The council is dead! Long live the… Wait, wrong type of government.
The galactic council had been usurped, or so the spies’ reports said. How in the void did that happen when their last month’s report was “Everything’s normal”?! Corruption? Traitor? Lazy bleepers? The Emperor would have these idiots executed the next day if it weren’t for their usefulness, and the time it takes to give the order!
Regardless of the reason, it does seem to be a truthful report, mostly because all of the spies sent the same content. It was not only a few power players, but the entire power structure was dismantled by one of the young species. In other words, the wretched gathering of weaklings is in the most turbulent time ever since its foundation.
Then there is one thing left to do.
Call in the fleets! Time to fulfill the empire's destiny and rightful throne!
Unlike the childish peasants living out their kingdom making fantasies, THIS empire stands on its own, outside the reach of the galactic community. Despite controlling a much smaller territory in the fringe sectors, its military prides itself in discipline and efficiency, allowing them to win against most fleets of comparable size.
In fact, the main reason why the empire lost the previous war was the lack of production capabilities rather than firepower. The galactic community united by a common enemy was too resourceful, which it fully took advantage of to replenish its losses as fast as the empire could kill them. When it became apparent that continuing the war would destroy one side and heavily cripple the other for easy picking, a white peace was negotiated, or at least, that's how the historians recorded it.
For the empire that is destined (or so they thought) to be the sole ruler of the galaxy, the presence of an unbeatable opponent was the biggest loss they could have suffered. Until it is forever removed from existence and all recorded history, the empire is unable to move forward, only barely holding onto territory and ridiculed as "The delusional warmongering horde at the fringe".
Little do those weaklings know, time is on the empire's side.
The galactic community is big, but fractured. Each government only looks out for its own, never for a greater good of the community unless threatened by an external threat. A spy here, a bribe there, some false flags here, a few disruptions there, and their flimsy so-called community will collapse by internal strife, without the empire firing a single shot.
The Emperor isn't sure if this plan of his ancestors was supposed to take 5 generations to come to fruition though. Not that they are still around to ask per se…
Nevertheless, the chance has presented itself. This time, the empire will prevail!
____________
Two years later…
The chancellor reports with enthusiasm that the fleets are ready and awaiting orders.
…For what though?
The crusade against the galactic community? …Oh! That!
The Emperor didn't forget it, it was just too long ago to think about! The mobilization was not slow though, considering the coordinations and logistics required for operations of this scale. It's that the empire's eyes and ears were supposed to inform of the galactic community's collapse a few years in advance, not at the same time as the local news article.
…Maybe executing the spies is the right choice after all?
Ignoring the insolent look from the chancellor, the Emperor orders the assault with great haste.
And thus, the totally not forgotten second war between the empire and the galactic community has begun.
The declaration of war was definitely forgotten however. Well, who cares about that little formality right?
____________
Gothia, luminous garden world, warp stream chokepoint system on galactic community border…
The young duchess Madylyc Dhelorian struggles not to screech at the holographic screen in front of her. Someone of her position knows that letting emotions run wild is counterproductive, though no one will blame her if she does in this situation.
After all, her planet is being invaded.
_ Madylyc: You have to be kidding, ambassador. The imperial fleets are already bombarding us from orbit, and you are telling us to hold out for a month?!
_ Ambassador: I wish I was, Lady Madylyc. Our admiralty has been informed of the situation and is working on it as fast as they can. We, however, cannot leave our systems completely undefended. They bypassed your early warning systems by spending months in slow warp instead of warp streams. There is no telling if other imperial fleets are already on their way towards neighboring systems in the same manner.
_ Madylyc: And how do you think your local garrison fleets will fare better? Our main fleets were much bigger, and they got routed after two volleys! We will be dead when they come to you, and there will be no one left to save you while the main bulk of the imperial navy crawls all over the sector!
_ Ambassador: With all due respect, Lady Madylyc, that is more of a reason to keep that planetary inhibitor of yours active for as long as possible. I'm sure your capable advisors can come up with a more foolproof plan, but I suggest evacuating the palace and preparing for guerilla warfare, just as your doctrine dictates as the first layer of defense against an imperial invasion.
