The Stormbreakers: A Stellaris Story

[HistoryDude]

Nice to see that infection is failing.

Why does living with a cat guarantee mental stability?

Wait, Queen Nomsa (what's her royal name going to be?) can copy powers? That'll be useful - especially if she can copy Duane or Akira's.

Oh, wow. Blake just looked at a nuclear explosion...

Akira is winning... this is bad. This is very, very bad.

Well, Psionics seems to be at an existential risk. Why don't our protagonists end them?

Nice to finally know what Akira's true plan is. I knew that she wanted to be God-Empress of Mankind!

Well, it looks like Karan Sjet had no mouth - and she had to scream.

Hmm, I should probably get started on the TVTropes page for this trilogy... hopefully, I can get it up before the story ends...

 

[Macavity116]

<== Previous Chapter (Eye of the Storm)

Next Chapter (Time Trap) ==>​

Chapter Forty-Five
Our Last Stand

​

The final order of battle is revealed as the full might of Agamemnon, the End of the Cycle, and the Beast fleet are finally turned loose on the Sol System.

“Attention all ships. The enemy is coming to us. You have all been briefed on the plan. You know what must be done. The task ahead of us is not going to be easy. We’ve lost many good friends, comrades, brothers and sisters, and so many others just to get to this moment. Today, we are sure to lose more. But this day will not be one of tragedy, but of triumph! Never before have so many come together for a common cause! The Partogans and Levakians are here! Hiigarans and Taiidani and Vaygr! Humans and the servants of the Elders! Old foes have lain aside their old hatreds and now stand together as allies for one reason, to vanquish the greatest threat we have ever known!

The Beast may speak our languages, but it is nothing like us. It is a monster. It will show us no mercy, and we must give no quarter. We must make our stand here, or else this creature will keep killing and eating until there’s nothing left!

We stand and fight today as a united Galaxy, and we will prevail! Ko matou to mate! Vox tala for ten! Vigilo Confido, and may the Martyrs of Kharak and Aoraki protect us all! Jericho out!”

…

Wednesday, September 10, 2036 – 9:00pm
High orbit above Saturn, Sol System, United Nations of Earth, Galactic Front Line


The number of starships gathering over Saturn was so great that the rings began to distort. Small moons such as Janus, Calypso, and Pandora were kicked out of orbit entirely and went spinning off into deep space. At the head of the allied fleet, the Taiidani superweapon known as the Nomad Moon Mark Two skimmed the surface of Saturn’s rings, kicking up dust and debris as it went. Aboard the Partogan flagship Tantomile, Manako Ranginui arrived on the bridge to fanfare and applause. It seemed as though half of the officer corps of the Triple Alliance was present for a final meeting before the fight began. Queen Nomsa was there as well, but she was not assuming the same type of leadership role as the Queens who had preceded her.

Whetu Kealoha, Kotu Aranui, and Mami Tamihana had led their armies from the front, directing soldiers into battle and fighting alongside them. Of these three, only Kotu would come away from her conflict unscathed. Whetu perished while Mami was badly maimed. In preparation of her own eventual reign, Kendra had given Nomsa a different kind of training, a field of study that was highly specialized for the war Nomsa would one day have to fight.

Before she was ever been elected Queen, Nomsa studied and become a master of military logistics.

As the Tantomile moved to join the vast armada gathering over Saturn, she passed by whole fleets of resupply ships. Cargo vessels flitted between Vaygr Hyperspace Gates and the allied fleet, dropping off weapons, ammunition, fuel, and breathable air. On Nomsa’s orders, a large resourcing operation had been set up at Jupiter. The gas giant’s moons were being hastily strip-mined into oblivion, while mobile refineries, processors, and shipyards converted those raw materials into useful products. Hyperspace gates allowed the near-instant transport of supplies to Saturn, allowing the allied fleets to continue fighting without fear of running out of ammunition, fuel, or life support.

On the bridge of the Tantomile, Queen Nomsa greeted the two members of Team Takea who had come to assist her. Arzhang, Adil, and Dolim reported that Manako and the Kakama had successfully joined the Human fleet that would be attacking the Trinity. Dolim took up his position in the engineering section, while Arzhang ran the sensors manager. Adil, being the only officer, was appointed Wing Commander of the Tantomile’s escort fleet, and given a command station on the bridge.

Now, there wasn’t much left to do but wait. Hiigaran scout fighters and robotic probes streaked towards the outer edges of the Sol System in a wide search pattern. Nomsa knew that thousands of Hyperspace Inhibitors had been deployed throughout the system. When the enemy did arrive, it would be in a location of the defender’s choosing. The only factor that Nomsa’s forces couldn’t control was when the enemy attack began.

“Attention fleet.” A Hiigaran scout reported in. “I’ve just confirmed a Hyperspace Signature. Repeat, the Beast is attacking.”

“What? Really!?” Dolim exclaimed. “But it’s too early! I thought the Beast wasn’t coming for another few hours!”

“Predictions be damned!” Adil responded. “The Beast is early, so what? That just gives us more time to beat it down!”

“Standby for Hyperspace exit!” Arzhang called out. “Infected fleet on approach!”

The Beast was arriving early, but that didn’t make the defenders any less prepared. Nomsa’s voice echoed across the communications net, addressing her comrades and allies one last time before the hammer fell!

“Brothers and sisters!” Nomsa broadcasted her voice to the fleet! “Jericho is counting on us to hold the line here! Stay together and give no quarter! And if you find yourself on a serene beach with cool water at your feet and a gentle wind in your face, don’t be alarmed! You’re in Hawaiki, and you’re already dead!”

And then, the first Quantum Wavefronts began to open.

First, a wall of Super-Capitol ships appeared beyond the distant edge of Saturn’s rings. Infected Cruisers, Battleships, and Destroyers held the vanguard position while Carriers and Shipyards came next. It seemed as though there was always a Wavefront open somewhere as more and more hostiles appeared. The Tantomile’s sensors manager screen was overwhelmed and started to lag as the number of incoming hostiles exceeded the millions!

Then… it arrived.

​

An absolutely colossal Wavefront swept backwards! Agamemnon was bigger than most of Saturn’s moons! As soon as the Father of the Beast appeared, the rings of Saturn bent and swayed, drawn away from the planet and falling into an orbit around the megalithic ship instead!

“We have seen and heard all.” Agamemnon’s voice, telepathically projected, rolled across the entire Solar System! “We know you are preparing to fight, and that such action is a futile, wasted effort. We seek only that for which we hunger most. Give us Jericho, and all other parts will be allowed to leave. Give us Jericho, and your mates and offspring will be spared. Give us Jericho, and you may be rewarded. If you will not give us Jericho, you will join us and then give us Jericho anyway.”

One the Tantomile’s bridge, Psionic energy began to swirl around Queen Nomsa. Projecting her power outwards, a bubble of protective energies began to envelop the allied fleet. Using her unique power, Nomsa had copied Jericho’s ability to regenerate her Gift, and was now striking an equilibrium between energies spent and regained.

“We make no bargains with you, monster!” Nomsa shouted. “Not now, not ever! All ships, charge weapons and polarize armor!”

At the head of the fleet, the spherical battlestation rose up to meet the enemy. A shimmering, crackling energy field rippled outwards from the Nomad Moon, striking the rings of Saturn and sending a violent cascade down their length! A cataclysmic wave of dust, rock and ice rose up and pelted the Beast fleet with incredible force! Ships of all sizes were torn apart by the lethal storm of projectiles, and before the dust could clear, the allied armada descended upon the enemy with weapons blazing!

The War in Heaven had begun.

​

The rings of Saturn are destroyed during the opening salvo of the War in Heaven. Despite being beautiful when viewed from a distance, the millions upon billions of chunks of dust, rock, and ice that make up Saturn's rings were easily turned into lethal projectiles by the Repulsor Cannon of the Taiidani superweapon Nomad Moon. Beast losses during this phase of the battle would number in the hundreds of thousands.

Wednesday, September 10, 2036 – 10:30pm
Miyazaki Airport, Kyushu Island, Japan,


“Alert! This is an active air defense scramble! All crew to action stations! This is not a drill!”

I sat up in my bunk so quickly that I hit my head on the bunk above me!

“What the hell!?” I shouted. “I thought we weren’t launching for another six hours!”

I had told my crew to get some sleep before the final battle. Hell, all of the ship captains had done that. We assumed we had enough lead time to get some rest, so I didn’t know why we were being scrambled just after sundown. The doorway to the men’s barracks slammed open loudly and Axiom entered, yelling:

“Unknown starship in low orbit above us! They just opened fire on our position!”

Oh… fuck! The battle was starting early!

“CREW!” I shouted! “GET THE LEAD OUT! SCRAMBLE! SCRAMBLE! SCRAMBLE!”

There was no time! I barely had my flight suit over my head before I was out the door! Axiom, Zeil, Elliot, and I all ran full tilt away from the barracks and into the darkened runway! In front of us, emergency lighting turned on while sirens and klaxons began to blare! A Japanese voice relayed an urgent message before repeating it in English!

“Missile alert! Incoming Missile! Seek shelter immediately!”

“There she is!” Zeil yelled and pointed!

Seven Battlemaster-class gunships were parked on a taxiway near the main runway. The Niagara was directly behind the Ark Angel and in front of the Hermione. Odette was frantically waving her crew up the Hermione’s boarding ramp as we approached. I briefly saw three feminine shapes moving up the Niagara’s boarding ramp, and Odette turned to wave at us.

“Good luck, Robinson!” She shouted. “Let’s show the enemy what Humanity’s made of! Ils ne passeront pas!”

Naka and Tsubaki were already at their stations inside the Niagara when we boarded. Tsubaki pointed towards the cockpit and said:

“Hey, Trojan! The replacement co-pilot just got here! We don’t have to wait!”

While everyone else jumped into their seats and activated the systems, I entered the cockpit and started to strap myself down into the pilot’s seat. We were in such a hurry to take off that I never looked at my copilot. (Not that I could have anyway, I was still blind in my left eye) Instead, I talked to them while working the controls.

“Spooling up engines one and two!” I said.

“Fuel lines are clear; we’re coming up to full power!” My new copilot spoke in a feminine, slightly high-pitched voice. “Tower, this is USS Niagara! Requesting clearance for emergency take off from current runway!”

I put one hand on the control column and pushed the spaceplane forward, moving us off the taxiway. With the other, I retracted the boarding ramp. As our ship’s nuclear power plant came online, Naka brought the sensor suite to full power. Instantly, the “incoming missile” alarm went off in my headset!

“Vampire inbound!” I said. “Someone give me time to impact!”

“Three minutes, maybe less!” The new copilot replied. “That thing’s got a nuclear warhead, Trojan! Countermeasures aren’t going to help!”

Over the radio, I heard another familiar voice.

“All units, this is Jericho! I’m aboard the Ark Angel now! Get off the ground and regroup with me in low Earth orbit!”

Engines screaming loudly, Jericho’s spaceplane careened down the runway and lifted off into the darkened sky! My copilot and I maneuvered the Niagara onto the runway.

“Niagara, this is the tower.” A voice spoke in my headset. “Clearance for emergency takeoff granted.”

“Copilot ready?” I asked.

“Ready!” the woman next to me replied.

“Gun it!” I ordered.

The Niagara’s nuclear ramjet engines roared like the most terrible tornado ever! I was pushed back into my seat as we accelerated down the runway! Keeping my eyes on the instruments, I watched our speed until we reached V1, the point of no return. Aborting takeoff was now impossible.

“Vee-one!” I yelled!

“Rotate!” the copilot confirmed!

We both pulled back on our control columns! The Niagara leapt off the runway and into the darkened sky!

“Keep pushing!” My copilot yelled! “One minute to impact!”

“This is Hermione! We’re in the air and following! Moana Ranginui’s behind us! Thirty seconds to impact!”

“Crew!” I yelled! “Brace for shockwave!”

Behind us, an enemy Cruise Missile dove onto Miyazaki Airport! The warhead detonated just above the ground! A nuclear fireball, more than half a mile wide, erupted into the night! The furious ball of fire swallowed up nearly half of the neighboring city, casting the shadows of our ships onto the clouds above us! Then the shockwave hit!

WHAM!

The entire spaceplane seemed to drop out from under me! Intense pain shot through my shoulders as the five-point safety harness did its work, saving me from something far, far worse! In the back of the plane, I heard yelling from the nuclear power plant!

“Captain!” Tsubaki screamed. “Lansing’s hurt back here!”

“Stay in your seat!” I yelled!

I couldn’t deal with any injuries right now! I had looked down at the flight instruments and saw that despite our nose being pointed up and the engines throttled up to full, we were losing altitude! I seized the controls, pointed the nose even further up, and pushed the engines as hard as they could go!

“Flight level 25!” I called out! “24! 23! 22! We’ve gotta climb!”

“Nose down!” The copilot shouted.

“No!” I yelled back! “We need to get our altitude back!”

“You’ve got vertigo!” The copilot yelled. “Put the nose down now! You’re gonna stall us out!”

“No!” I yelled. “We’ve gotta climb!”

“BLAKE ALEXANDER ROBINSON!” The copilot shrieked. “WE’RE IN A STALL! GIVE ME THE FUCKING AIRPLANE BEFORE WE CRASH!!”

I hesitated for just a second, then turned my head to the left to look at the copilot. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make out much because the ship was still shaking and half my field of view was a blob of formless color. But I did see one thing…

Vivid blue eyes.

I let go of the controls.

Chihiro Tachibana idled the engines and pushed the nose down! I got an overwhelming sense of disorientation as the spaceplane maneuvered in the pitch darkness, then I was pushed back in my seat again as we started to accelerate.

“Altitude is on the line!” Chihiro reported. “Velocity on the line! Launch profile complete! Apogee will be one-hundred-fifty kilometers above the Earth. Trojan, it’s your airplane.”

Chihiro handed control back to me, and I switched our engines to closed-cycle mode before powering us the rest of the way up into space. As we passed the Karmen Line, the two of us watched the skies turn black and stars beginning to wink into our view. Then I turned the whole ship along its longitudinal axis, aligning us with the Galactic plane. In turn, this gave us a good view of the Earth below.

“Holy hell.” Axiom said. “They actually got the jump on us. How the hell did they do that?”

Down below, the Earth was in a terrible way. Nuclear mushroom clouds rose from not just Miyazaki, but from thirty-one other places in Japan, Korea, China, Eastern Russia, Taiwan, and India. Earth had been subjected to a terrible attack.

A small whimper caught my attention. Chihiro was looking out of the window, down at her home country. Japan, like its neighbors, was now alit with nightmarish hellfire. Amongst the devastation, the city of Narita had been incinerated, and now a dense cloud of smoke and ash was wafting onto Chihiro’s hometown, Tokyo. Small non-nuclear fires were starting to rise up in other locations, such as Sapporo, Akita, Himeji, Kyoto and Sendai.

Without gravity, Chihiro’s tears clung to her face. I wanted to comfort her, to say some word of acknowledgement or greeting, but I still hadn’t recovered from the shock of seeing my wife at all. So instead, I stammered…

“You didn’t have to come… Himawari…”

“She’s safe.” Chihiro sniffed. “She’s in the Matsushiro bunker with my brother.

Just like in other countries around the world, Japan had an underground bunker where its leadership could take shelter in times of war. The Matsushiro bunker dated back to the 1940’s, but age certainly hadn’t tempered its usefulness tonight.

Chihiro looked at me and gave a weak smile.

““He promised to take care of her if anything… if… if we… Well… anyway, I heard you had a rough time. And besides… on nights like this, Himawari’s a heavy sleeper. She won’t wake up ‘till noon.”

“Just like me, huh?” I asked.

“Definitely just like you.”

Chihiro and I looked at one another.

“Thanks.” I said. “Thanks for showing up. That’s all I can say.”

“It really feels like the end now.” Chihiro said. “And you promised we’d see it together.”

I thought back to that night in Hiroshima. The two of us hunkered down behind a boulder while enemy machinegun fire forced us to keep our heads down. I’d dodged it so many times, but it really seemed like it was time to fulfill my old promise. This really was the end.

Naka’s voice brought me back to reality.

“Hey, Captain! Lansing’s dead.”

It felt like all of the air had gone out of my lungs at once.

“What? How?”

“He wasn’t wearing his seat belt.” Naka replied. “Shockwave threw him into the wall. I… I think he broke his neck.”

I swore. Chihiro suggested we tie Elliot’s body down so that it wouldn’t drift around. Axiom argued we should dispose of it. Unfortunately, the Niagara’s airlock doesn’t function unless we were docked to something, so eventually, we had to tie Elliot’s body down in the cargo bay. If we lived through this, we could at least send him home.

“This is Ark Angel calling all UN ships on this net.”

Jericho’s voice brought us back to reality.

“We’ve detected a Beast-infected Missile Destroyer in low orbit not far from here.” Jericho broadcasted. “Tissue scans indicate the ship is controlled by Astynome.”

​

The only known picture of the Kiith Pactu Missile Destroyer Majiir. This ship was infected and subverted at some point during the early Second Hyperspace War. Historians agree that this ship was under the control of Astynome when she fell under Templar control, and therefore fell under the same control. Wreckage consistent with the Majiir was found in orbit above Earth following the Second Hyperspace War, leading many to believe that this particular vessel is directly responsible for the thermonuclear attacks against 32 military and civilian targets on Earth during the War in Heaven.

I felt a powerful lurch of dread in my gut. A moment later, my dark realization was confirmed by the voice of Mira Mihaka, saying over the radio:

“Holy Miranda… we were wrong! Akira is willing to kill Humans!”

“Then let’s take her out before she takes us out!”

The Ark Angel turned hard as she reached the highest point in her orbit above the Earth and fired a single missile towards the enemy ship. The Templar-controlled Beast ship turned and fled, only to be hit in the stern! Blasted apart, nothing remained of the enemy vessel except for a few broken wires and pulverized metal.

Once the skies above Earth were clear, the UN Navy began to assemble. The assault on the Moon wasn’t supposed to happen until tomorrow morning, but our hand had been forced. The Beast had arrived prematurely at Saturn, and now Akira’s supporters were using their new Beast puppets to attack Earth directly. This could not stand.

As the time ticked past midnight, AFUNE spaceships began to gather and the Kakama joined our formation. Soo Song, commander of the Korean warship Dokdo, brought our Partogan allies up to speed on the attack on Earth. Meanwhile, Jericho, Mira, and I assessed the damage.

It became clear very quickly that the attack on Earth was not some random strike. This attack had been a deliberate attempt to destroy the UN Navy while it was still on the ground. Eight Battlemaster-class gunships had been destroyed before they ever got the chance to take off. About fifty of ADVENT’s old interceptors had also been destroyed. All told, the force that was going to attack the Trinity had been reduced in size by almost a third. There would only be twenty-one Battlemasters and just under a hundred ADVENT interceptors for the upcoming fight.

As we assembled, we received a transmission from the ground:

“Attention all UN Navy personnel, this is XCOM Commander John Bradford. The Templars and Reapers have launched a major offensive against non-Human population centers. We’re receiving reports of gun battles in urban centers around the globe. We have mobilized the UN Army, XCOM, and the Reclamation Agency to fight back. Until the situation down here stabilizes, we won’t be able to support anyone in orbit. You’ll be on your own. Remember your mission, guard and support your teammates, and never forget the XCOM creed: Survive, adapt, win!”

The Ark Angel took its position at the head of our formation and was the first to fire up her engines, starting the journey towards the final battle.

“All AFUNE ships, fall in behind me!” Jericho ordered. “Standby for Hyperspace Jump to the Moon!”

“Here we go.” I sighed.

“Bring it on.” Chihiro breathed.

…

​

The combined forces of the Galactic Community fight a delaying action, attempting to stall the Beast for as long as possible, buying time for Jericho and her team to re-capture the Trinity.

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 12:05am
Rings of Saturn, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


Over eight million infected ships converged on the scene, and the allied fleets were now outnumbered by almost seven to one! A grotesque deformation in Saturn’s rings marked the site of the battle. Using its Repulsor cannon, the Nomad Moon continued blasting ring materials toward the enemy, subjecting the Beast to a lethal hailstorm of stone and ice! A complex, shimmering web of red, blue, and purple Ion beams connected the two fleets with great ribbons of fire, while energy cannons and plasma bombs flickered in the darkness! Aboard the Tantomile, Adil had taken full command of the fleet, as Queen Nomsa was too busy engaging in Psionic combat!

“We’ve got a strike wing of enemy Firelance frigates moving around our flanks!” Arzhang reported.

“Use the Vaygr Battlecruisers to draw their fire!” Adil commanded, “Then send in strike craft to mop them up! Someone call up Carrier Strike Group 15 and tell them to plug that hole in the line near Enceladus!”

“Attention fleet command.” A Taiidani commander called in. “Headshot conversion complete! We’re ready!”

​

Hyperion, one of the moons of Saturn, is named for the Greek god of watchfulness. Ever since the War in Heaven, searching for this tiny world has unexpectedly become a cultural phenomenon in the Sol System. Amateur astronomers, historians, archaeologists, and adventurers have dedicated months or even years of their lives trying to find this moon following its final sighting during the War in Heaven.

Further along the battlefield, a strike force of Scyldari warships were defending a pair of Taiidani Motherships, both of which were lifting off from the surface of Hyperion, the largest of Saturn’s irregular moons. Even from the Tantomile’s great distance away, it was possible to see what they had done: A grand total of fifteen Super-Capitol ship drive systems had been installed on Hyperion’s surface, complete with powerplants and radio towers.

Hyperion had been converted into a Headshot Asteroid, one of the oldest weapons in the history of space warfare.

The gargantuan engine array came online and began to push Hyperion out of its orbit! Beast ships attempted to scatter, only to be forced back into the path of the oncoming moon by allied weapons fire! Partogan fighters emerged from their hiding places beneath Saturn’s rings and fired missiles at fleeing Corvettes, forcing them to turn tail and fly straight into the oncoming asteroid! Hyperion smashed its way through the Beast horde until it came upon Agamemnon itself!

Over a dozen bright red particle beams shot towards Hyperion from Agamemnon, whilst a subverted Kel-Azan Battlecruiser evaded the defenders just long enough to fire an infection beam against Hyperion’s new drive system! A pair of infected fighters dove into the engine array and intentionally crashed into the structure!

“It’s got the Headshot Asteroid!” Arzhang said. “We’ve lost all control! It’s coming back towards us!”

Using Agamemnon’s gravitational field as a slingshot, Hyperion circled around the Fathership’s rear and began hurtling towards the allied fleet! Nomsa swore and redirected all of her powers towards the oncoming threat! At once, every allied ship lost its telekinetic shield, leaving them vulnerable to incoming weapons fire. Meanwhile, the now-infected Headshot Asteroid throttled up its engines and powered towards the Nomad Moon! The sphere-shaped Taiidani battlestation started to rotate, bringing all six of its heavy ion cannons to bear against the new threat. The cloud of scattered ring material around the station shuddered as yet another Repulsor field was unleashed!

A force, unseen yet irresistible, hit the infected Hyperion! Nomsa strained and struggled to hold back the subverted weapon, but it was no good. The young Queen may have copied Jericho’s powers, but in the end, she just wasn’t Jericho. After a few moments, Nomsa’s telekinesis failed and the Headshot Asteroid broke free! Hyperion careened towards its target! The Nomad Moon released one final Repulsor wave, but it had no effect! The rogue satellite was too large to deflect! Hyperion collided with the Nomad Moon! The conflagration was so great, so immense, that thousands of starships on both sides were vaporized at once! A shockwave rolled along the region and completely annihilated over a quarter of Saturn’s ring system!

Aboard the Tantomile, Nomsa panted as she quickly tried to re-establish a Psionic shield around her own forces. But something was wrong. She was no longer regenerating Psionic energy at the same rate she was spending it. Nomsa knew what was going on right away. Her powers were being drained by the Trinity. Realizing that she would soon be facing the threat of Psionic exhaustion, Nomsa decided that it was time to change tac.

“We need to regroup! Adil, give the order to fall back to the next defense line!”

The allied armada began a fighting retreat, with Super-Capitol ships laying down a dense field of fire as the smaller vessels escaped into Hyperspace. Jumping out in large groups, Whole strike wings dematerialized after firing one last volley towards the enemy! Agamemnon flew straight through what remained of Saturn’s rings, charging at the retreating allies!

“Pathetic fools! You will only delay the inevitable!” Agamemnon declared!

“Sure, we will.” Nomsa replied, “But we are most definitely not fools.”

As the last few groups of allied ships jumped away, the Father of the Beast roared for the entire Solar System to hear:

“You are what all life is to us: FOOOODDD!”

…

​

A non-Human member of the Armed Forces of the United Nations of Earth seen during the War in Heaven. This conflict would mark the beginning of a serious attempt to integrate non-Humans into AFUNE. XCOM and the Reclamation Agency would lead the way in this initiative, ultimately paving the way for a complete re-alignment of Human society's attitude towards extraterrestrial life.

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 1:15am
The Stacks, City 31, Eastern America
(Local time: Wednesday, September 10, 2036 – 11:15am)


The city was in chaos. Gunfire and explosions echoed between buildings as Reaper forces rampaged through the streets in broad daylight. Humans and non-Humans alike secured themselves in their homes or fled as best they could, but only the non-human populace had something to fear. Reapers smashed open doors and dragged aliens into the streets. Sectoids, Vipers, and Mutons were murdered in cold blood, their bodies left on the sidewalk in full view of all. Human-Alien Hybrids were treated with extra savagery, their bodies mutilated and hung from streetlamps. Each Hybrid that was murdered had a sign hung from their bodies that said:

“HUMANS ONLY”​

Jeering and shouting, the Reapers came upon a group of young Vipers who had tried to hide inside of an overturned car. Hissing and screeching, the Vipers tried to bite and resist, but these Vipers were, by Human standards, just children. They didn’t have the strength to fight back for long. One of the Vipers lashed out with her tail and knocked the hood off the lead Reaper.

Elena Dragunova spat on the ground and unholstered a pistol, taking aim at the juvenile alien.

“You’ve no idea how long you’ve had this coming, offworlder.” Elena snarled.

But before she could pull the trigger, a loud rumble reached the group! An armored personnel carrier rounded the corner and barreled up the street towards the Reapers! Elena dropped the young snake and ordered her team of Reapers to scatter and find cover!

Just as Elena slunk into an alleyway, the APC came to a stop and a side door swung open. Six men and women, armed to the teeth with the latest in XCOM weapons and armor, emerged. The words “Reclamation Agent” were spelled out in white letters on their uniforms. A tall black-skinned woman wielding a shotgun yelled loudly enough to be heard at the far corner:

“Men and women of the Reapers, I’ll have you know that since this war began twenty-one years ago, I have personally slain over one thousand enemies, be they Human or alien. I give you this one chance to surrender now! Lay down your arms! This is a fight you cannot win!”

Using her years upon years of Reaper training, Elena melted into the shadows of a nearby alley and chambered a round in her rifle as quietly as possible. Elena thought she was being as silent as the grave, but she was up against war veterans with nearly two decades of combat experience.

A black man heard the sound of a bolt sliding forward, spun on the spot, and aimed his pistol into the alley!

“Reclamation Agency!” He shouted. “Come out with your hands up!”

Elena raised her rifle and fired! The man spun on the spot and fell as gunfire erupted all around! While the rest of Chimera Squad engaged the enemy directly, An Asian woman with short hair and many scars grabbed her comrade and pulled him to safety, spraying him down with a Nanomedikit.

“Dude, Blueblood. When has that line ever actually worked?” Terminal chided her friend. “The old world cop tactics are gone forever, stop trying to bring them back!”

Blueblood got back to his feet and took cover behind the APC, firing his pistol at a Reaper perched on a nearby rooftop.

“Someday, Terminal, you’re going to be wrong and I hope I’m around to see it!” Blueblood replied.

“I can’t wait!” Terminal replied, “But, ‘till then, left side!”

The agents of Chimera Squad broke up into three groups and started hunting down Reapers. Patchwork and Claymore (A Mexican woman and an Indian man) used breaching charges to force their way inside of an apartment building where several of Elena’s comrades had fortified themselves. Terminal and Blueblood continued to clear alleyways, flushing Reapers out of cover and gunning them down.

But it was Godmother who went after the prize. Keeping her shotgun at the ready, she charged into the dark alley while her companion struggled to keep up. The youngest member of Chimera Squad was carrying a riot shield in addition to his pistol. Every time she saw a flicker of a movement, Godmother fired her shotgun into the darkness! The sound of it echoed up the walls and into the smokey sky!

“Come out, Dragunova!” Godmother yelled. “Does your boss really want you to die here, in this filthy corner?”

In a single, swift moment, Elena emerged from her hiding spot in the shadows.

“No, but you will.” The Reaper snarled. “You betrayed your whole damn race, so this is better than what you deserve.”

Elena and Godmother both raised their weapons at the same time, but the Reaper was faster! There was a loud CRACK followed by a flash of red light as the outline of Godmother’s body glowed with crimson light! Godmother was unharmed, and by the time Elena realized it, she was already disarmed. Elena’s rifle clattered to the ground and Godmother tackled her! A moment later, the other Reclamation Agent arrived and used a ziptie to fasten Elena’s wrists behind her back.

“What!? How!?” Elena gasped.

“What, this?” The other agent looked confused, as though this was a very silly question. “It’s just some old ADVENT Shieldbearer technology. You didn’t seriously think I was going to let you hurt my friend, did you?”

As she was pulled to her feet, Elena realized that the sixth and final Reclamation Agent was, in fact, a Hybrid. This, if anything, incensed her even more.

“So, XCOM’s working with even more aliens now!?” Elena shouted. “You haven’t just abandoned your Humanity, you’ve betrayed your whole world!”

“Save it for the Truth Commission.” Godmother said. “Let’s go.”

Back out on the street, the fight was over. Six Reapers had been killed and two more captured alive. Blueblood and Terminal were treating the civilians who the Reapers had attacked. When Godmother and Cherub brought Elena back to the APC, Claymore reported in:

“None of these guys knows where Volk really is. Their stories don’t add up.”

“Hopefully she’ll shine a light on things.” Godmother pushed Elena towards the APC. “Tell our new friend to get started.”

Claymore rapped his knuckles on the vehicle.

“Oi, Verge! Got one more for ya!”

Terminal had a satisfied look on her face when she saw that Elena looked absolutely horrified now. A Sectoid, dressed up in the same uniform as the rest of Chimera Squad, stepped out of the APC and looked down at Elena. He spoke in a stilted, staccato tone of voice.

“This interrogation will be short. We need to know the location of the Reaper leader, Konstantine Volikov. We will commune directly… My mind to yours, my mind over yours.”

Elena began to struggle and tried to run, but Cherub held her fast by both arms. Stammering, the Reaper let out a pained yell as Verge forced his way into her mind, found what he was looking for, and withdrew. Verge spoke to Godmother in such a calm tone, one would think nothing traumatic had just happened.

“Konstantine Volikov is at XCOM’s 2015-era headquarters, on the outskirts of a city called “Manhattan.”

Elena screamed.

“You freaks, you monsters! You’ve sold out our world to aliens! Are any of you Human at all!?”

There was a loud snap as Elena broke her flex cuffs! Her arms freed; she swung her fists at Verge before lunging at Blueblood! The two grappled and wrestled for a moment before Elena pulled away! She had managed to pull Blueblood’s pistol out of its holster and chambered a round!

Verge, Cherub, Claymore, Patchwork, and Godmother all raised their own weapons and opened fire! The chaotic gunfire echoed along the street for just a few seconds before Elena Dragunova keeled over, dead before she hit the ground.

“¡Por Dios!” Patchwork moaned. “What a waste.”

Godmother ignored her. Instead, she drew her radio and made a call:

“Whisper, tell the Director that we’ve found the Reaper leader. We must act quickly!”

…

​

The JSDF Ark Angel opens fire on Beast infected warships during the War in Heaven. This picture was taken in the upper levels of the ionosphere, hence the airbreathing engines (blue flames, rear of fuselage) are still burning.

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 3:20am
High Orbit above Earth’s Moon, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


“Disengaging Hyperspace in five… four… three… two… one…”

The first thing I saw when we arrived was the Trinity. Chihiro and I both took a moment to marvel at the sight in front of us. The Trinity weapon itself was shaped like a roughly hewn sphere, with a diameter of roughly fifteen miles. Chihiro let out a low whistle.

“That thing’s a lot scarier in person.” She said.

Jericho’s voice came over the radio.

“All wings, report in!”

“Kakama standing by!” Manako Ranginui replied.

“Battlemaster wings standing by.” Marie Ferrell called back.

“All Hunter wings reporting in!” Wendy Carter answered.

One Partogan frigate, twenty-one Battlemasters, and a hundred-fifty ADVENT interceptors began to close with the Trinity. We were all on our toes, expecting an ambush.

Then, the ambush came.

“Ark Angel, this is Kakama!” Kailani Kalili’s voice sounded over the comm net. “We’re detecting a buildup of Psionic energy on the Trinity!”

“All ships, evasive maneuvers!” Jericho shouted. “Everyone break starboard!”

I pushed the controls down, hard! The Niagara rose straight up, heading away the surface of the Moon!

“Jesus Christ!” someone screamed over the radio. “We’ve got a whole lot of contacts coming in from above!”

“I see it!” Mira called from her ship. “Beast infected ships three thousand kilometers above our position!”

“They’re coming out of the sun!” A Hunter pilot yelled.

“It’s a trap!” Odette confirmed!

A swarm of Beast-infected fighters descended on us, using the light of the sun to mask their movements until it was too late! Behind me, Naka and Zeil brought our mass driver cannons to life!

“All ships, engage the enemy strike craft!” Jericho yelled. “Draw their fire away from the Kakama!”

The Beast fleet was on us in a flash! Mass drivers and missiles filled my field of view! Chihiro and I only had seconds to react! We both pulled down our blast curtains and gave Naka and Zeil free reign with the weapons!

“Watch out!” Naka yelled. “Enemy Ion Cannon Frigate! Dorsal side!”

Chihiro turned us hard, rolling the spaceplane and causing the enemy to miss. Above us, a beam of purple light flashed out of the Trinity’s weapon aperture! It connected with one of the other spaceplanes in our fleet! In an instant, the South African gunship Isandlwana disintegrated! Reduced to dust, the gunship was blown away!

“HOLY MOTHER OF MIRANDA!” Manako shouted. “That thing’s operational!”

“Yeah, I saw that!” Soo Song called back from the Dokdo. “Jericho! We need to retreat!”

“Negative!” Jericho replied. “We came here to get on board that damn weapon and that’s what we’re gonna do! Carter! Take the Hunters and keep the Beast busy! Everyone else, start probing the Trinity! Find a way in!”

Flying the Tigermoth as skillfully as she had once flown the Skyranger, Wendy led the swarm of former ADVENT interceptor in a brazen frontal assault on Astynome and her infected fleet. Meanwhile, Chihiro and I brough the Niagara into formation alongside the Hermione, Moana Ranginui, Dokdo, and Sejong the Great.

“Naka! Zeil!” I shouted. “Switch to armor piercing rounds! We can’t nuke the Trinity, and we can’t blow up anything critical!”

The Kakama dove low and fired on the Trinity with her laser cannons before pulling up again to avoid being caught in the blowback of a small explosion!

“I don’t get it!” Manako called out. “I thought Duane or Akira would have given this damn thing Psionic shields!”

“Maybe they can’t!” Chihiro responded. “Doesn’t that thing drain Psionic energy from everyone?”

“She’s right!” Jericho answered. “Akira’s probably having her powers drained just like everyone else! That doesn’t make her any less dangerous, though!”

A series of explosions rocked our formation! Chihiro and I frantically looked over our sensors manager to see what had happened. I spotted it first and yelled into the radio:

“Hey! Normandy! Check your fire, you almost killed us!”

The Normandy didn’t respond. Instead, the French spaceplane pulled up behind us, just below the Niagara’s tail. Then, we heard the sharp clanging and clattering noises of mass driver rounds hitting our hull!

“Normandy’s infected!” Naka yelled. “They’re shooting at us!”

Chihiro wrenched the controls over and pushed the Niagara into a sharp dive! The Normandy followed, spitting fire at us the whole way!

“This is Niagara!” I called out. “Normandy’s subverted and making a run at us! We could use an assist over here!”

“Standby, Niagara!” Mira replied. “We’re on our way!”

I drew back my blast curtain and looked at the lunar surface below. I pointed at one particular surface feature.

“Aim for that hilly terrain down there!”

​

The Ocean of Storms is a large basaltic plain located on Earth's Moon. This was the site of Humanity's earlier attempts to explore space. Several robotic probes landed here before being followed by the Apollo 12 spacecraft in 1969. Charles Conrad Jr, Richard Gordon, and Alan Bean would all safely return to Earth. Tragically, the Ocean of Storms would become the final resting place for 15 Humans following the War in Heaven. Because this rocky world has no weather, the fallen will remain here forever.

Chihiro throttled the engines and dove! Behind us, the Moana Ranginui burned her engines hard to catch up! The infected Normandy fired two missiles at us! Naka and Zeil were quick on the draw today. Before I could even raise the alarm, they had both fired off the countermeasures! Once more, the incoming missiles were fooled by the decoys and streaked past us! Chihiro pulled up and leveled us out just three miles above the lunar surface! Both missiles hit the ground and detonated, sending a huge column of lunar dust into space!

“Niagara!” Mira called us. “On my signal, dive hard and skim the surface!”

“Ready!” Chihiro and I gripped the controls.

“Now!”

One more time, the Niagara dove! Above us, the Moana Ranginui let loose a barrage of mass driver fire! The Normandy tried to dive as well, in order to follow us… but this was a lethal mistake. In putting the nose down and diving after its prey, the Normandy presented a bigger and easier target for Mira’s crew. Nearly two dozen high-explosive rounds tore through the infected spaceplane and shredded one of her engines! Normandy rolled over in an out of control spin, fell from the sky, and slammed into the lunar surface! Chihiro and I pushed the Niagara’s engines to failure point and our ship flitted around the far side of a mountain just as the Normandy’s nuclear reactor detonated!

As the Niagara rose to rejoin the battle, Mira put out a warning to all allied ships:

“Everyone be advised, the infection vaccine is not effective! Repeat! Infection vaccine is a no-go! Engage the Beast at maximum range!”

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 3:55am
Distant orbit above Jupiter, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


Jupiter is a much larger world than Saturn, therefore, the battle here was bigger as well. Both sides were trying to use the local environment to their advantage. Beast ships were being driven by the thousands to fly into the lethal radiation belts around Sol’s biggest planet while fully automated Micore warforms lurked in the dense atmosphere below, waiting for the enemy to venture too close.

Planetary siege cannons had been set up on most of the Jovian moons, granting no safe harbor to the invaders. Intense weapons fire from Callisto, Io, and Ganymede masked the approach of fresh allied reinforcements. Levakian, Scyldari, and Vaygr warships unleashed a blistering volley of fire against the enemy, allowing the Partogan, Hiigaran, and Taiidani fleets to retreat, reform, and rejoin the fight.

Infection beams shot from hostile Super-Capitol ships and struck allied vessels to no effect. On the bridge of the Tantomile, there were loud cheers!

“Infection vaccine is still working!” Arzhang reported. “The line is holding!”

As if the Universe itself had conspired to prove him wrong, another development struck! A cloud of Psionic energy began to build up and envelop the Beast fleet. Before anyone could ask questions, the Psionic entity began to attack! Brilliant flashes of lightning pierced through the battlefield and tore ships to pieces in a matter of moments! Through sheer force of will, the End of the Cycle began to eviscerate the allied fleet! Some warships turned and fled; their crews more frightened of this Psionic nightmare than the Beast itself!

