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Fantasy Starfallen

Reader mode
Anice lead the way out of the throne room, leaving the tense situation behind her. That had gone better than she’d expected, there were no outburts from Conway’s men, and her father was as stern as a king should be. It was a sensitive issue to say the least, as Arcadia couldn’t formerly form any sort of alliance with the outsiders until they were presented to the council.

But she saw no issue in agreeing to lend them aid, so long as Decker followed through and sent representatives to a council meeting.
The next most pressing matter at hand, was what would happen next? That was a tricky question, one only time could answer.
She pondered their options, only to be distracted as Conway addressed her.

She turned to the man, and offered him a tentative smile.

“Yes...yes it did, and for that I am thankful”.
_+_+_+


Anice lead the group back to the transportaion room, from there she took the squad back to the camp and their vehicle. Unsure of what their next steps were, she left Conway with a helpful suggestion.

“Should the need arise and you need to contact the palace again, please come to this camp”. It would be simple for the scribe posted here to send word to the palace, though she didn’t go into all the details.

“Please inform your Captain...or...I suppose that he can hear me now, that should he wish to send anyone into the city, they will need to be escorted by one of my guard”.

Probably Tuvera, as she was level headed, and it didn’t seem like the outsiders were as unnerved by her.
Luthien could work as well, though she wouldn’t be happy. Nakier wasn’t much of an option, though the outsiders would have to adjust to the presence of the nagaji soon.

“Your presence has caused quite the stir, naturally. I believe that allowing the public to see you will help to ease their worries. However, I would ask that you send a small company...and those men be lightly armed. I do not was a repeat of the incident in the dining hall”.

There were nagaji civillians in the city, and Anice would not tolerate any potential threat toward them.
Anice felt these terms were reasonable, they were also non negotiable. She wouldn’t allow a large number of these outsiders at once, no group larger than Conway’s team.

“I hope you and yours find these terms agreeable”, she inclined her head toward the group as they arrived on their vehicle.
Of course if the didn't, she was open to a counter suggestion.
If they couldn't come to some sort of agreement, then the outsiders wouldn't be allowed in the city, simple as that.
 
Interlude: Lest We Forget
  • Index
    • Apex reappeared back at the campsite with a flash, the same as before. Conway didn't feel the same wave of nausea as he did before, so that was good. The stims must have kicked in. What wasn't good, however, was the fact that the electromagnetic interference caused by apparent quantum fluctuations still persisted, and his HUD and other vital systems in his armour still needed to reboot when he went through. Everyone else reported the same problem.

    Oh well. The eggheads in engineering would probably come up with a fix soon enough when the Miller completed his scans on the anomalous energy.

    Still, the feeling of essentially getting turned into his component molecules and catapulted dozens of kilometres in an instant didn't get any better, and still felt really fucking weird.

    Conway made his way out the circle tent, pushing the flap that acted as a door to the side. It was night outside, and the camp was dimly illuminated in orange by the fire from several torches. The native soldiers who had made camp here were still milling around, the ones standing by the tent moving away when the Marines made their exit.

    The Pitbull was still parked where he'd left it. The squad moved towards it to head back to the Filial Piety, but were stopped by the princess. Come to the camp if they needed to contact the palace again. That was easy enough to follow. "I understand, ma'am." He nodded.

    The sudden arrival of the city-sized (by native standards at least) ship causing quite a bit of panic in the nation was sure to be expected. Having crashed just a few dozen kilometres outside Arcadia's capital city in a blinding fireball that was visible for practically everywhere in the area, it was hard to miss. "I understand. It's likely that the captain is already planning our... uh, reveal."

    Decker was a smart man, and fair, too. But Conway didn't exactly have that much confidence that the captain would actually abide by the rules. He was the pragmatic sort.

    "Understood, ma'am." He nodded a final time. He suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh, and before I forget," Conway reached behind him and pulled out a small, elongated boxy metal object with a screen and pair of buttons on the side. He held it out and gave it to the princess. "Commlink. Allows for two-way vocal communication. If you need to talk with the captain, push the button on the side. It's already been formatted beforehand. Incoming transmissions will cause a blinking green light and beeping sound to appear. All you have to do is tap the screen."

    With that done, he took a step back and snapped up a salute. "Good night, princess." He turned and headed to the vehicle and got into it, as did his squad. The engine started with its signature growl, and the vehicle was off, back towards the massive ship. Its headlights illuminated the grassy surface, joined by the light from the moon.

    ----------------------
    INTERLUDE
    LEST WE FORGET
    ----------------------
    ​
    EDREIGN, UNCHARTED SPACE
    JUNE 15, 2848 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
    1100 HOURS
    ​
    "...And thus we lay to rest these valiant men and women who gave their lives in the field of duty to protect their homes, their people, and the human race. They will be remembered as heroes, those who fought what they loved so much, and so that the rest of us may live to fight another day. Lest we forget, we shall remember the fallen."

    Captain Decker finished his eulogy, standing in front of two hundred and thirty-one fresh graves, each one marked by a simple headstone where their names, rank, and service number were engraved into, and their faces in hologram. Where the hill was barren the day before was the final resting place of the crewmen who'd died in the crash. Not all the graves had bodies buried in them, of course, for some were unrecoverable, or there simply wasn't enough to bury.

    Facing Decker was a good portion of the ship's surviving crew, all gathered to respect the dead. Traditionally, it would be a burial at space, but that was obviously out of the question, since the ship was permanently grounded. Furthermore, manually taking the bodies into space itself and released there would simply be too time-consuming and impractical. Thus the men were buried the way humanity had been doing so for thousands of years: six feet under.

    Seven Marines had formed a rifle party, ACARs gripped in hands. They were in their ceremonial dress blues, a uniform that bore much similarity to the ancient apparel worn by national militaries of old Earth.

    "PRESENT... ARMS!" The platoon sergeant leading the rifle party yelled.

    The men of the rifle party all turned ninety degrees in unison and held their rifles in front of them.

    "READY!"

    They gripped their rifles to their chests.

    "AIM!"

    They adopted a firing position, rifles aimed towards the clouds at a forty-five degree angle.

    "FIRE!"

    They fired at once. Blanks, of course, special rounds designed to disintegrate in the barrel. They produced a sound a flash, but nothing more than that. They performed this procedure two more times.

    Next was the traditional playing of Taps on trumpet. The somber and slow notes resonated throughout the area.

    Conway was behind the crowd. He was quietly thankful that none of the guys he knew had perished the previous day. Adler and Ash, on the other hand, were quite upset. They'd lost a few friends.

    He wondered if he'd been too hard on them. He'd given them a dressing-down when they got back, ripped Torres a new asshole especially. But he wondered if he'd do the same thing if he were them, someone who hadn't been fighting as long as him. Torres hadn't seen combat yet, and the others had only been in a few battles. Conway had the experience they lacked, but he supposed nothing could prepare him for coming face to face with a non-human lizard race that looked strikingly similar to the one they'd been taught to hate and trained to kill.

    He gazed towards the horizon, at the direction of the palace, and quietly wondered what the princess was doing and what she was thinking.
     
    Last edited:
  • Index
    • “Goodnight Segant”, Anice replied to Conway’s salute with a short bow, as she was unfamilar with the gesture the outsider made.
    She watched as they got into their strange vehicle and sped away.

    Once they were out of sight she let out a sigh of relief.

    That could’ve gone better...but it also could’ve much, much worse, she mused to herself with a frown. Tomorrow she would come back to the camp, just in case any of the outsiders arrived looking for access to the city.

    “My lady”, Tuvera’s voice purred softly in her ear. “Shall we head back to the palace?”.
    Anice nodded.

    “Yes, please. It’s been a dreadfully long day”.


    _+_+


    Early the next morning, Anice was woken by a knock at her door. Groaning the princess got to her feet, given the time she was figured it was either one of her maids, or one of her brothers, up and early to pester her. Given this, Anice didn’t bother freshing up any, yawning she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and shuffled to the door wearing her night clothes, a simple white gown with a lace collar.

    Her feet here bare, and her usually neat braid was a frizzy mess. She opened the door, still half asleep.

    “Good ah- morning”, she spoke with a yawn.

    “Good morning your majesty”, came the amused reply, one that shocked the princess awake.

    “My gods, Lady Bellamy, I’m so, so sorry”, she spoke frantically as she stepped to the side and invited the woman in.
    Bellamy only smiled.

    “Princess, you have no reason to apolgize, it is I who is waking you early and intruding”, the priestess spoke as she stepped into the room.

    A tall, slender and elegant woman, Bellamy Adderson was a cleric of the Divines, and the appointed spiritual councul to the king and royal family. She was supposedly blessed with divine insight, and it was rumored that she could read the future. Fair skinned, Bellamy
    sported short, light brown hair that curled in tight ringlets at the base of her neck. It was adorned with small strands ofbrass, which were laceed through her curls and twinkled in the light.

    Her eyes were a sharp yellow color, and lined lightly with makeup. She wore an elegant floor length gown that was all white, and bore a massive rose pattern throughout the skirt.

    “No no, you’re not intruding, I probably should’ve been up hours ago”, Anice spoke as she got dressed. The princess disliked having staff waiting on her hand and foot, she was fully capable of dressing herself in the mornings. She had zero qualms about stripping in front of the priestess as she changed into her usual attire.

    “Whatever you say princess. I woke you because there is something rather interesting going on near the wreckage”.
    Anice paused as Bellamy took a seat on a nearby chair.

    “Interesting as in...dangerous?”.

