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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/Quetzhal on 2024-05-20 15:57:41+00:00.

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With the strange change in Firmament density going toward Miktik's workshop, I was almost expecting the building itself to be shining with Firmament. It's not. It's barely different than it normally is — the Firmament is densest here, certainly, but that's the only real difference...

...No. The imbuement cycling through her walls is moving faster, too. The _Firmament _within it is noticeably more powerful. As far as I can tell, every bit of stray Firmament is being drawn into it, with nothing allowed to escape for Whisper to collect.

Interesting.

"I think we might be about to interrupt something," I say. I glance at Tarin. "Probably best if you go in first."

"I go first," Tarin agrees. I'm not sure if it's because he agrees with the plan or because he just wants to go first, but either way, he makes his way to the entrance to her workshop.

Then he stops and squawks in indignation. "Why door missing?!" he demands.

I blink and walk up to him. He's right. The entrance to Miktik's workshop is normally a semi-hidden passageway in the midst of the broken shard she calls a home, sort of cut into the facets of the crystal. It's only visible from some angles. But right now, it just... isn't there. In its place is a seamless mass of crystal that blends in perfectly with the rest of the crashed building.

I poke it experimentally, just in case it's an illusion. It's not.

"Huh," I say.

This is a lot of security. More than any I saw Miktik use, even when it came to discussing her Firmament sink with us. I can sense the seams in the Firmament where the passageway should be — the imbuement doesn't run perfectly through that area. There's a subtle shift in direction and speed as it moves through the location, like light being refracted through glass.

Which doesn't exactly tell me how to open the passageway.

I stare at it. Other than the seams I can feel with my Firmament sense, there's no obvious mechanism I could use to move the crystal out of the way.

...Actually, this is a perfect use case for Phaseslip, isn't it? The torrent of Firmament rushing through the door might prove a problem, but Virin's experimentation tells me that it's only a problem if the imbuement leaks out of the object its in. Whatever upgrade Miktik's security system just got, it's made it more vulnerable to me, because all that Firmament is perfectly held within the crystal—

Tarin, apparently tired of me staring at the door and trying to decide how to get through it, steps forward and knocks sharply on the crystal. "Friend!" he calls out. "I here! Where your door?"

...Or, I suppose, we could just knock. Maybe that should've been my first, go-to solution.

There's a silence that lasts for long enough that I start to wonder if I should try to Phaseslip through the door anyway, but almost as soon as I start channeling my Firmament, the crystal in front of us just... melts away. I have to look down to see Miktik, who's frantically waving us in.

We take the hint and hurry into her workshop. Behind us, I feel the walls once more close around the entrance.

That's... matter manipulation. The melting wasn't just a visual effect — the stone is crystal is actually melting into place. That feels like a really advanced imbuement.

"Tarin!" Miktik hisses once the so-called door closes behind us. "What are you doing here?! Miktik wasn't expecting you! And who's your friend? And how did you even get into Isthanok?"

"I come help," Tarin sniffs. "You too many questions!"

"She has a right to ask them," I say dryly. I look past her into her workshop, where a small crowd of others stand. Among them, to my surprise, are Thys and Thaht, the kobolds I met in the Arena whose shop we were supposed to visit. Another is a silverwisp that bows his head toward me and gives me the same finger-twist salute that Thys and Thaht both greeted me with.

I think I'm getting an idea of what's going on here. The imbuement around this place is solid. If I'm wrong... well, I won't have to worry about Whisper sending a message back to her past self, at least.

"We're here because we need to figure out what's going on with He-Who-Guards," I say. Tarin's jaw drops — metaphorically, he mostly just opens his beak wide — and I suppress the urge to grin. He's probably thinking about all the times I cautioned him against just revealing who we were and what we were doing. "It's a long story, but the important thing you need to know is that the Trial has started, and I'm the Trialgoer."

Everyone in Miktik's workshop erupts into whispers. Miktik herself just stares for a moment, then sighs.

"Miktik should have known Tarin would only come here to bring trouble," she mutters to herself. "Is the Trial why Whisper is acting so strangely?"

"Probably," I say. "We don't know what happened. Why don't you fill us in on what changed starting a day or so ago?"

Miktik gives me a strange look. "...All instances of He-Who-Guards returned to Whisper's palace," she says. "And Whisper installed normal guards all over the city. It's made things harder on us than normal. We're trying to figure out why."

"Who 'us'?" Tarin asks. He's still out of the loop.

Miktik sighs. "I suppose we might as well let you in on it," she mutters. "It's not like I don't trust you. Not sure I trust the Trialgoer, but he's already figured us out, so."

"You're a rebel group of some sort," I say. The imbuement around Miktik's workshop, the secrecy, the fact that Miktik herself is using Integrator technology in her workshop. Salvage or not, access to that kind of tech happens only if you're either very well-connected, or very determined.

Miktik, it seems, is both.

Then there's that hand gesture the silverwisp greeted me with. For a town that's under constant audio surveillance, a nonverbal means of communication is the perfect way for a group of rebels to recognize one another — although I notice that salute isn't one Miktik can perform. She doesn't really have the fingers for it.

Must be hard to come up with something that accommodates all species.

"Yes," Miktik confirms. She seems a little more comfortable and in-her-element now, at the very least. "You caught us in the middle of a meeting, but if you're the Trialgoer, then we could use your help. Assuming you're on our side."

"Hestia's Trialgoers want to kill me or study me, as far as I can tell," I say dryly. "And they're all pawns of the Integrators. I'm not exactly interested in working with them."

"Good," Miktik says. She sounds a little relieved, though she hides it well. "We could use a Trialgoer."

"Wait, wait," Tarin protests. He flaps his wings a little and makes his way further into the room, fluffing up his feathers as he does so. "What type rebel? You fight Whisper?"

Miktik exchanges glances with the rest of the rebels in the room. Thys and Thaht are both surprisingly quiet; besides them, there is the silverwisp that greeted me, another crow that's presumably the same species as Tarin, and an antlike warrior I'm assuming is another morphling. I note to my relief that this one isn't wearing a void suit.

"We fight Whisper, yes," Miktik answers eventually. "You might have noticed that she controls almost everyone in the city. Not directly, but using her Whispers and her assassins. She has a rigid idea of how she wants 'her' city to run, and if anyone goes against her, she uses her Interface skills to make their lives very painful. You don't want to experience it yourself, trust me."