​

The End of the Cycle mows down allied warships like a cataclysmic tornado. It is generally agreed that more allied vessels were lost to this Psionic entity than the actual Beast. The Triple Alliance Flagship Mahuika is visible in this picture, silhouetted against Sol itself.

“Oh, Holy Miranda!” Dolim gasped. “That’s the same entity we heard about at Partoga! We really need the Trinity now!”

“Send a ship to contact Earth!” Queen Nomsa ordered. “We need an update on the Jericho’s progress!”

Adil and Dolim worked frantically to try and call off a scout ship to run a message to Earth, but something very unexpected happened instead.

“Your Majesty!” Dolim exclaimed, “I’m getting a reading that doesn’t make sense!”

At that moment, a Beast corvette broke from its formation and dove on the Tantomile in a kamikaze attack! Queen Nomsa re-directed her energies, causing the enemy to strike an invisible, yet solid wall!

“We’re under some pressure here!” Nomsa replied. “Give us the short version!”

Dolim flipped a switch on his console. At once, a familiar voice filled the bridge:

“People of the Galaxy. Soldiers and civilians, young and old, Gifted and mundane, hear me now! The hour of destiny is upon us! Jericho, the girl who slew the Fallen Angels of Earth, is at this moment fighting to protect your friends and loved ones from the Beast! The time has come to stand by her side! The Eye of Aarran is now free from infection, the Hyperspace Network is sterilized, and our foe is distracted! Come to Earth! Bring whatever ships or weapons you can! Every infected vessel destroyed is a world saved! Every moment you fight is another day our children get to see! Fight for your homeworlds, your nations and your flags! Stand beside Jericho and put this infestation down!”

Nomsa’s jaw dropped as she looked around at Dolim. He pointed at his screen and said:

“The message is broadcasting on every Hyperwave frequency! All faster-than-light communications have been restored! We’re already starting to get indications of fleet movements around the Galaxy, as well as distant Hyperspace signatures!”

“I’ll be damned.” Nomsa breathed. “Kendra did it. She actually did it!”

Not waiting for the comm officer to pipe her voice to the fleet, Nomsa projected a Psionic message to all allied pilots, officers, and crew, filling the defending fleet with a message of hope!

"Help is on the way everyone! Hold the line!"

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 4:01am
High orbit above Earth’s Moon, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


“Did you guys hear that!?” I yelled. “We’ve got help on the way!”

Above the Moon, the UN fleet began to reform. Astynome and the rest of the Templar-controlled Beast fleet had now positioned themselves between us and the Trinity. However, the reply I got came from my own crew:

“Captain!” Axiom reported. “Sensors show the fleet commander’s ship has been destroyed!”

Looking out the cockpit window, I saw Marie Ferrell’s ship, the Battlemaster, tumble from the sky in a great ball of flames before smashing into the lunar surface! I felt the wind go out of my lungs. Beside me, Chihiro said:

“Our way is blocked and now we don’t have a fleet commander!? What the hell are we supposed to do now!?”

I grabbed the radio.

“Ark Angel, this is Niagara! This isn’t working, we need to try another way of getting past Astynome!”

“Working on that!” Jericho responded. “Now that the Hyperwave Network’s back online, we can actually call in some real firepower!”

While UN warships continued probing and pushing the enemy defenses, I heard this conversation in my headset:

“Tantomile, this is Ark Angel. Is your Hyperwave back online?”

“Tantomile here. Can confirm, all FTL communications have been restored. Time delay between you and I had been reduced to milliseconds.” Said the voice of Dolim.

“Good.” Jericho replied. “Tell Adil to give the order for all ships to retreat to Luna. I also need to borrow the Tryna for long-range fire support!”

“Understood. All Allied ships will withdraw from Jupiter to Earth’s moon momentarily. Connecting you to the Tryna.”

Then, Jericho blasted a signal to all UN ships!

“All units, this is the Ark Angel! Be advised: I’m taking command of the fleet! Target your weapons on Astynome’s lower starboard engine! We’ve gotta force her to turn!”

“You heard the lady!” Mira responded from her ship!

“Acknowledged!” I responded. “Naka! Zeil! Load high-explosive rounds and prepare to fire on my mark!”

Moving as one, all of the ships that remained in the Earth Defense Fleet (plus the Kakama) began to maneuver around Astynome’s rear. One of the Templars aboard the Trinity must have seen what we were doing, because a strike wing of infected corvettes, frigates, and destroyers began massing to block our path!

“All ships, fire two missiles directly ahead, set for proximity detonation!” Jericho ordered. “Give me a thermonuclear wall!”

I turned my command key and allowed Naka to fire two missiles! Then Chihiro and I both drew our blast curtains. All of the other Battlemaster spaceplanes followed suit. Nearly three dozen nuclear warheads detonated a few dozen miles in front of us, blocking the enemy escorts from the EDF just long enough to get behind Astynome!

“Open fire!” Jericho yelled. “Concentrate all fire on the target!”

Eighteen spaceplanes, about ninety interceptors, and the Kakama all opened fire together! Mass driver rounds, laser beams, torpedoes, and nuclear missiles were all concentrated on Astynome’s lower right engine array! Within seconds, armor and muscle alike were breached! It was like we were drilling into the enemy’s interior!

“Ark Angel, this is Tryna.” Commodore Madoda’s voice called out across the radio. “We have your target and are ready to engage.”

“Do it!” Jericho screamed! “Do it now!”

“Affirmative. Commencing primary ignition now.” Madoda replied. “Surface delivery estimated in six minutes.”

“Wait a minute!” Axiom shouted from the crew area. “I thought the Tryna was at Mars!”

Chihiro swore.

“They’re gonna try and hit Astynome with a narrow beam from over forty million miles away!? Really!?”

“Worry about that later!” Tsubaki yelled. “We’ve got bandits on our six!”

“Everyone scatter!” Jericho yelled. “Stall ‘em for just a few minutes!”

One more time, the whole UN fleet broke formation and scattered as Astynome’s escort fleet re-contacted us. Naka and Zeil engaged the enemy with mass drivers, saving the nukes for bigger targets. We wiped out a whole formation of Plasma Bombers and a couple of Destroyers before Madoda’s voice came over the comm net again:

“Surface delivery in five… four… three…”

A beam of yellow light streaked out of the darkness and struck Astynome in the rear, drilling into the injury we had just inflicted on the Beast Mothership! Since Astynome’s armor was already gone, the destructive beam bored right into the center of the Mothership, inflicting terrible devastation upon its victim! Smoke and flames began to erupt from inside the enemy vessel!

“YEAH!” Chihiro and I both screamed!

“It’s not over yet!” Tsubaki called out.

The Ark Angel dove from above! The Beast escort fleet must have realized what was about to happen because they stopped fighting the rest of the UN ships, all concentrating their fire on that one single spaceplane!

“Give Jericho some cover fire!” I yelled.

All of our remaining ships poured their final volleys into the enemy while their back was still turned! Destroyers and battlecruisers lost power as they were shredded by armor-piercing rounds! Fighters and corvettes were vaporized by nuclear blasts, and all the while, the Ark Angel continued to scream towards the Beast Mothership, Psionic energy radiating out of her with such intensity that the entire ship seemed to be glowing! The Ark Angel pulled up and flew level along Astynome’s hull and then…

A lightning storm erupted!

It’s the only way to describe what I saw. Dozens, then hundreds of jagged bolts of light shot down from the Angel and started to violently rake Astynome’s flesh and hull! The light of it was so intense that I instinctively reached up for my blast curtain! The Beast Mothership released one final volley of weapons fire at the Ark Angel before all movement ceased. As the Ark Angel fled the scene, the Beast Mothership simply drifted onward, inert, nonresponsive, and unmistakably dead.

But there was no time to celebrate. No time to even acknowledge what had just happened. The Templar-controlled Beast fleet was still active, and they were still laying fire into our forces. Mira’s voice sounded over the radio:

“Ark Angel, are you seeing this!? “The Trinity is moving!”

The superweapon had fired up its sublight engines and was moving as though it was going to break orbit with the Moon!

“What’s going on?” Lee Chong-Il called from his ship. “Why would they move!?”

“Ignore it!” Jericho called to us from the Ark Angel. “We need to retake the Trinity right now! All Battlemasters, follow me! We’re making a run for that hangar bay! Carter, can you and those Hunters give us some cover?”

“I’d be delighted!” Wendy responded before pulling her own part of the fleet away from us.

“Kakama, stay close!” Jericho ordered. “We’re going in!”

Chihiro and I both throttled the engines and pushed the Niagara to keep up. The Beast fleet made one last effort to stop us from streaking towards the Trinity’s hangar bay, but Wendy’s Hunters, plus our own mass driver fire, kept them at bay just long enough for us to reach our target.

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 4:23am
Nagasaki Airport, Kyushu Island, Japan


The mission was so important that no one else was qualified to run it. Commander Bradford gripped an Alloy Cannon tightly in his palms as the helicopter neared the ruins of XCOM Headquarters. Sitting beside him was Chief Engineer Lily Shen as well as her android companion, Julian. All three of them were armed with advanced weapons and armor. Behind them, Morian Vahlen and Richard Tygan were giving a final briefing to the team of XCOM engineers and scientists.

“We’ve put together far more advanced devices in a much shorter span of time.” Tygan was saying. “I have full faith and confidence in the capabilities of you all.”

The small fleet of helicopters arrived. The first one deposited a group of soldiers. Isis Dekker, Matthew Hawkins, Soylent Green, Sophie Ackermann, Sophia Kuznetsova, Kathleen Walsh, and Hal Macintosh all secured the wreckage of the Avenger before waving the other helicopters in for a landing.

While Bradford and his team disembarked, a team of EXALT operatives emerged from a third chopper. Japanese Prime Minister Ryo Nakagawa was also dressed in combat fatigues, and had a plasma assault rifle strapped across his back. Jane Kelly, the Director of the Reclamation Agency, followed him. She too was kitted out for battle.

“I’ve got good news and bad news.” Jane addressed the group. “My people found Volk. We’re moving on him now, but it also looks like our secret’s out. The Reapers are massing a force in Omura. They’re gonna try and stop us from using the Gate.”

Ryo looked at his former enemy and said:

“Bradford, my men will engage the Reapers and buy you as much time as you need. Keep your team on task, get up there and win this thing!”

Commander Bradford clasped Ryo’s hand in a firm grip.

“Don’t die out there, Nakagawa.” The Commander said. “Cause when this is over, I’m buying you a drink.”

“I’ll take some of that whiskey Soylent’s been making.” Ryo grinned. “Let’s get to work.”

Meanwhile, Tygan, Vahlen, Shen, and their team had gotten to work salvaging the Psi Gate from the rubble. Doing their best to ignore the sounds of gunfire coming from the far shore, Doctor Vahlen finally got her first look at the device that had enabled Humanity’s victory over the Elders.

“What fascinating technology!” Vahlen gushed. “This appears to be an aberration of the Venn Gate design the aliens used in the 1962 War.”

“I agree.” Tygan said, equally fascinated. “The Elders must have used Psionic energy to cover for the Venn Gate’s shortcomings, allowing them to manipulate spacetime more efficiently.”

While they talked, Lily and Julian were struck by an idea.

“Hold on a moment,” The android said. “These Gates are manipulating spacetime? Where have we seen that before?”

Lily had the same thought.

“Give me a side-by-side image of Akira’s Time Core and a functional Psionic Gate.” Lily said.

The small holographic projector in Julian’s face lit up, and two images hung in the air in front of the Chief Engineer. One was a detailed scan of the Time Core, taken when it had been removed from Akira’s ship, and the other was a copy of Tygan’s plans to install the Psi Gate on the Avenger. While Lily studied the images, she overheard Vahlen say:

“My predecessor, Doctor Alan Weir, wrote several papers about spacetime manipulation after the ’62 War. He theorized that this was possible over fifty years ago!”

Julian seemed to know exactly what Lily was going to ask. He had drawn the answer from his own database before Lily’s mouth could open.

“The vast majority of Doctor Alan Weir’s work was classified and buried as part of XCOM’s attempt to cover up the 1962 War.” The android said. “However, a select few of his papers were declassified and made available to the public during the Administration of US President Joshua Dennis Robinson.”

Lily swore.

“You know, I always wondered where Akira got the know-how to build a time machine. I guess we can blame Doctor Weir for that. Keep those files open, Julian. We need to get started on this Psi Gate.”

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 4:55am

Escape Trajectory from Earth’s Moon, Sol System, Galactic Front Line



“This is gonna be a hard landing!” I yelled to my crew! “Everyone brace!”

The hangar bay inside of the Trinity was too small for a one-hundred-forty-ton spaceplane to carry out an actual landing. On a good day, the Niagara needed to have at least two kilometers’ worth of runway for the landing gear and brakes to do their jobs. Trinity’s hangar bay didn’t have that.

So we did a belly landing.

Hitting the metal floor, hard, the Niagara sent a shower of sparks into the air behind her before coming to a rest. A dozen other spaceplanes did the same before the Kakama executed a pinpoint landing with her VTOL engines.

The Niagara’s boarding ramp was blocked, (owing to having landed on her belly) so our only way out was an emergency exit in the tail. We all made our way to the rear. On the way we raised our arms in salute as we passed the body of Elliot Lansing, then grabbed our weapons from the locker. Chihiro chose to forgo a longarm completely. She would only use her Shadowkeeper. I grabbed the Arashi (the same shotgun Mira had used during her days as the Chosen Assassin) and an Arc Blade. Naka, Zeil, and Tsubaki all armed themselves with Laser SMG’s while Axiom preferred a shotgun. Before leaving, I decided to play it safe and also grabbed a combat explosive: an antipersonnel mine. Considering we would be fighting on a cramped spacecraft, I was sure I could find a use for this thing.

“Don’t forget to grab a Mindshield!” I said, taking one for myself.

“Yeah, they won’t protect you from the nasty stuff like Soulfire, but it’ll save you from Mind Control!” Chihiro added.

All of the surviving crews and soldiers gathered together in the center of the hangar bay. Jericho was waiting for us, armed with a Psionic Reaper. Standing in between Jericho and Mira, the former Templar Violet looked a little out of place. She was the only person not carrying a weapon. Odette Fournier, Isidoro Moreno, Shaojie Zhang, and several other XCOM veterans I knew well were here. Adding in the crew of the Kakama, and the total size of our impromptu boarding party numbered somewhere above two hundred people. Jericho and Mira called for quiet.

“Okay, everyone. This it. Our last stand, the final push.” Jericho addressed the group. “There are three Psionic Gates within striking distance from here. We only need to capture one. I want everybody to split into three teams; then move out at the same time. Our strikes have to be simultaneous, otherwise the Templars might wise up.”

“Keep in mind, you’re dealing with a Psionic enemy.” Mira added. “Guard your own minds, but remember to keep a watchful eye on your allies. Your attentiveness may save their lives as well as your own!”

Jericho pointed at me.

“Blake, I want your team to come with me.” She said. “We’re going to secure the Control Room and the Time Core.”

Chihiro and Odette instinctively stepped forward to join me. Behind us, other commanders and leaders started breaking the troops up into three strike teams. Jericho bit her lip.

“Oh, man. Your squad’s gotten small recently, huh?”

“Not a problem.” I said. I started pointing into the crowd and addressing people. “Hey! You three, plus you and you. And all of you guys! Come here!”

Axiom, Naka, Zeil, Song, and Chong-Il all separated from the main group and approached us. Manako Ranginui, Kailani Kalili, Elsina, Sarah Harris, Temirzhan, and Kanti Divakar broke away from the Kakama’s crew to join us.

“My crew has their orders.” Manako told us. “They’ll support your forces in the initial assault, then guard the ships and Psi Gates, to make sure we have a way out of here if we need it.”

“Team Takea’s ready to help you Jericho.” Kailani said. “Wherever you need us.”

“Good.” I said. “That’s exactly what we needed to hear.”

I walked from one person the next and tapped them on the shoulder with my hand. Naka hissed and asked what was going on. Kanti had read my mind and gave me a knowing smile. At the last second, I said to myself “why not” and also tapped Mira’s shoulder.

“Congratulations.” I said to the group. “From now on, you’re all Stormbreakers.”

Zeil and Axiom both looked happy with themselves. Naka shrugged, not knowing the significance of the title “Stormbreaker,” while Song and Chong-Il gave one another a high-five, overjoyed at having finally made the team. Elsina purred, and I’m pretty sure Kailani was about to cry.

“Alright.” I said. “I think we’re ready to end this war. Do you want us to hit the Time Core or the Control Room first?”

“Mira’s going for the Time Core. You’re staying with me.” Jericho said right away. “I’m going to take Kanti and Violet to the Control Room. Duane should be there with the Eater of Worlds and Composer of Strands already. Akira might be with him, but there’s also a decent chance she’s down by the Time Core. Either way, we’re in for the fight of our lives.”

Jericho stepped forward and got the attention of the three strike teams.

“This is going to be our last push, everyone. Don’t hold anything back, use everything you’ve got! Remember we’re fighting to save the whole Galaxy today. Capture those Psionic Gates! Just give me a few moments of total control of this weapon, whatever the cost, and I’ll do the rest. We end this today!”

Three teams of heavily armed invaders moved to their starting positions, planting breaching charges on sealed doorways and readying weapons. As the new Stormbreakers fell in line behind Jericho, she used telekinesis to blast open the doorway before throwing a Vortex Grenade through the breach! An explosion of Psionic energy was accompanied by screams of people on the other side! Moving as one, we surged forward!

“Stormbreakers!” I yelled. “One last time! MOVE IN! TAKE GROUND, AND FIRE AT WILL!!”

<== Previous Chapter (Eye of the Storm)

Next Chapter (Time Trap) ==>​

 

[Macavity116]

Why does living with a cat guarantee mental stability?

Its a reference to some lore from XCOM Chimera Squad. Formerly hostile aliens are not allowed to re-enter Earth society until they can prove their ability to coexist with a cat. (Demonstrate traits like empathy, altruism, etc) It is not possible for Sectoids to complete this task, cats have a universal aversion to that species.

Well, Psionics seems to be at an existential risk. Why don't our protagonists end them?

At the moment, totally draining the Shroud and erasing the Gift is a bit of a last resort option for Jericho.

Wait, Queen Nomsa (what's her royal name going to be?) can copy powers? That'll be useful - especially if she can copy Duane or Akira's.

The Book of the Forgotten was on Partoga and is presumed lost. (along with the rest of the planet) Nomsa failed to chose a regnal name an will be known as Queen Nomsa going forward.

 

[HistoryDude]

Wait, Partoga’s lost? That’s not good.

Jericho has some nice rallying speeches in this chapter.

So that’s how Akira knew how to create the time core.

The end approaches...

This Templar-Reaper alliance seems threatening...

 

[Macavity116]

Wait, Partoga’s lost? That’s not good.

Partoga is presumed to have fallen since no one's heard from there in several months. Not since Agamemnon and the End of the Cycle came to visit.

This Templar-Reaper alliance seems threatening...

Definitely. I intened this group to be the forerunners of The Progeny, an enemy faction that appears in XCOM: Chimera Squad.

The new XCOM game takes place 4 years after the War in Heaven, so making reference to it in this story has been rather challenging.

 

[Macavity116]

For the final time, let me welcome you to the second-to-last chapter of my story.

<== Previous Chapter (Our Last Stand)

Next Chapter (Apotheosis) ==>​

Chapter Forty-Six
Time Trap

​

The War in Heaven, pictured just before the very height of the action.

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 4:44am
Deep space, on Escape Trajectory from Earth’s Moon, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


The Tantomile emerged onto a scene of chaos!

As soon as the allied warships had rematerialized, they came under attack! The Templar-controlled Beast fleet refocused their efforts onto what had been deemed the bigger threat. All around the Partogan flagship, Quantum Wavefronts collapsed as ships were attacked before they could fully exit Hyperspace. On the bridge, Queen Nomsa struggled to re-establish a Psionic shield around her fleet. There was a painful twinge in the back of her head, and it meant nothing good.

“Starting to get exhausted!” Nomsa declared. “We aren’t going to have Psionic protection much longer! What’s the status of the Trinity!?”

Dolim scanned the nearby superweapon and reported back.

“The Trinity is still under enemy control!” Dolim informed her. “However, I do see transponder signals from UN ships in the hangar bay, I’m also detecting small arms and light weapons fire from inside the ship. The Human boarding party is still aboard!”

“Understood.” Nomsa replied. “What about the Trinity itself? Where is it going?”

Adil and Arzhang took a moment to examine the sensor data.

“The Trinity is entering a highly elliptical orbit above the Earth.” Arzhang said. “It is also aiming its primary weapon towards Mars! They’re lining up for a shot on the Tryna!”

Nomsa swore, then broadcasted her voice to the armada!

“Fleet! Full speed ahead! We have to block the Trinity! We can’t let them get a shot off!”

“What about the Beast!?” A Scyldari fleet commander replied. “Agamemnon’s going to come up behind us at any moment!”

“We’ll climb that mountain when we get to it!” Nomsa answered. “Block the Trinity!”

Then the Queen rounded on Adil.

“You think they’re going to use that time weapon again, Captain?”

“I’ll bet on it.” Adil responded. “They’ll use a time field to immobilize the target, then strike.”

Nomsa decided that it was now or never. She reached out with one paw and channeled the very last of her own Psionic energy into one last move! Copying Jericho’s ability to regenerate Psi-energy, Nomsa siphoned energy out of every person aboard the Tantomile before channeling it all into a single region of space! A gigantic semitransparent orb appeared around the Trinity! The telekinetic shield shimmered and glowed as it enveloped the entire superweapon!

“Adil, keep track of the Humans!” Nomsa ordered. “If they don’t take control of the weapon before my shield breaks, you fire on that weapon with everything you’ve got, understood?”

A shocked silence fell over the bridge.

“Your Majesty!” Dolim gasped. “What about Jericho?”

“It’s her orders.” Nomsa replied. “And now it’s mine too. If we can’t recapture the Trinity, we turn it to dust. Am I clear?”

Adil and Dolim both nodded. Arzhang pointed to the sensors manager and said:

“Here they come!”

Just as the last allied warships arrived, Beast ships began to emerge from Hyperspace! The allied fleets were too busy fighting the Templar-controlled Beast ships, so there was almost nothing to be done now! In two great flashes of light, Agamemnon and the End of the Cycle seemed to explode forth from their Quantum Wavefronts!

The true scale of the Fathership of the Beast was made apparent as soon as it arrived. Agamemnon had emerged from Hyperspace so close to the battle that its nose and bow section collided with the Moon! Lunar regolith exploded upwards as the entire barren world shook and thundered from the force of the impact!

To make matters worse, the Beast ships already at the Moon were starting to rally. Astynome was dead, meaning that the Templar’s control over the Beast fleet had been broken. Hundreds of thousands of infected warships once again came under the direct control of Agamemnon, restoring the Beast fleet to its full size and leaving the allied fleets surrounded on all sides by the enemy!

Seizing the advantage, the Beast fleet and the End of the Cycle began to attack with ruthless intensity! The angry, swirling mass of Psionic energy lashed out with vicious bolts of white and blue light! Each strike was instantly lethal! Allied ships were blown apart five or six at a time by the End of the Cycle while the rest of the Beast armada descended upon the scene like a pack of wolves!

“Controls locked up! Crew dying!” A voice pierced through the chaotic noise of the com net!

Several hundred allied warships fell out of formation before turning around and firing their weapons into their own comrades! For a moment, confusion and panic enveloped the allied lines as friends attacked ally and enemy alike!

“How are we getting infected!?” Adil shouted. “I thought the vaccine was working!”

The UNS Tigermoth and a flotilla of UN interceptors descended upon the now-infected Blorg vessel. Wendy Carter’s voice provided the answer:

“The vaccine’s no good against Astynome’s version of the virus!” She reported. “Engage the Templar fleet at maximum range!”

“Better yet, let’s try this!” Nomsa made a call: “Tantomile calling Tryna! Prepare to open fire on the following targets!”

At once, the voice of Nomsa’s father came back over the Hyperwave.

“Just give the word, Your Majesty!”

From its safe haven above Mars, the Partogan superweapon began to fire intense volleys from its main cannon! Moving at the speed of light, it took just four minutes for each beam of destructive energy to reach Earth’s Moon and meet its target! Beast super-capitol ships were torn asunder one at a time as a weapon that was designed to destroy entire planets tore through their shields and armor alike!

But against a host of this size, such action was like a single blade of grass standing defiantly against an oncoming tornado. More and more Beast ships emerged from Hyperspace to replace the vessels that had been lost! The enemy reserves were seemingly infinite! After the first few salvos, the Beast had pinpointed the location of the Tryna, and nearly a dozen carrier strike groups were dispatched to silence Partoga’s last Planet-Killer.

Realizing the situation was about to become hopeless, Commodore Madoda made one last Hyperwave call:

“Tantomile, this is Tryna. Our secret’s out, the enemy is coming for us!”

Queen Nomsa’s reply was immediate.

“Standby, we’ll send a strike group to cover for you!”

“Negative!” Madoda responded. “We’ll keep the enemy occupied here, prepare to receive targeting data from us!”

Momentarily forgetting herself and her station, Queen Nomsa tried to overrule Madoda!

“No! I’m not going to lose you!”

“You’ll be alright.” Madoda said. “It’s a father’s duty to protect his cubs. I’ll do what I must, daughter, so that you can do your own duty.”

Madoda ordered his tactical officer to transmit all of their sensor and targeting data to the Tantomile.

“Happy hunting, daughter.”

Some fifty infected carriers with over ten-thousand escort ships emerged from Hyperspace above Mars and descended upon the Tryna!

The skies above the Moon began to fill with wreckage as the allied armada was assailed from two sides! Battlecruisers and Dreadnaughts were completely overwhelmed as veritable clouds of enemy frigates rained fire down on them! Swarms of enemy fighters were so dense that it was impossible to see through to the other side! Lunar dust kicked up by the battle had shrouded the entire area in a thick screen that obscured all vision! The entire battle was now taking place inside of a roiling grey and white storm cloud that lit up like some sick fireworks display!

In the midst of it all, the Tantomile’s bridge was overrun with calls for help and reinforcements! The allied fleet was overwhelmed and on the breaking point! There were so many hostile ships in the area that targeting computers were starting to malfunction! Adil had to help the weapons controllers input firing solutions by hand, and in the midst of it all, Queen Nomsa suddenly felt a powerful sense of torpor overrun her entire body! Panting and gasping, the young lioness didn’t need anyone to tell her what had just happened.

Her powers were exhausted.

The Trinity was suddenly back in the fight as Nomsa’s telekinetic shield broke! At once, the superweapon turned against both the allied and Beast fleets! A shimmering energy wave erupted from the Trinity! Both Agamemnon and the End of the Cycle retaliated with powerful Psionic attacks! The rolling wave of energy washed over the Tantomile and most of her surrounding escorts! At once, several ships on both sides came apart at the seams, breaking apart and blowing away!

On the bridge, Nomsa and the entire crew were wracked by brutal pain! It was so bad that everybody stopped what they were doing to react! Nomsa fell over and tumbled off the dais! She roared and snapped her jaws, unable to tell what was causing every inch of her body to feel like it had just been tied in a knot! Around her, metal rusted and plastic corroded as though the entire ship was growing old at high speed! By the time Nomsa stood up again, she was no longer on the pristine, spotless bridge of a relatively new warship. Instead, the bridge of the Tantomile now resembled the command deck of a century-old hunk of junk.

“What the hell just happened!?” Nomsa yelled.

“Running analysis on blast effect now!” Dolim replied from his dilapidated engineering station. “It was a high energy distortion of spacetime. Everything in the effected zone seems to have aged.”

“Aged?” Nomsa repeated.

She tried to stand upright, but for some reason, all of Nomsa’s clothes were now extremely tight and constrictive. As she struggled and moaned with discomfort, Dolim, Adil, and Arzhang all looked around and saw confirmation of Dolim’s statement. Lights burned out from old age and the ship creaked and groaned around them as though it may fall apart at any moment!

“Yeah…” Adil said. “Aged.”

Nomsa, previously an adolescent lion, was now fully grown and had reached her adult size. She had to tear her military uniform with her claws to be able to breathe. Along with everybody else on the bridge, Dolim, Adil, and Arzhang had grown older as well. Adil’s hair had turned grey, while Arzhang was starting to molt his feathers all over the floor. Dolim’s tail (which had been lost during the Battle of Barnard’s Star) was suddenly halfway through growing back, something he found extremely uncomfortable.

“Time fields.” Adil said. “The Templars are using time fields to age our ships and crews to death! Jericho needs to recapture the Trinity quickly, before we get hit by another one of those waves!”

“On the contrary!” Nomsa cut in. “We can’t afford to wait anymore! All ships, target-lock the Trinity and prepare to fire on my command!”

Dolim, Arzhang, and Adil all tried to argue, but Nomsa shut them down!

“Jericho’s out of time! This is what she wanted! We can’t let Akira keep control of the Trinity! If we try to fight a battle on two fronts, we’ll all end up dead!”

The Tantomile turned hard, and several of her escort ships did the same. Shrugging off Ion beams and missile barrages, the Partogan Flagship aimed all of her weapons at the Psionic superweapon! Vaygr, Kel-Azan, Blog, and Micore warships all did the same as Nomsa prepared to give the lethal order! At that exact moment, a voice crackled over the Hyperwave Network!

“Attention Triple Alliance fleet command. This is Priya Pactu-Re of the Kiith S’Jet warship Kapisi! May we provide assistance?”

Then… More voices!

“This is the Command Ship Perseverance of the Kelta National Guard! We are on combat stations and ready to lend a hand!”

“This is Fleet 15 of the Hiigaran Empire. Show us where we can help!”

“Aoraki Defense Fleet calling Commonwealth Star Command. We’ve brought reinforcements from Assuria and Micanawn!”

“Tantomile, this is Triple Alliance Flagship Mahuika. Keep this Hyperspace Gate open! We’ve got reinforcements coming in from all across the Galaxy!”

​

The combined military forces of the entire Galaxy converges on the Sol System in a massive wave of reinforcements.

Guns blazing, engines roaring, the Tantomile punched her way through the enemy fleet and gave Nomsa a good view of what was coming up from below! The same Hyperspace Gate the Mahuika left behind on her departure had come to life, and now a seemingly unending stream of warships was starting to pour out of it! A moment later, the Mahuika herself emerged from Hyperspace! The Triple Alliance flagship transmitted one more message to Nomsa:

“Be advised, your Majesty, the Mahuika is now a Far-Jumper! You keep fighting, and we’ll keep bringing in reinforcements! There’s a whole Galaxy out there itching to join the fight!”

In the blink of an eye, the Mahuika vanished into Hyperspace!

…

The Same Moment
High orbit above The Heartland, United States of Assuria


Approximately one hundred-thousand light-years away, clear across the other side of the Galaxy, the Mahuika re-materialized above the Assurian capitol at the exact same moment she had departed Earth. Kendra and Eteka were awed at the sight of tens of thousands of starships assembling here, weapons powered up, armor polarized, and ready to join the battle.

“I thought the Assurian Navy was destroyed.” Admiral Enoka gasped. “Where’d all these ships come from?”

“This is no navy.” Kendra replied. “It’s just people. People who want to save their families and friends. Let’s give’em a chance to do that.”

…

Minutes later
Elliptical Orbit above Earth, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


The Mahuika returned to Earth’s Moon, pulling along a huge armada behind it! While the massive surge of new allies joined the fray, the Triple Alliance flagship jumped away again! But this time, a Kelt Mothership also jumped away. They had been given one of the three Hyperspace Cores, and the same mission as the Mahuika.

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 5:09am
Ruins of XCOM Headquarters (2015-era), Manhattan, Kansas
(Local time: Wednesday, September 10, 2036 – 3:09pm)


The rolling plains of Kansas are normally a quiet place. Especially so ever since the ADVENT Coalition had bulldozed the nearby city of Manhattan, leaving this region nearly devoid of Human life. That meant this was a good place to hide, but it also meant that there would be nowhere to run once one had been found.

And for Konstantine Volikov, that truth would be his downfall today. UN Army forces surrounded the new Reaper base and then attacked with a vengeance and fury unlike anything seen before! While some soldiers gave chase, pursuing Volk and his Reapers into the ruins of XCOM HQ, others laid siege to the nearby radio tower, cutting Volk off from Reaper forces all over the world!

A mixed force of Humans and aliens followed a squad of Reclamation Agents into the breach. The men and women of Chimera Squad had only a few short hours to rest before being plunged into this mission. Cherub led the way, keeping his energy shield raised.

The tunnels and chambers of XCOM’s underground base were partially collapsed and generally in bad shape. Reapers had done their best to set up ambushes and traps, but these pitfalls were mostly geared towards aliens, and were easily circumvented or disabled by their Human adversaries.

Through the old MEC Bay, through Mission Control and across the old Hologlobe projectors, down the elevator shaft and past Vahlen’s old lab, Chimera Squad led the assault! Leaving a trail of dead and dying Reapers in their wake, Terminal and Blueblood took point, guiding their allies into what remained of the Gollop Chamber, where Volk made his final stand.

​

The Gollop Chamber, pictured in 2015 shortly before the fall of XCOM HQ. This facility is where Doctor Vahlen studied the Ethereal Device. Unfortunately, before XCOM could put the device to use, HQ fell to the aliens and Earth surrendered shortly afterward.

The Gollop Chamber was just the way it had been left after this facility fell to the aliens over twenty years ago, in a general state of ruin. Long since damaged beyond repair, the Ethereal Device now only served as cover for Volk. The Reaper leader fired a few desperate pot-shots at Godmother before she turned her shotgun against him!

The remains of the Ethereal Device shattered against the blow and Volk collapsed to the ground, blood spurting from a wound in his arm. Godmother, Terminal, Blueblood, and the Sectoid known as Verge stood over their fallen foe while UN Army soldiers continued to secure the room.

“Go on, then!” Volk spat blood and cradled his injured arm. “Finish it!”

Terminal pulled a small electronic device from her pocket and attached a small microphone to it.

“First, I’m gonna need you to call off all your buddies.” Terminal said, pointing the microphone at Volk. “Tell your Reapers to stand down.”

“Like hell I’m gonna do that!” Volk shouted. “I’m not going to help you betray our species and sell our planet to aliens!”

Terminal’s voice, while sarcastic, dripped with malicious intent:

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I gave you the impression that you had a choice! That’s my bad. Verge? Ol’ buddy, ol’ pal? Wanna help me out?”

Terminal knelt down and seized Volk by the shoulders, forcing him to hold still while Verge did his work.

…

All across the world, Reapers paused as their leader’s voice spoke through their radios. They reacted to Volk’s final orders in a wide range of ways. Some naturally refused to believe it was him, and went down in a blaze of glory at the hands of UN soldiers. Others were confused. Unsure of what to do next, these Reapers were found and captured before they could figure out a new plan. But the vast majority of Reaper forces obeyed the final command of their leader:

They laid down their arms and surrendered. The battle on Earth was over.

All across the planet, UN Army soldiers, XCOM operatives, Reclamation Agents, and Volunteer Defense fighters began to converge on their nearest Psionic Gate. It was time for the next phase of the mission…

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 5:01am
Deep space, on Impact Trajectory with Earth, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


“Blackout!”

For the second time since the fight had begun, all Psionics abruptly failed us! In any other circumstance, I would have feared and dreaded Psionic Blackouts. Jericho, Mira, Manako, Kanti, and Chihiro were all left completely powerless and vulnerable during these moments… but as it turned out… the same went for our enemies!

The vast majority of the hostiles who now controlled the Trinity were Templars or members of the Progeny. As yet another blackout rolled across the ship, Templars reacted to the loss of their powers with panic and disorientation. And that was when we struck!

Axiom, Naka, and Elsina were in their element! Being a Viper, Naka could crawl through air ducts and narrow passageways none of us could ever hope to fit through. She caused panic amongst the enemy by spitting venom and then using her own serpentine body to constrict and crush her enemies to death.

Axiom skipped all of those steps and went straight to “crush.” Every time he rounded a corner, Reapers, Progeny, and Templars alike would lose their nerve! Roaring so loudly that the lights flickered and my ears throbbed, Axiom smashed his way through anything and everything! No cover could stand before his fists, and his thick hide allowed him to shrug off most of the Reaper’s gunfire!

Elsina followed Axiom’s lead, closing with and killing her enemies at melee range! Claws and teeth slashed and tore away at blacked out Templars! Before too long, the number of hostiles we found in each corridor and chamber started to go down. The enemy’s morale was cracking!

Unfortunately for us, the Trinity was huge! After about an hour of fighting and pushing forward, we had only travelled about two miles into the ship’s interior. That was when we found our lucky break.

“Look!” Soo Song pointed towards an elevated platform in an engineering section.

It was an Ascension Chamber!

Manako Ranginui and I agreed to make use of the teleportation device. Jericho volunteered to go first, but Mira overruled her. Instead, we all took a minute to check our weapons and ammo, buying a few seconds for the Blackout to end. Then Jericho and Mira confirmed that their powers were back. Kanti stepped onto the platform and beckoned us to do the same.

“On my go.” Kanti said. “One, two, three, go!”

“Here we go again!” Chihiro sounded a little too excited.

I remembered the last time I’d gone through one of these teleporters, and even though I was expecting the unpleasant sensations, I still wasn’t ready for them! It was like all of reality suddenly went to pieces! The floor fell out from under us and we all tumbled through an endless pit of light and sound! The spinning vortex overpowered all of my senses and I jammed my eyes shut until it was over!

I didn’t have time to get my bearings. The second I rematerialized; I was in a fight! Gunfire and Psionic energy snapped and crackled all around us!

“COVER!” I yelled.

Chihiro and I scrambled away from the platform as the rest of the team started to appear! Kanti spread her wings and took flight! Elsina, Axiom, and Naka charged headlong into the fray! Lee Chong-Il pointed towards an object on my left and yelled:

“Psi Gate! Over there!”

We had found a Psionic Gate! It was tucked away in the back of what was clearly some kind of armory, and it was being defended by a dozen Templars and Progeny, under the direct leadership of Geist himself!

“Ranginui!” I barked. “You get the Psi Gate under control! Everyone else, gun down my target!”

I pointed the Arashi over the fallen weapons locker I was using for cover and sent a Gauss slug flying towards Geist! He deflected the round easily, and then I lost sight of him as a chaotic close-quarters battle erupted! Soulfire and Psi Lances filled the air! Kanti alighted on top of another locker and started blasting the enemy with telekinesis! Jericho pulled the pin on a Vortex Grenade and tossed it towards a group of Templars, who were all sucked into the Void Rift it spawned a moment later!

“You’re on the wrong side, Jericho!” Geist shouted above the din of battle. “Don’t you see what Duane is doing? I thought you wanted to save Humanity!”

“Not this way!” Jericho retorted. “I won’t betray my friends or abuse my Gift!”

“Abuse!?” Geist pushed Zeil away from him with a telekinetic pulse. “You forget the nature of the Gift, Jericho! It is the power of the Earth, the spirit of Humanity! It exists for our use, and ours alone! It’s what sets our species above all others!”

“God, you’re no better than the Elders!” Soo shouted. “Can somebody shut him up, please!?”

The last remaining Templars regrouped around Geist, Shard Blades ignited and ready. Just when it seemed the fight would restart in earnest, Geist yelled:

“Wait!”

