“And chaos will be what follows you.” A proverb of the Karmic Universe philosophy. It is stated that those who make great actions, bring great chaos and great change, to bring life to the Universe in unexpected ways. A rather audacious prose for the Director to place on him but Nako didn’t deny it filled him with a satisfying sense of pride.

He was going to be a very busy man.

The large but humbly furnished Commander's quarters shook upon the exit of the wormhole into Branch Station space. Any moment now he would be called onto the bridge to deliver decisive orders and make claim to his successful skirmish.

He could feel the miniscule shiver of Freq as the Comms unit summoned him.

“Lieutenant Commander Tar Nako, you are needed on the bridge.”

He chittered to himself, preparing to make the announcement of the Dynasty.

His Corvette, REFINED had spearheaded the jump, stabilising the wormhole so the small fleet of five cruisers behind him could carry the enormous trophy into the military stations docking platforms. Jumping with so many at once was dangerous at the best of times, but with the Rajavan ship inactive a coordinated jump was the only way to bring it in for dissection.

Nako straightened the pleats in his regalia cape and afixed all three segmented swords to his armour. He held his head up high as he entered the bridge, allowing his presence to draw the eyes of the crew and his captain toward him.

Tifera bowed her head low, the rest of the crew followed suit.

“Sire, the honour to hail Branch is yours.” She offered.

The communications officer activated the comms for a direct line with the station.

Nako chose his words carefully, crisp and clear for all transmission frequencies across military space to hear.

“This is Lieutenant Commander Tar Nako of the REFINED fleet, I have returned from my surveillance of my sector. I have brought with me the honour of 17 confirmed kills of rogue vessels, the subjugation of 4 former citizens and 3 pirates, the recovery of 23 life pods and the capture of 3 vessels, including a subdued Rajavan Transport-”

The corvette was shaken by his cruiser fleet entering Branch certified space.

The stars themselves could not have aligned more perfectly.

“Come Death!” Nako drew a blade and raised it up for his crew. “Come Blade!” The second sword was unsheathed and met its partner in the air. “Come Shame or Fire!” The last of his great weapons drawn the Commander announced his claim. “I have conquered! I have subdued! I claim this victory for the Galactic Council Rangers!”

The crew cheered with triumph, swept up in their lords declaration. He savoured the moment, then allowed his crew to calm as he carefully replaced the swords in their holdings.

“Well spoken sire.” Tifera approved, Nako raised his left hand and the crew fell under a submitting silence.

“Thank you Captain. Crew of the REFINED,” he addressed, his voice tapered to a raptured audience. “The honour of this victory is shared, do not deny yourself this experience. You may speak of the skirmish freely, yet refrain from speaking of our porting at Esaander. We wouldn’t want to diminish our success with frivolity.” He turned to his communications officer. “I will be in my quarters until docking, patch through any requests from Superior Commanders and,” he nodded his head slightly to the younger man. “do your best to answer every one of the messages about to flood the comms.”

“Yessir!” The lower Arvas squire saluted, arms pressed to his chest. Nako couldn’t help but billowing his cape as he made his exit. It wasn’t every day he was in the position to strut.

Tifera followed after her lord, securing the door behind them both. Nako began to remove his swords and fold his cape to a more manageable knot behind his armour.

“Sire?” she approached, “if I may be so bold?”

“Speak captain” he allowed.

“Why did you only announce 23 of the recovered lifepods?”

Nako pulled the knot tightly, tucking it in under itself so there was no opportunity for anyone to take hold of it from behind.

“Because I want to be the first to know what kind of chaos I am unleashing onto this universe,” he answered thoughtfully. Placing the swords into their protective case. “And you and I both know Kotorn will want nothing to do with it.”

Tifera agreed wordlessly.

“Sire, shall I take lead and guide the Corvette to dock?” She asked her lord.

“Yes,” he confirmed “And ensure the knights down below know to keep their silence on the matter as well, return to my side once you have finished.”

“Certainly Sire.” Tifera made one final salute, metal on metal clanged as her hand thumped her chest.

Nako closed the sword case with care. It was out of place in his ships quarters, elaborately pressed plastic made to imitate wooden cases of princes of the clan war age. Presented to him on the day he was ready to serve his purpose with the Galactic Rangers.

He was one of 20 that matured that day, he often wondered if any of his brood brothers still held their calling or if it had been passed on to other princes. Akira always found those who were worthy, but he was starting to think these swords would not be up to the task before him.

“Lord Commander, message from Engine Lord Viitoic, shall I patch it through?” The communications officer interrupted his trail of thought.

“Yes ranger, patch it through.”

A holo-display of the technician superior or Engine Lord, his prefered title, appeared on the empty west wall. Viitoic’s large grey head took up most of the Holo-coms space and he

was practically salivating when he greeted the Lieutenant.

“Salutations Lieutenant and congratulations on such a fine victory,” Six black eyes blinked randomly above a sharp toothed smile as the technician began his request. “Is there be any chance that my crew and I will be able to admire your claim?”

“You know protocol Engine Lord, Knight Commander will not be pleased you are seeking my approval over his.”

“There is no reaching the Knight Commander at present,” Vic informed the knight. “No doubt he is in shock of your impressive conquest.”

“or he is preparing a dueling blade for us both.”

Viitoic laughed, making his head jiggle.

“Kotorn and finesse, your wit is enviable Lieutenant. I’d pray to the universe you return with all four of your arms. Unless you would prefer a replacement?”

Viitoic raised his six arms, Arvas Qzetillian cross models for five and a Umin’gi tentacle for good measure.