    “No dear, interesting as in...mourning. It seems the outsiders are laying their fallen comrades to rest”, Bellamy spoke with a soft sigh.
    “I overheard one of the scouts informing your father, he was quite furious, given they have to till the lands to dig the graves. I hoped that maybe we could go over there, and offer our condolences”.

    Impeding on a time of mourning could be seen as rude, Anice wasn’t so sure. But offering support in this dark time could also help in bridging the gap between the two communities.

    “...If we go, we are to keep our distance, I would hate to offend our guests”.

    Bellamy smiled. “That is an acceptable arrangement”.

    _+_+

    By the time Bellamy and Anice arrived, it appeared all the graves had been dug, and the bodies laid to rest. The pair watched from a nearby hill top, a simple view enhancer spell allowed them to watch and listen to the speech given.
    Anice winced as the outsiders fired their weapons in what she assumed was some sort of salute to honor the dead.

    And by the gods, there were so many, Anice lost count at one fifty. These people had accured heavy losses, and were now stranded on an alien world.
    She couldn’t help but sympathieze with their situation.

    She was unsure if the outsiders could see her, but Anice took a knee and bowed her head, and sent up a silent prayer to the divines that these souls would be well reciieved.

    Bellamy bowed her head as well, and whispered a soft prayer.

    “Oh merciful divines, please see these souls to the promised lands. Lift them up with your wings and lead them back home”. a
     
    Settling In
  • Index
    • The crowd began to disperse after the ceremony was wrapped up. Much shorter than official burials for such a large number of casualties (most burials at space only involved a few dozen or so), but the crew still had more important matters to deal with. From what Conway had heard, the captain was planning to send a small contingent of troops into Windcrest itself and set up an FOB within the confines of the city. Mostly to make communication easier and facilitate relations, but he knew that it was also to gather as much data as possible.

    Rule One: never underestimate an enemy, no matter how weak they seem.

    "So... that's that, huh?" Conway turned to see Ash seated next to him, staring straight ahead with her elbows on her knees. She was out of her armour, and so was he, and so was almost everyone else. Dressed in her dress uniform and with her shoulder-length dirty blonde hair kept in a messy ponytail and light blue eyes, she looked beautiful. Tired, but beautiful nonetheless. It was no wonder the guys liked her.

    The sergeant pulled out a chair and sat down. "I guess."

    "Yeah." Ash muttered.

    The two sat in silence for a while. "I heard you lost a friend." Conway spoke, breaking the silence.

    "Friends." Ash corrected, turning to him. "Parson, Lang, Sprat, all gone." She sighed.

    "Aw, shit. Sprat?" Conway asked. "That's a shame. I knew him. He was a good Marine."

    "Yeah."

    The awkward silence returned. Longer this time, and would've continued for much longer if Ash hadn't sighed and stood up. "I'll see you back at base, sarge."

    Conway watched her leave. He remained where he was, reflecting on things.

    "Sergeant Conway?" The gruff voice of Captain Decker snapped him out of his thoughts, and he immediately shot to his feet and spun around, before saluting.

    "Sir!"

    Decker made a slight gesture with his hand. "At ease, son." He said. "I want to commend you for initiating a successful first contact."

    The sergeant was confused. "Sir? But we nearly caused a—"

    "And you prevented it from happening." Decker cut him off. "I was worried that we would have another war on our hands. It was quick thinking on your part, and you showed restraint and disciplined your men afterwards. Those are the traits of a leader, and why you were promoted in the first place."

    Conway wanted to say that the only reason why he was given a battlefield promotion was because Sergeant Nichols was killed in action, and he was trust into the role of squad leader. But he also knew that the captain was right.

    "I... thank you, sir!"

    Decker merely nodded. "I'm sending in three squads and an engineering team to establish an FOB in Arcadia's capital city. We'll be establishing the base of operations in the poorer district of the city, repurposing a set of abandoned buildings. Lieutenant Camilla Sharron will lead the operation, but your team will take charge. The royals will likely be more comfortable seeing a familiar face."

    Conway nodded. "I understand, sir."

    "Then you're dismissed."

    The sergeant saluted and this time, Decker returned the salute. As he turned to make his way back to the ship, he noticed two figures standing on a nearby hill. Had they been watching the whole time? Conway squinted, and could barely make out the familiar armour the princess wore. That was definitely her. But he didn't recognise the other figure. She was a woman, but she didn't look like the queen.

    Staring for a moment, he then gave a short wave.

    ----------------------
    CHAPTER FOUR
    SETTLING IN
    ----------------------
    ​
    The doors of the elevator slid open with a hiss, and Decker stepped out and onto the bridge. The bridge crew immediately paused what they were doing and stood at attention and saluted. They had all recovered completely, and Decker was thankful none of them had perished like the two hundred thirty-one that had just been laid to rest. He sipped the cup of coffee in his hand (unsweetened again; he'd grown to appreciate the caffeine) and motioned for the crew to return to their duties.

    As he stepped towards the holotable, Miller materialised in the middle. "Welcome back, sir."

    "As it is." Decker said simply and immediately got to work. A series of images and videos and scans of the surrounding settlements, terrain, and inhabitants appeared. They were what the drones had gathered since they were grounded.

    "If I may ask, sir," Miller spoke up. "Have you actually asked the king or anyone else if we could, you know, basically use a bunch of old buildings as a base for the troops?"

    Decker didn't look up. "No."

    "I... well, how are you gonna explain that?"

    The captain's response was to simply tap on a holographic button.

    Elsewhere, the commlink Conway had given the princess began to beep.
    ​
     
  • Index
    • “Princess, it appears we’ve been spotted”, Bellamy placed a hand on Anice’s shoulder, coaxing her out of her prayer.

    “What?”, Anice got to her feet, on edge just in case there was trouble, only to have Bellamy gesture to the image before them. It was Conway, waving. Apparently he’d spotted them on the hill. She could just make out the image of Captain Decker moving away, the two must’ve been talking.

    Anice frowned and after a moment, waved back, though she felt silly for doing so. Odds were he wouldn’t be able to make out the gesture anyway. It hardly mattered though, the ceremony was done and the outsiders were dispersing.
    “Let’s return to the castle, shall we?”, Anice looked to Bellamy, who nodded in agreement. Anice placed a hand on the priestess's shoulder, uttered a short spell, and the two disappeared in a flash of light.

    The pair reappeared back at the palace, just outside the Hall of Prayer. Open to the public, this church was free for all to use, many gathered within it’s hallowed halls to pray for guidance, strength or wealth. Some petitioned to see a priest or priestess, and those with special requests or needs would see Lady Bellamy herself.
    It was a large pavilion, located in one of the gardens on the castle property.

    “I thank you for the lift”, Bellamy offered Anice a short bow.
    “And I you for alerting me to the situation”, Anice returned the gesture with a smile. “I must take my leave, but I’m sure we will chat later”.
    Bellamy smiled and nodded in agreement before heading into the church. Bellamy and Anice had been good friends growing up, Bellamy was raised from a young age to take on the mantle as the council to the royal family. Her gifts for divination were discovered at a young age, and she was moved to the palace so she could be trained. It was here she met a young Anice, and the two became good friends.

    Bellamy was only a few years older than the princess, but Anice couldn’t help but feel she was far wiser than she could ever hope to be.
    Perhaps it was a gift from the divines? Sighing, the princess turned and made her way toward the palace, when she was alerted by a strange beeping. Looking around, she spotted nothing that could be responsible for the noise, and only got confused looks from passing staff as she felt around her armor.
    At last, she grabbed the device that Conway had given her, stashed safely away in a hidden pocket under her armor. It seemed to be the cause, Anice studied it for a moment as she tried to figure out how to work the damn thing. She moved to a uninhabited section of the garden, and pressed buttons until at last, it appeared she answered the call.

    Much to her surprise, a small, holographic image of Decker appeared. She blinked, and stared at the image for a moment.

    “...Captain Decker...?”, she cocked her head to the side, clearly somewhat confused. But there was a look of fascination in her eyes, as she had no idea how this contraption worked.

    “To what do I owe the pleasure?”.
     
    Just as a tiny holographic figure of the captain materialise on the commlink the princess was holding, so did a hologram of the princess on the holotable in front of him. She was still wearing that same armour as she was the previous day. Decker noted that it resembled more of a civilian dress than actual armour, with only a some light metal plating that seemed to be made of solid gold. Horrendously impractical, given how soft pure gold was, but he supposed the royal family wasn't actually expected to participate in combat.

    "Princess Anice," Decker greeted respectfully. It was the first time he had personally conversed with the princess. He stood with his hands behind his back, as always. "It's an honour to speak with you personally."

    He straightened up and got straight to business. "As par with our arrangements, I will be sending a small contingent of my men into the city. The contingent will consist of two infantry squads and an engineering team. Lightly armed, as requested. I have also informed the crew that any hostile actions towards these... nagaji civilians will be dealt with accordingly." The captain told her.

    "My men will use their own mode of transport, mainly for practical reasons as the circles Apex Squad used yesterday caused rather extensive interference with their equipment. I don't want to risk any more potential malfunctions. However, they will also be using vehicular transport so that the city residents will know what to expect from us. It is better for your people to know who we are than for them to be kept in the dark about our equipment, vehicles, and technology."

    Once that was done, the captain decided to address the most important issue. "However, the main reason why I called you this morning because I formally request a suitable location in the city to be converted into a forward operating base for my men." A series of images then appeared next to Decker's hologram. They all displayed overhead views of a small cluster of derelict buildings located in the more run down district. The chosen ones were highlighted in blue. "These abandoned buildings were deemed most suitable for use as a forward base for my men. They will be converted into our base of operations in the city to better facilitate communication and oversight."