Geist had seen the one unarmed combatant who had been following my team closely. He stepped in front of his men as Violet came forward. The red-haired ex-Templar stopped just between myself and Chihiro, unwilling to get closer to her former leader.

“Come back to us.” Geist said to Violet. “You’ve heard our calling. You can help us build the new world, as perfect as we could ever hope it to be.”

“No.” Violet’s tone was cold. Geist lowered his hand.

“You say the Gift is Humanity’s greatest treasure, yet it’s not shared by all Humans. This girl…” Violet pointed at Chihiro and myself. “Had her powers induced. He only enjoys the Gift at her leisure. There’s nothing great or wonderful about that, Geist. You want to build a perfect new world? I do too. I want a world where every Human being is born with the Gift.”

Geist’s expression faltered.

“You know that could never be, girl.” Geist said. “The rarity of the Gift is what makes it so special. How would we find great rulers and warriors if all were equal? Human society would stagnate. Now, put those thoughts from your mind, Violet… and come back to us.”

Geist was no longer asking for Violet’s return. He was commanding it. I could feel Psionic energy starting to ripple out of the Templar leader towards Violet! Before any of us could respond, Violet reacted! Chihiro’s Shadowkeeper jumped out of her hand and into Violet’s! A telekinetic pulse rocketed forward from Violet’s body and struck Geist, knocking him off balance! Then she raised the pistol and fired once!

Geist’s armor splintered, sending blood and shrapnel flying! He stumbled backwards and fell through the Psionic Gate, causing Manako to jump away from it in alarm! Gun and Soulfire erupted once more as the fight resumed! I had to grab Chihiro and push her down behind cover as one of the Templars tried to strike her! Above us, Violet dropped the Shadowkeeper next to Chihiro and resorted to fighting with her own powers!

A moment later, the Psionic Gate came to life! A Rift opened up in the crescent-shaped pillars and three people stepped out of it! Pushing Geist’s bullet-riddled body to the floor, Soylent Green yelled:

“The cavalry has arrived!”

Kathleen Walsh and Yutaka Yamamoto opened fire, striking the last hostile Templars from behind! It wasn’t a fair fight, but at least it was over quickly.

All but a few Templars were killed, while the remainder had been injured beyond the ability to fight. In groups of six at a time, XCOM soldiers began pouring through the Psi Gate to join us. Commander Bradford and Central Officer Smith followed Isis Dekker and Hal Macintosh into the armory.

“We were starting to worry, Robinson.” Bradford told me. “What’s the situation up here?”

While I brought Bradford up to speed on the boarding action, Jericho and Mira checked up on the soldiers on our side, healing those who had been hurt. After a few moments, Jericho came back and told me:

“Song’s dead.”

Soo Song had gone down in that final outburst of violence. As far as I could tell, a Templar had deflected one of our bullets, causing it to come back and strike her in the neck. Fortunately, Song had been the only fatality on our side.

“No time to mourn.” I said. “Somebody grab her gear. Violet, you might as well take her weapon. I need two people to stay back here and keep this Gate open. It’s going to be our way home if things go south.”

Two members of XCOM’s Delta Squad volunteered to be our rearguard. Meanwhile, even more reinforcements emerged from the Psi Gate, ready to join us in the final push. Central Officer Holly Smith, the former leader of the Stormbreakers, appeared wearing a suit of power armor, complete with advanced cybernetic hands. Commander Bradford, Lily Shen, and the android Julian also appeared, emerging via the Psi gate in Nagasaki. The team, now reinforced, proceeded back to the Ascension Chamber, back on the path towards the control room and the Time Core.

…

Over the past thirty years or so, the team known as the Stormbreakers has grown and shrunk. At our smallest, there were just four of us fighting in the streets of Hiroshima. But here, today… during the final push towards the Trinity’s control room and Time Core… this was the largest our team would ever be. Twenty-nine Humans and aliens fought their way as one towards our final goal!

Matthew Hawkins and Yutaka Yamamoto carried the heavy weapons, mowing down hostiles before us like a force never before seen! Being an android, Julian was immune to most Psionic attacks, allowing him to make short work of the Templars opposing us. Soylent Green, Hal Macintosh, and Kathleen Walsh fought together like a well-oiled machine, covering all angles and protecting the team from ambush. Odette Fournier, normally a loner, plied the flanks alongside Elsina and Kanti. Lee Chong-Il, Temirzhan, Sarah Harris, and Naka moved as one, watching each other’s backs all the way. Manako Ranginui, Kailani Kalili, and Axiom became our battering ram. They were the first ones in each room, fighting with a kind of fury and force that I feared might tear the entire ship apart! Sophie Ackermann and Sophia Kuznetsova never lost sight of one another, frequently calling out to each other to see if the other was still okay, and racing to aid the other at the slightest hint of danger.

Commander Bradford and Chief Engineer Shen were a dynamic duo, bringing both experience and raw power to the fight, blasting their enemies away with the latest technology XCOM had to deploy. Central Officer Holly Smith used the wrist-mounted laser weapons on her power armor to punch through enemy fortifications, clearing the way for everybody else. Violet fought with both her Gift and a rifle, sending enough firepower downrange that she could have been a squad all by herself! Isis Dekker, Mira Mihaka, and Jericho moved as a trio. The two Psionic fighters unleashed powerful attacks while Isis and her drone gave them crucial support. Tsubaki Endo, Chihiro Tachibana, and I made up another trio. We dashed from one group the next, offering fire support wherever they needed it!

Before us, the enemy seemed to just melt away. The Progeny’s morale broke entirely and they fled on sight! Reapers offered only the briefest of resistance before attempting to escape, and any Templar who tried to stand up to us for more than a minute had their life cut short! Meanwhile, AFUNE and the rest of Earth’s soldiers had been turned loose on the rest of the ship! One by one, Psionic Gates fell, causing the flow of friendly reinforcements to intensify! Second by second, the Trinity was falling under our control!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of fighting, we came upon a huge spherical chamber. It was mostly empty space, save for a huge hemispherical dome rising from the floor to fill half of the chamber.

“This is it.” Mira told us. “The rest of the ship was changed and modified during construction, but not this chamber, it’s too central. Everything else is built upon this section. It’s the core of the Trinity!”

Jericho pointed to the domed structure in the middle of the chamber.

“Command Room is through there.” She said. “The Time Core will be right underneath of it. Four entrances, all accessible via catwalks or elevators.”

“I can’t tell if anyone’s in there.” Chihiro said. “Normally, I could sense minds at this range.”

“The weapon must be online.” Mira said. “They’ve started to drain our powers.”

“If that’s the case…” Chihiro murmured.

She grabbed my hand and I felt a shock run up my arm. Once more, I felt the mental rush of being given access to the Gift. Chihiro smiled at me.

“This might be the last chance you ever get to use it.” She said.

“Then I won’t waste it.” I replied. “Let’s go, everyone.”

To our left, Kailani caught Kanti and said:

“Hey, it’s gonna get crazy in there, maybe you should let me go.”

Kanti was confused.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Manako and Elsina cut in:

“It’s a phrase we had when Reepi was on the team.” Elsina said. “You need to break your influence over Kailani. Let her go… let her go insane.”

“She’s a better fighter when she’s unhinged.” Manako added. “If any of us live through this, Kailani, we’ll bring you back, just like always.”

Kailani nodded at Kanti. Reluctantly, Kanti assented.

Last time I saw Kailani’s mental state shift, I hadn’t been sharing Chihiro’s Gift. Now, I could actually sense the moment when Kailani’s forced attraction to Kanti came to an end. Something within the young Partogan snapped like a twig… and she found it to be very… very… very funny.

I’m almost certain that Akira knew we were outside now. If Kailani’s sadistic pre-killing laughter hadn’t given us away, our encirclement of the control room sure did. Some of us were noisy, and others weren’t wearing Mindshields. But if none of that alerted the people inside, then they found out when I said loudly:

“On my go… three, two, one… BREACH!”

We all stormed into the control room at the same time! Forty Templars and ten Reapers were waiting for us inside! In the center of it all was Akira! She was wearing a pair of Celestial Gauntlets and had Shard Blades fully extended. Bodies started hitting the floor in the first two seconds! Gunfire echoed up to the ceiling and Void Rifts tore at bodies! I dropped a Reaper with the Arashi before using telekinesis to hold a Templar in place while Temirzhan and Sarah gunned him down!

The chaos of this last battle was so intense that it was nearly impossible to make out what was going on most of the time! I only saw bits and pieces of the major action as Chihiro and I traversed between targets and engaged new foes! But from what I did see, the fight grew progressively more and more one-sided as time went on.

Kanti and Naka made a killer team, literally. The peahen used telekinesis to lift a Templar into the air, where Naka could constrict him. Axiom smashed one Templar into the floor so hard that the ceiling cracked! Meanwhile, Kailani was laughing like a complete maniac. She shrugged off every telepathic blow the Templars sent her way, closing the distance and slashing at them with a serrated bayonet!

Matthew, Lily, and Julian stood back to back, firing heavy weapons as though they’d never get the chance to do so again! Lily blasted an incoming Templar with her Plasma Rifle, he stumbled sideways and into range of Julian’s big metal fist!

“Good kill, little brother!” Lily shouted.

“Father really outdid himself!” Julian declared. “If only he could see yo-”

Julian’s last words died in a shower of sparks! Two Reapers scrambled for cover as the Android collapsed, their rifles still smoking.

On the other side of the room, Jericho fought three Templars at once! Shard Blades flickered in the smoke-filled air, moving too fast for me to keep track of! In the chaos, one of the Templars got behind Jericho and raised his Celestial Gauntlets, ready to strike!

“Look out!”

Jericho was shoved out of the way at the last second before the Templar brought his blade slashing down! Blood sprayed from Yutaka Yamamoto’s neck and chest, but with his last breath, he raised his light machine gun and sprayed the Templar with nearly a hundred bullets!

A moment later, Naka went down! She was trying to constrict the last Reaper when a Templar ran to his comrade’s defense. Axiom, Temirzhan, and Elsina all tried to help, but by the time they arrived, it was too late. With one swing of his Shard Blades, the Templar decapitated Naka! Her head rolled off and her entire body collapsed, twitching! Axiom and Elsina descended upon the Templar with horrific violence in return. After that, Chihiro and I blasted our way through one last enemy and found ourselves face-to-face with Akira herself! The Paradox tried to back away, only to jump forward and scream with pain. Kailani had gotten behind her and had lashed out! I saw blood on the blade of Kailani’s serrated bayonet! Before Chihiro and I could react, Akira lunched forward and stabbed Kailani with one of her Shard Blades! Holding my wife and I back with a Telekinetic shield, Akira focused entirely on Kailani, who seemed unaware of the fact that she had just taken a mortal wound! Laughing all the way to the moment of death, Kailani continued slashing and hacking at Akira’s right arm with her blade, drawing blood and forcing Akira to withdraw her blade and retreat. Clutching her bloody and mangled arm, Akira retreated, taking shelter near the central alcove as the fight finally came to an end.

Forty Templars, ten Reapers, and four Stormbreakers were dead. The control room was looking like it had seen better days, and in the middle of it all, there was a fifth structure. A pillar of wire, circuit boards, hydraulics, and other unidentifiable tech rose from the floor and stretched all the way to the ceiling. Cables ran along the floor and connected the central core to the surrounding four obelisks. There was a niche carved into the central pillar, and seated inside of it in a specially designed reclining chair, was Duane Gardner. He was integrated into the ship’s core, with wires and cables sticking out of his head and neck. Akira Robinson was standing in front of him, blocking the entrance to the little enclave with a Psionic shield.

Before now, Akira always had a confident, self-assured demeanor; like everything was going her way and she knew it. But now, having witnessed the battle we had just fought, I could see that Akira’s expression was now one of shocked disbelief.

“How?” She gasped. “How are you all here?” What about the fight on Earth?”

“That fight’s over, ya gobshite.” Kathleen taunted. “All your Reaper lads are either in custody or buyin’ the farm. Earth is safe.”

Akira looked stunned.

“I… I… I don’t get it.” She said. “None of this is supposed to happen, I thought I fixed the timeline! I thought I got everything right!”

Mira scoffed.

“Oh, I think you got it right, Akira. Actually, I’ll say you did a better job than you realize.”

Akira looked up at Mira.

“Don’t you remember?” Mira said in a low, threatening tone. “Oh, so long ago… you said that you wanted to ‘change the outcome of this war.’ You said ‘What if the rest of the Stormbreakers survived?’ Well, now you know. You wanted the Stormbreakers to have a definitive victory instead of just narrowly surviving, right!? Well here we are, Akira, you’ve gotten your wish! The Stormbreakers have not only won, they’ve crushed their enemies! I guess the only difference is… the Stormbreakers didn’t defeat the Beast.”

Mira raised her weapon at the Paradox.

“They defeated you.”

Akira’s eyes flashed for the briefest moment before she and Mira attacked one another with Psionic energy! A shower of blue and white sparks exploded out from between them as I raised the Arashi and fired a single round at Akira! Dense purple smoke filled the chamber and obscured all of our vision! Panicked shouts and yells nearly raised the ceiling! Then the smoke cleared, and we could see what had just happened.

Duane Gardner was dead, and Akira was gone. The round I fired at Akira had sailed straight past her and struck Duane in the head. The Paradox herself was nowhere to be seen. Manako, however, quickly figured out what I had missed.

“She’s going for the Time Core!” Manako yelled and pointed at a hatch cover on the floor.

Odette and Hal quickly pulled it aside to reveal a ladder descending towards a lower level. Both soldiers pointed their weapons down the hole and opened fire, holding the triggers down until they were both out of ammunition!

Jericho grabbed Manako by the shoulder and pointed towards the integration assembly, where Duane’s body had gone limp.

“Get him out of there!” Jericho said, pointing at Duane’s body. “Blake, Mira, Chihiro, go after Akira!”

“Just the three of us!?” Chihiro protested.

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing!” Jericho said. “Manako, Kanti, Violet, stay here and help me integrate! Everyone else, fan out and lock down all possible escape routes! Make sure Akira can’t leave the Time Core chamber!”

The team started to scatter. Mira reached the ladder first and slid down to the bottom as quickly as she could.

“I’ll see you at the bottom, Trojan!”

I went next, sliding down the ladder after Mira, and Chihiro brought up the rear.

…

The Time Core chamber beneath us was far more cramped than the control room above. Even so, Chihiro, Mira and I found ourselves frighteningly alone when we landed in it. Machinery of all sorts could be found down here. Cables, wires, and pipes crisscrossed the ceiling and walls, while some mechanical humming sounded through the metal grate we were walking on. Before we set out, Mira, Chihiro and I all made sure we still had our Mindshields on. I was also carrying

“Mira, you helped build this thing,” I said. “Where’s the Time Core?”

“It’s supposed to be directly underneath the control system.” Mira responded. “Somewhere to our right.”

From the semidarkness, Akira’s voice echoed through the narrow halls:

“Oh, of course it’s you three!!”

Chihiro, Mira, and I all sensed the attack coming at the same time! We ducked as a telepathic force sailed directly over our heads! The wall next to us erupted! Sparks flew and a pipe ruptured, spraying hot gas everywhere! Chihiro lunged around the corner and fired her Shadowkeeper! The gunshot echoed painfully throughout the narrow halls and sparks flew from a computer screen!

“Check your fire!” I shouted! “We don’t wanna hit the Time Core!”

From the darkness, I heard the Paradox laugh.

“That’s got to be the only useful thing you’ve ever said, dad!” She said. “How the hell am I supposed to fix this mess of a timeline without the only thing in the universe that can bend time?”

“We’d prefer it if you stopped trying to fix our timeline!” Chihiro shouted!

Mira spun on her heels and deflected a Psi Volt into the floor! Akira vanished into the darkness once more. Chihiro made sure that she was still sharing her powers with me as all three of us resorted to the Gift to keep the Paradox at bay.

“I thought Mira already told you that I don’t care what other people think about what I’m doing!” Akira taunted us. “The future I’m going to make will be the best possible life for all of you. Why should you even care about what could have been when it’s just not good enough!?”

“Because you’re stealing our destinies from us!” Chihiro yelled. “Our free will, any control we have over our own lives!”

I rounded a corner and found a huge cylindrical object. The catwalk made a circle around it and the object itself had several boxes filled with words painted on the side. On closer inspection, I realized that the writing was in the Hiigaran language. I rapped my knuckles on the Time Core and said in a low voice:

“Contact with Tango Charlie.”

Mira and Chihiro heard my whisper and both tapped their knuckles against something metal in acknowledgement. The three of us fanned out in search of Akira, but I chose to stay close to the Time Core, walking around its perimeter and peering down any corridor that connected to it. Akira responded to Chihiro’s voice:

“Stealing destinies? You’re one to talk, mother! Tell me, what do you think Himawari’s going to say when she finds out you sold her ears to the Eater of Worlds? Cause it sounds to me like you took away some control in her life, too.”

“Wait, what!?” I said, caught off guard.

“Oh, you didn’t tell dad!?” Akira laughed. “Oh, man. Maybe I should back off and just let him kill you!”

From somewhere in the darkness, Chihiro called out.

“Blake! I didn’t know! None of us found out it was the Eater of Worlds until after we fought the Deep One!” Chihiro was pleading with me from the darkness! “Please, believe me! I never meant to hurt our daughter! I didn’t know!”

“Come on, mom.” Akira sneered from the shadows. “You always taught me that ignorance wasn’t an excuse.”

“It’s not an excuse,” I said, “But it is something I can forgive. I believe you, Chi. You know I always believe you!”

“So… damn… predictable.” Said a nearby voice.

Akira had found me.

I could just barely see her around the corner. Her right arm was raised, a swirling ball of Psionic energy held in her palm, just waiting for the mental command to launch. A clatter of feet behind me told me that Chihiro and Mira had arrived as well.

“With Duane dead, this Cycle’s a lost cause.” Akira said. “Jericho is going to try and use the Trinity to fight the Beast, but I’ve already disabled it, so she’s as good as dead.”

“Disabled!?” Chihiro repeated. “Wait a minute! The Trinity never malfunctioned at all! You sabotaged it!”

Akira scoffed as though she had expected this confirmation to be old news.

“Jericho isn’t supposed to use the Trinity to win this war.” Akira replied. “Cancelling the Trinity’s existence on the timeline causes too many problems, so I used to just come down here and snip a few wires… that was… until I realized Duane makes a better pilot for the Trinity than Jericho. And then you screwed it all up!”

Slowly, I sidled to the right, hiding my right side from Akira’s view, behind the Time Core itself. While I reached into my cargo pocket, I continued talking.

“So what are you going to do now?” I said. “Take the Time Core, jump to the next Cycle, and do it all again?”

“Exactly.” Akira replied. “Thing is, I have to do almost everything exactly the same as this Cycle, right up until this past year. Obviously, I have to get rid of you, Mira. Then I have to stop you and mom from going into space with the rest of the team. Harper really needs to stop building Battlemasters after number fifteen.”

Behind me, Chihiro and Mira saw what I was doing. They both gasped aloud, catching Akira’s attention. The Paradox lunged forward!

“What’s going on, what are you doing!?”

With a single burst of telekinesis, I caused the Shadowkeeper to jump out of Chihiro’s hand and into my own! I took two steps back and aimed the pistol at one specific point on the Time Core! Akira ran forward a few paces and came to a skidding stop when she saw what I had done:

Throughout the entire battle, I had been carrying a single antipersonnel mine in my pocket, saving it for when the moment seemed right, and now that moment was here. Using just one hand, I had wedged the mine into a gap between two panels of the Time Core’s outer casing. Now, I was aiming Chihiro’s pistol directly at the mine. There was only half a pound of TNT in the explosive charge, but in this cramped space, that was more than sufficient to destroy the Time Core… and possibly kill us all.

Akira’s face had gone very pale. I was trying not to acknowledge how much I was sweating.

“Listen here.” I injected confidence into my voice, desperately trying to stop it from shaking. “I don’t think you’ve been hearing us, but now that I’ve got your attention, I’ll say it again: There will be no more time travel. No more Cycles or resets. We want to make our own future; we want to live with our own choices and consequences. Whatever happens today, we’re going to live with it, understand? You are not going to make our future for us anymore.”

Mira and Chihiro came to stand by my side.

“Blake’s right.” Chihiro said. “You’ve gotta stop this, Akira. Let go of all this timeline stuff.”

“You’re on a mad quest that will take you to eternity.” Mira said. “You’ll never be satisfied, so your mission will never end. Stop this now, Akira, while we’re giving you the chance.”

Akira inched closer to us. I put my finger inside the trigger well and she halted.

“Or what?” She hissed. “You’d really destroy the Time Core?”

“To stop you, absolutely.” I replied.

An evil smile crossed Akira’s face.

“Right. Before you do that, maybe I should give you a lesson… tell you precisely why I know for a fact that you would never do that, Blake.”

Akira crossed her arms and looked at the three of us.

“Time is a fundamental component of the Universe.” Akira said. “The Time Core, when used as a Hyperspace Module, lets you jump across vast reaches of time, so long as you’re moving in the same direction as time itself. When you weaponize the Core, like this, you can slow down time as much as you like, but you can’t actually stop it. Time is inexorable and irreversible. It keeps the entire Universe running like an engine.”

Akira took one step towards us.

“Now imagine that someone takes a hammer and smashes that engine. You’d better pray to God, or maybe Jericho, that you completely vaporize the Time Core; that it utterly ceases to exist in a single moment… because if you don’t, you’re going to find out what happens when time itself breaks.”

My mouth seemed to have gone dry. Akira read the atmosphere of fear and went on.

“Did you know I designed the Time Core based on some notes written by an old XCOM scientist? He said that time as a force must be handled with extreme care. There’s actual time energy contained within the housing, Blake. Breach it, and you’ll unleash that chaotic energy on the Universe. Your past, present, and future will all exist at once. Minutes, seconds, and hours will fold up on one another, and every possible timeline will merge into one unholy mess!”

Chihiro whimpered. Akira directed her words at her:

“Imagine, mom: your body being trapped between days. Half of you getting older while the other half turns back into a child! Causality itself would be meaningless! You could kill me right now, and I’ll just walk into yesterday or tomorrow and avenge myself! Your future will be in the past, and the present a century ahead of you! Plans and memories would be the same thing! You’ll never die! You’ll never be born!”

Akira turned back to me.

“Will you really do that, Blake!? Would you really damage time itself just to stop me!?”

“If you don’t agree to stop meddling with our lives, you’re going to find out.” I said.

At that moment, noises and rumblings began to sound all around us! Pipes rattled and computer screens lit up in the darkened corridor! A computerized voice said:

“Integration complete. All systems online.”

It was done. Jericho was now running the ship!

Mira, Chihiro, and Akira all wavered in place. A second later, the sensation hit me! It was like something had suddenly sapped a portion of my strength! I swayed on my feet and felt the urge to pass out build up in the back of my mind. Next to me, in the lowest, most quiet voice she possibly could, Mira muttered the words:

“Blake, Chihiro… On my signal, take your Mindshields off.”

Looking back at Akira, I said:

“Give it up, Akira. It’s really over now! Jericho’s got the ship and all four Shroud-Beings up there with her! Just let us have our future, and no one else will have to die.”

But Akira reached out with one hand, pointing her palm towards us and screamed:

“It’s not your future, it’s mine!”

And then she pulled backwards!

Just as Chihiro had described, it was like a hole had been torn in the very fabric of the Universe! A pit of darkness, like a miniature black hole, opened up in the air in front of us! I felt an overwhelming pull around my middle as an irresistible force started to drag me towards the cosmic Wound! Then, a second force wrapped around my entire body! A telekinetic field was pulling me away from the wound!

“Mindshields off!” Mira screamed! “Take them off now!”

With my free hand, I reached up and pulled the Elerium-powered device off my head, then grabbed Chihiro’s hand. In the furthest peripheries of my consciousness, I heard somebody yell:

“DO IT, BLAKE!”

With one epic push, Akira sent the tiny but overwhelming cosmic Wound hurtling down the corridor towards us! In our final seconds, I raised the Shadowkeeper, aimed down the sights with my one good eye, and pulled the trigger!

I saw, as if in slow-motion, the single bullet escape from the barrel of the Shadowkeeper! Psionic energy washed over Chihiro and I, pulling us upwards and away from the scene! A roaring train of silence and shadows and light and sound bowled us all over! The entire world fell away and turned white! Then, for the shortest possible moment, I could hear music, like a gentle wind chime before I felt the sensation of crashing headfirst through some kind of barrier!

And just like that, all was dark, silent, and still.

<== Previous Chapter (Our Last Stand)

Next Chapter (Apotheosis) ==>​

 

[Macavity116]

Well here we are.

As of the moment this message is posted, the final chapter is complete. The Stormbreaker Trilogy will come to an end tomorrow, September 11th, 2020.

Chapter 47: Apotheosis will be posted at 7:00pm Eastern Standard Time, and Epilogue: History Forgets the Details, will be posted a couple hours afterward. Once that's done, this story will be over.

I've done my utmost to close holes and tie up as many loose threads as I could, but I'm certainly not a perfect writer. I hope you find the ending to be satisfying.

One last time, please let me take the time to thank you all for reading this trilogy. Perhaps you've read every word since After Everything. Maybe this is your first exposure to the world of the Stormbreakers. No matter how long or far you dove into this world, I'm grateful you gave my story a chance. I hope you enjoyed it.

To the 25 forum users (and 4 readers who know me in real life) who have left comments over the course of the Trilogy, thank you for engaging with me over the past two years. I thoroughly enjoyed handling your responses and questions. Special thanks to @HistoryDude, @stnylan, @Vilhelm, @Nikolai, and @volksmarschall for brightening my day whenever I spotted your names in my notifications.

I haven't forgotten about the readers who leave no comments. A wise user on these forums once said: "for every comment you had maybe 10 silent readers. These days the number of silent readers (lurkAARs, as it were) is, in comparison I feel, far larger." I know you're out there, and I thank you for reading as well. Perhaps you prefer to lurk, or maybe you don't have an account on the forums and are just a visitor. Or you might have nothing to say at all. Regardless of why, I'm still happy to share my story with you. Thanks for reading my story, in whole or in part.

There's one last thing I need to do: If you've read After Everything or Faith in Chaos, you'll remember that whenever I announce the final chapter, I end the post with a line from the Epilogue:

"Time to say goodbye, I guess." (After Everything)

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." (Faith in Chaos)

Well, here's your final hint as to how this story is going to end... a line pulled directly from the Epilogue, History Forgets the Details:


Her name is Kate.

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, killing Astynome seems to have worked out fine...

The cavalry is enormous. This will be one hell of a last stand, assuming, of course, that it matters...

Did Blake seriously just destroy time itself?

Akira is completely mad by this point.

Wait, is Violet herself right now? Or is making all of humanity psionic Akira's goal?

Nice callback with all of the Stormbreakers defeating their enemy...

 

[Macavity116]

Did Blake seriously just destroy time itself?

He didn't break time so much as he severely damaged it.

Wait, is Violet herself right now? Or is making all of humanity psionic Akira's goal?

Violet is herself in this chapter.

For those who do not know: Violet (pictured below) is a major antagonist from the video game XCOM: Chimera Squad. Her end goal is to force a Psionic evolution upon all of humanity. The player is allowed to chose whether Violet is captured or killed during her boss fight.

 

[Macavity116]

<== Previous Chapter (Time Trap)

Next Chapter (Epilogue: History Forgets the Details) ==>​

Chapter Forty-Seven
Apotheosis

​

In the midst of a furious thunderstorm, the sun began to rise.

It took me a few moments to get my bearings. I’d landed… somewhere. I was fairly certain that this wasn’t Earth or Hiigara or Aoraki or any of the other worlds I’ve seen before. All around me, the darkened landscape flickered and flashed as lightning danced overhead. The rumble of thunder was almost continuous, causing the ground to shudder. It was only when I looked down that I realized what I was standing on really cannot be considered “ground.” Sure, it was solid enough for me to put my weight on it, but there was nothing natural or earthly about this place.

The only remarkable feature about this strange realm was the sunrise. A magnificent white light continued to rise above the distant horizon. In fact, all of the lightning in the roiling sky above me seemed to be aimed towards that one distant light. Blue and purple clouds flitting through the air above me, all heading in the same direction: towards the sunrise.

In any other situation, I would have had a mountain of questions. I probably would have panicked about suddenly being teleported away from what honestly should have been my own death. I should have wondered where Chihiro and Mira were, too. But after everything I’ve gone through in my life, I’ve learned that sometimes I just need to stop asking questions and just go with the flow.

I don’t know how long I followed the lightning towards the sunrise. All of my senses seemed a little off, and I couldn’t estimate how much time passed, no matter how hard I tried. I want to say the journey took a long time, but I honestly felt like I’d just taken a short little stroll.

As I drew nearer to the light source, I realized something else. It wasn’t just the clouds and the lightning rumbling towards the sunrise… but everything. Each echo of thunder came from the direction of the horizon, sounding distant and growing fainter with each moment. Breathing in was a little harder than breathing out because all of the air was being pulled away as well. For a moment, I wondered if I was walking towards a black hole, and the sunlight ahead of me was just an accretion disk.

Well, it wasn’t like I could go anywhere else. I pressed on.

Eventually, or perhaps immediately, I came upon the source of the light. It was apparent why I’d mistaken it for a sunrise. Standing on a nondescript elevated position, watching over the entire realm rushing towards her, was Jericho. It’s really difficult for me to put into words what was happening. This strange world, whatever it was, was falling into Jericho’s hands, and I mean that literally! Those strange, swirling clouds of purple, blue, and white rumbled across the sky before descending to Jericho’s level, where the raced into her open palms and vanished from view.

Alarmingly, when I came within about a hundred feet of her, something similar started happening to me! Wispy fog escaped my mouth and nose with each breath, and Jericho siphoned it up instantly! A metaphorical fog clouded my brain as well. Losing my balance, I fell to my knees before reaching Jericho!

It was only when I broke eye contact that I noticed one final detail. I couldn’t see the ground very well because there was no light! All of the light in this strange realm was being drawn into Jericho as well! Looking up at her again, I shouted:

“Jericho! Where are we!?”

My voice was so loud it made my eardrums rattle! Despite the fact that the entire world seemed to be collapsing into Jericho’s hands, such an event was producing little noise aside from the still-distant rumble of thunder. Jericho turned her head to look at me.

“We’re in the Shroud.” She replied, “What’s left of it, anyway.”

The Shroud. So, this was the alternate plane of reality Mira had mentioned. The one supposedly above Hyperspace. The same place that was going to be drained by the Trinity.

“There you guys are! How’d we get here?”

A slightly high-pitched voice caught my attention. Chihiro was here! I couldn’t see her plainly because all of the light in the area was still rushing towards Jericho, but I could see her outline. She must have arrived after I did. How much longer is impossible to tell.

“I reached out and pulled you in.” Jericho explained. “Mira and I had a contingency plan in case things went wrong. If it ever looked like Akira was going to kill one or both of you, I would try to teleport you away.”

“Oh!” Chihiro gasped. “That’s why Mira told us to take off our Mindshields! Where is she, anyway?”

Chihiro and I looked around, but there was no sign of Mira.

“I couldn’t get her.” Jericho admitted. “I mean, the original plan was for me to just teleport you all to a different part of the ship, but I wasn’t counting on the Time Core being damaged.”

A powerful wave of guilt ran through me and I looked down at my feet. Chihiro sounded on the verge of panic.

“Oh, I was hoping that wasn’t real! Are we dead!?”

“Yes and no.” Jericho replied. “I was draining Psi-energy from the universe for about half a minute before it happened, so I had enough power to throw myself into the Shroud. I dragged you both along with me. I would have gotten Mira, too, but time was starting to break before I could reach out to her.”

“Hold on a minute.” I said. “I didn’t destroy the Time Core?”

“No, you didn’t.” Jericho answerd. “From what I can see up here, it looks like you just cracked the housing, but that would have been enough. The Time Core is still running, and it’s causing a huge time disturbance.”

“You can see all that from here?” Chihiro asked.

“I can now.” Jericho replied. “I was trying to absorb the powers of the Shroud-Beings when the first disruption hit. I only got the Composer of Strands and the Whisperers in the Void, however. The Trinity was barely warming up when time went sideways.”

“Can you show us?” Chihiro’s unexpected request made us both look at her. At first, I thought she was having a moment of morbid curiosity, but then the next part of her request came with a shift in tone: “Himawari… is our daughter okay? Can you check on her?”

Jericho’s voice cracked.

“She’s being affected by the time disruption like everyone else. Do you really want to see her?”

“Yes!” Chihiro and I replied at the same time.

Reluctantly, Jericho relented. A vision forced its way to the front of our minds!

In a small room, deep within the Imperial Bunker, the natural order of things had gone insane! A potted plant grew at an almost comical speed, reaching full size, shriveling up and dying mere moments before younger versions of itself grew to take its place. A man was running towards the sound of a person crying, only to freeze mid-stride as though time had come to a full and complete stop around him. Human-shaped afterimages flickered back and forth, they were all we could see of people whose time had been sped up. On the cushions of a couch, Himawari grew from a baby to a toddler, sprouting into a small child, then a teenager, before reverting back again. Shrinking down to toddler-age, Himawari let out a terrified scream as she transformed into an old woman, fell back to her twenties, then became a baby again.

Chihiro screamed. I felt really sick. As the nightmarish vision faded away, I saw Chihiro double over as though she was retching.

“That’s happing all over the world.” Jericho said. “And to the fleet, and to all of our friends aboard the Trinity. It’s chaos out there.”

“But we’re safe in here, right?” Chihiro asked.

Somehow, I already knew the answer to that. When Jericho hesitated to answer, it was confirmation enough for me.

“Jericho…” I said slowly. “Is there a reason why I can’t see Chihiro’s face?”

Jericho sighed, and warm light began to radiate out of her body. Finally able to see, Chihiro and I looked at one another, and we both jumped with fright, shouting:

“You’re so old!”

“You’re so young!”

There had always been an age gap between the two of us. I was (usually) three years older than Chihiro, but our situation had just been turned on its head! Chihiro was now old… very old. Her body seemed to have shrunk a few inches, and her hands were now bony and frail-looking. Chihiro’s whole face sagged and showed signs of being very tired, as though she’d reached the end of her natural lifespan. With one shaking hand, Chihiro pointed at me and said:

“I thought your face was always pudgy!”

I reached up so quickly that I smacked myself in the forehead. Sure enough, the contours of my own face had changed so much that I knew I was younger than I should be. Once I confirmed that my extra weight was missing, I looked down at my torso and arms. Best guess… I was fourteen or fifteen years old.

“Oh, this is so scary.” I breathed. “Jericho, isn’t there some way to fix… well… not just us, but all of time?”

“There might be.” Jericho replied. “I’ve had a long time to consider and think in here.”

“What!?” Chihiro interrupted. “But we’ve only been in the Shroud for… for… for a few…”

Now that Chihiro and I thought about it, neither of us had any real idea of just how long we’d been inside of the Shroud. For all we knew, it might have taken us several years just to find Jericho.

“I don’t think any of us intended for time itself to get broken.” Jericho said. “Hell, I don’t think Akira even had a plan for that, or else she would have followed us into the Shroud. But now that we’re here, now that the situation’s actually hit us… I think there’s a way we can actually use this to our advantage.”

Chihiro and I looked back at Jericho, then at one another. I could see that wisps of fog were still escaping our mouths and noses before being siphoned up by Jericho.

“Chihiro shared her powers with me.” I said slowly, “And now you’re draining energy from both of us, but not just us, from the Shroud as well, which means…”

“The Trinity is still functioning.” Jericho finished, “The Hypersiphon is up and running, which means I’m still draining Psionic energy from the Universe.”

Jericho gestured around with her hands. Looking about, I realized that the Shroud was getting darker and darker, regardless of how much time did or did not go by.

“By now, you might be the most powerful being in the universe.” Chihiro said in an awed whisper.

“Close, by not quite there yet.” Jericho said. “There’s just one last thing I need to do before we try to put time right. Do either of you remember those Vanians who came to see me at Nagasaki?”

“Sure.” I answered. “They were more obsessed with you than most Humans.”

“Do you remember what they were saying about me?” Jericho asked. “That one thought that kept going through all of their minds?”

I paused. Honestly, I couldn’t remember. But Chihiro did:

“’Could she succeed where we failed?’” she recited.

“What could the Vanians have failed at?” I wondered aloud. “Before the Beast, they were doing pretty well. Didn’t they have a Shroud-Being under their control at one point?”

“Two.” Chihiro corrected me. “And they visited the Shroud regularly, from what I’ve heard.”

“While I was waiting for you two to catch up, I looked into that.” Jericho said. “Now that time is broken, I used the Whisperers in the Void to get several decades worth of research done in a matter of seconds… at least, I think I did. Look over there.”

Jericho pointed over Chihiro’s shoulder. We both looked around. In the far distance, just over the horizon, another point of light was coming towards us. This one was far smaller than Jericho herself, yet it still seemed to be quite overpowering.

“What is that?” I said, narrowing my one good eye.

“That,” Jericho said, “Is the final piece of the puzzle. The last thing we need to beat both the Beast and Akira.”

Chihiro leaned forward to take a closer look, shedding almost thirty years off her age in a single moment. Now a middle-aged woman, she raised her hand to shield her eyes.

“I think Mira said that the entire Shroud is made from Psionic energy, so that thing, whatever it is, must be made of it as well, right?”

“That thing is where the Vanians failed.” Jericho said. “The Ethereals tried as well, and failed repeatedly. If it wasn’t for Akira, the Levakians might have tried their luck, and who knows how it would have worked out for them.”

“Did Akira ever try?” I asked.

“Why would she?” Jericho answered. “She already has the power of the End of the Cycle, so no one would ever be able to match her… as long as no one succeeded here.”

There was nothing we could do but wait. The mysterious Psionic thing, whatever it was, was still a long way off, but it was being drawn, inexorably, towards us. Jericho was absorbing all Psionic energy in the Shroud, and since this place was made from the stuff, it was inevitable that we would find ourselves faced with this strange thing sooner or later.

Chihiro and I sat down on the nondescript surface to wait. Again, there’s no possible way to know exactly how long we were there for. It didn’t help that the time disruption rippled through us repeatedly during the long wait. My whole body ached and creaked as I aged into an old man at high speed. Chihiro wrapped her arms around me tightly as she regressed all the way back to her elementary school years before suddenly rocketing back towards adulthood. I lost track of events once, probably because I turned into a baby. I do remember at one point, I woke up in Chihiro’s twelve-year-old arms, I was very small and she was cradling me. We grew old together, grew young together, and grew apart together, patiently waiting for Jericho’s destiny to catch up with us.

And finally, it did.

​

Either a few seconds or a few centuries after we sat down, a dense violet fogbank drew near. It rolled silently across the dark plain towards Jericho. My hair stood on end as it approached. I knew instantly that this was no ordinary fogbank. It was totally opaque, just a wall of purple haze hovering in the air a few feet off the ground. Chihiro and I, still sharing the Gift between us, could sense that this was an extremely dense pocket of Psionic energy. Power unlike anything we’d ever imagined was stored here, and we could both sense that there was a very dark history surrounding this thing.

Another time disruption rippled through what remained of the Shroud, and a series of ghostly shadows appeared. Chihiro and I stood back as these afterimages in time went through their motions:

First, an alien we had never seen before approached the violet fogbank. Psionic tendrils escaped from his hand and wrapped themselves around the neck, wrists, and ankles of an Ethereal. Without any kind of prompting, Chihiro and I instantly learned that this alien was Origin, the commander of the Zudjari army which had attacked Earth in 1962.

