Earth year {E.Y. 2367}
Earth Federation Head quarters
Earth
Planetary time: 14:34
48 years after the establishment of the DMZ between the Earth Federation and the Welkin Expanse.
129 years after contact with the Welkin Expanse.
135 years after contact with the Carsto Tribes
12 years before contact with Citadel council
Colonel jack Ryan was no ordinary individual, he was a popular member of the 45 division, well known for his pranks and fraternizing as well as his established relationship with prime minister Erin hackle shepherd.
Erin hackle Shepherd, the woman of the century, the most influential person within the earth federation, and, quite noticeably, the first ever woman in 40 years to acquire the Terran star, the most prized medal within the entirety of Terran space.
The only way to acquire the earth star is simple, but yet complex. It requires the individual to simultaneously command a fleet and a ground force, and either stall a more numerically superior foe, or successfully stop Welkin spy rings within earth space. Something only a few individuals can do, for the welkins are well known for their infiltration specialties, and their proficiency at escaping Earthen counterintelligence encounters.
Jack met Erin during the beginning of their careers, both being placed on the military ship INN GungHoo. It was a dainty ship, filled with nothing but the bare essentials, with the smothering smell of feet and body sweat constantly pervading their senses. But they made it work, they had to, or else they may be 'disciplined by their superior officer for unnecessary complaints.
They were young and naive things, so jack with all his testosterone filled brain flirted and fraternized with the team, Erin included.
It was practically an inevitability that they had sex, and yes, the sex was constant.
In the cubbies, the showers, their rooms? Everywhere.
No place was safe from their horny couplings.
So, after their tour of duty was over, they continued their little fling, their 'friends with benefits arrangement if you will.
Something that has continued to this day.
It came to a surprise to Jacks associates, friends, whatever you want to call them that he was banging the prime minister.
No, they were not gross about it, jealous yes, but not gross.
The reason why it was a surprise to jacks 'teammates, was because Erin is a stern woman. Disciplined, and rough, not very expressive. She was stiff and rigid, and not very much of a talker.
But when she spoke, she spoke with finality, and confidence. It should not be too surprising that she spoke that way, for when you are a high-level glorified diplomat. Constantly traveling to Carsto and Welkin space, where strength and posturing were traits of importance, yea, it shouldn't be a surprise.
Walking through the halls of the head of the earth federation was definitely a new experience. The walls were littered with hanging pots filled with differing species of plant found all over the federation, paintings of historically significant events plastered infrequently throughout the expansive halls. There was even a portrait of the president of the federation.
Ken Hoster.
Ken Hoster was a man of olden times, the times before the war, the times before the DMZ, the times before the Carsto insults.
He was a man slow to react, and naive to the workings within the inner federation council.
Jack supposes that was why he was elected. To be a puppet to the inner council. Now, jack is not someone you could call a fanatic patriot, a zealot. But he loved his country, and he can understand the need of the inner council, but he saw no need for this 'puppeteering of the President, this... force of control.
Of course, he sees the reasons behind the council's decision to have ken be re-elected, but he just cannot see what they have in mind by stringing him along? Ken, although a great senator, was not a great president.
Before the wars he was rather aloof with his leadership, he did not step in when the carsto tribes insulted the federation by annexing the federation world of Aldar. He did not see reason when the welkins militarized their borders. He did not listen to his advisors warning him of an economic depression if he did not step in and quell the corporations' imperialistic ambitions.
He was not healthy for the federation, so he was replaced. The replacement, Yu Hun lee was a good man, a decent leader, a fantastic military commander, and a now one-legged amputee. Yu Hun Lee led the federation into war and led them to victory. And for that he was praised, and given an honorable discharge from duty after his leg was blown up from a welkin artillery barrage.
The inner council at the time believed ken to be a dunce, someone to be controlled and exploited for his complete lack of leadership skill, and a relatively low knowledge of how the inner council worked. He was re-elected at the behest of inner council member Garrick Joy, nicknamed: the dictator.
That was 13 years ago, and he has been in the office ever since.
Despite everything, despite the unnecessary sand throwing between the Expanse and the federation, despite the carsto tribes war-full gains, despite the inner council shenanigans, jack was happy. He was happy for the federation, for himself, for his life.