    The images disappeared and were instead replaced by more images and video clips of crimes being committed in the area in the dead of night. "Scans have indicated that this area is host to the largest concentration of crime in the city, with multiple homicides, robberies, and other violent crimes being committed every hour." The images vanished. A single diagram showing patrol patterns popped up instead. "I propose that my men will patrol the area and assist in reducing crime for the civilian residents."
     
    Anice wasn’t sure how she felt about Captain Decker. He was a right proper man, who clearly took his role as the ship leader seriously. Of course, he was stranded in an alien world and surrounded by a culture that they didn’t understand, so Anice understood the healthy amount of caution that came with the territory.

    “Three squads...is that...really necessary?”, she mused aloud with a frown. “I understand establish a proper line of communication, and even a small base of operations...but that seems like a bit much”.

    She also wasn’t certain she liked the idea of the outsiders residing in the area they’d selected. That distrct was known as Transit Row, and it was home to one of two types of people. Poor recent immigrants who were still looking for a proper place in the city, or criminals. Many criminals seeking shelter from bounty hunters and the like would hide out in Windcrest, given the city was large and it could be difficult to find a specific person.
    So high crime rates were a given.

    Anice didn’t see them going down with the addition of these outsiders and their patrols, if anything they would make the few decent folks even more nervous, and potentially embolden the criminal population.
    The last thing she needed was for one-way ward fool to attack one of Decker’s men, she doubted that they would use full force to combat such attacks.
    And if they spilled the blood of her people...even those who were not the best of citizens, or citizens at all.

    There would be hell to pay.
    Anice set the device down and crossed her arms.

    “Captain, I cannot help but wonder why you wish to set up a base of operations in such a dangerous part of the city. Not that I question you men’s ability to defend themselves, in fact I’m fairly certain your weapons could decimate both the petty and organized criminals that reside there”.
    And that of course, was the problem.

    “Given the...issues your men have had with our...less than human citizens, I’m afraid I’m not comfortable with a squad of your people patrolling the streets. I would hate for there to be some sort of altercation which lead to blood being shed, on either side”.

    Though she wouldn’t deny that they could use the extra hands...just not hands of strangers.

    “If you insist on these patrols, I ask that they are small...no more than three men. And they will have to be supervised...by myself or one of my guards. Until I’m certain your people are no threat to all my citizens, I can’t let you wander around unchecked”.

    She wondered if Decker would be offended at the notion of his men being supervised, no doubt these outsiders saw her homeland and inferior. How could they not, given how advanced this otherworldly civilization was?
    Anice was bothered by the notion, but she couldn’t blame the outsiders for their opinion.

    She just hoped it didn’t blind them to truly embracing this world and trying to cooperate and understand the traditions of the natives.

    “If you agree to these terms, then I will allow you to set up your base of operations in those buildings. I will have guards posted there as well, and we’ll arrange for a circle to be drawn. Your men don’t have to use it...in fact I doubt they could cast the spell if they wanted to. It would mainly be used to facilitate fast and reliable communication between us”.

    She looked away from the hologram for a moment as she heard a voice call her name, she frowned as she spotted a couple of servants searching the nearby court yard.

    Apparently, she was late to breakfast. She chuckled softly and returned her attention to the hologram.
     
    Decker remained impassive, showing no emotion as his hologram returned. The princess seemed to be somewhat uncomfortable with the notion of having three Marine squads stationed in the city itself. He could understand. Already the guards and palace staff seemed to be quite unsettled by Apex Squad the previous day. "Standard procedure." He said simply.

    It wasn't, really. Standard wartime procedure when landing on an unclaimed world was to spread out as quickly as possible, rapidly establishing bases and getting troops on the ground in order to bring the planet under military control in order to prepare for possible enemy attacks. Of course, given how that rule went out the window when it was found that this world was in fact inhabited, it probably didn't apply. Besides, that was when the planet was properly surveyed, not crash landing.

    "It was determined that the poorer district was the most suitable location to establish a forward base as it posed the least amount of disruption to the rest of the city." Decker answered. "The slums that exist on poorer colonies I've been to make this place look like an upscale residence in comparison."

    He recoiled slightly at the memory of Bellafost. When he was still just an newbie ensign fresh out of Naval Academy decades ago assigned to a small patrol corvette tasked with policing the violent Rim Colonies, the Summit had docked at the failing colony world of Bellafost, one of many colonies on the fringes of human space. With only one trade route connecting it to the other colonies that was a favourite of pirates and with few natural resources and a barren landscape, it was no wonder why the colony was one of the poorest around.

    He'd visited the surface on shore leave. The colony was so lawless that the crew were required to wear their combat BDUs and be armed at all times. And the slums... god, in this day and age with the technological and economic disparity between colonies quite great, it was rather upsetting to see a group of children no older than ten fighting each other for scraps.

    "Two men typically make up a standard patrol." Decker said. "Normally we'd use drones or autonomous units, but I don't want the populace panicking more than they should." He brought up several images of the city guards. "As for your request, I'm fine with my men being supervised. In fact, I encourage cooperation between our two peoples."

    The princess turned to someone off-screen for a second. Someone calling her for breakfast, it seemed. "Then we've come to an agreement." The captain said and placed his hands behind his back. "I won't hold you back for any longer. My men will arrive within the hour. Please be sure to inform your guards and residents of their arrival. Decker out."

    The connection was cut and the holograms on both sides blinked out of existence. "How'd you know she'd agree?" Miller asked, standing in front of the captain.

    Decker merely turned to him with a knowing look. "I didn't.

    "Well, I'll be..." Miller muttered.

    The captain stepped away and walked forwards, towards the massive viewscreens where sunlight was pouring in. A DTT/HT-102 Harrier heavy lift dropship was emerging from a hangar on the top of the ship, below the bridge. A laser mining rig was attached to its underside, and it slowly pivoted around and made its way towards a resource deposit. Several had already left, each one carrying a prefabricated structure or piece of equipment to set up a mining outpost.

    The ship still contained several Crocker-class mining vessels, but Decker didn't want to deploy them until the system had been fully surveyed.

    ----------------------
    ​
    EN ROUTE TO WINDCREST
    JUNE 15, 2848 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
    1215 HOURS

    Two Pitbulls, a CM18 Cargo Mover, and one ET392 Multipurpose Engineering Vehicle rode their way down an old dirt road that parted two crop fields on each side. They kicked up a rather large cloud of dust and dirt in their wake, wheels and tracks churning the ground beneath. The Pitbulls led the small convoy, with Castle Squad in front and Apex behind.

    The ET401 Multipurpose Engineering Vehicle was behind the Pitbulls. Built on the chassis of an old GT392 Hussar battle tank, the armoured vehicle possessed all the aspects its successors had, such as their four tracks and general layout. However, its Gauss turret was completely missing. In its place was a body that was packed with engineering equipment, meant to rapidly construct and repair structures. It also had the ability to repair friendly vehicles in combat.

    Right behind was the CM18 Cargo Mover. The vehicle was a standard medium cargo transport, having six wheels and a bed with a carrying capacity of twenty-five tons. For now, it was carrying the equipment needed for the base.

    They'd been driving for a while, but the city was getting closer and closer.
     
    It seemed that settled things then, Anice was going to have to think of a way to explain her decsion to her father over breakfast.
    “My men and I will meet your squadrans at the edge of the city, to escort you to your new base”.
    She’d also send some of her people to secure the buildings in question, there was a decent chance there were vagrants currently staying there.
    The last thing she needed was for some vagrant to provoke these outsiders into attacking, self defense or not if they spilled the blood of her citizens then there would be hell to pay.

    Anice allowed the servants to fuss over her lack luster appearance before heading to breakfast in the dining hall.
    The meal was as awkward as ever, with her father sitting at the head of the table, with his steward at his side. Roveci was a spindly old man with a hawkish face and stern eyes. He barely ackowledged the rest of the family as he prattled off a list of items on the king’s agenda. Only after that was done did Anice speak up.
    “I’ve agreed to let the outsiders make a base of operations in the city in an effort to be transparent, civil and cooperative”. She spoke casually as she took a bite of her favorite breakfast item, oatmeal.
    She felt all eyes turn to her.

    “You made a deal with the outsiders without consulting me?”, the king’s tone was low and harsh.
    “You are the one who infomed me that you’re far too busy to deal with matters involving the city”, came the cool reply. “I am in charge of the city’s protection, so I was within my rights”.
    Even so, she knew she should’ve discussed this with her father first, but there was nothing to be done about it now.
    The outsiders were likely preparing to depart as they sat there and bickered.

    _+_+

    After an exceptionally tense meal, Anice gathered her elite troops and a two squads of her best men. The majority of them were humans, though there were a handful of tabaxi and nagaji sprinkled in as well. Anice hoped that wouldn’t be an issue.
    She lead the group down to the buildings in question, a pair of two story brick buildings that were home to a distillery once upon a time. Now the buildings stood abandoned and unkempt, like many areas of the older parts of the city.

    It would take some work to make it a suitable base, so Anice left the majority of the men behind to clean up a bit while she and her guard headed to the main gate.
    Tuvera and Nakier seemed less than thrilled about being stationed with these outsiders. Luthien was downright furious, and had no issues sharing it as the group headed to the main gate of the city.
    “This is lunacy Princess, we cannot allow these savages to make camp within our walls!”.
    The elf had her arms crossed in front of her and kept her strides long so she could walk at the princess’s side. Anice didn’t seem phased by the elf’s words, it wasn’t the first time her actions had infuriated her comrade.