“Do it!” Origin commanded. “Give me the power!”

The enslaved Ethereal attempted to comply. It began drawing the fogbank into itself just like Jericho was doing to the rest of the Shroud now. After a few moments, something went horribly wrong! The Ethereal began to convulse and shriek with pain! Its noncorporeal body exploded into a shower of azure sparks. Origin left, muttering angrily to himself.

The next temporal afterimage was of a very large group of Vanians. The assembled peacocks and peahens attempted to tap the powers of the pocket as a group. This effort also met with failure. Chihiro and I barely had time to realize that this was an early incarnation of the Conclave of Telepaths before several of its members met with horrific deaths! To our shock, the scene repeated itself several times, as more and more historical Vanians met their demise trying to tap into this wellspring of power.

The next scene from the past contained no violence. Instead, another Ethereal approached the pocket, escorted by two Levakians, one male and one female. Once again, we learned their names through some Psionic influence. The Ethereal, Shamash, showed the dense pocket to Sebakhira and Kaiako before standing aside.

“So, it is real.” Kaiako mused. “This concentration of Psionic energy is of a magnitude never seen before. I can think of several lions at the Asalele library who would deny this is even possible. Just imagine all we could accomplish if we could tap into this power!”

Sebakhira was only partially paying attention. She was holding her head in one paw, as though she had a painful headache.

“Tempting as it may be, old friend, I believe we must withdraw from this place with empty paws.”

Kaiako gently nuzzled Sebakhira’s face with his own.

“You’ve seen this in a vision, no doubt.”

“A confusing one.” Sebakhira admitted. “One that I have yet to comprehend.”

“I am willing to wait.” Kaiako replied. “I’ve come to trust your senses, love. We shall return another time.”

As the last afterimage appeared before us, Chihiro and I noticed that there seemed to be something wrong. This final memory was far more distorted than the others. Even though only a single person was present, it was impossible for us to see their face or learn their identity. A human-shaped alien cautiously approached the fogbank and spoke to it in a voice we could just barely hear:

“Traitors? Enemies? What does this have to do with me?”

And then a voice emerged from the fogbank. This one was even more distorted! It sounded like a thousand different people were talking all at once!

“You are a pawn in a great game. Mechanisms of great consequence are already in motion… opportunities have been seized, a desperate gamble made, and an old dispute is being resolved…”

“I don’t believe you.” The alien woman declared.

Then there were some mumbled sounds Chihiro and I couldn’t make sense out of, and through the time-distorted memory, we just barely heard the words:

“So, my name is Mira Mihaka, Mission Specialist Mihaka.”

Chihiro and I looked around at Jericho. Behind her, the overwhelming majority of the Shroud was now gone, sucked into Jericho’s body. Speaking of which… Jericho had an aura now! Her whole body shimmered like a star in the night sky, I could have sworn that her hair had grown back, but it was really wisps of Psionic energy radiating off the top of her head. And to cap it all off, I was vaguely aware of being able to see straight through Jericho’s fingertips, as though the outermost extremities of her body were becoming less Human and more like the entities who had once lived in the Shroud.

“I’m almost ready.” Jericho said. “I think I’ve got the strength to do this now.”

I spotted a flash of light out of the corner of my eye. Chihiro was snapping her fingers, watching little sparks of Soulfire flicker in her palm. When Chihiro looked up and spoke, she rapidly shifted from being a small child to her normal twenty-year-old appearance.

“You forgot to take my powers!” Chihiro said. “Pretty sure you’re going to need them more than me right now.”

Before Jericho could say anything, I added:

“Good idea, Chi. Anything we can give, we need to give.”

Jericho looked at both of us in turn.

“Are you sure?” She said. “When we leave the Shroud to end this…”

“We’ll make do with what we’ve got.” I said. “Chi and I are good at that.”

Jericho nodded and aimed one of her hands at us.

“I’m only going to take some of your strength.” Jericho said. “You should still be able to do good out there when we get back.”

I cannot emphasize how painful it was to have my physical strength sucked out of my body! Chihiro and I had to hold on to each other tightly to stop one another from collapsing entirely! The pain was like a sword had been thrust into my chest and then withdrawn slowly! My breath caught in my throat, and Chihiro and I both fell to our knees. Finally, after a few seconds (or a thousand years) the ordeal was over. Panting, we both looked up and watched as Jericho stepped towards the dense fogbank.

She reached out with one hand, palm up, and the supercharged pocket of Psionic energy began to converge on her! At once, the light coming out of Jericho’s body intensified to a point where Chihiro and I had to look away! We closed our eyes, and we were still blinded by the intensity! A chaotic rushing noise accompanied this final action, and we both covered our ears with our hands, but the cacophony was so great that we were still overwhelmed!

Just when it seemed like the entire world was going to end around us, everything fell silent and dark. Then a warm and gentle light illuminated the dark and empty void that had once been the Shroud. Opening my eyes, I was left in awe.

Jericho reached forward with one hand, offering to help us up. In that moment, I swear she looked exactly like the space angel painting I had seen years ago, before Jericho had appeared in Pyongyang. Her newfound energy and powers were so immense that they were barely contained in her physical body. Faint flashes of purple and blue light shot out of her back, giving me the impression that Jericho actually had spectral wings. She lifted Chihiro and I up as though we were lighter than feathers.

“Are you both alright?”

We nodded. Chihiro was so lost for words that she just mumbled.

“So, what happens now?” I asked.

“We repair the Time Core, then I’ll need a few seconds to absorb the Eater of Worlds and Instrument of Desire. Once that’s done, I will destroy the Beast and confront Akira.”

“Don’t distract yourself.” I said. “We’ll handle Akira. You focus on the Beast.”

“She’s our daughter.” Chihiro added. “We should be the ones to… you know.”

Jericho nodded.

“First thing’s first, you need to repair the Time Core.”

She took my hand and tilted it palm up. In a display of Psionic power I’d never imagined possible, Jericho concentrated, broke apart, re-shaped, and built up atoms and molecules by the trillions and trillions until a fully functional Laser Pistol materialized in my open palm!

“Use this to seal the cracks in the Time Core’s housing.” Jericho explained. “Now listen carefully: When we go back to normal space, we’ll be in the very center of a temporal storm. Everything Akira warned you about will come to pass. Time will be meaningless until you fix the core. Do that, and the normal functions of time and causality should be restored… however: there will be side effects. We’re going to be separating all possible timelines from each other. Things are not going to be the way we left them. Be prepared for that, adapt if you have to. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely.” I said, “Bring it on.”

“We’re ready.” Chihiro said. “Let’s do it.”

Jericho took each of us by the hand, and we began to fall.

…

Time invalid
Elliptical orbit above Earth, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


Returning to normal space was like stepping into a realm of madness! All possible outcomes to all possible scenarios were happening at the same moment! The battle for the Trinity played and replayed around me while the ship itself was either torn apart by weapons fire, constructed for the first time, imploded from within, or decayed from old age. I saw my comrades felling the same enemies over and over again, only to meet their own doom in some other timeline! But as soon as I took one step forward, I saw them again, alive and well, working their way through some alternate version of whatever had just happened!

It was such a short distance between myself and the Time Core, just a few meters, but crossing that distance, raising the Laser Pistol, and taking aim at the damaged segment seemed to take an eternity! I had to push my way past Doctor Vahlen, who was greeting Jericho and the Kakama crew after their journey across the Galaxy! I shoved Lily Shen away from the Time Core before she could finish installing it! I side-stepped around Mira and Akira, who were fighting hand to hand! Then I found the crack in the housing!

Chaotic time energy was spraying forth from the splintered metal like water from a damaged tank! Each time I got caught in the blast, I felt parts of my body either age or regress! I wasn’t sure of how much longer I had, and I knew I couldn’t wait to find out! Pushing with all my might, I tried to shove the two halves of broken metal back together, but I didn’t have the strength! My whole body was tired, like I’d just run a marathon!

“Chihiro!” I yelled! “Help me!”

My voice, repeated in a million alternate timelines, echoed loudly through the chamber! The responding noise was equally loud, as Chihiro answered my call in most of those timelines. An incomprehensible number of women approached from all sides! They were all alternate incarnations of Chihiro herself, ranging in age from small children to elderly retirees. On one side, my own hands, multiplied infinitely by time, pushed the broken metal. Chihiro pushed on the other side until the two halves came together!

“Good! Hold it there!” said a voice just behind us.

I felt someone take the Laser Pistol out of my hand. In some realities, I tried to grab the stranger’s hand. In others, I let go of the Time Core and looked around. I think I’m in one of the former timelines. Tens of thousands of copies of Akira stood together behind us, raised the Laser Pistol and took aim at the damaged Time Core. A low-intensity beam of dark red light shot forward and met the two halves of metal!

Sealing the breach in the Time Core was a synch, a task that only took moments. But for the three of us, it may as well have taken a year. As the crack became smaller, the time disruptions fell in frequency, but none of us could actually measure the passage of time again until the breach was completely sealed.

The instant the Time Core was restored, Chihiro and I were hit by an immense wave of shockwave that forced us to the floor! Chaos reigned above as sparks and flame rained down on the two of us! I reached out and grabbed her hand, she looked up at me!

“Ha! You’re still you!” She cried.

“Same back at ya!” I responded.

Looking around, we realized that something had punched a hole in the far wall and carved a deep hole in the ship’s internal workings. Akira’s destructive power was almost certainly responsible. As for Akira herself…

The Paradox was lying on her side, not too far away. Mira lay opposite her. They were both battered and bloodied, but still alive.

“Looks like time’s back on the path.” Mira breathed. “Thank Whetu, I thought we’d never get out of that.”

Akira rolled over and looked at our patch job on the Time Core. The expression on her face was hard to read. First and foremost, she was in a great deal of pain and tired out. She was panting as though she’d just run a marathon. But more interestingly, there was a look of confusion on the Paradox’s face.

“I don’t get it.” Akira panted. “Why?”

Akira tried to stand, but she was too weak and fell over again.

“I figured there’d be a few timelines where I helped you… but why were there so many!?”

For a few moments, (oh, it’s so good to be able to tell time again!) none of us had the answer. Finally, Mira voiced her thoughts out loud:

“You know. It’s pretty obvious, Akira. Your mission, your whole perfect future, is done. Whatever you were trying to make happen isn’t going to happen anymore. I think seeing time break knocked you out of your delusion.”

Akira laughed and leaned against the housing of the Time Core, still unable to stand.

“Delusion!? Come on, Mira, we were so close to making that delusion into reality!”

The whole ship rumbled around us! Rust fell from the ceiling and a few pipes clanged and moaned. Looking around, I saw Chihiro staring down the gaping hole in the wall, trying to see what was causing the commotion. The intercom system made a loud clattering noise before Jericho’s voice sounded over the intercom:

“Multiple targets acquired. Standby for charging and engagement.”

Mira, Chihiro, and I all looked at Akira. The Paradox’s face had fallen at Jericho’s words. She slid further down the fall and let out a short sob.

“Damnit.” Akira choked. “Damnit, I got so close. I just wanted a better life than the one I got.”

Now openly crying, Akira looked up at us.

“What the hell am I supposed to do now? Just give up!? Quit on everything I’ve worked so hard for?” she gasped.

“Why not help us?” Chihiro said. “Like you helped us overthrow the Elders! Tell us how you sabotaged the weapon! Let us fix it and end this war!”

“But if Jericho uses the Trinity, it’ll be the end of the Gift!”

“Yeah, and that’ll be a tragedy.” I said. “But life is still going to keep going afterward. We’re going to keep fighting, Akira, fighting to make life better for everyone who’s going to live past today, even if that means we have to make some pretty big sacrifices.”

“A perfect future is out of reach.” Chihiro said. “But please, help us make a good one, Akira. Just do that for us, please. Don’t take away all of our destinies just because you can’t have the one you want.”

There was a moment of near-silence, punctuated only by the distant rumble of weapons impacting on the outer hull. Finally, still unable to walk or stand, Akira lifted one shaking hand and pointed her thumb towards a corridor leading away from the Time Core.

“The Elerium reactor.” Akira said quietly. “I inserted all of the control rods and bypassed the alarms. Jericho has no idea. You gotta fix it before she fires up the weapon.”

“Right.” Mira sounded businesslike as she grabbed Akira by the arm and hoisted her up. “You’re coming with me to the reactor. Blake, Chi, call up Jericho and tell her what’s going on!”

“What about you!?” Chihiro yelled at Mira, who was already starting to move away.

“We’ll catch up!” Mira responded.

Chihiro and I fanned out, searching for an intercom speaker. I found it first. Hitting the talk button, I called up to the control room!

“Jericho! It’s Blake down in the Time Core!”

“I can tell you fixed it!” Jericho’s reply came back immediately. “Nicely done! Time is back to normal. Standby, I’m keeping the Beast back while I wait for the main weapon to charge!”

“Hold fire!” I yelled. “Akira sabotaged the Trinity! Mira’s trying to undo the damage!”

“Understood.” Jericho replied. “You and Chihiro should get back up here, I need you both!”

“On our way!”

Scrambling up the ladder to the control room, Chihiro and I were acutely aware of how tired and worn-out we felt. It was like the past two years of action was finally starting to catch up with us. When we arrived in the control room, we got to see exactly what Jericho had done with the strength and energy we had given to her:

Psionic energy enveloped the four obelisks around the central column in faint vortices. Jericho herself was had replaced Duane’s body in the central alcove, where a wide array of wires and cables were now plugged into her head, neck, and spine. Manako had stood off to one side and were watching the proceedings apprehensively. Chihiro let out a gasp and pointed to the alcoves on our right side.

Violet and Kanti Divakar had each stepped inside of an alcove and no longer appeared to be conscious. They stood upright; their eyes glazed over. Above each obelisk, their corresponding Shroud-Being was reconstituting itself. Each one had no clearly defined shape, yet it was possible to see who was who.

The Instrument of Desire attracted my eyes the most. Hovering above Kanti’s alcove, I found myself thinking about Chihiro’s physical beauty as I watched the Instrument of Desire. Something about it strongly reminded me of her, and she was obviously going through a similar experience, gripping my hand very tightly.

The Composer of Strands didn’t hold a single solid form in front of my eye. Best I could tell, it was an amalgamation of tens of thousands of different images and perceptions, all overlaid on top of each other and equally transparent.

The Whisperers in the Void buzzed and hummed above Violet’s head like a cloud of angry bees, and as we drew near to them, I could hear an unknowable number of voices, all conversing in a low, hushed tone. It was impossible to make out what any of them were saying.

Only the Eater of Worlds was absent.

Jericho herself looked far different than when we had left her before time broke. A powerful light burned in her eyes, and she seemed to be radiating warm energy that refreshed us and restored our strength. Jericho seemed to be only vaguely aware of our presence. Her eyes flitted back and forth at high speed as though she was speed-reading. Manako said:

“She is fully interfaced with the Trinity and has assumed command of both the ship and fleet. All that remains is to end this war.”

Jericho’s eyes suddenly focused on us!

“You’re here!” She said in a sharp gasp. “Good. Chihiro, I need you to go over to that alcove and pick up the Katana.”

“Wait, what!?” Chihiro said. “Why!?”

“Metal doesn’t conduct Psionic energy all that well.” Jericho said quickly. Whatever was happening in the space battle had distracted her. “Needs to be either organic flesh or Elerium. Also, the Shroud-Beings need to project themselves through someone who made a covenant with them. That’s you, Chihiro.”

I felt Chihiro’s hand get sweaty in mine. We had the same worries and reservations about this.

“Covenant?” I repeated, “That was when the Eater of Worlds took Himawari’s hearing away, right?”

Chihiro nodded.

“Yeah, I made a deal with that thing.”

“You and your kind have paid your end of the bargain.” The Whisperers in the Void declared. “Now we shall uphold ours. It is our way.”

Jericho broke contact with whatever was happening outside and looked at me.

“Blake, I promise you’ll get Chihiro back. Chi, you have my word, you’re going to be fine! Please do this!”

Chihiro let out a fearful whimper and then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Don’t leave me.”

“Never.”

We moved towards the final alcove. Someone had deposited Mira’s old Katana inside, where it was doing a frustrating amount of nothing. Chihiro took a deep breath, picked up the weapon, and stepped inside of the obelisk. She turned around to face me, and I reached forward. Grabbing the handle of the sword, I twisted and pulled. The handle snapped, revealing the second short blade hidden inside. The translucent Elerium blade flickered as the Eater of Worlds threw itself violently against the walls of its little prison.

I stepped back as Jericho pointed her hand towards the final obelisk! Psionic energy enveloped Chihiro, who held the short Tanto in both hands, gripping the blade in one hand and the handle with the other. She strained for only a moment before the Tanto broke! The crystalline blade fractured at last, the Eater of Worlds was finally free! A moment later, a dark aura began to form, rising up above the obelisk and coalescing alongside the other Shroud Beings. Chihiro let out one last shuddering gasp before becoming catatonic. I gripped her hand and watched what happened next.

In hindsight, I’m glad the Elders got to the Eater of Worlds before the Beast. This thing was a monster worthy of Agamemnon’s praise! It growled hungrily, leering at Jericho, who did not flinch. Just like its three kin, Jericho had restored the Eater of Worlds to its full strength and power.

“Well, here we are.” She said softly.

“At the moment of eternity’s end.” The Whisperers in the Void replied. “You are different. You saw and did much during the disruption.”

“Yes.” Jericho replied. “I know what I have to do now.”

“Do you understand what the consequences will be?” Asked the Composer of Strands. “The Universe will never be the same after this.”

“But it will still exist.” Jericho said. “People will live, and time will move on.”

“The Cycle will continue until its natural conclusion.” The Instrument of Desire said. "There will be no resets. The end of all things, however distant it seems to your flicker-lives, will come. And it will be final."

“As it should.” Jericho responded. “The Time Core will be destroyed, and Akira Robinson will never manipulate time again. I swear it, and I’ll see to it.”

“Allow me to devour the Paradox!” The Eater of Worlds did not mince words. “My hunger has never been greater!”

“She is no longer your concern.” Jericho answered. “Akira’s stolen powers have been confiscated, and she’ll face her own destiny soon enough.”

Manako and I both jumped with fright as, in a moment, our surroundings changed! Jericho, the Shroud Beings, Manako and I were all standing in open space… or an illusion of it, perhaps, since we were all still breathing. The War in Heaven was raging all around us. Beast-infected ships were surging throughout the Sol System, converging on the final battle above Earth’s Moon. Agamemnon had recovered from its collision with the Moon and was moving to re-join the fight! The End of the Cycle itself continued blasting its way through the allied forces. In a single moment, it shredded and vaporized some five-hundred allied vessels before moving on to the next group of victims. Each moment, untold thousands of lives were lost. Meanwhile, reinforcements continued to arrive from either the nearby Hyperspace Gate or were jumping in alongside the Mahuika or the other two Far-Jumping warships.

Not only had Nomsa’s Psionic shields failed, but all other Gifted combatants had suddenly found themselves powerless. Levakians, Templars, Vanians, and AFUNE soldiers suddenly became exhausted once the Disruption had ended. All of the Ethereals in the fight had vanished completely. The only remaining user of Psionics on the battlefield was Agamemnon itself, which attacked the allied fleets with both telekinetic pulses and conventional weaponry. Missiles, torpedoes, and other projectile weapons were useless against the Fathership, detonating harmlessly against a Psionic shield that extended far away from its source.

“It is bound to the Father of the Beast.” The Whisperers in the Void said. “They now function as extensions of the other. To fight one is to fight both.”

“They must both fall.” Declared the Eater of Worlds. “They cannot be defeated separately.”

“Agreed.” Jericho said. “But the Beast itself will survive Agamemnon’s demise. That’s why I need you all here. I need your strength and power: The power to know all, to design new life, to guide it, and the power to destroy.”

The four Shroud Beings looked at one another, having a silent conversation. Manako and I couldn’t keep still. The two of us were still having a little trouble processing the fact that we were just standing in the middle of a space battle as though it were just a planetarium laser light show. After a deep pause, the Eater of Worlds spoke:

“So be it.”

At once, the vision faded, and we were back in the control room! A series of loud thuds and crashes heralded all four of the former Shroud-Hosts collapsing to the floor! Chihiro hit me on the way down and be both fell! Ignatius Petoskey, Kanti, and Violet all hit the floor at the same time, distracting me for just a moment from the scene happening around the central pillar! All four Shroud-Beings converged on Jericho at once and merged with her, disappearing from view! The Psionic aura emanating from her body was now so intense that the room was starting to heat up!

“Blake! Manako!” Jericho shouted. “Contact Mira and tell her to get the main reactor online as quickly as possible! It’s time to go!”

Manako ran towards a nearby computer bank and shouted into the communicator!

“Mihaka! Are you still alive down there!?”

I knelt down and grabbed Chihiro, pulling her up and over my shoulders in a fireman’s carry.

“Ranginui! Mihaka here!” Mira’s voice sounded distant, as though she were standing far away from the comm system. “Akira and I have got the Elerium Reactor back online, but we’re seeing system failures across the board and severe internal damage! Jericho can only take one shot, you hear me! One shot only!”

“Manako!” Jericho yelled. “Target-lock the End of the Cycle!”

“What about Agamemnon!?”

“Just do it!”

Firing her maneuvering thrusters like there was no tomorrow, the Trinity began to turn! The Beast Fathership seemed to have noticed that something was up and started plowing through our fleet to reach us!

“Jericho!” I yelled! “Big bad Fathership bearing down on us!”

“Reactor online!” Mira’s voice sounded through the radio. “Time Core is green! It’s now or never!”

“Temporal weapon online!” Jericho declared. “Standby to engage!”

One last time, a rippling time distortion field swept forward from the Trinity! This time, it was controlled and went exactly where Jericho wanted it to go! Agamemnon was swept up in the time distortion field and froze, its attack on the Trinity now playing out at the speed of a relaxed sloth. Then, all lights aboard the Trinity went out! Plunged into darkness, all I could do was hold onto Chihiro’s limp form and watch the white square that was Manako’s targeting screen!

A vicious beam of purple light shot out of the Trinity’s weapon aperture and crossed the distance from Earth to the Moon in seconds! The End of the Cycle replied in kind, sending a pillar of blue light back at us! The two beams met in the middle in an explosive reaction! The fireball was wider than most planetoids and swallowed up whole flotillas of ships on both sides!

Jericho pushed all of her power into the assault, drawing energy from everywhere she could! Fires broke out all across the Trinity and explosions ripped through her hull! People on Earth, crews in space, and even the Beast itself was overcome with fatigue as Jericho siphoned as much energy as she could to sustain the assault! I lost my grip on Chihiro and lowered her to the floor before I lost the strength to stay on my own feet! Manako fell to his knees as well just before the final blow was struck!

Jericho sent a great pulse running along the beam towards End of the Cycle! The instant it reached the point where the two beams met, the stalemate was broken! Vivid purple light streaked across the remaining distance and met its target! The swirling cloud of Psionic energy began to balloon outward, exploding in all directions!

“Brace!” Manako yelled. “Brace for impact!”

In the control room, Jericho released a Psionic pulse of her own! At the same moment, the time distortion field warped and doubled back on itself, enveloping the Trinity and absorbing the full brunt of the final Psionic assault! I threw myself overtop of Chihiro and waited for the apocalyptic clash to stop! This was it! This was the end!

But there was only darkness and silence.

...

The longer nothing happened, the more convinced I was that I was dead. There was no way any of us could have survived that final bout of combat between Jericho and the End of the Cycle. Keeping my eyes closed, I slowly became aware of shuffling noises and soft voices around me. Then, I felt someone tap my shoulder. A girl’s voice said:

“Heya, dork! Missed you!”

I knew that voice!

Slowly, I sat up. Below me, Chihiro let out a low moan and stirred. I startled at the sight around us, which caused Chihiro to wake up immediately.

“What?” She gasped.

Then she fell silent as well. She had seen them too.

Seven ghostly figures had surrounded us. They were like the spectral wraiths Kon-Mon Dessurik had used in battle, only these Wraiths were greyish-white, and bore a much stronger resemblance to Humans. In fact, with each passing second, these figures became more lifelike. I could start to see facial features, if a pale ghost can have a face.

One of the ghostly specters stepped towards me and spoke in the same voice I had just heard:

“You gonna say hi or what, dork!? You haven’t seen me in twenty-one years and now you’re just gonna stand there like a moron? Is that it?”

The ghost gave me a smile, one that I recognized all too well, even though I hadn’t seen it in over two decades.

“J-Jackie?”

The ghostly image of my little sister nodded her head. Jaqueline Robinson, my sibling who had never survived the alien invasion two decades ago, put a hand on my shoulder. It was transparent, but felt as real as ever.

“I guess I gotta clean up your mess for you, or you’re gonna get in trouble, right?” she said. “That’s what Jericho said was going on, anyway.”

My mouth fell open. So did Chihiro. Jackie waved at her.

“Sup, Princess?” My sister spoke as though no time had passed at all. “Don’t worry, when Jericho told us what was going on, everyone wanted a piece.”

At that moment, another ghostly person ran forward and tackled Chihiro in a great big hug!

“Imōto-chan!” Cried the ghost of Princess Akeno before her parents and grandmother joined in the happy reunion. “I’m so happy to see you!”

A much bigger hand landed on the back of my head, ruffling my hair! I turned around and felt my jaw fall open.

My mom and dad were here! While Angeline Fournier insisted on checking my injuries, Former US President JD Robinson ruffled my hair just liked he used to do. For about a minute and a half, there was absolutely nothing I could do but cry in the arms of my lost family. Chihiro did the same with hers. Finally, dad cracked his knuckles and said to me:

“Your friend over there told us you need help in a fight, son. I hope you don’t mind us showing you up, but we’re bringing a very large crew with us.”

My dad stuck his thumb over his shoulder, and I looked around. I don’t think we were on the Trinity or in the Shroud. I never found out where exactly we were, but to this day, I still think Jericho catapulted us into some kind of pocket dimension. There was now a very large number of ghostly people gathering in the darkened space. In fact, more seemed to be appearing every second. Not too far away from Chihiro and I, Mira Mihaka was having a joyous reunion with several Partogan men and women. A young girl in a chainmail dress rode atop the shoulders of a woman who spoke in a tomboyish voice.

“What have I always said, sister?” The ghost asked.

“I am not alone.” Mira replied. “Trust me, Moana, I never forgot.”

Manako Ranginui was a short distance away. He and the ghost of his sister, Makara, shared no words. Only a long unbroken embrace.

And in the middle of it all, I saw Jericho herself talking with two ghostly specters… two shapes I recognized immediately. Jericho’s father, an American soldier named Aaron Ray, drew her into a tight hug while her mother, Japanese soldier Kotori Sato, gushed over what her daughter had done:

“You’ve come so far and done something miraculous! we’re both so proud of you!”

Jericho saw me over her father’s shoulder and said:

“You say hi to your folks, Blake?”

“I did.” I said. “How… how did you bring them back to life?”

Aaron let go of Jericho and allowed her to answer.

“I knew we needed to destroy the Beast everywhere, not just here at Earth.” She explained. “So, I looked into everyone’s minds, I saw how all of our friends and comrades took Kendra’s message to heart. People out there really are fighting to save their friends, family, loved ones. Then there are so many people who had memories of those who didn’t make it this far. And those memories were the key! That’s how we’re going to wipe out the Beast, all at once, everywhere!”

I looked around at the rapidly assembling group of ghosts. Then, I put two and two together.

“Oh, my god! You- you’ve…”

Jericho nodded.

“Yeah, I resurrected our fallen friends, allies, and family as Psionic Lifeforms. It was so much easier than creating a Psionic army from scratch, because of how many fighters I needed. Took the power of all four Shroud-Beings to pull off. They’re made of Psi-Energy, and it takes a lot of that to maintain them, so they’ll only last as long as the Trinity does, but that should be enough.”

Chihiro came up behind me and took my hand. Behind us, our two families stood shoulder to shoulder. Their Psionic power filled the two of us with a whole new kind of strength.

“Please,” Chihiro said. “Please tell me you’re taking this Galaxy-wide.”

“That’s the plan.” Jericho replied with a smile. “Be sure to thank Kendra for dropping that Hyperspace Gate so close by.”

Then, Mira, Jericho, Chihiro, Manako, and I parted ways with our families. Everyone seemed to know that this mass resurrection was going to be temporary, and all of our lost loved ones intended to spend their short time at our sides. My friends and I returned to normal space at the front of an army of the dead, ready to save those who were still alive.

…

​

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 5:20am
Terminal orbit above Earth, Sol System, Galactic Front Line


The carnage above Earth had reached new levels of horror!

The clouds of debris and wrecked starships were now so dense that capitol ships could use them for cover against incoming fire! Beast and allied ships alike were forced to navigate their way through a metal graveyard to find one another, and once contact was made, the battle was fought in vicious close quarters! At this range, infection beams worked flawlessly, and each subverted ship improved the enemy’s ability to resist the vaccine!

On the Tantomile’s bridge, Queen Nomsa was desperately trying to figure out a way to break the stalemate. The only thing that kept the allied fleets from being overwhelmed was the near constant flow of friendly reinforcements. As promised, ex-Queen Kendra had delivered the entire Galaxy directly to Earth, and there was no shortage of combatants ready to defend their homes and families.

The situation was so desperate that there was no time to analyze the latest Temporal Anomaly to sweep across the battle. Dolim, Arzhang, Adil, and the rest of the crew were working themselves to the bone just to keep the suddenly old and dilapidated ship in working order. Just when it seemed like the situation couldn’t get any worse, the Trinity and the End of the Cycle made a run at one another, firing bolts of energy at each other while Agamemnon moved to intervene!

For a few seconds, the End of the Cycle and the Trinity fought one another directly, savaging each other with powerful attacks until finally, the Psionic creature had been vanquished! Hit by the Trinity’s powerful beam, the End of the Cycle suddenly lost all form, dissipating outwards and vanishing like a cloud on a hot, arid day!

The instant the End of the Cycle vanished, a cheer went up on all allied ships! This was the morale-boosting triumph that everyone needed! Meanwhile, the Fathership of the Beast addressed Jericho, its voice tinged with desperation, forcing its way into the allied comm net!

“Think again, Jericho self! We can reconstitute your friends and lovers, all who have become us can be yours again! We can make you a god amongst your kind! Come to us!”

But no answer came from the Trinity. Instead, aboard the Tantomile, Arzhang raised some alarming news!

“Your Majesty, we have new incoming contacts! Unidentified Psionic readings all along the outer periphery of the battlefield!”

“Are you kidding me!?” Nomsa roared. “Is it that Psionic creature again!?”

“I don’t think so.” Arzhang said. “This thing reads differently, it’s not the same… it also matches… Oh, holy Miranda! Your Majesty! Psionic lifeforms are appearing on the ship!”

Everyone on the bridge reached for their nearest weapon as twelve Partoganoid shapes, all made from Psionic energy, began to take shape on the bridge! Nomsa unsheathed her claws, ready to strike, before a voice spoke!

“Stay your weapons. We are allies.”

The Psionic lifeforms finally took shape. Nomsa and her comrades found themselves looking at the ghostly images of twelve Partogan women and girls, with widely ranging ages. It only took a few seconds for Nomsa to realize who she was looking at. She had read plenty of history books, and apparently, so had her crew. Partogans, Assurians, Levakians, and Vanians all hurried to bow their heads and show reverence to the twelve deceased (and now resurrected) Queens of Partoga.

Whetu Kealoha, dressed in what a Human would have instinctively called “samurai armor” stepped forward to greet Nomsa. Like her comrades, she was made from Psionic energy and not fully corporeal.

“Thanks to your ally, Jericho, we have come to lend our aid.” Said the founder of Partoga. “We’ve brought as many with us as we could, and all our forces await your direction.”

Queen Nomsa was left stuttering.

“But… you…”

“Have been dead for over five hundred years.” Whetu replied with a small smile. “You are the Queen, we’ll follow you.”

​

The Resurrected Queens had not come alone. Psionic entities now began to materialize and join the battle by the tens of thousands, bolstering the beleaguered allies even further! Projecting telekinetic shields around their comrades, the Psionic fleet began to engage the enemy! On the bridges of major capitol ships, resurrected allies launched powerful telepathic and telekinetic attacks against the now outnumbered Beast! On the bridge of the Tantomile, all twelve of Partoga’s former rulers unleashed their new powers!

Whetu Kealoha masked a group of Partogan Dreadnaughts behind an obscuring field, allowing them to advance through the battlefield undetected! Kotu Aranui fired brilliant lances of light through the cloud of wreckage that disabled infected ships while leaving allied vessels intact. Aperiri Herangi conjured up a wide Void Rift that swallowed up entire formations of enemy fighters; by contrast, Makutu Ririnui struck with pinpoint accuracy, telekinetically ripping apart Beast Frigates at long range!

Ihiko Karawana attacked Beast ships from the inside, causing their munition stockpiles to explode, while Maku Ranginui hung back and used her powers to replenish the strength and stamina of pilots and crews alike! The allied fleets were now fighting as though the battle had just started! Ataahua Matane used telepathy to sever Beast ships from the hive mind and turn them against Agamemnon, while Pipi Munu and Nokama Rakena worked together to increase the accuracy of all allied weapons. Finally, Awhina Wirihana and Mokara Patariki fed their energy into the engines of allied ships, allowing even massive Battleships to outrace and outmaneuver the smallest of fighters!

Similar scenes were playing out all over the battlefield! Beast ships fell, thousands at a time as the Resurrected continued to advance in seemingly infinite numbers! As the Mahuika rematerialized and dropped off yet another wave of reinforcements, her own crew was augmented by Psionic allies! Kendra and Eteka didn’t need an explanation, they were able to work out what was happening almost as soon as they saw the Spectral Fleet attacking the Beast, and reacted calmly when a spectral incarnation of Reepi Imvu appeared on the bridge.

“Well, I’ll be a Brakas’ uncle.” Eteka breathed at the sight before him. “I believe Hawaiki itself has joined the war. Are you leading the charge, Imvu?”

“No,” Reepi replied. “However, you may know the one who is.”

Soft paws and a deep, throaty purr were the only greeting Kendra and Eteka needed. They immediately knew who had accompanied Reepi to the Mahuika. Several Levakian members of the crew saw the ghost of their greatest heroes and cheered! Others bowed their heads in respect. Kendra and Eteka greeted their old friends like no time had gone by at all.

Empress Tantomile, who was already pure white, looked even more like a ghost than anybody else. Psionic energy rippled across her spectral body as though she was itching to make use of it. She bowed her head low and allowed the elderly ex-Queen to gently rub her ears.

Sebakhira, Coricopat, Korova, and King Admetus all brushed their noses and snouts against Kendra’s hand before joining the battle. Amaya Maori, Nya Ririnui, Rapati Hipango, Toa Nanui, Arahu and Irirangi Ranginui all paused to actually hug their old friends.

“Let me guess,” Rapati Hipango said. “We’re up against an overwhelming enemy, we’re out of time, and the Paradox is somehow involved.”

“Why yes, that’s right.” Kendra answered.

“Little to no chance of success or survival?” Arahu Ranginui asked.

“Comes with the territory.” Eteka said.

“Sounds like fun.” Tantomile declared. “Let’s get started!”

Now, the tables had definitively turned. The Beast fleet was on the backfoot, lashing out against the Resurrected, but it was no good. Infection beams were useless against the Psionic entities that now flew alongside allied warships! And on top of all this, millions of Psionic entities had skipped the battle entirely and were now diving into the Hyperspace Gate set up by the Mahuika!

Near the center of the Galaxy, the Eye of Aarran came to life was vast fleets of Resurrected Psionic entities surged out of the Earth Gate and into the Eye, travelling to every possible destination! Spectral fleets erupted into the furthest, most distant corners of the Galaxy, scouring the Beast wherever it could be found! Infected planets and fleets alike saw no mercy from the Resurrected, and simply couldn’t deal any damage in return!

…

Under the protection of the dead themselves, the allied fleets advanced! At the core of the formation, smoking, aflame, and barely held together, was the Trinity!

Finally back the control room, Chihiro and I had just finished helping Isis Dekker and Matthew Hawkins evacuate the other three Shroud-Hosts. Ignatius Petoskey was delirious and didn’t know what was happening. Violet and Kanti were disoriented to the point of being useless. They would be sent back through the Psi Gates to Earth, and into the waiting arms of XCOM medics. Meanwhile, Jericho, Manako, and a Resurrected Makara Ranginui guided this ship towards its ultimate target! Manako and Makara had not spoken much, but it was clear that they were enjoying every moment of working together once again! Since she was now a being of pure Psionic energy, Makara could divide her attention and powers, literally putting out fires as they sprung up and keeping the Trinity in one piece just long enough for this final act!

Agamemnon projected one more message! The desperate signal went past Earth and the Moon, it perforated as far into the cosmos as it could possibly reach!

“You endanger the whole! Come to us, children! You are needed!”

“Incoming!” Manako yelled. “We’ve got several million Hyperspace signatures from the surrounding star systems! We’re about to be overrun!”

“Forget that!” Jericho called back. “Focus on Agamemnon, get ready to fire again!”

Keeping my eye on one of the targeting computers, I called out:

“Distance to target: five hundred kilometers!”

“Good enough!” Jericho shouted. “Commence primary ignition!”

The radio on my belt made a chirping noise and I picked up! Tsubaki’s voice sounded from the other end!

“Captain, the enemy is retreating, and I’m pretty sure my ghost dad’s not the one who scared ‘em off!”

“She’s right.” Makara said, reforming herself in the room with us. “The strain of firing the weapon again is damaging the ship! If we attack Agamemnon, the Trinity will destroy itself!”

“I can live with that!” Jericho replied. “Blake, tell your team to start heading for the Psi Gates! All AFUNE forces need to evacuate and get off this ship!”

I picked up my radio right away and called the deputy Squad Leader.

“Alecto!” I said. “Evacuate! Get all soldiers back to the Psi Gate and send ‘em to Earth! Blue Dragon and I will follow shortly!”

“Acknowledged!” Matthew Hawkins replied. “We’re moving out now.”

“Spread the word to other AFUNE units.” I added. “Tell everyone to get the hell outta here!”

“What about you?” Matthew asked.

“We’re going to evacuate Jericho!”

A clattering of noise outside told me that rest of the Stormbreakers were staging an exit. Meanwhile, Jericho brought up an image of Agamemnon for Manako, Makara, Chihiro, and I to see on the targeting computer. The Beast Fathership was now under direct attack by a mixed force of allied and Resurrected vessels. Meanwhile, even more Psionic ships poured into the Hyperspace Gate, or scattered to pick off the Beast reinforcements as they came! Agamemnon re-oriented all of its weapons and began to strike the Trinity with a desperate barrage of every space weapon known to man!

“Weapon systems fully charged!” Manako and Makara announced together!

One last time, Jericho focused all of her strength and power onto a single point, and the Trinity opened fire! The destructive Null Lance was wider than a continent, hotter than the sun, and pierced Agamemnon’s flesh and armor with incredible violence! Time distortion fields and Psionic energy radiated out from the superweapon to the crippled Fathership! Some parts of the ship aged at high speed while others regressed, and the whole time, Jericho clawed and tore at Agamemnon’s consciousness!

A scream, unlike anything I’ve heard before or since pierced through all of creation itself! The Beast roared and howled and screamed as Jericho tore its mind into pieces, carved its body apart, and rent the whole thing asunder! The Fathership of the Beast came apart at the seams! Blood and wire and metal and flesh flew in all directions before a ball of flame swallowed it all!

