The Beginning: The Early Wars

He was standing atop the Blood-Rust Cliffs wearing his tan, dusty desert wraps, his Crystalline Blade on his belt, a pistol in a holster. It was located just outside the Utopia of Arcia, his home city, a bustling- life filled underground capitol on the planet Ares 4.

Better known as Mars, to most, the Red Planet.

He came here often to think, and he has had a lot to think about recently. Within the hour, a meeting of the Lower Councilmen will take place, and event that only happens once a year. Tensions between the Councilmen has been growing for a long period of time now, and he himself fears this will be the last peaceful meeting for a long time.
The man sighs.
It probably will be.
He puts his hands behind his back, and gazes out at the Golden Star, setting in the West, lost in his thoughts.
"Emerik, sir,"
The man turns to find a young boy, a house messenger.
"The meeting will be starting soon, the council will be arriving shortly."
The man nods, waving his hand, motioning for the boy to go. The boy runs off, followed by a loud clunk.
The man turns back to the StarSet, gazing at he magnificent tendrils of color in the sky.
[i]They will be here soon... I must prepare.[/
He closes his eyes, gathering himself. He turns and starts walking.
Emerik of Ares opens the Hatch, and descends into the City of Arcia.

>Begin commander's log

>16 months after our first encounter with Commander Valderis Robless.

>Things have finally reached the boiling point between the Stalkers and the K-A Union. Threats have been exchanged for months now, and they are no being carried out. Our planet, Aslidore, is under attack. Our forces are faring relatively well against the preliminary trials that Robless has sent our way, and I feel he may have underestimated us.

>Unfortunately, we are aware that he has far more resources at his disposal than we do. I regret now not pushing the Union Council to further our attempts at expanding our territory, and I know Archelaus feels the same way. We were both advocates against it and now we wish that we had spent our effort going for it. It certainly would have provided us with the supplies that will be more valuable to us in these times of war.

>No sense regretting it now, however. It is too late to be helped. We are to meet with the other Lower lords, and I fear it will be the last attempt at peace, and the last time that we will meet with our fellow leaders for a long while.

>The meeting is to begin shortly, so... Commander Eris-Tam, signing off.


Tam spun in her chair away from the panel, and left her ready room to go and check on Archelaus. The stress had been getting to him recently, with the threats and now the veiled attacks, and being around her always seemed to ease the tension for him, and for her as well. She'd grown so used to being with him, always, to comforting him and supporting him and feeling him do all the same things for her. They shared in everything, and they would continue to share their burdens in this time of war. It was a wonder than Tam had ever lived without him.

She found him on the bridge of the ship that was making its way to the Red Planet for the meeting of leaders, and she came up behind him silently. He was leaned forward against the panel in a hunched position of stress, and so she placed her hand on his back, between his shoulder blades and held it there for a few moments, sending her thoughts and feelings to him, of warmth, emotions like a golden glow that slowly soothed his tension. He eventually relaxed his position, and she rubbed and massaged his large back, feeling out the knots and working them away.

It was probably a highly unprofessional thing to do on the bridge of their ship, but so many couples were beginning to feel the stress that similar things were happening everywhere, and because their commanders were lenient on them, the crew was just as lenient towards Tam and Archelaus' gestures of affection and comfort.

"I know you're worried, beloved... But we need to stay calm, especially for this meeting. This is important- we must convince the other leaders that Robless is a threat so they will assist us." She murmured quietly.

Emerik of Ares walked down the hallways, hands behind his back, standing straight.
Sometimes, he tired of the professional manner, wanting to just lounge about, do nothing.
He smiled, and a small chuckle.
Now, is not the time.

He was wearing his uniform, a solid black with red lettering, and he still wore his Blade at his belt, the same pistol in the holster, a smile on his face, his red eyes gleaming in the light of the government building.

A man joined Emerik at his side, handing him a file.
"Emerik, report on events."
Emerik opened the file, reading...
He frowned.
Robless...
He looked at the man. "How long ago?"
"16 months, sir."
Emerik's frown became a grimace.
He handed the folder back the man.
"I want a more recent report, corporal, I need to know everything he's done in the past 6 months, and I want a report on what is thought to happen next."
The man nods, and walks off.
Emerik began walking again, out of the building, and soon saw the opening to the Landing Bay.

The Landing Bay was built into a massive cave, the size of sizable crater, which opened out from Arcia, the city itself could be seen behind the grand opening. Emerik walked to the edge of the landing By and gazed out.
It had massive reinforced titanium doors, which lay open, With the protective plasma shield off, it lay inviting for his soon to be guests.
Its not often a meeting is held on Ares 4, especially recently.
Everyone wants to be safe… above ground.
Personally, Emerik grew up underground, and could think of no safer place.
He shook his head, and smiled again.

