Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 17:21:16 GMT
Imperial Palace, Celefra: Capitol Space
The Night of Broken Dreams they called it.
An apt name I think, I myself had many dreams shattered that night. The things I witnessed, the culmination of many endeavours and the closing of the curtain over my nation’s then current act. I suppose looking back it was always going to end how it did, with everything that was done and all the actions taken there was only one way out. It’s nice to look back with hindsight, then again I was only a young girl back then, oblivious to most of the happenings and only wanting to be a happy family. But even I knew things were changing even if the others were covering me to keep an air false safety.
That night it all shattered. I remember it vividly.
It was the last time I saw my mother Inara -Elenas journal
------
They moved quickly. It wasn’t long now and they had to escape. Quick purposeful strides were made by all in the assembled large mass of people now moving down one of the open corridors looking out into the garden. Towards the landing pad where a small shuttle waited to take them off world. Inara strode with a solemn and on edge look on her face, she was no longer wearing her traditional Empress uniform, rather a personalised set of power armour similar to the Hydra Guard who surrounded her. To her left was Alaca, also in power armour and nervous both of them holding the hands of Elena who while not in armour had been given a personal energy shield which she wore as a rucksack, a few cuddly toys hanging from it. All she had managed to grab before they had been told the news.
Hydra Guard, Inaras personal own moved with them surrounding them with a wall of bodies. Bob trailed behind slightly along with a group of several Atlantean Special Forces attached to Inara. Along with them moved the two Triarch heavy power armoured troops and several Triarch operators, while the company was gone Inara had purchased and paid them personally for their services. With some Capitol Triarii commandos wearing only civilian clothes and carrying weapons plus a few unarmed aids following they moved quickly towards the pad. The sky was a grey black with dull orange rising into the sky.
Celefra was burning, but this time not from any allied attack. It was burning from its own people.
Riots raged through streets over food and supplies, looters took what they wanted and others simply preyed upon one another. The intelligence agencies and military were doing what they could but contact was sporadic, a rather unusual thing on any other night. But not tonight. Tonight was one of death and backstabbing. It was a political struggle. Even now those loyal to Inara were fighting off plots and assassins sent by various factions trying to manoeuvre themselves into power. HICOM was gone, it was not a mess of different commanders, company CEOs, intelligence directors and political overseers now trying to claim power, trying to murder and politic themselves to the top.
It was exactly what had happened after Inaras father’s death at the end of the 1st Ancerious war, and this time was no different other than the fact Inara wasn’t even dead yet. And she aimed to avoid that if at all possible. Even as she thought, her own ploys were unfolding. Many of those who had turned on her would find themselves dead and their support structures gutted in purges resembling those she had orchestrated when she had destroyed her father’s old hardliner ruling structure. Inara knew her way around the Capitol political and governmental structure like no other, she had done it once before and she would do it again. This time however she was at a disadvantage, the people were not on her side, they were on nobodies. But that was ok, she just had to ensure she was in control for the next small amount of time. Things would get worse before they got better that was always the case. Capitol would be reborn once again.
“Mummy why do we have to go?” Elena asked the tone of her voice showed she was clearly afraid.
“Because bad people are coming, and they don’t want us around” Alaca replied, stroking her hair with a power armoured hand as gently as she could.
“But I thought we were safe from the bad people at home like you said?”
“These are other bad people. Traitors, people we thought were friends, they turned on us and now they want us gone” Inara answered the question this time.
“I’m scared” was all that came as a reply. Alaca picked up the young girl and carried her, as Elena then wrapped her arms around Alacas neck for support. Inara walked in close to comfort her and tried to smile.
“It will be ok, you will be safer elsewhere, we all will” She was lying, not even Alaca knew. Inara was never leaving Celefra.
Before she could open her mouth again a shot whizzed out, taking the head clean off one of the Hydra Guard that surrounded them. The crack was loud, likely an anti-material rifle. Elena screamed, and time seemed to slow.
