Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story

[HistoryDude]

This is going to be the spark that lights the flame… the Levakian Uprising is coming…
There will be a reckoning…
@QueenKendra how do you feel about this crisis? @Tantomile when are you going to finally tell the Queen about Paradox?And what update will it be in?
Also,isn’t it Divine Fury?You put Divine Wrath.

Also,are you updating Friday?Because you were evil and ended in a cliffhanger and didn’t address unresolved plot points...Or maybe you weren’t evil, just bad.Yep,I went there... Still getting Nietzche vibes.

 

[Macavity116]

This is going to be the spark that lights the flame… the Levakian Uprising is coming… There will be a reckoning…

This action will have consequences.

@QueenKendra how do you feel about this crisis?

Oh, this is a nightmare. When word got out that the murder weapon was provided to the killer by the Levakian Separatists, Kuhina Nui Mihaka and I put the entire Royal Military on heightened alert. Things have calmed down a bit since then. I just read the investigative report on the whole thing, and it looks like both parties (killer and victim) were in the wrong. Murder is worse than attempted shoplifting, though. I've gotta make sure that someone is responsible and punished for this crime.

-Queen Kendra

@Tantomile when are you going to finally tell the Queen about Paradox?And what update will it be in?

Tantomile's answer will be fleshed out in greater detail during Chapter 4.2.

Her Majesty is going to be in The Mangaia on the same day I get home. She's scheduled to have a meeting with my mom that day, but I'm hoping I can get a chance to catch the Queen alone for a few minutes. There's a lot of stuff I need to tell her.

Also,isn’t it Divine Fury?You put Divine Wrath.

Found the mistake and fixed it. Thanks.

Also,are you updating Friday?Because you were evil and ended in a cliffhanger and didn’t address unresolved plot points...Or maybe you weren’t evil, just bad.Yep,I went there... Still getting Nietzche vibes.

Sorry. No update on Friday. My job has caused the schedule to slip by a week.

Unresolved plot points... Cliffhangers... I did warn you Chapter 4 was going to be very busy.

 

[Vilhelm]

I'm getting reminded of Franz Ferdinand's assassination, the spark that ignited World War I. Honestly, the quote for the chapter should've been this:

Europe today is a powder keg and the leaders are like men smoking in an arsenal. A single spark will set off an explosion that will consume us all. I cannot tell you when that explosion will occur, but I can tell you some damned foolish thing in the Balkans will set it off!

Also, I like how you fleshed out Partoga's support of the Taiidan Empire. My knowledge of the Homeworld games is limited to a Wikipedia article or two and a YouTube playthrough, but I do know the Taiidan were extremely ruthless and nuked a whole planet into oblivion. I was wondering throughout the story why exactly the Partogans would support such a tyrannical empire.

 

[stnylan]

Kendra is going to have to do something quite spectacular to free herself of the image of her tattoo.

She is also going to have to do something about the Church.

And somehow try to break out of the isolation into which, it appears, she is already falling.

 

[HistoryDude]

So,next update is Monday?
Also,you said Tantomile’s response to Paradox starting the Galactic Rebellion was going to be in this chapter,and I don’t see it...

 

[Macavity116]

Also, I like how you fleshed out Partoga's support of the Taiidan Empire. My knowledge of the Homeworld games is limited to a Wikipedia article or two and a YouTube playthrough, but I do know the Taiidan were extremely ruthless and nuked a whole planet into oblivion. I was wondering throughout the story why exactly the Partogans would support such a tyrannical empire.

I'm sorry that explanation took until Chapter Four to roll out. I couldn't find another place to put it.

Kendra is going to have to do something quite spectacular to free herself of the image of her tattoo.

She is also going to have to do something about the Church.

And somehow try to break out of the isolation into which, it appears, she is already falling.

No Queen is perfect. She's going to fail at something, somewhere. It's just a question how devastating or catastrophic that failure will be.

So,next update is Monday?
Also,you said Tantomile’s response to Paradox starting the Galactic Rebellion was going to be in this chapter,and I don’t see it...

Next Monday, yes. Sometimes real life throws me a curveball and I have to adapt.

And, yes. I cut out nearly everything to do with Tantomile in this chapter aside from a brief Hyperwave call. The chapter was getting way too long (6617 words across 17 pages!) and I was worried the reader would be overwhelmed by everything else that was happening. I'm trying to re-add the scene in question to a later part of Chapter Four. It'll go somewhere between 4.2 and 4.5.

Like I said, Chapter Four is going to be very busy.

 

[Macavity116]

<== Previous Chapter (The Thirteenth Queen of Partoga)

Next Chapter (The Levakian Confederation) ==>​

Chapter 4.2
Kadin One
​

November 9, 1928 A.D.
Royal Court Building Number 5, Enzor, Visonia Principality, Kingdom of Partoga

Enzor is the northernmost city on the Partogan continent. Built upon the spot where the semi-frozen Lake Naho drains into the Naho Iti River, polar lights would dance and shimmer across the night sky, giving the chilly region an eerie beauty. The snowbound city of Enzor itself was a relic of older times. The name didn’t exist in the Partogan Language and no one living there could quite remember what it meant. The oldest buildings had a trace of Snowskin architecture, suggesting the town had been built by the now-extinct tribe of pale-faced men and woman who lived there before the Unnamed Mountain had exploded.

Just off the exit ramp from a highway that connected Enzor to Partoga City was a large Pre-Famine structure built by the Snowskins. Originally, it had served as a hilltop temple devoted to whatever strange deities the Snowskins had worshipped. Now in modern times, it was the seat of the local Royal Court. The road leading up to the main entrance was straddled by a huge gate. Two thick pylons rose up from the ground on each side of the road and supported a pair of thick crossbeams, one atop the other. The topmost crossbeam was angled like a roof, and decorated to look like one as well.