    “Your opinion has been duly noted”, came the unamused reply, her tone must’ve been enough of a hint because Luthien dropped the subject. Her pace slowed so she fell in line with Tuvera and Nakier.
    The group waited just outside the main gate, Anice wondered how long it would take them to arrive, given they were using their strange vehicles. A fraction of her men were alerting the townsfolk of the outsider’s arrival, and a small crowd was gathering along the streets, curious onlookers eager to catch a glimpse of the creatures that had fallen from the sky.
    Once they were settled Anice intended to address the populace to ease their concerns.
     
    Most of Apex was having their usual small talk in the back of the Pitbull as it cruised down the beaten path. Conway was at the wheel as usual, while Reyes sat next to him. Castle Squad's Pitbull was up front, and the engineering vehicle and cargo truck were following behind. They'd been instructed by the princess to meet at the edge of the city in order for her men to escort the Marines to their new base.

    Conway had no doubt that Luthein was going to be there, as she seemed to stick by the princess' side at all times. Course, he'd seen him escort the youngest prince, Fawkes or whatever away to his quarters for his personal safety, but other than that, she was always there.

    Nakier was also probably going to be there as well. He hoped the Marines wouldn't react with sheer hostility like the night before. They'd been briefed beforehand, about the data gathered on the natives races. The Marines didn't react much to Anice or Luthein (some calling the princess hot of course), but the reaction when both Nakier and that cat person appeared on screen was far from friendly. There were plenty of jeers and boos and other hostile reactions, most directed towards the lizard man.

    The Marines were well aware of what the two non-human members looked like by now, but that didn't make them any more friendlier.

    "Hey, sarge." Reyes said, catching Conway's attention.

    "Yeah?"

    "You think there're any good places to drink in the city?"

    Conway paused for a bit and then chuckled. "Hell if I know. Probably find out soon enough, though. Heard the captain's planning a couple of recon missions into the city itself. You know, outside the shithole district."

    "Ha!" Reyes laughed. "You know what? If we ever get shore leave and access to the city proper, I'm getting drunk off my ass."

    Conway looked at him incredulously. "You? I thought you care too much about going to OCS to get smashed."

    The corporal glared at him. "Hell yeah I am. But a man's gotta drink, don't he? 'sides, it's been too fucking long since I've had a drink."

    The Pitbull's comms beeped twice as a transmission came through. "Alright, boys," Came the voice of Lieutenant Camilla Sharron. "We're coming up to our destination in ETA: one minute."

    The convoy made a turn, and Conway could see the princess and her guards waiting at the city limits for them, just outside the main gate. Behind them was a relatively large crowd of curious civilians, no doubt having come to see both the princess and the Marines.

    Nakier and the cat person were also there, and that was that.

    The convoy pulled to a stop in front of the gate. Judging by its size, it was thankfully large enough to fit all four vehicles with some space to spare.

    The commanders of both squads dismounted next and made their way to the princess. The rest of the Marines remained in their Pitbulls.

    Lieutenant Sharron was first. She walked up to the princess with her rifle magnetically attached to her back and stood at attention. Her visor retracted into her helmet, revealing her surprisingly young face. "Ma'am, I'm Lieutenant Camilla Sharron, commanding officer of 1st Platoon, 227th Infantry Battalion, United Earth Government Marine Corps. I'll be overseeing this operation." She gestured to Conway. "You've already met Sergeant Conway."

    Conway stepped up and retracted his visor. He looked much less tired than he was when the princess had first seen him, but the weariness was still there. "Good to see you, princess." He greeted.
     
    To say Anice was nervous about the outsiders meeting her people would be an understatement. She feared for the safety of her citizens, many of whom were of different races. The slums were home to a concentrated population of non-human species, as many non-humans struggled to find a foot in the capital city.
    It was a disparity Anice planned on addressing, though it was difficult to get her father involved in such matters.
    She could only imagine how the outsiders would react when they saw Tuvera and Nakier at her side.

    As the convoy pulled up there were gasps of awe and wonder from the crowd, as well as some whimpers and angry mutterings. The jury was still out as to whether her people would accept these strangers.

    She stood at attention as the convoy came to a stop, the outsiders had arrived on a squad of those strange pitbull vehicle, how such things functioned without magic was beyond her.
    Two people disembarked, she assumed one was Conway. Her assumption was proven correct as the man retracted his visor.

    She was thankful she was at least somewhat familiar with one of these outsiders, of course Conway was not heading this operation. Lieutenant Camilla Sharron was, she was a young-looking thing, but spoke respectfully as she introduced herself.
    Anice offered her a slight bow.

    “The pleasure is all mine Lieutenant, I am Princess Anice Delyon, representing the kingdom of Arcadia. I’ll be supervising your operation, along with my men”. She looked to Conway and offered the man a nod and a small tired smile.
    “It is good to see you too Sergeant, I look forward to cooperating with you and your superiors”. It was nice there was a familiar face, of course that likely meant the rest of Conway’s squad was there as well.

    She hoped they all behaved themselves.

    She gestured to her guards, who were all watching the convoy with wary eyes.
    “These are my trusted guards, who will be supervising you and your men when I am not available”.
    Each stepped forward and offered a short bow as Anice named them.

    “Luthien, Nakier and lastly Tuvera”. She looked back to the lieutenant. “I hope we can all work together in these…convoluted times”.
    It didn’t get more convoluted than an advanced warship falling from the sky and into their fields.

    “Please, if you all could follow me, we will head for your new base of operations”, she glanced to the crowd still watching them.
    “Be advised my citizens are quite curious about you, I don’t expect any sort of trouble…but on the off chance there is, I ask you allow my men to handle it. I do not want any blood shed in these streets”.

    So much as a drop would be liable to start a war, something Anice wished to avoid.
    With the introductions out of the way Anice turned and walked back toward the gates, wary of the eyes on her.

    “Citizens, we ask you clear the way, so our guests may move freely”, the crowd all murmured
    to themselves, no doubt some thought the princess mad.

    “These men and woman are of no threat to you, starting today we shall be working together to better Windcrest, and our kingdom. Any threats against them will be punished severely”.
    Assuming they weren’t killed by the outsiders that was.
    The crowd lingered for a moment longer, but after a few moments of Anice giving them all a hard stare, it began to dissipate, leaving enough space for the convoy to enter the gates.

    “Please, follow me”, Anice looked to the lieutenant.
     
    The lieutenant merely nodded at the princess' personal guards as they stepped forwards on by one, although her gaze lingered on Nakier for a noticeable bit longer than the other two. The princess' concern for her people was understandable, since she as a member of the royal family likely felt a personal sense of responsibility. Besides, given how she was the only one who wore armour and actually reported to the guard captain from earlier, that also probably meant that she held a high position when it came to security.

    On the other hand, Anice's reluctance to allow the Marines to handle potential threats themselves like they were trained to do was a little harder to swallow. The UEG authorised the immediate termination of potential threats that posed an immediate danger to civilian and/or military targets. Which is to say, petty criminals were shot on sight. That was how it worked back home, anyway. With the disparity of crime rates being vastly different on each colony and with so many worlds to govern, that was largely the most efficient way to keep crime at least somewhat stable.

    Then again, the Marines had been briefed beforehand. They'd already been ordered to perform nonlethal takedowns on hostiles in the city. However, they'd also been told to neutralise threats with lethal force only if absolutely necessary, which meant only if their life, or anyone else's, was in immediate danger. Conway doubted that would happen, though. Nothing the natives had shown so far was capable of posing a real threat or damaging armour or equipment.

    "Understood, ma'am." Sharron nodded. "My men will perform nonlethal takedowns against threats only. However," She leaned in closer. "We have direct orders to act with lethal force only if absolutely necessary. I doubt we'll ever have to come to that, but it's just a precaution we have to take. Standard procedure, you see."

    Conway listened to the lieutenant's conversation with the princess. Sharron was a relatively new lieutenant nearly three years younger than himself, but that wasn't to say that she was anything less capable of leading. She'd only been in a few actual battles, and while some may say that she lacked experience, she still commanded the respect of her men. Her only downside was that she was oftentimes considered to be too by-the-book, inflexible.

    The gathered crowd of curious onlookers slowly began to disperse after a few words (and a hard stare) from the princess, who then gestured for the Marines to follow her.

    "Our destination has been marked with a navpoint marker." Lieutenant Sharron informed. "We know the way, but it would be best for all of us if you could personally oversee construction."

    That done, she turned to Conway. "Sergeant, we're moving out."

    Conway nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

    The two returned to their respective vehicles and headed into the city proper, their destination marked by an arrow on the Pitbull's HUD along with a navigation line that showed them the way to the building. The convoy moved through the streets far slower than usual, considering how the roads were obviously not built with powered vehicles in mind, and the fact that there were still a large number of civilians milling around and seemed to stand in the way of the vehicles frozen in awe, and would only scatter after the lead Pitbull sounded its horn.

    That and the fact that princess and her guards were walking alongside the vehicles, meaning that the convoy had to travel at walking speed to keep up with them.

    "Windcrest, guys." Muttered Reyes. "Our home for the next few days, it seems."
     
    The lieutenant's words brought a frown to Anice’s face, she wasn’t surprised such
    measures were approved, after all it was only natural for a someone to react swiftly when facing such a dire situation. Her main issue was she doubted anything an average criminal could do would present a credible threat to these outsiders... But they could present a threat to her other citizens.

    She sighed and looked over the crowd of concerned and intrigued faces.
    “Well, let us hope that you don’t have any reason to use such extreme measures", she replied after a moment.

    Anice had no idea what a navpoint marker was, but she assumed it meant they had a map of sorts of the city.
    That didn’t mean much to her, she didn’t want them walking to the buildings unescorted. She hoped that her presence would help soothe her people’s worries, so the group marched on, at a rather slow rate due to the tight, crowded streets.

