better health, and dramatically slowed the aging process, as well as extending their lifespans dramatically. But the operations were painful.
The goal of the scientist Date was to create a mass produce-able super soldier program to rival that of the King's Space Marines. Rui and Wes were intended to become proto-super soldiers; their enhancements supposed to make them eligible for further augmentation at a lesser cost than the feared Space Marines.
It ended when Agent 47, to prove himself to his king, assassinated Date and destroyed all of his data or stole it to improve the King's own Space Marine program.
47's orders did not cover the fate of the boy and girl, at the time, Braev had used his favor with the King to spare the then children's lives. He treated them well and helped them, and they in turned served him loyally.
Rui also gained a sort of 'second sight' that let her see the 'aura' of certain beings. These psychic powers served him well as a lord, spotting out those with agressive auras, tracking down spies and seeing through the ways of various shape shifters. More than once, the two had saved Braev from gene Stealer cults, Skaven Gutter runners and worse.
Yes, he was happy to have them as his side.
Meanwhile, Ciel went on. "In other news, we've been testing something new...but it's kinda risky and still in the early stages..."
Mata Nui, though, gave a nod of consent, and Braev spoke "Proceed. The knowledge will be safe with us."
Ciel took a deep breath. "DNA transfusion...or using samples of animal DNA to enhance other beings."
Braev couldn't help but blurt out, "I hope you're not talking about what I think you're talking about." His expression grew angry, "The last time someone tried something like that, the Beastmen of the Drakwald sector were created."
Ciel raised her arms, "No my lord, nothing like that."
"Not hybrids or anything." Mata Nui added. "Simply enhancements."
"But like I said, it's a tricky process." Ciel admitted. "DNA is a rather...complex thing to work with. A baseline human has about thirty genes that control the formation of the eyes," she explained, "A Space marine has only two; but that's because red spice keeps their bare bones DNA stable and solid.
The girl scientist became excited as she waved her arms, "But imagine, a human with gills who could survive on an aquatic world. Or a human with heat vision like a Yautja. It's a matter of finding the right blend of genes. We don't want to rip away the excess DNA, we want to keep people modular; keep the changes reversible."
Mahzer looked interested, but then a look of worry came over her. "I remember a similar thing was done in the fallen city of Rapture, they...used some kind of slug to alter the genes."
Braev nodded. "Yes, and the reports say they needed the substance regularly, or deformity of both body AND mind would occur."
"Well in Rapture, the maker of these "plasmids," Dr. Tannenbaum ran into the opposite problem," Ciel elaborated, "The Plasmids of rapture are made of two components; ADAM and EVE. ADAM being a substance of pure stem cells which modifies the DNA and EVE with actually powers new mutations. Excessive use of ADAM or EVE brought on addiction which both increased the number of genes and genetic mutations and also required more and more EVE to keep the mutation in check."
"I remember seeing autopsies of the so-called Splicers," said Braev, "Poor souls; on the inside and out they were torn apart."
"Yeah..." Ciel nodded. "What I am working on is an attempt to be more stable, as to not cause a complete breakdown in the coding 're working on something reversible, stable but also adaptable. I'm not trying to make my procedure addictive in order to sell magic powers in a bottle."
"We've had much promise using white spice during gene splicing," explained Mata Nui, "Normally it's used to freeze cells for live cryo-stasis; but we've found it can keep DNA solid without tearing it apart or causing it to become excessively rigid."
White Spice...one of the rarer spices, but quite useful nonetheless, and it was all in the good hands of Mata Nui. The Lord Of House Nui controlled the majority of the Galaxy's White Spice supply. he made a good profit from its niche uses; but it seemed like he was using it to unlock hidden potential in the genes of sentient life.
As an extremely advanced House, it would make great advancements in the field. The Station of his House, Metru Nui, was a vast area divided up into various sections. The Coliseum was the center of it, used to hosting friendly games and making speeches, as well as powering the station.
