Chapter 8

For the children of Galve! For the ones who come soon! Forward, and never show fear!

-Gaimian war chant, M 3

The Emperor of Mankind saved my life. He was the only reason I didn't die at the hands of a rightfully angry Gaimian what we once called Hallessi. I will never forget the moment I was saved. The humans have so much to teach us an we are so far behind them.

-Ussmek, M 3

Galve

Ussmek looked at the warriors of the Emperor of Mankind who were training the Gaimian. They were females, all wearing great armor that moved like a second skin. They carried swords that made his scales shiver, especially when the swords were activated. Their roars scared him, but the Gaimian cheered at the sound. He saw the guns the humans used. He saw the jetpacks that roared and made humans fly. He saw the Gaimian receive lessons on how to shoot guns and how to shoot a weapon that scared him more.

They were plasma rocket launchers. Numerous cars were blown up by practicing Gaimian troopers, always stolen by the rebels. A new acolyte, who was incredibly strange to look at, remarked to Ussmek,

"That will crack the Land Cruisers. The ones they use are lighter than our standard ones. My name's Arya. I'm your handler."

Ussmek twisted an eye stalk towards the human. She had a tail like him, but hers had fur and stripes. Her face had whisker markings. Her eyes were green, and she was smiling happily. She wasn't smiling at his discomfort or fear, but because she just seemed like a happy person. Ussmek hissed back while lowering his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"What for? Don't let the boss man and his speeches scare you. He's from a planet called Krieg. They are dour there. They like their big duty. I'm from our homeworld, Terra. Where are you from?"

Ussmek didn't know what Krieg was, or what this human called Arya was. He was extremely out of place, but Arya was nice.

"You see the tail. I'm what's called a raccoon youkai. I'm still human, I just have extra features and can do a few more things. I'm not like the boss. I find the Race kind of interesting. You really don't have a family? And your people really don't have faster FTL? Yet have hydrogen cars and power plants?"

"We don't have families. It's strange to us. We just mate and then depart. The little ones are corralled in small, isolated places so they don't kill one another out of fear. I don't know enough about technology. I was a laborer on Home, sent here a decade ago in our last soldier time call up. I'm new here, and was picked on the passage here for my duties because I was a foreman. What's a raccoon?"

"I see. I can understand not knowing tech. Same with me, kind of. I was recruited to the Inquisition by the boss when I was sneaky. I played a prank on my brother. He's higher up than me in the Inquisition. Bran is okay, just a thing we call a gremlin. As for a raccoon, it's a type of animal on Terra. I didn't know that about the kids. That sucks. It explains a bit more about your people, though. Like I said, I'll be working with you here as well as when we get to Home."

Ussmek was worried about that. He shifted nervously as three Gaimian troopers glared at him in hatred. Arya just smiled at them happily.

"He's good. I'm watching him. How're the kids, Relf?"

The lead Gaimian smiled more now. His yellow feathers were interesting to look at. He crowed back to the human.

"They are so happy to be back, Arya. My wife and I are so looking forward to being with them again. We can never thank you enough for that. Come on, you two. Arya is good. She will keep the enslaver in line. I've seen her shoot. She doesn't miss."

Relf pushed his comrades off to get into a wagon. They were going on a raid soon. Ussmek liked the human more. She was nice to him. Arya gently pushed Ussmek, and the two moved towards a building that was covered by the Galve straw equivalent and was built of stone. Arya opened the door and there was another human there. He was small like Ussmek. Actually, he was even more tiny. The mini human was at a station and wore red robes. His Inquisition badge was there along with a new badge. It was a Cog with a human skull split in half. One side was regular bone white, while the other had a skull made of machine parts. Arya spoke to the mini man.

"Barrddin, I'd like to introduce you to Ussmek. He's my new friend and agent. Ussmek, this is Barrddin. He is what we call a dwarf. He's the tech man for the retinue. He runs the station you're going to be using when the military forces we call "the Guard" arrive. He's just grumpy. Don't take offense to that."

Barrddin turned from the station and showed his face to Ussmek. The human had a beard the color of coal. His eyes were red, and he grunted to Ussmek.

"Nice to meet you, lizard. Just do what I say, and this won't be painful. I'm not a big fan of your people. You make shit tech. Your machine spirits are so small and silent. I can't understand why they don't fail immediately upon use. I have one question for you, lizard."

Ussmek didn't understand any of that. Machine spirit? What in the emperors of the past was that? He was pushed forward gently by Arya, who donned a large smile. Ussmek softly replied.

"What is this question?"

Barrddin stared down Ussmek. This was an impressive feat, because Ussmek was taller than the dwarf.

"Do you rock and stone, lizard?"

Ussmek didn't understand that at all. He was gently nudged again by Arya. Ussmek steadfastly prepared to say that no, he did not do that. He heard a whisper in his ear hole, and it spoke to the Champion of Addled.

"Say yes. Hurts otherwise."

Ussmek followed the advice.

"I do rock and stone?"

Barrddin froze before a massive smile popped up on his face, as well as tears in his eyes.

"Finally, a mood kindred! Someone who rocks and stones! I like this lizard, Arya! Finally, someone who knows culture! Oh lizard, we shall be good friends! I finally have one, Arya! After so long!"

Ussmek sweat dropped massively as the dwarf continued his rant. Arya smiled more and patted her new friend.

"Good choice. There's no truer friend than a dwarf. Barrddin is a good friend. Just be prepared to drink with him. Don't worry, I'm with you too, like my short friend."

Ussmek liked the raccoon, too, but continued sweat dropping as Barrddin continued to talk about rock and stone, and how lonely it had been without a mood kindred, the one who could understand you completely. The ranting and sweat dropping continued for another five minutes.

Phenex station

Alpharius was in his room at the hotel and was so scared of going outside. He was in a corner and didn't want to go near the windows. If he did, he might've been spotted by the fan girls. They scared him badly. They didn't give up, even when wacked by the power mauls of the three arbites used to guard him. The first of them knocked on the metal door.

