Galcian, Sworn Protector of Valua and Supreme Commander of the Imperial Armada, stood next to the window of the bridge of his flagship, the Serpent. His face was unreadable as he gazed out at the vortex with his cold blue eyes, his black and gold cloak drawn around himself. The stare never wavered as a smaller form approached him from behind. He merely... waited.
"Lord Galcian," the smaller figure began. "The crew of the Patrol Ship has corroborated the captain's report. They insist there is a new land beyond the vortex."
"Interesting..." Galcian remained unmoving, but his mind was busy contemplating this unexpected discovery. "The captain is of the opinion that it is the land of the Green Moon." A small smile appeared on the commander's face, though his eyes remained hooded. "We already have a route to Ixa'taka through North Ocean. From the report of the landscape it is unlikely that the land they saw and Ixa'taka are one and the same."
Galcian turned halfway to look at the young man standing behind him. His head stood only to Galcian's shoulders but he maintained a reputation of strength that rivaled his commander's. He had an appearance different from the usual run of Valuan, with pale skin, green eyes and silver hair worn medium-long. That was mostly due to the fact that he hadn't been born in Valua - which was what also made him a most valuable asset.
"Tell me, Ramirez, does this land sound like any of the other continents beneath the Six Moons?"
Ramirez, formerly of the Silver Civilization and now Vice Captain to Lord Galcian, narrowed his eyes as he considered the question. After a few moments, he shook his head slowly. "The land the captain describes sounds nothing like Yafutoma or the Land of Ice. There would be far more settlement on such a lake in Yafutoma, while the Land of Ice..." Ramirez trailed off but Galcian caught the flow of the observation. Such a lake in the Land of Ice would be ice, more or less.
"So this land may not be in Arcadia at all..." Galcian turned to look out the window at the vortex again, his expression once more neutral. "This does very little to help our search for the Moon Crystals. However... This too could be an opportunity."
He turned halfway to face Ramirez again and eyed him appraisingly. His Vice Captain stood stoic under his lord's eye, his gaze level and back straight. Galcian nodded almost imperceptibly as he seemed to come to a decision.
"Alfonso recently returned aboard his life raft babbling about treachery and Air Pirates. From what I've gathered he found the Silvite girl and then lost her." Galcian's small smirk said everything about his estimation of the 1st Admiral of the Armada. "There is an island in that region that I've long suspected to be a pirate haven, but until now they've been merely a nuisance. Now I'm going to personally lead a full battle squadron to Windmill Island and end that nuisance once and for all. No band of pirates is going to stand in the way of the Valuan Empire."
Ramirez bowed his head. "As you command, Your Excellency."
Galcian smiled again. "I have a different task for you, Ramirez." The smile broadened as Ramirez raised his head with widened eyes, looking quite humanly surprised - the first time he'd had any expression on his face in a long time. "I am going to form a small force to pass through the vortex, and you're going to command it."
Ramirez stared at his commander and mentor a moment more, then bowed his head again. "As you wish, Lord Galcian."
Still smiling, Galcian turned to face the window once more. "I believe you are ready for command, Ramirez. In fact, I plan to request your promotion to a full admiral at my next audience with the Empress. Your service aboard the Serpent has been exemplary."
The smile abruptly disappeared from Galcian's face. "I'm giving you no small task, Ramirez. I want you to establish a preliminary outpost there and begin gathering information on the new land. Military, resources, technology... Prove to me that this place is worthy of Valua's attention. If it is, and it strengthens the Armada, it will make obtaining the Moon Crystals all the easier. Then Arcadia... and perhaps more... will be ours.
"Do you understand me? You are the gather information, not alert a possibly powerful new enemy to Valua's existence. The Armada already has its hands full holding down Ixa'taka and facing down Nasr. We do not need a major war in addition to those."
Ramirez was silent for a while as he let those words soak in. He is asking me to use subtlety. These seem more like Belleza's methods...
He started to say so but stopped himself before he could open his mouth. This must be another of Lord Galcian's tests. Power is the end, but the means are many. His eyes gleamed. I will prove my lord's estimation of my abilities is not misplaced.