Then his expression became serious, for on the horizon, in the outer atmosphere, the first ships could be seen…

To Zyria, from Boggs. I hope this journal will be a friend to you, something you can confide in.

Well, I can try. Boggs thinks recording my thoughts is a good idea. He at first suggested doing something like a commander's log, but it didn't have any feeling, just a machine recording my voice, then copying and repeating my voice back to me. No feeling. So, I guess Boggs remembered something about the humans on Earth, how they would write their ideas and happenings in books, but they weren't really books. Journals, or, as Boggs has explained, diaries.

Anyway, I was curious enough about writing that I've decided to try this. Yes, I was taught to write, but that was who knows how many millennia ago. I haven't needed the skill since, and I was afraid that I'd have forgotten. So, I apologize for my shaky penmanship at first, I'll adjust if I continue writing.

Now, where should I start first? You don't really know what's been happening in my life, so I suppose I could start just before everything went wrong:

I am the ruler of the 3rd NegaDimension, Lady Zyria. My rule over my people is not a forced one, although it is also like a monarchy, with my father having ruled, and my father's father, and so on. I am an only child, that is why I am the first female ruler. My mother died giving birth to me, as most of my people's mothers do, so the fathers have grown to be very caring parents, even when they are not. My father, though, was disappointed when he realized he had a daughter, not a son. He didn't have a choice, though, he had to try to raise me in preparation for the 'throne.' If it didn't work out, he would have to marry me off.

Lucky for me, I had my father's royalty in my blood, so I was natural. Fighting was slightly hard, what with my being an untrained woman going against multiple soldier men. I learned how to adapt, though, and adjust my fighting skill to my advantage, quite easy, actually, using the fast-working mind my mother passed to me.

What I'm saying, basically, is that I grew up fit to rule. My father was overly proud, or maybe I just was lacking in pride. What I did felt natural, why would I be proud of it if it's so easy? My people were happy, as well; a female strong enough to rule, then toss in my youth? I had won the heart of my people without trying.

Well, maybe it wasn't my royal traits, or my youth. I was a scientist from the start. My father, to protect me, assigned a trusted soldier of his to watch over me continuously. Boggs was his name, and he was a slightly elder fellow, the wisdom in his eyes obvious. He taught me to embrace my thinking side, to find out more about things that interested me, and to find answers when I was curious. 'The Original Scientist' he called me, more or less true. My people spent their days trying to survive, let alone research about things that interested them. I was the first scientist of the NegaDimension, in their eyes. Boggs, though, was the first scientist, having worked on clockwork his entire life. But he was modest, and didn't share his discoveries with anyone but my father and I.

I apologize, journal, I'm taking much too long to explain the current situation. I'll skip ahead to Robless.

Long after I was named ruler of the NegaDimension, another Negalord, Robless, began taking interest in the NegaDimension. We knew that Robless had gone about taking whatever NegaDimensions were unoccupied, but he obviously craed more. I began readying my army in case of violence, but focused more on an idea I'd had after one of Robless's intimidation attacks. There had been strange fluctuations in NegaLord Twintongue's NegaDimension, and I was sending troops to investigate it. Why the two-headed lord allowed me into his NegaDimension, I do not know. Maybe he thought I was heading to my death.

While my troops investigated the strange fluctuations in Twintongue's NegaDimension, Robless became more and more violent, until one day, he all but declared war. My father sent me to Twintongue's NegaDimension, in hopes that I could find something to help us. What I didn't realize, though, is that he had given Boggs orders to force me to escape, leaving my father behind to fight Robless with the half of the army he kept. The rest of my people and army followed me, as soon as I realized the strange fluctuations meant there was an escape. We hurried away, using my father's distraction as a means of escape.

I lost my father.

Boggs was my only comfort. He was family, and he meant it when he offered his condolences for my father's death, unlike my people, who cried out across the universe due to the loss of an idol of theirs. They didn't know my father. But Boggs did.

So, I named Boggs my Second in Command. He was more than qualified, and more than willing to come out of retirement for me, especially in such a needy time. Now Boggs takes care of the army, while I focus on my people.

We searched for weeks for a place to call home, and finally, in the 3rd Dimension, I think I've found it. A small planet, raw, and powerful. It's been given the title Pluto, and after my research on Earthen mythology, I can see why it is called that. Here, though, my people wouldn't need a lot of resources, we make our own. Everyone seems fine enough with it, but I suppose they wouldn't complain even if they wanted to, we don't have a choice. All we can do is rebuild, and try to advance in technology, so we won't have to depend on any planet.

Maybe then we can actually live.

Hm, well, I suppose it /was/ nice, letting that all out. I apologize again, journal, for the sloppy handwriting and the lengthy entry. I suppose Boggs is right, confiding in something, even an inanimate friend, is good for one's mind. I'll have to try writing again, and see if it helps a second time.

