An hour later, and a still somewhat numb Amelia and Viza were escorted to a large delegation room, filled with orange and silver accents, the Royal colors for Krultatha. Sitting at one end was a Krultathan female flanked by two other females in guard uniforms and a platoon's worth of soldiers behind each of those. The Queen herself seemed rather relaxed as Amelia sat down, Kixix sitting beside her, and Viza standing behind her.
The Queen seemed older, but not as old as Amelia was expecting. Biologically she would say they appeared to be around the equivalent of 60 for a Human with a natural lifespan. Her dress was, surprisingly, not the normal drab Amelia had seen aliens wear but an exotic-looking wardrobe looking like a cross between a strange Palestinian thobe and a bedlah. It was colored brightly with oranges and silvers atop a pale tan, almost white background, with royal blue stitching speaking of surprising handmade craftsmanship.
"I bid you welcome to Krultatha, Matriarch of clan Ryder." The Queen said, her voice was elegant, smooth, and refined. Not as rumbly as Viza's, and definitely not as deep and gravelly as the other Krultathan woman she met. Still, Amelia couldn't really be bothered with being impressed, instead, she just numbly replied.
"Thank you for the welcome, Queen-Matriarch."
Perplexion came across the Queen's face.
"I take it you still haven't recovered from your kidnapping yet?" The Queen asked, her tone being between what Amelia would call a mirr and a hint of annoyance.
Amelia didn't respond to the taunt, not having the energy for another fight, and not having the mental fortitude to come up with a response that wouldn't likely have them executed for disrespect.
"If you are this broken, then you aren't fit to hold onto that male behind you."
What?
"Perhaps I should assign him to a new clan?"
Why does everyone seem to want to attack her lately? Can't she just have a few days without someone trying to tear someone she cares for away from her?
'Fuck it. Tried to be nice. She wants a fight, I'll give her one. I need to vent some shit anyways.' Amelia thought
"Queen-Matriarch, I do not think it's wise to provo-" Kixix started while Amelia was thinking, likely worried and rightly so that Amelia would snap and ruin the talks.
He stopped when Amelia stood up and looked at the Queen with such a fierce predatory killing intent that Kixix, the General, and half the Krultathan guards all flinched or looked away. Her eyes were wide not with shock, but with absorbing every movement in the room as her pupils dilated, becoming like black abysses only rimmed with a blue ring. Her posture changed as she stood, legs shoulder width apart, shoulders low and forward, tension flexing in her body. Viza looked at the Queen with one of his own as he bared his teeth in anger, letting out a hissing snarl as the fur on his back raised in anticipation of a fight, his own eyes slitting as he leaned further forward, claws already extended and fangs bared.
"Touch mine and I will end you before you take a single step." Amelia's words were quiet but full of barely contained wrath, her own face in a snarl as her hands balled up into fists so tight they started bleeding a bit.
The Queen seemed amused at Amelia and Viza's display, though the guards around the room and other ambassadors were evidently not amused or privy to whatever game the Queen was playing.
"Ah, there's the warrior who bested a Matriarch and captured an Axon. I was beginning to wonder if it were a bluff. Now the-"
"Rescind your threat," Amelia said, keeping the same look trained on the Queen.
"I'm sorry, what?" The Queen said, looking at Amelia with a mixture of curiosity and shock.
"Rescind. your. threat." Amelia repeated back at her, voice still as full of venom as before.
"You dare?" The Queen said in disbelief and more than slight anger at such a demand from one seeking an alliance with them.
"You're damn right I dare. You fucking so much as look at my family and I don't care what you're the queen of, I will drink your fucking blood from your skull."
"Are you trying to declare war upon Krultatha? Have the Axon taken your sanity as well as your pride as a warrior? You should be thanking me for helping you find your bite!"
"Miss Amelia, please, calm down." Kixix tried, but Amelia ignored him.
"Fuck off Kixix. You wanna know why I haven't recovered Miss Princess-pants?"
"What?"