The gate had no doors, bars, or any means of slowing the flow of pedestrian traffic beneath it. It was simply here to mark a boundary... one that was being crossed by a lot of people today. A huge mob of nearly five thousand Levakians carrying picket signs and chanting protest slogans slowly surged beneath the gate, moving towards the Royal Court.

“No justice? No peace!” The lions chanted, “NO JUSTICE? NO PEACE!”

Almost five hundred Green Guard soldiers, fully armed and equipped, stood sentry around the Royal Court, stopping the angry mob from getting too close to the building. Behind the soldiers, a Visonian Royal Police truck backed into the loading bay. Muzzled and chained, the lioness Elemani was moved quickly out of the truck and brought upstairs into the main courtroom.

Two weeks ago, news agencies all across the Kingdom had called this “the trial of the decade.” Now that it was in its final stages, the spectator’s benches in the courtroom were packed to bursting with reporters. On the opposite end of the room, the Judge’s bench was vacant. Workers were moving frantically to re-arrange the bench so that two people could sit behind it instead of one. Mere minutes before the lawyers for the prosecution and the defense arrived, the workers finished installing the Emerald Throne behind the Judge’s bench and left the room.

First the Prosecution team entered, then the Defense behind them. Elemani, still muzzled and shackled, was brought in with an armed guard and seated next to the Defense team. Finally, the court bailiffs opened a door behind the bench and announced:

“All rise for the honorable Judge Toa Uwai Patariki.”

Two Partogans entered the courtroom. Toa Uwai was a middle-aged man whose hair had prematurely lost its silver sheen and turned grey. A Tuakiri tattoo covered his entire face; thick black lines darted and bolted across his cheeks and forehead, telling a story of brutal violence and a desperate struggle to survive. His arms were covered in thick, gruesome scars that told a similar story.

The second person to enter was a Partogan girl. Roughly 14 years old, her hair was kept in a simple bob while a light scattering of freckles decorated her face. Black bracelets and a green and white tunic identified her as Royal Acolyte Nya Ririnui.

“Announcing the arrival of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Kendra!” Nya’s voice was timid and tiny, so she had to yell to make herself heard. “Custodian of the Great Library, Governor of the Royal Academy of Science, and Overlord of Kaitaia and Tauranga!”

The audience, Judge, Prosecution, Defense, and Nya all bowed as Queen Kendra entered the room and seated herself on the Emerald Throne. The Queen was wearing her traditional ceremonial outfit: A sleeveless green silk dress with matching long formal gloves. Kendra also wore a heavy amount of gold jewelry, ranging from a necklace to bracelets and earrings. Finally, Kendra’s white hair was held up with an ornate golden hairpin. Attached to the top of the pin was the Whetu Kārerarera itself, shimmering like it always did.

Once Queen Kendra took her seat, everyone else did as well. Elemani looked back and forth between the Queen and the Judge, but couldn’t make any facial expressions or say anything owing to the fact that she had been muzzled. Judge Patariki started the proceedings.

“I’ll call this hearing to order now.” He began, “First, I want to extend a warm welcome to her Majesty the Queen. We were honored by your sudden decision to join us here for the sentencing phase.”

Kendra raised her hand in acknowledgement, then allowed the Judge to continue.

“Yesterday, this court found Elemani, daughter of Hannakon, to be guilty of the following criminal offenses: Murder in the First Degree, Possession of Illegal Weapons, Aiding and Abetting an act of Rebellion, Resisting Arrest, and Assaulting a Member of the Green Guard. I have been authorized to move this trial to the sentencing phase. First the Prosecution team will recommend a punishment, then the Defense team will be allowed to speak. After that, I will impose my sentence... barring an intervention, of course.”

Judge Patariki looked over at Queen Kendra when he said this. He’d been working in law for a very long time, and he knew that there was only one reason the Queen ever attended a sentencing hearing: to overrule the Judge and impose a sentence of her own.

The Prosecution team went first. They spoke at length about how Elemani had actively contacted the militant arm of the Levakian Separatist movement, about how she knew the weapon they gave her was unregistered and illegal. Elemani had intended to kill a Partogan from the moment she’d gotten the Slugthrower rifle, the Prosecution claimed.

“In cases like this,” the lead prosecutor said, “criminal intent needs to be recognized and punished as severely as the crime itself. The Prosecution strongly recommends this court impose the Death Penalty. Elemani should face the firing squad!”

Loud cheers rose up from the audience in the back of the courtroom. Queen Kendra sat up in the Emerald Throne to try and spot the non-reporters mingled amongst the spectators. Meanwhile, the Defense Attorney got his chance to speak.

“Elemani’s actions are serious, we concede that point.” he said, “However I do not believe a punishment as harsh as execution should be imposed on someone whose first violent crime was done in the heat of the moment! We cannot forget that the victim had a hand in his own-”

But the Defense Attorney’s voice was drowned out by loud boos and hisses from the crowd. It took nearly five minutes for the Judge and his bailiffs to restore calm and allow the Defense team to finish their call for leniency. Finally, Judge Patariki turned to the Queen.

“Your Majesty, may I proceed?”

Kendra shook her head and stood up. Facing Elemani from across the courtroom, a lot of thoughts were going through her mind. The Queen had followed this trial since the beginning, she’d recognized Elemani as soon as her face appeared on all of the news stations. Then Kendra had read about Elemani refusing to give up any information about the Levakian Separatist Movement. She would talk about her past life and the murder she’d committed in Base Camp at length, but on that one subject she would keep her mouth shut.