--
The captain of the Valuan Patrol Ship squinted against the lighting effect of the vortex, then breathed a sigh of relief as the blue sky and lake of the new land appeared through the bridge's windows. He at least knew what to expect this time, which went a long way towards lessening its disorienting effect.
Off to the side the captain saw the flagship of the expeditionary force draw ahead of them, a regular Valuan Cruiser from which Acting Admiral Ramirez was commanding. The captain frowned. Having a lowborn Vice Captain put in overall command... Although, when it's Lord Galcian's Vice Captain, I suppose allowances can be made.
The captain hadn't particularly wanted to pass through the vortex again but Galcian's orders could not be refused. He suspected they were along merely because they were the first to discover it. He probably sent us along so that nobody in the crew will be able to go reporting it to the nearest Sailor's Guild.
The Vice Captain turned away from the window and saluted. "Orders from Admiral Ramirez's flagship, sir. We are to proceed to the northern shore of the lake and begin bombarding the settlement with cannon fire."
"Confirm receipt of the orders. Helmsmen, turn to port and proceed to the northern settlement. Gunners, prepare..."
His orders rang out through the Patrol Ship as it followed the larger Cruiser north towards the small village. Three small figures on the ground below stared up at the oncoming vessels, two near a small wooden dock leading to the lake and another standing next to the larger of the two ramshackle wood buildings that made up the village. They scattered as soon as the two Valuan ships presented their broadsides and let loose with a volley of cannon fire. They weren't particularly well aimed, just meant to instill terror in the target rather than destruction. Even so, one shell landed perilously close to the dock whole another struck a section of the larger building and sent a pillar of smoke mounting into the air.
The captain had his ship send a few more shots into the field in front of the two buildings and into the mountains above the village as the Cruiser descended to a large field. It was fenced off from the settlement and made up half of the open space amidst the mountains that the village rested in. As soon as the Cruiser touched down, green armored Valuan soldiers wielding swords and firearms swarmed out and into the village. From what the captain could see, there was no active resistance to the invasion.
"Cease fire," he ordered and watched as the soldiers of the Imperial Armada completed the conquest of the settlement. That was simple enough. If this is the best this land can come up with then the Empire will live under more than just the Yellow Moon.
"Compliments from the Admiral, and we're to land in the water offshore from the dock and begin offloading the rest of the expeditionary force," the Vice Captain relayed from the signal flags run up the mast of the Cruiser.
The captain grimaced and transformed those orders into action. He knew the Patrol Ship would be able to float in water, but it still made him uneasy. Strange. I have no problem sailing with the threat of an endless plunge into Deep Sky, but water I have a problem with.
The Patrol Ship descended and settled into the water just outside the opening of a fence that encompassed an area of water surrounding the settlements shore with the lake. The vessel bobbed unpleasantly under him, and some of the bridge crew started to look decidedly green at the motion. Pushing his queasiness aside he began issuing orders and watched from a bridge window as the Patrol Ship's boats began ferrying more soldiers to the settlement. The two boats tied up at the dock were also pressed into service, worn-looking things with racks to hang fish on that were powered by human driven oars and couldn't fly at all.
"Is this place really worth it, sir?" the Vice Captain asked. He had been standing nearby and was watching the two native boats disdainfully.
"Lord Admiral Galcian has ordered that we establish an outpost in this new land," the captain replied stolidly. Though I can sympathize with the sentiment. Moons above, but this place is a hole!
"Sir!" The captain turned as one of the guards at the speaking tube saluted. "The lookout reports eight objects in the water heading towards us."
The captain frowned and asked, "Are they boats?"
"No, sir. They're too small to be boats and they're mostly underwater so the lookout can't get a clear view of them. They're moving fast."
The captain's frown deepened. What in the name of the Moons could those be? He hurried across the bridge to a window facing out over the lake and saw the eight objects throwing white trails of water behind them. Hmm, strange. They almost look like...
Abruptly, the captain's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to shout an order to elevate the Patrol Ship out of the water.
--
Ramirez walked through the opening of the wooden fence that separated the field in which the Valuan Cruiser had landed from the village. A rutted dirt path led down to an open field which now held smoking craters from the shells of the bombardment. Nestled against the sharply rising mountains were a small building constructed of wooden planks whose front was roughly patched up with boards, while off to the left was a large building with windows now broken, a large crooked metal chimney, and a section protruding from the main structure that had been facing the fence and was now smashed and burning.