"I asked if you want to know why," Amelia said, then tossed a holopad with the pictures from the research station at them. The pictures slowly moved from one frame to another, showing the torture labs, the experimental drugs and descriptions designed to force Krultathans into heat and obedience...and finally the one where they found the children. The Queen's face went pale, as did several guards as well. One of them lost their lunch, and the female lead guards both looked like they were going to retch or wail as the holopad showed them the disgusting truth.
"That's just what I saw while there. Not even what they did to me, did to Viza. That station is gone now. So I'll ask again. Rescind your threat, or I'll consider it as you declaring war on my clan."
It took several moments as the Queen went through the datapad Hal made of everything the station did, both while they were there and before. "I...rescind my earlier comment, Matriarch Amelia."
"You're god-damned right you do."
Amelia finally sat back down and looked away, having used the last of her energy to care just then. Viza calmed down as well, as everyone in the room moved stiffly, taking longer to relax just a bit. The Queen seemed to be eyeing Amelia quite a bit, though didn't address her as she and Kixix continued with the talks without her, which suited Amelia just fine. She would personally prefer to be in her room cuddled up to Viza, and he looked to be thinking pretty much the same as they opened their new private comm line to chat a bit and reassure each other.
'I lost my calm there, I'm sorry.'
'My Huntress, you acted exactly as a matriarch should to a challenge. You simply surprised the Queen-Matriarch, I think. Not many outsiders have shown such a passion to defend their own to her.'
'It probably also helps that you're Krultathan as well.'
'Perhaps.'
'We are here for you Mother. Just say the word.'
'Thank you, Hal, and thank you for saving us.'
'I merely assisted.'
'No, you did well. I just wished you hadn't had to stain your conscience with blood.'
'I am your creation, Mother. And they threatened my family.'
----
Miss Amelia? Amelia?" Kixix said, snapping her back to reality from the blank stare she had been having. She hadn't intended to zone out, or disassociate, or whatever it was, so hard as her head jerked harder than needed to look at the Hexat, startling him for a moment and evidently scaring him by the way his fur stood on end.
"T-the Queen was asking Humanity's intentions," Kixix explained slowly, having trepidation with dealing with Amelia.
Amelia nodded and started to try and remember the speech she made for this, fucking failed, and decided to go with her gut.
"Put simply, the Axon wants to make us Krultatha version two. We don't want that, you don't like the Axon, and the Hexats don't like them either. The S.A. treat you like shit, and after hearing the things I've heard, and with how easy the Axon gets them to roll over, I don't trust the S.A. either. So it's simple. Enter an alliance with us and the Hexat, and help us deal with the Axons. That's all." She explained.
"We would be trading one slavery for another. Why would we pledge fealty to your race?" The Queen said, with more than a little bite in her voice as she stared Amelia down. Amelia met the challenge, looking the Queen in her eyes and responding.
"Fealty? We don't want your fealty, we want your camaraderie, dumbass. We want to be friends even if you're making it really fucking difficult right now. We can even try to help with the genetic mutations your war caused if you'd like. Our research into radiation is fairly extensive."
"You are a predator race, yes? from a class 4 deathworld? Why would you treat us, another predator race, as equals?" The Queen fired back, though with a little less bit and with a bit more curiosity, ignoring the wording used by Amelia.
"Because we don't want to cause another Ava incident. Humanity is a very social people, we'd rather have allies than friends. One of Humanity's closest and oldest companions in my home is a pack predator. We want to be friends, but it doesn't mean we'll let others walk over us. Put simply if you don't join us the Axon will force you to fight us, and that won't be pretty for you, and it'd hurt the soul of my people to have wiped out an innocent race bullied into fighting against their will."
The Queen gave a long, hard look at Amelia, seemingly trying to discern whether or not Amelia was telling the truth. She seemed to ponder this for quite a bit, even going so far as talking with her guards for almost half an hour. After seemingly reaching the climax of whatever they had been saying, she turned to Address Amelia again.
