Three years later.
Luna was looking with huge skepticism at the small packet that was delivered to her from Terra. It was a wooden box with a small piece of metal. She never saw anything like that. It didn't had any notes or instructions.
"Guardian, what it is?"
"It looks like a very old wind-up music box Lady Luna."
"So how it works?" Guardian avatar materialized near her. He inspected visually box since he couldn't even touch it. In the end, his avatar was only a very realistic 3d hologram. He pointed at a small hole in one of the longer walls.
"You should enter the key there."
"But I didn't get any key codes with it!" she was upset that the couriers lost pieces of the gift sent by Thuel.
"No Lady Luna. This metal piece is the key." he found in his database a very, very old video, dated back to the XXI century. He displayed it in a small holographic window. In the video, Luna saw how a Human girl was holding a similar key and inserted its cylindrical part to the hole.
She carefully did the same. She wind it up the same way girl on video did and she heard silent clicks inside the box but that hardly count as music.
Or maybe it counts as one for Humans and their horrible "electro" or "hyper-techno" many of them so fondly listening. She is yet to hear anything that can be called music made by Humans.
After a few turns she felt the mechanism inside resist and two small buttons popped out near the keyhole. Before they were perfectly hidden in the box surface. After some thought, she decided to push them. The lid opened and the vibrant most delicate melody sounded in the room.
She started crying. She knew the day plan just landed in a trash bin.
Konrad had never before received a such note from his life in their almost 27 years of marriage. "We must talk at once. Go home as fast as possible."
It's not like he had some urgent work to do, he just supervise the Kingdom's defenses. The doors to their room were lightly open and he heard familiar music.
"Isn't that Beethoven?" He stopped dead when he saw that his wife, mother-in-law, Luna, Khrisa, and at least nine ladies of the court were sitting around the table. They all were crying.
"Ummm what's going on Guardian?"
"I'm not sure Konrad... They are sitting here for about two hours listening to the music box Thuel has gifted to Luna." If Guardian is speaking to me using only my name, as my friend it is rather bad, thought Konrad.
"And why exactly they are crying? I mean I don't particularly like Beethoven but I don't think he is that bad..."
His mother-in-law Shunna Muira, the most known composer of Fa'enni was shaken. "Konrad Raven! It's not time for jokes! You knew this music existed before?!"
"Well yes..." he started absolutely clueless about what was going on.
"When you played us some things you called music we simply took it with the understanding that humans can't be perfect. Like nothing in the Galaxy. But this!? Why Amanda never told me about it?!"
"But me and mom never liked this kind of music..." All women in the room turned their heads toward him like ready to shoot autocannons. Glitter in their eyes swirled furiously. He wanted to retreat but doors closed. He saw the tenth lady of the court of his wife and he knew he was doomed. He must think of something. He focused on music his father used to listen to with him when he was so young...
"GUARDIAN! AUDIO DATABASE. PLAY IN ROOM SPEAKERS. CHOPIN- MAZURKA IN A MINOR!"
Tender piano notes vibrated in the room hypnotizing all women. He tried to sneak out but when he tried to turn back he saw the green eyes of Shanti who hugged him and made him sit in a chair that somehow was behind him. He knew that he is done for. He sent s.o.s. to his Father, Robert, and Raphael.
When Chopin stopped playing silence in the room was broken by his wife's sweet and passionate voice asking a simple question that somehow felt like the choice between death by firing squad or venting out of an airlock.
"What do you mean by different styles of music sweetheart?" In a panic, he tried to remember something else but he knew his personal favorites are highly disliked by any living Fa'enni. But techno was a good kind of music and it was simply underappreciated.
Suddenly doors opened and he heard Raphael's voice yelling.
"AVANTASIA- FAREWELL!"
Guardian obediently started playing a new song from the ancient Metal Opera. Khrisa and Luna looked at Raphael shocked. Konrad tried to stand up but suddenly Shanti sat on his lap and whispered: "Oh no... You are not going anywhere."