Queen Kendra was here to do something about it.

“Elemani,” Kendra said, keeping her voice level and calm. “I want to give you a chance to speak in your own defense. I’m willing to listen to anything you have to say. This is your last chance for a lighter sentence.”

Two bailiffs removed Elemani’s muzzle and stood by her side as she faced the Queen.

For a moment, there was only silence.

“I have nothing to say to you.” Elemani growled. “And there's no punishment you can threaten me with. The lions you call ‘terrorists’ and ‘separatists’ are just as much my family as my own flesh and blood. I won’t sell them out to you or any other Partogan. Go ahead and kill me, Queen! I’ll be the first martyr of a Free Levakia!”

Queen Kendra gripped the bench tightly. Next to her, Nya’s eyes darted back and forth between Kendra and Elemani. Kenda had hoped the threat of a death sentence would get Elemani to share some information about the Separatists. Elemani’s refusal to cooperate was certainly a roadblock, but not a serious one.

Let her separatist friends see what happens to their supporters. Said a soft voice in the back of Kendra’s head. Execution is too good for her. Destroy her.

“Fine.” Kendra said. “Judge Patariki, I’ll sentence her myself.”

Elemani stared defiantly up at the Queen. Kendra returned the vicious glare while Judge Patariki closed his binder. The courtroom had fallen so silent one could hear the howling of the arctic wind against the roof.

“Whakaari Prison.” Kendra said, “Two weeks.”

…

November 11, 1928 A.D.
LVK Shieldbreaker, Trecta Star System, Kingdom of Partoga

In the outer edge of the Trecta Star System, the sun was just a very bright point of light, while Partoga itself was an even smaller point of light. The Shieldbreaker and its escort fleet were speeding towards Partoga at best possible speed, cutting down the distance between themselves and their destination while their Hyperspace Modules recharged.

Aboard the Shieldbreaker, Tantomile had lost track of the last time she’d gotten some sleep. She’d been in the Situation Room for who-knows-how-long, watching real time news coverage of the crisis on Partoga.

Queen Kendra’s plan to stop the Levakian Separatists was starting to backfire.

Of course, Tantomile knew what the Queen had been trying to do. Kendra had used the threat of incredibly severe punishments to try and scare the Levakian population into submission. She’d harshly punished anyone caught associating with the Separatists, and was sending her soldiers to flush out known known hotspots.

Now there were riots in The Mangaia, protests in Partoga City, Enzor, Candon, and Kaitaia. Small firefights broke out between law enforcement and rouge lions on backwater planets far away from the Capitol. More and more Levakians were being radicalized and militarized... and in turn, many Partogans were doing the same. Xenonian News reported that over the past month, Partoga had rapidly become the Galaxy’s biggest importer of personal firearms and spaceship weaponization kits.

From Tantomile’s perspective here on the Shieldbreaker, it looked as though things were falling apart... yet...

Something was off... just not right.

Tantomile had gone back to the huge cache of data she’d pulled from the Asalele Library and started looking for recent historical events where the mysterious Paradox had been sighted by Asalele Lions. She spent nearly three days combing through all of the data, getting little to no food or sleep in the meantime. She was just too absorbed in her work. It didn’t take long for Tantomile to find a pattern hidden amongst the data points. As soon as she understood what she was looking at, she called Sebakhira into the Situation Room.

“I don’t believe it.” Sebakhira said when she entered. “Partoga is descending into its worst political crisis and the heir to Levakia is reading ancient history.”

Every touchscreen on the walls, plus the tabletop one was displaying combat reports from nearly a dozen major and minor wars from all across the Galaxy. Helmet camera footage, targeting computer recordings, and other such battlefield videos continued to roll silently while Tantomile drew Sebakhira’s attention towards one screen in particular.

“I need you to listen to me.” Tantomile spoke in a strained voice, signaling how much sleep she had missed, “I’ve learned something about the Paradox. She’s more dangerous than we first thought!”

Tantomile brought up a recording of a television program from several years ago. Onscreen, a news anchor was doing an interview with a particularly hideous-looking Blorg.

“This,” Tantomile explained, “Is Heidi Vestergaard. She was the ruler of the Blorg Commonality until a few years ago, when she stepped down to become the Secretary-General of the Galactic Council. This is an interview she did right after the transition, listen.”

Tantomile turned up the volume.

“...Do you have the fire in the belly to be Secretary-General?” The news anchor asked,

“Certainly!” Heidi replied. “I’ll do anything and everything if it means helping my people find new friends.”

“Yes.” The Anchor spoke in a tone suggesting he’d heard this answer before. “So tell us, where did you get the idea to run for Secretary-General in the first place?”

Heidi opened her mouth and just... sat there... like she’d completely forgotten what she wanted to say. Finally, she recovered.

“Uh... I’m so sorry. I think I just drew a great big blank.”

Tantomile paused the playback and spoke to Sebakhira.

“That’s not all. After that stumble, Secretary-General Vestergaard always had a prepared answer to that question. She never messed up on it again.”

Sebakhira shrugged.

“Politicians recover from mistakes like that all the time. What makes her case so special?”

Tantomile brought up a picture taken at a Galactic Council summit two years ago.

“That’s Vestergaard right there.” she pointed to one corner of the photograph. “That Hiigaran on her left is her secretary, Jade Pactu.”

Sebakhira squinted at the picture, then she jumped back and said:

“That’s no secretary! That’s the Paradox!”