"With your permission, Matriarch-Huntress Amelia Ryder of Clan Ryder, I would like to talk to Viza Ryder of Clan Ryder." The Queen said, though the bite was gone in her voice and she sounded more...concerned? Worried possibly, but definitely tense, and something else Amelia couldn't quite put her finger on. Seeing no reason to deny, since in her mind Viza could say whatever he wished anyways and if someone had a problem with it she'd make a new hole in their chest, Amelia nodded and Viza stepped forward, bowing before the Queen-Matriarch for a moment before speaking.
"I am Viza Ryder, of Clan Ryder," Viza said, his tone cordial, but his body language was curious, concerned. He was probably wondering why the Queen wanted to speak to him.
"I would have you speak honestly, Viza of Clan Ryder. Were you forced into the arrangement with Matriarch Amelia?" The Queen asked, looking directly at him as did all eyes in the room.
"I was not. It is of my own free will."
"And have you been treated fairly? Even though you are Krultathan and until recently clanless?" The Queen seemed to think this incredulous, and Amelia let out a sigh of frustration. The Queen had judged them before they had even arrived, and was having everything turn on its head.
"Queen-Matriarch, if I may. When Amelia first found out that her scent affected me, her immediate response was to make a pheromone blocker. Simply so she wouldn't upset me or cause me inconvenience. This was before any kind of relationship existed between us."
"Her pheromones affect you?!" At this point, now the entire Krultathan assembly was shocked.
"They do, yes," Viza confirmed for her.
"How strongly?"
It took Viza a good moment to reply, seemingly hesitant to say as he looked to Amelia with a hint of worry in his voice. Amelia nodded, telling him it was okay, and returned the nod before turning back to the Queen and responding.
"....Stronger than one of my own kind's."
Murmurs went through the Krultathans in the room as many expressed shock, some fear, and others apparently joy. Several got into arguments, and one or two looked about ready to come to blows for some reason.
"Enough! All of you. Thank you Viza of Clan Ryder. Matriarch-Huntress Amelia Ryder of Clan Ryder. We shall take a 30-minute recess in order to deliberate your proposal."
Amelia nodded, not saying much of anything. Her thoughts were still of getting back to the room with Viza and Hal, and just spending time together. Maybe she could use the chemical lab on the ship to brew some alcohol when they get back.
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"I also hereby proclaim Clan Ryder to be a Noble House of Krultatha."
More looks of shock, including from Amelia as she broke out of her thoughts.
'What the hell? Why the hell would she do that, an hour ago she wanted to take Viza away!' Amelia thought as the words registered and she looked at the Queen dumbfounded.
"I-I'm sorry what? what does that mean?" Amelia asked.
"It means that you, and Viza, as well as any who may join your clan, are to be considered nobility of Krultatha. In everything but claim to the throne, you are an honorary member of Royalty. You may claim land, claim lower clans as your vassals, and hold a small military contingent in any land claimed on Krultatha or its colony planets, which right now is unfortunately none."
Amelia was shocked. Somehow she went from threatening war on a queen to being a noble of an alien race?
"You seem surprised." The queen mused, evidently enjoying the confusion on Amelia's face, and the rest of the Hexat assembly. If Amelia didn't know any better, she'd say the Queen was doing this just to get revenge on her from earlier.
"Well, yeah. I'm not exactly royalty material. And besides trying to broker an alliance that is way above my pay grade, I haven't done much."
"Well, you captured an Axon, defeated a Matriarch of a noble clan, was captured by an enemy on sacred ground under our protection yet have not held it against us, destroyed the base of said enemy which had been doing horrendous things to our kind, letting those captured be laid to rest in peace, and giving closure to what happened to our moon colony's children. You have taken one of our own as your mate, have treated him fairly, and even threatened war and regicide to defend him from a Queen, showing your loyalty to your family. I would say all of these are Noble deeds deserving of recognition."
Amelia didn't have words to respond to that. Especially after what they went through she was expecting an uphill battle not.. to be made an honorary noble.
"What's your real reason? I'm not buying it."
The Queen gave another mirthful chuffing of laughter at Amelia's question as the rest of her assembly stepped back in amusement. Evidently, they knew something she didn't.