There was a small open air shed that had just escaped the destruction. As he approached it, he saw that several barrels and crates gathered in and around it and a light shining from a pole hung between the two forward supports holding up the roof. Strangely, there was a sign hanging from a pole above the shed that looked like some sort of flag, but it was wood and had a logo of a crossed wrench and screwdriver on a white background with the word 'Garage' in red just below it.
Strange sort of flag for a settlement, and a stranger place to hang it. Why isn't above the largest building?
Ramirez scanned him immediate surroundings and took in the ramshackle looking buildings, the piles of dirt next to the fence and the lack of any sort of pavement on the ground. The inhabitants of the settlement were gathered in the middle of the clearing in front of the buildings, surrounded by Valuan soldiers. The clothes they wore were plain even for commonfolk - even the outfits of those in the Lower City of Valua wore brighter colors.
"Bring me the leader of this place," Ramirez ordered, and stood silent with a hand resting on the hilt of his sword as soldiers plunged into the group of villagers, pushing and shouting. Before long they dragged a tall man up to him whose white beard showed his old age, and wore sunglasses, a fisherman's hat, a collarless brown shirt with rolled up sleeves with a red vest over it, green pants and a sturdy looking pair of brown leather boots that came up only to his ankles instead of the typical Arcadian knee or thigh length boots.
The old man looked surprised to see the youth of the man he was hauled in front of, then his eyes met Ramirez's and he quickly averted his gaze, shivering. "Uh, hello stranger," the old man began, then stopped as one of the soldiers elbowed him roughly and growled. The old man quickly recovered from the blow and began again. "Er, sir, my lord... why have you attacked us? Meme Village is but a peaceful fishing hamlet. It has been some 10 years since we last had a visitor." His eyes constantly flicked past Ramirez towards the Valuan Cruiser on the other side of the fence, wide with amazement. "Who knew the outside world had become so advanced!"
"Who I am is not your concern," Ramirez replied coldly. "Your only concern is that I am now the one in control of Meme Village. Who are you and what is your title?"
"I'm the Mayor of this village, Mayor Marlow. Please, sir, we don't mean you any harm--"
The sound of a large explosion suddenly ripped through the air, and Mayor Marlow and the soldiers standing on either side of him threw up their arms to shield themselves. Ramirez turned towards the Patrol Ship that had dropped anchor out in the water to see fire and smoke billowing from the side facing out towards the lake. Further out a shape rose from the water and he could make out the bridge of a ship and four stacks that poured smoke into the air on either side of the flat deck. What he recognized as eight torpedos suddenly launched out of the water and arced down back into it. Before he well began wondering if they had been duds, eight white trails cut through the water towards the Patrol Ship. The Valuan vessel managed a single broadside from its cannons before the second spread of torpedos hit. One of the shells impacted a smokestack of the myserious vessel, but the Patrol Ship began spewing flame and smoke and started to sink into the water. The mystery vessel began to sink as well, but in a noticeably more controlled fashion until only a thin tube with a glass lens remained above the water.
The Meme Villagers and Valuan soldiers alike stared out at the sinking wreck of the Patrol Ship in horror. Mayor Marlow's gaze was brought away from the terrible tableau as Ramirez's sword was out of its scabbard with its sharp tip resting just in front of his throat in an instantaneous silver blur. The old man swallowed as his gaze trailed back up the blade to the wrathful stare of its wielder.
"P-please, my lord," he quavered, "T-that... that thing is one reason we haven't had any visitors! That lake monster showed up two months ago and is the reason we don't go fishing too far out!"
Ramirez's eyes flicked around to take in the primitive surroundings again. I suppose he has a point. This village is too primitive to support such a vessel. His gaze traveled back to the Mayor, and he was tempted to punch his blade through the old man's throat anyway. But, after a few tense seconds, he lowered his sword and let it rest at his side.
"Meme Village now lies under the rule of the Valuan Empire," he stated. "Any resistance from you or your people will be met with overwhelming force." A small chilly smile crossed his face as the image of the underwater ship came to mind. "Get used to serving us, Mayor Marlow. We're going to be here for a long time."