"I already have," I say, grimacing at the memory of her Whisper burning through me. "You have a counter for it you're developing, right? A Firmament sink of some sort that draws in her Firmament and reduces the strain on your system?"

Miktik looks surprised, then suspicious. "How do you know about that?"

"Because he's a spy," the crow calls out from the back of the room. She leans back in her chair, glowering at the both of us. Her feathers, I note, are a lot glossier than Tarin's; she seems much younger. She's also glaring at me.

"If I were a spy, I'd be coming here to learn about the countermeasures you have. I wouldn't know about them already," I say dryly.

"He has a point!" Thys says. "I don't know why, but I trust him."

Thaht gives his brother a look. "We've talked about how easily you trust people."

"This one's different."

"That's what you always say!"

The silverwisp interrupts both brothers. "Perhaps it's best we begin with introductions," he says smooth. "I am He-Who-Wanders."

"Thys and Thaht," both kobolds chorus together.

"Name's Bimar," the crow grunts.

"I am he who is named Vahrkos," the morphling says, speaking for the first time. His voice is surprisingly deep. "If you are aware of morphling physiology, please also be aware that my other selves are currently indisposed. I do not wish to talk about them, so I would appreciate it if you avoid questions about them."

He-Who-Wanders shoots Vahrkos a sympathetic look that I fail to entirely comprehend — there's something in his gaze, so I'm guessing the silverwisp knows more about Vahrkos's situation. He holds out his hand, and Vahrkos seems to appreciate the gesture; I see the morphling take the hand and let out a slow breath, calming himself down from some invisible trauma.

"I'm Ethan," I say. "I've met some of you be...

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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/MarlynnOfMany on 2024-05-20 15:36:27+00:00.

{Shared early on Patreon}

(This one features an appearance by characters from Stabby the One and Only.)

“Are you warm enough?” I asked Paint as we walked. My fingers were chilly against the box I carried, but it was small enough that I could reach to rub them together. 

“Yes,” Paint said firmly. She pulled her heat shawl close, nuzzling her scaly orange face into its yellow warmth. “This is fully charged, and much better than my old one.” 

“Well, no falling in the water for you today.”

“No falling in the water for me ever!” she said. “Unless the water is warm. Then it would be nice.” 

I looked around at the industrial ruins that we walked through, all damp concrete and convoluted passageways. Even the sunlight on this planet felt thin. “I don’t think anything around here is warm.” 

“Not yet,” Paint said with a lift of her snout. “I’m sure they’ll get things back in working order soon. That box probably holds a key heating circuit or something, and the area will become more hospitable in no time.” 

I smiled at her priorities. As a coldblooded Heatseeker, she could hardly be blamed for expecting warmth to be high on the to-do list. I would have focused more on landing pad repair personally, so visiting couriers didn’t have to walk through this maze of alien architecture to reach the inhabited area, but that’s just me. 

At any rate, our delivery timeline was short but so was the best route, at least according to the map on my phone. If we kept up a brisk pace, we’d get there well before the client started to grumble. And in this chill there was no reason to dawdle. 

Sudden voices echoed off the walls: laughter from a few people at once. Distinctly human laughter. The locals were Frillians, so who were these? 

Paint craned her neck to pinpoint the source of the voices, looking just as curious as I was. Then we walked around a corner and met a cluster of humans in blue jackets with a logo that I recognized immediately. 

“Hey, it’s the crew of the good ship *Hold My Beer!”* I said in greeting. “How’s the droid jousting business?” 

“Hello again!” said Captain Parker, flashing that bright smile set off by his dark skin. “We’re here for an outdoor tournament. Just on the way to check in now. You guys making another delivery?” The handful of other humans nodded at us. 

Paint said, “Yes! It’s probably important! But we don’t know for sure. They wanted it in a hurry.” 

Captain Parker pulled out a holo map of his own, and pointed down a concrete corridor. “This is definitely the fastest route that we can see. Pretty bonkers city design.” He started walking with a glance at the gray sky.

I hitched the box up and fell in step with the group. “I don’t think it was a city originally. No idea what, but these don’t look like stores or houses.” 

Paint took short-legged strides beside me, offering suggestions for what these reclaimed ruins could have been, and the walk passed quickly. We’d moved on to discuss the jousting crew’s latest wins and new uniforms — those Stabby the Roomba emblems were very stylish — when we passed through an open doorway and discovered a problem. 

The passage ahead of us was a deep chasm between concrete walls, open to the sky and devoid of branching passages, with a doorway at the bottom of several concrete steps. The door was closed. And the steps were filled with water. 

I stopped. “Hm.” 

“Aw man,” Captain Parker exclaimed, getting out his map again. 

“What do we do?” asked Paint, clicking her scaly knuckles together. “This was the fast route! Our client is on a timeline!” 

I thumped my chin against the box. “I knew we should have used the hoverbike.”

“You would have crashed into a wall! These walkways are far too narrow.”

“No I wouldn’t.” 

A sturdy woman from the jousting crew shone a pocket flashlight into the murky water. It was all in shadow, thanks to an awning up top that seemed ironically meant to protect from the rain. Like everything else around here, it was janky and broken, but made of metal that hadn’t rusted through yet. Canvas would have been long gone. 

I eyed the many cracks in the walls, with pipes and alien rebar sticking out. “I don’t suppose anyone feels like climbing over?” 

“The box doesn’t have a carry strap,” Paint pointed out. “And I am not one of you climbing experts.” 

A heavyset man with gray hair chuckled at that. “You’re not the only one.” 

This turned into a side conversation about how Paint was under the impression that all humans were talented climbers by her standards, until Captain Parker interrupted. 

“While this would be the most direct route, I see three other possibilities that shouldn’t take us in too many circles. It really is a shame, though. This one’s a nice straight shot if we could get the door open. Can you see the catch, Ruby?” 

“Barely,” the woman reported. “This light is garbage. But it looks just like those other doors. Too bad we don’t have a long pole or something to work the catch with.” 

I looked up. “That awning looks like it has a couple poles! I wonder if they come off.” 

Paint yelped, “The water is rising!” She pointed, clutching her shawl. “It was below that step before!”