The station was a powerhouse of art, culture and science. Housing not only some of the finest scientists in the Galaxy but among the most cutting edge cinema, literature, theater and even video gaming. The Station was home not only to a powerful military force but served yearly for the site of a dozen conventions and meeting celebrating one form of art or sports or another.
Mata Nui himself was famous for his laws regarding free speech and expression and his endorsement of the arts in all shape and sizes. It wasn't always like this, but it coincided with Mata Nui's desire to make the galaxy a better place and be an active steward of it.
And speaking of gaming...
"So, you all showing our pals the sweet new tech were planning?" All turned to see a high ranking Nui member, Hana ' ' Song, waltz in, a grin on her face.
"Indeed," Said Mata Nui playfully, "Sentient beings cannot live on bread alone. As our resident Starcraft champion will attest."
"And Total War champion," the Asian woman corrected playfully.
At first glance, one would wonder why would be part of the upper circle. She was a pro gamer, sure, known for being a champion in many rings of video games. Some, though, did not understand why that would earn her a high seat.
The answer: Her gaming skills gave her the reflexes to pilot a special type of mech into battle, and her skill with it inspired troops when facing enriching hordes of enemies. She lost count on how many alien bastards she would gun down in a single battle.
had been at the top of her class in school, top of her class for physical education. Combined with the reflexes honed in skill based shooters and real time strategy games, she'd made a name for herself when Orks had invaded her homeworld and she'd gone toe to toe against suicidally insane Ork fighter pilots; particular Da Krimson Baron.
But that alone wouldn't guarantee her a spot in Mata Nui's court. At the end of the day, it was her commitment to justice and fairness which put her over the top and into the court of the ancient machine. That and she was never afraid to speak her mind.
Sure, maybe a bit of glory hound and little too caught up in treating fights like a game, but her true kindness and spirit shone through it all, and she earned the respect of many.
pointed to her eyes, "see anything different?"
Braev cocked his head.
She smiled, "I got eagle DNA in me. I went from 20/20 vision to 20/60. Oh and wait until you see what my new mech can do."
Eagle DNA? Well, at least she did not mutate horribly like those Beastmen did...
Beastmen...unlike other animal bases races, who had just as much civilization as anyone else, these brutes were feral, smelly, rage-filled, and primitive...but very dangerous.
The Beastmen ruled over a section of galaxy known as the Drakwald Sector; a twisted mess of asteroid fields, nebulae, black holes and a hundred other navigational hazards.
When they weren't killing, slaying and maiming on planetsides, they were riding around on rusted, beat up, scavenged starships and raiding and pillaging at will.
Monstrosities of human and animal, the Beastmen desired nothing but to destroy civilization as it existed everywhere, aided by powerful magic and a high reproductive rate.
Just another alien race to do battle with.
Ciel spoke up again. " here received only a minor sample, just as a test. Everything, thankfully, turned out ok."
"But I would have forgiven you if I turned into a giant eagle woman," giggled.
Ciel gulped, "True, but I'm not sure I would have forgiven myself."
Mata Nui stepped in, " has been helping Ciel design better navigation computers for mech infantry as well as starfighters. At some point however, improvements to the pilots themselves are needed."
That was true...in space, you always needed to be alert every second of battle in order to NOT get shot down into the unforgiving abyss.
Space craft could dogfight thousands of kilometers apart, and then in the blink of an eye two pilots would find themselves within only a few hundred feet of each other with a simple engine boost. It was a game of less than milometers. The tiniest advantage would be enough to give one pilot victory over another.
"Not to mention," said Mata Nui, "Our ongoing research into Raven spice is producing a more accurate and safer way to train fold space navigators."
Edea looked up. "The Raven Spice, eh?"
Asriel spoke up this time. "I've read about it. Supposedly named after the Three-Eyed Raven, a being said to see into the past, present, and future all over the galaxy."