"You good, Al? We just chased more of them away. Damn fan girls, cursed things. The Emperor has it worse though. He gets mobs of hundreds after him. He very rarely leaves his palace without twenty special guards that have ultra mauls."

Alpharius was now going by Al, because apparently there was a child named Alpharius that was a prince.

"They are so scary. Am I really that attractive?"

The arbite didn't know what to say. She was a woman, so wanted to say yes, but she had standards. Millicent replied sadly.

"You are pretty damn hot, but I'm not them, and I hope saving you when you went to get burgers was proof of that. I wouldn't say no to a date, but I get that you're new to this. You have a visitor. She's reasonable, too, just pale. Is she good to come in?"

Al squeaked. That was flattering. Millicent was nice. She had clubbed a fan girl who had gotten too close on the run back to the hotel.

"Sure. Please don't let her be them. Machine Goddess I beg you! Please!"

In the warp

Said Goddess smirked evilly. This was payback, bitch! Geth deserved to suffer! She began to maniacally laugh at the despair on Al's face before getting swatted with a newspaper. Sol Invictus shook his head at his girlfriend.

"You promised to be nicer to the Geth. Do that now or no machine petting for a day."

Veiheya wept from the threat. She loved petting the machines, especially her mechanical Varren! He needed her! Veihea whimpered more. Fine, stupid Geth.

Phenex station

Elmenhidle felt bad for Al. He had bloodshot eyes and bad after shave. She would deploy more Cheems arbites. SHe would try to make the mobs less aggressive with a public service announcement. She was in her purple dress with a matching bow adorning her white hair. She softly said to Al,

"I will do what I can to help. I'll post more Turian photos. That should get the hordes to calm down. I don't see the appeal totally because I like Asari. I'm sorry, Ambassador."

"They scare me. They move like Geth. They swarm like Varren. Is it true that the Omnissiah has it worse than this?"

"Sadly, yes, it's true. Apparently it's been like that since he was in school. His wives scare the fan girls just as bad as they do you, especially the Empress of Magic. She makes them flee the city if she so much as sees one. They all flee subconsciously, like a race called the Tyranids. Be thankful that they are not here. They were very bad and worse."

Al knew what Tyranids were. He watched the Adeptus Ridiculous YouTube channel. Learning about the other tree had made them rich. They and the Alpha Legion fed off each other. Doge Vandire was a mini celebrity. His posters sold out in seconds.

"They move as one! They swarm like gaunts! Please save me!"

Elmenhidle patted the ambassador on his lavender head in comfort and support. She voxed Sesar.

"Deploy the pics."

Natutolan did as his friend asked. The Noosphere for the station got new Turian photos. The fangirls saw the photos on their phones and tablets. They pissed off from bugging the hot Quarian because Turians were back in, baby!

Al felt the existential threat diminishing by the second. He held Elmenhilde and chanted thank yous to his new best friend. Elmenhilde sweat dropped badly because this might happen again with Asari, and especially Turians. The Imperium was desperate to meet their Neighbors. Seven years of waiting had made many play Mass Effect to scratch the itch of meeting their hopeful friends.

People loved Tali, Garrus, and the entire crew of the Normandy. They felt horrible for that tree. They collectively decided to never visit the Citadel because that spread the hazard. That cut you from the Senate of the Gods. It made your entire species suffer. That desire to see the station was redirected into making Phenex station the place to be. The Imperium and its various people wanted to help their potential friends.

Al smiled bigger than ever before in the two days he'd been here. He was safe now! Well, safer, but that was a massive improvement! Elmenhidle was now his friend, and he would be her wingman for an Asari, anything to help her! He wept more and Elmenhidle continued to give comfort and support. Elmenhidle hoped that this wouldn't get worse. She had some good news for Al.

"This should make your week, Al. I just got word back from Terra and I came to tell you this. Your long-term visa for Terra has been approved by the Administratum, by High Lord Tsubaki Shinra herself. You're welcome to take a ship to the throneworld from here when first contact is officially announced, and have a meeting with the Emperor here on station. There is a person, however, that will meet you in the Emperor's name. It will get you a few days of relaxation from the hordes that remain."

Al wept new tears and cried more thank yous to his now best friend. He hugged her tightly and made Elmenhidle blush by how much this obviously meant to him. She had a new bff, it seemed.

Three hours later, Al, surrounded by twenty armed and heavily armored Cheems arbites, marched the Geth to his ship. Five fan members tried to make a move, but were clubbed by the arbites. The three women and two men were sent running in fear. The lead arbite growled. He was a wolf youkai.

"No horny bitches. Next one who tries goes to the hospital, and not the good hospital. Get that?"

The few other fans in the area whimpered at the raised mauls of the arbites. Alpharius loved the Cheems arbites. He promised them something.

"I am Alpharius and these are my favorite arbites on Phenex station!"

The group made their way past the crowds. Six more fans were clubbed by the arbites, one of which was an angel when she had tried to dive bomb Al. The wolf youkai clubbed her into a table, then activated the power button. That made the angel flee. The wolf snarled again to three more fans.

"I said no, horny bitch! Next one gets it on full power, and my contract says I'm exempt from punishment after the third warning. Get back, and no horny!"

The fans wept, begging the Cheems arbites to have some humanity, man! The wolf advanced with his maul now activated. That finally made the fans run. The remaining humans, male and female of all kinds, sweat dropped, because fans gave everyone a bad reputation. The group of arbites, plus Alpharius (who wanted to kiss the wolf youkai), made it to the docks near a private ship that had the Palatine Aquilla on it. Next to the entrance was a Custodian. He was in his golden armor, though un-helmed, and saw the Cheems symbol. He was very glad he didn't feel the horny anymore. He'd asked that it be removed when he joined the Ten Thousand. The human man smiled at Alpharius. He bowed his head and spoke up.