“Dang, you’re right.” Ruby stepped back. The other crewmates gestured to cracks that reached above water, which could easily be causing leaks below. 

“We should go,” decided Captain Parker. “Get a head start on one of the long routes.” 

“But our client!” Paint exclaimed. “They need the package in a hurry, and will tell everyone we’re unreliable!” 

While everyone voiced an opinion, ranging from “Route B” to “Route C” to “rock-paper-scissors for who gets dunked in the hypothermia water,” I shoved the box at Paint. “Hold this,” I said. Then I got a running start and leapt up for a good grip on a crack in the wall. 

There were plenty of footholds. Some of the metal bits sticking out were loose, but not enough to fall out. I focused on making sure each step was secure as quickly as possible, and reached the top in no time. 

Thankfully it was wide enough to balance on without too much worry. That water wasn’t deep enough to land in safely, never mind the temperature. 

*Speaking of water,* I thought with dawning horror, *This is about to be bad.* 

Several rows away in this maze was a broken pipe the size of my torso, spewing water into a reservoir that was near to overflowing. Some of the water was leaking out through cracks in the sides already, leading to a puddle that was dripping through to make the one on our side. 

*The route back is in the danger zone too! Maybe if we’re fast enough, we can get to that open area over there. Or get everybody else up here. But I don’t trust this wall to stay intact if that dam fails all at once.* 

My phone buzzed, making me jump. It was Paint. I realized she’d probably been yelling for my attention, and I didn’t hear. There were sounds of pouring water up here, not to mention the blood rushing in my ears. I answered the phone. 

“What are you staring at?” she demanded. “Get the pole!”

“Right,” I said, hurrying along the wall. “We may not have enough time, even if I can get it free. There’s more water that could flood the area at any moment. I think somebody has to swim for the catch.” 

“What! How much water?”

“Lots. Hang on.” I stuck the phone in my pocket to free both hands for the awning. Up close, it looked much rustier and ancient than below. The pole at the side was welded on. I braced my feet and gave it a good yank. That produced a metal screech and a rain of rust particles, but not much else. Pushing and pulling to work it loose let me fold the awning back so watery sunshine illuminated the door catch far below. The jousting crew shouted about it indistinctly. 

I leaned against the awning, holding it back while I got my phone out. “It’s not coming loose,” I told Paint. “Tell him there’s a dam about to break, and one of his people needs to open the door.” 

There was lots of indistinct shouting at that. I couldn’t make out all of the words, especially since the water sounds were increasing, thanks to a new crack the water levels had just reached. Captain Parker was shaking his head at Paint, who’d set down the box so she could hold the phone and gesture wildly. He waved at me to come down, and pointed back at the way we’d come. I shook my head and pointed at the reservoir, but he was already looking away. 

“Paint!” I called into the phone. “Tell him he’s got to!” 

“He wants to turn back!” Paint cried. 

“Wait!” This was a dumb idea, but I’d had worse. “Paint, tell him you *double dog dare him* to do it.”

“What?”

“Human thing. If he doesn’t, he’s a coward. Use those exact words: you double dog dare him.” 

Paint didn’t answer me, lowering the phone and jabbing a finger at Captain Parker. I could just make out her words over the water. 

“I *double dog dare you* to do it! If you don’t, you’re a coward!”

He gaped at her for a moment while his crew burst into laughter. Ruby clapped him on the shoulder. A smaller man waggled his fingers like he was offering to hold the captain’s jacket. Captain Parker looked up at me, arms spread in a clear WTF. 

I held the awning back and pointed emphatically downward. 

Water rushed faster out of that new crack. People were laughing below. Paint repeated the phrase like an incantation. 

And Captain Parker took off his jacket, handing it...
***
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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/KamchatkasRevenge on 2024-05-20 16:08:40+00:00.

Elyria

"Are you absolutely sure it's okay for me to attend?"

Aquilar chuckles. "Oh come now Elyria, of course it's okay! I invited you after all, and I'm the senior princess in these parts. Besides it's just afternoon tea. Hardly anything to get too excited about."

Elyria looks herself up and down. She'd sourced a more 'casual' Apuk style dress specifically for the event and while she felt she looked good, part of her was still desperately confused by how she'd ended up regularly hobnobbing with not only royalty, but members of the Apuk battle royalty as well. The Apuk and Seramali as a species had relations that were considered 'distant, but cordial' and Seramali space was far from Serbow and her colonies, so Apuk were mostly seen in movies and like, and now she'd found herself thrust in the middle of the elite of the elite, literal story book heroines all.

They enter the lounge near Little Serbow that had been renovated into a tea room, regularly reserved by all sorts of mostly Apuk groups, not just the battle royalty out on the town, and immediately a redhead that Elyria recognizes as Princess Miri'Tok hoists her tea cup more like a tankard of beer than a fine china cup filled with what was had to be a delicate Apuk bone marrow tea.

"Ladies, to her highness!"

The toast is echoed immediately, and the slight tavern edge to proceedings put Elyria at ease a degree even if it confused her a bit as she made her way into the room, settling at a seat next to Aqilar at the large round table. Though the more rough behavior that she expected out of soldiers in the Apuk troops aboard, or indeed the Marines of the Undaunted battalion was somewhat at odds from the tiaras glittering through out the room, when she actually thought about it, it made sense.

These particular princesses were different than their battle royalty blade sisters back on Serbow. All battle princesses were incredible fighters and gifted warriors, not all battle princesses were soldiers, and these battle princesses were all soldiers, and acted the part.

Even when taking tea with their commander apparently, converting a refined tea party into a hybrid of a tea party and an officer's ward room.

A quick sweep around the table reveals a now somewhat familiar face immediately to Elyria's right. Dar'Vok, a soldier of the Bridger family's personal armed forces had met with and consulted with Nara more than a few times about modern combat as an Apuk warrior, and had been invited to stay for dinner a few times. Elyria wasn't quite friends with the Apuk woman, but friendly at the very least, and she'd gotten the sense that Dar'Vok wasn't standoffish or anything, just very, very busy. If this was the kind of company that Dar'Vok was keeping, Elyria felt she could take a guess as to why.

Another exceptional young lady in the Bridger family it seemed.