He was happy.
Minding his own business as he was, he did not notice a burly young man headed his way, and he proceeded to get knocked on his ass.
The burly young man shouted out a profanity, while jack lay on his butt groaning in dramatized pain. "Wat'cha wheria ya goin, kya" the burly man said, his accent coming through, making his words highly rough and almost non understandable.
Slowly getting up, smacking away the burly man's helping hand, jack straitened his uniform, racked his back, coughed a few times, and stared at the man nonchalantly.
Bewildered, the burly man, shyly, put his hand away, and proceeded to stammer in place. Clearly unnerved by jack's stare. "Uhm, my name's Hal, and oh, I'm sorry, did not see ya there." he said, voice clear, accent all but gone, and filled with an ounce of hidden shame.
Jack, still silently staring at the man, smiled, and laughed out "got you," hands resting on his knees as he continued to laugh.
Calming down, jack looked up to the clearly still disturbed man, and proceeded to cheer him up, saying things like 'it's all good, happens all the time' and 'it's fine, it was pretty funny, so cheer up.'
It did not work as much as jack thought it did, it just made Hal all the more insecure, he was obviously not takin it well.
Just as jack was about to leave and continue to his destination, Hal came up beside him and, with little to no fanfare, poked him, getting his attention. "Where you are going" he asked, clearly still embarrassed and disturbed form early, but clearly curious on where jack was headed.
"Oh, just the meeting hall, got to supposedly be there for an 'important discussion vital to the federations' continued significance to the region.' ya know?" jack replied, his voice filled with sarcasm.
"Oh yeah, i was told the ambassadors from the tribes and the expanse are to be arriving as well, they are to be escorted to the meeting hall after the federation's president's speech, and the distributions of some valuable information. Information' that the Tribes and the Expanse will want access to in due time."
Humming in reply, jack continued to walk.
He did not understand the purpose of the meeting, everybody knows that the federation can compete adequately well with the carsto tribes and the welkin expanse. It's not like the federation can be toppled by either one, but so can be said for the tribes or the expanse. The federation cannot really topple the tribes or the expanse, the only way for the federation to possibly do that is either violate the Judia agreement, which is an agreement not to use nuclear or planetary destructive weaponry on worlds holding life.
Thier is a particular article in the agreement that steers the federation from the idea of using nuclear weapons.
'If any of the three signatories use nuclear weaponry on a planet that has sentient inhabitants, the other parties are to take extreme military action, either destroying or occupying the violator signatories home world/colony worlds, and distributing dystopian punishments on the violators populations.'
It may seem cruel, but it is a well disempowerment for the use of nuclear weapons.
Or team up with the other power, which is extremely unlikely.
The expanse despises the carsto tribes' uses of generational slavery.
Now you may be asking what generational slavery is? Well, it is a carsto specific type of slavery that inhibits the older generation, declining them of jobs, and practically forcing them to the streets to be picked up and dropped off into labor camps.
The welkin practically adore their elders, so it is clear to see why they despise the tribes.
The Tribes despise the expanse for the extensive use of sabotage and stealth weaponry. Finding it childish and non-honorable. A coward's way of doing things.
The federation does not look favorably upon the tribes for their belligerent views on diplomacy, their constant speech of submission and dominance can be tiring.
The tribes do not look to the Federation kindly, seeing them as cowards, hiding behind this implausible notion of free speech? Blah, what a joke.
The federation do not look upon the welkin expanse favorably as well, they do not like the way they participate in the culling of their sick or dying. Finding it gruesome and barbaric.
The Expanse does not even pay attention to the federation, seeing it as a waste of space that should belong to the expanse. 'The federation should be culled, for they are sick.' That is what the expanse thinks of the federation, it's practically their motto.
Scoffing silently, jack stopped before the doors to the meeting hall. Looking towards Hal, who, surprisingly, was still there, he nodded his thanks, and said his goodbyes, promising to get a drink sometime.
Breathing in, settling his nerves, he entered, bursting the door open in the process.
The hall was filled with various people of differing ranks. He saw some cohorts gossiping at the far side of the hall, silently giggling as they pointed and laughed. He saw generals ordering their subordinates to the outskirts of the hall, clearly to be some sort of security.
