Non-Canon [Semi-Open] Resurgance (Episode I - Colonial Investment)

Andrew

The Ancient One
Staff member
Episode I - Colonial Investment
Surrune Veld – Eastern Frontier, Northern Continent
Ayenee Prime


The universe was vast, but there were only so many places that had enough comfort or safety to call home. Overcast skies foretold the coming of another storm, another downpour to feed the endless stretches of green which faded into the towering pines of the Kayla Forest at the horizon. This was part of what was once a prosperous nation, a nation that had taken to the stars and had seemed to forget one of their oldest colonial nexus, that was until now. The Caeyorian flag, the symbol of pride of the reformed Norian nations fluttered from the pillar which had been erected next to the landing site that had been sectioned off for their shuttles. Temporary domes were in the process of being constructed; command center, hospital, dormitories for those assigned to the ground team until the colonial fleet arrived. There was an energy in the air, the now nearly foreign feeling of hope within those who had fled the torment of the Chrystalis Unvorsum where the scourge of Morggho's hordes had taken the homes of billions and threatened trillions more. Teams of Norians in white uniforms dotted the Veld, surveying and in the middle of preparations for what would become the first colony on Ayenee in centuries for their people.

Cheol planted the surveyor pod into the ground and it activated and spread it's stabilizer tethers before it began to send a signal through the network of other units. He pulled the pack off his back and tossed it onto the ground, he dropped down beside it and pulled the thermos out of its sleeve. He poured some of the hot tea into the lid that also served as a cup and looked out towards the towering cranes in the distance that worked on the domes. It had been a while since he had been on a planet, like many of his kind the majority of his life had been spent in space in the fleets, he took in his surroundings with appreciation. “I hope I am not interrupting your lunch, “ the familiar voice could be heard behind him, he turned to see Caecyan approached. “No, I was just taking a cup of tea. I think the engineers are backed up...it is a little early for lunch,” Cheol replied, uncertain of why the Aestaesys had sought him out. “Is there something I can help you with, Aest?” he asked, then took another sip of his tea.

Caecyan smirked, “I was wondering if the reason a member of my council was so eager to volunteer to help the teams out here? Not that I am not hungry to get own hands dirty, I just happen to know your motivation has something to do with the young man who is anxious to speak to you. You missed his reunion with his mother, and you left the ship before we could track you down. What is wrong Cheol? Why are you avoiding Kiso?” he asked, and motioned as Cheol was about to get up out of respect the indicate it was not necessary. Caecyan sat down next to the Chancellor and drank from his own water bottle.

Cheol shook his head, a sigh of displeasure left his lips. “I'm not avoiding my son, I just don't know what to say to him. He thought his mother and I were both dead, and now he has to accept that the entire universe isn't what he grew up thinking it was...I guess I just feel like I missed the important moments in his life, and to jump back into it now, in the middle of his horrific war and everything that is happening might only make him resent me.” Cheol didn't know why Caecyan cared, but he certainly was grateful.

Cheol turned his head as he felt Caecyan grip his shoulder with a reassuring pressure, “You saved millions, you're a hero and your son knows it. He just wants to know you, to understand what you are and why you sacrificed so much. Give it a chance, Cheol. You've all been through a lot, we all have and this...” he motioned around them as he spoke, “...is a new chance for all of us.” He dragged his fingers back through his blue feathery threads and took a deep breath, “Who knows, maybe Kiso will follow in your footsteps, he seems to have the same drive that made me choose you to lead Celithrandel,” he said as he turned his head back in the direction he had come. “Come on, young man, come speak to your father!” he called for Kiso, whom he had brought with him.
 
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Kiso stepped out of the ship as he heard Caecyan’s call. It was as if time itself jerked to a halt and all that remained audible was his own heart thumping into the front of his chest. Why now? Why not through the chaos that had ensued? Just seconds away stood the man that had the answers to why he had been lied to his entire life. Caecyan had told him that he would get his answers from the man most fit to give them. Never in his dreams would Kiso have imagined his dead father’s name in contention. But there he was…he had been hearing the two talk the entire time. Even ARIA, who loved running her mouth had slipped out to explore the ancient land that the two had barely caught the name off in one of their information drip sessions at the library.