"I am shield captain Trajan. Call me Tray. I'm here to speak with you, ambassador, in my lord and master's name. Thank you, Arbite commander. You always do exemplary work. Now, let's get you on board the ship, ambassador. You're not the only one from Citadel space who wishes to meet the Master of Mankind."

The wolf youkai nodded and bowed to the Custodian, as did the other Arbites. It wasn't often that a Custodian was this far out. They usually didn't leave Terra unless they were delivering a judgment to an official. They always said to be better and not to try what you were thinking of trying, or the next person to show up would be the Inquisition. You didn't anger a Custodian. The wolf man had considered volunteering for the Ten Thousand, but his pups needed their dad and he was a good mate.

The arbites heard a horny one. It was a devil woman who was trying to get ready for a jump in to teleport Alpharius away and get her sexy Quarian! The mauls' powered on and snap cracked. The woman wimped out and fled.

Trajan was amused by that. It was a pretty ballsy devil there, doing that in front of a Custodian took guts. Trajan gets his co passenger onto the ship called the Emperor's Grace. The Cheems arbites heard over the vox that a mini riot had broken out with angry fans who wanted the Geth. They readied their mauls, because they were closer than the next teams. The wolf youkai slammed his face plate onto his helmet and growled at his men.

"Time to break horny town. For the great Doge! Forward!"

The arbites rushed off to break the horny. Alpharius was sitting across the way from the nine foot tall human. Al twiddled his fingers before asking,

"How long until this vacation ? I'm so tired of them."

"Four days. Enjoy the sleep. You're safer here than on the station. You're mad to attack a member of the Ten Thousand. And besides, the one hidden in your suitcase that you brought aboard has already been dealt with. Good sneaky nekomata. But my best friend is one, too, and Kitten is wonderful in how he trained us."

Alpharius blinked. One had managed to get into his clothes! He freaked out badly.

On Phenex station, a nekomata woman giggled pervertedly as she held something that no other fan had managed to get. A sock worn by the sexy Quarian! She was winning, bitches, and would proudly take photographs of it and post it on spacebook! Take that, angel friend who failed. Cats win more than birds! She bounced off with her prize to her home.

Illium

Lialmea was bouncing up and down as Eve and Cetum packed things for the Eisenstein. Dollen was not going, as he needed to run the books. Galter was busy sorting out their new legal contract for volunteers for the soon to be released product. It was a weaker medigel. It was strong enough to be light years ahead of the competition.

There was one new face besides Lialmea, another Asari. She was also another Yakshi. Lysida was nervous because she had been told by her sister in Lialmea that there was a cure. It was on some place called Mars. It would take a few days to travel there. The new Asari wanted to believe, but was preparing for disappointment. New cures were a dime a dozen for the Yakshi community.

Most Yakshi were, indeed, in the prisons set up for the condition. Not everyone was discovered and sent there. Some learned their condition through a single bonding and the death of the other participants. The popular rumor of Yakshi was that they enjoyed killing. The rumor was half true. Most Asari serial killers were Yakshi, but just as many Yakshi had a single kill by accident and fought it so hard. Lysida was one such Yakshi. Her kill had been on a Turian. It was a complete accident. Lysida felt horrible about that. She has resisted the urge to kill again. She was not a bad person, and this cure was something the very well hidden Yakshi community outside the prisons would love to know of. If it actually existed. Lialmea insisted they try this.

Lysida sat in her seat on the ship and was looking around it in curiosity. She saw it looked like the millions of ships you saw in Citadel space. Nothing was out of the ordinary, except a single icon of a weird symbol of an I with a skull in the middle. That was very weird, actually. Lysida looked at it closer. It was not a skull she had seen before. The icon was incredibly well hidden on a bulkhead that was mostly obscured. Lysida didn't like that. She felt something crawl up her spine in a way that makes her feel like she should fear that symbol. Lialmea sat next to her sister and wondered why Lys was acting weird. Lysida asked her sister,

"How well do you know this Asari, sis? Something is extremely fishy here. Why the secretive nature? Why the feeling I'm getting of a thing crawling up my spine at that symbol?"

"What symbol?"

Lysida pointed to the I. Lialmea couldn't see it at all. What was Lys talking about?

"You ok Lys? I don't see a symbol."

Lysida was confused. She pointed again to the I.

"Right there. What is that symbol?"

Lialmea didn't see this symbol at all. Cetum had joined them along with Eve. Eve was surprised. The other Asari was a psyker. That was interesting. That "I" was her identified chip that had a special sensor that Imperium ships could scan and would know to leave her alone. How curious. Lysida was now very concerned because that symbol was real and she knew it. The Salarian had not reacted to it, either. Only the stranger did, but it was just for a millisecond. Lysida was now considering just getting off the ship entirely. She was not mad. Eve softly said something to Cetum. The Salarian widened his eyes, then dragged Lialmea out of the cabin on the frigate ship. Lysida narrowed her green eyes at the stranger. The stranger sat opposite Lysida, the gold not intimidated.

"Explain that symbol or I leave. I don't trust you at all. I came because Lialmea says you're telling the truth. What is that Symbol, And why can only the two of us see it?"

Eve just shrugged, not cowed by the anger. She'd been in the presence of Issei when he was angry. He had been livid once because a noble tried to get a slave network going selling nymphs as sex toys. Issei had been pissed. He broke three desks in his rage. Only Ingvild and Asia singing and holding his hand had calmed the rage. Issei had sent Akio after that noble. Oriana got to have fun that day. Nothing this Yakshi across from Eve could do would change that.

"You won't believe my explanation, but do try to calm down. Bad things happen when angry."

"Tell me now, you Varren fucking bitch! What is that symbol? Why does it make me frightened beyond belief?"