_ Madylyc: Are you telling my people to die to buy you time, ambassador?! Ambassador!!!
The communication ends, but the duchess continues staring at the empty screen in despair and disbelief. Her aide has to speak up to snap her out of her daze.
_ Aide: That's the third one. At least they didn't sugarcoat it this time.
Empty promises, non-commitments, meaningless encouragements. Those were all she got from her attempts to request reinforcements from the neighboring allies.
Did their governments not teach them history? The empire cares little for its occupied territory. They have no qualms glassing a planet or two if they think it was in the way of their war plans. Madylyc will only hasten the death of her people if she follows the "advices" of the bureaucrats sitting in the safety of their faraway home planets.
Cursing them and the nearest three generations of their family tree wouldn't change a thing however, so she swallows her pride and continues her search for anything that can save the billions of souls on this planet.
_ Madylyc: Get me the next contact.
_ Aide: Understood, milady. Hmm… Most of these are government officials…
Officials. More like traitors, mumbles the duchess. The royal family took off to the galactic community's core territory five seconds after the news of the surprise attack. The planetary governing family… five seconds after that. One by one, the nobles flew away to save their own feathers, leaving behind the clueless citizens who barely got the grasp of the predicament they were in.
It's not that Madylyc didn't think of escaping. She simply never had the chance. Being the last surviving member of her fallen family whose history no longer matters, she is a duchess in name only, not someone to be included in confidential meetings. Even then, she is still a duchess, and became the acting governor of Gothia when everyone else above the chain of succession failed to respond to the automated systems' notifications, mainly due to being in warp.
Whether it was luck or not, her unfortunate background shielded her from the corruption plaguing her noble peers, allowing her to focus on her education and develop a sense of duty, or as humans would call it, "noblesse oblige". It is what motivates her to remain and try to do everything in her power to help her citizens, vain as it may be.
Truly a blessing and curse to have for a leader in an unwinnable situation.
_ Aide: This number is not our government, but…
_ Madylyc: Contact them.
She is so desperate at this point, she is willing to accept help from an unfertilized egg if it can somehow provide her people any kind of relief.
The aide gives a dubious look as if wanting to say something, but then decides that it can't possibly make things worse and follows the order.
_ Aide: …It appears that the enemy has taken down our HGTP communication arrays. Let me see if we can use the older ACP system. We will not have a holographic feed however.
_ Madylyc: Proceed.
_ Aide: As you wish, milady.
After silently tinkering with an old device, the aide begins speaking into the wired machine. It sounds like ACP arrays have not been taken down yet.
_ Aide: Good day to you. I am speaking on behalf of the Gothia planetary government… Yes, we are currently located at the palace… Right. The exact galactic coordinates are… It's currently being invaded by imperial fleets. Can you handle that?
Madylyc cannot hear the other side, so she's leaving the talking to her aide. She excelled in governing and etiquette, not machinery. Especially not ancient arcane arts that are last-generation devices called "phones".
_ Madylyc: Get straight to the point. It's hard to miss the dreadnoughts in orbit no matter where you are on the surface.
_ Aide: Of course. Which size do you want, milady?
_ Madylyc: The biggest one they have. Don't worry about the compensation. We have no need for a treasury if we are dead.
_ Aide: You heard the lady… There are only two of us here… Milady, when do you want it?
_ Madylyc: As fast as they can. Is it not obvious enough?
_ Aide: As fast as you can… Uh, sure, we would really appreciate if you can pull that… Yes, that is all.
There was almost no objection, it sounded like. The duchess can't help but think it was too good to be true. That, or she is disturbingly bad at diplomacy without realizing it.
_ Aide: It is done, milady.
_ Madylyc: Which government was that? A nomad species?
_ Aide: …Pizza delivery.
_ Madylyc: …
_ Aide: …If they don't deliver it in 30 minutes, we get it for free.