“..young man..” came Caecyan’s voice again and this time it worked. Cracking his knuckles, he placed his hand on the metallic hilt of Godsmourn, that even in her sheath hummed a sweet deep tone. The walk over was as awkward as it should be between a father who has rarely been in his son’s life and a son who just found out that his entire existence is a fucking lie. Breathe. Just breathe. He told himself until he was left with no more time to do so. He was there. In front of the great Cheol Eitan. Their eyes met and Kiso took a complete bow. Up once more, he looked at the expression on Cheol’s face and the first thing to escape his lips were very formal: “I assure you I mean you no problems, Sir. At your word, I will leave and you will never hear from me again if that is what you wish for.”. It was so typically defensive of Kiso. He had learned to not get close. He felt betrayed…But that wasn’t for them to know.
 
Cheol stood up, a look of frustration crossed his features as he approached the young man, his son. He glanced briefly to Caecyan who was already headed back down the hill towards the domes, and then back towards Kiso. "Kiso... Son..." whispered Cheol, his brows furrowed slightly as he looked at the young man with a deep intensity. "Son, you don't have to go. If anything it should be me apologizing to you, to your mother for everything that has happened." He sat back down on the grass and motioned to the spot next to him as he looked back towards the colony. "I would never wish to not see you, I know that is something you must think now...So much has happened, and you've grown up so fast." Cheol obviously regretted his absence from his son's life, from the existence of this fascinating and well-groomed Prince he had become.

"I am sorry I left the ship, I felt it would be wrong of me to intrude on your time with your mother, after all, she was in your life even when I was not. I know you know where I was, what I was sent to do and how I accomplished it, but even with all the justifications in the universe it serves as no excuse for the years we were separated, or from the suffering you must have endured believing that I was dead, or witnessing what you believed was the death of your mother." He didn't know what to say, how to explain everything. "Son, I am glad for what it is worth that we all made it here, to be part of this new start for all of our people, I can't undo the time we've spent apart, but I can offer you an opportunity to learn from me, and to be alongside me as we go forwards. I am here for you now, we can be a family... just like your mother claims you always wanted," he said quietly, offering the only thing he could -- a future.

As they spoke, shuttles raced towards the landing zone, the dark clouds had begun to leak, their tears fell towards the ground in heavy droplets as thunder clashed in the distance. The surveyor pod beeped, and the engineers checked it's data from the remote station and then sent a message to Cheol indicating the data had been collected. Global communication was sent out to everyone who was on the ground, "This is Surrune Control, All essential personnel report to the shelter dome. Imperial Shuttle is inbound so we can get things taken care of before this storm increases in intensity." Cheol could hear the broadcast, but he waited, anxious for what his son had to say to him.
 
Kiso eyes were meant to collect data. The junkie in him wanted to make it all about core facts. It was easier that way. How much easier would that be for everyone? Just no emotions and raw data would persevere through into decision making and things would be done…efficiently. As he watched though, the man standing before him showed signs that he didn’t know how to explain. Whether it be the little halts or the deep sigh between the words, he could see the years apart had taken a toll on him as well…It was a harsh fate for their family but apparently one that was necessary.

The pair had taken to the grass and were sitting there with droplets already falling on them steadily as Cheol finished his words and waited. Kiso maintained his silence and just as he was about to break with a symphony of his own regrets, the announcement sounded in the distance. He knew in that moment that his father had to go…it felt weird to even think of that in his head…much rather say it out loud. Shaking his head, he stared up at the clouds and let out another breath before looking to his father.

“How about we make a deal, Sir? Lets pretend the past never happened. Let this be our first memory of each other. I think its what mother would’ve wanted…does want…this is so confusing…”, he broke out into a light laugh. The first to have come to him since back in the days when responsibilities had stolen his childhood from him. “Where is she anyway?”
 
Cheol nodded and replied, "Deal...Fair enough."