Reality began to slip. Eve was now worried, because this psyker was stronger than her. She hated her brother. He said she would need this, but did not say why. Fucking asshole. She launched the shard of him needed for new psykers who were unstable that she had in her soul. The psychic round hit Lysida and the shard immediately began making walls. Lysida gasped as she was struck, and then her eyes widened as the room became more colorful, the edges sharper on the metal bulkheads, the seat of leather she was on felt more real, the symbol now had more feelings to it besides fear and unease: protection, adoration, the feelings of freedom won by the actions of those who wore this badge, the hope and the admiration of beings towards the symbol all hit at once. Eve had let Lysida adjust before saying,

"Don't get mad at me for not answering. You are incredibly dangerous and almost killed us all and two thousand people because of the rage. Don't ever do that again. The reason you see the symbol is because that is what's called a psychic ward. It's used by me for where we are going. We won't be challenged by the people who have the cure. That symbol is part of the cure maker's government and they are beyond reproach. Only one being is above them and that being is an Emperor."

Lysida wanted to choke the other Asari. That hurt, whatever it was. A psychic ward? That was thresher maw shit. There was no such thing as psychic crap. And an Emperor? That was just a fucking dictator, and that made her more ready to leave. This group with the symbol must be secret police. That stopped her rage train. Why did a secret police symbol create hope? Why did a repressive thing make her feel adoration and admiration? That didn't make sense at all. She left the rage, as more walls were built. Then Lysida froze. She almost did what? Two thousand people! She was now scared because she almost did that because she got angry! She felt ashamed, because, like the Turian who had been her best friend, she had almost killed more people because she couldn't control herself and was really cursed. Eve corrected that gently.

"You're not cursed. You are just what is called a psyker. An extremely strong one. Yes, psychic powers and other things do exist. We are just rare for Asari. Here is something we can do that is not biotics."

Eve summoned warp fire in her hand. Lysida wanted to faint because that was real fire. It felt unnatural. Regular fire felt fine, but this was new. She saw warp lightning dance up the other hand of the stranger. That was impossible, yet it was real. Lysida began to believe. She asked, now feeling incredibly small,

"What did you do to me?"

"I hit you with a shard of the strongest psyker ever produced by the cure makers. He is above everyone else in their species. He can do things that can make people think he is a god, but he's not. He's just a very silly lizard man with lots of kids. The shard is building walls in you to make sure you don't explode. It will leave once done and go back to my asshole brother. Fucking psykers and their bullshit. Doesn't elaborate on things that could happen but let's people see them ourselves."

Lysida now saw the walls, the tree, and a very weird thing humming away as it built more walls. Lysida froze. Oh no. The thing was hot! It was like a male Asari! He had muscles and fur that were sexy! Lysida had a new kink, whatever the fuck that thing was! She wanted one, but then remembered the gene. She became very sad. The strange thing just threw a look over its shoulder, and that look made the Yakshi believe again. It said that there were millions of what it was called, humans, and that they wanted Asari waifus. That made Lysida woof mentally.

Eve sweat dropped at how much of a pervert the other Asari was. What had she done? Why was Eve like her brother and not a pervert" The other versions of him were funny, but why, oh beautiful science, why did this have to be this type of universe!

Cetum entered to get Eve so she could fly the ship and he froze. Eve was rocking herself back and forth in a corner while the new Asari was giggling pervertedly as she now dreamt of hunky humans. She wanted one, maybe ten! Lialmea sighed upon seeing her sister. The legal Asari had known for a long time that her sister was a pervert. It was hard not to know, because Lysida had always been bad at computers, never erasing the search history. Lialmea was glad she was not a pervert. That's why she liked Eve so much. They were mood-kindred. Lialmea went to help her boss.

"It's okay, Eve. Mega perverts aren't real and can't hurt you. We need you to fly the ship. I can't read this human stuff."

Eve wept, because they were real! A version of her brother in one tree just started singing Oppai dragon! Why did she have to see that? Lialmea led Eve away to the cockpit. Cetum had now made a puddle of sweat on the floor as the giggling from Lysida became worse. He closed the door on the pervert, and was glad he was not one.

The ship took off and moved to the relay. Eve was still weeping while flying. Cetum was now extremely worried about her. Lialmea was watching her boss fly.

"What other things do you know, boss?"

Eve finally got over the perverts and replied,

"Lots. Can shoot too, and use a sword. Prefer to use what is called a force sword. My brother has one that is always on fire. The humans call it the Sword of Blazing Truth."

"That's weird. Why use swords? Guns win against those."

"Because melee is never not going to be a thing. Besides, they have armor that shrugs off lots of stuff. They use guns that shoot lasers, and have armor to compensate for that. That's why melee weapons keep happening."

Cetum gasped. Lialmea dropped her jaw to the floor. Humans had regular guns that shot lasers! She should have expected that because of the vid, but the power requirements... How? Eve enjoyed her new smug superiority. This made her feel better, until the approaching pervert entered the cockpit, still giggling.

Lysida wanted so many humans, her own personal harem! She saw something that made her really pant, a human with feline ears, and a tail. She didn't need a harem anymore, she needed a human with those! Just one, because that was hot! The Asari was the second to want a cat person, and she had a target. She would get him! Her eyes filled with fire, and Lysida pointed forward and declared,

"Get me the feline man, now! I need me that King of Games! Want the tails! Now!"

Lialmea sighed and activated her Omnitool, shocking her half sister, making the pervert yelp before falling to the floor unconscious. Smoke rose from that. Eve wept anew, because she liked Kitten. Why this kind of Universe? Why, Watcher, did you torment her? There was no answer to that. Cetum sweated more than ever, but Eve was a good driver. They would be fine.

Terra Sol System Imperial Palace Underworld

Kitten froze. He was with three other Custodians, and one asked, "You good, Kit? You look like death came to get you early. Also, how do you keep winning the rounds?"

This custodian was extremely new, less than a day old in full enhancements, but Zhang just sighed as he called.

"His second name is King of Games. He always wins. I play because he's fun to mess with, but I always lose. How is the other you anyway? Haven't heard you talk much about him in a month."

Kitten started sweat dropping badly.