“Sniper! Get down!” Inara shouted. Instantly the entire area lit up with fire. Rounds came in from commandos belonging to some other faction that had sent a hit squad to kill Inara. High intensity bullets tore through the unarmed aids and blood sprayed up the corridor walls. In an instant return fire swept the luscious rose gardens tearing the flowers apart as high ROF SMGs and the distinctive lightning boom crack of Tachyon weapons filled the air. Commandos went down and exploded as the force now broke into a run. Elena was screaming as Alaca and Inara covered her, another Hydra guard intercepting a sniper hit for them as he coughed up blood behind his helmet. Thankfully the incoming fire died down, Bob was already moving in amongst them, slicing commandos apart as they redirected fire to try stop the Emerald Sword, a futile gesture.
How such forces had gotten into the palace was clear, they had been betrayed even by people in Inaras inner circle. She noticed, she had not seen Illian at all in 3 days. Commandos continued to push through as fire fights erupted across the palace. The landing pad was close now, even as soldiers from both sides went down they made good headway, Inara ran for her life hearing only the sound of her own heartbeat and Elenas screaming. She blocked out the gunfire as they got to the platform, the Hydra guard spread out gunning down commandos with pin point precision Tachyon fire. The Triarch operators securing the trio of important personnel with their own bodies as the heavy power armoured troopers used their bulk to block the sniper fire incoming. Inara quickly activated the ramp as shots impacted the shuttle ricocheting off its ablative re-entry tiles. She turned to Elena.
“It’s going to be ok baby! Get aboard and you will be safe, we will get you to where you need to go!” She then turned to Alaca as the ramp came down.
“Get in and go”
“Wait. No. Your coming too-“ Alaca began before another voice cut into them.
“I’m afraid your Empress is not going anywhere” The state representative Eustes Niman stood holding a pistol towards Inaras head. Several Triarii also stood with her, pointing guns at the Triarch operatives who stood around the Empress. They in turn raised guns to those aboard the shuttle. Elena was crying as Alaca pushed the young girl behind her. Inara merely stared at Eustes and sighed.
“I see. For everything I did for you Eustes, it wasn’t enough” Inara said aloud, as gunfire continued to rage around them.
“It’s not about me, it’s about our people. The things you have done eclipse your father, Capitol burns because of your actions! Yes it’s me who has been orchestrating these attacks and let them into the palace. You deserve to die for your crimes, and now you plan to simply let the allies in and throw away all we have built” Eustes contained the rage in her tone. The pistol shaking in her hands.
“If you think everything we have built will simply be wiped away by the allies you are wrong. We have accomplished much, and they will not take that away from us. I may be a monster, but it takes monsters to do what others cannot in dark times. Do it Eustes shoot me dead, end the suffering I have endured day in day out to try and save our people. If you honestly believe you can save Capitol take the shot” Inara was steel eyed. With the presence of Toxin having tormented her day in day out, and now with everything falling around her, Inara didn’t see death as a bad thing.
Eustes went to speak but was interrupted by the whine of jet engines close by. She turned her head for an instant. That was enough, one of the Triarch operatives opened fire. Eustes was hit three times squarely in the chest knocking her back, causing her to gasp and pull the trigger. The round went into Inaras arm causing the Empress to cry out and Alaca to grab Inara and Elena and throw them all to the ground. The Triarii opened up in response, gunning down two of the three Triarch men before the Forgemaster users opened up with their arm mounted cannons tearing the Triarii into bloody mist and wrecking the loading bay of the shuttle.
“Are you ok!” Alaca shouted to Inara as a large explosion tore through a whole squad of assaulting commandos and heavy cannon fire ripped up the landing pad forcing the Hydra Guard to take cover. Elena hugged Inara closely who nodded, the bleeding hole in her arm saying otherwise.
“Just a flesh wound! How’s the shuttle!” She looked over, and several heavy munitions tore through it, answering her even as she asked the question. A Capitol gunship hovered over the periphery, using its heavy weapons to kill both the Empress forces and those who had followed Eustes. The state representative’s body lying dead on the shuttles ramp. Clearly this was yet another assassination ploy. It was confirmed moments later as speakers began blaring rhetoric of the Brotherhood of the Great State.
With the shuttle out of action doubt entered the mind of Inara. She didn’t care about herself, but Elena and Alaca had to escape. With immense pain she kept herself up with help from Alaca while she pulled a small elaborate box with a ribbon on top from her power armours back storage. With a grunt of pain she opened it, the grey dust inside quickly blowing out to rapidly constitute itself into a humanoid form. The presence of a Shade soldier. Skalia was still in orbit, there was still time.