If she was going to ascribe any trait to Admiral Bridger in her near a year of observing the man in action, beyond his own gifts and well honed skills, he seemed to have an unmatched eye for talent, and the ability to encourage and cajole to bring that talent out of people.

"Dar'Vok, it's so nice to see you again, you should come to dinner again soon! Nara and Miu have been feeding us more Apuk home cooking."

The pretty blonde does her best to keep her face measured... but her stomach growling gives her away a bit.

"Elyria, lovely to see you... and I would like that. As much Apuk everything as I can get on this ship, some actual home cooking instead of heading to the Jan clan's establishment would be divine."

"I'd say Miu'Kin's got Ros'Lin on the run at the very least for best Apuk cook on the ship too."

Another growl from Dar'Vok's stomach and she blushes faintly. "Yes... I look forward to it then."

"...Why are you here by the way? Did one of the princesses bring you?"

Aqi joins the conversation with a polite cough. "I can answer that. Dar'Vok was trained by Miri'Tok and her commandos up to a princess level. With a little more polish we have no doubt she'd win a crown if she desired one... but more to the point, she is essentially a battle princess in the service to the Bridger family. All she needs is a tiara and for her sovereigns, that is to say me, and my husband, to grant her a title. Which I'd be honored to do if my mother wouldn't have my hide for boots if I started minting my own battle princesses."

There's a rumble of laughter throughout the room, and Miri'Tok swivels in her seat.

"Well said highness. No need to upset her majesty with the idea that other people might be snatching up some of the top quality talent, though especially considering the circumstances, I doubt her majesty would mind. Dar'Vok is in service to the Imperial household after all. Just once removed."

Dar'Vok is blushing hot enough to raise the air temperature around her a few degrees.

"Please... I'm not. That good. Yet."

Miri'Tok shakes her head. "You'd not have survived my training course if you weren't that good, and if you are lacking somewhere I have no doubt your lord and his warrior brides will make short work of it. Speaking of though ladies, we do have some announcements. Grand news for two members of our august company! Lady Dar'Vok has been tasked with training her first three subordinates. She has asked for my assistance, which I shall eagerly provide. The three ladies in question may one day attend these meetings with us, so let us hope for their success. Fresh blood in our company will mean we get some new jokes instead of hearing Princess Natra'Saken's jokes for the thousandth time."

Polite chuckles round the room, and Princess Captain Natra'Saken, the Imperial Marine platoon leader if Elyria recalled, throws a wadded up napkin playfully at Miri'Tok, who zaps it out of the air with a pinpoint burst of green warfire before she continues;

"The other news is for our dear associate Princess Xal'Kemsa, as of the eve before we went into battle against the foul band of pirates we just crushed along side our allies, the Princess proposed to Gunnery Sergeant David Chesed, of the Undaunted Commandos, and he accepted. She will be his first wife."

That got some proper applause, from Elyria too. Being first, and in Xal'Kemsa's case, only, wife to as talented and desirable a catch as an Undaunted commando was a laudable feat indeed.

Xal'Kemsa rises from her seat and curtsies to the applause. "I'd like to thank my dear daughter Dar'Vok for her assistance with gathering information on David so I could make a proper proposal. Though I admit I know less about his culture, and the faith of his people than I'd like. It also turns out such preparation was overkill. David had been planning to propose to me shortly after I ended up making my move. He told me that he'd been waiting for a truly exceptional woman to join his hand and heart with."

The princess blushes, clearly very, very happy.

"Well the man's got excellent taste, few women are more exceptional than an Apuk Battle Princess." Opines Miri'Tok, to a chorus of 'Here, here!' from the princesses.

Xal'Kemsa nods. "He did like that. Liked that I'm professional military too."

Aquilar taps her mug for attention. "So, shall you be seeking out new sisters to join you both? Or are you going to be joining our honored associate Princess Miro'Noir in human style monogamy?"

"Mhmm." Xal'Kemsa tilts her head, thinking for a moment. "David and I have discussed it a bit, seems that was part of what he was waiting on, figuring out how he felt about such things. He figured if he was single and stayed that way, then he could make himself out of reach to a degree, by taking one wife he believes he'll 'open the flood gates' in terms of people seeking him out. Which I think is a reasonable enough tactical assessment."

Elyria cocks her head for a second. "Could make for a good novel actually. You have a high status man, on the run in the literal or metaphorical sense because staying single gives him a degree of freedom by giving himself a mystique of being unobtainable. Finally of course our lead heroine catches up with him and proves she can keep pace, and maybe a few other girls take the opportunity to prove they can run along too, not weighing our hero down, but indeed chasing freedom together."

Xal'Kemsa chuckles. "Ah that's right, you're a romance novelist like dear Aqi. Well if you want to run with that idea, you have my blessing. That said I believe we've settled on being a bit more proactive. David and I are considering adding an artisan or two to our family. Cannidor space, for all their wealth of warriors, has some incredibly talented weapon and armor smiths, and both David and I admire those with such skills, with David himself being an amateur gunsmith."

"I suppose marrying a trade master's an easy way to get free lessons." notes Dar'Vok before taking a sip of her tea.

The room returns to their individual conversations and Elyria turns to Aqi. "I didn't know anyone else knew about. You know. You. Besides your sister wives anyway."

Aqi nods slowly. "That was true until very recently, thanks, in part to you my dear friend."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Well, being able to actually see my alter ego's best friend in person has allowed me to... rationalize the two sides of my life a bit. Seek something of a proper balance, instead of hiding a part of myself away. I don't have to be just Aqi, just the Princess, or indeed, just Erana. All of those are ...

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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/firefighter_raven on 2024-05-20 15:51:37+00:00.

Gesalec leaned back in his favorite chair and felt something pop before sitting back up. He liked this spot in the bar. He could see all the various races come and go, some would even ask for his advice.   He was an old spacer and his knowledge of this sector was vast. It’s said he’s visited almost every system and most inhabited planets in his 170 Galactic years.  And some of the young would ask for stories of his adventures. But he was tired of traveling and settled down on this station orbiting the planet Miasma. 

 So he was only slightly surprised when a tall, reptilian-like alien approached him. The being looked familiar but he couldn’t quite place which race it was. At least 2 1’2 meters tall, 4 muscular arms, bipedal, and a torso covered in tough, leather-like plates. Its head was triangular, with a blunt face containing 6 eyes, a pair of nostrils, and a wide mouth with dozens of small but sharp-looking teeth. It also had 8 pronounced fangs, 4 on top and 4 on bottom.