He witnessed a fist fight between a general and a hairy individual, which was quickly broken up by their mutual friends.
The flag of the earth federation lay drifting in the subdued winds of the indoors, the flags of the carsto tribes and the welkin expanse are also seen being brought up. They were smaller than the federations flag of course, some sort of petty way of showing dominance.
He does not know why, but he laughed at that. He laughed at the absurdity of it all. What will that do? Huh? Will it not just make the carsto angry and difficult to manage? Will it not make the Welkin quiet and annoying?
So wh-
He was interrupted by the static filled voice of an announcer. "Please welcome the president of the federation and the members of the inner council."
With a flourish the curtain hiding the stage from view was lifted, and there they were. The president in the front, within reach of the microphone, with the council members behind. Forming a sort of star shape formation.
With a bow, and a smile, the president, ken, grabbed the microphone and spoke, his voice not to loud, but not too low. Automatically grabbing your attention.
"Today is a great day ladies and gentlemen, today we have made a great discovery, a discovery that could possibly give us an advantage against the carsto scum, and the Welkin infidels. And what do they do? They force our hands, they demand us to give them access, they spout there excuses, they spout their lies. But don't worry people, this will not go unanswered. The federation will not bow so easily-" he continued on, speaking of how the federation will make the Expanse and the tribes fight for access to this 'discovery that they made. That supposedly will disrupt the balance of power.
That will bring the federation to greatness.' yea, he doubts that. Jack has been in the military for a long time, he knows that what fleets the federation do have, they are too busy patrolling the Carsto border that there is really no time to update and reinforce the already struggling navy. Or for that matter, to increase the size of their crews. For that, they would have to pull some parts of the border patrol force back, and they could not afford the risk of another Aldar situation. The situation is already tense enough.
So, the patrol force has to deal with their lack of manpower, and the continued tenseness at the border.
He can only imagine the amount stress the federation puts on its shipyards. Just thinking of it makes him freeze in unease.
They cannot afford another war, that is for sure.
...
Planetary time: 17:56
Earth orbit
Welkin Diplomatic vessel Jo'ruin'la
Welkin year {W.Y.589] After unification
Elder Tou'lon was old, that was something that could be evidently witnessed at first glance. His long-barbed whiskers, once sharp, were now dull. His scales were shedding less frequently, making them lose their once pristine colors. His once vibrant pristine mane was now no more but long matted hair.
His compatriots look to him for guidance to quell the sickness that would surely consume them if they don't. They look to him for answers, they look to him for training. They look to him...
And he complies. He trains them, he answers their questions. He cures them.
He cares for them, for they are his flock, and they shall prosper.
Looking to the blue planetoid Infront of him, he could not help but frown. It was filled with sickness. It was filled with organisms that dared force their hands to come here, to this distasteful place.
But it was needed, he assured his conscience. They could not allow the humans to gain full access to the artifact. They could not. The bugs will surely be useful here, they too will not want the humans to have full access to the artifact.
It will shift the balance of power.
That could not be allowed. The Elder council has plans, plans that need time to come to fruition, plans that this artifact threatens.
If only he could know the bugs' plans, he could incorporate it into his own.
Bringing his claw to his beak, he wondered.
almost nonchalantly he asked, "do we have spy networks established on the carsto vessels?"
"Yes elder" his fawn answered. His child was unique, for that he was perfect. His body was healthy. It was a temple; it was a bastion of his will. His fawn, his child, was the perfect soldier, the perfect weapon. He was perfect.
"Give me the files" he demanded in his gruff and scratchy voice. His fawn obeyed, bowing in submission before wandering off to get the desired file.
Within minutes he returned, a holo-pad in hand, file document in view. Grabbing the holo-pad from the fawn, he checked within, searching the documents contents. He stopped when he witnessed a name he knew well.
Jarl kilkartok.
Interesting.
Tou'lon knew this general, this war chief, well. They fought multiple times during the carstos raids on the expanse. Raids that saw multiple Welkin worlds bombarded, destroyed and honored elder populations enslaved. Something that saw the elder council demand retribution, something tou'lon completely agreed with.
How dare they take their beloved elders? The pillars of wisdom and life.
The carstos were also filled with sickness. A sickness that perverted their senses, that made them disgrace their own people.