_ Madylyc: …WHAT IN THE VOID IS A PIZZA?!?!
____________
A battalion of imperial shock troops make landfall via drop pods, smashing through the roof of the great palace. Judging by the communications coming in and out of the comm arrays, this is the planetary administration, and as thus, has been chosen as the highest priority target. A decapitation strike by the elite forces with air support from strike crafts and an in-atmo cruiser will crush what's left of their futile resistance in short order.
Except for one mighty warrior who hit a dome at a weird angle and bounced off into the river flowing next to the palace. That guy's not crushing anything anytime soon.
Swearing to avenge the poor sod and ignoring how his power armor will protect him just fine, the heavily armed soldiers kick out their pods' doors and begin their assault.
The empire's finests will never waver against the enemy ('s landscape)!
Blasting down the door that was already opened, an imperial squad bravely charges into the comm room in the name of the Emperor… Just to find a sobbing mess of an alien muttering something about "pizza", and another one next to her with an expression that is translated roughly to "I told you so…"
These must be what's left of the administration. That explains the lack of anti-air, or any kind of defense really.
As for the alien's sorry state… She's terrified now that the empire is back. That must be it!
Based on the attire, she seems to be someone of high status, but not the governor. It doesn't make sense for the governing head to be without heavy escort in a warzone anyway. In other words, this is probably just some unlucky officials at most.
What a disappointment.
The squad leader was hoping to catch the planetary leadership before they could escape, or at the very least, engage in a glorious battle worthy of his rank. What he got were empty rooms with unlocked doors and two lowly bureaucrats or nobles who won't even put up a fight.
Not. Happy.
_ Squad leader: Tremble and despair, scum! I will pluck your feathers and turn them into a trophy in the name of the Emperor!!!
At that moment, their fate was sealed.
_ ???: Excuse me~! I have a delivery addressed to Gothia planetary government!
"Plans for the rest of the day completely ruined" kind of fate, that is.
____________
Before Madylyc can comprehend how close to death she is, a half opaque… rectangle appears midair, behind the angry-looking soldiers. For a moment, she thought someone accidentally activated a holographic device. It is quickly disproven when an alien walks through it.
Yes, that person just walked into the room, from… whatever that is in the air.
_ Alien: Excuse me~! I have a delivery addressed to Gothia planetary government!
What. In. The. Void?!?!
After a moment of silence for everyone to recover from the surprise and shock, the duchess finally gets a good look at the uninvited intruder.
A bipedal, just like her, but with upper limbs instead of wings. Beautiful golden hair that seems to sparkle. Prominent mammalian features which her species' evolution discarded in exchange for flight. Black and white clothing with distinctive crumpled fabric. An almost divine appearance that can only be admired from afar or through a holographic screen, but is quickly recognized by most in the galactic community all the same…
Stolen novel; please report.
A human servant. Or in their native language, a "Maid".
_ Servant: Waaa~ They weren't joking when they said this planet was full of petite harpies~! Dear customer, can I fluffy fluff in your tail as a tip? Please~!
She's already squealing while spouting some incomprehensible things! Is what normal people would (rightfully) think. For Madylyc who has good eyesight as part of her species' genetics and self-taught skills to survive the cutthroat nobility, something else stood out. Yes, more than the "fluffy fluff" part. No, she doesn't want to know what that means.
The servant was frowning as she scanned the room. "Scanned" is being used very loosely here as she did it so quickly, most wouldn't be able to differentiate that from natural eye movements. If that was really discomfort she was feeling, she probably has realized that quite a few of the people in here are not "petite harpies", whatever that phrase is supposed to mean.
And she decided to ignore all of that to focus on Madylyc's tail instead…?
_ Servant: Ah, where are my manners? Dear honorable customers from the Gothia planetary government, I have brought you your pi…
_ Squad leader: AN ENEMY! KILL HER!!!
Everything happened so quickly.
No, not the trigger-happy squad leader raising his plasma rifle with intent to kill. Well, he was fast, though not as fast as the human servant swinging a bag full of what would later be identified as light petroleum-based alloy cutleries into his face like a war hammer. And like a war hammer, it shattered the protective glass on his helmet and threw him head first into the ground.