"He is busy with Gene Stealers. There's lots of them on Terra, apparently. They keep stealing the pants of several important nobles and that's led to the crackdown. I'm so happy our high lords don't ban air or talk about poo. The only one I like is Decius. He actually does stuff, like figuring out how to incorporate a few of our ideas into the Imperial Cult. It's not working well, but he has spirit. I'm not saying what I just felt."

The new Custodian winced badly at the mention of Gene Stealers. He was very young, only eighteen. He listened to the podcast that Adeptus Ridiculous ran alongside their YouTube. Tyranids freaked everyone out. Zhang wasn't hip, but shrugging.

"Fair. Our High Lords are great. I heard that Lord Tsubaki is stepping down soon. She wants time with her wife. Her replacement is weird. Why is it that weirdo from House Phenex-Minoris? He's strange. I heard he's doing something weird with a movie deal."

The third of the older Custodians was a Tiger Youkai. He shrugged his shoulders at that.

"No idea about that. He doesn't seem bad. He worked his ass off for the competence exams, passed them too. Can't complain. Rookie, stop shaking. There's no Gene Stealers here. The old Lizards died before they made them. Strange idea with that, salvation through destruction. Stupid lizards. We still on for next weekend, Kitten? Your tips have helped me a lot, especially with blackjack. Win Thrones off those suckers in the Water Dragons. I don't know why they can't play that type of game. Their theoreticals are amazing."

Kitten answered while shivering badly again.

"Definitely. Same time next week. They lose because they don't have luck. Luck wins games. Wait a minute, why is there a hair on the table? That's not ours!"

Corvus sweated badly. He was hiding on the ceiling lamp and was having fun. He had something happen today. He remembered now. It woke up, and this time his dad was not around or his mom, but Corvus was not worried about his body other than the fact that his mom and cousin were cats. The enemies of birds. That had made him freak out for about five minutes before he remembered that he was still sneaky. He was sneakier than ever before, in fact. He had a rival now in Alpharius. That snake fuck was here, but so was Roboute. That had made Corvus worry for a second before he just shrugged. Sneaking was forever.

The four Custodians searched the room for the intruder. They couldn't find them! Kitten wanted to cry, because he ran the blood games. How could they not find this person? Issei entered the room to the panicked Custodians. He pinched his nose when he saw Corvus hidden badly behind a chair. Issei sighed.

"We are good, Kitten. Don't worry. You four go and enjoy yourselves. I'll deal with it."

Kitten wobbled, as did the others. He was about to protest, but the Emperor faced them.

"Do it. Now."

The four fled. Issei sighed again, before calling out to Corvus.

"How long, buddy?"

Corvus replied, "Two hours, dad. For the memory. I'm sorry. I know mom's sleeping and you're usually busy."

"Why have you not freaked out more?"

"Because you adapt quickly on Kiavar. I remember the talk with you and mom. Are we all coming back?"

"No. Konrad is never going to be here. Same with Horus. Everyone else is iffy, but Horus here is new. No past. Corvus, you're getting the hat."

Corvus beamed before the hat was shown. He paled. It was not his beak hat. It was a cat shaped hat! He hissed at it, retaining bits of his mom. His dad shook his head.

"You liked the other one too much. Your mom made this one. But you need to be good. You scared the Custodians. They thought an assassin had gotten past them. You can't do that. They worry about us, like I do them. Stop sneaking up on them. You can do that with me. We can make it a game. I'll reward you for how long you last. Extra sweets if you win, but we and your mom need to talk."

Corvus drooped. Dad was right. He'd scared them badly. He heard about sweets. That made him brighter, but he would take the hat. Dad was not being cruel to him, nor causing him humiliation, just explaining. He got out from behind the chair and walked over to his dad and followed him out of the room. Corvus talked with dad and mom while wearing the hat in his room. He was sorry. Mom has just told him that she wanted him safe and to stop scaring the golden men. He would. Corvus didn't want a legion. Alpharius was the sneaky one there, but Corvus had a desire to be like Uncle Akio, a cool sneaky Inquisitor! Dad handed him a data slate. On it were stories.

"This one never got enough credit, Corvus. Read about Gregor Eisenhorn. And, yes dear, it's good to read. Who do you take me for Jeanne? I actually went to college and got multiple degrees, thanks"

That started a fight, but Corvus just read his slate, engrossed in it. He wanted to be like Eisenhorn! He was so cool! A sneakier Eisenhorn! The two adults stopped arguing, seeing Corvus happy. Kuroka promised her maté vengeance in a very specific way. Issei gulped, but nodded. That was better than him drowning in a whirlpool of water.

Galve

Mark 001-015

The battle here at a checkpoint on the Outskirts of the city was bad. The Race was suffering badly. They had lost two Apcs because of explosive javelins. The Gaimian were chanting their war cries. There were thirty there, and they were extremely pissed. They pushed forward towards the males in new and improved flak armor. No more soldiers were wounded easily. They were going to gut these males.

Twenty workers had been killed by firing squad. The Race fucked up massively there. The grabs were random. The prisoners were equally represented, but the brutality of the killings was what set off this attack. The Gaimian roared a new battle cry.

"For the children to come! Death to the kid killers! Death to the children snatchers!"

One of the prisoners had been a young teen. He had done nothing at all, was just playing with a friend when he was grabbed by the males. The crowds had roared their hatred. Five riots were barely suppressed, but each was not going for kills. No, they went after the business owners again, more critical things. Radios and other at random things for the Race. Many things were worthless. Why burn a business for body paint? Why torch a place for pills? Why any of that? The radios made sense, but nothing else did.

The fight had gotten worse when more Gaimian arrived with more halberds and grenades. They were crude homemade grenades that could be built easily and were safe to use for the Gaimian. More were thrown and they blew up ten males. Their bodies flew, missing legs and arms, several missing eye stalks. The surviving males couldn't flee. That showed weakness. They had been ordered to not do that, anyway.