Slavery, what a sickening way to treat others. They should be culled with honor for their ineptitude, not wasting away in camps that serve no other reason but to embarrass the individual and gather resources. Resources that can be gathered in more efficient ways.
Kilkartok is an individual of well renown within the tribes, he is seconds away from becoming tribe leader, is well established, and he is a strong fighter. A good diplomat as well if a little bit blunt.
Something that the bugs seem to praise in a leader. What a joke.
Bluntly giving away all your goals? Giving the enemy the reason for what you're doing? Blah, how stupid could you be?
Hide what you want, deceive your enemies, take what your enemies design and use it against them. Steal what is theirs. That is the correct way of doing things. The right way.
The way in which you get what you want without much fuss.
It's simple.
It's easy.
And it's efficient.
Kilkartok was an individual that you could always know was there. His presence was so overwhelming that just being in his presence you felt like you were the king of the world, that you were strong, and unique.
So, the plans the Carsto are to use will be easily deduced and easily repelled in turn. Something that tou'lon will have to fix. He cannot allow the humans to shut down the idea of the artifact only belonging to them.
"Elder, the humans are asking us to dock."
"hmmm" he hummed in agreement, signaling to his crew for them to get ready to dock.
With that, his ship accelerated and was within earth's orbit in hours.
...
Human architecture was something tou'lon could actually appreciate, there rather green filled yards, with box-like buildings, with wide clear windows. It reminded him of Welka somehow.
The halls on which he walked were bare, only filled with some dainty looking portraits of the human leader.
Looking ahead he saw his guide, the human who was to lead them to the room in which the discussions would be under way. He was followed by his guards, a necessity, he does not know if the humans are to turn hostile. It is best to be prepared.
His guards are not something the elder would have liked to have brought along, it brings with it the possibility of misconceptions and misinterpretations that could lead to confit.
He would've have preferred to have gone alone, but he understands the need for such measures. They were surrounded by potential enemies. The humans, the Carsto diplomats.
His guards in turn were followed by the carsto diplomatic attaché. Chittering and growling all the while.
The carsto diplomats were definitely threatening. Just looking at them you could tell how physically armed they were. They were equipped with an inferior copy of the welkin full coverage power Armor, settled with a shield enhancer module. Photon rifles latched to their backsides. It was surprising to tou'lon that the humans let the carsto bring such heavy weaponry. But, no matter.
Walking forwards, guards behind him, he entered the room where the meeting will truly begin.
Seats were laid before a hard wooden table, with a plant, a cactus he believes humans call them, resting atop it.
The room was empty besides him, his guards, the carsto attaché, and a few humans clearly of some import sitting on some chairs.
Stopping but a few meters away from where the humans were sitting, not knowing if it was okay for him to sit.
The carsto however, completely ignored the unspoken agreement, and up and sat on the chairs provided to them with no invitation. The humans seemed scuffed, but did not say more.
Disgraceful..
One human, who he knows to be Erin hackle shepherd. Gestures for them to sit. Her face was stern, eyes squinted ever so slightly, a sneer just about to spread across her lips.
She was stopped however by the male on the far right, who gave her a glare. Gentle but true.
Ignoring their gentle gestures, he took a seat on the chair provided, his guards ever so vigilant, stood on his sides. Invisibly cloaked energy pistoles held in their holders.
The human female, Erin, proceeded to distribute easily equipped translators. The carsto sneered, and balked at the idea of taking human assistance, and proceeded to take out their own set of translators and activate them.
Tou'lon and his guards, however, were not so prideful. It was easily gained technology, and there was no need to show their much more advanced translators. For they are superior to these sickened life forms primitive translators.
"Welcome to earth" the male in the center spoke, his voice replaced by the robotic sounds of the translator. "We hope your travels were well, the federat-"
"Bah, there is no need for such pleasantries, the artifact. We want access. Immediately." Jarl kilkartok interrupted, his snarling and furious chittering translated to eligible words.
Expected...
The center human, while annoyed, continued, completely ignoring the carsto. "the federation," he pronounced. "...has heard your demands," the human scowled at the word demands. "and we are here to discuss the Tribes and the Expanses temporary access to the artifact."
"Not temporary, Full access." jarl barked. Fist slamming onto the wooden table, knocking the cactus around.