Putting the bag back onto the flat box on her right hand, the servant pulls out a perfume bottle, then proceeds to spray right in his face.
_ Squad leader: MY EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
The translator doesn't even consider the following scream of agony something translatable. That bottle is no perfume!!!
_ Squadmate: OPEN FIRE! Enemy has chemical weapon!!!
A full volley of plasma bolts burns through the air where the human was. Keyword: Was. She is now standing to the elite troops' flank, completely unharmed.
_ Servant: It's called pepper spray. A lady's handy self-defense weapon!
In what corner of the galaxy are self-defense weapons used in the same manner as torture devices?!
_ Squadmate: On the right! FIRE! FIRE!
The soldier never gets a bead on his target as she leaps to him, her face next to the barrel of his rifle, and her eyes, reflecting the metallic helmet facing her.
Ruthless as imperial troops are, they still hesitate to fire upon their own kind (unlike some unruly species in the community who would totally do so with glee). The servant girl slightly bows down as the surrounding soldiers are momentarily unable to shoot.
Then she begins to lift up her dress from below, revealing her slender legs covered by white fabric.
Pure white, thin, stretched to almost see-through fabric. As far as Madylyc's culture cares, that layer of cloth may as well not exist. In fact, its presence makes the whole thing bett… worse! It offers no protection, or coverage. The only thing it does is drawing a lot of attention!
Who?! Who would ever invent something so shameless?! That bastard needs to be put into… into a secluded research lab, or something! Such was one of the milder thoughts the duchess began to have due to the culture shock.
Yes, milder, for they are getting worse as the outer apparel gets pulled higher and higher. Understandable, since this kind of behavior would never fly in the nobility. Madylyc can already imagine the pretentious nobles chirping "Outrageous!", "Heresy!", "She can't get married anymore!", and similar cries non-stop, while continuing staring at the sight.
And even that self-distraction can't stop Madylyc's brain from overloading when she gets a glimpse of what's above that… that bewitching cloth! The small strip of cloth holding it up. The bare, featherless skin. The slight press from the tight, squeezing fabric. The simultaneous satisfaction and guilt upon witnessing something one should not. The unbearable anticipation and speculation of what comes next if it is pulled just a bit higher…
Please, just a bit mor… Wait, NOOOO!!!!!!
What a day to have exceptional fast-tracking eyes and perception…
The duchess was gobsmacked by her own thoughts, but probably not as much as the soldier when his armor gets kneed in the center of mass, its plates cracked from the point of impact with various nasty sounds. As he keels over, the servant launches forward to knee him again, this time in his helmet.
Unfortunately, that was not all. The sneaky human pulled the dagger from the holster during her "flight". Yes, there is a black leather holster wrapped around the servant's leg, though it's doubtful whether anyone noticed that. Holding it down like a sharp talon and the chemical bottle upwards in the same hand, she reaches towards the fallen soldier after landing…
And sprays into his face.
_ Squadmate: MY FACE!!! IT BURNS!!!
Oh, the translator is asking if it should start analyzing the new language. Decline, decline.
_ Servant: Worry not. We have made sure to reduce the amount of capsaicin as per the galactic community's standards for non-lethal weaponries!
In what kind of void-forsaken corner of the galaxy is victims screaming as if their faces are melting considered non-lethal?!
_ Squadmate #2: MELEE! Avenge our brothers!!!
The rest of the squad, realizing that it's not the best idea to use bulky rifles at this close distance, switch to their plasma swords and pile onto the lone human. They probably think that she is a melee specialist, and thus needs to be taken down before she crushes their armors and inflicts eternal (?) suffering. That reasoning is not wrong.
They might have vastly overestimated their ability to take her down however.
Well, the first bastard who got his hull-cutting sword blocked by that tiny blade might have reconsidered, shortly before his helmet was smashed from the side knee strike. Of course, the ensuing spray did not spare his soul, or face. Mostly face.
