Alistair was still reminiscing about the bliss of the last few days when they jumped into the Sabis system, part of the Citar Sector. The familiar tug of exiting warp space pulled him out of his idle thoughts. He looked up at the screen on the Kaiakos's bridge, which displayed the first set of scans hinting at a massive fleet presence and the zoomed-in images of a massive space station orbiting a planet. However, what truly caught his attention was the ringworld encircling the star—a testament to the technological prowess of the system's inhabitants, the Tok'eall, one of the most advanced species in their universe.
The Aegis Coalition had provided an information package that included images and details about the Tok'eall. Humanoid in appearance, they were far shorter than humans, averaging around one and a half meters in height. Hairless and without visible noses, their heads were slightly more elongated, and their eyes, lacking pupils and irises, glowed faintly in the dark or in shadows. Their skin came in a wide range of colors—olive, white, black, auburn, various shades of blue, and more—reminiscent of demon diversity. The Tok'eall typically wore intricate synthetic robes and other cloth garments, often adorned with symbols of status around their shoulders and chests.
A notable aspect of the Tok'eall culture was their extensive use of biological and biomechanical modifications. Around 60% of the Tok'eall were considered cyborgs, a trait that had served them well during the Trial, opening unique evolutionary paths to enhance their abilities. Within their empire, they housed two ringworlds, which served as vital hunting grounds for both their people and the Coalition's elites. These ringworlds were home to biomechanical beasts far stronger than average, their bodies often containing valuable components and cores infused with intriguing and rare technology-themed concepts. Alistair was eager to explore these hunting grounds one day, though for now, his destination was the station in Sabis' orbit, where the upcoming gathering would take place.
The screens on the bridge zoomed in on a variety of fleets and crafts from different factions. One of the most intriguing was a massive living crystalline structure, which functioned as the mobile home of the Zondu Collective, a faction they were slated to meet. Made up mostly of Dinosaurkin, the Zondu Collective was one of the strongest and most well-known factions in the universe. Their crystalline home was unique within their universe, and the ferocity of their fighters, paired with their legendary hatred for a devouring swarm hivemind threatening their universe from within, had earned them widespread respect.
The Zondu weren’t the only faction to choose a mobile base over a planet. A handful of other factions had bonded with massive space fauna, creatures so large they could sustain entire ecosystems and livable environments within their bodies, serving as mobile habitats or contained subspaces similar to realms. However, Alistair still had to find a realm the AC had offered to sell them known locations of realms that hadn't been claimed, though based on the information they had been provided on the realms, it wasn't a big surprise as they were attuned to some rather esoteric concepts they didn't really have a use for, but somebody using those concepts would kill for.
"I wonder what kind of realm that living crystal contains," Riseth mused beside him.
Alistair shrugged. "We might get to find out, though seeing all these massive space fauna and crafts does make the Kaiakos feel small in comparison."
"We've got an entire planet and moon under our control," Nessyra interjected, having comfortably claimed the captain’s chair. Captain Kazire stood at attention beside her, his eyes locked on the tactical screen.
A realm tied to a living being carried as many risks as it did benefits. Simply having the fortune of finding such a creature in the first place was a great boon. They had discussed the possibility before, but without coming across one, the point had remained moot. Many factions still wandered the stars, searching for a suitable creature to become their home base. Convincing such a beast wouldn’t even be the most difficult part, as most space fauna capable of housing realms or biospheres within themselves tended to enter into symbiotic relationships with their inhabitants, helping both grow. In particular, planting treasures and having individuals grow and refine their internal realms was highly beneficial to these creatures.
"Fair point," Alistair admitted, standing up. Docking procedures wouldn’t take long, and it was time to head to the landing bay. As they made their way to board the station, Nessyra filled them in on recent developments, key figures, and proper etiquette, reminding them that a wide assortment of species would be present at the Gathering.
When the boarding hatch opened, they were greeted by Rolmeros, their personal liaison, and, more unexpectedly, Esta, their elven friend from the first dungeon, who greeted them with a wide grin. She wore a crisp white uniform bearing the sigils of both the Coalition and the Vibrantis Society, the governing body of her world before the Initiation. They had apparently managed to retain power even after everything that happened.
Riseth hurried down the ramp and hugged her. "Esta! What are you doing here?"
"I got a call from up the chain, asking if I’d be interested in working as a liaison for some individuals I knew," Esta replied with a laugh. "Good thing they phrased it that way. I was about to toss the message when I saw it was liaison duty again."
"I had to send three requests before she even bothered to read them," Rolmeros said, his annoyance clear.
"Can you blame me?" Esta retorted, adjusting the stiff collar of her uniform. "I'm a fighter, not a diplomat. This suit is making me itch."
Rolmeros let out an exasperated sigh. "Putting you in a suit is like giving a starknav a bath."
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Alistair chuckled, imagining that a starknav must be something like a cat—difficult and unwilling. It was clear Rolmeros had learned the hard way that Esta wasn’t suited for etiquette and diplomatic talks, being blunt by nature. Seeing her struggle in a formal suit was almost worth the trip. Esta had been a mechanic before the Initiation, and watching her struggle to fit into this formal setting was very amusing to him.
"Stop smiling like an idiot," Esta chided, flashing him a toothy grin. "I still want to take a swing at you before this is over. I want to see how strong you’ve gotten." She then pulled him into a quick hug.
"Sure, I’d like to see what you can do too," Alistair replied, sensing she hadn’t fallen behind—likely having found a master from the outside as well. "How long have you been here?"