   It wore only boots, a type of pants, and a utility harness on its torso.

 “You are Gesalec of the Tharo?” The alien put it bluntly.

  Gesalec stared up at the tall being before replying “I am and who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?” 

 “I am Buhazum of the Cudraix.” He answered

 Ahh yes, The Cudraix  He remembered now, his mind searching for what he knew about them.  No wonder he didn’t recognize them, they were rarely seen outside their body armor and enclosed helmets.

 They were a warlike race from out near the Rim. They only appeared in this sector 20 years ago by raiding the outer worlds. 5 years after that, they carved themselves a foothold in the sector at the expense of the Fatiri. 

 Without asking, The Cudraix sat down next to Gesalec. “I understand you know many things about this sector,” Buhazum stated

 Blunt and straight to the point, Gesalec thought to himself before answering, “Yes, I am well-traveled.”

 “Good, you will come with me,” Buhazum added

 Taken aback Gesalec replied, “ Why in the hell would I do that?” 

 “To meet my superiors, you will be well compensated,” Buhazum said

 Getting paid does change things. Gesalec thought to himself

 “And how far would I have to go?  He asked

Buhazum promptly replied, “Compartment 10, level 1” 

 So they are at the station and in one of the 1st class quarters. Interesting.  Gesalec thought before replying, “Lead on” 

 It took about 10 minutes to reach the compartment and when the door opened, he was slightly surprised to see just how many Cudraix were in there. 

 There were maybe 11 of them but after studying the Cudraix for a moment, he concluded 6 were guards. Unlike Buhazum, they wore a variety of raiment that concealed their bodies. 

  It suddenly occurred to Gesalec, that since they are rarely seen without their helmets and body armor, they were essentially in disguise. And able to move about freely with no one the wiser. He started to wonder just how many Cudraix were hiding in plain sight, across the sector. 

 Buhazum stepped forward and bowed, “This is Gesalec of Tharo, as ordered Your Majesty.” 

 Buhazum stepped aside so the others could see Gesalec. 

 Finding out he was meeting Royalty caught him off-guard but he managed to recover.   He gave a bow and spoke “Your Majesty.” 

 And then added, “I apologize but I do not know who is who.” 

 A richly dressed Cudraix stepped forward, “ I am Inubasa,  Vestes to Empress Shiptu, 2nd wife of Emperor Anunnaki IV. “ He said while using a sweeping gesture to the Empress. Gesalec turned and bowed to the Empress. “My apologies your Majesty for not knowing who you were.” 

 The Empress just gave a regal nod of her head. 

  To be honest, Gesalec couldn’t tell the difference between male and female Cudraix, or were they all female? He wondered

  Another Cudraix stepped forward, “Grand Straktigo En-Shag-Kush-Ana.” 

 The Grand Straktigo stepped forward and pushed a button on the console. A map of the sector appeared and the political boundaries were marked on it. 

  “We are embarking on a new campaign and we need information about races that might be involved. What their military capabilities are, who their allies are, and which are their most important worlds,” he said

 Gesalec was shocked at the question and without thinking uttered, “ I can’t do that! Help you kill an untold number of sentients”

 Empress Shiptu nodded to Inubasa, who then stepped forward, “The Empress understands your reluctance and offers a compensation of 2 million Galactic credits.”  

 Gesalec almost fell over from shock. He could almost buy his own station with that much, not a big one but still. After wrestling with his conscience, he agreed to this proposal.

 The Empress nodded in satisfaction. 

 Grand Straktigo En-Shag-Kush-Ana pointed to an area on the map. “We plan to attack these Hamuns and absorb their territory into our Empire. We’ve heard rumors they do not maintain a large fleet and that they are afraid of war. That they’ll negotiate a way out of it.” 

 Gesalec stared at them in horror. “ You mean to attack the Humans (taking care to pronounce it correctly for them)?” 

  “ Yes, in 2 standard months” ’ The Grand Straktigo informed him.

  After Gesalec regained his composure, he said, “No one in their right mind attacks the Humans.” 

  Grand Straktigo En-Shag-Kush-Ana laughed, “Why is that? They barely have a dozen systems, we have thousands.” 

  “What kind of threat could race afraid to fight be to us?” 

 “Ask the Tekarzions,” Gesalec muttered to himself, not intending for the Cudraix to hear.

 But their hearing was better than he knew, “ Who are these Tekarzions? How can we contact them?” 

  By summoning their ghosts. Gesalec thought to himself.

 “You can’t, They are extinct in this sector, and they’re only rumors of small Drifter fleets of survivors. Never staying in one place too long.” 

 “And these Humans are responsible? So they beat some minor power, probably only a few planets and we’re supposed to be afraid of them?” Grand Straktigo En-Shag-Kush-Ana scoffed. 

 Gesalec replied, “ Over 80 Galactic years ago, the Tekarzions once controlled most of this sector.” Using his finger to indicate where it was.  “138 systems, 600 habitable planets and moons. Hundreds more with vast resources to be harvested.” 

 “Including the dead rock we currently orbit.”  Gesalec finished

 For a moment, Gesalec thought he saw doubt on some of their faces, but not being familiar with them, he wasn’t sure. 

Grand Straktigo En-Shag-Kush-Ana was not one of them. “We are the Cudraix and fear no one! Especially a race afraid of war, even if they won one decades ago”

“Go on with your explanation as to why we shouldn’t attack them.” The Empress said.

 All of the Cudraix seemed shocked that she spoke.   “Your Majesty, this alien is not worthy to hear you speak!” Inubasa exclaimed

  Grand Straktigo En-Shag-Kush-Ana also spoke out, “Your Majesty, forgive me but as 2nd Empress, you are only here in a ceremonial role.” 

 With a glare, The Empress addressed them both, “ That is usually so but I feel this is important enough for the Emperor to hear all of it and not just selected tidbits” 

 She addressed the Straktigo directly, “Would you like me to contact my husband, the Emperor, and see how he responds to my break-in ceremony? Especially after I tell him how you are ignoring the Tharon’s warning?” 

 I like this one, Gesalec thought to himself.

 Both of the Cudraix acquiesced to the Empress. 