"Well, besides it being a gesture of goodwill towards your honesty in dealing with me, I admit it has a secondary reason...." The Queen started and then her ears laid down softly, tail relaxing, a gesture of...friendliness?
"I've always wanted a feisty little sister. And since you are a Matriarch of a krultathan clan, even if you aren't Krultathan in biology you are on paper. And with me backing you, it should help things go smoothly in regards to any other Krultathan you meet in the voids. Have you decided on your Clan markings yet?"
Amelia thought for a good long minute. Clan markings were supposed to represent the clan, right? What represented her, Viza, and Hal? Something unique, something personal to all of them, something recognizable. grabbing her holopad, she began to draw. Once she was done, Viza nodded his approval, as did Hal, using her eye to see it.
A dagger set in front of a shield, protecting a tree. With the words " Nostra Defendimus, Inimicos Delemus " written upon the shield. Branching out from the tree were nordic style markings.
"I see, what does it mean?" The Queen asked curiously as she looked over the design approvingly.
"This is a dagger, a weapon of my people's ancient times, it was used mostly as a retaliatory defense took. To attack against one who left you no recourse. This here is a shield, an ancient arm meant purely for the defense of yourself and whatever's behind you. The tree behind the shield? That represents family. It can be big and small, many or few branches, but they all share the same source."
"I see, and this on the she'eld? It is writing, no?" The Queen asked, stumbling over the word shield.
"It's Latin. It's considered a very old language for my kind. The language of the nobility, whether in intent or message. It says, "We defend our own, and end our enemies". Anyone who harms my family, my clan, will feel the wrath of this message. At least that's the intent."
"I see. It is a message for your clan and a warning to others at the same time. I quite like that. So many choose their clan marking for frivolous things like power or wealth or domination...I see. I think I've learned a little more about you from this." The queen then added a mark to the drawing. Three claws at an angle, which she put next to the dagger.
"This is the mark of my own clan. The claws represent the hunt, the defense of the clan, and the end of a journey. All will know your clan to be a sister to Clan Zitoth." She said before handing the holopad to one of the guards. They bowed both to the Queen and surprisingly, to Amelia as well, before departing to officiate the clan markings.
After that, the Queen left to deliberate, and Kixix shook his head in belief, having stayed silent the entire time. Grabbing his container of root juice, he took several long gulps before slamming it down and looking at Amelia.
"You're insane, you know that, girl? You Humans have got to be either the luckiest or unlucky species I have ever seen. You especially."
"I-I don't even know what being a noble entails, what, what do I do?!" Amelia asked, almost in a panic as the realization of everything starts to set in. Viza behind her gives a chuff of laughter, and the Hexat General who she still cannot remember the name of just gives a nod of approval.
"Well, for one you're now considered a Krultathan in every sense of the word. You can own land, ships, and a small army as Queen Zania Zitoth said. Funded from your own money of course. All in all, it's just a bit more power when dealing with politics, and protection in Krultathan space." Kixix explained.
"Oh fuck me, not more political crap," Amelia said as she moved to hold her head as if in actual pain.
"My my, dear Huntress, trying to add the Ambassador to the clan now when you've yet to bed me?" Viza said jokingly.
"Oh piss off loverboy." She said in response, getting a chuckle from everyone.
She still wasn't back to normal, but she'd get there.
-------
30 minutes later, almost on the dot, the Queen-Matriarch returned with her entourage and sat down. After a moment of looking tensely at Amelia and Kixix, she slowly responded
"In light of the current situation, and the opportunity presented, the decision had been made to accept an alliance with the Humans of Terran Confederacy and the Hexats of the Hexat Republic, on one condition. Krultatha is considered an equal and founding member, and after the war with the Axon, this Alliance which we propose to call the Terra Galactic Alliance in recognition of Terra being the cradle world of the species that is making this possible, focuses on community growth rather than folding into the Sapient Alliance. Put simply, if we join, we want to help create a new Galactic community with this Alliance, where our people are treated fairly and equally, as Amelia has shown Humanity is capable to do."