Nako politely declined.

“I will take my chances Engine Lord, but you will be the first to inspect the Rajavan ship once Knight Commander has approved clearance of the vessel.”

“As you will it Lieutenant,” Viitoic raised his left hand, “I look forward to sharing the vivisection with you. May your path be clear.”

“As with yours Engine Lord.” Nako responded and the Comms line went silent.

-*-

The Branch Station of the sector was an ancient vessel, built during the peak of the Painful Dynasty it was the last of the great war ships left abandoned. Repurposed during the reclamation, it served as the centre point for the Military and the convergence of the newly acquired planets and stations with the already established Galactic Council routes. It had been tended and repaired over the new Dynasty, many of its battle functions restored to terrifying levels of accuracy and devastation.

Thankfully, they had yet to engage these systems.

The crescent shaped platform was mostly an advanced warship docking station, maintaining a fresh supply of ships and rangers to secure the galaxy from the pirate and Rajavan threat. Nako was welcomed back by the sights of scratched titanium and the smells of recycled air. He walked with pride taking the lead, his crew scattering to their duties as he and Tifera made their way to Kotorn's quarters.

Other knights from other ships whistled and roared as he walked past, letting their admiration flow throughout the station but the cheers grew quieter the closer they drew to their destination.

In the heart of the station was Kotorn's office.

The lights were dimmer, the walls thicker, to protect any low level ranger from accidentally walking into a commanding officers personal space. Tifera stopped before the doors.

“Stay here,” Nako ordered, “There is no need for your attendance.”

“As you wish sire...” She replied quietly, grateful she would not have to suffer the onslaught her Lord was about to face.

Knight Commander Ara’Vae Kotorn stood surrounded by his council of lieutenants and captains. The monstros zenthi clad in scratched steel and a star red cape paced with impatience, stopping only when the offending Nako did step into his quarters.

The force of a burning battleship in his gaze, a single golden amber eye stared Nako down, demanding he justify his existence.

“WHAT HAVE YOU BROUGHT UPON US?!” He roared through Freq, his jaw opened to reveal hundreds of tiny razor teeth and his own unsettling voice. “YOU HAD THE PIRATE ARMADA IN YOUR GRASP AND YOU CHOSE TO BRING IN THIS CORPSE?!” Kotorn held nothing back, the mighty Knight Commander was seething with rage, bearly tempered by his attending lieutenants and captains.

His thick, steel coated tail slammed behind him. Several commanding officers stepped back from their Knight Commander, letting his wrath fall squarely on the Arvas responsible.

“The armarda were scatter jumping as soon as my fleet opened fire,” Nako explained, remaining cool to Kotorns firey display. “We could not accurately follow any ship with that much interference colliding-”

Kotorn jumped over his desk and charged toward Nako, claws sparked as they clashed against the steel floor, teeth and the flames of Freq begging to consume the lieutenant. Nako sidestepped out of the Zenthi’s path just in time for a claw to grab thin air. Kotorn growled, allowing his anger to simmer after the outburst of physical activity.

“Months we have been chasing those vile deserters, do you know how many supply ships and Citizen vessels we’ve lost to them?! You were right there, the herd in your grasp and you let them ESCAPE?!” He slammed his fist into the ground, making another dent in the floor. “Chasing and destroying the last of those ships would have been far more useful to the galaxy at large than bringing in that bloated, bulging desecration!”

The lieutenants and captains apparent murmured in agreeance with their Knight Commander from safely behind his desk. Many nodding heads and waving of green and blue capes.

“The galactic council has charged ME with defending this quadrant, HOW CAN I COMPLETE MY TASK IF YOU’RE GOING TO BURDEN ME WITH BULGE BRAIN TRASH?!” Kotorn lamented, “Now I will have politicians demanding reports, Other KC’s demanding my time, I’ll have to coordinate support and direct incoming citizen fleets, Viitoic will cease work on our own fleets to look at that monstrosity, meanwhile we will be losing ships to pirates and rogues BECAUSE I WILL BE STUCK HERE CLEANING UP YOUR BUREAUCRATIC DISASTER,”

Nako took to one knee, folding his arms across his chest, and lowering his head as far as it would go.

“Then allow me to shoulder this burden of yours Knight Commander,” The young knight responded, “I shall take on the responsibility of the Rajavan ship, its contents and the citizen demands-”

“CONTENTS?!” Kotorn roared once more, “Oh no, the LAST thing I need is to have my Branch desecrated by whatever is incubating in that things hull. Strip it down and contact every military sanctioned company within [a week’s] jump of here. They can bicker amongst themselves for that vessels contents.” The Zenthi stood up on his back legs, towering over the kneeling Nako. “There is no honour in glory seeking Lieutenant, I will not reward this conquest of yours,” He warned, with one last strike of his tail to the ground he spun on his heel, addressing the rest of his commanders.

“The armada has a known last location! I want fleets to survey the jump patterns trails, I want ships hunting down any trader suddenly abundance in Rajavan parts, I want extra ships on branch protection incase the Rajava decide to come looking for their lost ship!-”

One by one lieutenants saluted and ran off to complete their lords orders.

“-Extra rations to be given out and a request order for more Ranger assets! And YOU.” Kotorn’s disgusting breath moistened Nakos chitin shell. “YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FLEET ARE GROUNDED UNTIL THIS ENTIRE MESS IS SORTED TO MY SATISFACTION, IS THAT CLEAR LIEUTENANT?!”

Nako closed his eyes as he felt the searing sharp pain of Kotorns rage.

“Yes my lord…”