And then, it was over. None of us could do anything but just… stare…

The first noise we heard was the clang of a trapdoor as Mira and Akira both emerged onto the scene. They had both seen the destruction of Agamemnon, which had caused them to stare in awe for a few seconds before Jericho said:

“It’s done. We’ve done it.”

Akira and Mira recovered from the shock and started to clamber back into the room. On my left, Makara turned to her brother.

“I’ll wait for you on the shores of Hawaiki.” Makara said.

They embraced for a few moments before Makara vanished. All around the control room, our friends and family faded away, vanishing in silence. I couldn’t take my eye off the spot where I’d last seen Jackie for nearly a whole minute. Meanwhile, Jericho was holding back tears. Her eyes had faded from their usual purple to a very dull indigo. Her powers were either exhausted or very nearly so. Without waiting for anyone to ask the question, she shook her head at us.

“Can’t sustain the Resurrection anymore, I’m sorry.” She said. “But there is good news… the Beast is dead. All of it. Everywhere.”

It took a few seconds for us to realize what she meant by that.

“The Beast!” Akira gasped. “You really killed the whole thing!? Everywhere in the Galaxy!?”

“I’m sure, I’m confident!” Jericho answered. She held one hand up to her head. “Just getting used to not being omniscient anymore, but I’m still wired up to the ship and I’m still in control…”

Jericho trailed off, her voice becoming less happy and her expression shifting to one of worry. Her eyes flicked about in a way that told me she was focusing on some other detail that only the ship’s living core could see.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Psi Gates are down.” Jericho said.

“Of course.” Mira replied. “You drained the Shroud and the Gift from everyone. Psionics won’t work anym…”

It was Mira’s turn to realize a horrible truth. Before the rest of us could figure it out, the entire ship rumbled violently! Something, somewhere, had just exploded!

“Something’s going on down below.” Jericho was reading the status reports as they came into her mind. Her eyes widened in shock! “Oh, no. Akira… that singularity you made is still down there!”

Everybody swore! I felt sick to my stomach! That endless pit of destruction was still somewhere below decks, eating the ship!

Akira threw up her hands!

“I don’t have the Gift! I can’t control it or shut it off!” she said quickly.

“What’s going to happen!?” Chihiro asked. “Can’t it just, like, fizzle out or something?”

“No, it’ll keep growing until it turns into a black hole!” Akira said. “It won’t take long; then the whole ship is going to implode! Could be ten minutes, could be five!”

“Are you kidding me!?” I yelled. “Someone check where we are! How far is Earth from here!?”

“You’re not comprehending how black holes work!” Mira snapped at me. “At this distance, Earth is going to be consumed, along with everything around it!”

Right as Mira finished talking, Manako brought up a sensors manager, showing us just where we were in relation to everything else. The Trinity was no longer in orbit of the Moon, instead, she was now falling towards the Earth, gaining speed with every passing moment. We were on track to crash into either Southern Japan or Korea!

“What do we do!?” Chihiro sounded like she was about to panic.

Mira moved towards the central alcove, reaching out as though she was going to unplug Jericho and separate her from the Trinity.

“No!” Jericho snapped. “I have an idea; I know what I’m gonna do!”

“That’s great!” Mira said, taking a step back. “What do you need us to do?”

Jericho looked at each of us in turn, then said:

“I need you all to go. Get to the hangar and fly back to Earth.”

Nobody had been expecting that. In the moment of stunned silence, the entire ship rocked and tremored, as if to remind us that there was an out-of-control singularity somewhere below our feet.

“No way.” Manako replied. “We’re in this together, Jericho! We can help you!”

“You already have!” Jericho said.

“Wait, I caused this!” Akira said, “Don’t you want me to-”

“NO!” Jericho raised her voice! “You promised us you’d face justice when this is all over! I’ll say it again, everyone get out! Go to the hangar bay and use the Kakama to get out of here! Get off the ship before it implodes!”

Mira didn’t move.

“Jericho, I thought you wanted to live… have a life together with us.”

“I do,” Jericho said, “Just let me deal with this first! Now go!”

Behind Mira, I remembered the conversation I’d had with Jericho before all of this. I knew that this, somehow, was part of Jericho’s original plan, and that our role in it was non-negotiable. I clenched my fists so hard that I cut my own palms from fury. Then, I grabbed the sleeve of Mira’s uniform.

“It’s time to go, Mira.” I said.

“Let go of me, Robinson!” she protested. “I’m not leaving without my daughter!”

Chihiro grabbed hold of Mira as well.

“Stop wasting time!” Chihiro yelled. “If you don’t hurry, we’re all going to die!”

Then, when Mira remained defiantly rooted to the spot, Jericho said loudly:

“GO!”

And hit us with a Telekinetic Pulse!

The Psionic assault was so unexpected, so out of the blue, that Mira, Chihiro, Akira, Manako and I all flew backwards, out of the control room, and landed on our backs outside on the catwalk! The door slammed shut behind us, just as the ship rumbled again! This time, we could hear a terrible crashing sound echoing up the ventilation shaft!

“Hangar bay!” I yelled. “Run!”

We tore through the corridors of the ship as it began crashing down around us! Ceilings buckled, support columns gave way, floors collapsed! Following the trail of dead Reapers and Templars left behind in the initial assault, we backtracked most of the way to the hangar before Akira came to a skidding stop! We stopped our escape to look back at her.

“The hangar is just through that hallway.” Akira pointed behind us. “You’ll be safe now.”

“What are you doing?” Chihiro said, “Come on, it’s time to go!”

“That’s right.” A dark look came over Akira’s face. “Take care of yourself, mother.”

And then Akira reached into the pocket of her flightsuit and pulled out a Laser Pistol! The same one Jericho had made for me during the Temporal Disruption! Chihiro, Manako, Mira, and I all yelled and shouted for her to stop, but it was too late! Akira aimed to her left and fired a single bolt into a control panel! A blast door, made from inch-thick lead, slammed down across the hallway, separating the four of us from Akira! Chihiro and I slammed our fists against the unmoving bulkhead, screaming for Akira to come back, but Manako and Mira looked at one another.

“She’s trying to escape.” Manako said,

“She’s going for the Time Core.” Mira responded.

Chihiro and I tried to stop the two of them from going after Akira, but it was too late! Ignoring our warnings and calls to come back, Manako and Mira set out at a brisk pace down another hallway, talking to one another until they were out of earshot:

“I know several routes she could take to get to the other side of the ship. I can head her off.” Mira said. “There’s another hangar bay and escape pods over there!”

“We’ve got to be careful; she’s definitely got something up her sleeve!” Manako replied. “Don’t try to take her alone!”

Ignoring my and Chihiro’s cries, Manako and Mira also disappeared into the rapidly collapsing corridor, Mira shouting at the top of her lungs:

“You’re not getting off this ship alive, Akira!!”

In any other circumstance, Chihiro and I would have waited. Those were our friends back there, after all. But I had told Jericho that I was going to trust her this one last time. There was nothing more we could do but hope and have faith that Jericho was ready for whatever Akira was planning to do.

Chihiro and I ran full tilt towards the hangar bay. When we got there, we found a nightmare waiting for us. The disaster being inflicted on the ship by Akira’s singularity was affecting the hangar as well. A huge piece of metal scaffolding had fallen from the ceiling and crushed two of the UN spaceplanes: The Moana Ranginui and the Hermione. To make matters worse, the Kakama was gone! The frigate had taken off without us! Chihiro pointed out the hangar bay entrance to a distant point of light between us and the Earth.

“Well, at least everyone else made it out.” She said.

There was only one spaceplane left. The JSDF Ark Angel was battered but still flyable. Like the other spaceplanes, she had landed on her belly, and her emergency exit had been deployed. There were so many problems with this escape plan, but trying to get away will always sound better than being sucked into a newborn black hole.

First thing’s first. Chihiro and I donned flightsuits and put on space helmets as soon as we boarded the Ark Angel. Lucky for us, there were two members of the crew who wore the same size as us. I felt really uncomfortable when I saw Jericho’s name tag on Chihiro’s chest.

Next came the actual escape from the Trinity. With no landing gear, we had to get creative to turn the plane around. After about a minute of desperate fumbling with the controls, Chihiro and I found a way to turn the plane by throttling each engine individually. While we got the Angel in position to take off, the superweapon continued to come apart at the seams! More debris fell from the ceiling, lights burned out, and a fire ignited in the rear of the hangar bay! It was now or never!

Throwing the takeoff checklist aside, we threw both of the nuclear ramjet engines into full power! The Ark Angel shot forward, clipping some debris on the way and soared out of the hangar! Using the targeting camera on the rear turret, we saw that the Trinity behind us was in extremely bad shape. The superweapon seemed to be imploding in slow motion, possibly because the Time Core was malfunctioning. Further back, we could see the entire allied fleet retreating to a safe distance away from the Trinity, using the wreckage of both Agamemnon and the now-destroyed Beast fleet for cover.

As for us? We followed the Kakama, making a beeline for Earth, which wasn’t as far away as we’d first thought. We hit the upper atmosphere while the engines were still burning! Chihiro killed the ramjets and we glided down towards Japan, keeping the sunrise at our backs. The whole time, I kept the Trinity in the targeting camera’s view, keeping vigil over the ship until:

“Hey, Chi! The Trinity’s moving!”

Even from here, I could see the superweapon’s sublight engines fire up!

“Where’s it going!? Chihiro asked.

“I don’t know! Up!?” I replied.

Behind us, the superweapon rose higher and high above the Earth. Then, a single flash of light pulsed across the surface of the entire ship before the Trinity exploded!

​

The flash was so brilliant that it completely drowned out all other sources of light! Chihiro and I would have screamed, but we had to focus on flying the spaceplane. It wasn’t until we got to a lower altitude that we could finally process what had just happened.

…

Whatever Jericho did in those final minutes actually worked! There was no sign of that singularity Akira had conjured in the Time Core chamber, and no black hole ever appeared. The Trinity itself was blown apart, with some of the debris crashing onto Earth or the Moon, while other bits of wreckage were thrown clear of the Solar System entirely. It was painful to see the Trinity go, but such a relief to know that a last-second catastrophe had been averted. But that doesn’t erase the cost we paid for our salvation: the friends we left up in that damn weapon.

Jericho. Mira. Manako.

Hell, even Akira. She was never totally evil.

Up there, in the calm morning air above the Pacific Ocean, Chihiro and I took a moment to mourn our friends. We switched to atmospheric engines, lowered our altitude to the point we could breathe without spacesuits, removed our helmets, turned on the autopilot, and then had a long cry together. We just survived the most hellish experience of our lives, in the cold darkness of space, as well as strange alternate planes and dimensions. We’d seen some of our friends die, and left others to do the same against our own better judgement. We had been briefly reunited with long lost loved ones, only for them to vanish away just was quickly. But amidst all of that pain, there was a spark of joy.

We had won. The Beast was defeated. The Time Core destroyed. There would be no more war or fighting or death for us, and with a little luck, there would be none for our daughter, either. Now, we just felt tired, exhausted, and a little anxious. Neither Chihiro nor myself had planned to do anything beyond this morning. Now, with the whole of our lives suddenly in front of us again, we had no idea what to do with ourselves.

…

Thursday, September 11, 2036 – 7:30am
Matsushiro, Honshu Island, Japan


Chihiro and I flew the Ark Angel to Matsushiro, the place where the Japanese government had a special bunker for wartime. At some point, the Kakama changed course and followed us there. Both ships landed in an abandoned farm field. Chihiro and I ran straight from the Ark Angel to the bunker, where we found Himawari restored to her proper age and healthy. (Although she was upset about our prolonged absence) Chihiro’s brother had been the best caregiver we could have asked for, having been by Himawari’s side throughout the entire Disruption as well as for most of the time after it.

Outside, we found the remains of the Stormbreakers and Team Takea gathered together in the field. Our comrades were having a happy reunion, celebrating both our victory as well as our survival.

Compared to the rest of the Galaxy, our victory celebration was small and subdued.

Yeah, I heard about the huge spontaneous parties that cleared out entire city blocks on Jigoku and Aoraki. People have told me about the parades in New York and London and Mexico City, as well as the epic feasts in Bangkok, New Delhi, and Mecca. Dancing on the streets in San Francisco, mass singing on the Blorg Colonies, festivals in the Shining Hinterlands. I know about all that, and yet I still say that our bonfire and cookout in the meadow, near the foot of Mount Maizuru, tops all of that.

We spent all day out there, talking each other’s ears off about what we’d seen and done, comparing experiences and matching stories. Elsina loved the tale of Isis and Soylent’s effort to hold onto Nagasaki Airport before the Psi Gates had opened. Bradford, Vahlen, and Kanti listened with rapt attention while Chihiro and I recounted the final moments aboard the Trinity. We relayed and laughed at the crazy things we’d seen when the Time Core was broken, and Kathleen Walsh started taking bets on what historians were going to call the Temporal Disruption in the inevitable books they would write about it. (Soylent, if you’re reading this, you still owe me §500.) Commander Bradford was so confident that we were all going to get medals that he conducted the award ceremony for us then and there, using stones as substitutes for the real thing. I’m sure he was drunk by that point.

Around nightfall, we held a small funeral service for all of our comrades who hadn’t made it back. Without bodies to bury, Tsubaki became the woman of the hour. She pulled some spare parts for her cybernetic leg out of her backpack and used a Laser Pistol to engrave the names of our fallen comrades on each one.

Jericho, Mira, Manako, Kailani, Yutaka, and Naka were buried with full military honors.

…

The next morning, we all started to part ways. Commander Bradford and Central Officer Smith made no attempt to stop us from going home. If anything, I think they actually encouraged us to make ourselves scarce. Chihiro and I took the Ark Angel for ourselves, mostly because no one else did, and partially because Himawari crawled on board when we weren’t looking and decided she liked it in there.

As the sun rose on the first day of our future, Chihiro and I were reminded that we had absolutely no idea what to do next. While I improvised a booster seat for Himawari to ride in, Chihiro went to the cockpit and started powering up the spaceplane. Talking over my shoulder, I kept my question simple:

“How much fuel do we have?”

“About ninety-eight thousand pounds.” Chihiro replied. “We could go halfway around the world on that. New Zealand, Brazil, America. You got anywhere in mind?”

“I heard you’ve got a place in Hawaii.” I said.

“It’s a little apartment in Honolulu. You wanna see it?”

Himawari looked me in the eye and clapped her hands enthusiastically.

“Yes.” I replied. “That sounds perfect.”

<== Previous Chapter (Time Trap)

Next Chapter (Epilogue: History Forgets the Details) ==>​

 

[Macavity116]

<== Previous Chapter (Apotheosis)

The Last Heroes - A Stellaris Story ===>​

Epilogue
History Forgets the Details

​

There’s so much to tell about what happened after the War in Heaven. So much, in fact, that I could easily write another book about it all. Perhaps one day I’ll do that, but for now, enough is enough. All I have left to do is to tie up the last few loose ends and clear up those pesky historical myths and misconceptions that seem to chase me and my family around all the time. So much of the War in Heaven and Jericho’s last day has been shrouded in mystery and speculation, that I know I won’t be able to dispel all myths in one try. But I’ll do my best to explain the aftermath as best I can.

After the Trinity exploded, the allied fleets regrouped over Earth, and most of their crews came down planetside to rest and recover for a few days. Also, there was partying. Lots and lots of partying. Cities in countries like Mexico, America, Brazil, France, and India, and Australia did not recover from the intense celebrations for several months afterward.

As for the rest of the Galaxy, the recovery was slow, but inexorable. To this very day, the Galactic Community still has not fully recovered from the war. You can’t take two steps anywhere without stumbling across either a reconstruction or recolonization project. Some predictions say it’ll be another forty years before the Galaxy fully recovers from the war. Sadly, some parts of spacefaring civilization will never come back. The Blorg and Vanian populations have fallen so far that their civilizations have since been absorbed by other nations. The Vanians are nearly extinct these days, while the Blorg, once a great power, are now largely forgotten.

Partoga and Hiigara, once the two dominant superpowers of the Galaxy, have both been taken down several pegs. Both empires lost their Capitol worlds to the End of the Cycle. The two planets are now barren and uninhabitable. The Hiigarans have relocated their government to a gigantic space station in the Tanis system, while the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth has made Aoraki its new capitol. Both nations are far weaker than they once were, but they and their respective alliances survived.

Thankfully, aside from the occasional squabble over who gets to keep the three Hyperspace Cores, the Galaxy has been largely devoid of armed conflict aside from some planetary-level fighting, such as the American War Zone here on Earth, where an entire continent has become a lawless breeding ground for mercenaries and warlords. Thankfully, places like that are an exception. Reconstruction has become more important than old grudges.

Of course, none of this would be possible without Jericho.

True to her word, Jericho successfully purged the Beast from the entire Galaxy before the Trinity exploded. It took cautious explorers and uncrewed probes nearly a full year to confirm that the Beast was no more. For the first few years after the war, wreckage of Beast ships all around the Galaxy was so widespread that the only thing more prevalent than Beast derelicts was rumors and hearsay about how Jericho had actually done the deed.

In the years since the War in Heaven, my family and I have heard many different stories about how Jericho had vanquished the Beast. The three of us sometimes play “Victory Story Bingo,” a fun little way to keep track of the crazy stories making the rounds. Most of these stories would eventually become early parts of the “Jericho Cannon,” a selection of rumors, folktales, and hearsay about what happened during the War in Heaven. These stories have gained new traction as Jericho herself has become the object of worship and veneration for so many people across the Galaxy.

The Hiigarans are mostly convinced that Jericho became the “K’had Sajuuk,” (which, as far as I can tell, is a goddess of war) and that she used her divine powers to smite the Beast out of existence. The Vanians and Assurians have taken things even further. Someone in the Assurian Heartland discovered an ancient spiritual prophecy and found a way to make it retroactively apply to Jericho, causing most of the Galaxy to assume Jericho had defeated the Beast because she was destined to do so. Most people of the Outer Limb call Jericho “the Chosen One” now. Jericho’s actual actions have only amplified her spiritual impact on people.

The mass resurrection was, in hindsight, a good idea that could have been executed better. Sure, Jericho was able to use millions of people’s memories to build an unstoppable Psionic army in a matter of seconds; but bringing untold trillions back to life in the most epic example of “The cavalry arriving” possible had some unexpected side effects. People who weren’t religious suddenly were after their loved ones rose from the grave and struck down the Beast. Revivals and reformations swept across the Galaxy as people tried to reconcile what happened with their own belief systems. Many churches and temples have been redecorated in the past forty years. Earth was hit pretty hard too, as most religions on this planet are monotheistic in nature.

There are plenty of true believers on Earth these days, too, which makes it hard for me to tell the true story of what actually happened.

See, the thing is that Chihiro and I were the last two people to see Jericho alive, and we were the last ones off the Trinity. Once my family was settled into our home in Honolulu, UN officials came looking for us. My wife and I were questioned for weeks. I really mean that: Weeks. Our testimonies were actually included in the Bradford-Tygan Papers. (The UN’s official report on what happened during the War in the Heaven, Chi and I are on pages 42 and 107 through 116) Once the Papers went public, Chihiro and I were basically the most popular people on Earth for a few months. We recounted the story on TV and radio so often that our voices would tire easily, and even then, the truth of the War if Heaven still sometimes gets lost in the noise.

Jericho’s victory isn’t the only part of the story shrouded in mystery. The entire Galaxy, and quite possibly the whole Universe, was affected by the Great Disruption. To this day, time is still not quite right, with certain parts of the Galaxy now lagging a few seconds or minutes behind the rest, while some regions have aged or regressed noticeably. There are millions of watches, atomic clocks, chronometers, and other assorted timekeeping devices scattered around the Galaxy. This meant that anyone who wanted to study the Disruption had plenty of data to look at. These days, its generally accepted that time itself was “broken” for exactly fifteen seconds. I personally remember the Time Core being damaged for far longer than that, I even testified as such for the Bradford-Tygan Papers. But then again, I was caught up in the Disruption, too; and it’s not like we can just look at the Time Core and check. It was vaporized when the Trinity blew up.

There isn’t much left of the Trinity or Agamemnon. Both vessels were massive in their own right, so when they met their respective doom, tidal forces between Earth and the Moon tore them apart. Debris and wreckage from the War in Heaven has since fallen into orbit around both Earth and the Moon, giving both worlds a set of small grey rings. Orbital shipyards and foundries are now home base for thousands of Shipbreakers, people who recover these wrecks and salvage any useful materials for reuse.

In general, most people believe Chihiro and I when we tell the truth about things like the Great Disruption or the Paradox or the destruction of the Trinity, but one thing that we have a lot of issues with is the disappearance of the Gift.

There are so many ridiculous rumors and crackpot theories about why Psionics vanished from the Galaxy seemingly overnight that I’m not even going to justify them by repeating such stupidity here. Instead, I offer only the truth, exactly as it happened:

Jericho used the Trinity to drain all Psionic energy from not just the Shroud, but from all Gifted beings in the Galaxy. Then she used that energy to destroy Agamemnon. As my wife and I said in the Bradford-Tygan Papers, Jericho kept a little power in reserve and we are convinced she used it during the final moments before the Trinity exploded. That is why Psionics are gone. That is why there are no more Ethereals. That’s why no one can get into the Shroud anymore. It’s just not there.

Some species were hit harder than others by the disappearance of the Gift. Here on Earth, the Templar Order disintegrated pretty quickly, but in places like New Levakia and the various Vanian enclaves, there was chaos for a short while. So many beings had grown accustomed to always having access to the Gift that adjusting to life without it was a traumatic experience. The Galactic Council is still running a special program that teaches people how to carry out everyday tasks without the aid of telepathy and telekinesis. Fortunately, there were always more non-Gifted people in the Galaxy than Gifted, so there was plenty of help to go around. Levakians, in general, have recovered from the shock of losing the Gift. What few Vanians remain have had to seek out assistance from other species. A large number of them live on Earth now, in the tropical regions.

On the whole, our world and the Galaxy around it is healing and rebuilding. We’re not done by a long shot, but we are making progress, and every day is better than the last. As for the people I met and served alongside throughout the war? Like I said before, I could easily write another book about what they’ve done since that Thursday morning in September 2036. Here’s the broad strokes:

After the War ended, UN Secretary-General Laura Harper stayed in office for nearly twenty years. She orchestrated most of the reconstruction of Earth as well as expanded the UNE’s borders to where they are today. With fifteen star systems and two inhabited worlds under UN administration, Humankind is on its way to taking its well-earned place amongst the stars. Harper retired in 2058 and died of natural causes a couple of years later. Her body was flown to her hometown of New York City. The funeral procession caused the city’s population to double. It’s said that the whole UNE showed up. Laura is buried next to her father, Nico Da Silva, in her old family home in Baltimore, Maryland.

Commander John Bradford retired from military service right after the War in Heaven. I saw him occasionally on TV, giving speeches to the UN Truth and Reconciliation Commission or giving advice to the Reclamation Agency. He retired to his old home in Manhattan, Kansas. He died of an illness in 2069 and is buried near his birthplace.

Wendy Carter did not survive the War in Heaven. Someone saw the UNS Tigermoth and reported its position immediately before the Great Disruption, but once the Time Core was repaired, the ship was never seen again. The Bradford-Tygan Papers have officially cleared me of any wrongdoing, but I’ve had to live with the guilt, knowing that by damaging the Time Core that day, I almost definitely caused Wendy’s death. It’s not a good feeling.

Director Jane Kelly would re-shape and redesign the Reclamation Agency in the years following the War in Heaven. She encouraged Humans to work alongside aliens. Ultimately, her efforts to emphasize and reward Human/alien cooperation would pay off. In the early months of 2040, Chimera Squad, an elite group of Reclamation Agents, uncovered and dismantled a conspiracy against City 31 that would have inflamed Human/alien relations. Kelly remained the Director of Reclamation until the end of the Harper Administration. When the new Secretary-General took over, Kelly was quietly fired and replaced. She’s still an active advocate for non-Human rights to this day, and a frequent visitor at my house, where she and my wife discuss anything and everything.

Doctor Moria Vahlen dropped off our radar almost immediately after the War in Heaven. We think she left the Sol System to pursue scientific opportunities in deep space, and there’s some evidence to support the idea. A Human science ship found a secret laboratory on a barren world, populated only by a crazy old woman the crew nicknamed “The Exile.” Unfortunately, the Exile fled when they tried to investigate further. Given how much time has passed since 2036, we’re starting to lose hope that Vahlen is still alive.

Doctor Richard Tygan became one of Earth’s most well-known scientists after the war. He studied the aftereffects of ADVENT’s genetic modifications and wrote detailed papers about how to safely integrate extraterrestrial life forms into our society. He made a lot of friends in the non-Human community, to the point that when he passed away in 2081, more aliens showed up to his funeral than Humans. He’s buried in Lovell City, on the Terra Nova colony.

Violet disappeared the night of our big party in Matsushiro. We made plenty of attempts to find her, but she would stay missing until 2040, when Reclamation’s Chimera Squad caught her trying to build an illegal Psionic device on top of a building in City 31. She was trying to find a way to bring the Gift back. It’s a whole big thing, and I don’t want to go into it here.

Chaplain Ignatius Petoskey never recovered after the War in Heaven. Our medics tried their hardest, but he just didn’t come back to us. As best we can tell, Ignatius’ body and mind were too badly damaged during the fight against the Elders. He just didn’t have a chance to survive on his own without the aid of the Composer of Strands. Ignatius passed away in January of 2037, and he’s buried in his hometown of Dakar, Senegal.

Erin Hyatt, my first copilot, bears a huge amount of responsibility for the religious fervor that sprung up after the War in Heaven. She had been transferred to a civilian hospital in Busan, Korea to get treatment for her eyes. While she was there, Erin says that Jericho visited her two days before the War in Heaven started. This statement must be true, because Erin’s eyesight was fully restored the next day. I wish I’d known. I would have asked Jericho to fix my bad eye. Ever since the end of the war, Erin has been spreading the faith from one planet to the next, expanding the newborn religion taking shape across the Galaxy. She is currently in Mahurangi City, on the planet Aoraki.

Chief Engineer Lily Shen is still active to this day. She teaches mechanical engineering Yamamoto University on the Terra Nova colony. We still get together and throw her a big party whenever she visits Earth. She also enjoys travelling to the Outer Limb to visit our old allies. Speaking of whom:

Queen Nomsa ruled the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth up until the day she died. She was just and even-handed with the law, a patient lion and a canny politician who knew when to take risks and when to fold her hand. We miss her. She’s buried alongside Empress Tantomile in Mahurangi City on Aoraki.

Former Queen Kendra Mihaka and her husband Eteka never returned to the Commonwealth. The loss of both their grandchildren hit them hard, and they chose to spend the summer of 2037 in New Zealand. From what I heard, the old couple was fascinated by the Maori people and spent every waking hour meeting and talking with them. Kendra gave her final public speech on the one-year anniversary of the War in Heaven. She called for solidarity and unity between all species, and asked the Commonwealth government to seriously consider a formal reunion between Partogan and Maori peoples. The first Partogan immigrants arrived in New Zealand around Christmas of that year and were, for the most part, welcomed with open arms. Kendra and Eteka passed away peacefully in their sleep, possibly within hours of each other on November 9, 2038. They were given the traditional Maori funeral rites and are buried in Auckland. Their graves have since become a major pilgrimage site for Partogan immigrants.

Kanti Divakar is still around. She’s become the de facto leader of the Vanian Diaspora, a political body that is trying to find and claim a new Homeworld for the Vanian people. She doesn’t come to Earth all that often anymore, but she has a large number of friends and supporters here whom she constantly thanks in her speeches. Even without the Gift, she’s still a force to be reckoned with.

Adil and his son Temirzhan live on Earth now and are quite famous here. Temirzhan and Sarah Harris completed the traditional Assurian courtship, which apparently includes ritual combat between the fathers of the bride and groom. Since Sarah’s father was gone, I volunteered to step into the role. To this day, that was the very last time I ever got into a fight. You can find Temirzhan and Sarah in almost any Earth history book now. They’ll be listed under the heading “First interspecies marriage in UNE history.”

Dolim Dehuri returned to Kelta and lived out a quiet life with his family. He passed away about fifteen years after the War in Heaven, and the Kelt government placed a shrine over the cairn where he’s buried. He left behind a large family who carry on his legacy in annual festivals.

Arzhang Pahlevan is raising a family on Amadiio, and frequently invites us out to his place for footraces. In the past ten years or so, I’ve started to make a point of visiting, but politely declining his challenges. I can’t run like I used to.

Elsina retired from the Commonwealth military and moved to Paku Nui. She found a pride and had three cubs, all of whom would go on to have families of their own. Elsina passed away in 2061 and is buried inside the walls of Enutanga Plaza in Kumara City.

The crew of my first command, the Niagara, all chose to stay much closer to home.

Dyeunda Zeil pursued a military career with AFUNE. He’s a general now, and there’s even some talk that he might run for Secretary-General in the next election. His political career has been hampered a bit by the fact that he used to be a soldier in the ADVENT army and is a genetic clone of the ADVENT war criminal Bellus Mar, but Zeil won’t let that get him down. He doesn’t talk about the War in Heaven all that much, and personally, I don’t blame him.

Axiom also remained with XCOM, although he was eventually reassigned to the Reclamation Agency. As a member of the now-illustrious Chimera Squad, he finally got his well-earned moment in the spotlight as a war hero during the mission to dismantle the criminal conspiracy “Atlas.” Axiom is retired now. He helps local Mutons repair their ships so they can leave Earth. There aren’t that many of his kind left here now, but Axiom is welcome to stay, and he knows it.

And the Stormbreakers themselves? There are certainly fewer of us today than there were in 2036, but we’re still around if you look hard enough:

Tsubaki Endo keeps close contact. She still lives in Nagasaki and visits Hawaii whenever she can. She’s also the main organizer of the annual reunion when the Stormbreakers get together each year. Chihiro and I are still her two favorite people in the world, but over time, Tsubaki mellowed out to the point where she actually fell in love with some other guy and got married. Chihiro and I were her biggest supporters on the wedding day.

Lee Chong-Il only lived a short while after the War in Heaven. He passed away from a radiation-induced illness that he caught during the fight itself. There’s a statue of him in the North Korean town of Nampo. He’s buried under it.

Soylent Green finally got to open that brewery he’d been planning for so long. You cannot go to Australia without trying his unique Victory Whiskey. Seriously. He ended up getting married to Anna Petrova, one of the soldiers from Delta Squad, and he’s planning to leave the business to his son.

Matthew Hawkins quit the military life as soon as the war ended. He’s kind of a recluse these days, living in a cabin in rural Rhode Island. The only social function he attends is the annual reunion, but he’s always happy to have us over to his place as guests. He’s even got a special bedroom set aside when one of the married couples comes over to visit. Speaking of which:

When Sophia Kuznetsova and Sophie Ackermann got married, my wife Chihiro was the Maid of Honor. We threw a huge party at Sophie’s new home in Rio de Janeiro, and Sophia got to reveal for the first time that she had received facial reconstruction surgery. Even though her old injury is repaired, Sophia still likes to cover her face, partially out of habit, and partially because she’s learned how to make masks and head wraps look stylish. Sophie and Sophia Ackermann are both still alive, enjoying their retirement in Brazil. They take annual vacations to the Terra Nova colony; each year, they put a wreath in orbit of Earth’s Moon for their fallen friends.

Isis Dekker retired a few years after the war and emigrated to the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth. She lives in a small Human enclave on the planet Hokianga. As Jericho’s first (and only surviving) adoptive mother, she’s very famous and has become a bit of a rallying point for Jericho’s worshippers in the region. The Partogan film industry even made a biographical movie about her recently. She comes back to Earth once a year for the reunion.

Kathleen Walsh passed away in 2049. At autopsy, the doctors discovered that Walsh had died from a lingering wound she received during the Second Battle of Pyongyang, all the way back in 2035. Before she died, Walsh took up several charitable causes, raising money to house displaced victims of the war or find a cure for the Fade. There’s a statue in her honor in Boston now, calling her “The last casualty of the Second Hyperspace War.”

Hal Macintosh quit AFUNE after the war and returned to his home in Toledo, deep in the American War Zone. Hal tried to stop the civil conflict from tearing his home country apart, but somehow ended up becoming one of the myriad warlords fighting for control of America instead. We lost contact with him during the Fifth Battle of Fort Wayne, in 2057. The Army of Indiana claims to have killed Hal in a commando raid in early 2060, but UN leadership is convinced he’s still alive, in hiding.

Out of all the Stormbreakers, Odette Fournier was the biggest help in writing this book. She was privy to so many moments that I just would have missed, and she ghost-wrote several passages where my knowledge of what happened was incomplete. If she had not asked me to do otherwise, I would have put her name on the cover of this book right under my own. On top of all that, Odette is Himawari’s Godmother. She’s got this kind of quiet, patient love that’s so easy to overlook, yet is so treasurable. Odette lives on the Terra Nova colony in the Alpha Centauri system, and we visit her often.

An that just leaves myself and my family.

I’m seventy years old now. I’ve enjoyed my life, for the most part. After fighting in the War in Heaven, all other conflicts and crises seem petty in comparison. Chihiro and I still live in Hawaii. We’ve got a house in Pearl City on Oahu Island, and our greatest struggle these days is with Empty Nest Syndrome. Himawari married her college sweetheart ten years ago, and now they’re raising children of their own. He’s a professional Shipbreaker, so he and I often have a lot to talk about. The extended family is still out there, too. Chihiro’s brother has made it his mission to expand the Japanese Imperial Family to its prewar size and my aunt Miranda made a killing as a mercenary in the American War Zone, allowing her to retire and live out her days in some serious comfort.

But once a year, in the first two weeks of September, those of us who are still around get together for the big fifteen-day-long reunion. The location shifts each year, but it’s always a place that’s somehow significant to us. Pyongyang, Vladivostok, Easter Island, Nagasaki, places like that. But there’s one thing that’s the same every year:

About twenty-four hours after the Stormbreakers and their families arrive at the annual reunion, a woman with light brown skin and dark hair would show up. Regardless of whatever happened in the previous year, anything this woman had to say was the most interesting topic of the day. She would tell us about where she travelled, the people she met, the places she explored. Isis Dekker in particular enjoyed meeting this friendly traveler, and would often give her a package full of food on the last day.

Our friend is a very quiet and reserved person. She is a veteran of the War in Heaven, which makes her a great hero in the eyes of all sentient life. However, she prefers anonymity and almost never discusses her role in the final battle.

The veteran made fast friends with Himawari, who attended every reunion so far. Being completely deaf, my daughter can only communicate with hand signals, facial expressions, and body language. Our friend picked up Himawari’s way of talking quickly, and the two of them will often have long conversations together.

Most of the time, we only see our friend at the reunion and have, for the most part, honored her wish to be left alone the rest of the year. I did occasionally spot her hanging out with an elderly hybrid woman in Pacific cities and towns. Whenever we saw one another, we’d share an unspoken greeting. Sometimes just a nod, a raised glass, or a simple salute.

Last year, our friend's companion passed away. Every member of the Stormbreakers, Team Takea, as well as some two hundred members of AFUNE, Reclamation, XCOM, the Triple Alliance, and a wide array of veterans attended her funeral. It was a quiet ceremony. Unless you were actively seeking it out, you might not even notice the new grave adjacent to the final resting place of Kendra Mihaka. The tombstone doesn’t have a name on it, just the insignia of the old Partogan Kingdom: three circles between a pair of double crescents.

I met the veteran after the burial and asked if I could interview her for this book. We talked late into the night and far beyond the early morning. She gave testimonials and verified several stories about the War in Heaven. We both wanted to put the truth out there, but without disturbing the veteran’s quiet retirement. She agreed to let me include her stories, memories, and experiences in this retelling of the War in Heaven, hoping that I could restore some of the finer details that history has forgotten, and ensure that the beliefs, myths, and legends starting to grow around Jericho at least have a basis in fact.

Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. My friend doesn’t want the fame or attention that comes with surviving the War in Heaven, but she did say she’s finally ready to talk about her experiences if you’re willing to seek her out and ask. In her words: “The truth is worth a little discomfort.”

If you want to know what happened to Jericho after the Resurrected vanished and before the Trinity exploded, all you have to do is pay a visit to my friend and ask her.

She lives in a small town in New Zealand, not too far from Mount Ruapehu, that volcano Partogan immigrants love so much. Start your journey in the town of Turangi, follow State Highway N1 to the northeast, along the shores of Lake Taupo until you get to the town of Tauranga Taupo. Hang a right on Hingapo Road and follow it into the forest. When you’re about halfway between Tauranga Taupo and the Partogan Colony called “Mihaka Nui,” you should find a small cluster of buildings, an off-the-map unnamed settlement where Humans and Partogans live together. My friend has been living there longer than anyone else, so most anyone there will guide you the rest of the way if you just tell them who you’re looking for:

Her name is Kate.




<== Previous Chapter (Apotheosis)

The Last Heroes - A Stellaris Story ===>​

 

[TrinalGalaxy]

Wow, just wow. An incredible ending to a great story. I wonder what akira was doing when she turned and ran. Now that its over, I suggest you have a beer (or beverage of your choice) and relax. Should you find that you have more tales to tell, I'm sure we all will be ready to hear them. If not? It was a pleasure to read this one. Typos, continuity errors, accidental reveals, and all!

 

[Starkman1973]

What a joyful read. An absolute masterwork. Thank you for sharing this with the community.

 

[volksmarschall]

Congratulations @Macavity116 for a great accomplishment. Not merely a completed AAR, but a completed trilogy! Thanks for the wonderful ride. As all writers know, when finishing something like this, it's as if a part of you is dying. But the sorrow in having something leave you is the ultimate realization of the labor of love. As a great poet, Robert Browning Hamilton, wrote, which is perhaps appropriate here (not to mention that it is also appropriate for readers too who get sucked into the world of the story though it must invariably come to an end):

I walked a mile with Pleasure,
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser,
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she;
But oh!--the things I learned from her,
When Sorrow walked with me.

Cheers!

 

[HistoryDude]

And so it ends...

The Shroud is drained.

The cavalry was everyone, both living and dead? Wow.

Did Akira actually repent, or was she acting? I mean, they seemed to have thought that she didn’t after she chased the Time Core and pushed them out, but she could’ve also been aiding with the Time Core’s destruction or trying to destroy what she had made. Which is it?

Psionics is destroyed, now and forever... but mortals weren’t meant to play God...

The end will come eventually, yes, but how do we know that that won’t simply mark the beginning of the First Cycle once more? The Shroud-Beings wouldn’t be around to see said end, so they wouldn’t know about their own remaking - or even that they were remade at all.

Nice to know what everyone did after the war.

Kate is Jericho, right? If so, does Blake know this? After all, wasn’t Jericho’s birth name Kate?

Also, is that a possible sequel hook I see?

Anyways, congrats on finishing up the trilogy! I really need to make that TVTropes page...

 

[Macavity116]

Hello all. Apologies for the two-day absence. I took @TrinalGalaxy's advice and gave myself the weekend off. Turns out I really did need that break.

Wow, just wow. An incredible ending to a great story. I wonder what akira was doing when she turned and ran. Now that its over, I suggest you have a beer (or beverage of your choice) and relax. Should you find that you have more tales to tell, I'm sure we all will be ready to hear them. If not? It was a pleasure to read this one. Typos, continuity errors, accidental reveals, and all!

Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed.

What a joyful read. An absolute masterwork. Thank you for sharing this with the community.

You're welcome. I'm happy to hear you liked it!