_ Servant: Dear potential customer… You. Are. Obstructing. Our. Business!
____________
Carnage is probably the closest word to describe the scene taking place in front of Madylyc and her aide, who are trying their best to stay hidden behind a large collapsed wall segment created by an assault mech crashing into the palace.
Turns out, gunshots and screams are very accurate indicators of an ongoing battle. The rest of the imperial forces rummaging around the empty palace took notice in no time and rushed to their brethrens' aid, causing even more gunshots and screams. It's gotten so crowded, the reinforcements started coming in with their swords ready instead of their guns!
In the center of it all, a human is dancing on top of her defeated foes. Not because she's sadistic (probably), but rather because there's no empty floor around her to step on anymore! The remaining warriors in power armors continue hacking and slashing at the petite figure, refusing to let up the pressure. A fierce battle with a lot of back and forth, with weapons clashing and battle cries blending into a chaotic orchestra which will not stop until one side gives up, or falls.
Despite their numerical superiority, imperial soldiers struggle to stay on the offensive. Their opponent sticks to her limbs' middle joints as main means of attack, most likely due to preferences. That means her reach is at horrendous disadvantage compared to the longswords the imperials possess. And yet, she has no problem stepping to one side to evade a blade one moment and closing the distance to counterattack the next. If the victim is lucky, his allies next to him will intercept the counterattack to save him. If not…
_ Squadmate #???: HOTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOT!!!
He burns, kind of. If it's any consolation, all of his fallen allies suffered the same fate.
Every. Single. One.
Okay, maybe the human IS a little sadistic!
One by one, the imperial strike force gets picked off, and not for the lack of trying. Their equipment and training were the bane of the galactic community's forces, not the other way round! Now they are being toyed with by a single foe, who has one limb busy holding a box and doesn't even bother to use her weapon to strike!
Well, at least the reason they are losing so horribly is the same as the reason the imperial planetary assault mech called in to relieve them is now a smoking heap of metal. The reason smashed the mech's legs as easily as she had done power armors, obviously not forgetting to spray the pilot after breaking through the armored cockpit. Cruel as it sounds, the pilot will be witness to prove that it wasn't incompetence that caused them trouble.
At one point, the reinforcements stopped coming. The imperial presence on the planet is vast, no doubt, but they wouldn't put everything into a small area, or expect their most elite soldiers to lose so badly and shortly after landing. It would take hours for the nearest force to come. Hours which the last few standing warriors do not have.
One of them screams for air support in vain. Judging from the amount of automated drones wrestling against the imperial air force outside the destroyed walls, it is unlikely that any will come. Planetary air defenses are also shooting back, including multiple batteries in the palace courtyard. No, Madylyc did not activate them. She didn't even know these systems existed!
The battle in the palace is reaching its end. No longer having the numbers for full encirclement, the imperial soldiers stood no chance. As another soldier sees his life and a hot pepper mist flashing in front of his very eyes, his last standing brother-in-arm performs one last heroic charge from the servant's rear.
To which she quickly reacts by jumping and turning at the same time. The dress flutters in the air as it spins along, once again uncovering the beauty underneath for a brief moment, before said beauty collides with the bastard's helmet.
_ Madylyc: That looks nice…
_ Aide: Uh… Milady?
The duchess has failed to keep her desires to herself! No, not desires! It was just curiosity! Curiosity to know how it feels to be… Wait, NO!!!!!!
After finishing off her target with a non-lethal spray of suffering, the human servant turns towards Madylyc and does a one-eye blink. According to the translator, that gesture is called a wink, which usually means affection, friendliness, understanding, or confirmation.
…The human took notice!!! How could she hear anything over the hundreds of imperials screaming in pain and begging to be put out of their misery?!
_ Servant: That was a good warm up. Now then, dear cus…
Beep beep beep!
Alarm-like sounds start ringing. Nothing like the planetary invasion sirens blaring throughout the city (and everywhere else), just high-pitched beeps at low volume.