The young female Hiigaran in the picture had the same long straight hair as Titohara Nopera, as well as the same face and eyes. Her skin and hair color were both radically different, but it was clearly the same person. Sebakhira had just barely opened her mouth to speak when Tantomile swept her paw across the touchscreen and brought up a rapidly advancing slideshow of pictures. In each photo was a prominent politician. Some of them were heads of state, like Republican Taiidani President P’Ter Elson or Amadii Prime Minister Taradok. Others were regional or local administrators, operating within one of the Galactic Powers.

In each and every picture, Tantomile had digitally highlighted or circled a suspicious Partoganoid individual. Not all of them were young females. Tantomile knew that, and she headed Sebakhira off at the pass.

“Listen to me.” Tantomile said, “The Paradox has accomplices! She’s not working alone!”

Sebakhira moved two pictures closer together. When the images lay side by side, it was impossible to deny the evidence. In one picture, an old Partogan man with a bald head and long beard clasped his hand on the shoulder of Queen Madeline the Second. In the other picture, an elderly Hiigaran Kiith-Sa with identical features raised his arm up in salute while Karan S’jet walked past.

“It’s the same man.” she breathed.

“I’ve found him nearly a dozen times in pictures taken over the past fifty years.” Tantomile explained. “It’s really hard to spot the Paradox or any of her accomplices because there aren’t any high-quality pictures of them. All of these photos were taken without their knowledge, look! The Paradox and her allies seem to have let their guard down in every picture. They’re actively trying to stop themselves being photographed or identified.”

Sebakhira let out a soft growl.

“Accomplices. It does make sense. Time and space are huge. It would only be a matter of waiting for the Paradox to find a like-minded ally.”

Tantomile swiped her paw on one of the digital screens. Words appeared:


Possible Accomplices of the Paradox

1. Adult Partogan (Female)
   1. 14 sightings
2. Elderly Partogan (Female)
   1. 21 sightings
3. Elderly Partogan (Male)
   1. 12 sightings
4. Partoganoid child (Female)
   1. 7 sightings
   2. Either Snowskin or Hiigaran
5. Partoganoid Adult (Male)
   1. 7 sightings
   2. Either Snowskin or Hiigaran

“Every time I spotted them; they were in disguise.” Tantomile went on. “Disguised and close to a person in a position of power.”

Sebakhira looked shocked.

“We only ever thought the Paradox was operating from the shadows, disguising herself rarely. This... this is an unprecedented change in her behavior.”

“Unprecedented or undocumented?” Tantomile replied, “I’ll bet you anything the Paradox has been secretly ruling the Galaxy for centuries by posing as advisors and secretaries. Think about it, Sebakhira! She doesn’t have to whisper in the ears of a ruler because she has the Gift!”

“Mind Control.” Sebakhira said softly. “She could easily become master of entire empires without risking her own discovery. Not to mention she seems to have the ability to cross time and space as easily as one could cross a road. The implications are... are... oh, Holy Miranda!”

Sebakhira seemed to have realized something. Tantomile had gotten to this conclusion some time ago. The Princess nodded.

“You wanna see one of her accomplices right now?” Tantomile asked. “I found one of them.”

Tantomile pressed her paw to a touchscreen and brought up two pictures:

The first image depicted a Hiigaran woman helping Karan S’jet disembark from her transport and set foot on the planet Hiigara for the first time. If Tantomile hadn’t been searching for a disguised person in the first place, this individual would have escaped her notice. The woman was unusually muscular, with thick arms and legs. Her angular face conveyed an incredibly serious expression.

“This was taken five years ago,” Tantomile explained, “After the Battle of Hiigara.”

In the second picture, a Partogan woman with identical features as the Hiigaran woman in the first picture was standing in the Secular Council chamber of the Partogan National Assembly. Her face was still serious, her arms and legs still musclebound. The only noticeable difference between the first picture and the second one was that the Partogan woman in the second picture had blood running down the side of her face from a head injury. The nametape on her desk read:

“Princess Aku Mihaka – Tapanui”

Just as Tantomile expected, Sebakhira’s mouth fell open.

“W-When was this picture taken!?” she gasped.

“Last month.” Tantomile answered. “During the Royal Election.”

Tantomile and Sebakhira stood in silence. Tantomile was lost in thought. Sebakhira was shocked and stunned.

“Her... interference... is greater... more extensive...” Sebakhira couldn’t find the words to describe how she felt. Tantomile put the discovery into her own words.

“The Paradox and her allies infiltrated Partoga’s government and are pushing it towards war. War against us.”

“How can you be sure?” Sebakhira asked,

“I think she’s done it before.” Tantomile answered. “This is why I haven’t been joining you and Rhassa at mealtime. I was combing the Hyperwave Network all night looking for this video. Hang on...”

Tantomile typed a series of commands into the touchscreen on the wall. All of the data from the Asalele Library vanished as Tantomile closed the file. Then she placed a Hyperwave call:


Sys/ hyperwave communication system online... please select FTL comms target...
Cmd usr/ ---> target Taiidani Imperial Archive – Building 28-9.1999, Assam Kiith’sid, Hiigara
Sys/ searching the Hyperwave Network... Taiidani Imperial Archive found
Sys/ negotiating with receiver... Faster-Than-Light communications established.


“Hello.” A computerized voice said. “You have reached the Archives of the Taiidan Empire, established 4150 Galactic Standard Year. How may I help you?”

Tantomile answered right away.

“I want to see the final public speech of Malketh LiirHra-Sa, circa 5510 Galactic Standard Year.”

“Working.” The AI answered. “I have found the speech listed in your inquiry. Would you like to watch the video or listen to the audio only?”

