Chronicles of The Omniverse Archived Astra City

as written by Ronin

Rubano leaned back in his chair, musing.

"It is a strange coincidence, Ministers, that I considered motioning to enable Minister Vaeros with emergency powers myself, not minutes before this very meeting. She speaks true. Valore is on the brink of war and the Terran National Government is facing its worst crisis in decades. In times like these we must often turn to strong, swift leadership as opposed to drawn-out debates and arguments, important as they are to the constitution of a democracy. Minister Vaeros has shown herself to be a capable leader. I give her my support."
 
as written by Sentry

Ganbaatar had no short speech or spoken reason to his choice, but it was evident by his gaze that this was no hasty decision.

"I, too, give my support," he said at last.
 
as written by Tiko

With the motion passed, the gathered Parliament members moved on to discuss other matters of importance. It would be a very long day and by the time the holographic images flickered out hours later to leave Max and Rhea alone in the room once more, the weariness was evident upon her. Their troubles had only just begun.

"Can you begin preparations on making contact with the unknown entity?" she inquired of Max. "I must meet with the Invictus."
 
as written by Lobos

"Yes, Rhea." Max nodded. "I'll get a channel prepared."
 
as written by Tiko

Some time later...


Once again Rhea found herself seated at the meeting table within the secure room at her and Max's temporary safe-house, but this time she sat alone at the head of the table which was ringed by empty chairs.

Her hands were folded in front of her and despite the ordeals of the day - and the weariness that came with it - her mind was still sharp. There was much to be done to secure the safety of Valore, and rest was a commodity that she couldn't afford at the moment.

Across from her, two of the chairs flickered as holographic projections began to fill the seats.

The new arrivals were attending the meeting from within the safety of a small military complex nestled within the Midlands where they had been met by an armed escort that had seen them the chamber they were now being projected from. Despite the extraneous security measures they had been met with, the trio had been treated graciously enough.
 
as written by Saarai

Phinx wasn't happy about disarming, but it wasn't really up to her. Besides, unlike Ariadne, who took the seat beside her, she could handle herself without weapons. She wasn't even sure if Ariadne actually did the weapons training the Invictus offered.

The Invictus leader looked to Lars, the quiet young man standing not far from Ariadne. He was professional, Phinx gave him that. He wasn't nervous, he didn't even look at her. He hadn't said a single word even on the way to the meeting.

"Shall we get started?" Ariadne asked, "Yeah. I think that's a good idea." Phinx said, "I'm ready."
 
as written by Tiko

As Phinx and Ariadne came into view, Rhea greeted them both.

"It is good to see you both well," she offered. "On behalf of the TNG and all of the people of Terra, you have my gratitude for your swift and timely response to our request for assistance in protecting the planet," Rhea spoke sincerely. "A threat that I fear is not yet behind us."
 
as written by Saarai

"Is it ever?" Phinx asked, "I am Mary Munroe, though it's safe to assume you know that already. Beside me is Ariadne Kale." The Invictus leader said as an introduction.

"You speak words we have heard before with a much different aftermath." Ariadne said to Rhea, her words drawing a quick glare from Phinx. Fortunately, it was a sentiment that Phinx agreed with.

"Excuse my colleague, she's very frank." Phinx told Rhea, "But, she has a point. The Invictus has thrown in with your people before despite the potential impact of doing so. We're a company. A mercenary company. We aren't to do things like this, but not all of us are fine with allowing genocide." She continued.

"Though, many of our own feel alienated by such actions, or as if you don't deserve our help." Ariadne added.
 
as written by Tiko

"I can appreciate such sentiments," Rhea answered. "But this was not about what I - or even the TNG - deserve. It was about every single life on this planet, yours included," she reminded them. Her words were carefully spoken though, and devoid of animosity.

"This is a threat we all share in equally. The Aschen will return - as they always have - and when they do it will not matter to them who any of us are. Nation, prime minister, citizen, mercenary... it has never made any difference to them. They were in the opening preparations to destroy this planet in its entirety when we sacrificed what was left of our navy to intercept them. They kill indiscriminately, and will do so again."

She shook her head.

"I fear that the coming storm will require all of us if we are to survive it. This threat surpasses such boundaries that define us as nations, orders, organizations, and factions. It has drawn us together under one common threat, and one common cause. Survival.

"I have already begun preparations to reach out to the other nations of Valore, but it is to the Invictus that we look to, to buy us the time we need to prepare for the return of the Aschen Empire. Treaties and armistices have proven ineffective with a nation that holds no respect for any law or foreign power. The only recourse left to us is a line in the sand. A line that your fleets currently maintain."
 
as written by Saarai

"That they don't need to maintain." Ariadne said, "It may seem a little standoffish, but there's only a threat to us as long as we stay. We're not tied down by borders, treaties, or nationality. The Invictus can thrive with, or without, Valore." She continued.