He chuckled, but for a different reason. The mention of the boy's mother, even made him shake his head a few times. "I think your mother needs to have a chat with you about what she actually does. " He picked up his pack, "We should head in, this storm looks like it is going to be wicked," he said as his eyes scanned the dark clouds which plumed over the Veld. He put his hand on his son's shoulder and headed down the hill. "Your mother is likely knee deep in blueprints. She is going to do here the same thing she did for Celithrandel when it was first colonized, she's the Director on the project. Likely has her eyes on the governor position, to go with it. When she's done, this place will be as grand if not surpass Celithradel. Afterall it is going to be -..." Cheol fell quiet as the sky above rumbled, this time it was not from thunder.

Loud popping sonic booms echoed across the Veld, eight Scimitar IV Power Armors in formation dipped below the already low dark clouds, their formation shifted apart as the dark ceiling revealed the majestic bird-like War Falcon, it's white painted hull's distinct markings seemed to glow against the tempest driven sky. This was the arrival that they had all been waiting for, and finally some answers as to why Surrune had been selected for re-colonization after so many years, or at least why so many of their high ranking officials were present at what seemed to be an extremely distant location from New Noria. "So, you heard we have a new Xyr'Aest?" he asked his son as they continued towards the Colony. The massive War Falcon headed towards the cleared landing zone with it's escorts.
 
Kiso didnt think he had it in him to smile until his father shook his head at the mention of his mother. Finally, somebody who understood how single minded that woman was. His laughter hushed as he heard his father mention what his mother was up to and for a second he was shocked once more. These things that he was learning came as a shock at every turn but he had learned that it didn’t help to have a rigid mind at times like these: “That makes a lot of sense I guess. When you …had to be away”, he chose his words kindly, “mother single handedly changed the way that Celithrandel functions. Did you know, she even redesigned the imperial castle with training bunkers underground just so I could train with the veterans on various subjects?” He took a short pause, and then continued with his eyes to the sky. “Sometimes I felt like that’s all I was ever going to do, learn and sit….as our fraction has for the longest time. I wish I knew our reasons then, would have made waiting hell of a lot ease---“

Kiso’s eyes spotted the sonic boom visually way before the actual sound hit. It was what had caused his words to slip into quietness. The armors and the entrance of the war-falcon could not have possibly been more beautiful. It seemed somewhat similar to the one that had picked him up when his mother had “passed away”. Just more majestic. “I heard the rumors and talks but I am rather new to the scene father…” he chuckled as both of them walk towards the landing area. “I catch on quickly though. I assure you.” In the background, ARIA could be seen jumping onto Kiso’s back and liquidizing into the armor. Godsmourn’s sheath clattered lightly to his side every time he took a step forward.
 
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Cheol smirked at Kiso's comment and said, “Oh son, you will never stop learning, but I promise things will get more interesting as they move forward.” When they reached the landing zone the War Falcon had already landed, officers that were devoted to the security forces had already cleared the area of any non-essential or low ranking personnel. Cheol gave a nod towards the security team chief, a subtle indication that they would remain as the Xyr'Aester disembarked her landing craft.


The hatch opened and the ramp lowered, Uathotho and Adara stood at its terminus and were the first boots on the ground, they scanned the area and double checked the scans of the security team. When Cheol saw Uathotho engage his comm to give the all clear, his hand fell on Kiso's shoulder to encourage him to kneel, just as he did. Braced up on one knee, he lowered his head. Two young women carrying the Crixa Banners proceeded Teal Lunari, the Xyr'Aest of The Caeyorian Nations. The exalted Empress stopped short of the end of the ramp, her glistening crystalline eyes took in the landscape and peered towards those who had gathered to welcome her. The brilliant white and blue layers of printed fabric covered her slender form, her staff clutched in her right hand. Regal Paecifican cage-like structures crawled over the slender tips of her pointed ears which melded into the embedded structure of the crown upon her brow. She took a deep breath of the Ayeneean air for the first time, and motioned with her free hand, to signal that they no longer had to kneel before her.