“Take these two! Tell Skalia its time!” Inara shouted over the renewed roar of heavy gunfire, this time the gunship was trying to target bob with dumb fire rockets and its heavy cannons. The Emerald sword didn’t seem to care as he fired away with arm mounted weapons, backed up by Hydra guard and the Forgemaster armours the gunship took multiple hits. Bob finally sniping the pilot from the craft as the gunship seemed to dip down then crash into the small Miranda in the lake that Inara had loved so much, turning it into a conflagration of fire and smoke. The Shade soldier nodded giving no indication of his psionic signal sent to Skalia above the planet, before turning around to cover the three of them and open up on the scattering Triarii. Inara then also noticed the flight of multiple gunships and dropships heading towards them.
“You have to come with us!” Alaca pleaded. Inara shook her head as she cuddled Elena, who was still crying.
“No. I have to stay, I have to make the surrender, I have to see the plans through and I have to be here when the allies come for me. Get out of here, Skalia will keep you safe, look after Elena for me and I will see you both on the other side” Inara smiled with effort, and Alaca knew the last bit was just for show in front of Elena. Even as the sonic boom heralded the arrival of the Shade shuttle that descended towards them from orbit the first of the missiles were launched from the incoming gunships.
Elena wrapped around Inara cried out as all of the missiles were intercepted in rapid succession. The laser coming from above leaping to each as the flying dragon like form of an Axiomatic Demi-Organic screamed overhead, turning the gunship pilot’s insides to soup as its gravitic vortex gun ripped through each craft one after another in the blink of an eye, the gunships rapidly tumbling away to crash below as their pilots vomited their own internal organs.
“Oh Great Inara, I humbly and most sincerely apologise for my lateness. May a thousand blessings be placed upon you for my lack of speed. I was unacceptably delayed due to hostile forces within the perimeter. The lady Shifting Mirrors will see that I am duely punished, for I am simply not worthy to be in your presence. Let alone to protect you and your most honoured prodigy. May the infinite blessings of the syntagma be laid upon you and your blood line for this most heinous error” The calm and soothing voice of the demi-organic seemed to cut through the din of fire, causing Elena to look up at the majestic axiomatic form. It landed with its screaming jets, quickly using its body as a shield against any of the incoming fire. Embracing the three of them Elena nodded to it in thanks even as its ADS laser intercepted two incoming mortar rounds mid arc.
“It is forgiven. Thank you for your aid” Alaca said aloud as Inara nodded in agreement. The firefight was only intensifying and with more forces loyal to Inara rendezvousing with her bodyguard entourage from inside the palace it matched the enemy forces continuing to pour in from outside the palace perimeter, now the sound of vehicles could be heard. While the forces were doing an apt job and Bob himself proving to be more than a match for anything sent it was not as decisive as Inara had hoped. Even as the Shade shuttle landed on the pad, now clear as the demi organic merely picked up the wrecked shuttle and threw it off the elevated area Alaca could not take her eyes off Inara. This was their final moments in all likely hood.
“Go both of you now!” Inara shouted, pushing her wife and daughter towards the opening bay doors, the Shade soldier ushering them both in as best he could.
“No! Mummy no!” Elena cried as Alaca gave Inara one final kiss and picked up her daughter. The young girl screamed as tears ran down her face in abject desperation. Inara held her hand, the grip slipping away as Alaca rushed into the shuttle. Elenas last glimpse of her injured mother was one of smiling and the mouthed words of ‘I love you’. Alaca was clearly crying as they both disappeared into the Shade shuttle, which immediately took off to begin its rapid ascent into orbit. Even now as Inara watched them head to safety the huge bulk of the Far Reach was becoming visible in the night sky, along with fire and flashes. Even space was not safe this night. But aboard her they would be.
Inara slumped to the ground, exhausted and in pain. The Demi-Organic quickly repositioned itself to cover her and even reached out in with its spindly wing appendage. Inara too tired and now wracked with grief let the creature do what it wanted, as it scooped her up into a safety embrace, transferring her to its bird like talons. Protecting her with its bulk.