Until then,
Lady Zyria of the 3rd Dimension, New Princess of Pluto.

With a sigh, Zyria shuts the journal, the pages slapping together, echoing across the room. She turns in her chair, looking around her library, at the books. Now I have my own book. Sort of. Maybe I should write a book, an informative book, to help others. No, I don't have time for that now, maybe in the next millennium or two.

If I live that long.

"So I see you're making use of my birthday gift to you." Boggs walks in, his limp showing slightly due to his exhaustion, and sit next to her. "Did it help at all?"

"Yes, I suppose it did. It was nice letting out some feeling to something, whether animate or inanimate."

"That's good. You need something to confide in when I'm not around, and if you're still opposed to, you know..."

"No. I don't need anyone else in my life right now. If someone came along, it would seem like he or she'd be trying to replace my father as my family. I don't want that. If someone is to be my friend, I'd rather it be because he or she is worth it."

"Well, what about that young one, Skaam Plach? He's got the smarts, and seems like a good person."

"That new recruit, the only one sent from the P4 moon? Ha, that poor boy belongs in a laboratory, not the army."

"Then you'd both have something to talk about."

"Look, Boggs, you can try to make me make friends, or set me up with some 'perfect' husband, but I'm not ready for any social interaction that way. I'm perfectly happy with you as my family, and my people as my friend."

"-sigh- I know you are, dear, but I won't be around forever. Someone's bound to kill me sooner or later. And I don't want you to be alone when that happens. And you'll need a husband sooner or later, as well; if you don't have even one heir, your rule with end with confusion and corruption. While that may not be for a long time, it doesn't hurt to be ready."

"....Fine, Boggs. Once we've all settled, and it is ensured that Robless isn't after us now, I will hold get togethers, parties, whatever you'd like me to do to socialize."

"That's all I'd like. I don't want you left alone in this universe, Zyria."

"I know, Boggs, I know."

[Okay, so yeah, all my posts are right now are of Zyria adjusting, worrying about socializing, and continuing her family line, etc, etc. I figure no one will be able to do anything, unless they deliberately bring Zyria into the loop. I'll just slowly and steadily move her timeline along until we're actually at parts where she's included]

((Okay, this is a random comments post:

1. Amusingly enough, Caz is a lot younger than Zyria. He wasn't even "born" until after the war was over. >.<

2. Heh. Heheh. Caz can fix that heir problem. Shapeshifting, remember? xD

3. Um... um... there was something else, I know it...

4. Is Zyria coming to the meeting...?

5. Lol, okay, I'll stop now.))

[ xD Lol Tam.

1. Yes, I actually figured Caz was younger than Zyria, I tried to make her one of the oldest of rulers.

2. Teehee, yes, I figured you'd say something like that. I think, once Boggs appears again in present time and meets Caz, he's going to immediately think of Zyria's nonexistent heir. xD

3. Forgetful much?

4. No, Zyria doesn't know about the meeting. She's new to the Dimensions, and doesn't interact with the other rulers yet. Yes, she knows there are other rulers, but she doesn't know them, or what they do. This is before Plutonians are a large part of interdimensional interaction. That's why I said that anyone can deliberately bring Zyria into the loop. That, or, if you want, I can have one of Zyria's men notice the large gathering, or something.

5. Yeah, sure you will x) ]

((I would post something to try to bring her in, but my Eris-Tam is SPECIFICALLY waiting on her interaction with ARCHELAUS. Sooo.))

[Lol yeah, so I may just have one of Zyria's men notice it, and she invites herself. She'd be really curious about it, anyway. Although, would the other leaders attack? We wouldn't want to go against character natures.]

((Tam wouldn't, so the Union wouldn't attack them. I couldn't speak for the Martians... or the Stalkers, who would attack EVERYBODY if they could.

WHERE ARE YOU, ARCHIE? I EVEN PUT SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK...))

[Hmm, oke, I'ma figure it out.]

A young man runs in, papers flying from his arms. "Lady! Lady Zyria! There's something happening around a planet nearby, Mars, it's called. It's in the next Dimension over, the 4th Dimension. There's a rise in activity. A couple droids we sent out to search the nearby area for danger picked them up. They're sending back pictures and video footage of many ships, all seeming different."

Zyria turns away from the man, thinking. "Hm, well, maybe it's a meeting? We haven't met any Dimension rulers yet, maybe they're meeting due to our arrival? Or it could be an annual meeting. Or news of Robless's actions has spread over here, already. There could be multiple reasons. Hmmmm...."

Boggs places a hand on Zyria's shoulder. "I think we should investigate it. If it's a meeting of leaders, you need to make yourself known. We don't want them finding out of us themselves, and maybe think us hostiles. If you take a ship over there and broadcast a message over those ships, and the planet, we can see just how kind these leaders are."

