The lights on the bridge of the modified cargo vessel were dimmed to the point of being overpowered by the various crew monitors. This ship had seen many battles with mercenaries and law enforcement alike and even more patchwork repairs as a result. With an empty slave hold and bloodthirsty raiders itching for a hunt the captain grinned that crooked smile.
A ruthless man of the boa people the captain was very snakelike as humans described him, with four arms and three fingers each, and two eyes on either side of his head, the smaller front two of which were used for seeing in the ultra violet spectrum. With a voice as smooth as silk he leaned forward and keyed the ships coms and uttered a single statement that would change a lot of lives forever.
"Raidersss! Let the hunt begin!"
And with cheers and roars alike the raiders piled into dropships and descended towards a small village. A village full of unsuspecting primitives in the midst of some late night celebration.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A stage had been set out as the sun slowly fell and anyone who could play an instrument was up there, lutes flutes and drums played into the night as people drank ate and danced their merry way. Arcadia and some guards still were adorned in their weapons and armor but there wasn't a single busy soul this night. At one point a little girl got Arcadias attention to point out falling stars, and Arcadia smiled and picked up the young child to watch them together. They left beautiful multicolored trailes behind them as they entered the sky. The yellow burn trailed by a blue tail was beautiful indeed. And then the stars started to turn, and slowly grow. Arcadia watched in mounting horror as the stars grew larger and closer.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Quickly and suddenly Arcadia sets the girl down and runs onto the stage before facing the crowd and yells as loud as she possibly can. "STARFALLL!" before pointing at said falling stars. Then all hell broke loose as the crowd began to panic and run towards their homes and cellars in hopes of not loosing everything. Arcadia had joined the guards in trying to maintain order. In a matter of seconds the village center is empty as Arcadia enters her father's home, however she's not fast enough as the stars are about to hit, only for nothing to happen.
Arcadia looks out a nearby window to see a strange construct floating in the village center on dull blue flames that burn out its bottom. After a moment it's maw begins to open and something slithers out, these beings appear to not have legs or wings and thus crawl along the ground and wear strange armor and hold odd objects.
Suddenly one of them tosses something into my open window. Believing it's an offering I move to inspect it and...
Pain... white, blinding hot pain.
At some point I fell unconscious, I know that much because when I regain said consciousness I'm not in my father's home. I slowly push myself off the cold metal floors and realize something.
I should not be cold.
I look down at myself and find myself... "Shit" My clothes are missing, as is my armor and weapons. Then I hear a familiar voice nearby. "Arcadia, please be quiet so these devils won't beat you."
"Dad? Are you okay? Where are we?" I ask as I run towards a door and hit... something. It's invisible, clear, but not glass.
"I don't know." He responds in a downtrodden voice. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you sweetie."
"Don't! This isn't your fault dad. Don't blame yourself." Then I hear a clacking hissing sound and a couple voices become known, speaking a guttural language that's painful to listen to and the forms make themselves known. The snake demons.
Looking at them, all I feel is hate. White, hot, hate.