“As long as the Syntagma continues to write its transcendant parables through the webs of spacetime I will protect you and the prodigy from your veins. Oh blessed Inara, what is your command?” The bird like AI skull of the creature stared directly into Inaras weary eyes like a hawk, waiting for a signal. Inara could only see Elenas despairing face in those twin red dots, as the emotions crashed over her she steeled herself. Finding the final reserves of her inner strength, this was not over yet, she nodded wiping a tear from her eyes.
“We end this. And then we end this stupid war. I was a fool, I listened to forces beyond understanding. And I failed not only my people but my family. But this time. No matter what happens, no matter how much those below me try to make things worse, I will do right in the end. Lets go Rama, lets finish this all” Inara replied slowly more defiant in her tone. The Demi-Organic nodded slightly and in a single move lifted her from below it onto the back of the Axiomatic creature. She held on tightly to its streamlined neck, using intake nozels as handholds. And in one blast of its engines they were flying.
It had been a long time since Inara had interacted so vigorously with Axiomatic demi-organic creatures, it took her back to the time before the war when she helped Shifting Mirrors gain power. Better days for sure. As the Empress held on to the creature it sped up, quickly ascending as she watched the shuttle disappear into the dull orange glowing sky and into the blackness above. With a internal silent farewell Inara closed her eyes as the Paradox Hunter then twisted and began to dive. She opened her eyes again, this time full of anger and purpose as the dragonic birdlike machine screamed over the battlefield of the palace, its ADS laser flared, cutting down a whole line of Triarii as its vortex gun liquidated the crew of an incoming IFV. Seeing their Empress shouting defiantly and inspiringly as she rode the hyper advanced creature over the battlefield stirred the Capitol forces. Across the palace, loyalists roared and counter attacked.
Explosions tore through the entirety of the area, vicious firefights and hand to hand combat raged as those loyal to Inara battled terrorists and traitors, all the while Inara directed the fight from above, using the speed and lethality of her living machine mount to give reprieve wherever the battle was harshest. She had dealt with the incoming dropships, Rama tearing them apart with its laser and even its own claws sending the traitors within to their deaths below. Just as the beginnings of an armoured force were approaching the palace main gates the tanks faced a storm of fire. Re-activated by those loyal to Inara and the palace retainers the defences suddenly sprung to deadly life. Scram cannons, surface to air missiles, ATGMs, heavy autocannons and Tachyon repeaters ripped into vehicles and infantry alike even as new waves of gunships were sent to their deaths. With the palace starting to look more secure Inara afforded herself a quick deep breath before the titanic boom above her brought her too.
Rama dropped as the turbulence and shockwave smashed them through the air, visibly impacting the ground from the view of the air and knocking those on the ground to the floor as windows shattered across the city. The Demi-Organic quickly recovered, keeping Inara firmly attatched as they both saw the form of a High Emperor class dreadnought now hovering above the city, its FTL wake having shattered the sky with its entry.
Well this was it. At least they had tried.
“Empress Inara. It is good to see you are still alive. The traitorous fleet elements in orbit have been wiped out and I felt it prudent to rapidly assist you here.” The voice of Grand Admiral Raxis came through Inaras com system in her armour, and she laughed out loud in relief.
“Well timed Grand Admiral. I am thankful for your support. The palace is contested but mostly secure, see to the rest of the city and the planet beyond. And Raxis, Eustes is dead. But please tell me the shuttle from the surface is safe?” Inara hoped Alaca and Elena had escaped.
“Do not worry my Empress I had my fighters escort that shuttle with their lives, I thought you had been aboard but when Alaca contacted me and explained I came here as soon as I could. They are both safe with Skalia however I think they would be safer with me ma’am. As for Eustes, did the traitors kill her?” The mans voice was honestly the best thing Inara had heard today.
“No. She was the one who orchestrated part of this. She has been dealt with. I will explain more when this is over.”
“I see. Are you hurt my Empress?”
“Nothing major for now. Secure the area and then we will talk face to face.” Inara once again sounded weary.
“Then what Ma’am?” Raxis sounded genuinely unsure. Inara didn’t reply for a few moments.