Zyria nods, and turns back to the man. "Send a pilot to start up a ship, as well as a couple guards, just in case the leaders are hostile." She gives Boggs a quick hug, snatches her knife from the nearby table, and walks quickly to the door.

"I think it's time for my introduction."

[Unless someone would like to type up my appearing near Mars, I can type that up next.]

Emerik of Ares stood there, on the lip of the Landing Bay, watching the Ships draw near.
They are quite reluctant today.
Emerik found that one could tell the crew moral just by the way a Ship was piloted.
Seems everyone is just as afraid of today as he is.
He sighed, and continued watching.
Some of these ships are magnificent,
he though to himself.
Quite well built, sturdy... beautiful mach--

"Emerik!"
Emerik turned around and saw a the Corporal from earlier.
"Caesir, what is it?"
The corporal caught his breath.
"We have a outside-party Vessel which just exited a hyper-drive Dimension Jump, it was picked up by the Satellite Defense Grid. The markings on the side suggest..."
Emerik raised his eyebrow.
"... a Plutonian emissary."
Emerik eyes widened for a moment, then smiles.
"A representative from Pluto, eh? Well, this just might be a little more interesting, now won't it?"
The corporal smiled back."May be, sir."
Emerik turned back to face out the Bay.

"I think we have another player in our unavoidable war, Caesir. The question is..."
He sighs.
"...Who's side will he or she fight for?"

[THANK YOU]

The pilot turned to Zyria. "Lady Zyria, we have arrived. Most of the ships have landed, but there are a few stragglers, it seems. Shall we still broadcast openly?"

"Yes. Begin." Zyria stood, brushing imaginary dust off of her suit. The pilot turned and pressed a series of buttons, causing a camera to raise and focus on Zyria, then nodded at her. Zyria took a breath, and began.

"To all leaders of the Dimensions that are meeting at this moment on the planet Mars. I am Lady Zyria. I am ruling over a previously abandoned Dimension, the 3rd, and my people stay on the planet Pluto. We arrived here a short time ago, and have yet to officially declare our arrival. This is me doing so."

"I will not go into detail as to where we are from, and how we arrived here, but I can assure all leaders, we are peaceful. We have been forced from our original home, due to an evil man's actions. A ruler I am quite familiar with, a Lord Robless, is attacking others for power, for territory. He attacked my home and forced my family to stay behind with our army to hold him off while we escaped. I do not think he knows where I have gone. He most certainly knows I escaped, though, and he will come for me."

"That is not the only reason that I have come, though; I speak to you fellow leaders so that you are not only aware of Robless's actions, but that you come to understand that I am not of any danger. I am merely a ruler trying to save her people, in any way she can."

Zyria looked away from the camera, then back to it. "But know this, if anyone seems like a danger to my people, I will not be afraid to fight back. I will preserve as many lives from both sides as I can, but I am also telling you that I will do whatever I must to save my people if you are violent towards us."

Zyria's face looked determined, but then the Lady pressed her fingers to her forehead in pain, as though she had a headache. The pilot stood and walked into the view of the camera. He gently took Zyria by her arms, and helped her sit in a chair behind her. "Thank you, captain." Zyria looked back to the camera. "As you can see, Robless has already done a number on us." As the viewers looked on, a red spot could be seen in her suit, slowly growing outward from her stomach. Zyria didn't seem to notice.

The pilot did, though. "Ahem, Lady Zyria?"

"Yes? ...Ah, yes. Thank you, captain, for pointing that out. Please send someone up with a medic kit, as well as some of my homemade stitches, if you may." The pilot nodded, and ran out of the room, his footsteps echoing. Zyria looked at the camera again, still oozing redness. "If you'd like to discuss anything about myself or Robless, I can oblige to meeting with you all. If you'd rather have nothing to do with me, I would be more than happy to oblige to that as well. Any of you may send word back, if you'd like. If I receive nothing in the next hour, I will gladly return to the 3rd Dimension."

The pilot ran back in, gently handing Zyria a kit, then a needle with some slightly glowing thread. "Oh, thank you, captain, I appreciate you running down and getting it yourself. You may stop the broadcast, now."

"Of course, Lady Zyria." The pilot stepped out of the camera's view. Finally, as Zyria began dabbing at what was obviously blood, all the screens receiving the broadcast went blank.


[Yep. Zyria's injured. She doesn't have her Life Support yet, that'll be later.]

Emerik looked up at the screen in the Bay, as it ended, he let out a sigh.
"See, Caesir, if we had more recent reports, we would have been more aware of the situation."
Caesir let out a scoff and he chuckled.
Emerik held up his wrist, and activated a transmitter on a his watch. a small video screen is shown.