“Play the video on my primary screen.” Tantomile answered.

“Playing your video now.”

The wall screen went blank for a moment, then lit up again. Tantomile had seen this video once already, and she was more interested in Sebakhira’s reaction to it.

Onscreen was the primary meeting chamber of the Great Daiamid, the governing council of the old Hiigaran Empire. As Tantomile and Sebakhira watched, hundreds of Hiigaran lawmakers were arguing over whether or not to declare war against the Bentusi, a race of nomadic traders who (4000 years ago) had once been a military superpower. One Hiigaran broke away from the arguing crowd and stood up on a platform to make himself heard.

Sebakhira gasped! Tantomile knew why. The Hiigaran who was about to deliver a speech was the same bald and bearded old man Tantomile now suspected of being an ally of the Paradox.

“The chair recognizes Malketh LiirHra.” said the Sa of Sas.

Only Tantomile and Sebakhira knew that the man on the podium was not Malketh. They watched silently as the impostor spoke:

“We are a people forged in the struggles of battle, conflict, and death. Where others see pride, we see only duty. Where invaders see weakness, we see honor. As individuals we go to war, yet we return as family, Hiigarans, Kiith. The choice before the Daiamid is that between war and submission. Our foe possesses every material advantage that we possess and hundreds of years more experience wielding the power of their core. They have the support of the Galactic Council while we stand alone. You cannot consider your spirits yet tested if you accept only those battles where victory is certain. Many men would turn back now at the thought of the hardships before us should we challenge the Bentusi. We stand at the edge of our future with only one question to be answered. Are we to be remembered as Hiigarans, or do we bow to the sands of time? ”

The video playback stopped, and Tantomile terminated the Hyperwave call.

"The Hiigarans went to war with the Bentusi after that." She said. "They got beaten so badly their entire species was forced into exile on Kharak, out beyond the Outer Rim. An exile that just ended five years ago."

Tantomile watch Sebakhira grab her own head, trying to take in these revelations.

“Kaiako and the Asalele lions were wrong.” Tantomile said. “The Paradox has been doing this a lot longer than four hundred years. Sebakhira, this video is from four thousand years ago! The Paradox and her allies have been operating throughout all of history, not just our little corner of it!”

“Unbelievable.” Sebakhira breathed. “Is there no moment in history the Paradox hasn’t rewritten!?”

Tantomile had been waiting for this moment. At long last, she could share the discovery that had caused her to lose the most sleep.

“Sebakhira... the Paradox did the Galactic Rebellion... the whole thing.”

“No! That’s impossible!” Sebakhira said. “The Galactic Rebellion involved thousands of different wars breaking out on the same day all over the Galaxy! One person couldn’t coordinate-”

“Unless they could cross time and space as easily as one could cross a road.” Tantomile finished. “The Paradox organized the Rebellion, Sebakhira. She’s the only one who could have done it. I didn’t believe it either, but the evidence is starting to get overwhelming. The Paradox has started so many wars across history that I can recognize her fingerprints on each one.”

The two lionesses stared at each other. Sebakhira’s disbelief was starting to melt away, and her passive listening was replaced by active thinking.

“We’ve gotta tell the Queen.” Sebakhira said. “Like you said, her government’s been infiltrated by the Paradox, and maybe some of her allies!”

“I already tried to call her Hyperwave number.” Said Tantomile. “There’s a waiting list and we’re number six-hundred thirty on the list. That trial in Enzor made a lot of people really angry, and they’re jamming up the Royal Palace’s switchboard. We can’t call in.”

Sebakhira swore.

“Damnit. How are we supposed to talk to her then?”

Tantomile shook her head.

“Not we.You.” She replied. “You have to talk to the Queen.”

Sebakhira looked confused.

“Why does it have to be me?” She asked. “Tantomile, you should do it, you are her friend, after all.”

Tantomile shook her head again.

“We can’t get in touch with the Queen via Hyperwave unless she calls us first, and we can’t count on that right now. I do have a plan to contact her, but it involves you. Look at this:”

Tantomile pressed her paw to the touchscreen again and pulled up a special report from Xenonian News. The banner said:

“Empress Jemima to Give Birth Shortly! Queen Kendra to Visit New Cub in Mangaia!”

Tantomile tapped the screen with one of her claws.

“This is how we’re going to get close to the Queen.” She explained. “She’s going to be in The Mangaia on the 14th, that’s just three days from now. Sebakhira, I... uh. There’s no easy way to put this. I need you to get in her head... telepathically.”

Sebakhira reacted exactly how Tantomile expected her to. She flattened her ears, arched her back, and tucked her tail beneath her. Tantomile raised her paws and said,

“Woah, hang on, Sebakhira! I’m not asking you to Mind Control the Queen or anything like that. You’ve just gotta let her know we’re close by and we really need to talk to her. It’s much more direct than the Hyperwave waiting list. Here, you can use this.”

Tantomile unstrapped her Psionic Amplifier from her forarm and passed it to Sebakhira. The device had been modified and upgraded since the last time Sebakhira had seen it. Instead of a little box strapped to the wrist, the Amplifier was now a larger, segmented device that wrapped around the entire wrist like a crude cybernetic gauntlet.

Sebakhira refused to take the Amplifier.

“You doubt your own powers?”

Tantomile shook her head.

“Under different circumstances, I’d try to do it myself, but this is too serious. Too important. My inexperience is a liability here, Sebakhira.”

Sebakhira wrapped the Amplifier around her forearm and then raised her paw at the table between herself and Tantomile.