Caecyan was the first back to his feet, the defacto leader of the Eitan Ysi approached the Xyr, “Welcome to Ayenee, we're on schedule for the arrival of your colony vessels,” he said, and then motioned towards the domes that were under construction. “Your temporary lodging has been prepared and security is in place,” he informed her as he handed a data-pad to Uathotho with the security arrangements for the Xyr for the period she would be on world. Teal nodded, “Thank you, Caecyan. You have all done well to get things ready.” Cheol noticed the strange hesitation in the exchange between the two leaders, some kind of tension that he was unfamiliar with. He looked to Kiso and motioned towards Adara, “Since the Xyr will likely want a tour, why don't you assist Adara with the offloading of cargo?” When he asked Adara drew closer, “Ah Cheol, and this must be Kiso. Good to see you both, the Xyr seems happy with things...As your father knows Kiso, I am Princess Adara Lunari, sister to the Xyr'Aest....” she offered as she regarded the two men. Cheol, gave a short bow, “Indeed, your sister seems pleased with things. I will leave Kiso with you to assist while I attend to the entourage.” He gave a brief glance towards his son and then headed for Caeycan who was walking with the Xyr and Uathotho towards the main dome.
 
"Interesting is good. You’d be annoyed at how annoying it can be to sit on one’s ass as every other place is out fighting. I swear… there is a limit to algorithms that the training dummies can use even at max level.” Kiso shook his head as he recalled the ease with which he had used a simple photon saber to get through the final round of his training just three months ago. And he suddenly stopped. That time seemed so distant….so far. So much had happened since then. Shifting his eyes up once more, he looked at his father’s back as he followed it and he couldn’t help but smile. Most kids got carried on their father’s backs. His father’s back was , even though late, doing the same thing. Taking him to play his favorite game….war.

The sedentary life of Celithrandel was now behind him and though he missed home, sitting idly wasn’t for his likeness. Is that why Unya chose him, he wondered secretly to himself as he kept following his father absentmindedly.

A hand on his shoulder and a slight pressure made Kiso understand that he needed to be on his knees, so kneel he did. Only to stand up once more when the beauty that had stepped off the ship allowed it. He figured that was the Xyr’Aest he was being told about earlier. It wasn’t long after that his father left behind the figure, leaving him with a princess of another empire. Kiso gulped. He was not good at talking to women…this was going to be hard; “Hello..umm Kiso… Kiso Eitan. Can I umm…How can I….” he struggled with the word as he looked about as if expecting someone to make the one on one situation disappear. “…What can I help with?”
 
Adara chuckled, “Well...we can start with the crates of the Xyr's personal effects, don't open anything...” She lead Kiso up the ramp into the underbelly of the War Falcon, the cargo bay was a reasonable size, with several crates stacked and coded. “Just grab an anti-grav cart, the crates we need should have the prefix NH on all of their codes, just take them outside on the cart and leave them at the bottom of the ramp, the colony's logistics personnel will take care of the rest,” she explained as she handed him the inventory pad.


“So, I hear you were on Ayem'vu, in Celeste City during the battle, I can imagine that was pretty scary, you were lucky to make it out alive,” she said, making conversation as she grabbed the other inventory checklist and headed towards the control terminal to the left of the top of the ramp. She keyed in a few sequences and the pick crane moved on the tracks on the ceiling and began to pick larger black cargo crates from one of the far stacks and pile them onto one of the cargo elevators which would be lowered later.
 
Nodding, Kiso now walked behind Adara. He had already spotted a cart a few feet away and starting walking towards it through their talk: "I don't think I want to know what someone so powerful carries around." The prince replied with a laugh of his own. Which quickly simmered as he realized that the two were still alone. He had no problem with women in general, but he had never had the chance to be around princesses and other princes. It was that lack of experience...that hesitation that had developed over years of confined existence in Celithrandel that was having its way with him.