"Lady Zyria, my name is Emerik of Ares, and I'd like to welcome you to the fourth dimension and the Red Planet -as it's known to most. Please, join us, our Council meeting will be starting promptly. Um... please, no armed guards. Things are... well, you'll see."
He waved goodbye and then turned off his transmitter.

By now... The Ships were beginning to land.
Emerik took a deep breath, and turned to Caesir.
"Prepare the meeting room, quickly."
The Corporal nodded and ran off.

Emerik turned to the Ships, their massive bodies landing in the wide open Bay, their engines powering down.

He sighed and then said to himself:
"And so begins the end, I should guess."

(OFC) Hey guys, do you think we could morph this into a few different categories? It might make it a little easier to follow.

(IC)
Drums... drums in the deep.

The great Alteriian stood at attention straight as a rod at the impute device on the bridge of the Harai, the single largest ship in the K-A alliance. He stood there at his communications array, sending dozens of messages to different sectors of the Alteriian's shared space. They possessed a large territory, and an expanding economy, healthy and strong with little sign of any collapse or strain. Or at least, they had, until Valeris commanded his armadas to re-arm and assemble. This was their last chance, their single last chance, to convince Valeris to stand down. If they failed, then all hell would break loose, and the galaxy would fall into a war of such size that no time in history had seen its likeness before. There would be millions, billions, trillions of deaths. So many dead, over such little importance. Why did Valeris want such a destructive and evil battle to be waged... There is no honor in suffering for no reason.

War. It made Archelaus sick and proud at the same time. He will ready and willing to give his life for his people at any moment, but the thought of having to do so sent blood singing through his ears.

He had to be prepared. Every avenue needed to be explored. It would not come to this. It COULD not come to this. Lives weighed on every decision he made. Every choice bore hundreds of ramifications. Archelaus' mind tumbled in a thousand directions like the tumbleweed before the desert wind, going through every possibility, every contingency, every option, every hope, every dream, every wish, every nightmare and---

--- Aurora entered the room, the music of her mind calming the typhoon of his own. "Teryn's sword, she is an angel..." he thought, not for the first time, as the chaotic waters smoothed into order. The amount of pressure on the two leaders was enormous, yet despite her own problems, she always found a way to comfort him, just as he always found a way to comfort her.

She appeared behind him, her hand a crystal of light, sending little happy signals down his back, eating away at the knots of muscles that had formed so frequently and tightly. Slowly, carefully, Archelaus released the muscles in his shoulders and neck which had been clenched without his knowledge.

"Aur-" Arch began, but was cut off by the the Kazequi's intuition, even though she already knew exactly what he was about to say, quenching a storm before it even took flight. "How did she always do that?" he thought, "Probably the same way I always do that to her..." Archelaus shivered slightly, re-aligning his muscles after the heavenly massage. "We have had enough thought and worry, their own scouts should have warned them of the dangers weeks ago, and yet they refuse... why? How? What can I say to convince them? What can do? I can do nothing. But let us go, what can and cannot be done is of little matter until comes the time to try. Try we must."

Archelaus stood, silently ordered the Harai to the meeting zone at nearly top speed, and turned back to Aurora, feeling the hum of the ship as the engines vibrated. "Has anyone ever told you how wonderful you are?"

Also not for the first time, Archelaus thought about what it would be like to lose her to some idiotic war. It would be like death.

[I think everything WAS in different categories at first, and one of us combined them, I THINK]

Zyria looked up at the nearby screen, and listened to Emerik. "Well, that was sooner than I'd anticipated. Pilot, begin our decent." She finished restitching her stomach, and stood, wiping the rest of the blood off of herself.

Zipping up her suit, Zyria sighed. "Well, I suppose I won't be able to get that stain out until after this. Oh well. Pilot?"

"We're landing now, Lady Zyria. Are you sure you don't want an escort? Even an unarmed guard..."

"No. It's fine, captain. I can handle myself, even in my present state. I have that sword that Boggs made me, and no one will notice it in its knife form. I'll make sure its one use will be worth it." Zyria stopped herself, embarrassed that she was already making assumptions about these people she hadn't even met yet. "That is, if they show any violence toward me. I won't leave my people alone." The pilot nodded and focused on navigating the ship again.

As they landed, Zyria pushed open the door. As she entered the room that mixed the Martian atmosphere with the ship's air, the helmet to her suit wrapped around her head, then disappeared. "Pressure stabilized. Safely exposed to foreign atmosphere."

Zyria took a deep breath, and pushed open the door, peeking out. As light splashed onto Zyria, she stepped out onto the Red Planet, and closer to either her saviors,

Or her murderers.