"Better part of a week, waiting for you to show up," Esta said with a shrug.
"Any interesting individuals you'd recommend?" Alistair asked.
Esta tilted her head thoughtfully. "Yeah, actually. I’ll introduce you two later. But for now, let me show you your accommodations."
Rolmeros turned from his discussion with Nessyra. "Good call. While you do that, I'll be assisting Lady Nessyra in setting up her workspace." He shot a pointed look at Esta. "And try not to cause a diplomatic incident again while we're gone."
"Again?" Riseth asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Eh," Esta waved him off, already heading down the brightly lit corridor. "He's exaggerating. It was just a friendly sparring match."
Alistair and Riseth followed her, walking through the corridor, which was lined with screens displaying scenes from the planet below, showing its striking orange and dark blue foliage, waterfalls, and cityscapes in the background. Occasionally, they passed doors leading deeper into the station, though the hallways were otherwise sparsely decorated, with only the occasional air shaft in the ceiling and display pads scattered around.
As they ventured deeper into the station, they passed an assortment of strange aliens—birdkin, lizardkin, Mollusca-like beings, and one particularly unsettling figure: a squid-faced alien in a flowing robe. Its body seemed to be made entirely of tentacles hidden beneath the fabric, making Alistair uneasy just to look at it. Moving through layer after layer of the station, they encountered all kinds of rooms until they finally reached a more richly decorated, circular open space. Here, doors led to private quarters, and the ambiance was far more elaborate than in the previous corridors. Lush plants lined the area, while water features filled with colorful, eel-like fish slithered gracefully through the pools. Tables were scattered around, with various aliens sitting together, discussing business and pleasure while indulging in exotic foods.
Alistair guessed this was some sort of public lounge—a place for relaxation and conversation. Esta led them to one of the doors on the second floor, where they entered their quarters. The room was moderately sized and comfortable, with a large screen, a bed, and a bathroom. While nice, it couldn’t compare to their living quarters back in Rathos.
"Bit bland, but it’ll do," Riseth commented as they stepped out of the room.
"Yeah," Alistair agreed. "Anything interesting to do around here besides sit around and chat?"
Esta grimaced slightly. "Well, they do have an illusionary array for combat, but beyond that, the station doesn’t offer much. It’s mostly a place for negotiations and meetings."
"I doubt these talks will last long," Alistair said, patting her shoulder reassuringly. "Most of the factions don’t want to leave their homes vulnerable, especially those who brought their entire faction along with their space fauna. Having their whole faction sitting here isn’t exactly ideal."
"This just shows we're not the only ones looking for allies for mutual protection," Riseth added.
"Yeah," Alistair agreed. "Bringing their entire factions along and showing off their massive beasts is also a show of force I suppose."
They spent the next few hours exploring the station and catching up, knowing that most factions were slated to gather that evening. Nessyra was already holed up in her new workspace, busy making deals and agreements with other faction representatives. Esta told them that her world had remained surprisingly peaceful, and despite the casualties suffered during the trial, their losses were minimal. They quickly reestablished themselves with the help of their natural god, Anarzee. The Vibrantis Society had almost immediately joined the Coalition upon making contact, reaching a near-unanimous vote on the decision to align with them.
Esta herself had been quite fortunate as well—an outsider approached her through the Coalition due to her known core concepts and elven heritage. Her master was an independent associated with the Astra Condottiere, the Mercenary faction Nuk's descendants had joined for safety. This had also allowed her to send a message to Nuk's people, as they had promised the old craftsdwarf. As soon as Esta shared the news, Alistair and Riseth felt an unexpected sense of relief, as if a burden they hadn’t even realized they were carrying had been lifted.
“Ugh, I didn’t even realize that oath had been weighing on me,” Riseth groaned, rolling her shoulders for emphasis.
Alistair let his neck pop before rubbing it. “Yeah, we should let Adamar know, though he doesn’t seem to be in the Coalition Network.”
Esta looked at them in surprise. “They haven’t reached out to you about the Synth Alliance?”
They looked at her in surprise, "Why did something happen?" Riseth inquired.
"Well, the Synth Alliance is technically considered an outsider faction," Esta explained, her expression tightening. "They aren’t attacking anyone yet, but there’s growing concern they’re quietly building their forces to strike the Coalition from within. Your relationship with the Synth Alliance is well known, so I’m surprised they haven’t contacted you to act as mediators. They even reached out to me because I know Adamar."
Alistair and Riseth exchanged a glance. "I suspect they haven’t reached out yet because we were still classified as an independent faction, not officially part of the Coalition," Alistair said. "But I wouldn’t be surprised if they contact us—or at least Nessyra—soon, especially during our stay here."
"Do you think Adamar would actually attack the Coalition if the Synth Alliance asked him to?" Esta asked.
Alistair frowned. "I'm not entirely sure... I don’t think he would, but a lot has changed for him. It really depends on the Synth Alliance. They aren’t the most aggressive faction, but their goal is to spread their gift and find new individuals willing to become synths. If the Coalition tries to block them or restrict their outreach, I could see them turning to violence or intrigue to push through those blockades or any imposed isolation."
"As long as they stick to people who willingly want to change, there shouldn't be a problem, right?" Esta asked.
"Well, that's the tricky part, isn’t it?" Riseth replied. "They tend to target individuals in desperate situations, offering help in exchange for joining them. While they usually walk a fine line to keep it technically ‘acceptable,’ it still rubs me the wrong way."