He saw like Khrisa and Luna sat down Raphael in an antigrav chair and he was in the same situation as him. His wife was on his lap but what's worse his daughter with fire in her eyes was standing beside him. They both could break free easily by force but that wasn't an option. Raphael quickly connected his communication implant with his.
"What have you done, Sir?!"
"Don't Sir me here, no time for it! Raphael, I swear I have no idea! Better think of what we should play them next. It all started with the music box with Beethoven's melody in it my Son send to your Daughter. Then they lured me here, surrounded and started interrogating me. I played them Chopin and you saved me with Avantasia."
"It made no sense! Why are they so tense and emotional?!"
"My dude I have no clue!" The song was closing to an end and he didn't know what was going on. They can, of course, play millions of songs from all genres across all recorded history they can think of but it will not help them at all. Doors opened when the last note of Farewell died. His father was standing there and with curiosity was looking at the scene before him.
"May I know what is going on? Why King of Fa'enni is sending desperate S.O.S. signals? Why the head of government security in panic is searching all logs for what happened here today?" Queen Shanti with the most charming smile asked her Father-in-law.
"Father! Good you joined us. Would you mind telling us why no one showed us this music and only this monstrosity my husband is listening to?"
"What do you mean? While I can fully agree that my Son music taste is just horrible I still don't understand the problem." Shanti nodded to Luna, who walked almost reverently to the music box and turned it back on. Richard smiled.
"Beethoven- For Elise. I often was listening to this while I was taking care of young Thuel. He always happily fell asleep to it." Shanti and Luna found themselves with their gazes.
Traitor!
Somewhere far, far away Thuel felt the disturbance in mana.
Richard instead of being dragged by angry women to the interrogation chair just told them: "My Ladies. Release this two since they will be of little use to you. Please, follow me."
And he left without waiting for anyone. All women quickly rushed to catch up with the old politician. Raphael looked at Konrad.
"We run?"
"YES!"
And they used an opened window to be sure of their escape. Good thing they were both fully enhanced marines because they jumped out from the 5th store above ground. They shrugged it like nothing and quickly headed toward the Marine's garrison. If they are going to die today they need backup since they won't give up easily.
There were 500 marines in there now. For sure they know enough music to keep frenzied women entertained.
Richard smiled when Guardian told him boys jumped out of the window and were heading toward the barracks. They will try to simply wait them out or wait till they got bored. Not this way boys he smiled.
"I suspect you have found that Humans have different kinds of music. Am I right?"
Shunna asked him instead: "What are this kind of music you speak of?"
They were heading to his and his wife's quarters. He opened the door and smiled at his wife. "Honey, can you ask young Ensign Yukimura and Private Liu to join us in my studio?"
She looked puzzled at all the Fa'enni women who followed her husband. Shunna looked very sour on her friend. Her husband just smiled and blinked at her.
If he 'says' it's under control then fine. She sent a note to the boys her husband asked for and after a brief moment to her son to make sure they will be allowed to go.
Richard opened real doors made from real wood. Women followed him resolved to not let him go before he will answer all their questions. He showed them a few lines of armchairs made of real Terran wood upholstered in a wonderfully soft and comfortable fabric.
He, meanwhile, walked over to a strangely shapen wooden black table with an oddly thick top and sat down on the small stool at one of its sides. They all watched him patiently.
Suddenly the wonderful music filled the entire room. They were surprised and started looking for where it was coming from. Shunna was standing with one hand overstretched toward Richard and the second hand on her face covering her mouth. Then all of them saw it. This was the instrument worthy of gods. They almost cried when the sounds of Frideric Chopin's Nocturne in E Flat Major sounded. When he finished young soldiers came in.
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They had no idea what was going on but when the General and Colonel yell at you in a panic to run you just run.
Never ask where or how long, just run.
"It's good to see you, boys. Thanks to charming Ladies here, you will be able to slack a bit in work for at least today. Tell Me do you found others for our little project? Were you able to train what I gave you?"