Tam smiled softly, her misty form radiating a happy glow at his words. As much as she wished she could just let go and be with him, like in the times before the attacks started, she knew that they did indeed have a large task at hand. As they watched Lady Zyria's broadcast she wondered musingly whether or not Zyria would prove to be an ally or not. Tam thought it more likely that the girl would remain relatively neutral so long as her people were safe and not being attacked by Robless.

Robless. The villain that threatens us all.

Unfortunately, the Kazesqui and Alteriians were also not held in the best of respects by the other leaders. They still had their home in the NegaDimensions while so many others had been forced to leave. There was a sense of resentfulness that Tam picked up from the others towards them, and she was not at all pleased by picturing how this meeting would go. If Robless showed up at all, he would definitely try to persuade the other leaders to join him.

The Martians... their leader, Emerik, was a cold man. Harsh. Brash. Tam knew he had no particular fondness for the Kazesqui, or for the Alteriians, or for anyone as far as she was concerned. As for the Plutonians, she could not be sure; but she figured from the Princess' speech that she was concerned about her people above all others and unless an alliance significantly benefitted the Plutonians, Tam doubted that she would accept. It would just be another responsibility for her people, to help.

As for any of the other leaders... tension has been high as of late and it seemed to Tam that many of them would have no reason to help the K-A alliance. In fact, many of the lesser leaders would likely aid Robless... he was, from what they'd seen so far, the most powerful of them, after all.


As the ship neared the Martian docking bay, Tam looked down in upsetness. She knew how hopeless their situation was... it would most likely end up that the Kazesqui and Alteriians would be without friends and without aid in the battles to come...

A grim prospect.

But she stood as strong as she could anyways, for she and Archelaus would find a way to get through this. They always did, even when situations required that they make the hard decisions. Today, and the future, were no different.

(OFC)

NOOOOOO
I just lost half an hour of pure writing... like.. three pages worth.
DRAT.
I'll re-write it tomorrow.

I need to be more careful. Ugh.

(OFC)

Or maybe tomorrow. Lol.

The Alteriian stood once more, returning to the endless panels speaking death with numbers. So many colonists on such-and-such a colony, but only so many vessels to evacuate them. Millions saved and safe, but billions more in danger. Leave three thousand here vulnerable so that seven thousand over there can live. Protect this world, let that one burn. Abandon one home to fight for three more...

But the endless choices of death and death could wait. Now was the time to prepare himself mentally for the next hours, which would undoubtedly be a great strain on an already strained body. For the ten-thousandth time, Archelaus thanked Narushah for Aurora, he could not be what he was, and could not accomplish what he had without her light and her love.

And now it was down to the bloody business of warfare and diplomacy. The Alteriian took a few minutes to consider each leader, pausing on their hopes and fears.

Lady Nightstalker would perhaps be the most difficult to persuade. She cared deeply for her people, but would go beyond reason to keep them safe. Unless she deemed Robless a direct and immediate threat, she would be unlikely to make any sort of move against him whatsoever, even though he had destroyed her home dimension mercilessly. She would not risk war, but Valeris would have it, whether she risked it or not. That would be the key to her edgy and thoughtful heart, let her know that Robless would hunt her to the ends of the universe until every single last Plutonian (as they were now called) were cleaved from the universe like wheat from the scythe. Archelaus regretted that his words would likely cause her pain, but if she did not side with the Alteriians, than there would be even more.

"Curse this god-forsaken war...!" Archelaus thought, not for the first time. "What problem has it ever solved?"

But to be honest, despite his hopes, Archleaus did not think that The Lady Nightstalker would help him. Her people were too few, their secrets too valuable to them to just give away. Even if the Plutonians did not offer direct assistance, such as intelligence, fleets, or specialists, they could give their technology to improve the KA-Alliance's weaponry and armaments, but that was the only thing they had to offer, as small as their tiny population was on the twin moons of Charon and Pluto. They saw their technology as their last chip in the poker game, and would not give it up. They had to, but they wouldn't.

Archelaus turned his attention to the steely Emerik the Blade, well known for his martial prowess and the proud warrior society of the Martians, the hardy and strong denizens of the Red Planet. He was as cold hearted as the armor he wore, despite a burning ferocity and a kindled flame somewhere deep beyond. That place in his soul was too far to reach with a ew hours of words. Emerik would not help them... he would sit in his great fortresses and wait for Robless to come to him, rather than defend a nation he cared nothing for. He probably hoped that Robless would fight the KA-Alliance in a long and drawn out conflict, until both nations were crumbled and one eventually collapsed, and then he would sweep in to loot them both. A long conflict it would be, but he underestimated Robless' power. He would not be weakened by losses, only stronger. He would bring the mighty fury of his warships upon his lands, and destroy his people in their fortresses from the skies, without ever setting a foot on The Red Planet.