    They attracted all matters of whispers and stares as the group trudged onward toward their destination, on occasion Anice saw a wave or a smile, which she was sure to return with a matching gesture.

    This section of Windcrest was run down and shabby, the buildings were tightly packed but delipidated, many were falling apart at the seams, or caving inward.
    Many of the people here were transients or had just recently arrived at the capital and were unable to find work.

    Anice’s attempts to precure more aid for these citizens had fallen on deaf ears, but she couldn’t give up.
    At the very least, the outsider's presence was an excuse to fix up these old buildings.

    Anice walked at the head of the envoy, with Nakier at her side. Luthien and Tuvera stood at either side of the envoy.

    “So princess, tell me”, Nakier spoke, his telltale accent dragged on the “s” sounds. “Do you trust these people?”, he spoke softly, but Anice had little doubt he could be heard.

    “...As much as a person is able to trust a group of strangers”, came the careful reply. “But I would like to trust them, and in time, I think we will learn to coexist”, she looked to the lizard man, who gave an approving nod.

    “I personally find them quite intriguing, it is too bad they are so...unnerved by me”.
    Anice chuckled. “In time, I hope that will go away too”.


    The group walked for around half an hour, before the buildings came into view. A pair of aged brick buildings discolored over time their once vibrant rust red had been reduced to a muddy grayish red mess. There was a faded logo was painted on the longest north facing side, depicting what looked like a grove of trees.

    Saplig Ale, as it was once called, was a popular brand of beer that was specially brewed with tree sap, the company had gone under many years ago and these buildings had been left to rot.

    Anice hoped they were big enough, given Decker had chosen them she assumed they would suit their needs.

    “Well, here we are”, she gestured to the buildings.
    “This used to be a distillery, but the site has been abandoned for some time now”. She waved her men forward, three moved to open the large wooden doors.

    “I hope it will suit your needs, once we have it fixed up”, she smiled.
    That shouldn’t take long, with a little magic they would have the place looking fresh and brand new.

    “My men will search the building, and ensure there are no squatters, then we can head inside”, she spoke, looking to the lieutenant.

    As she spoke more of her people moved inside, thanks to the sun and the large windows in the slanted ceilings the buildings were well lit, for the moment.

    “Shouldn’t take but a moment”.
     
    The majority of the trip was uneventful, with the convoy slowly making its way through the narrow streets of Windcrest. The civvies were watching them, of course. Some reacted with fear, others suspicion. Yet there were a couple of smiles and friendly waves here and there, and Conway was honestly quite relieved that at least some of the natives were welcoming and accepting of the crew.

    Though he knew that there were many more who didn't share quite the same sentiment. Conflict was likely inevitable between the crew and the natives, over ideologies, over culture, over anything, really. Still, at least things were mostly peaceful for the time being.

    The civilians couldn't see them through the armour plating of the vehicles, but the Marines could. The other Marines of Apex at the back were looking out through holographic windows, the outside world projected on the interior walls of the Pitbull. To them, it was like going through a time machine, seeing a culture and people and city so close to those of old Earth with their own eyes, and being there for real instead of seeing them through simulations and projections.

    With the pace they were travelling at slow, the Marines had eventually begun to grow bored and started speaking amongst themselves. Their destination wasn't even that far away, but at this rate, it'd take them around half and hour or so. They'd turned into the more run down district of the city, with the dense and shabby buildings and filthy streets. Honestly, it was no different from the similarly filthy slums of the poorer colonies.

    "So," Reyes spoke up and gestured over to the princess. "What do you think of her?"

    "The princess?"

    "Yeah. Who else?"

    Conway considered the question for a while, before he shrugged. "Well, she's the princess, for one. So far, she's been more welcoming of us than her dad. Unless you count the kid, of course."

    "No, no." The corporal shook his head. "As in, what do you think of her as a person?"

    "Come again?"

    "Ah, you know. I've seen the way you look at her." Reyes reaffirmed. "That's what I mean."

    Conway groaned. "Really? Are you trying to play matchmaker or some shit?"

    "Me?" Reyes feigned surprise. "No, of course not. I mean, she's pretty attractive, don't you think? Just saying."

    "Yeah, I guess." He paused and stared forwards, at the princess conversing with her personal envoy. Then he blinked and glared at his second-in-command. "Wait, I know what you're trying to do, and I don't like it. So just drop the bullshit immediately. That's an order, corporal."

    "Yes, sergeant." Reyes grinned and leaned back in his seat.

    The sergeant pinched the bridge of his nose. "God, I'm really in the mood for a Maelstrom right now."

    "Pretty sure we ran out after last beer day. We still have Aquila, at least." Reyes sat up and turned to Conway. "You know, with all the shit that's happened since yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if the captain just decided to let us get smashed for a day. Think he would too. You know, maybe it'll make the fact that we've crashed on an uncharted world in the middle of nowhere with... no way of getting home a lot... easier, I guess." He trailed off as the reality of the situation slowly came back to both of them. "We're never going home, are we?"

    Conway sighed. "Hey, chin up. The ship's distress beacon's transmitting. Someone will find us eventually. Besides, it could've been a hell lot worst. At least we didn't crash on a, I don't know, a barren or volcanic world. Or something."

    Reyes managed to smile. "Aw, thanks, sarge. That's why they put you in charge. Besides, I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the corps."

    The sergeant stared at him for a moment, then turned back to the windscreen. "Yeah, I guess."

    The rest of the trip passed uneventfully, until the convoy finally pulled up to their destination. It was rather unbelievable, but it actually looked better in the briefing images.

    The place was probably a busy distillery at one point, but that was a time long past since many of its sections were crumbling inwards, its brick walls covered in a layer of grime and dirt and mold.

    "'Sapling Ale', huh?" Pierce muttered as he exited the vehicle along with the rest of Apex. He was studying the faded logo painted on the side of the main building. "Wonder what that tastes like."

    "Pretty sure they don't sell it any more." Erickson said. "Look at this place. Looks like it's been abandoned for years."

    "Surely they'd have more than one production facility?"

    "Nah, single facilities like this could provide for an entire city back in the medieval ages." Grader told them. "The natives haven't reached the Industrial Age yet."

    "Well. Maybe we should let the natives have a taste of some of our stuff. They'd be in for a surprise, I'd bet."

    Lieutenant Sharron had gone with Conway to the princess and her guards. "Right... we'll get to work once you're done." She pulled out a holodisk and handed it to the princess. "Here, take this. Captain Decker says he wants a word with the king. Something about a personal meeting."
     
    Once her men had returned and issued an all clear Anice stepped aside and allowed the outsiders to inspect their new dwelling.

    She turned to the lieutenant as she and Conway approached and accepted the strange device offered to her.

    She turned it over in her hands, frowning.

    “More of your technology then?”, she asked with a small smile. “I assume this will project an image of the captain, like before?”, she looked to the pair questioningly.

    How humanity could accomplish so much without the aid of any sort of magic was beynd her, it was simply lunacy.

    “I will be sure my father receives the message. I know that he would like to meet your captain in person”.

    She opted not to mention that appearing only in…well…an incorporeal form as he had before was rather rude. These outsiders weren’t aware of their customs, she couldn’t expect them to understand.

    “I will leave my men here to assist you as necessary, and to patrol the area. Please, send one to the palace if you have need of me”.

    She nodded her head, and then turned to scan the crowd.

    She spotted Luthien standing off to the side, watching as the outsiders disembarked from their vehicles.

    “Luthien”, Anice spoke as she approached the elf.

    “Yes, my liege?”, came the sarcasm laden reply. It was no secret the elf wasn’t happy about any of this. Anice opted to let her tone slide for the moment.

    “I am placing you in command of this post. You will act in my stead and ensure that our…guests, are taken care of”.
    Though there was a rebuttal on the tip of her tongue, Luthien held it, for the princess’s tone left no room for arguing.

    Disobeying a direct order could have drastic consequences, not to mention tarnish her reputation as one of Anice’s most trustworthy and loyal companions.

    “…Of course my lady, I will see to it things remain orderly”, Luthien replied through gritted teeth. As much as she loathed the assignment, Luthien understood why she’d been chosen. Nakier and Tuvera both made the outsiders uneasy, elves on the other hand resembled humans greatly aside from the long slender ears.

    Given the uncertainty of the situation it made sense to place her here, rather than one of the others.

    But by the gods, she didn’t have to like it.

    Anice smiled, and turned back to Conway and Sharron.

    “Luthien will act in my place, please turn to her if you need anything”, she looked back to Luthien, mouthed the words “Thank you”, and set off for the palace.

    She needed to get her father this message, so they could arrange for this personal meeting Sharron had spoken of.
     
    The lieutenant nodded at the princess' assumption. "Correct," She said. "Holoprojector. Projects a three-dimensional holographic image onto the surrounding space. Just place it on the ground, and it'll activate."

    She glanced at Luthien as the princess placed her in charge. The elf didn't look too pleased, but didn't argue. "I understand, ma'am," The lieutenant stepped towards the elf and gave a polite nod. "It's good to have you on board, ma'am."

    Meanwhile, Conway had gone to inspect the interior of the distillery with his squad. The place still looked rather run down and abandoned, but still surprisingly in much better condition than it first looked to be from the outside. In fact, it only looked to have been recently abandoned, not left to rot for a couple of years.

    Then again, this magic of the princess and her men probably had something to do with it.