 Looking back towards Gesalec, “Please continue” she ordered

“Yes, Your Majesty” Gesalec bowed and replied.

 “The Humans are not afraid of war because of what an enemy may do. Humans are afraid of what it can make them become.”  Gesalec started. 

 “I had a Human friend long ago that once explained it to me.” 

“Like you, the Tekarzions saw them as easy pickings,” Gesalec explained,

 “The Humans were new to the Galactic community and had just started to expand out of their home system. And when the Tekarzions found out just how much time passed between the Human's first steps into space and how it took almost 2 centuries to leave their home system, they assumed they weren’t very smart either.” 

“I found out from my friend later, that it took them so long to leave their cradle because they had been warring amongst themselves almost the entire time,” Gesalec stressed

 The Empress spoke up again, “ So they were fighting a civil war that whole time?”

 “No, Your Majesty, They were never a single government in the first place. They only formed that after finding out that other races existed. A damaged ship inadvertently fell out of FTL in their system. The crew was dead so the only source of information was the ship.”

 “So they examined the ship and reverse-engineered what they found, mixed with their technology,” Gesalec added,

“It had long been a dream of the Humans to find life outside their world, so they were ecstatic to meet other races. They explored, they traded, they shared knowledge freely.” 

“So they were caught off guard when a Tekarzion fleet entered their home system and attacked them without warning”  

“The Humans suffered enormous casualties at first but they weren’t helpless,” Gesalec said

“They’d fought wars amongst themselves for almost their entire existence and they were very good at it.”  

 “But they were comparatively novices at deep space combat.” 

 “It took them months to drive the invaders out and the...

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There is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas. One is an occupying power committing genocide and the other is Hamas.

Also I thought you hated Netanyahu, Brandon. What happened?

https://aje.io/cqz0qm?update=2914704

r*ddit

President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran have died in a helicopter crash. I'm sure this is mere coincidence of course

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Chapter 50

Master General Kirain Yith

Adventurer Level: N/A

Half-Breed Drow - Balushenian

'You will awaken and continue traveling west,' The hoarse voice pierced my mind. 'By midday you will reach a well-traveled road. Go left and follow the road. You will meet a traveler who is not what he appears to be. Be wary of this traveler, but consume his blood. Take his clothing and dispose of his body and your armor out of view of the road. Continue on the road in the same direction until you see a smaller path, then follow that path.'

Expecting riddles and side-speak, I found myself somewhat stunned by how clear the directions were. Despite my shock, I endeavored to memorize them. Nothing will stop me from finding the power that this being is promising and annihilating whatever challenge awaits me.

'And what do I do when I reach the end of the path?' I asked.

'The path leads to a dungeon. Enter the dungeon and do what you feel is appropriate.'

The return to riddles and side-speak stunned me even more than its absence. It took more than a few moments for the confusion to leave my expression.

'You can't tell me more than that?'

'All I can say is that you're a vampire. Do what vampires do.'

'That's all? Why?'

'A being far grander than myself is preventing me from speaking directly of the events that may unfold within the dungeon,' It laughed. 'The very same being that will ensure fairness in the challenge to come. Go now, and find your purpose.'

I awoke before I could ask any further questions, not that I would have gleaned any answers. Do what vampires do? Likely a riddle that will become easier to solve within the dungeon itself. I arose from my temporary shelter and scanned my immediate environs. Birds were singing in the trees, which indicated that there weren't predators or monsters nearby, and there were no other signs of incursion. It seems I have truly lost my pursuers.

My muscles and bones ached from sleeping on the ground, and a quick stretch resulted in several satisfying pops and cracks. The stretch was able to provide enough relief to continue my journey. The desire to feed hit me as I verified the sun's position in the sky. I had used a lot of strength yesterday, and I would need to feed on blood again to restore it. Luckily, the entity had told me where to find my next meal.

I did my best not to think too hard about what caused me to undertake this quest, but failed miserably. My entire family is soon to be dead, my home razed to the ground, my dreams of world domination are all but dashed, and I am touched by a supposed god. These thoughts had just wandered to whether or not continuing my existence was even worth it when I finally came across the road.

It wasn't much of a road. The primary components of its construction were dirt and dust, unlike the roads that lined the countryside of the Night Kingdom. I dutifully turned toward my left and followed the glorified path. It wasn't long before my feet became tender and sore, and I found myself missing the carefully constructed stone roads of my homeland.

I followed the road for a few hours before I finally came across my objective. A dwarf wearing a high collared coat and large pack stopped and eyed me warily. I stopped as well, and regarded him head to toe. His coat and clothing appeared new and expensive, yet his pack and boots appeared well-worn. The dwarf was obviously trying to look like a merchant, but there were certain inconsistencies with his disguise.

"Who the fuck're you?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same," I replied. "You have the look of a merchant, but I've never met a merchant who travels alone."

"Well that's just cuz you've never met me," he grinned, showing a few missing teeth. "The name's Tarx. You?"

"Kirain."

"Well, Kirain, methinks it's a damn lucky day for you. I see you've got a hole in that armor of yours, and I just so happen to have somethin' that'll likely fit you just fine."

"Oh?" I asked, moving closer to him. "That would be quite the boon, if the price is right."

"I've got the cheapest fuckin' stuff you'll find in the middle of the road," he laughed as he pulled his pack from his back. "I'm more than willin' to cut you a deal."

He stuck his hand into his pack as I moved closer to him. As he began to remove his hand, I saw a glimmer and instinctively grabbed his wrist. My strength was beginning to wane, but it was more than enough to snap his wrist and sending the dagger flying. I wasted no time pulling him into his final embrace.

"The fuck?" he gasped as I bit into his throat.

He tried to resist, but I'd already taken a gulp and restored my strength. The warmth of the blood flowed through me, and I took more than my fill. After a few moments, the dwarf fell limp in my arms, completely drained of his vital essence.

I let him fall to the ground and studied him. I'd managed to avoid spilling blood on his clothing, but was faced with another problem entirely. Dwarfs are significantly shorter than drow, and his attire would not fit me.

My eyes darted toward his pack. On a hunch, I grabbed it and emptied it out. Several items fell to the ground, including another knife, some wrapped rations, about fifty feet of hempen rope, a water skin, several pieces of jewelry, a bulging coin pouch, and some rather well-made clothing. It would appear that Tarx was a quite a bit more entrepreneurial than a travelling merchant should be.

