---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ohhhh, Shit." Commander Soto laughed out, watching the live footage from Caithen's helmet cam with amusement. "Yup. That's not gonna buff out easily." Tanda quipped. "Think some glue will help?" "Wait. They're dating?" Steven exclaimed, with curiosity. "Does that mean we can date the civvies?" Michael palmed his face and looked to Jack for answers, earning a quick shrug as he ignored his Captain's plight and focused on his work. "Alright, that's enough. What are our options if they kick us out since we're planetside already?" "Grab the team and head to the central continent. From what the General said, I'd rather we avoid the northern one for now." Viscia commented, not wanting to be considered a god. "Detecting movement from the eastern side of the city. It seems the civilians are leaving their shelter." Ops reported, moving a drone over to get a closer look. "Only one? How many do they have?" Michael asked, watching as groups began to leave what Michael concluded was a primitive underground defensive shelter. "Eight shelters in total. So far, only the one is being.. released? I'm not sure if they're being held or allowed to leave." Steven replied. Michael continued to watch in fascination as groups seemed to cling to each other in fright as they left, some moving off to the side and curling into a ball only to harden their fur while others scattered in odd directions. "Keep an eye out then. They may not be our people, but I don't want anything harmful happening due to our arrival." "They look like they're terrified." Srettia commented. "Well, they were just sieged by advanced alien invaders." Commander Soto replied. "Though they did leave the city relatively intact." "Yeah. Let's just hope the President isn't stupid and accepts our help." Michael added, turning back to the live feed from Caithen's tumbling helmet. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- President Lunouri skittered back against the wall. Quickly curling up into a ball and flaring his fur, taking a defensive position as the aggressive being in front of him smashed his desk in two, making odd sounds he never knew he could make while doing so. General Basthin, however, sat in his chair in confusion. He knew this being was strong and terrifying, but it was an alien, just like the invaders. And now it was threatening the President. Though he had to admit, Lunouri kind of deserved it as he acted like quite the swine. "Calm, please." He asked, looking across the room at Ekianei, who seemed so terrified she had trouble keeping her fur stiff. Caithen took a deep breath of fresh air, picking up her helmet and placing it back on her head and exhaling into her suit's filter. "If he looks at Ankiah like she's meat again, there won't be a second time. My people DO NOT. Tolerate such disrespect. Understood?" Basthin nodded his understanding, knowing full well that the President, indeed, was being immensely disrespectful. "Understood. What can I call you... And your people?" Caithen walked over to Ankiah and took her hand into her own, gently squeezing it before shooting the General a look. " Lieutenant-Commander Antigone Caithen, Terran Star Navy. We're on a mission to investigate Briolb activity in this sector before returning to command so they can prepare for a counter-invasion." Basthin's eyes went wide in shock. An entire alien race was coming to their aid, and the President treated her with such disrespect! "My apologies Lieutenant-Commander. Though the President is a good leader. His personality may need some adjustments at times." Caithen sighed and looked at the trembling male in pity. "He's quite the coward, and where are the guards?" "Ahh, I'm afraid you may have frightened them. They may think that it is a god that is angry." He replied, sneaking a glance at the closed door. "Is your guards being frightened so easily a common thing?" Caithen asked, looking to Ankiah, only to see both her and the General in agreeance. "We are a frightful people." She whispered. "It is only the odd ones who like violence or being a soldier." "Ahhh... This may make things a bit difficult then." She replied. "Wait, does that mean you're the odd one out?" She asked Ankiah with a concerned face. "I think so. I never liked violence, but I always liked exploring and trying new things." Ankiah replied, looking at the President with pity. "Most people are like that." "Is that not normal for sentience?" The General asked curiously. "Our studies show that those who have the capacity to think would value their life over all else, prompting them to escape or hide." Caithen roared with laughter for a time, placing her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. "General... You are incorrect." She wheezed out. "My people will charge into death itself to protect those dear to them. Our new ally, the Aasteran? Their females will maim someone for touching