    All in all, it seemed to be a fairly spacious building, with plenty of room for all the equipment and storage. There was enough natural lighting to mostly negate the use of electric lights. All they had to do was to remove the old and unneeded distilling equipment that was taking up a fair bit of space.

    The sergeant left the building just in time to catch the princess placing Luthien in charge of overseeing the base's functions.

    "She's putting the elf in charge?" Torres spoke up, not very happy. "What a whole load of sh—"

    Conway turned to glare at him, and even through his reflective visor it was easy to tell that he was wordlessly ordering the private to shut up. Torres got the message, thankfully, and dropped the subject. He was still glowering, however.

    Satisfied, the sergeant made his way towards his commanding officer. "We're clear, ma'am." Conway said. "We just have to remove the old distilling shit and we'll be good."

    Sharron nodded and turned to the rest of the men. "Alright, people, let's get to work!"

    The Marines immediately set off, unloading the cargo in the trucks and moving them in, while the others shifted the unnecessary equipment inside the buildings outside and placing them by the side. Their powered armour meant that each Marines could lift massive loads without a problem, and made it much easier and faster, too.

    For the outside, it needed to be fortified and patched up. Thus, the engineering vehicle suddenly seemed to split open down the middle, folding in half to reveal a multitude of components and tools. Several robotic appendages deployed, each with a different tool. Several of them projected holograms of where the parts were supposed to go. They immediately began to place the necessary prefabricated modules at the designated locations.

    Barricades were put up around the base, forming a perimeter. Behind them were gun emplacements mounted on stands. Automated sentry turrets were set up on the roof, providing overwatch and automatically identifying potential threats. For the time being, they were sitting idle, collapsed into a compact box but ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.

    Above a relay had been installed, consisting of an sensory dish and multiple antenna. The relay would help in facilitating communications, and also helped in scanning the above space for possible spatial anomalies, telltale signs of a faster-than-light transition, or communications. The vaskrans intercepting the ship's distress beacon and finding Edreign before the UEG did was a very real possibility, after all.

    Inside, all the old distilling equipment had been moved out, and in its place were UEG machines such as comm stations and other sensors. Along with that were weapons lockers, equipment storage, and armour stands. Sleeping quarters consisting of rooms full of cots and personal footlockers and tables were on the second floor.

    All in all, the forward base was starting to take shape.
     
    A holoprojector? What a strange name, for an even stranger contraption. Magic could be used to project an image of one’s self, skilled mages could even record messages using the spell and some sort of physical form, typically stones.

    These were called memory stones, Anice equated the holoprojector to some bizarre advancement of the craft. That would be how she explained it to her father at any rate.

    With Anice gone, Luthien took charge though she loathed to do so. She replied to the lieutenant’s greeting with a curt nod. “

    I shall assist you in any way I can and oversee the safety of our people”.

    She would carry out her task because Anice issued the order, she couldn’t allow her personal feelings to factor into her work. Her attention glanced to Conway and Torres as they emerged from the building, these two she was semi familiar with. One had a rather poor attitude when it came to non human life forms.

    Luthien couldn’t blame him, elves were xenophobic in nature, hell Luthien felt similarly regarding the outsiders. Though they bore a similar appearance, she refused to hold them in th same category as the native humans…and Anice.

    How could such cretins compare to her princess? They couldn’t it was as simple as that.

    While Luthein oversaw the operations, Tuvera and Nakier opted to help out as necessary.

    They approached lieutenant Sharron, Tuvera offered the woman a slight bow before speaking.
    “If it pleases you ma’am, we wish to assist in the movement of…”, she looked to the equipment that had been brought. “…Whatever these things are”.

    The tabaxi had an unusual accent, her voice was a bit deeper than one might expect and her accent carried a gravely tone.

    Nakier was looking at the cargo with mild interest, such large contraptions were truly a sight to behold. In his homeland, the tribes lives simple lives, free of what most call “modern” conveniences, he chuckled at how some would react to these creations.

    His eyes widened as one of the vehicles seemed to split open, revealing more unusual…tools, from the looks of things.

    “Wonders never cease”, he spoke under his breath.

    While her guard aided the outsiders in their renovation efforts, Anice arrived at the palace and made a beeline for the throne room. She didn’t get far.

    “SIS!”, a cheerful voice called out from the floor above, bringing the princess to a stop.

    “Fawkes, shouldn’t you be with your tutor, surely you haven’t finish your lesson?”, she glanced up to the balcony above, where her brother’s cheesy smile could be seen between the railing.

    “Nah! Lessons were canceled for the day!”, he beamed. “So we’ve been playing!”.

    “We?”, Anice cocked an eyebrow. As if on cue, her elder brother, Terran stepped into view.
    “Yes, we”, he smirked as he rested his arms on top of the railing.
    “Tell me sister, how goes the renovations, father infomed us you would be overseeing them”.

    Anice smiled. “Well, I’ve got some time, how about I catch you both up, meet me in the sitting room, we’ll talk”.

    “YAY!”, Fawkes’s cheers echoed through the halls as he raced down the stairs. Anice smiled and handed the holotape device to a passing servant.


    “Ensure father receives this, place it on the ground in order to activate it, understand?”. The servant girl nodded and hurried off to complete her task.
     
    The establishment of the base was proceeding as normal, although most of the time the UEG would simply use a prefabricated structure with all vital systems and functions already contained within it. They were really only repurposing these old cluster of buildings since Captain Decker had a feeling that the locals wouldn't like it if a heavy lift dropship swooped in and dropped off a self-assembling modular prefab bigger than most of their homes.

    Sharron was inspecting the setting up of a barricade when the vaguely cat-like humanoid with oddly female proportions came up to her. Tuvera, if she recalled. A 'tabaxi', according to reports. The lieutenant couldn't help but raise a brow at Tuvera's bow, also noting her rather odd accent that sounded vaguely similar to the one from some place called 'Spain' back on old Earth. "No need for that, ma'am." She told her. "My men have this handled, and we're got construction units assisting us."

    As she spoke, a pair of tall and skeletal humanoid robots painted bright yellow with black highlights stepped out of the cargo truck, carrying the last of its cargo, massive boxes filled with supplies. The Autonomous Mechanical Construction Units (AMCU) were dedicated utility and as the name suggested, construction units. Unlike their combat brethren, they were generally much simpler in both function and intelligence, only packing rudimentary A.I. and hands unable to hold a firearm.

    They were essentially the untrained civilians of the robot world.

    That said, despite the fact that they were programmed to be completely harmless and docile, that didn't mean that they were incapable of harm either. They were meant to be stronger than even power armoured humans, considering how one of their primary roles was to move heavy objects around construction sites. That meant that their physical strikes packed a punch. Not only that, but their heavy-duty duratanium frame meant that they could withstand a certain degree of punishment before going down.

    Conway himself had seen legions of AMCUs be forcefully overridden and taken control of by standard-class A.I. programs (the kind with near human-like levels of emotions and could perform complicated tasks such as Miller) during planetary invasions and managing to give the invading aliens quite a surprise. Granted, they didn't exactly last very long, but they still gave the defenders enough time to regroup and launch a counterattack.

    "Even then," Sharron continued. "You're not authorised to manage any of our equipment. Or any other non-human xeno species, for that matter. It's just a precaution. Until we can establish stronger relations between our two peoples, that's how it is, I'm afraid." She shrugged, showing the cat-woman that she obviously had no control over orders and protocol.

    The engineering vehicle was performing scans of the structure, scanning for weaknesses and faults. A beam of light was travelling up and down the outer surface of the building.

    "Yeah, they don't." One of the Marines in Castle Squad rather rudely cut in, passing by the lizard man with around a hundred kilos of ammunition tucked under his arm. He gave him the stink eye from under his helmet. "Now keep your distance, scales."

    "Don't mind Durand," Another Marine reassured, stepping past Nakier. He for one sounded rather apologetic. "He's always like that. You'll probably understand why once you've stuck around long enough."

    The engineering vehicle suddenly let out a hiss, and a pair of Utility Construction Drones (UCD) were released from each side. Rather blocky in shape, they were kept afloat by a pair of circular miniature repulsor thrusters on both sides. A central optic situated on the front of each one made it look like very odd-looking eyeball. Hanging down from the bottom was a set of robotic appendages and other tools, similar to the ones on their host vehicle.

    They hovered around several areas of the distillery, occasionally cutting off a damaged area with a plasma saw and then repairing it with a built-in nanofabricator. Similar to 3D printers of the past, nanofabricators were used to 'print' three-dimensional objects. Larger-scale industrial models worked in tandem with assembly arms to manufacture a Pitbull in just under an hour. The Filial Piety contained within it two factories that could constantly resupply troops on the ground and re-arm spacecraft.

    Once the last of the supply crates had been unloaded from the cargo truck, it departed back to the ship. With what the base had, it wouldn't need resupplying for a while.

    Over at the palace, in the throne room in front of the king, the holoprojector activated as soon as it was placed on the floor. As had before, a holographic full-size projection of Captain Decker materialised. He was looking much better today compared to the previous night; cleaner and more rested.

    "King Ramus," Greeted the captain, his voice as gravely as ever. "Renovations to the old distillery have been going smoothly. The new forward base is due to be fully established within an hour. I hope your people haven't had too many problems with it, or my men." He straightened up. "Now, there is something I wish to discuss with you. Namely how I wish to make an appearance and meet you in person."
     
    Protocol was an important part of any properly functioning chain of command, but the fact she and Nakier had little to do but watch these…contraptions do the work was more than a little disappointing.

    Tuvera hid it behind a nod and a small smile.

    “I understand lieutenant, it is just, we are not accustomed to…being on standby”.