Psionic energy radiated out of the old Lioness’ body. Her eyes emitted a bright purple light that made Tantomile wince. On the table, a stack of paper suddenly began to lift off and float in the air, held aloft by Sebakhira’s amplified willpower. Slowly, Sebakhira allowed the papers to return to the tabletop.

“The Amplifier is acceptable.” she said. “Not impressive or noteworthy, mind you, but it's much better than your last one. Keep building these, Tantomile, and you won’t have to wait for your powers to fully develop.”

“Right, so you’ll do it?” Tantomile said, “You’ll get Kendra’s attention when we land in The Mangaia?”

Sebakhira nodded.

“You still have to do the talking once I get her attention, though.”



November 14, 1928 A.D.
LVK Shieldbreaker, High Orbit above the Partogan Homeworld, Kingdom of Partoga

Tantomile and Coricopat both arrive at Partoga.

Partoga lay beneath the Shieldbreaker like a beautiful blue and brown marble. The crew of the Marine Frigate had already started to make preparations for landing at the Mangaia Spaceport two hundred Kios below. All around Tantomile’s ship, the vessels in her mercenary fleet kept their weapons trained on a second formation of warships.

An armada of ships loyal to Tantomile’s sister, Coricopat, was orbiting Partoga as well. Tantomile had ordered her own ships to keep clear of Coricopat’s vessels. An overworked Rhassa frequently had to call the captains of the mercenary ships and repremand them because they were weapons-locking onto the other fleet.

“We’re trying to stop a war over here, you morons! Quit trying to start one!” Rhassa snarled into the radio transmitter.

As commander of the Shieldbreaker, Tantomile didn’t have much to do while the rest of her crew made their landing preparations. All she had to do was give the order when the time finally came. Instead, Tantomile, Sebakhira, and eventually Rhassa all met in Tantomile’s quarters just off the bridge. They tuned into the Partogan News Network on the big digital screen on the wall and waited.

The PNN had split their screen in half. One reporter was waiting outside Kaahele Hospital where Empress Jemima was expected to arrive shortly. The second reporter was waiting in the main terminal of The Mangaia Spaceport, where Queen Kendra was disembarking from her Star Yacht.

“The crew says we’ll be ready to start landing in an hour, maybe a little less.” Rhassa reported. “What’s the timeline for you two?”

“My mom hasn’t shown up at the hospital yet.” Tantomile said, “And Her Majesty is still at the Spaceport. I think you were right, Rhassa. The meeting is going to happen after my mom gives birth.”

“Why does Kendra want to meet Jemima so soon after the cub is born?” Sebakhira wondered aloud. “Your mother already picked a successor and its father, Emerdon, is in hiding. The cub itself has lost all of its value.”

“If I had to guess...” Tantomile mused, “Kendra wants to use the cub as leverage to get Emerdon to come out of hiding. Rhassa, do you know if Emerdon has any other offspring?”

Rhassa shook her head.

“He doesn’t have any. Pretty sure your mother’s carrying his first cub. I think you’re right, by the way. Emerdon definitely won’t risk the survival of his own bloodline like this. He’ll turn himself in before Kendra does something horrible to the cub.”

“You mean before I do something to the cub?” Tantomile interjected, “I don’t plan on being the first step-sister in Levakian history.”

“Coricopat might beat you to it.” Sebakhira said, “Look!”

Onscreen, the news team at the Spaceport had suddenly become very active. Half a dozen lions were moving away from a docking port and heading towards the exit. Tantomile recognized the largest lion in the group.

“Korova!” she gasped, “Which means-”

And there she was. Coricopat was visible only for a few moments, waving at the newspeople in a way that said “I don’t want to talk to you.” Then she and her entourage were out the door and gone. Through the glass windows, the news camera just barely caught a big armored truck pulling up to the Spaceport entrance. The rear doors opened, and a Levakian carrying a Slugthrower rifle greeted Coricopat. She spoke to the lion for a few seconds before she, Korova, and her whole group boarded the armored truck, which sped out of sight.

“Here comes the Empress!”

On the other half of the screen, an ambulance had just pulled into the hospital’s emergency entrance. The news reporter and their team quickly uprooted all of their equipment and dashed across the street, determined to get a comment from the Empress at the very least. When Jemima came into view, however, Tantomile, Sebakhira, and Rhassa all recoiled from the screen.

“Wow!” said Rhassa, “Her Highness doesn’t look too good.”

“You’d look just as bad if you were about to give birth.” Sebakhira commented, “It’s a very unpleasant experience.”

Rhassa and Sebakhira were both being generous, Tantomile knew that. She kept her mouth shut and stared at the screen, full of worry. Her mother looked terrible. Empress Jemima’s fur was messy and tangled, her eyes sunken into her skull, and her legs shook and trembled with each step.

“I hope Kendra didn’t see that.” Tantomile breathed. “She might cancel the meeting if she thinks mom is too ill.”

“Too late for that!” Said Sebakhira, pointing to the other side of the screen.

Queen Kendra, Kuhina Nui Tapu Mihaka, and Nya Ririnui were being escorted across the Spaceport terminal by a mixed force of Green Guards and Levakian Imperial Guards. News reporters had intercepted them partway across the terminal. While Kendra spoke to the reporters, Kuhina Nui Mihaka stroked his long beard thoughtfully with one hand and wiped some sweat off his bald head with the other. Nya took a step closer to the Queen, ready to push reporters away on her command.

“Your Majesty!” one reporter said loudly, “This will be the third time you’ve met with Empress Jemima to discuss the Levakian Separatist Movement. Do you expect to make any new headway with the Empress today?”