"But," Phinx interjected, "I made sure that the line is maintained for many of the reasons you've stated." She told Rhea, "The Invictus here, on your planet, is a relatively small amount. We have our people in The Garden, operatives scattered across war zones, and more than enough people in line to succeed myself and Fatin." The Invictus leader said.

Ariadne leaned back, relaxing in her seat as she waited for her chance to speak. "What's your survival mean to the Hydra that the Invictus is?" Ariadne asked.

Phinx and Ariadne were clearly doubtful about aiding the TNG any further, though for much different reasons. Phinx cleared her throat before speaking up once more.

"She could have said that a lot better. But, you don't need to sell us. You don't need to convince us that saving a trillion lives is the right thing to do. Just prove to me that it's worth doing. I don't mean money. Or power."

"Why should we throw in with you again and expect different? You're the same governing body. Minus the ones in the grave." Phinx said.
 
as written by Tiko

"I cannot begin to presume to know what it is that the Invictus seeks," Rhea answered.

The shift of her eyes from Phinx and Ariadne hinted perhaps at the lingering implication beneath her words. The tension and division between the two was difficult to miss, even through their holographic projections.

"And I am certain you are well accustomed to empty words," she continued. "All I can put before you is my actions here today, and the actions of the pilots who gave their lives to turn the Aschen fleet back until your own ships arrived. I trust these actions speak more resoundingly than the hollow vows of those who came before me."

"It is my intention to ensure the safety and security of this planet through the only means left to us," she went on to explain. "Complete separation from the Aschen Empire, and their influence. It will no doubt be a long and violent endeavor - and one of which I have no love of committing to - but it is my belief that it is the only course left to us that will grant the nations of Valore freedom from the ever-lingering threat of Aschen reprisal for perceived ills."

Her words were largely directed to Phinx, but Ariadne had not been forgotten. A subtle hint of distaste entered Rhea's words as she addressed the other woman briefly.

"And if your concept of value is more... extrinsic... I have no doubt as to the benefits of backing such a conflict for you and yours."

She held no love of those driven by money over compassion, but she knew well enough that money often talked to those of such minds. The weapons trade alone that would soon be booming would prove a profitable venture she had little doubt the Invictus would fast become involved in. The thought was an unpleasant one for the more pacifistic minded woman, but one which she knew was necessary. The Aschen had backed them into a corner that day.
 
as written by Saarai

The two women looked to each other, holding some sort of mental conversation to determine the next move. Despite the tension, they were mostly on the same page. Phinx being much more, if not entirely, sympathetic with the Terran plight. The bottom line was profit for Ariadne.

She wasn't a military type.

"Okay." She said to Phinx, turning her gaze back to Rhea. "We're with you." Phinx told Rhea, "As mercenaries, mostly. We have to bring in some sort of profit or people will start jumping ship. Even with the excess funds we have. We'll run out, eventually."

"That means you'll have to pay us for services. We have ships that aren't finished being built, you can buy them." Ariadne said, "Weapons, armor, training."

"Really, any compensation works." Phinx said, "And, I really want myself and the Invictus to be involved in this fight. The Aschen almost killed my baby sister, they've killed friends of mine."

Ariadne gave Phinx a look, seemingly unamused by her making things personal.

At least openly to Rhea.
 
as written by Tiko

Rhea nodded briefly. "For as long as the Invictus back the TNG in this matter, then I can assure the both of you that business ventures and military contracts will remain plentiful," Rhea answered. "And not just with us. The Aschen Empire's decision to strike out against the planet as a whole has not gone ignored by the other nations of Valore. Your continued support in securing the Sol System will no doubt prove beneficial in establishing business ventures with them as well. In the meanwhile I'm going to have you meet with our Ministry of Defense, to discuss and draw up the exact the nature of these contracts."
 
as written by Saarai

"We'll see." Phinx said to Rhea, "We will be ready to meet again soon." Ariadne added, "Unless you can get the contracts done today." She continued. Phinx nodded, agreeing with what the women was saying.

"The sooner the better. If not, I get it. It usually takes longer than a few hours to get the right paperwork and people together to get something this big done." Phinx said, "It's worth getting done sooner rather than later." Ariadne interjected.
 
as written by Tiko

"I assure you that the matter will be among the forefront of our priorities," Rhea answered.

A rather painfully long list of urgent priorities she thought to herself. She couldn't help but find Ariadne's demeanor distasteful once more, and the concern was there in the back of Rhea's mind that someone so extrinsically motivated by money could be bought and sold by others. It was Phinx that ultimately guided Rhea's hand on the matter. Unlike Ariadne, Phinx's motives seemed to be in the right place and the money was simply a means to an end.

It was to Phinx that she nodded her thanks before the conference call came to a close.
 