The key to convincing Emerik would be to make it more profitable and honorable to fight against this great evil than to sit back beneath his fortifications and waste away. To make the fight inevitable, to grant him as many boons as possible, until his shrewd negotiating tactics were outweighed by the potential for destruction and the potential gains. But Robless could no doubt offer him even more to not involve himself in the conflict...

Emerik was most likely lost.

Archelaus went through the short list of the other nations that had made themselves known, mostly smaller nations scattered throughout the lower dimensions... none of them posed a threat to either the KA-Alliance or Robless, besides perhaps the Heterih, but they were not interested in battle, and they would not send more than a token response to the KA's pleas for assistance, or even a meeting. They cared little for the fates of others, the recluses that they were. Even imminent death would not draw them from their Veil.

It seemed the KA were without allies in the great expanses of space.
Alone, the knight to fight the demons.

"Blood to death, steel to water, hearts to song
From the mother earth we rise
And to mother earth we shall return
Dust to dust
Blood to the sands
Let us sing battle and blades
For War is near
And the time is near
That we go to our deaths."

Archelaus closed his eyes and stood straight and proud once more, the circle of light from the ceiling casting a halo of light on his muscular appearance, as if he had just been chosen by Narushah herself. The Alteriians were not just adventures and creators, they were a warrior race, strong in body, spirit, and mind. Strong in soul. The Alteriians would fight.

"Let them come...!" Archelaus thought, "Let them all come, let every race that would dare oppose, that would dare challenge the Kazequi, let them all come to me and taste ashes and clay! Bre-lar! (To Battle!)"

Archelaus turned to Aurora, a fire in his eye, and a light in his soul. "Let us go, shall we?"

Eris-Tam smiled again and hooked her arm with her Neiede's. They walked together as one, linked Kazesqui and Alteriian leaders, walked into what would likely determine their fates and the fates of their people. She kept a look of diplomacy on her face and a calm swirling to her almost ghostly complexion, her form shifting and swirling slowly from shape to shape, elongated nymph to proud beast, for this was the time before, the time when Tam was still sick, and could not hold her form. The time before the implants had been developed and the time where pain had been a constant companion to Tam.

And that had been why finding Archelaus had been such a relief. Before she'd met him, she had been weak and ill because of her condition, and each time her body morphed she felt the pain of the inconsistency. The doctors didn't know what to do, none of the cures they invented had any effect and Tam's body and mind had continued to errode and whither.

The doctors had feared that she would not last much longer. They were shocked she had lived as long as she had.

It was the day that Tam went to the mountain named Arine'atka that she met Archelaus. Ever since she was a girl, she'd wanted to sit upon the mighty cliffs of Iymasra and dangle her legs off the side, and feel like she was the queen of the land. And she was dying. She went there to be at peace, and to get the chance to do the thing she'd always wanted, since there weren't supposed to be many more chances for it.

And Archelaus found her, just as she had been standing there, wind whipping through her arms spread wide, ready to just lean forward, just a little bit, and fly. She was dying anyway, right? She wanted nothing more than to just leap into the sky, and never come back to earth. Her toes were precariously close to the edge, and her body was starting to swing into motion for the jump, when--

A voice called out. A magical voice. A voice that Tam instantly knew she could never say no to, never deny, never ignore. And the pain was less. As she slowly turned around, wide-eyed and amazed, she saw the man that she would love for the rest of eternity. And he stood there, his expression of worry for the stranger-girl dissipating and being replaced by the same look that she knew she wore.

They'd stood there, for a long moment, breathless and shocked and completely in love. And they knew then that they could never give up on each other, no matter what happened, never leave and never let go of.

That was the day that Tam lived, for the first time. It had taken two hundred years to get there, but that was the first day of her life that she felt alive, and not dying. And since then she'd been so happy, so perfectly happy, that she looked back and wondered what she'd ever been doing on that ledge in the first place.

But that was the past, now, and she had an urgent future to deal with.

She squeezed Archelaus' arm slightly as a comforting gesture, both to herself and to him, as the stepped calmly forward into the meeting room, and were coldly greeted by faces that were only vaguely familiar, and some that were completely new. They took their seats, side-by-side, and waited for the meeting to begin.

Zyria walked off the ship, glancing around. No one was there.

Hmmm...

Of course, Zyria had no clue where she was to go. She was on a planet completely new to her. But, being someone of her title, Zyria knew how to fake it.

Luckily, as she looked around, a couple men walked up to her, and led her toward a man that was monitoring everything on the landing bay. By the looks of it, he was more than just in charge of the ships.

"Emerik of Ares, I assume?"

[Short and sweet, and if Emerik is already in the meeting room, I can change it, it just seemed that Tam and Arch were the only ones there at the moment]]

Archelaus took a deep swirling breath and let the air around him float in his lungs, fresh and crisp, the way it always was in spaceships. Artificially fresh, and artificially crisp. Archelaus surprised himself, thinking about the air while the fate of trillions hung in the balance... thoughts about the mountain winds of his ancient homeland. Thoughts of home.