"Take his clothes, eh?" I chuckled, picking up the clothing.

I removed my garments and replaced them, finding them to be a perfect fit. I spent a little time packing the items back into the bag, with the exception of the large knife, and then disposed of Tarx and my former clothing out of sight of the road. Passing carnivores would find him and make sure he didn't go to waste.

Slinging the pack onto my back and securing the large knife to my waist, I continued my journey. Not a bad change of fortune. I was now far less conspicuous, and even armed. If I changed my mind about my destination, I would be able to survive for quite some time on the wealth that the dwarf had likely killed for.

I was still debating this choice when I came across the path. It was overgrown and rather uninviting, and if I hadn't known to look for it I would have missed it entirely. I stood at this fork in my journey and thought for a moment. Should I continue to whatever city this road leads to and seek my fortune with my own two hands, or should I accept the would-be god's challenge and seek power?

Voices in the distance brought me back to reality. Drow rarely leave the Night Kingdom, and I would have to justify my existence everywhere I went. I would also have to be wary of retribution from the scorned deity. I made my choice then and there, and began to make my way down the untended path.

The overgrowth made travel difficult, but before long I found my destination. A small building served as the dungeon's entrance. It appeared to be a type of mausoleum, with two smooth pillars lining either side of its arched entrance. The roof of the structure rested upon these four columns and depicted a skull being worshiped by reptilian beings.

I felt an immense dread enter my body as I took a step forward. Many people equate vampires with the dead, so I should feel at home in a crypt. However, my instincts screamed at me that something terrible lay within here. Taking a deep breath and snarling to myself, I drew my knife and entered the dungeon. One of the advantages to vampirism is the ability to see in almost complete darkness, but my eyes still took a moment to adjust. Once my blindness receded, I continued forward and I took in my surroundings.

The floors were tiled and the walls were unnaturally smooth. Neither showed any signs of tool marks, seams, or any other variety of imperfection. This indicated that they had been created magically. I recalled from my studies that the term dungeon isn't the most accurate description of these places. While they often serve to contain monsters and other threats to civilization, they've also been known to serve as lairs for powerful beings that would seek harm on others. The origins of most dungeons are a complete mystery, and how they came to contain monsters and traps is anyone's guess.

My footsteps reverberated through the hall as I continued on. It was a soft, steady melody that was almost soothing, until a sudden click interrupted my pace. The tile beneath my foot had depressed, and I barely reacted in time to catch the spiked grate that sought to impale and crush me. Even my vampiric strength struggled with the weight of the trap. I adjusted my footing and pushed with all of my might.

Just as I thought I was done for, the trap eased up and withdrew into the ceiling. I quickly moved forward before it could trigger again, being careful to avoid the tile I'd carelessly tread upon earlier. Before I could catch my breath, a screech announced the presence of several small reptiles.

The lizards were roughly the size of my boot. I readied my knife as they swarmed me, trying to pick off pieces of my flesh with their teeth and claws. I was much faster than they were, though, and began to exterminate the pests with my knife a...

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What's up all! 4thWall here. Hope you guys have had a fantastic weekend.

If this is your first episode of "The Black", Welcome!! I hope you will join us from the beginning!

First,  Previous, Next

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tense silence greeted Corellus Grarzia. Moments ago, he had stepped off the shuttle sent for him, and now he was standing in the entryway to the main conference room aboard USN Wisconsin. This meeting greatly reminded him of his first meeting after taking captainship of Olyvia. This time however, there were many more players. All but two of the Privateers were present, the latter being simply too deep into a mission, and too far away to make it in time. Both of the missing ships had completed their objectives, and were in transit, but waiting for them was simply not an option. Admiral Grarzia had arrived with Wisconsin and the rest of the Privateers inside of a week from Cory’s transmission, and Admiral stevens had arrived a week after that. Admiral fulmori had retained the USN Texas as his Flag, having grown fond of Captain Gleeson. Unity High Admiral Kawmarin was still currently flagged aboard USN Galveston and was currently using her superior speed to respond to race across unity space in an attempt to rally Unity forces.

Admiral Clint Stevens had arrived with a five-ship battle group. He was flagged aboard USN Tharsis and was escorted by USN Furlong, USN Iowa, a recently retrofitted and upgraded DDS Protectorate, and a newly commissioned Delmar Frigate. The DDS Stormhold was a hybrid vessel. She had been in the early stages of construction when Humanity and Delmar met for the first time, and she had been modified during construction to make use of the recent innovations born of the their budding alliance. She had but half the displacement of an Iowa Class, but she sported two thirds of the weight of fire by destructive potential. Stormhold had struck many human sailors as what a battleship class would have looked like if the Martians had decided to build the class during Humanity’s civil war. Stormhold carried but a pair of super firing Kinetic batteries in dorsal and ventral positions with a single pair of super firing batteries at her midships. Each turret in the battery only boasted a pair of barrels, and they fired the same 1005 projectile. Stormhold was armed to please however, and she carried twice the same number of PAC batteries as USN Tharsis, and she boasted a full-length central weapon that was very uniquely Delmar. The combined minds of the Brothers grem and their research counterparts in Sol had spent years researching and iterating on the Martian Particle Acceleration Cannon, and they had found something.

 DDS Stormhold sported a single long low profile blister stretching the length of her ventral hull, set just to the left of centerline to make room for her kinetic batteries. No less than 6 PAC systems were arrayed in parallel, all feeding one focusing array of titanic size. Stormhold could fire up to all 6 at the array, varying the amount of destruction she wished to adjudicate upon her enemy. Bart had dubbed tis weapon the C-PAC, or “Compound Particle Acceleration Cannon”. The discovery however was not that combining Pac beams was doable. Mars had tried and failed to accomplish this. The discovery was how to make it efficient enough to create a viable weapon. This accomplished, something became abundantly clear from the initial testing…. A  C-PAC did not scale linearly, but exponentially. A C-PAC could produce the same destructive energy as an Eros, but only within two hundred fifty thousand Kilometers. The rate of fire was still low, and firing all 6 feeder PACs at once was a cautious calculation, as the heat generated was still a problem, but early tests in a long dead system had seen the accidental cracking of the target planet’s crust. The reaction that followed destabilized the planet entirely and said star system was now one interstellar body lighter.