"I'm old enough to remember the time before Fold Space, before Warp travel," said Mata Nui. In the earliest days of space travel, living beings would freeze themselves and travel thousands of years between stars. Warp travel allowed faster travel, but it would still have taken centuries to cross the galaxy. Fold Space as we know it allows instant space travel anywhere in the galaxy. The only limit is the sight of the Navigator."
"Indeed," said Ciel, "Many promising young navigators suffer overdose or stroke due to the sheer volume of spice they ingest. My work was focused on weeding out those with genetic affinity for Blue Spice and stopping overdoses."
Asgore looked up. "A tricky process at times. Even today the nature of Spice eludes us in some aspects..."
"Yes," Toriel agreed. "Some have even begun to question where it came from...and why."
"Even I don't know where the spice comes from," said Mata Nui, "But the problem is that it is so profitable, most don't care where it comes from. They just want to mine as much as they can."
Ciel stepped forth, "And that is the biggest question of my research, the origins of spice and how to cultivate it in a renewable fashion."
"The Worms of Arrakis..." Alternis began. "They are major spice producers themselves, but to harvest directly from them is quite dangerous."
"They're the largest producers of Blue Spice," Braev reflected, "The average worm about eight hundred meters long and nearly unkillable without atomic weapons. They eat the spice, hoard it but they also seem to produce it."
"As of late," said Ciel, "Excess water brought in from off world is harming the worms and their delicate fusion based biology."
"Hmmm, yes." Asgore rubbed his chin. "Nature is a delicate balance. To disrupt it could have devastating effects to the planet and they ways of life we live."
"As our house was descended from farmers rather than warriors," said Toriel, "We know better than most just how much we depend upon nature, even in this age of faster than light travel. The richest, most prosperous farmer can be ruined by an early frost or a crop blight."
"All it takes is one bad season..." Frisk noted.
"And we're all dead." Chara concluded with an impish grin.
...Seriously, the kid was creepy. thought that to herself as she stared at the boy.
"I like you boy," said Tiny Tina, giving Chara a look, "Maybe you and me can talk bombs when this is done. Swap stories of killing dangerous beasts."
"You're not handling any bombs outside of weapons training, Tina," said Braev, "You're not on Pandora anymore."
Braev knew Tina had potential as a great military leader. She just needed the focus to do so. It would take time, yes, but it would happen. A experience military commander under the next Marshall, his blood daughter Edea.
If there was one thing that gave Braev confidence in Tina, it was her willingness to bond with her allies. She'd lost too many people in her life. It made her reckless but it also laid the foundation for a military commander who would not spend the lives of her troops needlessly.
And who knew, maybe in this lifetime the Galaxy would not need Tina's particular skills.
One could only hope, due to the countless dangers that spread throughout it. From monsters, to aliens, to even malevolent gods...worse of which were the so called 'Chaos Gods'
Magic was a powerful force in the galaxy. It was a force of nature, similar to gravity or magnetism; but unlike those it followed its own set of rules and restrictions very different from anything else.
The winds of Magic by themselves were fundamentally neutral, it was all up to the intent of the spell caster. But Chaos was what happened when the worst emotions of mortals combined in the Warp to become sentient. Khorne; god of war and Murder. Nurgle: God of disease and despair. Tzeentch: God of Treachery and sorcery. Slaanesh: God of debauchery and pleasure.
Needless to say, they were a threat to all, and demons were countered with extreme prejudice.
Asgore once again spoke up. "Ah, I just remembered! I wish for some of your to test our new remote controlled droids if you wish to explore the Gourmet World from a distance."
"Why not," said Braev, "If we're going to defend your world, we may as well get to know the planet's surface."
Zelda grinned. "We call the drones 'Gourmet Telexistence Robots' or GT Robo for short." She showed one nearby: A humanoid robot with bird-like head and covered with a fur-like coating. "These are based of the Nitro species, the legendary gourmet masters of the ancient past. You put on special equipment, and it will copy your exact movement, with a delay time of less than a millisecond. So…shall we begin?"