He felt Aurora's mind wander, and allowed his to sail with hers into the lazy rivers and eddies of memory. It was the day that they first met, atop the might cliffs of the Arine'nah, as known by the Alteriians. It had been a day of rue for the great-hearted Alteriian...
---

But most were, to the Layena-Narous, or, "The Wayfinders". They traveled the world, seeking out those in pain and those who were hurting to ease their hardships, solving what problems they could, and ending what evil they saw. They were the epitome of the ideals that nearly all Alteriians held to be true. Strength, honor, dedication to The Light beyond death, love, and courage. They were held in high regard throughout the lands, but their lives were solitary, full of loneliness and cold light.

The Future was Bleak.

That was why Archelaus had quietly and quickly made his way from the other side of the world to this place. He had traveled alone and empty from road to road, seeking... seeking something. He did not know what it was he sought. Was it purpose? Honor? Wisdom? He did not know, and suspected he would not learn of it until the thing which he searched for found him. And so he once again traveled to the place where the ground met the sky, overlooking the creation of The Creator. It was a place he had been many times, feeling the presence of the one whom he served closer in that place than in any other...

He made his way off the Pilgrim's Path, toward a small dip in the mighty face of the cliffs that which was the closest thing to a home he had ever had since the beginning of his journey...

But what he found there would change his life forever. Always observant, Archelaus had not taken more than half a dozen steps before a shifting, blurry form caught his eyes in the distance ahead. Curious, he quickened his step to explore this strange being sitting atop the crest of the world.

Suddenly, Archelaus realized what the Kazequi planned to do... she, planned to give her life back to Narusah. Her graceful body was already nearly off the edge of the cliff she stood upon, arms spread out into the air as if she meant to fly.

He had to stop her from doing so. He didn't know where or why the feeling came, but it took hold of him with silver talons and wouldn't be shaken. So he shouted to her, across the crystal face of the mountain, shouting for a life that should not be taken.
It took but half an instant for the shimmering, ethereal form to turn her jeweled eyes to look at him, and Archelaus knew in his hearts and his soul that he had found what he was searching for.

Light was not cold, it could not be, if this being of wonder existed in the universe.

The two froze, neither moving a millimeter, each of them drinking in the eyes of the other they saw before them, drinking in their personality, drinking in their spirit, drinking and drinking as if they had never seen a drop of water in their whole lives.
In hindsight, they hadn't.

It had been so many years, both hurting, both alone, but now, with each other, that would cease. The days of darkness had ended, and the way had been covered with light.
Archelaus was totally, unmistakably, irreversibly, and whole-heartedly in love.

He saw the women that he would love until the universe came crashing down. She stood there, her expression unreadable but full of love and light for the wandering stranger whom she had never seen before in her life; her worry and anguish dissipating and being replaced by the same look that Archelaus knew he wore.

The Future was Bright.
---

But that was the past... Now the days ahead of them were covered in a shadow that could not just be wished away. It was a time for harsh words, harsh actions, and harsh judgments.
It was a time of war.
He had so much to live for.

Archelaus gently held Aurora's arm, as if she would float away. He wanted so much to protect her, and protect their people from the coming storm, but...
So he gently took his seat in the circle, awaiting the fates of life and death to make their moves.

Emerik turned to the woman who had addressed him, and smiles.
"Lady Zyria, it is a pleasure. I'm afraid we don't have time for more than names right now, I'd like to ask you to follow me, our meeting is about to begin."

He turns sharply, and starts down the runway, back to the entrance into the government building. He says nothing as she follows, thinking to himself...
She'll see soon enough.
As they all will.
War is unavoidable at this point.
There's no way around it, it will happen.
The question is...
who will make the first move?

He makes it to the meeting room, holding an arm out, motioning her forward.
He takes a deep breath, and walked in.

<Yeah, it's short, but anxious to get started!>

[THANK YOU]

Zyria nodded to Emerik. That was all the introduction she needed, anyway. They quickly made their way to the meeting room, and Emerik stepped aside, motioning for her to go in first. Zyria nodded in thanks, and entered. Immediately she picked a seat away from the other Rulers, feeling like the new kid.


[Lol, that was basically all I had left. Now someone needs to start this meeting]

Nedreiz sat there awaiting the other rulers entrances. His son Kaze Nalah sat by the edge of his chair seeming impatient. "My son be still this meeting will not last long, patience is a virtue you must have if you are to take my place." The old man sat scratching his beard while looking around. What a lot there was here. His people asked him why he was attending this meeting, and he deemed it important to the fate of his world. If Robless wasn't stopped he would harm the Alshirei as well. So Nedreiz sat in his seat waiting.