their mate in the wrong way. Let alone the fact their males will stop at nothing to kill anything that threatens their people." The General thought for a moment before sighing in disappointment. "So it is the fearful who are the odd ones out and the brave of our people who are correct. This will change things." "Hey now. I'm not saying whos right or wrong. I'm just saying both us Terrans and the Aasteran will kill anything which threatens our loved ones. You and your soldiers are doing the same thing, correct?" Caithen replied, keeping an eye on the trembling female in the corner. "Yes. You are right." He returned, picking up a nearby book and throwing it at Lunouri. "Will you stop that, you buffoon. Stand tall before this alien and show them we are not all cowards!" President Lunouri poked his head out from under his protective mane and eyed the angry ironclad alien with a keen eye, hesitating but eventually decided that yes. He would pick himself up and seat himself in his chair like a proper leader before this terrifying visitor from the stars. As Lunouri stood, though, He felt he could not meet the alien's eyes any longer, and eyeing Ankiah may get him into trouble, So he sat in the chair and looked to Basthin. "And you trust these aliens?" "Trust is not what I would call watching a handful of them slaughter thousands of aliens with ease. If they wished, they could squash our people." He replied, looking over to Caithen. "The fact they claim to be here to help does not matter in that context. But I trust what I see with my eyes, and that is this alien's affection for one of our own." Caithen grinned from under her helmet and pulled Ankiah into her. "We're under strict orders not to do any harm to the Voktlix. Though I doubt any of my kind would considering you're people are a dream come true for many of us." "Is that so?" Basthin replied. "And why is that?" "My people are old, General. We've travelled the stars for two thousand years looking for life only to find nothing but dead planets and non-sentients. When we reached this area of space, we celebrated. We finally found life... Only to discover death and war along with it. Let's just say a few tens of millions of angry Terrans are currently gearing up to clean up this area of space." "Truly? Two thousand years of star travel?" Ekianei declared, poking her head out from under her hardened mane." Tell me... Is air travel possible?" "Oh, yes. We travelled through the air long before we travelled between the stars." Caithen replied, laughing at the fuzzy head. Ekianei softened her fur and stood to look over the alien with wonder. "How marvellous, I would like to try it at least once!" "Well. I happen to have a Captain whose specialty is just that! Would the three of you care to join me as I return to my ship?" Caithen replied, seeing her chance of getting the leader onto the ship. "We can also have our doctor fix that foot up for you as well, General. It'll be good as new once they're done." "I would be a fool to turn down such an offer." General Basthin replied, looking to his old friend Lunouri. "I would suggest we meet with her Captain. It would be beneficial in the long term to understand why they are truly here." Lunouri nodded in agreeance and stood from his chair, patting the dust off his clothes. "Please. Lieutenant-Commander Antigone Caithen of the Terran Star Navy. Lead the way." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm surprised that didn't start a war." Soto commented, getting up from his chair to walk towards the lift. "I'll be in tactical, gotta make sure the grunts are positioned properly after all." Srettia thought for a moment before standing along with Viscia and made for the lift as well. "The General seems smart enough to understand a few Terran soldiers could conquer their world. It helps that they're a bunch of cowards as well." Viscia nodded as the door opened, waving at Michael as he continued his work from his Captain's chair. "It is improper to judge them as such. From my understanding, their evolution would prioritize them running from these carnivorous bugs. It does not surprise me they would run rather than fight." Srettia entered the lift with Both Soto and Viscia, shrugging in confusion. "I still would have eliminated the being that threatened my mate like that. I do not like the female that hid." Soto chuckled at the two arguing females and exited the lift walking towards the tactical room and out of earshot of the two females. "I wonder if Chravune would defend my honour like that." He thought, turning into his office and looking at the tactical view of the city map. "Aylen. We got three VIPs en route. I need your team to secure the area and make sure they reach the ship unharmed." Aylen, now standing on the shoreline, looked around the area and unclasped a small latch on his thigh, sighing as he pulled out a small ball and tossing it into the air. Watching closely