    Normally Tuvera traveled with the Queen and the heir when they traveled, but given the situation both were going to be staying in Arcadia until things had settled here. Technically she, Nakier and Luthien were all tasked with ensuring the safety of the outsiders, but Tuvera felt this wasn’t necessary.

    The far bigger job was protecting the citizens from them, but by now the crowds of onlookers had dispersed. As odd as the outsiders were, most of the hungry and desperate peoples here knew better than to try anything.

    Those who might were under the careful watch of Luthein, who seemed content to watch the perimeter rather than their guests.

    Nakier to his credit, was content with watching the machines work, and barely paid any mind to the marine who snapped at him. The lizard man cocked his head to the side and looked to the newcomer, who apologized on behalf of their comrade.

    “No need to apologize, I am more than used to such names. Though I would expect such…unique lifeforms like yourself to come up with something more original”, he let out a small chuckle.

    He was used to such snide comments, as Arcadia was a nation filled with elitiests, really humans weren’t much different than elves when it came to their attitudes about other races.

    But even with the occasional snark, Nakier found he enjoyed his work, as Princess Anice was a fair and competent commander to serve under. And so, per her orders he would remain here with these ungrateful humans and survey their work.

    His eyes widened with interest as the construction drones were released.

    “If it is allowed lieutenant, I for one would like to hear more about these…contraptions”, he gestured to the drones.

    Luthien shot him a sharp glance, which Nakier ignored. Let the elf pout, Nakier was a curious soul, if they weren’t going to be given work than he was going to ask questions.

    Back in the throne room, a servant arrived before Ramus, and set the device on the ground as instructed before backing away.

    At his side sat the Queen, who eyed the device curiously as a crisp image of Decker appeared before them.

    “Remarkable, it’s almost like scrying, isn’t it dear”, she looked to the king, smiling. Ramus only nodded in response.

    “I have received no word from my daughter on your men, and no news is typically good news”. The king did wish Anice would send him some sort of update, no doubt she was frittering about somewhere, neglecting to do so.

    Little did he knew her current distraction was a retelling the rousing tale of what had transpired so far, which was a lot less interesting than Fawkes had imagined.
     
    Sharron seemed to be rather understanding. "I can tell. You guys are the princess' personal guards, right? That probably means you get to see all the exciting stuff that goes on." She said. "In either case, I don't think the UEG just isn't really all that willing to trust intelligent non-human species just yet, given how humanity's first contact with an alien race led to total war."

    Conway glanced around him, taking in the surroundings. Poor district was right, and he'd already been here a while, but the more he seemed to look, the worse it seemed to get. This place somehow managed to look both better and worse than a typical UEG slum. He'd fought in several and had seen images and videos of the impoverished cities and settlements on poor colonies, and they were pretty damn horrible.

    But without the industrial waste and ruin here, it somehow managed to look cleaner and tidier, despite the general lack of proper sanitation features. Maybe he was just used to seeing the massive urban sprawl of human cities with skyscrapers of glass and metal, and that the more ancient architecture was wholly alien to him and the rest of the Marines and crew as a whole.

    Hopefully, they'd get a chance to see the rest of the city. Have a walk around town, meet new people, visit the shops to see what they sold, maybe get a drink or two from the local bars. He wondered if the beer would taste any different from the mass-produced automated factory-produced alcoholic beverages he was used to. They had to be more authentic, right? Hand-made manually and all that (he assumed). With magic too, probably.

    Conway turned his attention to the rest of his squad. Most of the work had been done, meaning that most had nothing to do right now but stand around and guard the place. Torres, Adler, and Erickson were the only ones outside. Adler and Erickson were idly chit-chatting and taking occasional sips from a water bottle, while Torres seemed to be as on edge as always, shooting the non-human natives ugly looks and barking orders at anyone who came too close to leave immediately.

    Of course, they'd been given orders to not allow anyone into the confines of the base, but he was probably being a little bit too harsh. Still, he was doing a decent job so far, and he wasn't actually doing anything wrong.

    The lieutenant turned to Nakier as he raised his inquiry, then at the drones, silently contemplating whether she should tell him what they were or not. "Well, don't think that constitutes as classified information," She said, shrugging. She cocked her head towards the drones. "Utility Construction Drone, Model 2786. Developed by Aegis Dynamics for both the civilian and military market, the UCD 86 is a fully autonomous construction system built to assist in the construction and repair of structures, vehicles and equipment." Sharron explained.

    "For the military variant you see here, they're lightly armoured and can withstand several hits from small arms fire. Most of the time they're deployed from engineering vehicles for construction and repair to structures such as here, but in active combat zones, they're deployed to rapidly repair damaged vehicles in proximity." She finished, watching as the drones returned to their places back in the construction vehicle. "Anything else you'd like to know?"

    "Repair and refit is complete, ma'am." An engineer reported, approaching her. His armour was slightly bulkier than standard Marine armour, being more padded in some areas. His shoulder pads were mostly yellow with black highlights, and had a gear and wrench symbol in the middle. "This base is now fully operational."

    Captain Decker raised an eyebrow at the king's remark, but then remembered the lack of instant communication the natives had. "I see. Anyway, as I was saying, I wish to make an appearance myself perhaps later in the day and meet you in person. I believe that there is much our peoples can learn from each other, and there is also much to discuss. For now, I would like to discuss arrangements if possible."
     
    Tuvera ears twitched at the mention of the war.

    “Yes, we have heard of this conflict and how it is the root of the…prejudice against non-human species”, she chose her words carefully as she didn’t wish to offend the woman.

    “Given what happened we do not blame your skeptic approach, in time we hope to earn your trust”, Naiker chimed in with a small smile. Humans being mistrustful was nothing new to him or his kind, in time he could only hope these outsiders would be willing to give him, and his species a chance to prove themselves.

    He watched the drones with interest as Lieutenant Sharron explained what they were. A modified construction contraption, reinforced in order to function on the battlefield, these outsiders possessed a wonderous amount of technology.

    “No, that should suffice for now”, the lizard man looked to Sharron. “I can only imagine how…intrigued the dwarves will be when they see these contraptions. You’ll face a great deal of questions from them”, he chuckled.

    His attention shifted to the engineer who approached and informed the lieutenant that the repairs were now complete.

    Tuvera whistled. “That was fast, these…drones of your work efficiently.

    Luthien approached the group now that the repairs were done, there was a definite air of annoyance around her.

    “Nothing that couldn’t have been done with magic”, she snapped somewhat irritably.

    Tuvera just rolled her eyes. “Yes Luthien, but not everyone is adept at the use of the craft. Let’s not knock the methods of those who do not use it”.

    Tuvera herself did not use magic, which was uncommon in Arcadia, and Edreign as a whole. Almost all citizens appeared to be born with a small aptitude for the craft, though some were more talented than others.

    Tuvera did not care for spellcasting both in and outside of combat. She preferred working with her own two hands, a sentiment which was shared by Nakier.

    Unlike the tabaxi though, Nakier was a rarity. He possessed no spellcasting ability whatsoever, but he possessed enchanted charms which he used in combat.

    The elf cast Tuvera a flat look before looking back to the lieutenant.
    “I shall send word to the castle that the work is complete, until we receive a response we will remain on standby”.

    With the work complete Luthien was hoping to leave this place. “If you’ll excuse me”, she turned and stalked away from the group.

    Tuvera shook her head. “I apologize on behalf of Luthien, she isn’t the easiest elf to get along with”.

    Nakier smirked. “That’s a bit of an understatement Tuvera”.

    The queen smiled. “We would be delighted to host you captain, if it pleases you, we could share a meal in the dining hall and have a proper discussion”.

    The king glanced to his wife, who appeared to be very excited at the prospect of company.

    “I agree that there is much our people can learn from one another. As my wife suggested, a meal would be the best place for such discussions, as that is when I am free”.
     
    Pierce had found an stained, empty, and partially-broken bottle with a faded label that was once filled with the golden liquid of Sapling Ale that had been sitting in a cobweb-covered corner. He turned it around several times in his hands, noting its irregular shape and imperfect quality of the glass. Wasn't like the practically flawless temproglass the bottles he was used to seeing and using at all.

    "Oi, Grad, check this out." He said, handing the glass to his squadmate. "Check this out."

    Grader accepted the container and inspected it for a bit, before giving Pierce a look. "It's a bottle." He deadpanned, unimpressed. "So what?"

    Pierce rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. I know it's a bottle. I'm just asking why it looks like that. You know, all kind of weird in some places."

    The marksman seemed to consider Pierce's question, as if pondering whether or not he should answer truthfully or give him some bullshit answer, but realised that he seemed genuinely curious. "Well, I haven't really read that much on this part of history, but if I recall correctly, before the Industrial Revolution, people called glassblowers used to manually make glass."

    Conway watched his subordinates discuss the virtues of manual glassblowing from a distance. Honestly, he was quite glad that his squad was doing well so far, unlike several Marines in similar situations. Actually, for the most part, the Filial Piety's Marine complement was doing well. Then again, that was what Marines were trained to do: adapt to any situation. It was what they did best, no matter what.

    For the most part, it was just a different place with different people. But the same old shit as always.

    Sharron raised a brow at Nakier's mention of dwarves. "Dwarves, huh? If my facts are right, doesn't the word 'dwarf' stand for 'short person?" She asked in a half-joking sort of way.

    Tuvera seemed to be quite impressed at the speed at which the Marines worked. Sharron turned to see the finishing touches: a flag of the Compass and Continents of the United Earth Government being erected at the top of the building, next to the communications array. The blue, white, and gold flag was fluttering in the wind, and not only act as a beacon for locating the base easily, but now to show that the UEG had a presence in the city.