"I find these terms more than agreeable. On behalf of the Hexat Republic, I accept these terms and welcome the Krultathan Empire as equal friends and allies." Kixix said with a bow, which the queen returned.
"On behalf of Humanity, I too find these terms agreeable. Let's kick those Axon slaver's asses and build a better place for our descendants!" Amelia said, causing a chuff of laughter from the Queen.
"Not exactly a normal declaration of an alliance, but a memorable one, Matriarch-Huntress Amelia. We will send an emissary ship to Terra to set up communications. With our fastest ship, it should arrive there in 3 days' time."
Amelia nodded, mentally asking Hal to send a report to Earth so they have a heads-up. She then stood up and, giving a small bow, said "Forgive me, but I'm tired as hell and would like rest. Thank you for meeting with us, Queen-Matriarch."
The queen nodded to allow her to retire, and she and Viza left, Kixix staying behind to finish up miscellaneous talks. Reaching her room, she practically collapsed on the bed as Viza did the same beside her, and cuddled up together.
"I..think that went well?" Amelia said.
'I think the Queen's taken a fancy to you."Viza replied with a lighthearted chuff.
"Oh, getting worried are we?"
"Never. I'll be yours until the sands of Eidolan run out."
".....stupid cute alien boyfriend with stupid cute words...."
Which got them both giggling/chuffing as they laid down to rest for the night, and mend fresh wounds.
-------------------------------------------
Luna- Armstrong colony
Jacobs sighed once again as the hexat scientist and wife of the 5th fleet Admiral asked him more questions about Humanity. It had been two weeks of this and he was honestly starting to run out of both information to give and patience. Here lately her questions have been getting weirder and weirder as well.
"So is it true that Humans can projectile vomit metal-eating acid like in some of your documentaries?" a small hexat in their scientist uniform asked the frustrated Ambassador with an insatiable curiosity in her voice.
"No, Axcizz, it's not. Well, some people can projectile vomit, but it's rare, and it doesn't eat through metal unless you leave it there a long time." Jacobs practically groaned from behind his desk as he grabbed a bottle of cola to drink.
"So that's a yes?"
"If you want to call that a yes, be my guest. When's your wife supposed to get here so we can finalize defensive formations?" Jacobs asked. He had been expecting the return of the Flagship of the 5th fleet today, once they finished setting up the Martian defense anyways.
"Oh, is this the human flirting your internet talks about? Are you interested in Xiixa? She hasn't had a male partner yet and from what I've learned of human anatomy, your kind certainly arent la-"
"NO!" Jacobs immediately shouted to stop her rambling. This was another issue with Axcizz. She was a xenophile and constantly kept trying to set him up on a date with her wife. He understood that Hexat were polyandrous, but still, it was getting annoying. "I just want to make sure things are functioning well. I've had a bad feeling for a while and those are never wrong."
"Oh, well in that case she should've checked in 30 minutes. I think. ago. What is this "bad feeling" you have? Is it a form of precognition? Are humans actually psychic? Or is this-" Axciss rambled on.
Jacobs immediately grabbed the linked holopad and tried contacting Xiixa. "Xiixa, everything alright, you haven't-"
"A bit busy here Ambassador! If my wife is bothering you again tell her to fuck off, now's not the time! The Ares settlement is under attack!" Xiixa responded, using the Human colloquialism she had picked up. She sounded stressed out which meant this wasn't just some pirates or anything small.
"Under attack? By who?" Jacobs asked worriedly.
"Axon. Shit, have to go, they're going after the colonists. Xiixa out."
Jacobs immediately put in a call to Mike.
"Mike, Ares is under attack by Xenos. If you've got something to help, now would be a good time." Mike looked like he had been burning the midnight oil one too many nights in a row with how haggard his appearance was. he even had a bit of a beard growing in, something Jacobs would have never thought the rigid man would allow, and his uniform seemed wrinkled and disheveled, another sign the man was overworked.
"All we have are the drone ships and only 50 experimental ones at that." Mike replied.
"Send them out anyways, consider it a test run or whatever, they're after the colonists."