They still don't understand even a bit what's going but the old Lord Raven project was too close to their hearts to forget so they replayed with big grins: "Yes, Sir! To our surprise, we managed to gather everyone and we are ready!"
"Splendid, just splendid! Gather them all in the Grand Concert hall in 30 minutes. Let them all take their weapons of choice. Gentelmans it's time to show what we are made of. Don't worry about your duties. General will personally agree to this."
They all shone brightly when they understood what opportunity they will have. The Grand Concert hall was almost holy ground for the Fa'enni under director Shunna. They already were sending notes to all their friends.
"Guardian, can you transport my second piano to the Grand Concert Hall immediately?"
"It will be there in 20 minutes, sir."
"Excellent. My Ladies, may I ask you again to follow me?" They must know what Humans are preparing to. They wanted to stay in this room trying to understand how this strange Human apparatus works but with heavy hearts, they followed Richard Raven once again.
When they reached the Grand Hall more Fa'enni gathered curious why would humans enter the temple of master Shunna. But when she didn't throw them out they all decided to enter.
It was very dark inside and no one could see what or who was on stage. Guardian active jamming was blocking their implants so they patiently waited. Dim lights were only enough to show them empty armchairs on audition. Richard led them to the middle row and told no one to come any closer and went into the darkness.
The audience was full and to the surprise of Shanti and Khrisa, their husbands joined them with Admiral MacArthur and his wife Naella. Shanti held her husband's hand. Looks like they figured out what's going on or what's more probable Richard told them.
Gradually lights started to shine brighter showing rows of Marines and Sailors in their ceremonial uniforms holding unknown weapons while on the other side, a few rows of male and female Human Sailors and Marines in their ceremonial uniforms were standing unarmed. Before all of them were floating small displays.
They all could see known by now Human apparatus, the piano, which was almost the same as the one Richard was using before, standing in the middle of the half circles made by rows of soldiers. But now it was Ensign Yukimura who was sitting at it. Liu was holding some strange brown box with an elongated top.
Richard Raven was standing at the central podium and was holding some short stick or wand. Shanti noticed that her husband as well as Robert and Raphael looked excited. She must see what they are up to.
Suddenly Richard Raven waved his wand and the magic happened. Fa'enni were sitting in absolute awe. For the first time in their lives, they heard what the human Orchestra is capable of. One composition of Humanity's Greatest composer of the early XXI century tore out the souls of all Fa'enni who were listening. Most of them started to cry.
They denied humans use of the Concert Hall in fear they will play their horrible synthetic sounds they called music.
But here they were playing the most magnificent music all Fa'enni ever heard. The music they could never think of.
Thomas Bergsen- Winterspell.
Orchestra played and played. More and more Fa'enni joined after each break the Orchestra took. Shanti, Shunna, Khrisa, Luna, and Naella cried. All Ladies of the court looked enchanted by young Human warriors. They were capable of destroying entire worlds without remorse, the warriors who made ancient Huluk who killed billions extinct. Warriors who dropped from the skies and saved Fa'enni from certain death.
Konrad heard from the audience from time to time silent "I beg you don't stop it!".
Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi, Chopin, Bergsen, and even compositions of Richard Raven. After five hours Richard gave the sign to his Orchestra and they all stood up and bowed to the audience.
Konrad, Raphael, Robert, and every other Human in the audience stand up and started clapping their hands. All Fa'enni know this Human custom and joined as well. When they left the hall with their instruments lonely piano was left behind with Ensign Yukimura who sat and played the song that started it all.
So well-known sounds of the Beethovens For Elise sounded in Shanti's ears much longer and with parts unknown from the small music box her Son sent to his beloved Luna.
When it ended all Fa'enni gathered in the hall and noticed a personal letter sent to them all by Lord Richard Raven.
It was the History of Music.
The next day Konrad, Robert, and Raphael were sitting in the gardens drinking coffee. They still tried to understand what happened yesterday.