The recent news from the Shade Dominion had left Rhea in a state of deep though. She knew well she had to act swiftly, lest the Aschen move to retaliate in full for the actions of the Shade Dominion, but plans weren't yet ready to be put into motion.

The weeks since her meeting with Phinx had been fruitful and it wasn't just the Invictus whome Rhea had gained support from. Growing numbers of volunteers and organizations continued to put forth their assistance day by day. In particular it was through these volunteers that she sought to tap into the full potential of Terra, and Valore with it.

Their tech was inferior to many of the larger space fairing nations, and their numbers fewer than the vast sprawling galactic empires, but they possessed a concentration of power that few could boast. The very existence of this power, unharnessed, was destroying their planet and the local region. If it could be stabilized, harnessed, and directed...

Its influence already took shape all across Valore in the form of fanastical powers, and beings of immense strength. Psionics capable of imeasurable feats of the mind, archmages capable of raining down destruction of magnitudes to rival that even of the TNG military, beings who could see events before they occured, and others yet who could move unhindered by the laws of time and space. It was this resource that Valore possessed in boundless quantities.

Many of these individuals already served in the TNG military and had for years, but there were many more out there with unmatched potential. One of her primary goals was to bring together those seeds of power - and she was well on her way to doing so - but there wasn't time enough to finish training and organizing the flood of new volunteers properly. They needed to be taught to coorrdinate with the military, and it had yet to be determined which ones could follow orders, and which ones were liabilities. There was much to be done yet before many of these newest recruits would be battle ready.

The contracts with the Invictus had been a massive boon in getting many of them prepared, and many were ready, but others...

She finally determined to leave it to Dominion Discretion on if they could make use of those yet to make it through military training. Those that they could not put to use could simply return to Valore to resume military training until they were ready to join the others.

She skimmed over the rosters, tapping names on a screen in front of her as she tagged those with skill sets that would be of use in a space fleet environment. Those more melee and close-ranged inclined would continue through military training to join the ground troops of the TNG.

One name in particular gave Rhea pause. Sylvian Melaidhrin, headmistress of Academia Everia. The woman's position of influence among the arcane inclined had swelled the number of battle-mages and archmages that had come forth to join the military. Individuals who had dedicated their life's studies to such pursuits. Cai Yue was another name of pointed note. A Losenyu farseer would be an invaluable resource - especially one of such renown. Other names scrolled through with gentle taps as well. Saidra Galliere, Leylana Kalus, Jenne Blackwood, Kayla Ballifrey, and numerous Golden Legion personnel were also added to the list of names. All remnants of some company by the name of Omnicorp. Though Rhea - and most of Valore for that matter - still had no recollection of such a company, it hadn't taken long to determine that this was due to the anomalies as more and more of them continued to crop up. Harris Thompson, Chen Saikahn, Tivon Shou... more names, more potential to join the growing resources dedicated to stabilizing the local region. She wondered how many would live out the coming months.

Valor and heroic pursuits weren't the only thing to drive volunteers to the TNG though, and many of ill repute had come forward. Some sought amnesty from past crimes, and others... simply had a vested interest in not seeing Valore destroyed by the Aschen. Even creatures born of non traditional means of creation had come forward. Saranna, and Xaraneth. Whether their motives were personal or altruism, the TNG had turned few away.
 
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With preparations well underway to see the TNG personnel relocated to the Shade Dominion ships on the outer edges of the Sol System, Rhea couldn't quite shake the growing sense of unease. She knew the Shade Dominion capable, and she knew her own people resilient to the bitter end, but she also knew Aschen tactics. All it would take is one mistep, one miscalculation on her - or the Shade Dominion's - part and Valore could be lost in a fit of ego induced over-retaliation. It was the only way the Aschen ever handled anything, and reason dictated that it was how they would continue to handle matters. With raw force, until that force obliterated everything in its path - Aschen included - if only to settle scores and vendettas.

She would be lying if she said she hadn't considered simply giving them what they wanted. Herself. But it was a fleeting thought that she quickly dismissed. The Aschen had been a menace to Valore long before she came into her position as Prime Minister, and they would continue to be long after she was gone. No, the only path forward was to hold the line they had drawn in the sand against all odds.

Would it be enough though? Even with the unexpected aid of the Shade Dominion, so much could go wrong in an instant.

Two hours had passed since she had transmitted her reply to the Shade Dominion fleet and they would be arriving planet side soon to begin ferrying the TNG resources to the cordone when a thought crept its way into Rhea. A thought... that quickly turned to intense focus. An artifact that had been acquisitioned by one of their own agents - Austin Marshal - and was currently being housed in the care of the Elysian Vanguard. An artifact that in the hands of a powerful enough farseer... such as the Losenyu one currently being prepared for transport to the cordone...

Minutes later word would be sent to the Shade Dominion as to Rhea's revelation that just might be enough to give Valore a fighting chance.
 
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