"I don't think watching my mother die in my arms can be associated with the word lucky, but I will take your word for it. Though luck doesn't have much to do with it. Its all in the data. Between ARIA and me, we have gone through enough battle simulations to understand where a systematic strike aims when attacking an embassy. Granted there is 15% deviation of course depending on shield responses from our own side but there is little that can't be anticipated. It makes sense then that I survived because we decided to go through the already created mess in the cafeteria rather than the internal halls that were more likely to collapse anyway. But I suppose if anything..." Kiso had parked the cart under the lift that was now being lowered. "If anything... I am lucky that I get another chance to be with my family. Not many can say that. Not many at all..."
 
Adara listened to what she considered to be Kiso's over-analysis of the situation, he seemed to be handling his situation better than she would have expected. "My brother died, defending one of the colonies. Our father was devastated, I don't think my sister ever expected to become Xyr. War has a habit of bringing the unexpected, and as much pain as it has caused, we should all be counting ourselves as lucky to have the chance to be our families." Adara put down the inventory pad and engaged the elevator system which lowered the larger crates down below the ship to ground level. His reference to statistics was an obvious defense mechanism, she wondered how he reacted to things that his numbers couldn't regulate -- how he would react to chaos.

"Just leave the crates there, the logistics people can take it from here. Thanks for the help." she opened one of the crates on the anti-grav unit that he had taken down, it had her pack in it. She hoisted it up onto her back. "So...Ayenee...." she looked around them, "... I hear it has quite the history with the Norians from this universe. My sister has a mission planned to one of the ruins. If you're interested, you could always come with me?" she asked, she figured he wouldn't turn down the chance to do something other than wander around the colony and labor with the workers.

She headed towards the dome, the rumble of construction equipment got louder the closer they got.
 
"Did I hear something about a mission?" Tala intruded on the little conversation the two were having, she knew what the mission was about. She stepped out from behind one of the landing struts of the ship behind them and rushed to catch up. "She's fucking with your head already, boy. The mission is her idea, not her sisters. It just makes it sound more legit if she puts it on Teal," she walked up behind Adara and unzipped her pack.. She pushed around the contents in the pack and pulled out the base of a construct blade and clipped it to her belt. "Isn't that right Princess?" she asked then looked at Kiso and zipped the bag up. "She likely just wants the chance to see you naked. I'd take her up on it, most of the women in this colony are one part boring and the other part that is left is with some soldier that didn't come home from the war. Poor sobbin' bitches."


Tala didn't want to be left out, with her brother crawled up the Xyr Aester's ass for the time being she knew there was nothing much to be done. "When do we leave?" she asked as she reached up to adjust the tightness of the bands which held her dark hair up in a ponytail. Dark hair, crystalline eyes, there was no mistaking this Eitan's birth rite, she had it right down to textbook with the sword on her hip to push the envelope.
 
Kiso nodded silently, lost in his own thoughts but still listening: “I am sorry for your loss. For all of our losses…The focus needs to be on the future regardless. It might be the only thing that saves us from this point forward.”

As the last of the crates settled into the cart, Kiso backed away from it and decided to look around for a training center or something along the lines. The sword that lay at his hip was something of an enigma to him and in the few chances that he had gotten to draw it, he realized that Godsmourn was capable of a lot more than what he was getting out of it. Just then Adara and Tala had their own little conversation before he could so much as reply. Kiso looked around…confused as to where the cat-like sneaky figure had found its way about them.

“Yeah that sounds fu…” His barely audible acceptance of the mission was overwhelmed with Tala’s sexual reference at which point the shy Norian prince wished for nothing more than the confines of his room to hide in embarrassment. In an emotional response to his, ARIA, the small AI spoke audibly into Kiso’s ear: “Where is the off button on her?”. That helped him relax. Letting out a laugh of a sort, Kiso looked up at them both: “Well, regardless of who’s mission it is or how many naked people there will be along the way, anything is better than sitting idly by. I did enough of that in my past. Never again.”
 