"Me and mine would not be pleased if we were given Temporary access. You would do well to Remember that human." tou'lon added on, his voice cold, and arms crossed.
Kilkartok looked at tou'lon in surprise, obviously thinking that he would back down from the human. Bah, the welkin are not as weak as you think they are bug. He thought disdainfully, discreetly glaring at the bug, at the carstos.
Scoffing, the carstos spoke "the artifact is within the Garnidum region, a sector of space the tribes have extensively colonized. It is by right, ours."
"That may be so, but the federation found it. It is under federation military control, and nothing can change that unless we come to an agreement." the human replied.
"Nothing can change that my posterior. Do not think your worlds are free from Carstos raids as you believe." said Jarl.
"Are you threatening us?" interjected Erin. Her eyes darkened and voice threatening.
"It is no threat human, it is fact." He looked towards Erin while he spoke. 'We have viable intelligence that says your borders are no longer as secure as they once were during the Welkin- federation war. Do not think yourselves invincible."
Now that intrigued tou'lon. This was something he did not know or was not aware of. Intriguing...
The human in the center seemed to freeze in place, face paling. Erin held firm, but there was a tenseness to her that seemed to hold her in place. The one on the far right, the one with the weird face, did not seem to budge from his nonchalant position, but he did pay much more attention to the conversations than before.
"Are you... are you threatening war, jarl?" Erin quietly questioned. Seemingly in surprise.
Why would they be surprised? They surely knew that the Artifact would destabilize the delicate balance that the three of them have come to know. They surely knew the Carstos would threaten war? They surely knew the Welkin would do the same? So why are they surprised?
He asked as such, completely ignoring the tense situation.
The humans looked at him, their faces still of that of surprise, but somehow, less.
Erin replied, "while I am surprised yes, I am more surprised by the lack of posturing that i have come to expect from the jarl."
Sighing in unneeded relief. What a waste, but also what potentially wonderful possibilities there would be if the federation and the tribes went to war.
He knew there were money enriching possibilities. He witnessed them practically firsthand. The Carstos did it well during the federation-welkin war.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by the carstos scoffing. "Posturing you say, bah, you mix posturing with assessment. Assessment to see if you are worthy of being our sword, our vassal. You would do well to know your place within the grand order of things. You are below, we are above."
Intriguing...
"Do not think us submissive, jarl. We are free beings such as you," the human replied, a subtle dig at the carstos views on slavery. "There is no need for such aggressive actions. This can be settled peacefully, in time." the human in the center continued. Voice steady but face still pale.
The rest of the humans nodded along, either agreeing or just showing support to their colleague. Something tou'lon can stand behind. If only they were welkin, they would have done well.
Gaping in restrained annoyance, mixed with a splurge of chittering's from his guards. Jarl sneered. "you... you." he furiously pointed at the humans, before like magic. His anger vanished, calm taking over. He breathed in and out. Smoke practically coming out of the jarl's nostrils.
"i admit, jarl, you have surprised me today." tou'lon spoke before the jarl could say any good comebacks. Mindlessly tapping on the table as he was, tou'lon was able to witness the way jarls eyes slowly roamed their way over to him. His unnerving color of eyes, practically undressing him.
Tou'lon could admit to himself, that he felt fear for a split second. A kind of fear that an animal would feel if cornered by a predator, a beast.
Shrugging the feeling away, he continued. "I thought you would have yelled and screamed a bit more. It seems fitting, no? For a bug to scream." he chuckled.
The jarls eyelids twitched, but he did nothing more than stare his unrelenting stare. So, it was a surprise when the human from before spoke up.
"Here, I have a clever idea. What if, let's say, we all have access to the artifact? Every 5 planetary rotations. It switches control? It allows everybody access, and nobody to be left out. You could even add observers, to see if any of the others destroyed parts of the artifact. Or stole it for themselves?"
Tou'lon could not lie. It was a good idea, for now. It would allow the elder council more time for their ambitions, and also allow them to observe the artifact and study its functions. Well, that could be said for everyone.
The only advantage that you would get is your ability to study and reverse-engineer foreign technology. Something the expanse is extremely good at. They only have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.
...
Erin always thought herself above being petty, above snubbing others, but it seems she can still be cruel, even to her fellow man.