“Then we end the war, and end all of this”
The Night of Broken Dreams they called it.
An apt name I think, I myself had many dreams shattered that night. The things I witnessed, the culmination of many endeavours and the closing of the curtain over my nation’s then current act. I suppose looking back it was always going to end how it did, with everything that was done and all the actions taken there was only one way out. It’s nice to look back with hindsight, then again I was only a young girl back then, oblivious to most of the happenings and only wanting to be a happy family. But even I knew things were changing even if the others were covering me to keep an air false safety.
That night it all shattered. I remember it vividly.
It was the last time I saw my mother Inara -Elenas journal
------
They moved quickly. It wasn’t long now and they had to escape. Quick purposeful strides were made by all in the assembled large mass of people now moving down one of the open corridors looking out into the garden. Towards the landing pad where a small shuttle waited to take them off world. Inara strode with a solemn and on edge look on her face, she was no longer wearing her traditional Empress uniform, rather a personalised set of power armour similar to the Hydra Guard who surrounded her. To her left was Alaca, also in power armour and nervous both of them holding the hands of Elena who while not in armour had been given a personal energy shield which she wore as a rucksack, a few cuddly toys hanging from it. All she had managed to grab before they had been told the news.
Hydra Guard, Inaras personal own moved with them surrounding them with a wall of bodies. Bob trailed behind slightly along with a group of several Atlantean Special Forces attached to Inara. Along with them moved the two Triarch heavy power armoured troops and several Triarch operators, while the company was gone Inara had purchased and paid them personally for their services. With some Capitol Triarii commandos wearing only civilian clothes and carrying weapons plus a few unarmed aids following they moved quickly towards the pad. The sky was a grey black with dull orange rising into the sky.
Celefra was burning, but this time not from any allied attack. It was burning from its own people.
Riots raged through streets over food and supplies, looters took what they wanted and others simply preyed upon one another. The intelligence agencies and military were doing what they could but contact was sporadic, a rather unusual thing on any other night. But not tonight. Tonight was one of death and backstabbing. It was a political struggle. Even now those loyal to Inara were fighting off plots and assassins sent by various factions trying to manoeuvre themselves into power. HICOM was gone, it was not a mess of different commanders, company CEOs, intelligence directors and political overseers now trying to claim power, trying to murder and politic themselves to the top.
It was exactly what had happened after Inaras father’s death at the end of the 1st Ancerious war, and this time was no different other than the fact Inara wasn’t even dead yet. And she aimed to avoid that if at all possible. Even as she thought, her own ploys were unfolding. Many of those who had turned on her would find themselves dead and their support structures gutted in purges resembling those she had orchestrated when she had destroyed her father’s old hardliner ruling structure. Inara knew her way around the Capitol political and governmental structure like no other, she had done it once before and she would do it again. This time however she was at a disadvantage, the people were not on her side, they were on nobodies. But that was ok, she just had to ensure she was in control for the next small amount of time. Things would get worse before they got better that was always the case. Capitol would be reborn once again.
“Mummy why do we have to go?” Elena asked the tone of her voice showed she was clearly afraid.
“Because bad people are coming, and they don’t want us around” Alaca replied, stroking her hair with a power armoured hand as gently as she could.
“But I thought we were safe from the bad people at home like you said?”
“These are other bad people. Traitors, people we thought were friends, they turned on us and now they want us gone” Inara answered the question this time.
“I’m scared” was all that came as a reply. Alaca picked up the young girl and carried her, as Elena then wrapped her arms around Alacas neck for support. Inara walked in close to comfort her and tried to smile.
“It will be ok, you will be safer elsewhere, we all will” She was lying, not even Alaca knew. Inara was never leaving Celefra.
Before she could open her mouth again a shot whizzed out, taking the head clean off one of the Hydra Guard that surrounded them. The crack was loud, likely an anti-material rifle. Elena screamed, and time seemed to slow.