    The optimist might say that it was the first step to further cooperation between the two peoples, while the pessimist might claim that it was merely the first stage in the UEG's total domination and supremacy over the native populace.

    Regardless, it was still a step forwards.

    Luthien, on the other hand, didn't look as pleased. Sharron had noted that she had been incredibly grumpy ever since they'd arrived. She for one believed that the job could've been done faster and more efficiently with this magic of hers. Sharron had yet to see how magic actually worked, if it was actually a thing. Miller was still going on about his theories about magic being a form a dark matter, last she checked.

    "Ma'am." Sharron merely nodded as the elf took her leave. Once she was gone, the lieutenant turned to the other non-human guards. "What's with her?" She asked. "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

    Captain Decker took a second to consider the queen's preposition. Then he nodded in agreement. "That would be agreeable." Decker said. "I think I've had enough of on-board ship meals for a while."

    With them all in agreement, the plans were made. "It's settled, then. I'll arrive at eighteen hundred hours." He paused. "Six in the evening. I've got my own mode of transport, as you'd expect, and I'll be bringing along a small contingent of guards."

    That done, Decker stood at attention and saluted, as he always did when addressing superiors. "Decker out."

    The projection dissolved into particles of light and dispersed into the air.
     
    Last edited:
    Naiker smiled.

    “Well, dwarves are in fact small people, so the word’s meaning isn’t lost here. But don’t let their short stature deceive you, dwarves are often skilled warriors, and you won’t find anyone better to forge you a blade”.

    The dwarves are a hearty and prideful face, they’re advanced engineers and weapons smiths and have some of the most intricate cities in all of Edreign. Rarely do outsiders get to see them though, as the holds are all closed off to outsiders.

    Dwarves who choose to venture out into the world are not permitted to return to the holds, Nakier had heard this practice is meant to protect the dwarves’ crafting secrets.

    Personally, he thought it was a bit extreme, but who was he to judge the cultures of another race?

    He glanced to Tuvera as the sergeant asked about Luthien and her ever present attitude. The tabaxi scoffed.

    “Don’t take it personally, she’s always like that”.

    “Most elves are like that…they are an exceptionally proud race”, Nakier chimed in with a sigh. “Most elves have a major disdain for mankind, stretching all the way back to the human uprising which lead to the end of the great Elven empire. That was hundreds, if not thousands of years ago now, but some elves act as if it was just yesterday”.

    Tuvera smirked. “For some it might as well have been yesterday. Elves are…for lack of a better word…immortal, so they tend to hold grudges for a good long while”.

    “1800 hours…”, the queen frowned at this unusual phrasing, but the captain was quick to add on six o clock.

    “Ah yes, that should work nicely captain! We look forward to seeing you”, she beamed at the projection as Decker saluted the pair.

    “We shall make a grand meal, rally the cooks!”, the queen rose from her throne, she had so much to do and so little time. A meal like this needed to be perfect, this would be the first impression that they, the ruling party of the country, would make on the leader of these outsiders.

    Everything had to be perfect.
     
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    Ad Referendum
  • Index
    • Conway had heard Nakier's explanation, to add to what he already knew the night before. Master engineers, it seemed. However, what he really wanted to know was Luthien's rather... bitchy attitude. "If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know, too." He said, making his way towards the lieutenant and the guards. "Ma'am."

    Sharron folded her arms as she listened to the words of the two non-human guards and their explanation. "Well, glad to hear that humans aren't the only species with extensive xenophobia." She paused for a second, recalling some facts she knew of. "You know, if my facts are right, elves were always portrayed as haughty and arrogant. In the books and fiction, I mean. With what you just said, it just seems to match up perfectly."

    Conway spoke next. "Ma'am, this whole place seems like we've crashed on your average high-fantasy world." He told her. "I mean, magic, princesses, elves, and castles? It sure as hell seems like it. What's next? A rogue faction led by evil sorcerer trying to take over the world and instill chaos?"

    There was a single minute of silence. Then the two Marine commanders shared a laugh.

    "Like hell."

    ----------------------
    CHAPTER FIVE
    AD     REFERENDUM
    ----------------------
    ​
    WINDCREST
    JUNE 15, 2848 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
    1800 HOURS
    ​
    The sun was beginning to set over the horizon and the skies had turned a vibrant shade of orange when the captain made his appearance. A single DTT-143 Vulture dropship soared over and above the city of Windcrest, accompanied by a pair of AF-29 Warhawk aerospace fighters flying in a tight V formation. The roar from their repulsor engines emanated throughout the city streets and alleyways and districts the craft passed by, thrusters producing jets of bright blue flame.

    They continued forwards until they reached the royal palace, upon which they swooped down. The palace's central courtyard had been designated as the ideal landing zone due to its open space. And so the Vulture descended, rotating around so its rear was facing the palace's entrance. It deployed its landing legs and touched down several seconds later, the downdraft from the engines blowing loose blades of grass and dirt around.

    The engines were shut off as soon as the Vulture had landed. Moments later, its ramp lowered.

    A squad of Marines exited with their rifles in hand to secure the landing zone and scan for potential hostiles. These were wearing armour that looked quite different from the ones the more run-of-the-mill Marines wore and the ones the royal family had already seen. Their armour looked somewhat lighter than standard armour, more attuned for scouting, and was a drab shade of olive green with red highlights.

    For good reason, too. The men wearing the armour were members of Advanced Reconnaissance, Special (ARES), the Marine Corps' special operations capable force. Tasked with performing special reconnaissance, direct action, and force support, their missions were oftentimes incredibly risky, and yet they had an incredibly high success rate despite all odds. They were the elite, the best of the best, being handpicked from only the most capable. They were among the most respected special forces group, among others such as Navy EVAS troopers, Army Rangers, and SHADEs (the last of which was a real mystery that involved highly classified information).

    Next out was a pair of Marine Heavy Assault Troopers (HATs), their heavy metallic footsteps echoing throughout the area. Clad in much more armour than their grunt counterparts, they towered over the average man, standing at seven to eight feet tall. Their powered armour was also much tougher and stronger, allowing them to lift their gigantic dual-barrelled .62 caliber heavy automatic coilguns with ease, weapons normally mounted on vehicles or affixed to stands.

    Once the Marines had all exited, the Vulture's final passenger stepped into the light.

    Captain Decker stepped out of the darkness and stood at full height, stopping to take a look around him. He was wearing a different outfit than the one the royal family had previously seen him in. Gone was his standard officer's uniform, and in its place was a far more elaborate ceremonial garb. It was pure white with blue and gold trimmings and even more crisp than his usual attire. His cap remained the same.

    The dark blue shoulder boards on both sides displayed the four golden bars and single star of his rank, his sleeves having the same number of golden stripes. There was his rank insignia on the left side of his chest, an eagle with its wings unfolded grasping the Compass and Continents. Below that was a large number of service ribbons and medals, showcasing Decker's many awards. They ranged from more mundane action ribbons to prestigious awards such as the Distinguished Service Medal.

    He stood with his hands behind his back. Then he made his way down the ramp and towards the royal family and saluted in respect. "King Ramus. It's good to finally meet you in person." He greeted and offered a hand to the king.

    As the captain made his moves, the Marines accompanying stood at attention with their rifles lowered. The heavy troopers meanwhile hefted their massive weapons harmlessly towards the sky.
     
  • Index
    • Nakier and Tuvera shared an amused look at Conway’s words before sharing in a laugh.
    “Come now sergeant, we aren’t that cliché”, Nakier spoke with a smile.

    It wasn’t to say there weren’t malevolent forces brewing in Edreign, there was no such thing as a country free of conflict.
    But the lizard man serious doubted such a thing would ever happen, what sort of self-respecting mage would risk themselves by raging against the crown?

    _+_+

    When Anice found out that the captain was going to be joining them for dinner that evening, she knew that this was a chance of a lifetime.

    The representative of an entirely foreign world was coming to sup with them, she shared her

    Mother’s urgency.

    This had to go smoothly.

    She spent the remainder of her afternoon helping her mother and the staff prepare, she even roped her brothers into pitching in as well.

    Terran didn’t seem to mind much, but Fawkes spent most of his tenure complaining about how there were “Funner things to be doing than setting a stupid table”.

    These remarks earned the boy a stink eye from both his mother and sister.
    When the time finally arrived, the royal family was dressed to the nines in their royal attire. Arcadia’s official colors were blue, silver and gold, which is why they featured prominently in the armor that the princess and the other knights wore.
    The entire royal family had a splash of one of these colors in their outfits, it was meant to show unity.

    Anice didn’t care for the dress she was forced into, it was far too form fitting for her liking.

    But she wore it all the same, and stood at her mother’s side outside the palace, watching as Decker’s vehicle approached from the sky.
    Fawkes was in awe of the thing, and of the men who came off of it. Ramus too his credit hid his awe well behind a stoic facial expression
    He was unclear on the gesture Decker presented to him, after a moment he reached forward and shook the man’s hand.

    “The pleasure is all mine Captain, please, come inside”. He gestured for Decker and the others to follow before turning and heading inside the palace.

    Where Decker had his marienes, the royal family had their elite guard, which included all of Anice’s personal men and the captain of the guard, Morlock.

    Such a meeting was a landmark occasion, but it was met with a slight show of arms.

    Best to remind the outsiders that this kingdom wasn’t defenseless.

    “I hope you don’t mind, but some of my advisers will be joining us for dinner”, ramus spoke as he led the way down the hall.

    “Archwald, head of Magical Studies and Development, Bellamy Adderson, Our Spiritual Advisor and lastly Morlock, the captain of all our knights”.
     
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