10 Years After First Accord (10 YAFA)
The Granite Palace, Great Room
Aiundvale, D’varoh, Xelryia, Sekaia, Rohosa System, Qortol Galaxy
It wasn’t their fault.
After all, Amia couldn’t fault them for their typical nature. That kind of curiosity always pulled life into exploring such extremes. And unfortunately for Yghastia, the quest for long-term sustenance with Frostworm farms wasn’t showing to be as sustainable for them or the rest of the world.
Almia couldn’t blame them, but she sure as Ardun partied could exploit it!
It wasn’t their fault.
Though, to be completely fair to the situation, Akuun was right to find the increase in population of adult worms to have had such an effect - Tylagen’s team of researchers suspected that the country was experimenting with underground farms - that earth wyverns might be being domesticated for import and export.
Leverage that could go both ways.
But a real threat to security. Frostworms were living siege engines. These massive meters-long worms were enough to rattle the trees and buildings above them as they moved. Breeding the numbers to whet the appetite of the booming Yghastian Union would make them a living threat to the species. Not only would that be a threat to the world climate, they would be a threat to imperial security. And regional sovereignty.
“Akuun, do you really think the worms are what created that fissure in the ground? Are you so sure we’re not at fault for the withering of Arem?”
The irsu sat confidently on his throne, a sturdy chair of darkened oak denser than tungsten. “Weren’t you the one who suggested such, sweet Almia?” Akuun’s elbow dug into the armrest as he shifted toward his queen. “They may have started amassing the creatures in the north to determine their viability and then have just started migrating them southward. They may not even have military reasons for the worms.”
Almia steepled her fingers together.
“You’re right. This multidimensional emergency on a national scale. This ecological crisis expands even toward our economies!”
”Ok, enough with the propaganda!” Akuun’s voice would have echoed through the entire palace if not for the outstretched staff of the Syngruun. Tylagen had sacrificed an entire limb’s bundle -a good 20 strands of rhas wrapped around his leg-to generate a sphere of silence.
”Thanks, friend,” the seinjath greeted his advisor.
“I live to serve,” Tylagen replied, swirling his shawl. “I do say that you get way too comfortable talking about state secrets.I shan’t promise that we’d be lacking in the number of visitors the next time developments that affect CENTURIES are discussed within possible earshot of tourists.”
Almia chuckled.”Syngruun. You know that these are orange-level state secrets. This would be embarrassing and potentially destabilizing to various levels of the state - but it’s no-where near a blue or purple level threat. Give it two more years and what we speak of will be classic red-level layluun doomscrolling on the G-DAW.”
”You have spunk, I’ll give you that,” Tylagen said. His sneer was visible.
“I’m more than happy to speak on the blue level threat. The ‘every citizen has been drafted into a non-consensual battle for species’ overall survival. I can get us a room,” Almia grinned, her smile always teasing that she’d already carved you up into morsels.
”Guards. Close down the palace. And escort us to the Elder Lodge of the Matriarchs.” No sooner had the words left Akuun’s lips than lithe as earth-borne jaguars did his trusted guards crawl from the white granite palace pillars stretching from the carved ceiling to the ground, etched with the long history of the D’varoans civilization. Their bodies were hugged in magweave armor with belted chest plate, belts, mask and cloak. Two had the doors locked before Akuun’s had risen from his throne, two had the doors to the stairwell opened, and 8 had hidden among the shadows, nooks, and crannies within the white-granite walls of the palace. They were among another 12 hoping to hunt the couple and any guests down. As was expected tradition for the royal families of D’varoh. Tylagen thumped his staff. Three times fast. Two times slower. Seven times between and then five times fast. It was his way of calling off the usual drill. The group made their way to the lodge, a space where matters of gravity were discussed.
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“Now what did you want to discuss with us, young irsu? Have you not embarrassed yourself with our failed water catchers?”
“I warned against greed. None got anything save pain and tragedy. Millions die as thousands go mad from the death echoing to them so often. You look to me for guidance and then olive pick and brine my wisdom. You brine it until it's digestible to your gluttonous tastes,” Tylagen growled through gritted teeth.
“Forgive my wife and our misunderstood approach, our mystical prophet syngruun,” Akuun offered.
“Just try the coastline agreement Lower Common Representative Conar Kendrish just drafted. If you lower the prices on wood using this, we may get some water that was promised.” Tylgen pressed his fingers above the bridge of his nose.
Frustration was a healthy emotion, he had to remind himself. He didn't run the empire, he guided it and ran the parties. Were we running low on punch? How was the indoor pool below the Tower of Thirst?
“Is it possible to exchange our wastewater to lumber program monopoly with Glacia for the worms? Instead, we set up ranches at the borders between The Haeydlaic Territories, Aedlaan, and Yghastia to help supply them with meat.” Akuun again.
“How do we ensure that they accept our offer? Not only do they resent us over the stagnation of our global water projects; they don't trust us. As much as I appreciate the fear, too much will bring the disruptions we're trying to avoid.”