_ Servant: Ah…
And for the first time since her arrival, the human servant who one-sidedly wiped out an entire battalion shows signs of distress.
_ Servant: I MESSED UP!!!
A lot of distress.
____________
Madylyc is not sure what to feel about a human bawling her eyes out on top of her fallen enemies, while an imperial in-atmo cruiser comes crashing down in the background after taking one air superiority drone too many in the engine. One would have thought the crying servant to be a poor, hapless survivor of a brutal battle if they hadn't witnessed the brutal part of said battle being inflicted in real time. It's too surreal, this scenery…
_ Madylyc: Uhm…
The duchess decides to speak up rather than getting closer, mainly due to fear of getting accidentally sprayed to the beyond.
To her surprise, the human actually stops crying, although she still looks visibly upset.
_ Servant: My apologies, dear customer. I was unable to deliver the package to you in time. As per our contract, you are entitled to your order completely free of charge.
It is a flat, but large and heavy box. It takes Madylyc both wings to hold it, and only barely. On the top side, a big "Burning Servant Pizza" logo is in full view, along with an image of a mysterious cuisine which is assumed to be the contents of the box.
"If they don't deliver it in 30 minutes, we get it for free."
_ Madylyc: …I'll pay for it.
_ Servant: E-eh? But dear customer, you really don't have to…
_ Madylyc: You could have delivered in time if I hadn't called you into an active warzone and left you to fend for yourself against the imperials. Even if I will soon perish along with the rest of the planet, even if I have to pay with my own life, I refuse to let YOU take the blame for my mistakes!
There is no way a delivery made by a human servant can be cheap, so Madylyc was seriously ready to forfeit her life in case the treasury comes short, which it most likely will. A fellow noble would probably call her utterly foolish to pay simply out of guilt, and she would not disagree one bit.
But she would never change her decision.
_ Madylyc: So please… Let me pay for it. I will take responsibility.
_ Servant: M-my goddess…!
Somehow, the human seem to be very moved. The "You have saved my life!" kind of moved, according to the translator. Also, isn't she getting the roles kind of reversed?!
_ Servant: Ah, but we don't do live sacrifices anymore these days, so I'll take cash only.
…Anymore?!
_ Aide: Uh, sorry to interrupt you two, but I have transferred 200 galactic credits as per our agreement.
_ Servant: Ah, yes! Thank you very much for your patronage!
_ Madylyc: …Wait, what?
_ Servant: 150 galactic credits for an XXL pizza and 50 for high-risk delivery fee, milady!
_ Madylyc: …Uh, no, I'm not asking for the details. More importantly, that… can't be the entire bill? 200 credits is like…
_ Aide: Yes, it is less than half of your dinner allowance from the government, which is the bare minimum they must provide for a noblewoman by law.
Said noblewoman could only look at her aide, then the smiling human servant, then the pizza box in disbelief.
_ Madylyc: …THAT'S WAY TOO CHEAP!!!
Such was the first screech which deafened everyone in the palace that day.
The second one came when the same person learned what "take responsibility" means for humans.
____________
Admiral Yannehaith is being briefed on the war situation on her way to the meeting room.
This one's definitely going to the textbooks. The "How not to wage a war" section, to be specific.
A massive defense budget went into reinforcing the system bordering the fringe horde. The navy panicked from the surprise attack and ran away.
Another massive budget went into fortifying the sole habitable planet, Gothia, to withstand any invasion. The ground forces panicked from the navy's retreat and ran away.
Plenty of war plans to harass the invaders while they are busy with Gothia. Nope, royalty ran screaming "Gothia is lost!" to the human servant working there and left her scrambling to pick up the pieces.
Empire's invasion fleet bombarded Gothia uncontested. Turns out, that also meant they couldn't see the abandoned planetary defenses to target.
The human servant in charge of the royal family could activate the automated defense to buy time. Gothia's acting governor, calling every neighboring state for help, was not aware of her existence.
The ambassadors in question could relay the info to the galactic council run by human servants who actually knew that stuff. Nope, emergency meetings to prepare for invasions!