as it took flight above his location, he eyed the new map-generating, finally getting a good view of his surroundings. " Camera drone away." "He reported lazily. "It's not picking up anything other than Terran within the area, though." "Alright, Make sure it stays that way." Soto ordered, looking at the incoming camera feed. "What's got you spooked? From what I'm seeing, there ain't a life sign outside of the shelters." Aylen replied, throwing another scan drone into the air. "Ahh, never mind, the ones exiting that one shelter are starting to make their way over." "We have proper first contact with an alien President happening that's what." Commander Soto replied. Glancing at Caithens helmet feed. "Maybe an angry combat specialist." "I got my TG licence. I can go suit up if you want." Soto sighed as the 'auto' began to safely move towards the ship. "No, It's fine, Aylen. We got two Titan guards on standby just in case anyway. I just need you to make sure the area is clear for arrival." Caithen once again pulled her legs into her chest as she entered the auto, watching as Ankiah entered the opposite door to lean against her shoulder. "It's tiring. Isn't it?" She said, wrapping her arm around Ankiah's shoulder. "When I was training. I read that Terrans can go for days with minimal sleep and food. You consider endurance one of your top evolutionary traits. You're not even winded, and I can hardly keep my eyes open." Ankiah replied, closing her eyes as she leaned into Caithen's hold. "Yeah. We be like that." Caithen replied with a laugh, grinning as her auto started and began popping once again, letting Ankiah rest silently rest against her breast. "You two get along well." Basthin stated, sitting opposite of caithen and noticing that Ankiah was already sleeping soundly. "Do you mind if I inquire as to how you two met?" Caithen looked down at Ankiah before shooting a look to Basthin. "She was rescued by my commander. He boarded a Briolb command ship and captured it so we could study its systems. It's actually how we found your planet." Caithen said, pausing to think for a moment before continuing. "After that, she was brought back to our base, and I was put in charge of her safety, making sure she visited the doctors regularly." "Did you find any more of our people?" Basthin asked with a grim look. "Yes. I'm not sure how many since it's kept confidential, but I think we're around the thirty mark for rescues now." She explained, watching the houses pass by through the window. Basthin silently nodded and looked out the window, lost in thought. "Two vehicles are approaching from the north. Caithen and Ankiah along with a male in one and four females and a male in the other." Aylen reported, watching as the two cars approached with four Terran marines easily keeping pace behind. "I see them. The boat is almost done printing, so you won't have to entertain them for long." Michael replied, pulling up the camera feed from the hangar. "Ohhh, yay. Entertaining foreign dignitaries. Every soldier's dream!" Aylen replied dryly, watching as the car came to a halt. "It'll only be for about seven minutes. Rowan is hauling the boat out now." Michael returned with a chuckle. "Besides. They're alien dignitaries. Maybe they'll be more interesting than you think." Aylen waved at Caithen as she helped Ankiah out of the car, noticing that the male, who he presumed to be General Basthin, exited with the help of a stick. "Ahh, we got med on standby for the general, right?" "We do. He just needs to get into the ship so we can send him off to medical." Commander Soto answered. Basthin stepped into a puddle as he exited the vehicle, sighing as his foot was now broken, wet, and in immense pain. "So, where is this ship? I remember you saying it was at the lake, but I do not see it." Caithen pointed at the lake as she began walking towards the waving Aylen. "It's at the bottom. We'll have to boat out to the portion of our ship that's above water and enter through there." Basthin paused for a time, looking at the lake with mistrust. "Yes, well, you see.... Ahh, forget what I was about to say. I'm sure you have a sturdy boat to take us across." The General stated, turning to watch the President, his wife, and their aides exit their auto. "I'm sure they will have much to complain about." "Why's that?" Caithen asked in surprise, impressed with the General's endurance. "Yes, well. I'm not quite sure how your people deal with water. But judging by your lack of concern, I can make an educated guess. You see. Though the city was built around the lake as it is a great source of drinkable water. You may notice the lack of boats or water equipment." The General stated, waving his free arm along the coast. "He's right. Not even a raft." Soto proclaimed, doing a double-take of the shore. "We Voktlix... Rather dislike the water you see." Basthin finished. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------