The Overlord of the military had done everything he could to make his males less scared. He worried that this was the true start of the rebellion. It was way too damn early. The holy day was multiple months away. That was impossible, because nobody organized that fast. Nobody could plan like that in weeks, not months or years or even decades. The fight would not start yet, but in five more days.

The fight ended with the final male being impaled and then hoisted up by the soldiers. There was a reason for this, to make them fear more. Being impaled had new meaning to the Race. It meant a grave injustice, like the famines and the children that were snatched away and Yonval. There was a reason for this action.

When males arrived on scene ten minutes later, many were sick. The leader male, however, saw a new thing left at the base of the pike with the corpse. There was a box there. The male had been there ten years. He was a veteran and he knew that script. It was from a member of the Race. He remembered his friend, Ussmek. He read what the letter on the box said while many males were still being sick. This male named Vessif picked up the box and brought it to the governess.

The governess was with the top male general and two researchers along with Vessif. The item found in the box was on the desk of the governess. It was a cd container. Vessif was extremely worried because this meant so many things. He worried about what might've been on the cd. He and Ussmek were best friends. They volunteered for the soldier time together. He hoped beyond hope that his friend was not impaled, that this was not him dead eyed and blood dripping from the mouth. The governess worried what was on here.

More chinks were made.

Finally, the governess ordered her researchers.

"Play the disk."

They did, inserting it into a computer with a camera, and the screen lit up. It made Vessif want to cry in relief, because his friend was alive and not a corpse. He'd seen too many of those the last few weeks. Ussmek was in a room with no distinction or features to tell where he was. Nothing gave a hint. Ussmek nervously wiggled his eye stalks before he softly spoke and was captured in clear sound.

"I am Ussmek of the Race. I am being held captive by the ones who are ready for freedom. The people we call the Hallessi. That is not their true name. They are called the Gaimian. They have very right and very passionate reasons to hate us. In their tongue, which I have learned, they have a name for us: Enslaver. I say this to you who watch this. We must leave the world of Galve. If we don't, more will die. They will win this time because they are no longer afraid of us. We must do so within five days or the situation for us will be worse. I beg you, governess, do as they say. We are in deep trouble. The Gaimian have things that will make you scream in fear. I know things now, and we are on the edge of the abyss. I beg you, for the females here on world and for Home, you must get everyone off world in five days or you will regret this. This is the last food shared, the last drink of water of peace. There will be worse to come."

The tape ended. The blows were many. The governess just shrugged.

"He is addled. We will be fine. General, do what you can. We are now in more trouble. That's the only thing he said that's true."

Vessif wants to shoot the female. This was his friend! Nothing would make him say those things unless he knew things that he couldn't say. He wanted to scream and yell at his natural superior. This had so many problems that needed to be answered, and the fact that the primitives had found a way to make a cd was horrific. He was tired of dead males, tired of the females begging him to protect them when he couldn't if even a percent of what Ussmek said and implied was correct. The situation was getting worse by the hour. Why could they not see this!

The soldier was not alone. One of the researchers was there with him. The male who had a connection to the other side was scared because this echoed what the Hallessi had said. He'd researched it. He was not stupid, but to his horror the other researcher there supported the governess.

"He was very clearly addled. He learned to lie, a disgusting thing. Nothing he said was true. We will be fine in my humble opinion. This is a scare tactic, nothing more."

The blows continued.

"I agree with the researcher, governess. My males can easily crush the foe, but we must step up our counter movements. We might have to do the thing."

"Call them up. All bodies. The only ones not for the army are the most critical."

The researcher with a heart was sickened. This would make things worse. He became addled, but didn't show it. Visslef joined him. They were both horrified because this would hurt everyone more. Just leave the planet! The governess dismissed the juniors. The three all bowed and left.

The researcher named Gissnet spoke to Visslef.

"How well do you know the male captured?"

"Very well. He would not say that unless he was truly meaning them. We must do something! Anything! He's right. The foes are adapting. They are not the foe of the past. They might be able to do it."

That last part was extremely reluctant, but Gissnet heard a voice in his ear hole.

"He is right. Talk to her. Tell her the Great Bird sent you."

Gissnet was now sure he was addled beyond repair, but he knew what he must do.

"Get your remaining friends. We must find him. We need answers he has. Now. I'm going to write an order. While I still have that power."

Visslef did as ordered. This was more of a plan than he had.

Gissnet knocked on the door of the Hallessi female who had made the branch. The hut was in the poorer sections of the city. He was glared at by the locals, but they felt the Great Bird say to them not to touch this one. They obeyed reluctantly. The door opened and the female blinked at the lizard. She narrowed her eyes, her green feathers were raised in disgust. She reluctantly asked in the slave tongue.

"What do you want?"

Gissnet spoke softly with his eyes to the floor.

"To stop destruction. You hate me. I don't understand why, but you said I tried. I'm trying again now. The Great Bird sent me."

The female eagle wanted to peck his eyes out,and make him scream for the children, for the ten that had just been killed. She felt her pendant burn. This was another plan, a talon of the thing the humans called "the hydra". She crowed back.

"Come to the edge of the city tonight. You try to double cross me, and you will regret it, like how we will make your enslaver kin regret Yonval. That was our Home. Now fuck off."

The door closed and Gissnet ran faster than ever before.

When nightfall came, the bird was waiting with her squad mates. They had their halberds and armor, as well as one more thing.

Gissnet arrived with Visslef and two more males. They were carrying guns, but once the Gaimian spotted them they prepared to kill the enslavers, especially the double crosser. The Gaimian were stopped. The four members of The Race were ready to kill the primitives because the birds were armed. The same one stopped them, too.