"I see...I'll see what I can do. Michael out."
Jacobs collapsed back into his chair. wondering what the hell else could go wrong today when he saw a message from Amelia. 'Oh great, what now ' he wondered. Opening the message, he saw things that would make his blood boil, and also a glimmer of hope. Amelia had captured an Axon informant, but he should've been here by now apparently. On the plus side, she sent what information she could about them over. She also managed to broker an alliance between the Krultathans, Earth, and Hexat. With stipulations of course, but hardly major ones in the grand scheme of survival.
What got his blood boiling though was the pictures of the Axon research station, Amelia's wounds, Krultathan children, along with the information of Amelia, who apparently is now a Krultathan citizen as well as an honorary noble somehow, and her short stay in one of their hidden bases.
He immediately forwarded it to the Terran confederacy HQ, and feared for the worst.
'Was that why they attacked Ares? They had just expanded enough to unfreeze another set of embryos. If they were planning to do that...Oh, gods'.
------------------------------------------------------------
Martian Space- Above Ares Settlement
Xiixa shook as another shot from the Axon battle cruiser rocked the bow of her ship. They had come prepared for the 5th fleet and had jumped in right on top of them. She already lost three ships to the Axon collectors, who numbered just 5 ships. But each of them was easily twice the size of even her flagship, and they could take a beating. Their objective right now wasn't to win, it was to buy time for the colonists.
"Shields at 33%." One officer shouted out after a hit glanced the vessel.
"Plasma cannons recharging, enemy particle accelerator expected online in 3 minutes." Another shouted.
"Structural damage to decks 12, 15,16, and 17. main bulkheads sealing, repair teams en route!" A third officer on the bridge called out.
"Power draw at 73% maximum. If we his 85% i can't guarantee stability of the antimatter reactor!" The chief engineer said through intercom.
Xiixa cursed under her breath. This was not a good situation to be in.
"Xipohor, give me a direction change on XYZ of 90 degrees, give them the smallest cross section we can. Ixtara, drop power from FTL capacitors and shunt it into the shields, redirect extra power to the plasma cannons. Zazix, get me communications back up with Terran command, I don't care what it takes we are sitting targets out here! Avro, Eta on colonist escape?"
"Unknown Admiral, the colonists are currently being harassed by collector swarm ships. They're too close for our fighters to pick off, Half the civilians have been taken."
"Damnit. Alright change of plans, move us in line to defend the colonist with our bow, if we go down, at least we can help a few get awa-"
"Admiral, new contacts!" Zazix, a particularly tall Hexat communications officer, shouted. Xiixa cursed. More Axon? As if this weren't overkill enough.
"Identify class, corporal."
"Unknown, radar doesn't match any known cross-section, no known iff either. Incoming hail for the pack leader of the USO's, Admiral. It's using a Terran frequency. Close range audio only."
"Put it on. Unidentified vessel, you are entering an active combat zone. Identify and retreat or you will be fired upon." Xiixa sorely hoped this wasn't a new enemy. They were already outgunned, if one of the rogue Terran states joined in it could be enough to guarantee they were done for.
"Now that's no way to treat your human allies Admiral. Lt Captain Kevin Ryder commanding a wing of experimental craft codename Zerg. At your service ma'am."
Holy shit, the humans have ships already? They're tiny though, not likely to help.
"Take out the swarm ships harassing the civilians. We'll keep the big boys busy. Alright crew, you heard it, let's give them what their mothers should've. Bring all batteries to fire on that collector battle cruiser. Fire at will."
The Ixaru rotated to bring its cannons to bear against the enemy ship as volley after volley of plasma was fired off against them, Slowly depleting the enemy ship's shields. They would go down at this rate, but at least the humans would be sa-
Is that one of those Zerg ships? Is it flying through the shield of the Axon?! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?
Xiixa let out a shocked gasp as she started in disbelief. She ship had fired three shots with its railgun, then activated it's FTL drive and used it to essentially nuke the ship...
What the hell ARE HUMANS?!
----------------------------------------------------