“Keep a look out for any representatives that encourage trade. D'varoans have a taste for ornivaptor meat. We don't have the land, and neither does Harazan with their rizzermites,” Tylgen replied.
“We could always set this up through decree,” Almia replied. “No need to wait long to get anything moving. It'll be just as quick as the Area project,” Almia countered.
“Commons and Lords are friends. Our unity is a greater weapon than our forces themselves.”
Tylan. Junior representative of Commons. Almia smiled. A genuine beam of faith.
“How's the final semester at college?” She asked.
“Inqui, for all its beautiful architecture, is pretty stuffy. It has me missing Mauderville. For a city full of skyscrapers it sure is spacey.” Tylan adjusted his tie.
“Missing your homeland of Insia?” Almia asked the young adult who had just mentioned its largest city.
The political chair for the Root Province nodded.
“We're having record thunderstorms. Rainfall is light with lightning damaging our treescape settlements in fires. Grunthisk, Olivytar, and Upper Horn are most affected, but lower horn and the swamp basins are looking to be drained.”
Tylgen smirked. It is decided. These poor insects couldn’t see Ora Laho beyond his pronouncements - but the Everessence had the strangest ways of pulling strings…
“It looks like we're going to be lowering trade barriers and recruiting for labor,” he said. His eyes seemed to be looking far-off, somewhere far away and in the future.
200 YAFA
Idris 7, Colony Resource Cluster 09, Moon of R’len Seldit, Brisar ET1 system
Commander Harrington felt like he was being watched. And that did not help with the fact that he was cramped in a communications tower with 11 other people, 8 of them marines. The spire or tower was actually 16 feet above ground, 2 stories, with the majority of the communications antenna being 12 layers underground. The team of four calling themselves Auroch had fought their way up from the mine’s main entrance, through and up the many levels. The Mk 3 Arrav- armored Ares soldier with them must have helped. Especially given the amount of ammunition it could carry.
Harrington and his squad had brought about a single firestarter. Their job was to grab their asset - the encryption keys- and get them and their holder off world. The weather outside had this moon look apocalyptic with duststorms being brought up by the bombardments. They’d be picking up as the comms relay they just hacked into was properly compromised. The planet would be D’varoh’s again, just after some confusion on the GCA’s part.
Harrington was meeting with the jathka’s personal bodyguard, his shield, Aris.
“Commander Maxarius, leader of airborne and extra-vehicular security.”
That was her, a deep, yet peppy voice and tone. The captain of shield could be mistaken for an actress for her voice alone. “I have your informant,” she said walking up with an adolescent.
Harrington couldn’t tell the person’s gender, let alone physiology from the heavy sweater obscuring their features.
“There’s our informant with the Yndrix drive. Sardyn, you’ll be responsible for our guest,” Maxarius began. The male drow ran over to the adolescent. Taking their hand Sardyn brought them closer to the commander. The other soldiers assembled closer as Commander Maxarius Harrington
“Squads 91 and 47 of Dylydia’s 74th, we have completed the second phase of operation Kerosene Eye, one of three unified theaters taking place on this moon. Our job is half over:
Global unified resistance is off the table. Now we just need to get this drive up to our friends in Stellar Hive forces. Our space navy hacker friends should be able to reverse engineer their security network key generating algorithm. Meaning we can intercept communications at our leisure. Thanks to our efforts, we'll be home within a week. And at minimal cost to our homeland or this colony. Our current job: getting out and holding extraction. Stay on guard, and keep the informant and the information safe. Aris, it's good to be working with you.”
Aris saluted the commander. “It's a pleasure to be working with my brothers and sisters of the 74th. My squad mates Sizhyr, Kochue,Chyu, and Hahmhuei are also here to assist with extraction.” She nodded to the Royal Marines standing beside her. The soldiers nodded.
“This is Sardyn, Zanzruck, and Ilda,” Maxarius replied, gesturing to the marines he had been addressing. The cold fluorescent glinted off the full facial visors of the unmoving addresses.They all took turns saluting each other before waiting at attention. Maxarius took the group back up the lift they came. The warhawk waiting above them had its thrusters idling.
And its pilot couldn’t wait to get themselves and their passengers back aboard the Vorpal Glare.
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Remote Activation of Information Core ONLINE.
WELCOME TO THE SOLAR SEER!
SHELF OS
-Hello Chronologos user.
-: file found.
Office of Imperial Security & Intelligence
Hello seer! Puck wanted me to send you a report on someone important. I hear you've been slamming hard on the Sarran record. Way to go there champs! I'll only be able to reply to messages for a week, so don't squander any questions or comments you may have.
What are the Thoros? That's a bit off. Just focus on what happened on Idris 7. We need firm attention on his actions so far. Puck's orders.
Powering Down...
SHELF OS
Goodbye!
Next report scheduled for: ?