“If we talk about the Separatists at all today, I’ll consider it a miracle.” Queen Kendra replied. “I’m here to congratulate Empress Jemima on the birth of her new child. It doesn’t matter if you are Partogan or Levakian, the birth of a new family member should be met with celebration and wholehearted support. That’s why I’m here today.”

Kendra started walking towards the exit again. When the news crews tried to follow Nya broke formation, turned around, and blocked their way. Shouting over Nya’s shoulders, the reporter yelled,

“Your Majesty! What if you do talk about the crisis today? Do you feel optimistic?”

“Of course!” Kendra yelled back. “As they always say: ‘The third time is the charm!’ I’ll see you again later. Nya, catch up!”

Tantomile stood up.

“Right. We’ll intercept her at the hospital.” she said. “Sebakhira, how close do you have to get to plant a message in the Queen’s mind?”

Sebakhira flexed her limbs and projected a Psionic message into Tantomile’s mind.

About 500 Bios. Get me within one or two city blocks and I’ll do the rest.

Tantomile pulled open the door and returned to the bridge. She shouted at one of the bridge crew lions.

“If you tell me we’re not ready to land right now, I’m gonna tear someone’s ears off!”

…

Thirty minutes later, the Shieldbreaker broke formation with the rest of the fleet and dove towards Partoga. The dull green and brown colors of the Rahkshian Jungle grew more and more defined as the Marine Frigate hit the upper atmosphere like a spear. As soon as the ship escaped from the flames of re-entry, Tantomile ordered Rhassa to call the Mangaia Spaceport and demand a landing area.

“This is Mangaia Space Traffic Control responding to incoming vessel. Identify yourself, transmit recognition codes, and state your request.”

Tantomile spoke up while Rhassa transmitted the recognition codes.

“This is Princess Tantomile of the Levakian Imperial Pride. My ship is the LVK Shieldbreaker, registered to the Kingdom of The Mangaia. We’re going to visit my mother the Empress Jemima at Kaahele Hospital in the Mangaia. I request you give us the first availible landing platform.”

There was a pause for a few second, then the Space Traffic Controller called back.

“Yes, your Highness. We’re clearing Pad number 15 for you now; it should be ready by the time you arrive. Call us back when you’re ready to start your landing pattern.”

The Shieldbreaker swooped low over the Whakaari Gulf and started flying north towards the shimmering skyline of The Mangaia. It was a perfect, textbook approach until Rhassa suddenly gasped;

“Hey! What’s going on!?”

“Elaborate, Rhassa.” Tantomile said from the Captain’s chair.

“I’m looking at the sensors manager,” Rhassa said, “And every spaceship and airbreather for about a hundred Kios around just started transmitting TFR warnings!”

Tantomile let out a very angry groan. The letters “TFR” stood for “Temporary Flight Restriction.” It meant that the local airspace was now closed to all traffic and violators of the no-fly zone ran the risk of being attacked by the Partogan Royal Navy. Tantomile was now very frustrated. If the Shieldbreaker couldn’t land at The Mangaia, she would miss her best chance to warn Queen Kendra about the Paradox infiltrating her government.

“This is LVK Shieldbreaker calling Mangaia Space Traffic Control.” Rhassa called, “We see a TFR just got set up in your area. Can you tell us anything about it? It’s really urgent that we get down to The Mangaia as quickly as possible.”

“Shieldbreaker, this is Mangaia Space Traffic Control.” The reply was immediate, and the controller spoke with a newfound tone of urgency and barely hidden panic. “You are cleared to land on any pad at your own discretion, and uh, YOUNEEDTOCHANGEYOURCALLSIGNTOKADINONE-”

The controller’s transmission was very suddenly cut off. Everyone on the bridge stared at each other, confused and frightened.

“Why was the controller talking like that?” said Rhassa,

“What’s Kadin One?” said Sebakhira,

Rhassa called the tower back.

“Space Traffic Control, this is Shieldbreaker, your last transmission was garbled. Please resend it.”

Nothing. The Control Tower had gone silent. Everyone turned to look at Tantomile, who sat frozen with fear in the Captain’s chair.

“Tantomile,” Sebakhira asked cautiously. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“Kinda.” Tantomile answered in a trembling voice. “I don’t know why the controller was talking like that... but I do know what Kadin One is.”

She stood up from her chair and turned to face all of the lions on the bridge. She spoke slowly, fully aware of the massive implications her answer was going to have. Tantomile would never go back to this brief moment in her life... when she was the only one aboard the Shieldbreaker who knew the truth.

A truth that was simultaneously horrible and wonderful.

“Kadin One is a secret military callsign.” Tantomile said, “It can only be used by a ship that's carrying the Empress of Levakia.”

<== Previous Chapter (The Thirteenth Queen of Partoga)

Next Chapter (The Levakian Confederation) ==>​

 

[HistoryDude]

While that was a giant cliff-hanger,is 4.3 coming on Monday?

Also,exactly midnight UST?How did you manage that?

@QueenKendra would you be willing to accept meeting Tantomile in the Mangaia??
@Tantomile Control of space and time,eh?And you think you can stop Paradox?
Also,this could get problematic...especially if the End of the Cycle shows up at the worst time possible.Then,everybody might actually be screwed.

 

[Macavity116]

While that was a giant cliff-hanger,is 4.3 coming on Monday?

Tuesday. This weekend's gonna keep me away from the computer for a while.

Also,exactly midnight UST?How did you manage that?

That's odd. I could have sworn I posted at 7:00pm Eastern Daylight Time. Must be a quirk of the website.

@QueenKendra would you be willing to accept meeting Tantomile in the Mangaia??