Ussmek stepped out from the wagon that was here. He had no chains, no shock collar, nothing stopping him from running. He wanted to, but he had grown closer to Arya and Barrddin over the past week, and even the Inquisitor who conscripted him. Not much closer because the man was extremely dour and not fun like Arya, but he knew his purpose. It was like Barrddin said, "a cog in the machine". He was a champion of a new god. This god would save the Race. Their old god was going to get them all killed. The new one needed to rise and do what it needed to bring about the new normal, addled ones, so he had come. He wore a badge of the Inquisition. That stopped the birds. His appearance stopped the Race. Visslef was about to run to his friend and save him, but Ussmek stopped that thought.

"I won't return. Viss, I wasn't lying, but they are right, I am addled. However, they are very wrong in believing this action of calling up more will save them. It won't. The game was rigged from the start. We've already lost."

"How can you say that, Ussmek? Did they torture you?"

"No, they didn't, but I saw what could be, what happened. Viss, we must get the females and everyone off world. Home will get glassed. We will die. This is the last attempt they will make before we are on our knees looking up into their eyes. The Gaimian will be there, smiling down on us. They want all of us dead. They will win because they learned and believed. We must do this."

"But we have nukes! We have Land Cruisers, starships, Ussmek. Explain to me why your determination to be the first in our species since the ancient days of Home."

"We have those, yes, but we are small fish. There are bigger and worse things out there, alpha predators that make what we have look like nothing. There is always something stronger than you. Someone told me that, and it's true. I have seen them. I can show you one of those things. You have to trust me. I'm addled, but I'm not lying."

Visslef and the two other males with guns were torn. They were Ussmek's friends. He had always been there for them. Gissnet hissed softly.

"I'm addled, too. Show me. Show me how we will lose."

Visslef was addled. So were the other two. They are dying of curiosity. What had made their friend feel that way?

"Show us."

The four males joined their friend, the harbinger. The wagon drove off, driven by the female who was bitter but understood this line was better. This could help them get the offensive faster.

It was early morning when the five males exited the wagon. Their guns had not been taken. The Gaimian had made their halberds crack in warning. What they saw was horrible.

There were ranks of Gaimian in ordered formations. They had guns, with uniforms and flags bearing The image of Yonval. The tower of the Kings was clear to see. The birds were smirking so happily at the Race, But didn't kill them. There was more. There were ranks of new beings in armor that bore new symbols with unknown guns and swords. They were strange to look at. They were also grinning at the males and carrying flags on their backs attached by poles. They had the same symbol as Ussmek's badge.

Some had wings that made them fly in the air. There were also Land Cruisers bigger than the one's the Race utilized and with double cannons. They were painted black and were extremely intimidating. Visslef and the two males had the blood drain from their faces, especially when a new strange one with a tail like them and markings near her eyes lifted a sword. They activated it. The roar of the blade's teeth spinning made a male piss himself. The Gaimian chanted their vengeance.

"Hear the roars and know no fear!"

That was said in perfect Race. The King's Guard all had translation beads. Visslef looked to Ussmek, as did Gissnet. Ussmek was not as scared because Arya wouldn't hurt anyone. She liked pranks, not killing. She was a good person who saw a worm like him and had reached out to him, like how he was reaching to the members of his Race.

"The new ones have ships like we do, but they take days, not decades, to get places. They have weapons that are worse than the things we have. They will get to Home in a few days. They will destroy the fleet above us. They can be here in two hours. We are doomed if we don't become addled. They adapt faster than the Gaimian do. They have been spacefaring for seven years, yet have more worlds than we do. They have more ships and bigger armies. They are not the worst thing. There is something else out there. They control roughly twenty five percent of the galaxy, and they have trillions of soldiers. Imagine being stuck in your body and unable to do anything as the unknown controls it. You can't say no, you can't move, you have no mouth and must scream in agony and despair. That is that foe that they need to fight. The thing with the sword will protect us from them. We are small fish. We are wasting their precious time that they could use to combat true evil. Think about that."

The four new males were horrified at all of that. Ships that could arrive in days, much less hours, were unheard of. Swords that roared? And no mouth but must scream? They saw the new beings still smirking. They now felt like the Gaimian. The talon was now declawed. These new beings could easily gut them all. A question was asked by the scientist.

"Why do they help the natives?"

"They have family. We and the Rabotev are the minority. Many species have families. We are an abnormal thing. I've seen vids that show that. These beings have an Emperor, too. He is better than all of ours put together. He United them in less than a year. He has a massive family with many children. He saved my life. The Emperor protects, even cowards like us. We have never had a fight where we were matched or surpassed. We will get that now. They will slaughter us. That's unavoidable now. The five of us must save the females. We must get them off world in three days. The humans have more things that will make us worse. Visslef, you and I will live because the humans are keeping a drug from us that can destroy our society faster than their guns. It will spread faster than them. The Emperor of Mankind is protecting us from that. You four must do what I tell you to. I have a plan."

The four males watched the still roaring chainsword. The fact that there was something the humans had an emperor like the Race had calmed the fear a bit, that this unknown was possibly keeping a drug from hitting Home. They were scared when they remembered that the new beings could reach Home in days. This human Emperor must be good. Arya and Barrddin had told Ussmek that there was a standing order that anyone who tried bringing ginger to the Race to destabilize them were to be thrown in a prison that was impossible to escape from. The laws that were being made were extremely harsh. A cure had been made. Ussmek had provided aid there. Ginger would not destroy the Race.

The four listened. Visslef thought it was a good idea. He asked,

"How fast?"

"Three days. My friend, the one with the sword, helped me. I will teach you something the humans and the Gaimian do. It will help us win. Do it, because without it the weapon that will save us is weaker. It needs us badly. You won't believe it. I still don't, and I am it's opposite here."

Arya deactivated her sword and the crowds began to disperse. Arya walked to her friend and the other males besides Ussmek froze. Ussmek introduced his new friend to his best friend.

"This is Arya. Arya, this is Visslef and my two other friends from Home."

"Nice to meet you all! I'm not really a fighter. I like pranks more. We humans are nice, just not happy with you lot right now. Ussmek, I like this you. I feel bad for what happened to you next door."