Before her, was a man of well prestige within the diplomatic core, an individual with potential, with a drive for greatness. A drive that is sorely lacking within the federation nowadays. People now only want to know if their family is safe from carstos raids, if they can afford the newly introduced GeneTech implants, or if they are expected to be conscripted into the army.
The people are fearful of the military. She understands of course, no one wants to be separated from their family by force. But they don't understand the dire situation in which the federation is in. A lack of a business industry stalls technological innovation. The lack of advanced technological parts out in the field inhibits easier machinery integration. Allowing for more primitive ships to be built, and not modernized ones.
The ships at the border are not only under crewed but are also severely technologically lacking. It is a relatively well-known secret in the federation high command. Something that desperately needs to be fixed.
That was why she froze during the meeting, that was why ray paled, that was why Jack paid more attention.
The Jarl was cunning, she could give him that. Managing to confirm his suspicions and also give away free information to the Welkins all at once, it was phenomenal. If not damaging.
It gave away information that the federation desperately hid from the welkins, not wanting another war, although how unlikely it may have been.
The federation has only kept welkin ships out of their borders by actively giving them information that their border DMZ is fully patrolled with state-of-the-art ships. Which they now know is to be a lie.
She can only imagine tou'lons now smug look behind the closed doors of his ship.
Tou'lon the welkin elder... He has been a small but constant part of her life now for more than 20 years, something that she actually appreciates in a small way. Although technically on opposing sides, they have somehow managed to befriend each other. It's not the typical friendships where you see them talking and gossiping, hanging out, and drinking.
It's more of a rivalry turned friendship. They do still drink, of course, but it is in more of a... political sort of way.
Tou'lon is one of the most proficient Welkin diplomats ever seen since uino'lapon. He is knowledgeable in carsto and human customs, their languages, their history. He practically knows everything, if not more than Erin does herself about human history.
Which should be impressive, but then again, he is welkin, he is automatically placed as the enemy.
They technically have been the enemy. They have been for more than 50 years.
The sand throwing, the insults, the aggressive movements, the slow game of one upping the other. It's a culmination of the animosity left behind from the war. It's not something talked about much, but it is a significant part of how the federation and the welkin do politics.
The war left scars, and not just physical. The DMZ, yeah, it was placed there initially for the stopping of the war, but it is now nothing more than a reminder, a fear, of the war starting up again.
Let us not even think about the lacking federation navy that can't even form a decently equipped and armed ship.
They would lose, massively, if the federation and the welkin went to war any time soon. The carsto won't help, they would most likely just play the neutral party once again, hoping to gain more influence over the federation and the expanse all in one go.
Anyways, the man Infront of her was named Fred, a simple but well-known name in the federation. He is an old fella, has been alive since a little after first contact with the welkin, almost 1 and a half centuries ago. She had no choice but to fire him. Federation laws explicitly say so, but while he is still able to work perfectly well, she knows, As well as HQ probably knows that his time is limited.
He is to free up space for new and younger officers recruited into the navy.
That was the excuse she had to give him, the lie she had to tell.
She knew the real reason, she knew.
He was no longer needed, nor wanted within the federation navy. His life serving the military all but ignored in Favor of kicking him out. She knows that one day this is going to happen to her. Everyone in the navy knows this is going to happen to them one day, but they still serve. They serve because they are surrounded by enemies. By hostiles. They serve because of the relentless drive to live; they serve because they can. Because they want to.
She watches the man shamble his way out of the room, out of her office. She watched and she sighed.
Getting up off her, rather, uncomfortable chair. She walks to the door to her left, inserting her card to the verifier, she enters the diplomat lounge.
The lounge itself is not all that interesting, it is who resides within the lounge that makes it interesting.
The lounge is the place where the federation lets its alien diplomats rest and relax. It is a place where they could call their governments, get the affirmation, the information, or whatever they desired, before continuing the diplomatic discussions.
Welkin and carstos were seen walking about, their chatter audible over the low playing music from the speakers above.
Guards stand at their posts, ready for any brawl to settle, any restless carstos to beat.
Yeah, the lounge was not a place where in which you would call 'friendly. There were duels, often. Usually between fellow Carstos, to see who is superior. But it could be sometimes a welkin. Although not unusual, it surely was rare.
