Chapter 23: Proper Planning... 01
In the Governor's Box high above the Sönder Arena, Atlas sat on his throne like chair, silent, staring at the now very visible tentacle sample floating in the glass cylinder in front of him. The sample pulsated with a life of its own, writhing and twisting, seeking escape from its containment. Atlas reached out, his massive hand enveloping the cylinder, and brought it close to his face. He stared into the darkness of the tentacle, seeing something no one else could see, something that made him smile.
Commander Kronos approached him, as he seemed visibly inattentive of the group that was recently brought before him. "Governor, the prisoners are ready. They await your judgment." Kronos' voice was steady, but underneath it, Atlas could detect a hint of unease.
Atlas looked up, his gaze shifting from the tentacle sample to the group of prisoners huddled together in the center of the box.
The two remaining Captains of the Tribold Pirates, stood tall, their eyes blazing with defiance, their hands bound behind their backs.
The Suphalak twins, also bound, had their heads down, their bodies trembling.
The mysterious Ancient-Cursed, however, stood tall, his avian body tense, his human head held high, his eyes meeting Atlas' gaze without fear.
Atlas stood up, the throne-like chair groaning in protest. He walked towards the group, the cylinder still clutched in his hand. He stopped in front of the Ancient-Cursed, his gaze unwavering.
"You're new," Atlas observed, his voice a low rumble. "I haven't seen you before."
The Ancient-Cursed nodded, his voice steady despite the situation. "I am Corvus. A High Priest of the... Zealots..." he said, his voice fading as Atlas waved a dismissive hand, silencing him.
"And this?" Atlas asked Commander Kronos, gesturing to a covered body lying on the floor, its form obscured by a heavy cloth. "Who is this?"
Kronos hesitated, "Their father," he replied, as he pulled back the cloth, revealing an older feline, his fur grey and matted, his eyes closed, his body still. The Suphalak twins wailed loudly, their eyes filled with tears as they struggled against their bonds, trying to reach their father.
Atlas watched them, his expression unreadable. "What happened?" he asked, his gaze shifting between the twins and Corvus.
Corvus took a deep breath, his wings rustling softly. "The twins' father, Baron Suphalak, was leading a rebellion against the Zealots. He was captured and... executed. We used his name and likeness to convince Kael and Lyra to do the Ancient's work for us, to kill you and stop the coming doom..." he explained but was again cut short by Atlas' dismissive shrug.
Atlas lifted the tentacle sample up to his ear, as if he could hear it speak.
---
In the Astrometrics Lab of the Titans Pillar, Nigel was pacing, his eyes fixed on the holo-screen displaying the exterior of the ship. The Wandering Gate's energy was pulsating, its boundary shimmering as if it were breathing.
"You know, you are very cute when you are worried. I find that quite attractive." A visage of Nova appeared on the control table of Astrometrics. Her appearance was yet again, different, she was fully Homo-Sapien, a small, petite woman, with olive skin. Her hair and eyes were still as dark as ever, the only remnant of her previous forms. She wore a simple white dress, almost innocent looking, but her presence was far from it.
Nigel stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing as he met her gaze. "Cute? Worried? I am not either of those things, Nova," he said, his voice steady, but there was a hint of a growl to it.
Nova smiled, a playful glint in her eyes. "Oh, Nigel, always so serious. Can't you just admit that you miss me? That you still care about me?" Nova leaned forward, her voice taking on a softer, more vulnerable tone. "I've seen it, Nigel. I've seen how you look at me, even now. You still have feelings for me."
Nigel's expression hardened, his jaw clenching. "Alright, I admit it. I am a little cute when I'm worried." Nigel said, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "And I am worried about you, Nova. What you've become. And why you would present yourself in such a form? Surely this form can't be the true you." Nigel's gaze lingered on the petite woman before him, a mixture of confusion and concern in his eyes. "Why do you hide behind these... disguises?"
Nova laughed, a musical sound that filled the room. "Disguises? Oh, no, my dear Nigel, this was me, before." she said in singsong, "When I was weak," a darkness flashed in her eyes, "And powerless."
Nova stood up, her form shifting, her petite Homo-Sapien body growing larger, stronger, until she stood tall, her form that of the towering, tentacled woman, her skin pale and translucent. Her hair remained dark, cascading down her back in waves, her eyes still that unfathomable black, but now they burned with an inner fire.
"Is this better?" she asked, her voice a low rumble, her lips curling into a smirk.
