Augh'un peered upon the footage of the 'hijacked' Gen One RF Suit. He could feel his blood boil in his veins with anger, as he watched the footage. This... animal that piloted one of his army's suits... it did so with an ability that would put some of his soldiers to shame. Still, the Sector Captain wasn't going to admit it even if he was on his death bed, the audacity of that xenobiologist got him on a warpath.
As he got to the point where the native managed to escape the pilotless ship by air gliding using spacial manuever thrusters, he had to pause. He rubbed his temple as his eyes squinted and closed forced eventually.
'By the High Emperor, this is a bunch of scraxshit... I don't even know what is worse... the fact that I have to report this, or the fact that my superiors might consider this something worth looking into. The way the suits behaves and its ability to change with his need to fight without an apparent exact input... this is similar to the older records of the Gen One Suit. Sigh... I wish I had taken a better look at those before they got classified higher.' Augh'un thought as he leaned back in his command chair back on Mars, where his main base for the sector stood.
His golden eyes, the left one having a scar going near the hairless arch of his brow, laid upon the two dots that represented his soldiers that he had sent to recover the suit. The Rescue team at this point had arrived and they were taking care of the Xenobilogy vessel's crew, and assesing the situation more in depth.
The situation regarding the suit though, he had kept that on a need to know basis, which infuriated him. He himself was in a position where he didn't know why this was required, but failing to do so was basis for a lot of legal trouble. He had been one of the few to notice this. The information about the Gen One RF Suits was being censored or restricted more and more and the actual Gen One RF Suits... they were starting to be slowly recalled.
Initially this didn't bother him, it was just another curiosity that had caught his eyes by accident, but now, after witnessing this, it was rather anomalous and sudden.
'Why recall them, especially when the Gen Two RF Suits are still not enough in number for our whole empire's fleets? Hm... are they even the same type of suits? What they are supposed to do is the only thing they share in common. If the way that hairy low brow is operating it, is the actual way it is supposed to work then... not only are they vastly different, but the Gen One might even be stronger, just through its flexibility in use.'
As Augh'un continued to ponder this ridiculous situation, back on Planet-34R/7H, William had returned to his trusty steed Stevellion with Ashi'in. With glee in his heart for this fortunate situation, surely granted only by God's radiant generosity and kindness, he had been riding for the better part of a few hours, while there was still any glimmer of light still on the sky.
'Oh, Holy Father most gracious, mine mother gets to be graced by one of God's Holy Children in the flesh and certainly she shall be cured of the sickness that ails her, how fortunate I am. I knew that our prayers were not in vain, that there truly is a God who aids his loyal believers and grants them succor in their hour of need. Hah, how my heart stings at the thought of how many I heard who doubted His power and existence. It stings even more at the few times I nearly fell pray to that sin, denying God's existence, how foolish. Glad am I to have held steadfast and for my beliefs to have been confirmed by this Fated encounter. His aid cometh with devotion, that is what they don't understand, those who ask for his help, yet not fully believe in Him. Oh, how serene I feel now, nevermore a demon of doubt shall take nest in my now blessed silver heart.' Despite the slight distraction provided by processing the events of his day, William, was very well able to make the ride safely back to his family's home.
If anyone would have asked him, William would have described his home as a Keep fitting for any noble, yet if they witnessed it themselves, they would have realized how the rosey glasses of childhood nostalgia have been clouding the man's sight.
Although it wasn't a forgotten ruin of a building the old Estate of the Falis family, could be described as a Keep if one was to be generous akin to God himself. The main building was indeed made of stone and it had another two floors above the ground one. To the side of it a tower was attached just about a floor and a half taller than the building itself, half covered by a relentless ivy. The back wall of the building was thicker and exposed to a sheer cliff side with a good 50 foot drop, with just a lip of a natural stone edge separating the building from the drop. The stone walls surrounding the other sides of the building, standing at barely a bit over 13 feet, have clearly been worked on with various types of stone to patch damage caused by the cruel passage of time or by more violent events from the family's past. These blemishes were masked by overgrowing moss and natural elements that blended them and hid them in plain sight.
Ashi'in observed the construction as they approached, the way the surrounding nature had partially reclaimed it was quite a beautiful sight, in a way. She tried holding herself back from analyzing things from a scientific point of view, it helped enjoy the rather unique way the planet looked. Even this construction mainly made from a mix of bio material and stone, was quite a sight, certainly a welcome change of scenery.
'Its people have so many various architectural styles based on the regions they live in... you can see similarities at the base of it all, but... so much of their structures' appearance is dictated by their surrounding materials... marvelous... if they had enough time they might reach us eventually... we do seem to have similar construction methods, compared to our ancestors... well... if we go by illustrations at least... don't think our people preserved any physical sites of our ancestors constructions.' Ashi'in thought as they had arrived close to what looked like a gate to the exterior walls.
"Halt! Who has come at the doors of the Falis estate? State thine name, where you hail from and purpose!" A voice spoke from behind the gates, the sound coming mainly from a slit in the door itself. The voice was rough on the ears, dry and with a certain roughness only brought by age.
"Uncle Redrick! Tis I, William! I have arrived as God wills it, safe and unharmed! Open the gate, for I wish to see you and my family. It has been too long." William stated loudly and cheerfully, clearly knowing the voice.
Quickly the slit closed and one of the two massive gate doors opened. With slow and slightly shakey steps a raisin of man had come out. His form sported a slight hunch as he moved using a decent looking wooden walking stick. His hair was a mix of grey and white hairs peppered with a memory of black which could only be found still somewhat vibrant within his beard and mustache. Two sunken hazel eyes gazed closely as the man lifted up a torch, widening after a few moments of peering at William.