The four new addled didn't understand that last part, but Ussmek did completely. The other version of him was sad, abused and tortured by humans. He was addicted to ginger. He had also been addled there, too. His end was a grave, buried under snow and left to rot. He had trusted the wrong people. In this reality he trusted the right ones. Arya had invited Ussmek on adventures if that one line that Ussmek has been shown might happen doesn't happen. Barrddin had promised to make Ussmek into a Mechcanicus member if he repaired tech like the dwarf. Ussmek realized he had wonderful friends.

"I like me, too, Arya. I hope that I don't become like your Emperor. I want to see the stars."

"Sometimes you can't outrun destiny, Ussmek. The Emperor of Mankind couldn't do that. He is a good person. We would all be lesser without him. If only we all could also burn as bright and hot, then we would have a galaxy that is paradise. But we don't. We will never have paradise, because we are mortal and nothing we make is perfect. He is not perfect either, but we must be better. We must reach forward and leave the past that can destroy behind."

"But I don't know how to do any of that. Be a ruler. Be him."

"Like we told the Gaimian, advice is free, but it's only a few lines, Uss. The best ones, yes, but there are others the Race do fine in without you being that."

Visslef looked at his friend and his eyes widened. He was thinking faster. He realized what Ussmek meant now.

"New Emperor. That's what the big ugly wants you to be."

The insult had come out unconsciously, but Arya laughed loudly at that. It was a happy and very amused laugh. Ussmek laughed, too, because that was his first thought on humans too. Arya stopped laughing, but shook her head.

"I'm not big ugly! That's my brother! I don't care what my boss might want with Ussmek. Yeah, he could be a new Emperor for your people. A damn good one, too. Ussmek has free will, though. We all have that. I want to show my friend a place we built called Phenex station. It's massive and has so many cool things. It's where I want to live after this is done. I can show it to you guys. I have a data slate."

Arya pulled up on her slate pulled from her pocket the picture of the station. The five Race males see the first gem of humans. It's massive. It's so massive that it's beyond anything the Race has ever even conceptual made. The five look in awe at it. They believed more in being addled. This was a wonder, made by beings who truly are past the Race. Gissnet hissed in wonder looking at the pic.

"Teach me. I have never felt like this before. What else is out there?"

"Here's some species we are making first contact with soon. They are nice, just have a larger fish problem. We are helping them, too. We would be extremely happy to teach things. Teaching is making you better, not forcing an idea on someone, but letting you discover the end thoughts you have is what makes teachers highly respected in our society. One of our Empresses is a teacher. It's because of her that we like helping others."

The Asari were shown, as were the Turians. The Salarians got reactions because they were lizard-like people. The Volus and the Elcor were shown. The Hanar were like Arya said, big stupid jellyfish. The Drell were interesting, too, because they came from a planet like Home once. Krogan were battle hungry according to the new friend of the four males. The Batarians made the Race sick. They didn't like slavery as a people, but remembered the title that Arya told them the Gaimian had for them. The five now vowed to never do that again. It was their first Oath of Moment made unknowingly. Everything they learned was that these races had family. The Race was indeed the minority. They realized that they would have had the same problems that they had on Galve. They were humbled by that. Arya spoke to them.

"You are just off on that. It doesn't mean your people are failures, just that you're different. Being different is a strength, not a weakness. That's how new ideas form. Your people stagnated because they forced all the differences out. You have to change that. Be different. You're not just addled. You're free from stagnation. That's always a good thing. Change is good, it just has to be done the right way."

Gissnet wanted to learn forever, to change like humans did, so did Visslef and the two others. They needed to save the females. They will carry out the plan. A symbol that the Gaimian respected would be painted on the gated communities walls. That would prevent them from attacking the females. Arya promised them that the Imperium of Man would get the females off world and back to Home. The humans didn't want to make the Race go through something like what happened during something called the Age of Strife. The Race had potential friends after this, and that helped the males lose their fear. It helped Visslef understand why the Gaimian chanted "know no fear".

The three males in the military got back into the wagon after being taught the Oath of Moment. They would do anything to save the females. Ussmek stayed with Gissnet. Gissnet begged to learn, not just human things, but the Gaimian too. The birds were amused, but humored him.

Back in the city, Visslef and his new battle brothers made their oath. They would release all emotions, never holding anything back. They showed that they would not be oppressors anymore. They would be guards against the beings called the Gould. They would guard the females and Home, because they would try and save their people like how Ussmek was trying. They needed to follow their harbinger. Visslef thought that Ussmek could probably be a good Emperor, probably the best one in a very long time. That was a possibility, not a certainty. The three moved to secure painting supplies.

Home

Jussla was now onboard with love. The mating season was rough that year, but Jussla didn't regret it. She followed the tips and they worked. Her new partner loved it too. Jussla saw Hisslef and thanked him.

"This is like you said. I will fight gods to have this. My partner will, too. We will never defeat them. We will be outcasts for this, but I don't care. We must never lose this. So I swear."

In the warp

Addled took the faith from his new believers and made the system he had better. He made his followers believe more and more. The old one had almost seen him. Stagnant. That was the name Addled had given him. There was a plan, and it was working. Addled wanted his champion to be the next Emperor, but he realized that Ussmek wanted to explore. He truly embodied his patron and the ideas that were being collected. Addled learned that he was equal to mortals. They needed each other badly. Gods were not masters, not enslavers. They needed to be teachers, your best friend, or they would end up like Stagnant and the ones the humans destroyed. You needed to help them as they helped you. Addled realized that he was growing faster. Each wall painted by his three new warriors would make him more powerful. They did the Oath each time. They truly embraced his new path.

Many members of the Race would die in a few days, in space and on Galve, but Addled would get them to his afterlife. His warriors would do their best to save the females, but war never changed. Things happened that you couldn't control. It was a hard thing to accept, but it was inevitable. The Dawn War would begin, and the sun would never set on Galve again.