Wait! She's here!? I've got Nya and Kuhina Nui Mihaka looking for her right now! We really need to find her!

-Queen Kendra

@Tantomile Control of space and time,eh?And you think you can stop Paradox?

Let's worry about that later, there's a much more immediate crisis at hand!

 

[HistoryDude]

What?Empress Tantomile? Did you mean to write that?Is this a coup-d’etat?
Also,I can’t wait until Tuesday,then.So 4.4 is coming out on Good Friday?

 

[Macavity116]

So 4.4 is coming out on Good Friday?

Friday's the plan, yes.

Is this a coup-d’etat?

Spoiler: Evidence suggesting a Coup has occurred #1

the controller spoke with a newfound tone of urgency and barely hidden panic. “You are cleared to land on any pad at your own discretion, and uh, YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR CALLSIGN TO KADIN ONE-”

The controller’s transmission was very suddenly cut off.

Spoiler: Evidence suggesting a Coup has occurred #2

She spoke slowly, fully aware of the massive implications her answer was going to have. Tantomile would never go back to this brief moment in her life... when she was the only one aboard the Shieldbreaker who knew the truth.

A truth that was simultaneously horrible and wonderful.

“Kadin One is a secret military callsign.” Tantomile said, “It can only be used by a ship that's carrying the Empress of Levakia.”

Spoiler: Evidence suggesting a Coup has occurred #3

Under Levakian law, I'd become Empress instantly.

Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts!

The war is about to begin.

 

[HistoryDude]

So Jemima probably died in childbirth...

Also,if Acolytes are property,how did one get elected Queen? (Referencing After Everything)

 

[Macavity116]

Also,if Acolytes are property,how did one get elected Queen? (Referencing After Everything)

The Absolution Program did not survive the Second Hyperspace War. During those desperate final months, Queen Miranda the Second (Kendra's successor) overrode the Church and dismantled the Absolution Program in order to free up nearly a million able-bodied people to be conscripted into the Partogan military. While some fairly basic knowledge of what the Program entailed survived all the way to After Everything, the concept of Acolytes being property of the State did not. Haki Kelekolio was not enslaved like Nya Ririnui was. Instead, she was the child of (free) Acolytes, raised to live the same life as them. Haki was devoted to the Church to the point you could have called her a religious fanatic, and the Church repaid Haki's loyalty by sponsoring her during the Royal Election.

If you go back to Chapter 1.1 of After Everything, you'll notice that Mira didn't seem to have much control over Haki. If any of us were in her place, we definitely would have stopped her from hitting us over the head with an "Awakening Stick" during Religious Studies class.

Towards the end of her reign, Queen Phoebe the Second started breaking out of the Church's control for the first time in her life. She eventually broke with the Church of the Mountain entirely, even trying to appoint her own successor; which brought about about her own demise and laid the groundwork for a Civil War.

 

[HistoryDude]

A reckoning is coming...and I fear it will be no mere reckoning.I fear it will be the end of days...the final end of days...
Also,if Tantomile is now Empress of Levakia,will she fight with or against Queen Kendra?
Also,midnight UST and 7 pm Eastern are the same time,I think.
@EmpressTantomile will you change your callsign to Kadin One?
@QueenKendra so you want to meet with Tantomile?

 

[stnylan]

That is .... not good. Very very not good on many many different levels.

 

[Qorten]

Oooh, you know how to build up the suspence! Can't wait 'til you post the next chapter!

 

[Macavity116]

Also,if Tantomile is now Empress of Levakia,will she fight with or against Queen Kendra?

I like to think the Empress of Levakia will fight for Levakia, regardless of who this duty puts her at odds with, friends included. It'll be an outright miracle if Tantomile's friendship with Kendra survives the coming war.

@EmpressTantomile will you change your callsign to Kadin One?

I get the feeling the target on my back will get bigger if I do that.

@QueenKendra so you want to meet with Tantomile?

Yes! She's the new Empress, so she's got to swear an oath of Vassalage to me. If she doesn't submit right away, she'll strengthen the Levakian Separatist Movement, which is already getting to be a problem.

-Queen Kendra

That is .... not good. Very very not good on many many different levels.

Everything's starting to go wrong, isn't it?

Oooh, you know how to build up the suspence! Can't wait 'til you post the next chapter!

Thanks!

 

[HistoryDude]

Wait,Mira has 21 sightings?Really?I thought the whole point of her being part of the team was just the Levakian Uprising.Also,how does she disguise the fact that she has only one,grey eye?

 

[Macavity116]

Wait,Mira has 21 sightings?Really?I thought the whole point of her being part of the team was just the Levakian Uprising.Also,how does she disguise the fact that she has only one,grey eye?

Those sightings are spread out over all 5,000 years of recorded Galactic history. Akira's team had a hit-list of over several hundred historical events they needed to correct before they ever reached the Levakian Uprising. Obviously, Mira was expected to pull her weight and help out with operations during that time. Tantomile just counted the number of times Mira's disguise slipped enough for her to be spotted in photographs or videos.

Also, unlike Mami, Mira can wear a prosthetic eye without complaining. As long as she keeps pretending its a lazy eye or something similar, people usually don't notice. (Hint hint! Mami met someone in Chapter 3 who had a lazy eye) The human members of the Ark Angel crew introduced her to cosmetic contact lenses (to fake an eye color) and have a small supply of them built up after disguising themselves so many times.

 

[HistoryDude]

I already figured out Mira was Aku in Chapter 3.That was rather obvious...
Also,I so want Whetu to complain about everybody swearing in her name once she is caught.
Cannot wait until tomorrow/today (depends on time zone).You and your evil/bad cliffhangers