She headed forwards, passing fellow diplomats, getting curious stares all the while. The smell of the various alien and human bodies within the lounge is horrid if not cleaned once a week, that is something she knows well. It happens on ships; it happens to her ship as well as her crew. That is why she has a very strict schedule set for her soldiers. Shower once every few days. Just to get the musky smell out.
She knows, realistically, that the smell is not as bad as it may seem. It is only a musk, a smell that lingers. She knows the lounge was cleaned recently; she knows it was scrubbed up and down with cleaners, and chemicals. She knows the welkin and carstos take baths or whatever they do to clean themselves. She knows.
She ignored the stares; she ignored the smell as she walked towards the very end of the lounge. The side of the lounge where the offices of the welkin diplomats were. The area where the most welkins were gathered.
For all the welkins were viewed as barbaric, they are very... what's the word... Courteous. Walking through the gathered crowd of welkins as she was, she witnessed their bows of apology when they got in her way, she saw their good side as they let her enter first. She knows it was probably the rank as a diplomat for humanity, she knows it was also probably her rank as an elder in their society.
She understands, but she can't help but feel sorry for all the times she herself fell victim to humanity's prejudice against the welkins. She knows she herself said some very harsh things against the welkins. Who wouldn't when your parents were killed by them?
Her parents were veterans in the war, they were commanders for the front lines. They witnessed the welkins barbarity in full force, they witnessed their gruesome uses of biological viruses, and toxic neurological chemicals.
They were even prisoners of the welkin armada once. She has heard many stories about how her parents escaped with nothing but their undies on. It's hard to believe. But she wants to, she wants to believe her parents were filled with love for each other in their last moments. She hoped her parents died peacefully, with love.
Stopping before tou'lons office door, she couldn't help but be reminded of jack. They were very similar, but yet very different. Jack was filled with a nonchalance that cannot be rivaled, always dramatizing everything he did. Flirting, playing, laughing. They were all dramatized in a way that just made you laugh.
Tou'lon... he was funny in a subdued kind of way. a way that makes you smile, but yet know that it was a trick, a trick that gets you to slip a piece of information that could later be used against you in a way that you wish you had never laughed. It seemed like a tactic that could never work, that could never be used efficiently, or used well... But she knows, she knows that it works, and it works well.
Opening the door to Elder tou'lons office, with a warning knock, she enters. The office was filled with things of import to the welkin. Plants from their home world, welka. A shimmer glosk, which is something humanity has yet to reverse engineer. The shimmering glosk, or shimmer glosk, is a device that allows the area in which it is placed to glow a bright blue before allowing the user to adjust the settings to allow the area in which it is placed to vanish from view. It could be seen with Infrared or x-ray vision.
But it was something that could be used to extreme effect if used right. And the welkins sure know how to use it. The room was filled with a light blue glow, making everything shimmer and shine. The seats and tables, even the walls were almost transparent like.
Only letting things the elder welkin wants to let be seen clearly. Which is himself and a cup filled with a green-like liquid, grasped gently in his claw.
Tou'lon looked up from his cup, eyes squinting just a bit, whiskers twitching in a swish like motion. "intriguing" he said, voice gruff and scratchy.
CODEX
-The Carstos Tribes
The carstos tribes are a tribalistic feudal empire, operating from their home world Camboristoria. They are a civilization that enslaves its own population for the nation's gain. The older you are, the less useful you are viewed. This societal view is formed because of the carstos biology. When past a certain age, the carstos body produces an acidic mercury like acid, which poisons the brain, making them a practically aware and functioning vegetable.
This was taken advantage of with the rise of technology, allowing the younger carstos full control over their older brethren with a technological chip that is inserted into the brain.
-The Carsto
The Carsto are a Levo based reptilian insectoid humanoid. With Two arms and two legs, they have 2 bulbous like bulges near the ridges of their eyes, functioning as a sort of antenna. Their eyes are kaleidoscopic, changing colors every year. The older they get; the less colors are visible in each cycle.
Their body is chitinous, smaller near the hips and wider near the head. Practically covering their neck and head from attack. Their legs and waist are lightly covered but can be easily defended with by their long arms, with hidden talons at the end. The talons are retractable.