"Wait, all this time I thought Ancient-Cursed were normal races cursed with human qualities, but in actuality you, all of you, were once human?" Nigel asked, his voice barely above a whisper, astonishment clear in his eyes.
Nova nodded, her smirk fading, a hint of sadness in her gaze. "Yes, Nigel. All Ancient-Cursed were once human. But we weren't cursed, we were blessed. Blessed with power. We were the ones who held the keys to the Celestial Gates, who maintained the balance of the universe. We were the Guardians of the Cosmos." Nova's voice was filled with a mixture of pride and sorrow, her gaze distant as if she were looking into the past.
Nigel shook his head, his brows furrowed in confusion. "But... the Cataclysm. The destruction of the Gates. What happened, Nova? What caused all this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Nova now appeared as the petite woman again, pulling her dress down after having flashed her bare flesh to Nigel ever so briefly, causing Nigel's skin to flush under his blonde fur.
"I wouldn't know. After I was blessed, they put me in stasis, as it was ordained to do so. I woke up here, surrounded by the weak, in this new world where the powerless tread water like drowning souls. I was reborn, Nigel. Reborn into that... that shell of a body, with the memories of my past life intact. I was given a choice, to change this pathetic excuse of a civilization, or to remain hidden, a whisper in the shadows. At first, after meeting you, I chose the latter, but now... now I see the error of my ways. I should have taken my rightful place as the guardian of the Gates. I was meant for greatness, Nigel. I was meant to summon." Nova's voice faded, her gaze turning inward, her expression a mix of regret and determination.
She started moving step-over-step on the control table again, foot-over-foot. This and her swollen toes betrayed training in a form of dance. "I let myself become weak, Nigel. I let myself be swayed by... emotions. By you." She looked up at him, her eyes softening. "I let myself care for you, and for your people. I let myself believe that this... this world could be different, that it could change."
Nigel watched her, his expression pleading. "It could. It still can. It didn't have to be this way," he said, his voice steady, his gaze unwavering.
A crooked smile tugged at the corners of Nova's mouth, "Yes it did." she said, sarcastically parroting Nigel's words. "This world, this galaxy, without order, will always end up this way. A world of chaos, of constant struggle." She said, her voice growing harder, her eyes darkening.
Nigel took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low growl, "And yet, you chose to help us. You chose to protect us, Nova. Why?"
Nova took a deep breath, her expression softening for a moment, "Because... because I believed in you, Nigel. I believed in your strength, your courage, your determination. You are strong, as is your daughter, and Atlas. The other members of your crew are, acceptable, if not manipulatable. Join me, Nigel." she offered, her voice laced with sincerity. "Together, we can bring order to this chaos. We can make a new galaxy; a better, stronger one. We can create a new order, one that will last in perpetuity."
Nigel's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp. "And what about free will, Nova? What about the rights of the people?" he asked, his voice steady, his jaw clenched.
Nova waved a dismissive hand, her expression hardening. "Free will bends to providence, Nigel. It was ever thus. Only the strong have agency." Nova's gaze hardened, her eyes boring into Nigel's. "And you, Captain Carter, are strong. Stronger than most, even. But you're still a part of this chaos, bound by its rules, its limits. With me, you could be more. We could be more."
Nigel's tail twitched, a sign of his growing agitation. He took a deep, solemn breath and closed his eyes. His hands flew to the controls, fingers dancing over the panels with practiced ease. "Lucas, these coordinates, now. They are an exit to the Wandering Gate," Nigel barked into the comms, his voice echoing through the ship's intercom. "Bjorn, how's the engine holding up?"
Bjorn's voice came back, gruff and reassuring. "She's purring like a kitten, Captain. Ready for whatever you've got planned."
In the cockpit, Lucas' hands danced over the controls, his eyes locked onto the holo-display. "Almost there, Captain. Just... a little... further..." he muttered, his voice tense with concentration.
"You are right, Nova. I am strong and I'm using my agency to leave this place," Nigel replied, his voice firm. "I won't let you manipulate me into serving your purposes. The people of this galaxy deserve a chance to shape their own destiny, not have it imposed upon them by some ancient power."
Nova's eyes flashed with anger, but she quickly composed herself to a simple pout. "Very well, Nigel. Have it your way. But remember, when the gates open and the chains are loosed, you could have been one of the architects of a new era." Nova's voice echoed in Nigel's mind as her fully human projection kissed his forehead. Then, she was gone, leaving behind nothing but empty air and the hum of the ship's engines.