Stevens brought more than just a battle group, having appropriated four troop transports. Each transport carried a detachment of Marines, with the two MACE squads spread between them for heavy support. It was a small number, but they were to be on hand to evacuate any survivors they could. “Alright people, gather round. All of you have seen the brief by now, and I know all of you are ready for this to happen. Let’s not go in halfcocked” Several heads bobbed in acknowledgement and Stevens turned to spear Cory with a gaze, “For those who might not have met yet, this is Corellus Grarzia, Captain of the Privateer that uncovered this little honeypot of horrors. He’s been the closest to this thing the longest.” Stevens waves to Cory, “Captain?”

Cory stepped up and took a long breath, “The situation’s only gotten worse since my first transmission. The prison freighters and the frigates in orbit are just the beginning of the problem. We’ve since discovered camps on the surface of the planet, I’ve marked them in your updated files” Cory flicked his wrist over his data pad, propagating the information to everyone else’s pad and the table in the center of the room, “This is not just a torture camp, it is an indoctrination and training facility. The kissing of the hand is a surrender trigger of sorts. Kiss the hand, and the child is taken from hell, given food, and given a task. Usually something simple and innocuous, but it is rewarded. If a child accepts without instruction, and without question; they are sent to the surface where they are put into an intense indoctrination program.” Cory took a pause, watching the faces of the men and women in the room. Hard eyes and grim expressions waited for him to continue. “The children are eventually taken on hunts…. Hunts of other failed children and adults of their own species… and hunts of the locals… they are creating insurgents. We may and will encounter opposition made of child soldiers and operatives on the surface. We’ve also discovered a fast response system. Attacking one freighter at a time will trigger the destruction of the other freighters, and it appears that the Frigates in the system are in direct communication with someone outside the system every 20 minutes. That is all we know, at this time.”

Cory nodded to the admirals before stepping back from the table. Mac gave Cory a nod before taking a deep breath, “Thank you Captain. Alright people, no idea goes unspoken. No question goes unasked, we only have one shot at this. Let’s get to work.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Warren’s eyes slowly fluttered open, aroused from his slumber by soft lips working their way up from the nape of his neck, “Hmm, Good morning.” He whispered as Jezz pulled herself atop him with a smile of her own. She kissed her way up his chin to his ear before responding, “Morning.” She coo’d back at him, her sultry tone lighting his senses on fire. Warren pulled her the rest of the way to his lips, kissing her gently just as his communicator chirped, “UUgghhhh!!” he groaned, breaking their kiss to open the channel, “L.T. Patterson here.” He stated, trying to keep his voice professional as Jezzaria’s lips began to wander again.

*Lieutenant, We’ve received word. The cargo transports finished loading earlier than anticipated. We will be departing in twenty minutes. Captain Yasushi has asked for your presence on the bridge.*

“Understood, I’ll be there… uh…. Momentarily.” Warren responded closing the channel, looking down at a smugly amused Jezzaria, “Jezz! Now how am I supposed to show up on the bridge with that…”

“Hmm” She mused coyly. “Probably shouldn’t, I better take care of that.”  Warren never had a chance to respond.

Twenty minutes later, an only slightly breathless Warren arrived on the bridge, receiving a raised eyebrow from Excelsior’s Captain. “Cutting it rather close, Lieutenant?” Yasushi asked as he scanned the last of the information before departure.

Warren kept his face carefully neutral, “Unavoidable, Sir.” He said formally. “You asked to see me?”

“Yes, Is the Elerian delegation settled in?” Yasushi asked first. “We’ve done what we can to give them ample spaces on the ship attuned to their gravity, and signage to prevent accidents, but I’ve heard rumblings.”

“It not… the gravity sir… May we?” Warren responded carefully, nodding to the captain’s ready room. The two of them stepped into the more private setting, and Warren sat heavily into the chair opposite the desk.

Yasushi regarded the young officer with a studious gaze, “Talk to me son. I need to know if something is brewing during this voyage.”

Warren sighed inwardly. The delegation mad...

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In a message from Evin prison where she is being held, Ms Mohammadi said the trial relates to an audio post, in which she condemned a "full-scale war against women" by the Iranian regime.

Ms Mohammadi has already served over 12 years in prison due to multiple convictions.

Her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, said the court would convene on Sunday to address the new charges of "spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic".

There has been no comment on the case from Iranian officials.

In her message, posted on the Narges Foundation website, Ms Mohammadi said it was the fourth time in as many years she had been "dragged to the unjust and farcical courts’ table" due to her "protest and disclosure of the religious regime’s men’s sexual assault against women".

The 52-year old Nobel laureate continued that this time she was being tried for speaking against "the bruising of the body and narrating the assault on [journalist and student] Dina Ghalaibaf", in an audio message.

Ms Ghalibaf was reportedly detained after she accused the security forces of handcuffing and sexually assaulting her during a previous arrest at a metro station.

She was later released.

Ms Mohammadi is calling for a public trial with the presence of independent journalists, human rights activists, women’s rights activists, and her lawyers.

She continued: "Witnesses, along with their lawyers, should be able to attend with guarantees of physical, mental, and legal security, and openly recount their assaults.”

Ms Mohammadi has tirelessly campaigned for women's rights in Iran. She has been in and out of jail for two decades because of her activism.

Her family has said that, as well as 12 years and three months of imprisonment, her sentences also include 154 lashes, two years of exile and various social and political restrictions.

She has not seen her Paris-based husband and children for several years.

Despite the numerous threats and arrests she has kept up her work to campaign against the mandatory headscarf.

She won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her work fighting against the oppression of women in Iran.

Her teenage children accepted the prize, at Oslo's city hall in December, and read her speech which had been smuggled out of prison.

"I write this message from behind the high, cold walls of a prison. The Iranian people, with perseverance, will overcome repression and authoritarianism," Ms Mohammadi said.

She added that young Iranians had "transformed the streets and public spaces into a place of widespread civil resistance", alluding to the protests that began in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly".

The authorities in the Islamic Republic in recent weeks intensified a crackdown to enforce a strict Islamic dress code on women and arrest those who disobeyed, making use of video surveillance.

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