“Sniper! Get down!” Inara shouted. Instantly the entire area lit up with fire. Rounds came in from commandos belonging to some other faction that had sent a hit squad to kill Inara. High intensity bullets tore through the unarmed aids and blood sprayed up the corridor walls. In an instant return fire swept the luscious rose gardens tearing the flowers apart as high ROF SMGs and the distinctive lightning boom crack of Tachyon weapons filled the air. Commandos went down and exploded as the force now broke into a run. Elena was screaming as Alaca and Inara covered her, another Hydra guard intercepting a sniper hit for them as he coughed up blood behind his helmet. Thankfully the incoming fire died down, Bob was already moving in amongst them, slicing commandos apart as they redirected fire to try stop the Emerald Sword, a futile gesture.
How such forces had gotten into the palace was clear, they had been betrayed even by people in Inaras inner circle. She noticed, she had not seen Illian at all in 3 days. Commandos continued to push through as fire fights erupted across the palace. The landing pad was close now, even as soldiers from both sides went down they made good headway, Inara ran for her life hearing only the sound of her own heartbeat and Elenas screaming. She blocked out the gunfire as they got to the platform, the Hydra guard spread out gunning down commandos with pin point precision Tachyon fire. The Triarch operators securing the trio of important personnel with their own bodies as the heavy power armoured troopers used their bulk to block the sniper fire incoming. Inara quickly activated the ramp as shots impacted the shuttle ricocheting off its ablative re-entry tiles. She turned to Elena.
“It’s going to be ok baby! Get aboard and you will be safe, we will get you to where you need to go!” She then turned to Alaca as the ramp came down.
“Get in and go”
“Wait. No. Your coming too-“ Alaca began before another voice cut into them.
“I’m afraid your Empress is not going anywhere” The state representative Eustes Niman stood holding a pistol towards Inaras head. Several Triarii also stood with her, pointing guns at the Triarch operatives who stood around the Empress. They in turn raised guns to those aboard the shuttle. Elena was crying as Alaca pushed the young girl behind her. Inara merely stared at Eustes and sighed.
“I see. For everything I did for you Eustes, it wasn’t enough” Inara said aloud, as gunfire continued to rage around them.
“It’s not about me, it’s about our people. The things you have done eclipse your father, Capitol burns because of your actions! Yes it’s me who has been orchestrating these attacks and let them into the palace. You deserve to die for your crimes, and now you plan to simply let the allies in and throw away all we have built” Eustes contained the rage in her tone. The pistol shaking in her hands.
“If you think everything we have built will simply be wiped away by the allies you are wrong. We have accomplished much, and they will not take that away from us. I may be a monster, but it takes monsters to do what others cannot in dark times. Do it Eustes shoot me dead, end the suffering I have endured day in day out to try and save our people. If you honestly believe you can save Capitol take the shot” Inara was steel eyed. With the presence of Toxin having tormented her day in day out, and now with everything falling around her, Inara didn’t see death as a bad thing.
Eustes went to speak but was interrupted by the whine of jet engines close by. She turned her head for an instant. That was enough, one of the Triarch operatives opened fire. Eustes was hit three times squarely in the chest knocking her back, causing her to gasp and pull the trigger. The round went into Inaras arm causing the Empress to cry out and Alaca to grab Inara and Elena and throw them all to the ground. The Triarii opened up in response, gunning down two of the three Triarch men before the Forgemaster users opened up with their arm mounted cannons tearing the Triarii into bloody mist and wrecking the loading bay of the shuttle.
“Are you ok!” Alaca shouted to Inara as a large explosion tore through a whole squad of assaulting commandos and heavy cannon fire ripped up the landing pad forcing the Hydra Guard to take cover. Elena hugged Inara closely who nodded, the bleeding hole in her arm saying otherwise.
“Just a flesh wound! How’s the shuttle!” She looked over, and several heavy munitions tore through it, answering her even as she asked the question. A Capitol gunship hovered over the periphery, using its heavy weapons to kill both the Empress forces and those who had followed Eustes. The state representative’s body lying dead on the shuttles ramp. Clearly this was yet another assassination ploy. It was confirmed moments later as speakers began blaring rhetoric of the Brotherhood of the Great State.
With the shuttle out of action doubt entered the mind of Inara. She didn’t care about herself, but Elena and Alaca had to escape. With immense pain she kept herself up with help from Alaca while she pulled a small elaborate box with a ribbon on top from her power armours back storage. With a grunt of pain she opened it, the grey dust inside quickly blowing out to rapidly constitute itself into a humanoid form. The presence of a Shade soldier. Skalia was still in orbit, there was still time.