"So if I'm right Fa'enni never created a single musical instrument." started Konrad after a brief moment.
"Are you surprised? When my Naella starts singing I just sit and listen. She doesn't need any instrument."
"Agree. Khrisa and Luna sometimes sing together. It's something else."
"Shanti often sings as well. Sometimes with her Mother so I know what you both mean. Maybe it's just strange for us. By the way. Shanti yesterday refused to go to sleep and read most probably the entire History of Music sent by my father. Read it personally without boosted implant learning. At about 04:15 I woke up to see what she was doing but she fell asleep at her desk so I took her to bed. She is still fast asleep and it's about 09:16 now"
"Same" replayed Robert and Raphael at the same time. All Men started laughing.
"It looks like Shunna refused to return the piano and took poor Yukimura hostage." smiled Robert. Raphael cleared his throat and tried to stay serious: "He is a grown-up man. He knew what dangers lurk in the depths of the void when he was signing the contract. But I don't think he ever suspected his own demise will be Túrieel Vaasta's top student of Shunna."
"Hahaha, he could get it worst for sure. For example furry potato." Konrad's voice was once again serious. All of them entered the work mood immediately.
"I saw reports and 3d provided by you. Ioitians have no chance." Robert displayed a small miniature and all data about the raided station they had.
"And still no data about them besides what my wife dug three years ago. Very ugly bastards. Good thing they were not our first contact." Told Raphael.
"I don't know... If they have been the first contact we most probably would have already done with them." joked Konrad.
"If we speak about what happened three years ago I want to point out that their ships are a mystery. To be honest they are nothing special. Merlin found almost all their invisibility tricks and it looks like we can now see them on our sensors. What's more no one else from the Galaxians can see them, their sensors are too primitive. However, after they lost this ship their activity dropped to zero in our space. And it's whole months between their appearance even outside our borders." Robert was watching alien miniature and asked a rhetorical question "The fuck do they want?"
The rest of the coffee committee shrugged their arms.
"Any word from Hunters?"
"Nope. They are currently scattered everywhere. Last time I checked they were on the other side of territories claimed by the Federation. Are you sure Konrad we shouldn't give a word that our forces are moving through their territory all the time?"
"Maybe we should. But this is funnier and Hunters liked the idea. I have no clue how Galaxian's minds work- it's been 27 years since we busted their party and it looks like they didn't make any significant progress. Their sensors are as bad as they were. Little to no changes. And look right now at the Fa'enni. If suddenly all Humanity disappears they will be the most powerful race around. They made bigger progress during the last 27 years than for the last 500 years."
Raphael nodded. He was wondering about one thing: "Why they didn't waited for wounded crewmates?"
Konrad was derailed from his previous speech and tried to focus on what Raphael meant. Robert looked at him stupidly and a sudden flash of understanding in his eyes shone. With one mind command, he summoned a recording of what Khrisa showed them in the teleporter room.
"True. They entered just one minute after this one left. It's highly unlikely it didn't know they are coming."
Konrad watched the recording. One idea come to his mind so he rewound the recording to the first "hit" from the Commonwealth ships and looped it and then to the second "hit" and looped it again. Then he put both recordings near each other. On both of them, the alien has rapidly flung two of four of its upper tentacles in the same manner.
"Maybe it was shock? Maybe it couldn't be believed they were actually spotted or hit?"
"Hmmm, there is some pattern yes. But we shouldn't apply what humans would do in a similar situation."
"But the shock and trauma would match why it didn't wait for rest" Raphael supported Konrad's theory.
"We should gather more data. Then we will know what to do next." said Robert. You can't disagree with such statement.
"Thanks to Khrisa we know plenty about them. Now we just hunting?"
"Can't see the other way around. Their appearances are sparse and whole years can pass between them." They all fell silent for a longer moment. Konrad remembered something.
"Robert how you got here so fast yesterday?"
"In early afternoon suddenly Naell told me that Queen Shanti wanted to see her at once and she should take me with her. And when we landed Guardian told me that I'm expected in the Grand Concert Hall." he looked at Konrad and shake his head. "You know that this is still a warship at its core?"