Congratulations @Macavity116 for a great accomplishment. Not merely a completed AAR, but a completed trilogy! Thanks for the wonderful ride. As all writers know, when finishing something like this, it's as if a part of you is dying. But the sorrow in having something leave you is the ultimate realization of the labor of love.

Thanks so much! I wonder how many other multi-AAR series like this are on the site? How many of them are finished? (Hopefully many)

Did Akira actually repent, or was she acting? I mean, they seemed to have thought that she didn’t after she chased the Time Core and pushed them out, but she could’ve also been aiding with the Time Core’s destruction or trying to destroy what she had made. Which is it?

Akira's true intentions may never be known, owing to the fact that she was never seen again following the destruction of the Trinity. However, Mira and Manako did jump to conclusions. They had no logical reason to believe Akira was trying to escape or return to the Time Core. While there are many reasons Akira could have doubled back, the most likely one is that she was going to confront Jericho about the fact that Jericho still had the Gift after Psionics was erased from the rest of the Galaxy.

The end will come eventually, yes, but how do we know that that won’t simply mark the beginning of the First Cycle once more?

No one knows. A little uncertainty has been restored to the Universe.

Kate is Jericho, right? If so, does Blake know this? After all, wasn’t Jericho’s birth name Kate?

Correct, Jericho's birthname is Kate Ray. And Blake is fully aware of "Kate's" true identity.

congrats on finishing up the trilogy! I really need to make that TVTropes page...

Thanks so much, I'm glad you joined me for this incredible journey! Many thanks for all the comments and questions over the past year and a half!

I'm really curious about what TV Tropes apply to this story. If the page ever happens, do let me know!

Also, is that a possible sequel hook I see?

Yes and no. Let me explain:

Remember all the way back in the Afterward section of After Everything, when I said that this trilogy is a reworking of an unwritten story I daydreamed up when I was much younger? Well, the Unwritten Legend of Jericho (Yes, that's the name I finally gave it) does not end with the War in Heaven, it actually keeps going for another 50 years (roughly) in a story called The Last Heroes. The Epilogue of The Stormbreakers takes place roughly 10 years before the beginning of this unwritten tale. Anything that could be interpreted as a sequel hook is exactly that. As stnylan (and also JRR Tolkien) said last year: "It never ends. The story always goes on, even if certain people fall out of it." Chronologically, the Unwritten Legend of Jericho ends with The Last Heroes.

I don't plan to write or post The Last Heroes for two reasons:

First, I found the War in Heaven to be a good stopping point for the Trilogy itself, so I closed off as many plotlines as possible and tied up the story to the best of my ability. I feel the final chapter and Epilogue are a satisfying way for the story to end, and I'm very happy with the way I left things.

Second: The Last Heroes is a purely original story with no obvious connections to the characters or stories of any video games. Therefore, I don't think I'd be allowed to post it here anyway.

If anything, the sequel hooks are little easter eggs for my own enjoyment. But that doesn't stop them from being sequel hooks.

Yeah, I really don't know when to quit.

 

[HistoryDude]

If you ever want to post The Last Heroes, there's always the OT forum. I've never visited there, but it's for everything unrelated to History or Paradox Games...

Are you still reading other Stellaris AARs, by the way? Just curious...

I'll probably do a complete reread of the Trilogy for the TVTropes page. For tropes, off the top of my head, there's the Assimilator (the Beast), Eternal Recurrence, Well-Intentioned Extremist (Akira), And I Must Scream (Karan Sjet, at least), and Precursors (whoever moved Humans from Oceania to Partoga). There's probably far more tropes than that, though...

 

[Macavity116]

Are you still reading other Stellaris AARs, by the way? Just curious...

For the most part, I've resumed my old habit of lurking quietly around the Stellaris AAR forums. I usually read AARs during my breaktimes at work. Lately, I've been following:

Songs of the Saiiban - A Poetic AAR by @Chilango2
Though the Dust of You is Gone by @HistoryDude
War of the Stars: The Phantom Shroud Awakens by @Sinister2202

If you ever want to post The Last Heroes, there's always the OT forum.

I could look into that. If it ever does happen, I'm sure TLH would be presented as a spinoff rather than a true continuation of the series.

I'll probably do a complete reread of the Trilogy for the TVTropes page.

Hopefully I can help you along:

All chapters in After Everything and Faith in Chaos have been furnished with the same "Previous/Next Chapter" buttons seen in The Stormbreakers. I actually did this a few months ago, but I'll do another runthrough to make sure all of the links are still working.

I'm still writing the Afterward section for The Stormbreakers. Just like the previous two stories, it will contain plenty of background and behind-the-scenes information. This time around, I'm planning to discuss story arcs/plot points that were either unresolved or left unused. The Afterward will also include a "Bonus section" hidden behind a spoiler button that will contain several deleted chapters that never made the final cut.

EDIT: While double-checking the chapter links, I became aware of the fact that several images in After Everything are broken. I am working to restore them. Done.

EDIT (T+ 3 hours): All pictures and images for After Everything have now been restored. I'll give Faith in Chaos a similar treatment once I get some free time. All entries in the series will receive some quality-of-life and future-proofing maintenance before the Afterward goes live here.

 

[HistoryDude]

Nice!

Looking forward to the Afterword and its added information...

Thanks for working on fixing the images and also for the recommendation.

 

[Macavity116]

Afterward​

931 days.

From the day I wrote the first sentence of After Everything until I posted the Epilogue of The Stormbreakers, I spent nine-hundred-thirty-one days on this project, and that’s counting my two week “retirement” between the end of After Everything and the first day of writing Faith in Chaos. I can’t remember the last time I spent so much time devoted to such a massive project. But at long last, after two and a half years of destroying keyboards, doing intense research, and forgetting to play with the cats, the work is finally done.

After literal years of me doing so, I’m sure you’re getting very tired of me doing this, but this may well be my last major post to these forums for a long time, so I’m going to do it anyway: Thank you all so much for reading my stories! As I said all the way back in the beginning, I had no real expectations for this project, I just wanted to share a story because I thought it would be fun. Turns out, it was an absolute blast, and now that the project is over, it’s a collection of fond memories… speaking of which:

I’m fully aware that I am not the only person who re-reads these stories multiple times. So just like in Faith in Chaos and After Everything, I want to share some behind the scenes info and additional plot details. Hopefully, the extra info will enhance any potential future readings of The Stormbreakers… but I’m not stopping there this time. We’ve gotta send the series off with a slightly louder bang! Not only will you be getting extra details, but if you stick around until the very bottom of this post, you’ll get to see some extra goodies in the form of a personal story and some bonus content at the very end.

So, for your consideration, here are some interesting tidbits and details about the plot of The Stormbreakers...



Plot points and story arcs that either went unused or got started and then went nowhere:

• Manako, Kailani, Elsina, and Makara and several members of Stormbreaker Squad were all supposed to be given titles by Queen Kendra.
  • There was a point where Kendra was going to bestow the title of "Toa" on several major characters, including Jericho, Blake, and Chihiro. I mostly wanted the scene to contribute to the growth and development of the Human-Partogan alliance, but ultimately I realized the entire scene was pointless and contributed nothing to the plot. There were already other Human-Partogan interactions in other chapters that served a similar purpose, so this redundant scene got dumped.
• An extremely small detail almost came into play.
  • Remember all the way back in Act One when Doctor Tygan was trying to prove that Blake was Akira’s father? (Chapter 10) He briefly mentioned that Blake had an allergy to latex? (Totally not a reference to the health status of the real-world person Blake is based on ) That was actually supposed to come back into play at one point. Akira inherited her father’s allergy and Blake found out. There was going to be moment where Blake forced Akira to drop her disguise via a convoluted plan involving a rubber glove and an EpiPen. The whole thing ended up being dropped because it was too much of a distraction from the main story.
• The Whisperers in the Void was originally going to be chased to Earth.
  • That Vanian science vessel carrying the Whisperers sure seemed to show up out of nowhere, huh? Contrivance or convenience perhaps? The author pulling some bs out of his rear? Well, the sudden appearance is because a whole scene got nuked from Chapter 26. I had a pursuit sequence planned out where Makara Ranginui and the crew of the Mahuika were going to chase the Tren Krom across the Galaxy, attempting to recover the Whisperers in the Void, only for the ship to frustratingly crash into Earth at the last moment. Ultimately, I dropped the scene so that the Whisperers in the Void could make an appearance in Chapter 26 instead.
• During the final chapter, the Time Disruption sequence was shortened… A LOT.
  • When time broke, Blake wasn’t going to end up in the Shroud right away. At least, that was the plan. Blake, Chihiro, and Jericho were going to have to walk through their entire lives, replaying and reliving key events like Blake and Chihiro’s first meeting, Jericho discovering her Gift, the Siege of Hiroshima, the alien invasion, stuff like that. Eventually, I realized that was going to make the chapter insanely long and dumped the idea; which is in all honesty, too bad. I really liked the sequence where Blake got to meet Lincoln’s Ghost, in a callback to Childhood Memory. (Although I'll admit the scene is clunky and doesn't read very well. It definitely could have used a rework. You can find it near the bottom of this post and judge for yourself. )
• Chapter 13 almost had a sex scene.
  • If you want to know the full story, I recounted the incident in this Reddit post about a year ago. Basically, some readers who know me in real life requested demanded I include some adult content in this story. It's as awkward as it sounds. Anyway, I did write the "content" in question. I don't want to admit anything beyond the fact that it does in fact exist; and that its place on the timeline validates Himawari's premature birth in Chapter 31.
• Akira Robinson almost killed Mira Mihaka before the Prologue.
  • Mira actually crossed paths with Akira once before she became the Chosen Assassin. The two of them nearly came to blows in an encounter that I originally wrote for My Sistership. The Mira/Akira encounter was originally going to be Chapter 6 of My Sistership. It then became Chapter 1 of the Stormbreakers for a couple of weeks before being thrown out entirely.
• The first 4 chapters of The Stormbreakers were thrown out and completely rewritten. One of them was re-used as “Childhood Memory”
  • I cannot emphasize how much I hated the original beginning of The Stormbreakers. The first four chapters did not work well, and I waited far too late to actually throw them out and rewrite them. Luckily, all of that work did not go to waste. The short story now known as Childhood Memory was originally going to be Chapter 2 of The Stormbreakers, but once I realized it was going to be deleted from The Stormbreakers, I made a point of saving it because I liked it enough to use it somewhere else. Eventually Childhood Memory saw the light of day in the Halloween Update of DossiAAR’s – Prelude to The Stormbreakers.
• Thanks to a rewrite, Kailani Kalili and Mira Mihaka have something in common: They were both robbed of a throne.
  • For a very, very, very long time, I was planning for Kailani to succeed Kendra as Queen of Partoga. Hell, she actually does so in the 115th Cycle. All the way back in After Everything, (Chapter 4.5) the Narration made reference to someone named “Queen Miranda the Third” who ruled Partoga for 11 days before being killed during the War in Heaven. Yup. That was Kailani. She was born in a different year during the 116th Cycle, and I blame Akira. Also, I briefly considered having Elsina succeed Kendra instead of Nomsa. Once I knew Kailani was no longer going to be Queen, I was instantly married to the idea of Partoga’s next ruler being a Levakian. It felt appropriate.
• Originally, Kendra was going to Abdicate before the story began.
  • Kendra’s abdication was always going to happen, but the timing is something I played around with a lot. At one point, it was actually going to happen “off-screen” with Kendra abdicating the throne immediately after the events of My Sistership. Basically, the catastrophic defeat and near-destruction of the Mahuika would have shaken people’s confidence in Kendra so badly that she would have been forced to step down. Ultimately, I decided to push Kendra’s Abdication back so that Manako and Makara could use their grandmother’s political clout to muster up a large fleet against ADVENT.
• The second it stopped being important, Jericho’s ankle bracelet just kinda vanished.
  • You’re such an idiot, @Macavity116! You literally just needed to add a single line to Chapter 25 saying it was removed. Now people think Jericho wore that thing all the way to the Epilogue. (She didn’t by the way.)
• The destruction of Partoga was supposed to get a lot more focus.
  • I’m not too happy with the loss of Partoga and Levakia being reduced to a few throwaway lines. Ultimately, the disaster was supposed to play out over several chapters, but I was getting worried about the story being way too long, so most “Destruction of Partoga” story points never got beyond the planning stage. Aside from the Epilogue, there isn’t much to indicate what happened to Partogans and Levakians after the war.
    • For those wondering, the Partogan population has concentrated itself on either Aoraki or Earth, with the former being the new capital of the Commonwealth. Most Levakians have emigrated to Paku Nui and New Levakia in the Levakian Confederation.
• Chihiro Tachibana was going to have her own squad.
  • This detail actually has something to do with After Everything as well, as you’ll see in a moment. During World War Three, Chihiro spent some time fighting as a member of an all-female combat unit. In fact, this is where her nickname “Blue Dragon” comes from. Dragon Squad was going to appear in The Stormbreakers as a separate unit under Chihiro’s command but ultimately, I nixed the idea because the number of named characters was getting too large to manage. Several members of the team do appear in the final version of the story, but all mention of Dragon Squad itself was removed from The Stormbreakers.
  • Dragon Squad roster:
    • Yukiko “Red Dragon” Takahashi
    • Kotori “Brown Dragon” Sato
    • Chihiro “Black Dragon” Iwasaki
    • Chiho “Blue Dragon” Tatsuya (Later renamed Chihiro Tachibana)
    • Tsubaki “Green Dragon” Endo
    • Asuna “White Dragon” Tachibana
  • Chihiro Iwasaki and Asuna Tachibana died during World War Three, but Yukiko, Kotori, Tsubaki, and Chihiro Tachibana all survived up to the Second Hyperspace War.
  • Tsubaki’s nickname was retconned to “Fangirl” all the way back in After Everything, (the retcon happened in Chapter 3.1, to be precise) when I decided to avoid mentioning Dragon Squad in Chihiro’s biography.

I could go on and on, but then I’d never finish writing this post. Tell you what, feel free to leave a comment on this thread if there are any other unanswered questions you’d like to know about. Hell, anything you want to ask about this story or the series as a whole, leave it as a comment here and I’ll fill you in as best I can.

I know I already thanked you, the readers and commentors, for everything you’ve done for this story, but there’s actually one other group of people who I owe thanks before we go on:

The Stellaris Dev Team.

Last year, I travelled to Berlin to attend the 2019 Paradox Convention. I got to witness firsthand the big reveal of Crusader Kings III, tried my hand at Surviving the Aftermath, and chatted with the people who create the Templin Institute show on Youtube. My favorite part though, was getting to meet a dozen of the men and women who were actually behind Stellaris itself. The Stellaris Dev Team was at the PDXCON, promoting the new Lithoids pack and the (at the time) upcoming Federations Expansion.

I spent about two hours talking to the Stellaris devs about the myriad ways this incredible game can be used to create and share stories! I even brought along a physical copy of After Everything to share with them, which absolutely made their day! I forget exactly who it was, but one of the developers (I suspect it was Jamor) actually held onto the book and read through the first chapter before I realized he still had it and got it back. The key thing, though, is that everybody I spoke to that day absolutely loved hearing about players writing AARs and fanfictions about the game they poured so much time and effort into. I heard some of the devs say that our AAR's and fanworks make their efforts "worth it."

So all of you Stellaris AAR and fanfic writers out there, you should know the Devs love what you’re doing. Keep it up!

Before I left Berlin, I got several Stellaris Devs to autograph my copy of After Everything. That was definitely the brightest highlight of the entire trip. That one and only physical edition of After Everything now occupies the place of pride on my bookshelf and is my favorite treasure, without a doubt.

And to everybody who worked on Stellaris, from the original designers to the composers and animators and writers and the artists and programmers: You’ve created a masterpiece, and in turn, aided and enabled the rise of an amazing fan community I’m proud to be part of. Fan art. AAR’s, youtube series, webcomics, and who knows what else is out there in this vast and wonderous Galaxy. Thank you all so much for the work you’ve done these past four years. Thank you for creating everything I needed to make this happen:

Spoiler: After Everything - the Physical Edition

Before I sign off, there’s one last thing I want to share with you all. Let’s call it a “bonus chapter.”

The story is fully resolved and over [for] now, but I want to show you what could have been. Below this paragraph, you will see a large number of "Spoiler" buttons. Behind each button are deleted scenes, unused dialogues, or unfinished chapters that never made it into the final version of the story. These unused scenes are drawn from all three installments in the Trilogy: After Everything, Faith in Chaos, and The Stormbreakers. I hope you enjoy this look at what could have been; the strange twists and turns this story could have gone down.

Spoiler: Mira visits Nagasaki

After Everything - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 3.4: The Place Where History Ended
(Entire Scene Deleted)
======
​

[Expedition log: 20 December 2201 – Nagasaki]

Today’s the first day of our expedition! It feels so good to get out of the ship and breathe natural air again! Honestly, all I want to do right now is stand outside and enjoy this cold, wet air! I’m standing at the eastern end of a bridge that connects Nagasaki Airport to the mainland, about a Kio and a half away from the Midak. I’ve had a really busy first day on Earth, so I’ll be quick.

Our Human guide came aboard the Midak to meet us. His name is Osamu Saito, he’s a Warrant Officer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Unfortunately, he doesn’t talk about Jericho with that air of awe and worship I’ve heard from other Humans. Osamu doesn’t seem to have a religion at all, as far as I can tell. That’s something about Humans I never really understood. Atheism is a serious crime that often carries the death penalty on Partoga. By contrast, the Humans not only allow it, but a significant portion of the population has embraced the idea. It’s really, really weird.

Once Osamu finished getting to know the two of us, we planned out our itinerary. Osamu wanted to start us off with a tour of the Nagasaki Battlefield, where the Stormbreakers had made their final stand against the Invaders during the War in Heaven. I told him to “lead the way.”

Moana, however, got sick as soon as she stepped off the Midak. Guess she wasn’t ready for Earth’s gravity and atmosphere. Also, the air temperature here is almost fifty degrees cooler than inside the Midak, which was a real shock when I stepped out. I held my lunch in, but just barely. Osamu took Moana and three other Midak crew members to a Human hospital where they’re being treated for a “Failure to Acclimatize.” Sheesh, we’ve only been here a day. I’d hardly think that’s a failure to do anything.

While I was momentarily free of Omaru and Moana, I slipped into the building where XCOM Headquarters used to be, so I could get a head start on finding a Psionic. This whole time, we thought that XCOM was an active military organization, but it turns out they’ve been defunct for at least a century, and that the title “Commander of XCOM” is a ceremonial role filled by a member of the UN government.

Big disappointment. Unfortunately, XCOM was shut down in 2136 on the one-hundredth anniversary of the War in Heaven. Whatever documents or records it possessed are now long gone because XCOM’s HQ was converted into a simultaneous museum and memorial. Some members of the Midak crew were already exploring when I got there, and the local Humans were also checking us out as though we’d already become part of the exhibit. To make matters harder for me, it looks like Jericho’s fame here in Nagasaki has completely overshadowed the other fourteen Stormbreakers. Both the tour guide and the tour group I ran across only wanted to talk about Jericho, and no one knew the names of Jericho’s companions.

So I’m off to a slow start. When I was in the Shroud, Jericho told me to look for one of the decedents of the Blue Dragon, one of the Stormbreakers. So first thing’s first, I need to find someone who knows about the Blue Dragon, and follow whatever trail they lay out for me.

[closed]
[Expedition log: 22 December 2201 – Nagasaki]

And we have our first lead! When Moana and Osamu came back, we put our heads together and brainstormed a plan. Or rather, Osamu and I did while Moana just hung back silently. Osamu told me that three of the Stormbreakers, including Blue Dragon, were native Japanese. If we get away from all of the museums and memorials, go deep into the city of Nagasaki itself, the locals might tell us about their “national heroes.”

Thanks to Osamu, the Japanese military provided us with a ride into Nagasaki, and more specifically, to the place where we are now. The restaurant I’m standing outside of right now was supposedly owned and operated by one of Jericho’s friends during the Second Hyperspace War. To make things more interesting, there’s a pedestrian bridge made out of stone nearby with a statue of four Stormbreakers watching over it. There are stories here, and I really want to know them!

[closed]
[Expedition log: 23 December 2201 – Nagasaki]

It’s been a great day! Osamu, Moana and I spent the past few hours interviewing the locals, translating war memorials, and mining for information. And at the end of it all, I’m proud to say that we’ve learned some really valuable information. It seems that Nagasaki is just as important to the Humans as the Jericho herself. During the War in Heaven, the Stormbreakers split into two groups: the Vanguard and the Rear Guard. Soldiers in the Vanguard cleared a path for Jericho leading straight to Agamemnon, while Rear Guard soldiers tried to keep the Invaders off her back. Downtown Nagasaki is where the Rear Guard made their final stand against the Invaders before being wiped out.

More specifically: Megane Bridge, the stone walkway I mentioned yesterday is where the Rear Guard was finally vanquished. The statue overlooking the bridge is a depiction of the last four Stormbreakers: Trojan, Blue Dragon, Icarus, and Antigone. Out of the original fifteen Stormbreakers, these four were the only ones to survive. Blue Dragon is the one I’m looking for, or rather, her children’s children. And maybe their children too. The three of us asked around, and before long, we figured out the real names of all four of them: respectively, they were called Blake Robinson, Chihiro Tachibana, Sophie Ackermann, and Sophia Kuznetsova.

Unfortunately, knowing their names doesn’t get us any closer to knowing what happened to them or where their descendants might be. More digging is required. Fortunately our Human guide, Osamu, turned out to be a living repository of knowledge on the Stormbreakers. Osamu walked us straight to the restaurant I mentioned yesterday, and told us about how it was once owned and run by the Stormbreaker Tsubaki “Fangirl” Endo. She was a close friend of Chihiro Tachibana. Sure enough, inside the restaurant, the three of us found a massive shrine Tsubaki built to Chihiro.

When Tsubaki died in the War in Heaven, someone else took over the restaurant and started a tradition of preserving the shrine. I wish I could thank them. Tsubaki’s shrine has hundreds of pictures of Chihiro. Disturbingly, some of them seem of have a cutout of Tsubaki’s face pasted overtop of Chihiro’s husband, Blake Robinson.

What’s more important is that several papers, letters, and other documents from war-era XCOM are here. Tsubaki seems to have kept everything that Chihiro or Blake ever touched. After digging for nearly an hour, I found a letter written in Japanese that I got Osamu to translate into Partogan. It said that after the War, Blake and Chihiro were planning to take their newborn child Asuna and move to a small village on the island of Kauai.

After that, Moana, Osamu, and I started gathering as much info as we would about Kauai. I can’t let this lead go! As soon as we find out where this island is... we’re going!

[closed]

Spoiler: Unused Dialogue (Akira)

Unused Dialogue involving Akira Robinson
Originally from:
Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
======​

“Yup.” Said Akira. “I’d decided to try something radial. I had Time Jumped to Partoga, about a year before the Second Hyperspace War actually started, then I convinced every Partogan that I was a demigod called ‘The Guide.’ It wasn’t the first time I’d passed myself off as a god, I was getting pretty good at it by then. I took Queen Miranda the Second, her Kuhina Nui, and a bunch of advisors into the Shroud. I was going to use the Shroud to warn them all about how the Second Hyperspace War was going to end.”

Mira was on the edge of her seat.

“Did they believe you?”

Akira sighed.

“The End of the Cycle caught me while I was showing Miranda through the Shroud. I tried to stall by pretending it was ‘part of the tour,’ but the damn beast called me out. Then it ambushed me and kicked the Partogans out of the Shroud. Worst part was, by the time I’d fought my way out of there, I saw that the Partogans had gone mad! Mass suicides by the millions. Spaceships rammed themselves into moons and planets. Nukes went off in their silos. It was awful. The Kingdom destroyed itself intentionally! The whole cycle was wasted.”

“Wasted?” Mira asked,

“In any cycle where the Partogans don’t fight in the War in Heaven,” Akira explained, “The Beast wins. Earth is subverted, and the whole Galaxy falls. Your people have to be there and they have to fight. It’s a non-negotiable part of history.”

======
​

“Wait, tomorrow?” Mira repeated.

“Yup.” said Akira. “Last time around, you didn’t make the choice to join our team until you saw the Ark Angel. So, I won’t twist your arm to join us until we get there. Besides, Haraka and Arioch are working on some upgrades right now and the cabin’s a mess. Let’s call it a night, Mira. It’ll take us half the day to get there tomorrow, we’re both gonna need the sleep.”

Mira stood up and showed Akira the door to one of her guest rooms.

“Where is the Ark Angel, anyway?” Mira asked, “A human gunship would’ve been noticed landing in the city.”

“That’s right.” Akira nodded. “We landed out in the Boron Desert, on the East side of the continent. We’ve got a long trip ahead of us tomorrow, but I promise it’ll be worth it. Most of the team got along pretty well with you last time, and I know Anika will be happy to see you again.”

Akira stepped into Mira’s guest room, picked up a towel off the bed, and covered up the wall mirror with it.

“I’ll go with you, Akira.” said Mira, “But you’ve gotta let me look at your Time Core before I agree to join you. That’s non-negotiable.”

Akira nodded.

“Deal.”

Spoiler: Enutanga Doesn't Want to Win

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 3.5: Factions and Fractures
(Unused Dialogue)
======​

“Do you think she’s gonna win?” Enutanga asked.

“She’s got the best chance right now.” Toa Mami said. “Think about it, Irirangi is the ‘safe choice.’ She’s related to the Holy Father, so that’s the Church on her side. She’s not part of the military, so the Pro-war and Anti-war factions don’t have anything against her. The Levakians won’t support her, but there’s not enough of them to turn the tide.”

Toa Mami slumped into her chair and sighed.

“Yeah… I think she’s gonna win.”

On the screen, Holy Father Whiro Ranginui began to introduce Irirangi to the National Assembly.

“There is no one in our great Kingdom more dedicated to the Way of the Mountaineer than my great-niece.” He was saying.

“I know it sounds strange,” Enutanga said suddenly, “but I think losing this election might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Toa Mami stopped paying attention to the screen and looked back at Enutanga. The biggest rock star in the Outer Rim was twisting her curly hair on one hand absent-mindedly.

“Put it this way.” Enutanga went on, “I already have about 15 billion fans all over the Galaxy. Partogans, Levakians, Assurians, Vaygr, Taiidan. Hell, my manager told me that Hiigarans, Blorg, Kel-Azan, Kelts, Sycldari, Amadii, and Vanians have been illegally importing my music for over a year. After I got picked to be a Candidate I started getting so much mail, physical and virtual, that my public relations manager had to hire nearly a hundred extra people to sort through it all. Then those people had to buy or build advanced computers to sort through the mail.”

Enutanga sat up in her chair.

“I think there’s about 60 billion people out there who know my name now,” she said, “And they all wanna hear what I’ve got to say. I’m not a politician, you know. I’m an entertainer. With that many eyes on me, I could make some real positive change happen in the Galaxy… but I don’t think I could do that from the Royal Palace. Too much bureaucracy and government between me and the people I wanna talk to.

“Being Queen just won’t work for me.” Enutanga admitted. “So, for what it’s worth… if Irirangi loses, then I hope you win, Toa Mami. You’re more cut out for the job than me.”

Toa Mami tried to thank Enutanga, but the words got stuck in her throat, and came out as a soft mumble instead. Enutanga seemed to get it anyway. In the silence that followed this discussion, the final section Irirangi’s speech filled the room.

Spoiler: Maki plans to confront Mira

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Interlude #3 (Original Version)
(Entire Scene Deleted)
======


5 Days until the Reckoning​

June 10, 2229 A.D.
Eteka Mihaka Memorial Terminal, Candon City Spaceport, Partogan Homeworld


The sky was pitch black, despite it being the middle of the day. All around the spaceport, black rainwater, saturated with volcanic ash, thundered down in torrents. The highway connecting the spaceport to Candon was swept away by the immense flooding. The sound of thunder and mudslides were indistinguishable from one another.

While wet ash built up on the roof of the spaceport, there was chaos inside the terminal. A squad of Green Guard soldiers parted the crowd, shouting and demanding for people to get out of the way. Surrounded by bodyguards, Queen Emily the Second held tightly to the hand of her only daughter, Crown Princess Wikitoria Mihaka. The young girl stared at the floor, filled with shame as she heard the jeers and yells of the crowd:

“Why does she get to go?!”

“You’re gonna kill my children!”

“She’s just like her aunt! She doesn’t deserve to be saved!”

“Who are you helping by saving her?!”

At the far end of the Terminal building, a massive Colony Ship dwarfed the spaceport complex itself. Ground crew members ran desperately around the launch clamps that held the city-sized spacecraft in place, shoveling gravel out of trucks and replacing the dirt that was being washed away by the downpour of black rain.

Queen Emily, her daughter, and their entourage soon reached the end of the Terminal. The boarding ramp that lead to the Colony Ship had been covered up by military grade armor, but it was already starting to sag under the weight of the ash building up on top of it.

Right when Wikitoria reached the boarding ramp, she felt her mother let go of her hand.

“Mom,” Wikitoria said, “Come on, we can’t miss this ship! It’s our last chance!”

Wikitoria looked around at her mother. Queen Emily was tugging at something on her left hand.

“I’m sorry, honey.” said the Queen. “I-I can’t go with you. I have to stay here.”

“NO!” Wikitoria wrapped her arms around her mother and began trying to forcibly pull her towards the boarding ramp!

“You have to go! You’re the Queen! You’ve gotta help your people! You’ve gotta save us!”

“Wiki...” The Queen raised her voice, “WIKI! LISTEN TO ME!”

Wikitoria fell silent. The yelling of the crowd and thundering of the ashfall seemed to lessen a little as she focused on what her mother had to say. Wikitoria’s mother knelt down so that she was on eye level with her daughter.

“It is the duty if the Queen to protect her people.” Said Queen Emily. “And I failed. Completely and totally. I don’t have any right to be on that ship. But there is still something I can do to protect and defend everyone here. To do it, I have to stay behind. Wiki- Look at me!”

Queen Emily gently turned Wikitoria’s head and locked eyes with her.

“Promise me, Wiki. Swear to me that you’ll do whatever it takes to protect, defend, and honor our people.”

Wikitoria felt something press into her hand. She tried to look down, but quickly lifted her eyes to meet her mother’s gaze as she continued speaking.

“You are the heir of the Mihaka family, and you alone. You remember everything I've taught you. Never let go of that! And don’t give the sof our culture to the greedy, don’t give in to fear, and never surrender to your anger. You are Queen now. You must preserve our future.”

Amidst the chaotic yelling of the crowd, the thunder of ashfall, the distant booming of the volcano, and the roaring of the Colony Ship’s engines... the swearing of oaths and transition of power went completely unnoticed.

Queen Emily the Third clutched the Whetu Karerarera tightly in her fist and hugged her mother one last time, whispered a loving goodbye, and then turned to board the Colony Ship. Half of the Green Guard soldiers went with her.

Two minutes later word came that the Colony Ship was at maximum capacity and the boarding ramp was withdrawn. With a mighty ROAR the Colony Ship broke free of its moorings, rocketed up through the blackened sky, pierced the billowing clouds of smoke and ash, and then vanished from sight.

The Former Queen gathered her remaining soldiers together and left the Terminal.

There was one last person she needed to see before the final act.

Spoiler: Faith in Chaos - Prologue (Original Version)

**This is the original Prologue of Faith in Chaos
It was abandoned in favor of the current version.**
======
​

Assam Kiith’sid, Hiigara, March 8, 1926 A.D.

Two high-ranking officers of the Partogan Royal Navy wore shocked looks on their faces as they viewed the massive television screen at the far end of the convention hall. Around them, several hundred dignitaries from other interstellar states did the same thing. Levakians, Assurians, Taiidan, Kel-Azan, Kelts, Blorg, Scyldari, Vaygr, Mirovandians, Osyrians, and even the occasional Voor were all struck dumb by the sight before them. Eyes bulged from shock and awe, translators and interpreters were completely lost for words and just stood there, speechless. The audience was stunned.

On an elevated stage, just below the giant television screen, the Hiigaran Military representative was having trouble keeping his smile from showing. This was just too satisfying! He raised the microphone back to his mouth and continued talking:

“The Faal-Corum's central spine is designed to accommodate any module our engineers can dream up.” The Hiigaran explained, “This allows her to adapt and overcome any situation in deep space without the need to return to Hiigara for a lengthy refit. Weighing in at just 613,000 tons, the Faal-Corum can achieve a maximum acceleration of 10 Meters per second Squared, that’s 13.7 Bios per second Squared for any Assurians, Partogans, Levakians, or Keltians in the crowd. I assure you all, there’s no Mothership-class vessel in the galaxy that could get up and run like the Faal-Corum can.”

Behind the Hiigaran representative, the image on the screen flickered and cut to another viewing angle, so that everyone in the convention hall could have the best possible view of the launch. On the screen they saw the Capital Berth door extended away from the Kushan Mothership and reveal the vessel within. The Partogan Captain turned to his comrade, an Admiral.

“Sir!” The captain gasped, “There’s no way! It’s impossible to build a whole Mothership in less than a year, let alone as quickly as they said!”

The Admiral shook his head.

“Yet here we are.” The Admiral said, “We’re seeing it now with our own eyes. It can be done.”

On the wall-sized television, the Explorer-Class Mining Vessel Faal-Corum emerged from the Kushan Mothership and began flying across the Hiigaran sky under her own power. The convention hall erupted with applause. Engineers and scientists from all over the galaxy loudly celebrated the Hiigaran’s achievement, while military and diplomatic dignitaries clapped more gently, the better to hide their complete shock and terror.

As the Hiigaran military representative continued to talk about the Faal-Corum's ability to build and jettison specialist modules in deep space, the two Partogans had finally seen enough. The Admiral stood up, grabbed the Captain, and they both left the hall. A shuttlecraft was waiting to take them back to the spaceport where a Partogan ship was ready to take them home.

In minutes, the two Partogans had boarded the ship and left the Hiigaran Naval Exhibition far behind. Finally, the Captain broke the awkward silence which filled the little cabin.

“Sir,” the Captain asked, “This can’t be as serious as you’re making it out to be.”

The Admiral just started at the Captain and didn’t say anything, so the Captain pressed on,

“Construction technology is getting better every year. Sure, everyone is losing their minds right now because Kiith Somtaaw, one of the poorest Hiigaran clans, could build a Mothership-Class vessel in just 20 days, but they’ll realize that it was inevitable and move on. Does the Faal-Corum really change anything?”

The Admiral took his subordinate by the shoulder.

“Soldier,” the Admiral chose his words slowly. “That ship just changed the course of galactic history. Not because of how quickly it was built... but by what it can do. There aren’t any Motherships in the galaxy that can just jettison a useless module and replace it in deep space. Very few star-nations have developed In-Situ Resource Utilization technologies like the Hiigaran Phased Disassembler Array. Partoga is in the minority group there, but we’ve never used a PDA in the way the Faal-Corum does. That Hiigaran was talking about refitting a whole Mothership in flight. The Faal-Corum is a mining ship today, but could turn itself into a battlecruiser before the end of the week! Don’t you see what this means?!”

The Captain shook his head. The Admiral took a deep breath.

“The construction of the Faal-Corum has just made every Mothership in the galaxy obsolete. There’s going to be an arms race now, the likes of which we’ve never seen, soldier. An arms race involving Hiigara, the Republican and Imperialist Taiidani, the Micore, Assuria, Blorg and us too. We’ve just seen the dawn of an era of militarization, and I don’t think either of us will live to see the day when peace returns to the galaxy.”

Spoiler: Tantomile Escapes!

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 1.2: The White Lioness
(Alternate Ending)
======​

“Haven’t you heard the news?” Korova asked, “Why are you still here? Why haven’t you escaped yet?”

It was too early in the morning for games. Tantomile leaned forward and nuzzled Korova’s neck, making a deep growling noise that some Levakians could pass off as purring.

“If I play this game,” she sighed, “What do I get out of this?”

Korova pushed Tantomile away.

“This is no game!”

His voice was accompanied by a deep growl that almost became a roar. Tantomile flattened her ears and began flicking her tail back and forth.

“What’s this about then?” she demanded,

Korova looked scared again.

“That lion” he said, “he says your mother... Empress Jemima... is coming back today.”

Tantomile glared at him. She didn’t understand why this was something to flee from. Korova took a step forward and put his paw on Tantomile’s shoulder.

“She got remarried. She’s bringing her new husband here.”

Tantomile’s heart missed a beat and her stomach lurched.

“What!?” she asked, her voice cracking. “When!? To who!?”

“Yesterday morning.” Korova answered. “And she married King Emerdon of Waioku. He already has a daughter of his own! You know what’s going to happen, what he’ll do to you if you’re still here!”

Korova was right. If Empress Jemima really had found a new husband with a young cub of his own, then Tantomile and Coricopat would be in mortal danger. Whenever a male lion took over a pride, he would kill cubs who weren’t his own offspring. It was just part of Levakian society: There is not... and never would be such a thing... as a Levakian stepfather.

Tantomile and Coricopat hadn’t been disowned, abandoned, or forgotten by the Empress. To Jemima, they were already dead.

Tantomile didn’t even say goodbye to Korova. There wasn’t any time for that. She tore through the rooms and halls of the Levakian Imperial Palace as fast as she could, screaming her older sister’s name! Coricopat, rubbing her eyes and yawning, emerged from her bedroom.

“What the hell are you yelling about?” Coricopat grumbled, “I was sleeping.”

“Mom got remarried!” Tantomile said as she grabbed Coricopat’s paw. “King Emerdon! They're coming! We’ve gotta run, NOW!!”

Coricopat understood the situation at once. She was old enough to have had friends who were killed by a newly enthroned lion King. In fact, she took the lead, guiding her little sibling towards the front door of the palace. The lionesses left everything behind. Possessions, status symbols, clothing, none of it mattered! The only thing that either of them could think about was the desperate hope that they got out of the palace without being seen.

It wasn’t to be. In the palace courtyard Tantomile and Coricopat spotted a male lion. The Levakian Imperial Guard, armed with a slugthrower rifle, was standing next to the doorway that led to the Grand Staircase; far too big of a target for either Coricopat or Tantomile to overpower alone.

But of course, lionesses do not hunt alone.

They knew what had to be done. If the Imperial Guard knew about the remarriage, he would try to ensure the doomed adolescents stayed in the Palace, allowing the incoming King-Consort to exercise his right to commit filicide. If he didn’t know, then Tantomile couldn’t run the risk of him telling Empress Jemima which way her cubs had fled.

Keeping a low profile, Tantomile and Coricopat split up, slinking silently across the courtyard, using the trees and shrubs for cover and concealment. Tantomile avoided the sunlight so that her white fur wouldn’t give her away. Coricopat’s brown fur allowed her to get closer to the guard before she deliberately broke cover and allowed him to spot her.

By the time the Imperial Guard saw Coricopat, it was far too late. Once he raised his slugthrower rifle and took aim at Coricopat, Tantomile had already pounced!

She struck the lion from behind, sinking her teeth and claws into the back of his neck and toppling him to the ground. Coricopat’s full weight came down on them both! Snarling, growling, and roaring, all three lions tumbled to the ground and became a storm of claws, fur, and teeth! Tantomile bit and scratched every part of the Imperial Guard she could reach! The guard pinned Coricopat to the ground and began biting her face, but he couldn’t keep her down! Tantomile came to her sister’s rescue and pulled the guard off of Coricopat before resuming her own assault.

Blinking blood out of her eyes, Tantomile somehow found the guard’s neck a second time in the melee and applied as much violence as possible to it. But the lion’s thick mane protected him against Tantomile’s claws and teeth. The guard tried to respond in kind but Coricopat, growling loudly enough to sound like a thunderstorm, descended upon him one last time and drew blood!