“Take these two! Tell Skalia its time!” Inara shouted over the renewed roar of heavy gunfire, this time the gunship was trying to target bob with dumb fire rockets and its heavy cannons. The Emerald sword didn’t seem to care as he fired away with arm mounted weapons, backed up by Hydra guard and the Forgemaster armours the gunship took multiple hits. Bob finally sniping the pilot from the craft as the gunship seemed to dip down then crash into the small Miranda in the lake that Inara had loved so much, turning it into a conflagration of fire and smoke. The Shade soldier nodded giving no indication of his psionic signal sent to Skalia above the planet, before turning around to cover the three of them and open up on the scattering Triarii. Inara then also noticed the flight of multiple gunships and dropships heading towards them.
“You have to come with us!” Alaca pleaded. Inara shook her head as she cuddled Elena, who was still crying.
“No. I have to stay, I have to make the surrender, I have to see the plans through and I have to be here when the allies come for me. Get out of here, Skalia will keep you safe, look after Elena for me and I will see you both on the other side” Inara smiled with effort, and Alaca knew the last bit was just for show in front of Elena. Even as the sonic boom heralded the arrival of the Shade shuttle that descended towards them from orbit the first of the missiles were launched from the incoming gunships.
Elena wrapped around Inara cried out as all of the missiles were intercepted in rapid succession. The laser coming from above leaping to each as the flying dragon like form of an Axiomatic Demi-Organic screamed overhead, turning the gunship pilot’s insides to soup as its gravitic vortex gun ripped through each craft one after another in the blink of an eye, the gunships rapidly tumbling away to crash below as their pilots vomited their own internal organs.
“Oh Great Inara, I humbly and most sincerely apologise for my lateness. May a thousand blessings be placed upon you for my lack of speed. I was unacceptably delayed due to hostile forces within the perimeter. The lady Shifting Mirrors will see that I am duely punished, for I am simply not worthy to be in your presence. Let alone to protect you and your most honoured prodigy. May the infinite blessings of the syntagma be laid upon you and your blood line for this most heinous error” The calm and soothing voice of the demi-organic seemed to cut through the din of fire, causing Elena to look up at the majestic axiomatic form. It landed with its screaming jets, quickly using its body as a shield against any of the incoming fire. Embracing the three of them Elena nodded to it in thanks even as its ADS laser intercepted two incoming mortar rounds mid arc.
“It is forgiven. Thank you for your aid” Alaca said aloud as Inara nodded in agreement. The firefight was only intensifying and with more forces loyal to Inara rendezvousing with her bodyguard entourage from inside the palace it matched the enemy forces continuing to pour in from outside the palace perimeter, now the sound of vehicles could be heard. While the forces were doing an apt job and Bob himself proving to be more than a match for anything sent it was not as decisive as Inara had hoped. Even as the Shade shuttle landed on the pad, now clear as the demi organic merely picked up the wrecked shuttle and threw it off the elevated area Alaca could not take her eyes off Inara. This was their final moments in all likely hood.
“Go both of you now!” Inara shouted, pushing her wife and daughter towards the opening bay doors, the Shade soldier ushering them both in as best he could.
“No! Mummy no!” Elena cried as Alaca gave Inara one final kiss and picked up her daughter. The young girl screamed as tears ran down her face in abject desperation. Inara held her hand, the grip slipping away as Alaca rushed into the shuttle. Elenas last glimpse of her injured mother was one of smiling and the mouthed words of ‘I love you’. Alaca was clearly crying as they both disappeared into the Shade shuttle, which immediately took off to begin its rapid ascent into orbit. Even now as Inara watched them head to safety the huge bulk of the Far Reach was becoming visible in the night sky, along with fire and flashes. Even space was not safe this night. But aboard her they would be.
Inara slumped to the ground, exhausted and in pain. The Demi-Organic quickly repositioned itself to cover her and even reached out in with its spindly wing appendage. Inara too tired and now wracked with grief let the creature do what it wanted, as it scooped her up into a safety embrace, transferring her to its bird like talons. Protecting her with its bulk.