Adara couldn't help but laugh at Tala's joke, sure the Prince was attractive, but she had no desire to see what was under his uniform - at least not yet. The truth was though that Teal didn't authorize anything, the mission was merely an idea she had come up with while sifting through the records of previous Ayenee expeditions and colonization logs from Old Lorenz. "I'm ready to leave now," she said and then looked to Kiso, she looked him over once up and once down, then issued, "You're going to need a pack, pack at least a few days of rations and let your father know you're leaving..leave a comm message or something..the last thing I need is kidnapping Prince Charming on my record. I have enough infractions." In a way she just confirmed a bit of what Tala had said about her, Adara was far from the textbook officer, if anything she was as the rumors stated; a royal pain in the ass.

Adara grabbed Tala by the sleeve and pulled her towards her, she whispered, "Stop trying to scare him away, or we'll both be in trouble." She smiled as she pulled back, then looked at Kiso, "Don't worry, just girl talk..."
 
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Tala pulled her arm back defensively when Adara grabbed it, a smirk stretched across her lips and she blew the woman a kiss as she ran her mouth about scaring the young man. Tala leaned in and said softly, but loud enough to make sure that Kiso heard her, “I bet each one of those infractions has a name, and cute face attached.” Tala focused her gaze on the Prince as she straightened back up, “Well then boy, call Daddy and get something to feed yourself. We need to get going before Adara here gets busted by her sister for this little field trip.” She grabbed a red lollipop from the welcome desk that was set up for incoming colonists and pulled the paper off and plunged it between her lips.

Tala looked around the entrance area to the dome, towers of residences and offices stretched in every direction, and the noise was nearly unbearable as some workers were busy welding some framework together. She popped the lolly out of her mouth, and looked towards two of the crates that came in on a cart from the ship. “Ho-hum. I will be back,” she said with a mischievous look on her face. She looked around and headed over to the crates and began to fiddle with one of the security locks. “Pst. Adara! Keep a look out,” she locked eyes briefly with the princess before she returned to trying to pry the lock on the crate.
 
“I don’t really have anything to pack if I am to be honest. The rations and such have been in my pack that I have been carrying around this entire time.” Kiso chuckled nervously as his eyes shifted to Tala. Something about the girl’s general “bounciness” made him hyper aware that she was a lose cannon. Perhaps it was just because he was so much different in both demeanor and mannerism than him. Aria had sent a message to his father so he didn’t need to do anything further. The entire interaction between Adara and Tala reminded him of the Academy days that seemed distant even though it had just been months since he graduated. So much had changed since then…and he didn’t even have a room in which to sit down and process it all.

Kiso’s mind had learned to dull the impact of this reveal as a coping mechanism of a sort. He existed singularly in the moment and trusted that he would be given the answers soon. In such an existence, it becomes very hard to ignore the abrasive nature of some. So when Tala started to fiddle with the lock, Kiso instantly looked about and eventually settled his worried gaze at Adara: “Is she always this reckless or is their a special drug available here? Cus Ill take some of what she is having.”
 
Adara shrugged and said calmly, "I've never seen her be any different. She means well..." she looked towards Tala who was about to steal from one of the cargo carts. Despite it all, she did as she asked and kept watch in case anyone came back. After a few moments, she let out a sigh and walked over and pressed her finger to the lock and it disengaged, "As entertaining as it would have been to stand here and watch you engage in mortal combat with that case, we do have somewhere to be," she smirked and turned back towards Kiso.

"If they offered what she was on, this colony would be doomed," she added sarcastically to the previous conversation.
 
Tala whimpered with a grumpy expression locked on her face, she taunted Kiso, "Well 'big boy', If you're all packed don't just stand there and get your ass over here and help me." She opened the lid on the container. Inside were seven QP-44 Battle Rifles and several recharge clips. She took one of the rifles out and tossed it towards Adara, then pulled the entire stock of recharge clips out and set them down on the floor. She then pulled another rifle out and jammed the recharge clip into the base, she checked the safety and slid the sling over her shoulder so she could carry the rifle on her back. "Lock and load, we should get going before someone notices we've borrowed these," she put emphasis on the word borrowed as she waited for Kiso to grab his rifle so they could head out.


She looked at Adara, and said Kiso's name in an overly sexual moan, "Kiso!" She laughed and winked towards Kiso.
 
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