Acting governor could call the galactic council herself. Primary comm arrays went down and she somehow called the galactic council's pizza subsidiary first.
Acting governor or the servant picking up the contact could realize her mistake. In reality, the servants, having experimental intragalactic portals to deliver anywhere within the galactic community, prepared the biggest thing (pizza) they had as ordered.
Imperial forces thought they could capture the planet intact with ground invasion. Their best soldiers attacking the palace and ruining a pizza delivery were captured intact, in a manner of speaking.
Imperial ships thought there was no resistance and got too close. Automated planetary defenses activated by the human servant mid brawl thought the flying metal bricks make good targets.
Automated defenses and a single human fighting back were minor setbacks. The entire imperial command structure reconsidered their assessment 15 days and one third of their assault armies later.
They decided to cut losses and glass the planet. The OTHER human servant came to Gothia with the remnant fleets mid evac and shoved her objection up their engines.
The bulk of the imperial navy hiding deep within their territory warped in to reinforce just in time. They were also just in time to learn why galactic community's fleets require a human servant in command, as well as some new terms like "privateers" and "boarding actions".
After what was left of the imperial navy ran back to their border system, Gothia's previous administration scurried back like nothing happened. Two angry human servants kicked them AND the royal family out like nothing happened.
The empire tried to play the (1) unprovoked aggression against (2) cute space harpies off as a small border skirmish to de-escalate. An angry acting-governor-crowned-queen and a human ambassador responded with declarations of total war.
Bad as that sounds, the galactic community were not threatened enough to join the two angry species. No one told the empire who controls the galactic council and its industrial base these days…
Being outnumbered is demoralizing, but the imperial court believed fortified starbases and professional navy could still make the assaults too costly to attempt. They laughed at the tales of a human servant demolishing their fleets above Gothia… until their last dreadnought was seen burning up in the atmosphere.
And now, the biggest fortress world in the empire, the Imperial Capital itself, is getting a taste of orbital bombardment in return. In this final stretch of a long war, Yannehaith's fleet was called in to support.
…It's amazing how this even went anywhere, thinks Yannehaith. Sure, no plan survives contact with the enemy, but this is on another level, for everyone involved. Why is a late pizza delivery in a strategic report, and a game changer that completely turned the tide of the war at that?!
…Friggin' psychic bleeperies! Did someone accidentally drink human tea again?!
Not asking for a cup, you crazy tea-obsessed maniac!
____________
_ Yannehaith: Good day to you, Queen Madylyc.
And here she is, the new queen herself, enjoying her snack. She seems to be eating a slice of… pizza?
_ Madylyc: Good day to you, Admiral Yannehaith. Please, have a seat, and call me Admiral. The title of Queen has no meaning in the war room.
_ Yannehaith: Well, if that's what you wish, Admiral Madylyc… So, what's the problem? You don't seem to require additional forces.
Orbital defenses have been largely suppressed. All that's left is busting the military bases and sending in the ground troops to clean up. Should be over in the next few days.
_ Madylyc: To be honest, it is a personal issue. I am going to pay a visit to the Emperor down there, and I need a capable stand-in while I am away.
_ Yannehaith: …That sounds personal alright. Sure, I will take command until you return.
And it's probably for the best that Yannehaith doesn't ask what the queen intends to do to the bastard ordering the bombardment of her world.
_ Madylyc: You have my gratitude.
Hmm? What is it?
Her food?
_ Yannehaith: Uh… If you don't mind me asking, isn't that cold? I think you are supposed to eat it while it's hot.
_ Madylyc: Hmm~? Yes, it is fine. My first pizza was cold by the time I ate it, and it kind of grew on me.
_ Yannehaith: Huh. I… see.
_ Madylyc: I appreciate the concerns, but please, rest assured.
As she finishes the pizza slice saying that, a human servant appears out of an intragalactic portal and gently wipes Madylyc's wings with a wet cloth.
_ Madylyc: The one I buy for the Emperor will be fresh out of the oven.