"What I could do? Shanti said we must build it. And you should know when a Fa'enni woman wants something she has very convincing means to get it. And I know you also made a special room for Naell on Wrath."
"How do you..? Fine. I get what you mean. Naella was very convincing when she asked for her music room. But room it's not the Concert Hall!"
"So what? This is not the flagship but Royal Palace" responded Konrad with a big grin on his face.
"What happened anyway?"
"Welllll... Girls first time in their life heard a piano." responded Raphael after a while. Robert was blinking and trying to understand what was going on. When Guardian informed them.
"Queen Shanti, Lady Khrisa, Lady Luna, and Lady Naella are coming to you Lords"
"Should we run?" quickly asked Raphael, Konrad was already standing while Robert had no idea what was going on.
"That will not be necessary. Here they are." All four women walked slowly towards them and calmly talked with each other. All of them took empty spots around the table. All three men were sitting in silence.
Queen Shanti smiled and announced. "From now on your Orchestra is welcome anytime in the Concert Hall. We also like to employ Ensign Yukimura as a piano tutor for some girls. I hope you don't mind relieving him from duty for a few months?"
Konrad didn't even need a second. While Raphael was nodding with full heart conviction. Konrad sends a quick private message directly to Robert and Raphael: 'May the Spirits of Your ancestors help you and God protect you Yukimura. We will sacrifice you for the greater good and our peace.' and loudly said.
"That wouldn't be a problem at all! I'm sure Ensign Yukimura will be very happy when he receives this new exciting work perspective. Right Colonel?"
"But of course my Lord! I even think it's his dream job." quickly replied Raphael. And replayed to his friends on the same channel: 'If Yukimura plays this smart he should be able to find a girlfriend. We are actually making him a favor!' Robert sighed and sent them: 'Are you trying to ease your conscience or just making up excuses to each other?'
Queen continued. "We wish to apologize as well for how we acted yesterday. As you know we Fa'enni love stories and music. We always believed to be the greatest musicians in Galaxy. While our voice is still the best we admit your music beats anything we created so far. So far because my Mother is right now learning everything about your classic music. And she alone is using the entire 1% of Guardian computing power."
All three men looked at her with eyes wide open. 1% of the computing power of combat planetoid is so huge amount of data processed per second it usually takes an entire 200000 crew to use that much processing power. And Shunna is doing it alone.
This time Luna spoke: "Dad why have you never told us about music instruments?"
"When something is normal and ordinary for you Luna you just don't think about it. Luna, do you care about the weapons I hold in our home? Or do you notice equipment my marines use?" She thought about it for a moment and replied.
"No. I know where it is and how to use it. I also have my own weapons in the home armory but I think I know what you mean." All wives slowly nodded their heads. That made sense, they were warriors, not musicians.
They all read the entire History of Music they received yesterday and the new vocabulary they learned sounded so exotic but very appealing. Shanti wanted them to understand what happened since they seems to not fully understand how significant that was for the Fa'enni.
"Konrad and both of you must understand that your music instruments, the concept of music styles, or the music language- the music notation you created is revolutionary. Yesterday will be the day remembered by all Fa'enni. Except for my Son who knew all along and never uttered a word. We spoke today and he just said "I thought everyone knew! It's just in the public database!". He is just like you three!" Konrad was visibly proud of his Son and criticism absolutely got over him.
"So they are somewhere near?"
"Yes. Their training task force was dropped somewhere in the uncharted stars region. They are in the range of Hypercom with a delay of just a few minutes. Their task is to get to the unknown star system and map it."
"Almost like a vacation." Murmured Konrad. He checked the data. They were actually quite far and the closest Forces to them are Academy supervisor forces at 5h away jump who are apprising their skills.
Meh.
With six dreadnoughts eight Dashu'uns and eight heavy cruisers with 20 escorts they can map five star systems in no time.