“As long as the Syntagma continues to write its transcendant parables through the webs of spacetime I will protect you and the prodigy from your veins. Oh blessed Inara, what is your command?” The bird like AI skull of the creature stared directly into Inaras weary eyes like a hawk, waiting for a signal. Inara could only see Elenas despairing face in those twin red dots, as the emotions crashed over her she steeled herself. Finding the final reserves of her inner strength, this was not over yet, she nodded wiping a tear from her eyes.
“We end this. And then we end this stupid war. I was a fool, I listened to forces beyond understanding. And I failed not only my people but my family. But this time. No matter what happens, no matter how much those below me try to make things worse, I will do right in the end. Lets go Rama, lets finish this all” Inara replied slowly more defiant in her tone. The Demi-Organic nodded slightly and in a single move lifted her from below it onto the back of the Axiomatic creature. She held on tightly to its streamlined neck, using intake nozels as handholds. And in one blast of its engines they were flying.
It had been a long time since Inara had interacted so vigorously with Axiomatic demi-organic creatures, it took her back to the time before the war when she helped Shifting Mirrors gain power. Better days for sure. As the Empress held on to the creature it sped up, quickly ascending as she watched the shuttle disappear into the dull orange glowing sky and into the blackness above. With a internal silent farewell Inara closed her eyes as the Paradox Hunter then twisted and began to dive. She opened her eyes again, this time full of anger and purpose as the dragonic birdlike machine screamed over the battlefield of the palace, its ADS laser flared, cutting down a whole line of Triarii as its vortex gun liquidated the crew of an incoming IFV. Seeing their Empress shouting defiantly and inspiringly as she rode the hyper advanced creature over the battlefield stirred the Capitol forces. Across the palace, loyalists roared and counter attacked.
Explosions tore through the entirety of the area, vicious firefights and hand to hand combat raged as those loyal to Inara battled terrorists and traitors, all the while Inara directed the fight from above, using the speed and lethality of her living machine mount to give reprieve wherever the battle was harshest. She had dealt with the incoming dropships, Rama tearing them apart with its laser and even its own claws sending the traitors within to their deaths below. Just as the beginnings of an armoured force were approaching the palace main gates the tanks faced a storm of fire. Re-activated by those loyal to Inara and the palace retainers the defences suddenly sprung to deadly life. Scram cannons, surface to air missiles, ATGMs, heavy autocannons and Tachyon repeaters ripped into vehicles and infantry alike even as new waves of gunships were sent to their deaths. With the palace starting to look more secure Inara afforded herself a quick deep breath before the titanic boom above her brought her too.
Rama dropped as the turbulence and shockwave smashed them through the air, visibly impacting the ground from the view of the air and knocking those on the ground to the floor as windows shattered across the city. The Demi-Organic quickly recovered, keeping Inara firmly attatched as they both saw the form of a High Emperor class dreadnought now hovering above the city, its FTL wake having shattered the sky with its entry.
Well this was it. At least they had tried.
“Empress Inara. It is good to see you are still alive. The traitorous fleet elements in orbit have been wiped out and I felt it prudent to rapidly assist you here.” The voice of Grand Admiral Raxis came through Inaras com system in her armour, and she laughed out loud in relief.
“Well timed Grand Admiral. I am thankful for your support. The palace is contested but mostly secure, see to the rest of the city and the planet beyond. And Raxis, Eustes is dead. But please tell me the shuttle from the surface is safe?” Inara hoped Alaca and Elena had escaped.
“Do not worry my Empress I had my fighters escort that shuttle with their lives, I thought you had been aboard but when Alaca contacted me and explained I came here as soon as I could. They are both safe with Skalia however I think they would be safer with me ma’am. As for Eustes, did the traitors kill her?” The mans voice was honestly the best thing Inara had heard today.
“No. She was the one who orchestrated part of this. She has been dealt with. I will explain more when this is over.”
“I see. Are you hurt my Empress?”
“Nothing major for now. Secure the area and then we will talk face to face.” Inara once again sounded weary.
“Then what Ma’am?” Raxis sounded genuinely unsure. Inara didn’t reply for a few moments.
“Then we end the war, and end all of this”