The Imperial Guard had never stood a chance. Using a kind of cooperation only lionesses can understand, Coricopat and Tantomile refused to give their enemy a chance to recover or catch his breath. Ultimately, the guard didn’t die from blood loss or trauma, but because Tantomile had simply strangled him, crushing his neck in her own vicelike jaws.

Tantomile stood up; her snowy white fur was so badly stained with blood that she bore a disturbing resemblance to the lion she’d just killed. Coricopat drew close and nuzzled her sister.

“Even if we wanted to, we can’t take this back.” Coricopat said, “This is how things are. And that’s what’ll happen to us if we stay. Let’s go.”

Spoiler: Titohara is suspicious

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 2.2: The Taiidan War Zone
(Deleted Scene)
======
​

Eteka and Titohara just shot exasperated looks at each other. Titohara mouthed to Mami:

“Leave them here.”

Mami, Titohara, and Eteka stood up from the table and left the Mess Hall. Once they got into the hallway outside, all three of them sighed and leaned against the corridor wall together. Eteka looked over at Mami.

“By the way, Mami: Happy Birthday. I don’t know if anyone’s told you yet.”

“Ya know,” said Titohara, “In a way, I’m kinda glad Toa Kopaki’s here. My dad’s terrified that I was gonna fall in love with some Navy guy and never come home. At least this way, I don’t really have the chance.”

Mami and Eteka looked at each other and said together;

“Arahu.”

Titohara nodded,

“Yeah, I saw him hanging around you when you first came aboard.” Titohara said, “I’ll bet you’re not really that upset about Toa Kopaki. She probably took some heat off of you.”

Mami and Titohara both giggled. Eteka shook his head.

“I guess I’m not the only person who’s noticed.” He told Titohara. “I’ve gotten creepy vibes off Arahu myself. Always when Mami’s around-”

“Oh, come on! He’s harmless.” Mami protested, “His great-uncle is the freakin’ Holy Father, and most of his family are clergy. Arahu’s pretty much got half the Church of the Mountain making sure he behaves himself. And besides, when has the Ranginui family ever hurt anyone?”

Titohara laughed off Mami’s comment.

“Anyway, Tamihana, happy birthday.” Said Titohara, “I’m gonna go clobber those three morons. It’s more fun than writing the millionth After Action Report for the Sub-Lieutenant.”

Mami started to follow Titohara back into the mess hall, but Eteka’s arm caught Mami across the chest and he held her back.

“Hang on a sec,” he said quietly,

Once Titohara shut the mess hall door, Eteka gave Mami a serious look.

“How the hell does she know about Arahu?” he asked.

Mami didn’t understand what he was asking about.

“I... don’t understand what you’re talking about.” she said, “Arahu’s a pretty obvious guy, you know that more than anyone. I mean, come on, remember the last time he made up an excuse to sit near me and hold my arm like we were dating or something? Broad daylight, in front of everyone?”

Eteka nodded,

“I do remember.” he said darkly. “It was at Fort Daxia two months ago. Titohara hasn’t seen Arahu being creepy, Mami. He’s been on his best behavior since we got deployed. He hasn’t been getting close to you and I haven’t seen him try to touch you, either. He’s been like a priest since Maehe. Mami, I’ll ask again: How does Titohara know Arahu’s being creepy if she hasn’t seen him acting creepy?"

Mami didn’t have the answer. She stammered wordlessly at Eteka. He leaned in close to whisper in Mami’s ear.

“There’s something off about that Titohara girl. Who the hell forgets the name of their home planet? Why did she think the Micore were Organics when that giant-ass Machine Empire is literally less than a lightyear away from her homeworld!? How does she know Arahu’s got a creepy thing for you when he hasn’t acted on it in months? What teenage girl in her right mind doesn’t know the lyrics to Enutanga’s love songs?!”

Spoiler: Xenonian News Argument

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 1.4: Zenith
(Unused Dialogue)​

Secretary General Vestergaard tried to say something, but Admiral Manaan cut across him,

“The Partogan government’s behavior over the past five years has been a stain on the history of such a great nation as them.” As Admiral Manaan said negative things about the Partogans, the Blorg next to him winced with discomfort.

“The writing was on the wall for the Taiidan as soon as Hiigara fell, and the Partogans are doing themselves a huge disservice by continuing to associate with the genocidal Imperialist regime.”

At once, Velam cut in,

“You mean allegedly genocidal, correct? Hiigara, Blorg, and the Taiidan Rebels are still the only governments that have accused the Taiidan Empire of being responsible for the Kharakan Genocide. That’s nowhere near a majority of galactic opinion, furthermore and no evidence has been found-”

“That’s because Kharak is inside Partoga’s borders!” Admiral Manaan was enraged, “The Partogans are covering up all the evidence of what the Taiidan did to my people!”

The trio of speakers descended into a shouting match about the Kharakan Genocide.

Spoiler: The Stormbreakers: Chapter 1 (Original Version)

**This is the original version of the first chapter of The Stormbreakers**
======

Chapter One: Skyfall
​

Wednesday, May 2, 2035
Korean Airspace, 6000 Meters above Sea Level


“We’ve lost power! We’re going down fast!”

“Impossible! There’s no damage to the engines! Unless… unless they’re using an electromagnetic pulse! If I can just bypass all of this alien circuitry… hold on…”

“Shen!?”

“It’s not accepting the transfer! Interface ready… the system is overriding my commands!”

“SHEN!!”

“Oh, right!”

The Avenger shuddered violently as her engines roared to life! The floor heaved up and threw me off my feet! My rifle and helmet skittered across the metal floor and out of sight as XCOM’s flagship rocked to and fro dangerously! Gripping the handrails tightly, Central Officer Bradford was barely managing to stay upright as the ship moved chaotically around him. Next to him, the Hologlobe flickered and vanished, allowing Bradford to see me.

“Cadet Robinson!” Bradford yelled, “Get the Skyranger locked down!”

“Yes sir!” I was already moving towards the door when I said that.

Staggering on the heaving floor, I somehow managed to make by way out of the Bridge and into the armory next door. Two more XCOM soldiers were holding onto railings, looking panicked!

“What the hell is happening!?” Matthew Hawkins yelled. Next to him, Odette Fournier appeared to be praying silently.

“ADVENT got us!” I yelled back. “Come with me, the Skyranger’s not tied down!”

In the next room over from the armory, a short-range aircraft called the Skyranger was sliding around dangerously on its landing pad, cast into motion by the dangerous swaying of the stricken Avenger. Three people had thrown ropes and straps around the aircraft and were desperately trying to hold the Skyranger in place.

Wendy “Firebrand” Carter, the Skyranger’s pilot, had wrapped a thick strap around her arm and was struggling to hold the Skyranger’s tail down. Next to her, Soylent Green was running away from the Skyranger, trailing a thick rope behind him. I’d barely stepped into the hangar bay when a familiar voice shouted at me:

“Blake! I need help over here!”

I could recognize my wife’s slightly high-pitched voice anywhere. Just to my left, Chihiro Tachibana was tugging on a safety line that was tied to a handrail inside of the Skyranger’s crew compartment. Matthew dashed off to help Soylent while I grabbed hold of Chihiro’s rope and started tugging while Odette lent a hand to Wendy. With three extra pairs of hands helping out, the Skyranger finally stopped shifting about and held still, in spite of the constantly rocking and shifting Avenger.

“Thanks guys!” Wendy panted. “I was starting to think my baby was gonna fly right out the roof an-”

BANG!

The Avenger shook and rattled more violently than ever! I didn’t realize my feet weren’t on the floor anymore until the moment my head hit something hard! Then someone landed on top of me in a heap! Brushing long black hair out of my eyes, I pushed Chihiro off my chest and realized that we’d been thrown through the Skyranger’s open deployment door and had come to rest inside the aircraft. Wendy Carter was a few feet away, having crashed into one of the jumpseats. With a powerful lurch and a loud crash, the Skyranger broke free of its moorings and tumbled out of the Avenger’s landing bay! XCOM’s flagship fell away beneath us! The Avenger was now five hundred feet away and falling out of the sky! A thousand feet! Two thousand! The Skyranger began to tumble! All around us, the early morning sunrise stained the sky a bloody red color.

“We’re in freefall!” Wendy screamed. “Hang on!”

Chihiro and I both grabbed hold of safety rails on either side of the crew area while Wendy started moving towards the Skyranger’s cockpit. With each passing second, the Skyranger and the Avenger got further and further apart in the sky! XCOM’s flagship was being chased into the ground by a saucer-shaped ADVENT Interceptor while the Skyranger fell to the Earth like a rock!

The Skyranger’s engines began to whine as they spooled up!

“Hurry Wendy!” Chihiro screamed! “Hayaku! Hayaku!”

The Korean wilderness raced up to meet us!

“Chi!” I hollered. “BRACE NOW!!”

Engines screamed! Wind roared! The ground rose up towards the Skyranger!

WHAM!

…

My whole body hurt. Some parts hurt more than others, but the whole thing just felt bad. I tried to sit up, and regretted it right away. Pain shot up both my legs in waves! Each pulse of agony made me wonder if both of my legs had been broken! I opened my eyes and looked down.

Yeah… both my legs were broken.

The rest of the Skyranger looked pretty bad as well. The airframe had broken in a few places, but it was otherwise in one piece. The six jumpseats normally occupied by XCOM soldiers were mangled and ruined. Wires, cables, and beams all stuck out from the walls and ceiling in a frightening way. Then I saw the blood on the floor.

“Oh, God! No!” I gasped.

“Wait! It’s not as bad as it looks!” Chihiro’s voice restored a little calm.

She stepped into the light. I saw that while battered and bruised, Chihiro had come away from the crash mostly unscathed. Her hands were covered in blood. She saw me looking and quickly said:

“It’s Wendy’s blood, not mine! She’s got a compound fracture, but she’s fine… for now. I stopped the bleeding and set the bone.”

“What about you?” I asked. “Are you hurt?”

Chihiro rubbed her left side.

“Landed hard on my side, feels like I might’a busted a rib or two, and I might ‘a messed up my arm too. I’m not dead, though. You don’t move, Blake. Both of your legs are-”

“Yeah, I know.” I cut her off. “Let’s figure out the next part.”

I sat up in the wreckage and raised my voice.

“Hey Firebrand! Where the hell are we?”

“Hell if I know.” Wendy groaned from somewhere just out of sight. “Definitely still in Korea, though. Not too far from Pyongyang. Blue Dragon took a walk around and had a look.”

“Can you walk?”

“No, I can’t. My bone’s sticking out of… never mind. I don’t wanna look.”

“What about the Avenger?” I asked.

Asking questions after question like this was the only think keeping me calm right now. I needed to hold back the rising tide of panic, keep my wits about me. If I can’t think, I might as well be dead already.

“Um… I think I saw where it went down.” Chihiro said cautiously.

She knelt down and, using the blood on her hands, traced a crude map on the metal floor.

“While you were out and Wendy was recovering, I took a quick walk around the Skyranger. We crashed here… on this mountain ridge north of the Taedong River. That’s the city to the Southwest. When I got up on the high ground, I saw a huge plume of smoke coming from the city, right about here.”

She drew a bloody “x” on the map, roughly corresponding to the western half of the city.

“And you think that’s the Avenger?” I asked. Chihiro nodded. “How could you tell?”

“I could hear gunfire. Human weapons.”

From the cockpit, Wendy sighed.

“I don’t think I can walk all that way.” She said. “What about you, Trojan?”

“Not a chance, Firebrand.”

The pain in my legs amplified as the thought of walking went through me. I took a deep breath and looked back at Chihiro. She instantly figured out what I was about to ask her and began to shake her head vigorously.

“Screw that, Blake. I’m not leaving you!”

“If you stay here,” I said, “You’re gonna bury Wendy and me and then you’ll die too. You’ve got to get back to the Avenger and get help!”

“No! I’m not leaving you behind! We’re not doing this again!”

Chihiro defiantly put her hands on her hips and looked down at me with an angry expression. I knew why. The last time Chi and I had spent some time apart, we’d been separated from each other against our will for several years. In the time since World War Three, we’d made a point of always staying together. Even now, in this nightmare scenario, Chihiro and I were both hesitant to consider the idea of splitting up.

The pain shooting up my legs made it really hard to think, but I put some thoughts together and turned them into words… somehow.

“Chi.” I groaned. “It’s got to be you. You’re the only one of us who can walk right now… and besides…”

I motioned for Chihiro to come closer, and I whispered into her ear.

“I trust you to come back for me. You know I’ve already done the same for you.”

I’m not sure, but I think Chihiro had the exact same flashback to a moment from our old lives as I did. I remembered that cold night in a dark Hiroshima alley when Chihiro had thought those crunching footsteps belonged to a man that wanted to kill her, only to peer down the scope of her rifle and see my face.

The memory jarred Chihiro into action.

“Okay, fine.” She said. “But I’m gonna leave this with you, just in case ADVENT gets here first.”

Chihiro reached into her waistband and produced the Shadowkeeper, a unique one-of-a-kind pistol manufactured by XCOM’s Chief Scientist Moria Vahlen. The Shadowkeeper (when wielded by someone competent) was a frighteningly accurate weapon that almost never missed its target. It could also release an opaque cloud of smoke that granted momentary concealment for the user.

I tried to argue, to tell Chihiro that she was going to need the Shadowkeeper far more than me, but she forced it into my hand anyway. When I tried to speak again, she kissed me.

God, I almost forgot how time just seems to stop whenever she does that…

“I’ll come back.” Chihiro said softly. “With help. I promise.”

Ignoring the pain, I reached up and put one arm around Chihiro, bringing her back down for another quick kiss. Then she pulled away, opened the Skyranger’s mangled weapons locker and withdrew an assault rifle. She checked on Wendy one more time and gave me a last look.

“I love you, Blake.”

“I believe you, Chi. Be safe out there.”

Then she left through a hole in the side of the aircraft, silently vanishing into the North Korean forest. Looking out the gash, I saw that the sun was now fully up. I knew this was both good and bad. Our friends would have an easier time finding us… but the same applied to our enemies.

With much grunting and moaning, Wendy pulled herself across the wreckage until she was close enough to talk to me without raising her voice.

“Ya know, Robinson…” Wendy said, “When your girlfriend says ‘I love you’ you’re supposed to say ‘I love you’ back. You’re a pretty strange boyfriend.”

I laughed. It hurt to do so, but I laughed anyway.

“She’s my wife, Carter.” I corrected her. “And I know it sounds odd, but for Chi and I, the words ‘I believe you’ mean a lot more to us than you think. Goes all the way back to when we first met.”

Wendy rolled over onto her back and used both hands to tighten the tourniquet on her right leg. Seething from the pain, she asked one more serious question.

“Okay, I gotta ask. What happened? Why does ‘I believe you’ mean more than ‘I love you?’ And answer the goddamned question, Trojan. Talking’ll keep us from going into shock while we wait.”

“Fine.” I grumbled. “Then listen up. If you fall asleep while I’m telling ‘bout my childhood, I’ll crawl over there and kill you.”

Spoiler: The Stormbreakers: Chapter 3 (Original Version)

**This is the original version of the third chapter of The Stormbreakers**
======

Chapter Three
Familiar Faces​

Wednesday, May 2, 2035
Outskirts of Pyongyang, Korean Peninsula


Wendy listened to me talk for nearly an hour. She occasionally interrupted me to ask a question or get a clarification, but for the most part, she just listened. By the time I finished telling my little story, the sun had risen above the horizon and it was starting to get a little hot inside the wrecked Skyranger.

“Now I know why you two go so well together.” She sighed. “You’re both a little crazy. Just a little, but it’s enough. So tell me, did Lincoln’s ghost ever show up?”

I shook my head.

“Nope. I never actually saw the ghost, but Chi and I would always hunt for him whenever she visited the White House after that. So, yeah. We bonded over a ghost hunt, I guess it’s fair to call us crazy.”

Wendy leaned up against the wall and fiddled with the tourniquet on her broken leg. We both stared uncomfortably at the bone fragment sticking out of her calf. The injury had occurred so violently that Wendy’s broken bone had cut through her pants as well as her skin. Neither of us wanted a closer look.

Luckily, we wouldn’t get the chance to, because at that moment we heard the dull thudding sound of distant engines. We looked at one another, terrified.

“No way.” Wendy said. “She’s only been gone for an hour. It’s too soon for her to come back.”

“Which means ADVENT found us first.” I said grimly. “Carter, get the weapons locker!”

Wendy scrambled across the wreckage towards the weapons locker and retrieved a pump-action shotgun I checked the Shadowkeeper nervously. The pistol may have been old, but it was still reliable.

Now we could definitely hear the loud vvvrrooomm of an engine nearby. Some kind of vehicle was making its way through the forest towards us. Crawling on our hands and knees, Wendy and I found and set up firing positions in the Skyranger’s hull breaches. Outside, the spring sunlight came through the treetops in columns and splattered the ground with patches of light.

The engine sounds were getting closer now, and after a moment, Wendy and I realized something: The engine was throbbing! A deep thudda-thudda-thudda sound accompanied the noise we’d already heard before.

“Carter.” I whispered. “I’ve only been living in 2035 for a couple of months, but I’m pretty sure ADVENT got rid of all non-electric engines while I was asleep. That sounds like a diesel engine out there.”

“Yeah,” Wendy agreed. “It sounds like an Old World truck.”

“So in other words… we’ve been found by a civilian?”

“Looks like it.”

After a few more minutes of waiting, Wendy and I both spotted something moving loudly through the forest. Two Old World pickup trucks were trundling along the forest floor, belching acrid black smoke from their exhaust pipes the whole way. When they were about one hundred feet away from the Skyranger, both trucks stopped and shut off their loud engines. Wendy and I held our fire, but kept our weapons aimed at the trucks.

A dozen Humans exited the vehicles. Drivers and passengers got out of the cabs while other men and women jumped out of the truck beds. Ten of them were all armed with Old World weapons and dressed in ragged-looking clothes. Two more people were at the back of the group. They were unarmed. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized one of them.

“Chihiro!”

My wife was one of them. The other noncombatant was a female Pacific Islander with dyed blue hair and a yellow tee-shirt. The bizarre combination of colors caused this second person to stand out from the group and draw my eyes towards her. One of the armed men spoke to Chihiro. When she replied, she pointed to the Skyranger. One of the armed women gripped the blue-haired woman by the arm and held her in place while another fighter pointed towards the Skyranger and told Chihiro to start walking.

I could feel my heart thundering with fury as Chihiro slowly began to cross the forest floor, moving towards the Skyranger. The man and woman who followed her clearly hadn’t seen us yet, and we were determined to get the jump on them.

“Who the hell are these people!?” I whispered to Wendy. “They look like Humans!”

“I think they’re the local Resistance.” Wendy hissed back. “XCOM’s never made contact with the East Asian Resistance cells before, so these folks have every right to be jumpy. They might think we’re Faceless.”

Oh, god! She had a point!

The Faceless were a race of alien shapeshifters who could transform into a convincing facsimile of any other species. The ADVENT Coalition would often use them to infiltrate the Resistance and destroy it from within. If these Resistance fighters really thought Wendy and I were Faceless, then they would be totally justified in shooting us on sight.

“We’ve got to convince them we’re the real thing.” I said. “That’s why they brought Chi. Follow my lead and don’t shoot, okay?”

Wendy nodded.

Then I yelled out as loudly as I could:

“Halt! Who goes there!?”

Chihiro and her two armed escorts came to a full stop right away. Behind them, the other eight Resistance fighters all dropped to their knees and bellies, taking up fighting positions. Chihiro yelled back:

“Vigilo!”

At once, I gave the countersign:

“Confido!”

Chihiro nodded to her escorts. The man on her left yelled at Wendy and me:

“Come out of there with your hands up!”

“We both have broken legs!” Wendy called back. “We can’t walk!”

“You don’t want me to send my people in there after you!” The man retorted. “Come out of that ship now or we’ll use force!”

“Hey, hey, hold on!” I shouted. “What if we throw our weapons out and then crawl towards you? We really, really cannot walk!”

The woman on Chihiro’s right nodded at her companion. Then the man said in a slightly calmer, quieter voice.

“Throw your weapons out first.”

Chihiro leaned over and whispered something to him. The man added:

“Throw out the Shadowkeeper first!”

With as much strength as I could muster, I tossed the old pistol into the air and it landed in a pile of leaves just a few feet away from Chihiro. I could just barely hear her say:

“Yes, that’s it. Wendy might have a gun too.”

Before the Resistance fighter could say anything, Wendy chucked her assault rifle out of the Skyranger. It clattered on some rocks and came to rest where everyone could see it.

“Don’t shoot us!” Wendy yelled. “We’re coming out!”

Have you ever crawled on your hands and knees while both of your legs were broken? It’s one of the most painful experiences you can possibly have in your life. When I wrenched myself out of the wrecked ship and pulled my body across the forest floor, every movement caused me to see stars and taste blood. After a few feet, I was dizzy and so overcome with pain that I thought I was going to pass out and die right there, but then the man said:

“That’s far enough. Gotokiji! Arai! Song! Patch’em up.”

Three female fighters broke off from the main group and walked over to us, carrying bags of medical equipment. When I rolled over onto my back and looked up at them, I gasped as I recognized one of them.

“Miyako!? Is that you!?”

A middle-aged Japanese woman dropped her equipment in surprise. Miyako Gotokiji looked from Chihiro to myself and then back again. Chihiro smiled weakly and said:

“Told you.”

Miyako quickly explained to her comrade.

“Sir, this is the real Blake Robinson. I met him at Hiroshima! Chihiro too!”

I remembered meeting Miyako at Hiroshima too. She was one of the medics who helped me save Tsubaki’s life right at the very end of the battle. I told her as much.

“So do you believe me now?” Chihiro asked. “We’re really XCOM, and we really need your help!”

Miyako vouched for us right away. The man who seemed to be in charge mulled over his thoughts for a minute. Finally, he seemed to relax.

“Fine, then. Hanako, untie her.”

Chihiro’s female escort released her. A second later, Chihiro was helping Miyako load me onto a stretcher. While Wendy and I were being carried back to the trucks, the man who seemed to be in charge offered an explanation:

“We caught your friend as she was coming of the forest. Honestly, Tao thought she was an ADVENT spy and nearly shot her from the get-go, but Gotokiji over there recognized her and said we should take her alive instead. I’m sorry, but killing anyone who stumbles across us accidentally is standard procedure. We can’t allow word of our operations to get out.”

“So you’re part of the East Asian Resistance then?” I asked.

“Robinson,” the man replied. “We ARE the East Asian Resistance. You’re looking at the whole thing. It’s just the ten of us. Luckily for you, some of us are former XCOM, from the Old World. You can count yourself among friends.”

Sure enough, as Wendy and I were carried back to the trucks, a few more familiar faces made themselves known.

“Well I’ll be damned!” said a scrawny Korean man with a round face. “How long has it been, Robinson? Twenty years?”

Recognizing him at once, I raised one arm and gave Lee Chong-Il a high five.

“Not long enough.” I answered. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Out here in the war.” Chong-Il replied. “Looks like ADVENT’s been treating you well. You don’t look a day over twenty-four.”

“I’m twenty-two.” I answered. “By the way, who’s the scruffy guy calling the shots?”

“That’s Shaojie Zhang.” Chong-Il answered. “He was part of the Triads back in the Old World. Real nasty guy if you get on his bad side.”

Wendy and I were carefully loaded into the back of one of the two pickup trucks, then the East Asian Resistance gathered around to discuss what happens next.

“So here’s where we stand.” Shaojie addressed his troops. “According to Tachibana, XCOM is in trouble right now. That loud noise we all heard this morning was the Avenger crashing into downtown Pyongyang. That also explains the increased ADVENT activity in the region. They’re staging for an assault on the ship.”

Shaojie looked around at his comrades.

“It doesn’t need to be said, but I’m going to say it anyway. The Resistance cannot survive without XCOM. You all know how much progress we’ve made in the battle against the ADVENT Coalition since the Commander was recovered two months ago. If we lose the Avenger, Commander Harper, or both, then the Elders will win. It will be the end of Humankind was we know it. Soldiers, we have no choice. We must reach the Avenger before ADVENT does and offer whatever assistance to XCOM we can give.”

The other nine Resistance fighters nodded and murmered their assent. There would be no arguing this point. Shaojie then turned to address the Pacific Islander who wore a yellow shirt and blue hair.

“I know we made a deal to transport you to the ADVENT Blacksite in India, and I assure you that I do not intend to break that deal. I only ask that you allow us this crucial diversion. You do understand how important this is, don’t you?”

Now that I was sitting just a few feet away from her, I realized this blue-haired person was more of a teenager than a fully grown woman. She looked to be about Chihiro’s age: 18 or 19 years old. The young traveler nodded.

“If XCOM falls, then there’s no point in my journey.” The blue-haired girl said. “I’ll go with you to Pyongyang and help out wherever I can.”

“Then it’s settled.” Shaojie finished. “Everyone mount up! We’re going to save XCOM!”

Once everybody had been loaded into one truck or another, both truck drivers fired up their painfully loud diesel engines and with much shuddering and bumping, the two trucks rolled away from the Skyranger’s final resting place. Within five minutes, we were on a dirt road that led down from the mountains and towards the city of Pyongyang.

Because Chihiro, Wendy and I were taking up so much space in the back of one truck, only two Resistance fighters were sharing the truck bed with us, plus the blue-haired woman. While the trucks rumbled along, we all introduced ourselves.

Ryo Nakagawa was a Japanese man in his early fifties who had lived in Soviet-Occupied Japan throughout the Third World War. He was big guy and I honestly think that he could have played a sport professionally if the war had never happened. I could definitely see him playing American Football in my mind, and I made a note to challenge him to a game once things calmed down a bit.

After that, the other Resistance fighter riding with was the only teenager in the group. Introducing herself as “Homura Hanako,” she struck up the fastest friendship with Chihiro I’ve ever witnessed. Both girls had noticed right away that they looked alike. Both Chihiro and Homura had big blue eyes, long black hair, pale skin, and were kinda scrawny. The only noticeable difference between them was in their age. Homura said she was 17 years old, while Chihiro had just turned 20 today. Giggling excitedly, Homura and Chihiro chattered on and on about how Chihiro was planning to celebrate her own birthday. This left the blue-haired noncombatant and myself alone to chat with one another for a few minutes.

“Your wife has enough energy for the both of you.” She said politely. “Or are you just as energetic when your legs aren’t broken?”

“Chi could light up a city if she wanted.” I answered. “And hold on a second… how did you know we were married?”

The blue-haired girl tapped her head with one finger.

“Got the Gift.” She replied. “I promise I only looked far enough into her head to see that she was telling the truth, then I backed out. Didn’t see anything you wanted to keep secret, I swear.”

“Alright, then.” I said. “Guess that means you already know who I am then. Can I ask your name?”

“I’m called Jericho.”

I’m pretty sure my heart skipped a beat when I heard that.

“Sorry…” I said. “That’s your real name… is it? I thought I misheard you.”

Jericho shrugged.

“It’s okay.” She said. “Lotta people think my name’s odd. Truth is, it’s not my real name. When I was little I was called something else, but I just don’t remember it anymore.”

“Oh, alright.” I said. “I’m sorry about that. You see, the word ‘Jericho’ kinda has special meaning for me and Chihiro and Wendy and just about everyone else in XCOM. When you said your name it kinda got my heard racing, you know?”

I gave a nervous laugh, trying to hide how I felt.

Jericho waved a hand casually.

“It’s no big deal.” She said. “Chances are, the ‘Jericho’ you’re thinking of is probably more special than me anyway.”

Homura put a hand on Jericho’s shoulder.

“Don’t sell yourself short. I’ve seen the most unlikely people do the greatest of things before. In the end, you’re going to decide just how special you are.”

Homura’s words just kinda bounced off of me. While Jericho started talking to her about how “not special or unique” she found herself, I couldn’t help but stare into her eyes. The Pacific Islander might like to talk about how unremarkable she was… but I learned a long time ago to expect incredible things from people with purple eyes.

Spoiler: The Stormbreakers: Chapter 4 (Original Version)

**This is the original version of the fourth chapter of The Stormbreakers**
======

Chapter Four
Hypervitalization​

Wednesday, May 2, 2035
City of Pyongyang, Korean Peninsula


The trucks rolled into Pyongyang sometime before noon. Even though I was lying faceup in the truck bed, I couldn’t see the sky. There was so much smoke up there that I couldn’t help but wonder if it was actually night. Over the sound of truck engines, I could just hear the pops and snaps of gunfire as we got closer to the Avenger’s crash site.

Around us, Chihiro and I began to notice familiar landmarks, and we pointed them out to the other Resistance fighters.

“Wait… when were you two here?” Wendy asked.

“I ran a Covert Operation here for a week or so during the Invasion.” Chihiro answered. “I was infiltrating a secret society called EXALT, but someone… someone betrayed us and blew my cover. I got caught.”

Chihiro got quiet for a few moments. Truthfully, she never found out who had betrayed her so long ago. But I did. I tracked the traitor down and killed them in cold blood… something I knew my wife would never approve of. After a moment, she started talking again.

“Anyway, EXALT sent a whole platoon of soldiers to kill me, and XCOM sent two squads to pull me out.”

I gave Chihiro a playful jab on the leg.

“The Battle of Pyongyang is probably the only time in our lives where soldiers fought and killed each other over a princess.” I said. “Believe me, guys. We wrecked this town.”

Homura let out a low whistle.

“Twenty years later and you can barely tell what happened here. This looks like one of those cities ADVENT decided to abandon.”

She was right. Pyongyang had a good twenty years’ worth of decay built up on it. Burned out buildings had been filled with young trees and shrubbery. Vines overgrew the statues and all of the pavement was split open by wide cracks that were filled with grasses, moss, and saplings. Garbage and waste was piled high on the curbs, no doubt building up continuously since trash pickup services stopped two decades ago.

Chihiro, Wendy and I all started when the truck started to make a loud crunching sound. Ryo pointed to the street below and said:

“Bullet casings. An XCOM squad must have come through here.”

Now that I strained my ears and focused, I couldn’t help but notice that the sounds of gunfire and battle seemed to have stopped. There was a lull in the fighting.

Both trucks came to a stop in the middle of a large open area in the western part of the city. Peeking out of the truck bed, I recognized the Juche Tower on our right and the Palace of the Sun on our left. The former was a tall memorial, while the latter was the former capitol building of North Korea. Strung across the square was a dense barbed wire. Before I could even start to wonder about what was going on, I heard a familiar voice calling out:

“Vigilo!” someone in the distance yelled.

At once, Chihiro, Wendy, and I all responded at the top of our voices:

“Confido!”

“Let us in, Soylent!” Chihiro yelled. “We need help!”

“Who the bloody hell are the people in the trucks!?” Soylent Green’s voice replied.

“They’re with the Resistance!” Chihiro stood up in the back of the truck so that everyone could see her. “They’re here to help!”

Slowly and cautiously, the members of the East Asian Resistance were allowed to pass the picket line. As soon as the truck came to a stop in XCOM territory, the bed door was thrown open and a few of my comrades appeared to say hello.

Australian soldier Soylent Green was a really big black man with a Maori te moko tattoo covering half of his face. He grabbed one end of my stretcher and said:

“God-damn it, Trojan! We thought you were a smear on the ground. Lily saw the Skyranger wreck and thought you all died.”

He pulled me out of the truck and allowed another XCOM soldier to grab the top of my stretcher. I looked up and groaned.

“Oh, no. Not you!”

German soldier Bernard von Unfal rolled his eyes at me and smiled.

“It’s good to see you too, Robinson.” He said. “Feels strange, doesn’t it? Normally you’re carrying me off the field.”

“Give me a week and we’ll be right back at it, Bullet-sponge.” I teased. “Just don’t drop me.”

Two female soldiers recovered Wendy from the truck. Israeli soldier Ayala Hadad and Egyptian soldier Karmina Isra took turns spraying down Wendy’s broken leg with a Nanomedikit before moving her. Chihiro could walk by herself, but one of her fellow Stormbreakers grabbed her by the shoulder and allowed the former princess to lean on her. Chihiro gave a grateful smile to South African Resistance fighter Sophie Ackermann. Because Sophie was so freakishly tall, Chihiro almost had to look straight up to make eye contact with her.

“Come on. I’ve got you.” Sophie said reassuringly.

…

I’ve never been so happy to return to the Avenger, even when it looked so battered.

XCOM’s mobile headquarters looked as though it had been through hell. Bulkheads were buckled and the Infirmary ceiling seemed to be lower. The air tasted like sulfur and there was a near continuous sound of hissing and rushing fluid coming from just inside the walls. Fire damage was evident throughout the interior of the ship and my view down the halls was hazy because of all the smoke.

Just one level below the Bridge, XCOM’s Chief Scientist, Doctor Richard Tygan was working hard to triage the incoming wounded. Clearly, the rest of our friends had been putting up one hell of a fight while Chihiro, Wendy and I were out in the wilds. There were seven other XCOM soldiers laid out on the medical beds in varying degrees of distress. As soon as Wendy and I were brought in, Dr. Tygan placed the Skyranger pilot with the more seriously injured people.

“Compound fracture to the right leg…” Tygan muttered as he scribbled on his clipboard. “Serious blood loss as well. Calf bone is fractured in two spots… Tourniquet applied halfway up the thigh, and it’s still secure. Miss Carter, tell me: do you feel dizzy?”

“Not so much dizzy as I’m kinda sleepy.” Wendy answered. “Mind if I catch a few winks?”

Doctor Tygan tapped Ayala on the shoulder and told her to keep Wendy awake. Then he moved over to me.

“Mister Robinson, looks like you went through a hard landing.”

“Doesn’t sum it up.” I said. “What the hell happened here, anyway? All I know is that ADVENT caught us in the air.”

“Well, the obvious part is that we’ve been shot down.” Tygan answered. “That’s where the story stops being simple, however.”

I gave the Doctor a look that conveyed how unsurprising I found this news. He went on.

“Chief Shen restarted the engines just after the Skyranger broke loose, then Central tried to slow our decent, but we were too close to the ground. The Avenger crashed into the city, and it looks like we flattened a couple of skyscrapers on impact. We’ve been holding off ADVENT forces all day while Chief Shen tries to restart our engines and effect our escape. I’m sure you saw the spike outside that’s causing my compatriot so much trouble?”

“Spike?” I repeated. I wasn’t sure if I’d misheard Tygan over the noise of his Nanomedicine machine.

“That’s the name Central gave to it.” Tygan replied. “It’s some kind of energy field generator that’s inhibiting our engines. As long as it’s active, we can’t take off.”

As if to punctuate his point, the Avenger shuddered around us. The ship had just taken another hit. Tygan, Soylent Green, Bernard, Chihiro, Ayala, and Karmina all gasped and braced themselves along the wall railings. The Doctor sighed.

“The enemy started bringing up heavy weapons a few hours ago.” Tygan said grimly. “Hopefully your comrades will be able to take down the spike when the assault begins.”

There was a loud flurry of movement off to my right. A dozen XCOM soldiers were moving past the entrance to the Infirmary. They were all fully kitted out in battle gear and carrying a wide array of increasingly lethal-looking weapons.

Chihiro had sprung to her feet and was trying to pull her pistol out of my pant pocket.

“The team’s already out there!?” she exclaimed. “Where are they? Do they need help?”

Instinctively, I sat up. Pain shot up my back and reminded me that my legs were mangled. On either side of me, Soylent Green and Bernard pushed me back down into the bed.

“No chance, Robinson.” Soylent said. “You’re sitting this one out.”

“ADVENT is coming for the Avenger!” I protested. “I’m not just going to sit here. Put me on a static turret for all I care, or maybe a sniper rifle!”

“Calm down.” Bernard said. “We’ve got plenty of fighters on the field already, including most of the Stormbreakers. Soylent and I will look after Tachibana.”

“You don’t really have a choice about staying here anyway.” Karmina added. “Even with your Gene Mods, you won’t be able to heal in time to help us out.”

I hated to admit it, but she was right. Sure, I could just barely feel the bones in my legs knitting back together at high speed thanks to my old Gene Mods, but there was no chance in hell I’d get back on my feet in time for the fight. It would be a few days before I’d be able to walk again.

Spoiler: Manako and Makara as Children

The Stormbreakers: A Stellaris Story
Unnamed Chapter
(Whole Scene Deleted)
======​

September 11, 2015
Tamihana Nui City, Tapanui, Nithascal Star System, Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth


The hospital receptionist didn’t quite know what to say. The six people standing in front of him were very intimidating. All of them were wearing the uniform of the Commonwealth Green Guard, the most elite military force in the entire Galaxy. Three of them were Partogans, like the receptionist, two were members of the lion-like species known as the Levakians, while the last one was an Assurian, a Partoganoid with thick leathery skin and rock-hard cranial ridges running the length of its elongated skull.

The hapless receptionist wasn’t stunned by the six Green Guards, but by their request.

“Sir!” the receptionist protested. “Those two children only just got out of surgery a few hours ago! It’s not safe to move them!”

The Levakian Green Guard produced a slip of paper from his pocket and passed it to the receptionist.

“I hope this clears up any confusion.” The Levakian said.

The receptionist looked over the paper. The handwriting was refined and elegant, and it quickly became apparent why:


To whom this may concern:

Manako and Makara Ranginui are to be removed from Hakara Tamihana Memorial Hospital immediately. They are to be moved to the Paku Nui Spaceport posthaste for immediate transport to my Flagship.


Signed,
Kendra, Queen of the Commonwealth


The receptionist looked up at the Green Guards and balked. As much as he wanted to prevent the two children being taken away, there was nothing more he could do. His shoulders slumped and the receptionist said:

“Take the elevator to the 15th floor. They’re in the third room on the left.”

…

Up above, the six soldiers calmly and quietly entered the Recovery Ward, where two Partogan children were recovering from brain surgery.

Lying in a pair of hospital beds, two children were somewhere between wakefulness and sleeping. They were twin siblings, which meant they had very similar appearances. The older twin (By a matter of seconds) was a twelve-year-old boy named Manako. He had an athletic body with thick muscular arms and legs. Like his sister, Manako had wide purple eyes and silver hair… or at least, he would have had silver hair on any other day. Manako was completely bald, and his scalp was stitched back together in multiple places, marking the spot where surgeons had operated on his brain. In the bed next to him, Manako’s twin sister was fast asleep. Even though she was bald and her head stitched together in a patchwork fashion, it was plainly obvious that Makara was incredibly good-looking. When she grew older, Makara would have to fend off hordes of potential suitors. For the moment though, Makara was in deep sleep. She seemed to have sunk into her pillows and was blissfully unaware of everyone around her. Manako looked up at the Green Guard soldiers and raised his arm in a half salute.

“What’s the occasion, fellas?”

…

Escorted by the Green Guards, Manako and Makara were rolled out of the hospital in wheelchairs. The twins didn’t say a word to each other or their escorts throughout the entire trip. From the hospital, they were loaded into armored trucks painted with the green and orange colors of the Commonwealth military. The convoy drove for only a few minutes until they reached the Paku Nui Spaceport. Neither child could walk on their own, so they were carried by the Levakian warriors out of the terminal and into a nearby transport ship.

The flight out of the spaceport was quick and uneventful. Manako and Makara peered out the window silently as the Desert World of Tapanui fell away beneath them. The Green Guards assigned to them had trouble hiding their nervous expression. They already knew the reason they had been summoned to Tapanui, and why the twins were now being flown to the Flagship of the Triple Alliance Navy… and it wasn’t good.

The TS Mahuika was one of the most famous and powerful warships in the entire Galaxy. This mighty vessel was in the same league as the Ethereal Templeship, the Hiigaran Super-Dreadnaught Sajuuk, and the now-mothballed Kiith Somtaaw warship Kuun-Lan. Unlike her contemporaries, the Mahuika was not designed and built by a single species. The ship had been designed and built as a joint venture between all three members of the Triple Alliance: the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth, the United States of Assuria, and the Micore Empire. As such, she had weapons and technology from all three civilizations.

Makara saw the Mahuika first. She pressed both hands to the window and sat up in her seat. She let out an awed gasp at the sight of the great Flagship. Manako put one hand on her shoulder and peered out at the mighty vessel as well. They kept their eyes on it as their transport approached, and only sat down again when the time came to dock.

As soon as their transport landed in the Mahuika’s hangar bay, the twins were returned to their wheelchairs and pushed down the boarding ramp. Surrounded by Green Guards, Manako and Makara were pushed though the hangar bay so quickly that they didn’t get a chance to look at the Partogan, Levakian, Assurian, or Micore crew members moving and working at a frantic pace. Something was going on.

The twins were taken to a meeting room deep within the Flagship. Several high-ranking members of the Triple Alliance military were present, including a Levakian Admiral and two Micore Omnidroids. As soon as they got the chance, both children finally abandoned their wheelchairs, enjoying the ability to stand on their own. A Partogan Fleet Admiral broke off from the group and ran across the room as soon as the twins were wheeled into it.

“Daddy!” Makara shouted. “What’s going on!?”

Fleet Admiral Rapata Ranginui wrapped his arms around Makara and hugged her as best he could.

“It’s bad, little Maka.” Rapata said, using an affectionate nickname for his daughter. “It’s war!”

“War!?” Manako gasped. “Is it them? You know, the enemy grandma was talking about?”

Rapata nodded at his son.

“Yes.” He said. “It’s the Beast. It’s arrived!”

The doorway to the meeting room opened up again, and a big Levakian with golden fur entered.

“Attention on deck!” He roared. “Announcing the legally elected successor of Miranda the Great: Her Royal Majesty Kendra, Queen of the Commonwealth, Custodian of the Great Library, Governor of the Royal Academy of Science, Commander-in-Chief of the Green Guard, Overlord of Vania, and President of the Triple Alliance!”

A third wheelchair was pushed into the room. This one, however, was occupied by a very, very, very old woman. At one-hundred-one years old, Commonwealth Queen Kendra the Great had ruled over Partogan civilization longer than anyone else. Advanced years didn’t seem to hinder the old ruler, however. She sat upright in her wheelchair, hands folded patiently in her lap. She looked around at each of her officers in turn and they bowed their heads in a gesture of loyalty.

The Queen addressed the room.

“I wish I had better news.” She began, “But I’ve just seen confirmation. It’s true. The Beast is here, and the Blorg are gone. The Fathership of the Beast, which Triple Alliance Intelligence has code-named ‘Inari,’ has now settled into a low orbit above the Blorg Homeworld. The planet is being infected as I speak. The Mothership of the Beast has passed the Infection onto the Blorg Navy. From this moment on, all Blorg warships should be considered hostile.”

Terrified murmurs ran all around the room. Officers looked at one another, full of fear and trepidation. Kendra held up her hand, and the room became silent once more. Manako and Makara leaned forward in their seats, watching the Queen intensely. Kendra pointed to one of the officers near the back of the room and said:

“We need to alert the people and put the nation on a war footing at once. Put me on every radio and television in the Commonwealth.”

Several men went to work on their computers quickly, and in a few minutes the intercom began to buzz with the all-too familiar sound of the Emergency Broadcast Signal. An automated voice spoke through the speakers:

“We interrupt this program. This is a national emergency. Important instructions will follow.

All stations have interrupted their programming at the request of the Royal Government to broadcast a message to the nation.

Standby for a message from the Queen of the Commonwealth.”

One of the officers pointed at Kendra and mouthed the words:

“Three… two… one…”

Queen Kendra spoke in a voice that was surprisingly loud and strong for a woman of her advanced age:

“To my good and loyal subjects, it is with incredible regret I must confirm that the bio-mechanical virus known as the Beast has returned to our Galaxy and is active once more. It is with almost equal regret that I confirm the loss of the entire military of the Blorg Commonality, including the Titan-Class warship Soulmate. I urge you all to remain vigilant in the coming days and weeks. This is a powerful and dangerous enemy who will show us no quarter or mercy. My government will be distributing instructional home defense and survival e-books within the coming month, and all military reserves will be recalled to active duty in a matter of days.

“The Beast is unlike any enemy we’ve faced before. There are precious few of us left who were alive to witness its full strength and power at the Battle of Naval Base Alpha over seventy-seven years ago. As one of those people, I must remind you: The Beast is powerful, intelligent, virulent and utterly fearless. Any battle against this monster will be unlike any that have come before. Our only hope to survive the coming storm is to stand and fight together, as a Commonwealth, as an Alliance, as a United Front.

“Our Nation stands on the brink of a great conflict. I urge you all to keep your heads held high and most importantly: remain united!”

As the Queen finished her speech, Makara and Manako felt their fear ebb away just a little. They knew their history very well. Both of the Ranginui twins knew that this old woman was called “Queen Kendra the Great” for a very good reason. During the first year of her reign almost eighty-five years ago, Kendra had hunted down and killed an evil time-traveler who had tried to manipulate Partogans and Levakians into a war against each other. Just a few short years later, she had helped the Hiigarans and Republican Taiidan fight off the Beast during its first appearance in the Galaxy. Decades later, when the twins were merely infants, the Galaxy had been torn apart by the Vaygr Wars. While the warlike and nomadic Vaygr rampaged across the Galaxy, Kendra had forged the Triple Alliance, stopping the war from ever reaching Commonwealth space.

Not only had Kendra enjoyed diplomatic and military victories, she was also an accomplished domestic ruler as well. Kendra had reformed the nation in many ways. First, she had reorganized the National Assembly, giving all species an equal voice in government. Then she had ended the “special relationship” between the Church of the Mountain and the Royal Government. These days, Kendra ruled as a true authoritarian monarch, free of the clergy’s influence. Finally, Kendra had seized control of the Absolution Program away from the Church. Debt Slavery was still practiced in the Commonwealth, but the Queen herself now held a monopoly over the entire system.

All told, Kendra Mihaka was a great and powerful ruler, so twin siblings Makara and Manako felt a wave of excitement when she turned her wheelchair, looked at them, smiled from ear to ear, and said:

“Why didn’t anyone tell me that my grandkids were here!?”

The younger Ranginui twin threw her arms around Queen Kendra and hugged her tightly!

“Grandmother!” Makara squealed, “You came all the way out here to get us!”

“Of course, I did.” Kendra answered. “I’d never forget about my family, even on the first day of a war.”

Manako planted a quick kiss on the old woman’s cheek.

“Thank you, Grandma.” He said. “Is everyone else safe?”

Kendra’s face fell.

“Please don’t panic, children.” She said, “The first battle of this war has only just ended. It will be a long time before we know for certain who is safe and who isn’t. Right now, I’m worried about you. I can see you’ve had your surgeries, so tell me: how do your implants feel?”

Instinctively, Makara and Manako reached up to their heads and touched their surgery scars.

“We feel fine.” Manako said quickly.

“We?” Kendra repeated, “So you’ve already started to use your Gift again?”

Manako and Makara smirked at one another.

“If we say ‘yes,’ will you tell us what these implants are and why you wanted us to get them?”

…

Kendra asked the Ranginui twins to follow her, and she led them into another room where they could talk privately. Makara and Manako left their wheelchairs behind. Walking under their own power, the twins took turns pushing their grandmother’s wheelchair to its destination.

The twins were anxious for answers. For most of their lives, the two of them shared (and enjoyed using) a telepathic connection. Manako and Makara had been able to read each other’s minds at will, as well as being able to look inside the minds of other people. When Queen Kendra heard about this, she said that the twins had “a Gift” and immediately made arrangements for the two of them to have brain surgery. The lead-up to the surgery was so short that neither twin ever learned why their grandmother had ordered them to go under the knife. Hopefully, they would get their answer right now. While Manako and Makara sat down next to a conference table, Queen Kendra explained herself.

“I know the two of you must have been frightened and confused when all of this happened. I owe you both an explanation: Two years ago, when you came to the Harvest Palace for naming day, you showed me your telepathic abilities. Remember that?”

“Sure!” Makara said excitedly. “It was a lot of fun! Especially the look on your face!”

“Well, I’m sure my face was very fun to look at.” Kendra admitted. “You two blew me away with your skill. In the history of the Galaxy, there are very, very few children who mastered their Gift at such a young age. The Gift is so incredibly rare among Partogans. You might be the first Gifted people in our species since Queen Miranda the Great herself.”

The Ranginui twins felt warm as Kendra gave them a smile that was full of pride. The Queen continued.

“As soon as I knew the two of you were Gifted, I contacted every species we knew have scientific knowledge of the Gift. I signed Research Agreements with the Hiigarans, Taiidan, Vanians, and the Kelt. I also sought knowledge from the Levakians where I could. After a year, my Royal Scientists knew everything there was to know about the Gift.

“You see children, what I wanted was to build a tool that would make your Gift stronger and more powerful. A device called a ‘Psionic Amplifier.’”

The twins became very excited.

“Stronger and more powerful!?” Manako repeated, “So I could be like one of those Kelt Warrior Monks!?”

“And I could be like a Levakian Witch!?” Makara gasped.

“Yes, and yes.” Kendra said. “Eventually, I found a way to make this happen. I ended up purchasing the technology from a country that was just founded a few months ago. The ADVENT Coalition gave us Neural Implant technology. That was the surgery the two of you went through today. Each of you now have fifteen Neural Implants permanently installed in your brains. When they work together, they will function as-“

“Oh, holy Miranda!!” Manako gasped. “You mean we’ve got Psionic Amplifiers in our heads!?”

Queen Kendra nodded.

“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

She put her hands on the twin’s shoulders.

“Children, I’m too old to fight this war like I did during the Levakian Uprising or the first Beast War. This new war is going to be yours to fight, and I want to give you all of the best tools and weapons possible. As a Queen and as your grandmother it’s my responsibility, my duty, to make sure you and your cousins have the best possible chance to win this fight. I’ll give you everything you need to win this war, but it’ll be your duty to fight.”

Makara shuddered.

“Grandma, do you think this is going to be a really hard war?” she asked.

“Yes.” The Queen answered. “I won’t lie to you: The Beast is a powerful and dangerous enemy. We’re going to suffer a lot of serious defeats before we see our first victory. But kids, I want you to be there on that day. Raise the Commonwealth flag high and show the whole Galaxy how determined we are to survive!”

The Ranginui twins hugged their grandmother one more time and said together:

“We won’t let you down, Grandma.”

Queen Kendra squeezed them back.

“You’re right. I know it.”

Spoiler: Mira Meets Akira

My Sistership - A Short Stellaris Story
Chapter 6
(Whole Chapter Deleted)
======
​

Taking her eyes off the Temple Ship, Mira guided her little vessel into the atmosphere. She was aiming for the Sea of Japan in the Eastern Hemisphere. Like always, she’d fly into Korea by disappearing beneath ADVENT’s radar floor.

But before Mira could even clear the African continent, her sensors manager picked up a new contact. A Corvette-sized Starship had risen up to Mira’s altitude and was now matching her speed and course. Mira had barely begun to wonder who was flying the other ship when the comm array began to beep. Reflexively, Mira answered the call from the other ship:

“This is Taro Maori, who am I speaking to?”

“Hello Taro.” Said a female Human voice on the other end. “I heard you were playing war with the Triple Alliance this week. That true?”

Mira felt her blood boil with searing hatred. She knew the ADVENT Coalition was listening into all ship-to-ship communications, so she didn’t dare speak the name of her hated enemy. It would draw unwanted attention. Instead, Mira used the pseudonym her foe had recently adopted.

“Long time, no see… Homura Hanako. We haven’t talked since… what? The First Battle of Pyongyang? You must have enjoyed our standoff that night, cause it looks like...”

Mira trailed off. She had been maneuvering her fighter while talking, and had now brought her Ship within visual range of the vessel piloted by “Homura Hanako.” The JSDF Ark Angel looked better than usual. Its hull damage was mostly repaired, although the ship still had a battered look to it. Mira’s fighter was behind and above the Spaceplane… in the Kill Position. Mira had banked her fighter just enough that both of her Mass Driver guns were pointing at the Ark Angel. In turn, the Spaceplane had swiveled both of its dorsal turrets to face Mira’s fighter. The two spacecraft were at a stalemate, each able to kill the other at a moment’s notice. It was simply a question of who was quicker on the trigger.

“Careful with your words, Taro.” Homura teased. “You need to think fourth-dimensionally if you’re going to be like me. The Second Battle of Pyongyang isn’t going to happen until 2035. Don’t get trigger-happy with the name changes.”

“Assuming it happens at all. I’m onto you, and if you dare-”

“Oh, for the love of God, Taro, just shove it.” Homura interrupted. “I’m just here to refuel and rearm. There’s nothing for us to do in 2028.”

“Stop saying ‘us’!” Mira snapped. “I’m not on your side anymore!”

“Yes you are.” Homura replied. “We have the same goals after all… just… different ways of achieving those goals. We’re one and the same… so I’ll be seeing you around.”

The Ark Angel disengaged its weapons and banked hard, flying north towards Western Europe. Mira let the spaceplane go, shaking her head in disappointment.

Spoiler: Early Abdication

My Sistership - A Short Stellaris Story
Chapter 6
(Whole Chapter Deleted)
======​

September 30, 2028


We interrupt this program. This is a national emergency. Important instructions will follow.

This station has interrupted its programming at the request of the Royal Government to broadcast a message to the Commonwealth.

Standby from a message from her Royal Majesty, the Queen of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth:

“Good evening. I speak to you today not as the Queen of Partoga or the Empress of Levakia, not as the President of the Triple Alliance or the Commander-in-Chief of the Green Guard. Today, I wish to speak to you all as what and who I truly am: a mother and grandmother who fears for her progeny and the Galaxy they will grow up in. Please, I humbly ask you to indulge this old woman for a few minutes.

A week ago, we marked the one hundredth anniversary of my enthronement, just a few Kios away from where I’m sitting now, in the Great Library of our Royal City. I swore an oath to protect and defend the people of this world, an oath I have upheld for the past century as best I could. I’ve led armies and space fleets into battle. I’ve carried a weapon and shed blood for this great nation in my time. I stood watch over our borders while enemies rose and fell, and when the Hiigarans and their Galactic Council faltered at the start of this current conflict, I took the lost and abandoned nations of the Galaxy into our Triple Alliance. After a hundred-year long reign, I hope there is none among you who doubt that I have done my duty to our great and glorious Commonwealth.

Two nights ago I brought you the wondrous and joyful news of our great victory over the Beast at Tenhauser Gate after a long and hard fought battle alongside our new allies, the Voor Technocracy. What I did not tell you then was how much work, effort, and sacrifice went into bringing that glorious triumph to pass. Tens of thousands of our own young people fought and died on a mission to save us all, and they succeeded. But to make that happen, I had to work, like I’ve done for the past one hundred years, alongside the leaders and commanders of both my Royal Military and our comrades in the Triple Alliance. It was then, during those frantic days before the battle, when I realized that my advanced age is beginning to stop me from carrying out my duties. The realities of life have forced me think about how best to spend my few remaining years.

To step away from my duties and obligations while I’m still alive is… sickening… to me. But as Queen, I must put the needs of the Commonwealth above my own. I must accept the reality that I am no longer physically able to perform my duties.

I believe, with all of my heart, that this war will end in our favor someday, and I feel a great shame in knowing that the final victory will happen when someone else sits upon the Emerald Throne. But to persist in this way, to continue pushing myself day after day and night after night in the name of victory to the point self-destruction would be pointless, maybe even counterproductive to our cause.

Therefore, I have informed Kuhina Nui Kalili of my intention to abdicate the throne at midday tomorrow. The Royal Election will commence immediately afterward.

The past one-hundred years have been the most incredible in all of Galactic history, and I am eternally grateful to have been the one to lead our Commonwealth through such an era. From the rise of the Taiidani Republic and Makaan’s Vaygr Empire to the technological revolutions now known as the ‘Age of Sjet’ to the dark and horrific war in which we are now mired. The Assurian people were united under a single flag, and the Kelt came out of their self-imposed isolation, to the unexpected benefit of everyone in the Galaxy. The Triple Alliance offered a shield to those who had lost their own, and the Commonwealth itself became a bastion of freedom and equality as antiquated institutions, ideologies, and beliefs were left by the wayside. Every moment of the past century has been a historic one.

To every subject of the Commonwealth: Partogans, Levakians, Amadii, Assurians, Vanians, Kelt, and Micore, I leave this legacy to you as my last gift: A Commonwealth and a Triple Alliance that both stand strong and ready to vanquish the Beast, end this destructive conflict, and become the greatest civilization in Galactic history.

Thank you for listening, and good night.

You have just heard a message from Mami Tamihana, Queen-Emeritus of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth. This message will repeat until the National Assembly provides new instructions.

This station has interrupted its programming at the request of the Royal Government to broadcast a message to the Commonwealth.

We interrupt this program. This is a national emergency. Important instructions will follow.

===

The setting sun stained the cityscape a warm shade of orange. Light caught the windows of countless skyscrapers and made all of Partoga City glitter like freshly fallen snow in the late daytime. From her balcony, a young Partogan girl with braided hair ran her hands absentmindedly through the thick fur of a lioness. Kailani Kalili was ten years older than her friend, but the two of them were already thick as thieves.

At just two years old, Elsina was quickly growing up in the face of a stressful situation. Her brown fur was matted and messy, and she had some discolored patches marking old wounds. A big scar ran vertically down the left side of her face. Elsina had a tomboyish look to her, caused not by her personality, but her actual appearance. She had a small, scraggly mane of light brown fur around the base of her neck.

While Kailani gently rubbed Elsina’s shoulders, the lioness made a deep purring sound and slowly rolled over, showing her chest and belly to Kailani. The young girl obliged the silent request and started to scratch the front of Elsina’s neck. The lioness began to purr even more loudly. The deep rumbling intensified and caused a glass of Madu Cabolo to fall from its perch on the railing. It fell from the balcony, tumbled nearly ten stories, and smashed into the sidewalk below, where a woman shrieked and jumped into her boyfriend’s arms.

As the angry couple’s yelling rose up to the balcony, Kailani and Elsina burst out laughing.

“Oh, man, I needed that!” Kailani declared. “Three days of tension gone in an instant!”

“I feel better now.” Elsina agreed. “I thought I was gonna puke again all day.”

The two friends shared a good natured laugh and went back to watching the sunset again. The atmosphere around them was starting to get awkward again. There was something the two of them desperately needed to talk about, but neither was willing to go first. Finally, after the sun had fully gone down and the stars were beginning to come out, Kailani reluctantly broke the silence.

“So, if… if you win… can I still come visit like we did before?”

“Hell yeah, you can visit.” Elsina answered without hesitation. “Every day. I’ll hire a bodyguard just to take you to the Palace every day when you get out of school, alright?”

“Alright, thanks.” Kailani replied, still feeling uncomfortable.

There was another painful silence. Elsina restarted the conversation this time.

“What about you? If you win… will anything happen to us?”

“No way.” Kailani answered. “You’re my best friend in the Galaxy.”

Cold wind brought snowflakes onto the balcony. The plunging air temperature reminded the two friends that they would have to turn in soon. This would be their last chance to address the Kikanalo in the room, and they knew it.

“Kai?” Elsina asked slowly.

“Elsie?” Kailani asked cautiously.

“When you go up there tomorrow…” Elsina said. “Are you going to tell the National Assembly about… are you gonna say anything about me?”

“No!” Kailani’s voice was gripped with fear. “I swear on Miranda’s grave I won’t say a word against you! What about you? You gonna tell’em about all the stuff I did?”

“No, Miranda as my witness, I swear I won’t tell anyone.” Elsina finished.

Kailani let out a deep sigh and collapsed. Her face fell into the crook of Elsina’s neck and the lioness gently pulled the girl closer with one paw. The two friends curled up together on that frigid balcony, sharing their body heat only a short distance away from the entrance to Kailani’s hotel room.

“I’d never go behind your back like that.” Kailani half-sobbed. “You mean too much to me.”

“And you to me.” Elsina replied. “No matter how the Royal Election ends tomorrow, we’re still going to be friends, okay?”

“Yeah.” Kailani smiled. “We’re sisters to the end. If one of us wins or if we both lose… we’ll always have each other.”

Elsina softly pressed her paw to Kailani’s chest, and the girl nuzzled her face up against it.

“Tantomile as my witness,” Kailani said. “Friends to the end. Sisters forever”

“Sisters forever, friends to the end.” Elsina affirmed. “Miranda watch over us both.”

Spoiler: Blake meets Lincoln

The Stormbreakers - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 47: Apotheosis
(Deleted Scene)
======
​

Heart racing, I opened my eyes and sat up!

The first thing I noticed was that I was not aboard the Trinity. In fact, I was lying in a very comfortable bed in a very familiar room.

The second thing I noticed was a little more alarming: for a guy who had just been blown up with half a pound of TNT, I was feeling great! Sure, I was a genetically enhanced warrior who just barely qualified as a supersoldier, which means I could take a few hits and still get up again, but I felt… too good. Something was horribly wrong.

I slid sideways out of the bed and suddenly everything made a lot more sense, and at the same time, nothing made any sense at all! I was no longer wearing body armor. My arms, legs, and torso were all shorter! The aches and pains of three war’s worth of injuries were also completely gone! I went numb from shock as I recognized both my body and surroundings.

I was seventeen years old… and I was in my bedroom in the White House! I could hear my little sister, Jackie, tossing and turning in her bed next door, unable to sleep. The low murmur of voices came up through the floor below me. Dad was having another late-night meeting about the Soviet-Japanese War. I grabbed my hair in both hands and gasped:

“No! No, no no no no!”

My pulse and breathing quickened! I was on the verge of a perfectly-justified panic attack when a soft voice spoke from the hallway, just beyond my door:

“Can’t sleep? I understand, of course.”

I had lived in the White House for six years of my life, and in all that time, I had never heard a soft voice like that. I ran to the door and peeked into the hallway outside.

It was clearly the middle of the night. All of the doors were closed, save one. I saw a flicker of movement at the far end of the building. The last door on the right was left open, as though the occupant had just stepped inside and was holding the doorway open, waiting for me. I crept down the hallway, nimbly avoiding the creaky spot on the floor my sister always failed to evade. I followed the mysterious speaker into the supposedly haunted Lincoln Bedroom.

The man who had spoken was an extremely tall person. Even though he was seated on Lincoln’s bed, I could tell this guy was well over six feet tall. Despite his size, he was very thin. He had wavy hair, a bony face hidden behind a full beard, and a high forehead with many wrinkles. The most striking detail, however, was in just how tired this man looked. Like he desperately needed some time to lie down and rest. The stranger wasn’t dressed like most people around the White House. I made a mental note to myself to ask the Chief Usher if he’d been hiring old men recently.

“It is about time that we spoke.” Said the old man. “This morning, you and I are of a kind. We both find ourselves at the precipice of a great oblivion.”

“Oblivion?” I repeated.

“The end of a war.” The stranger said. “This is the critical moment, young man. So much has been destroyed, so many lives cut short, just to bring us here; to the final two questions we must ask ourselves: What will we do with our vanquished enemies? How will we honor our friends?”

“I don’t know.” I admitted. “The battle and our chances looked so grim, none of us ever gave any thought about what would come after.”

Balling up my fists, I added:

“Besides, my enemy is my own… my… my… own…”

I couldn’t bring myself to finish. The old man put his chin in his hands and gave me a pensive look.

“I understand, more than you know.” He said. “I have, in my time, met and shaken the hands of men who were once my enemies. They were my fellow countrymen, who took up arms and fought against me as hard as they could for years. Yet, when they were beaten, I sought to let them up easy.”

“That sounds like it would take a lot of strength.” I commented.

“The most.” The old man replied. “And what of your friend?”

My stomach lurched. I remembered what I’d done, and that memory was starting to make me feel sick.

I had escorted Jericho all the way to the Trinity, fought my way inside, risked life and limb to give her a chance to end this war, and at the last possible second… I damaged the Time Core… Just to get one more hit at Akira.

The mental anguish hit me like a wave, and I had to kneel down.

“Oh, God!” I breathed. “I-I- I threw away any chance Jericho had to win this thing!”

“Perhaps you did, but that doesn’t mean the battle is over.”

I looked up at the old stranger. He was giving me a smile that warmed every fiber of my being. It was the feeling of being picked up off the ground by a good Samaritan.

“The conflict I fought brought forth new ideas and precepts of friendship and brotherhood. Perhaps the conflict you’ve seen has done the same. You must decide what your friends mean to you, and how far you are willing to go for them. Your choice will define what this war makes of you and your friends.”

Thinking hard, I realized that I had one more question.

“If I leave here, where can I go? What can I do?”

“From what I’ve seen, there no longer seem to be any limits.” The old man replied. “We may all go where we please. What you do, however…”

I stood up and went to the window. Thrusting the blinds back, I looked outside and saw a familiar scene outside: The Skyranger hovering over a battle-damaged Chinese city street while Jericho ran towards it, fleeing the Chosen Assassin. Mira raised her shotgun and fired into the Skyranger’s open bay. I gripped the windowsill, my mind made up.

“Jericho called me the best friend she could ever ask for.” I said. “And once, she risked her life to save mine. I won’t… I cannot call myself her friend if I wouldn’t do the same.”

I looked back at the old man. When he smiled, he seemed to be so much younger, so full of life and energy.

“Good choice.” He said.

Turning my back on the Lincoln Bedroom, I paused at the doorway, hand on the handle. I could hear my sister outside, talking to my mom.

“This is for you.” I whispered.

Then I opened the doorway, and stepped across Time just as one would cross a street.

Spoiler: Hunt for the Tren Krom

The Stormbreakers - A Stellaris Story
Chapter 26: Monster Hunters
(Whole Chapter Deleted and Rewritten)
======
​

September 1, 2035
Tehnauser Gate, near the Galactic Core


The artifical Hyperspace Gate known as Tenhauser was under heavy guard when the Mahuika arrived. A flotilla of Hiigaran warships patrolled the empty space, training their guns on the Triple Alliance flagship until it slowed its approach and started broadcasting regocnition signals. One of those Hiigaran ships broke formation and closed to within radio range. It was a Hiigaran Marine Frigate, painted in the red and black colors of Kiith Soban, a clan of Hiigarans who had devoted themselves to martial persuits and the warrior lifestyle.

On the Mahuika’s bridge, Makara Ranginui kept her arms folded while her crew established radio contact with their Hiigaran allies. Even though Partoga and Hiigara were supposed to be on the same side of this war, the warriors of Kiith Soban had always put Makara on edge.

“Good to see you alive, Mahuika!” Makara could hear the relief in the Hiigaran officer’s voice. “Word in this part of the quadrant is getting pretty grim. We were starting to worry you might not make it back from Earth. Did you find the weapon that was supposed to be down there?”

“We found it and more.” Makara answered. “There have been some developments down on Earth that have the potential to radically change our situation. I need you to answer a few questions for me if you can.”

There was a pause. Makara looked up from the sensors manager and out the front window, where the Hiigaran Marine Frigate was visible. It had drawn up alongside the Mahuika and was now flying in formation with the Triple Alliance flagship. Makara’s first officer was about to speak when the Hiigaran officer came back on the line.

“I’ll answer what I can, Mahuika. Send traffic.”

“First: I need to know the location of Sajuuk. I need to speak with Karan S’jet as soon as possible.”

A moment’s pause. This time, Makara’s first officer, a Vanian, did speak:

“You really expect them to just give away the location of their leader like that?”

A moment later, the Hiigaran responded.

“Sajuuk is at the Eye of Aarran. We had a scare there recently and all of the defences are on high alert. I’ll pass word up the chain of command so that Fleet Command knows you’re looking for her. What else did you want to know?”

“Has the situation at the Sea of Lost Souls changed while we were gone?”

“Hard negative, Mahuika.” The Hiigaran replied. “Partoga is still safe. The Levakians and Micore are putting up such an incredible fight out there.”

All around the bridge, the Mahuika’s crew let out sighs of relief. Makara herself had to fan her face with one hand as she heard the good news.

“That’s good to hear.” She said as soon as she got her composure back. “Last question for you, Sobanni: We were wondering if you had any intel on a former Vanian science ship carrying the Tren Krom ID? Home station on record is the old Vanian Science Nexus. Last seen at Shipyard Nynrah as part of the attacking force.”

“Uh, the Tren Krom?” The Hiigaran officer repeated. “Gimme a second.”

Makara turned to her first officer.

“What do you think are the odds?”

“Good enough to be scary.” The Vanian officer replied.

After a moment, the Hiigaran called back.

“Is that a frigate or corvette-sized vessel?”

“Corvette!” the Vanian chimed in.

Finally, the Hiigaran came back on the line with an answer.

“Looks like this is it: A Somtaaw carrier strike group spotted her in the vicinity of Gehenna. Flying with an escort of strike craft and corvettes, heading towards Kaolo Gate. Why do you want her in particular?”

The Vanian officer tugged on Makara’s sleeve.

“Kaolo!” he hissed. “Commander, that Gate is within fifteen light-years of Earth!”

“I know.” Makara replied quickly, then addressed the Hiigaran captain. “Our troops on Earth have reported encountering a Psionic entity that behaives similar to the one Tren Krom used against us at Shipyard Nynrah. We’re going to disable and capture the Tren Krom. A full investigation is needed to understand what exactly we’re dealing with here. Once we’ve completed our objective, we’ll travel to the Eye of Aarran to make contact with Karan S’jet.”

“You Partogans have guts. That’s all I can say. We’ll spread the word about what you’re up to. Soban Fleet Command out.”

Spoiler: Akira saves Whetu

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Interlude #3
(Deleted Scene)
======​

December 25, 1515 A.D. -The Second Cycle-
Archer’s Canyon, the Little Continent

The sun rose right when Whetu thought it would. It had been her ally for so long that she had come to trust it as much as she trusted her sword. Just as the morning light broke over the Visonian hills, there was a mighty CRASH as the siege tower made contact with the castle walls. On either side of Whetu, soldiers glanced around nervously and said their final prayers.

“This is it!” Whetu yelled. “No matter what happens, everyone keeps pushing forward! Don’t stop to count the dead!”

There was a mighty thundering sound, as though the siege tower had been caught in a hailstorm! More arrows than it was possible to count were raining down on the structure, but it was too late! The huge wooden door swung down and slammed onto the castle ramparts, instantly creating a bridge between the siege tower and the castle wall!

Whetu drew her sword. Soulkeeper caught the morning sunlight and for a moment appeared to turn red. Then she brought it down in front of her and screamed!

“CHARGE!! FOR YOUR FAMILIES AND FOR HOME!!”

Whetu and her fellow soldiers surged across the gap and were soon amongst the enemy! Slashing and stabbing, Whetu cut down three Snowskins before they had even raised their weapons. They had never stood a chance. The morning sun was directly behind Whetu and her allies, their enemies were blinded! Around her, the rest of the Refugee Army had breached the castle. Three more siege towers contributed to the breakthrough, and some distance away, another group of Refugees surged through the main gate and were inside the castle courtyard!

Whetu didn’t have long to observe. She sensed the Psionic attack coming long before it actually materialized. Throwing herself out of the way, Whetu sheathed her sword and fired a beam of Psionic energy back in the direction the assault had come from. King Inari had only seconds to get out of the way before the entire tower was obliterated by Whetu’s strike! Choosing to attack instead, the Snowskin king propelled himself through the air and landed on the same stretch of wall as Whetu.

King Inari had nothing to say to Whetu. It was just as good, anyway, because she didn’t understand a word of the Snowskin language. With one hand, Whetu drew the Soulkeeper and prepared to defend herself. Thrusting with both hands, King Inari telekinetically swept almost two hundred Partogans off the top of the wall, sending them all plunging to their deaths below, and leaving a clear space on the rampart so he could face Whetu alone.

Whetu shielded herself behind Soulkeeper and Inari’s telekinetic attack bounced off of it, crashing into a siege tower and sending it sideways into the ground, where it crushed another four hundred Partogans to death. Inari put both hands to his mouth, forming a triangular shape with his fingers, and he expelled an immense cone of fire towards Whetu! She swiped the Soulkeeper through the air in front of her, and the sword swallowed up the entire inferno, allowing Whetu to see what was coming next:

Inari had launched himself at Whetu! He was less than an arm’s length away when Whetu saw him coming! She threw herself to one side and released all of the fire contained in her sword! Caught in a conflagration of his own design, Inari ignored the flames which now engulfed the ramparts. He ran straight at a surprised and unprepared Whetu!

With one armored fist, Inari punched Whetu in the stomach as hard as he could! The fifteen-year-old Queen felt the huge thud, the wind leaving her chest, her sword falling out of her hand; and then the air rushing around her as she fell from the wall and tumbled head over feet... down... down... down...

…

Whetu woke up very slowly. For a moment, she thought she’d gone deaf. Then she realized the battle was over, and the ground was silent. The fighters had gone, and now Whetu only had the dead for company.

Surrounded by cold corpses and broken weapons, Whetu couldn’t move. Immense pain shot all across her body. Looking down at her stomach, the young Queen realized she’d fallen off the castle ramparts and landed on a pile of fallen soldiers. The point of a spear was just barely visible... sticking out of her belly.

Whetu had been impaled through the back.

Letting her head fall back down, Whetu let out a weary sigh. This was a terrible way to die... not knowing the outcome of the battle... not knowing if her friends were alive. It was more torturous than the spear piercing her body. Immobilized, there was nothing Whetu could do except patiently wait for death... the pain in her belly getting less and less intense... her vision growing foggier by the minute... her breath starting to slow down.

Whetu felt very warm... and very comfortable. She closed her eyes and thought of her best friends, picturing them in her mind. She wanted the faces of Taki and Enoka to be the last things she ever saw...

Then a noise caught her attention. A voice.

“Whetu? Is that you?”

Whetu opened her eyes... and gasped!

It was Akira, the Snowskin traitor... the young woman who had helped Whetu and her friends in their hour of need was now standing over Whetu. She was covered in blood and dirt but otherwise unharmed.

“Hold on.” Akira said, “I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Don’t bother.” Whetu groaned, spitting blood. “I’m already finished.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Akira replied. “We promised to help each other. I held up my end of the deal. It’s time for you to hold up yours.”

She reached down towards Whetu and put both of her hands on Whetu’s head.

Spoiler: Akira saves Hakara

Faith in Chaos - A Stellaris Story
Interlude #3
(Deleted Scene)
======
​

November 9, 1918 A.D. -The Fifteenth Cycle-
[Personal Log: Mission Specialist Hakara Tamihana, HMS Turawa, Inner Nithascal Star System, 9 Noema 403]

We’ve returned to Nithascal nearly six years after we finished our survey of the system. I must say, I’m impressed at how well the system has been developed in the years since annexation. Upgrades to the Nithascal Starbase are reported to be ahead of schedule, and the construction of the Tapanui Colony is being hailed as the most successful off-world industrial project since Fort Daxia itself. My friends back at the Royal Science Academy tell me that the first generation of Partogans born on Tapanui will have a predicted lifespan of almost one-hundred-twenty Partogan years. There’s no doubt about it: ten years from now, Tapanui is going to be one of the best places to live in the Kingdom. In fact...

Last night, Angiangi and I had a long Hyperline talk about Tapanui. We’ve both come to an agreement. As soon as our little Mami is old enough to enroll in primary school, we’re going to pull up roots and move the whole family to Tapanui. There are thousands of children being born on Tapanui this year, so my little Toa will have no shortage of friends. The air on Tapanui is warm and humid, just the Homeworld; and there’s no military presence in-system either, so my little girl will grow up far, far away from the sick and twisted influence of the military. Aoraki is just the wrong place to raise a child. I can’t wait to see the look on Mami’s sweet little face when she sets foot on Tapanui for the first time!

Oh, listen to me. I’m rambling again. I guess I should talk about the mission now.

Six years ago, when the Turawa did its survey of the Nithascal system we detected a series of sensor anomalies around the third planet in the system. The only remarkable thing about that dustball was that it met the initial criteria for being considered a “terraforming candidate.” Tenuous atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen, measurable magnetic field, a large supply of frozen water, it was the right sort of planet. So I sent a message back to Royal Star Command asking permission to investigate the anomaly... and here we are... six years later, and the government bureaucracy finally got off its lazy ass and granted permission.

Maybe Kuhina Nui Patariki should stop letting the Ranginui family sort through his mail... I’m... I’m not accusing anyone of anything, just saying what everyone else is thinking. Anyway, we’ll be at the spot where we detected the anomaly in about fifteen minutes. Let’s get this over with.

[Personal Log closed]

...

Noema 11, 403

From: Kuhina Nui Tangaroa Patariki
To: Her Majesty Queen Madeline the Second
CC: Whiro Ranginui, Eru Ranginui
RE: Dimensional Pocket Event


Your Majesty, I have an update on the Science Ship Turawa’s brief excursion into an extradimensional pocket.

The Turawa never made it to Nithascal III to study the anomalies surrounding it. The ship, along with Science Officer Hakara Tamihana and crew, reportedly blinked out of existence as it was navigating the magnetic field, only to reappear a few minutes later.

The Turawa’s crew report that they found themselves, briefly, in extra-dimensional space. They claim that the external viewports revealed that they were being followed by a small alien spaceship, roughly the size of a corvette or gunship. It was flying alongside the Turawa in a seemingly endless void. Before the crew could get their bearings, the alien ship disappeared and they found themselves back in normal space.

As of the time of writing, the entire Turawa crew is present and accounted for except for Science Officer Hakara Tamihana. Our remaining scientists speculate that he may have been selectively trapped by some unknowable mechanism in that strange extradimensional space.

All attempts to locate or re-enter the Dimensional Pocket have met with failure. Recovery/rescue of Tamihana was deemed impossible and he has been declared dead. I have sent notifications to the Royal Science Academy and the 2 surviving members of the Tamihana Family.

Haraka Tamihana left behind his wife Angiangi and daughter Mami. They live on Aoraki in the Rakinui Sector and probably won’t receive the notification for several weeks. With your permission, I would like to send two representatives of the Partogan Royal Navy to inform the wife in person, rather than allowing her to learn about this via mail.

Furthermore, marker buoys have been deployed around Nithascal III, warning all ships to stay away. Hopefully this tragedy will not repeat itself.


Signed,
Tangaroa Patariki, Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Partoga

P.S.: My daughter Mokara adores your gift. I’ve never seen her so happy before. Thank you for brightening her day.

One last time, thank you all for reading the Stormbreaker Trilogy, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this final dive into its universe with me.

For the most part, I'll be falling silent from here on out, but that doesn't mean I'm going to vanish. I will make, for the foreseeable future, efforts to ensure that these stories are kept intact, readable, and accessible. I'll regularly check in to make sure all of the pictures stay up, and maybe edit/fix the more serious spelling and grammar mistakes as I find them. After all, I'm one of those writers who likes to re-read his own work on occasion.

And now the story truly is over, so it's time for me to step off the stage and rejoin the audience.

As it turns out, I couldn't let the story die here. People have asked for The Last Heroes.

I will deliver The Last Heroes.