"Haha~ our young master has returned. You are a welcome sight for mine old eyes, boy." Old Redrick said as his cheeks wrinkled and crows nests' next to his eyes became pronounced. A smile, hidden by his beard, was shining through his expression.
"Ye as well, uncle, but I do not come alone, besides news from the siege I aided in, I have also brought us a most unexpected guest, but one that we should welcome with our hearts open." William said as he went to dismount Stevellion. When Ashi'in was about to get off, his hand gently stopped her. "Nay, your divinty shan't be forced to walk unless necessary. As much as you walking through our keep is a blessing, oh saintly angel of God, it will be my Stevellion's duty to faire you. I am sure if he could speak he would confirm his own happiness regarding this."
"A-angel?" Redrick asked with confusion as he looked at the cloaked figure still on the horse. The dim light of his torch caught a bit of the blue chin of Ashi'in as well as the golden shine of her eyes. His expression changed to one of surprise as he shook lightly. "M-my God... W-william... is this truth? H-how?!" The old man said as he tried holding himself back from collpasing to his knees in surprise.
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"Uncle, many things have happened on mine way home, but God's fortune smiled upon me as His servant and His benevolence allowed one of His angels to come and aid us. Tis the boon I asked for. God answered our prayers, truly so." William said with his eyes focusing on the old man, resting a tender hand on his shoulder.
At this point Redrick looked at William and saw the life that pulsed in his eyes and the sheer joy that the young master was radianting. He had known him for as long as he was alive. Although William always called him uncle, he was but one of the oldest servants of his father, and a close friend from since they served together longer ago in an army that broke apart, for reasons forgotten by time.
The old man was about to speak of this wonder with excitement as well, but then his shakey eyes laid upon the silver crest embedded into William's chest, right over his heart, his family's crest laid there. "You have a lot to explain young master, your father should be most eager to see you and we all, most curious of your word."
Ashi'in who was now contemplating why exactly she wasn't let to come off the horse, looked upon the two discussing. 'Hmm... they seem close, yet their physical characteristics are not similar as to denote relation by blood. Perhaps simply theirs is simply a platonic relationship? Adopted offspring? Friendship? Huh... wonder how their age difference affects that?'
As she contemplated these curiosities, Ashi'in found herself moving before being fully aware. The much older native had let 'Whill'aem' within the walled off structure and as he walked he guided the horse inside. Ashi'in looked around from under the hood of her cloak and trying to take in the surroundings, despite the much lower light.
'Quite a few people work here... or serve rather said? Wonder what exactly the social structure is for this place... oh! Damn it... doing it again. Well, gotta report to Lukin. Let's see...' Ashi'in took a moment to compose herself so her mind wouldn't wonder much more, as she then took out the communicator and very gingerly palmed the device towards her mouth.
"Doctor Lukin? We have arrived at the place he wanted to bring me. He seems familiar with the others, possibly closely related. Might be a personal abode of sorts? Small structure with a single tower and a rather... modest perimeter wall. What is the situation with the soldier sent by Augh'un? Have they departed towards our location? Over."
"Ashi'in, we are currently being tended to by the rescue team, two of their agents have already left to come 'rescue' you and to retrieve the suit. Based on their speed of travel and the fact they can track Whill'aem by the suit's signal, they should reach you in a relative short amount of time. Whatever its business is there, you better make it quick and leave or the soldiers might catch natives in their crossfire. Over." Lukin answered quick and snappy, sounding rather annoyed at the speed of their rescuers to act.
"Understood. I will see what I can do. Keep me updated on anything else happening and I will do the same. Over and out." Ashi'in whispered as she put her communicator away. As her eyes lifted from her downwards gaze, she locked eyes for a brief moment with Redrick who walked besides the horse, at a decent distance, and simply gazed at her.
The xenobiologist recognised the thinking eyes as those brimming with awe, curiosity and wonder. 'Huh... it looks at me like we look upon them. If they weren't primitive, we'd basically be on par. Wonder... how would this species do if we tried to ask for a permit to try and elevate them... maybe our friend will be a good first try out. Well if it manages to survive the incoming attack. Shit... I still have to figure out a way to inform it of that... if only we could understand one another.'
Ashi'in tried thinking through a plan, a way to communicate with Whill'aem, but Lukin hadn't managed to confirm which language from the thousands of them they studied it might be. Subtly though, a spark of possibility manifested in the studious assistant's mind. She remembered that most if not all religions they studied always had one or multiple beings of a fallen divinity or at least evil. That could be something she can use, to paint the two would be attackers as fallen or evil divine. Although, it would be a lie, it might be the most certain way to get her message to it.
'Well... let's see if we can get out of this unscathed... hopefully... heh.' She thought as she had been brought to some sort of holding building for the burden animal she rode on. After giving it's head a few gentle touches, Ashi'in with William's help, got off and she was then being guided deeper within the depths of this stone construction.
In a decently big hall, with a high arching ceiling and with a rather long table off to the side, aligned with benches on the opposite sides along it, stood a big trone of iron, laid with silks and cushions. Upon it sat an older man, with a long beard as grey as Redrick's. Dressed in gown of fine materials, but with colors and designs more modest, was William's father, Thaddeus Falis.
"William, you have returned, this brings such ease to mine soul, my son." The old man said as he grasped a walking stick, which had a head made of silver in the shape of an eagle's head. He stood up with the dull popping of old joints and began making his way towards William.
Ashi'in watched as her native ally approached the elderly figure and the two then embraced. 'Ah, possibly one of the parents of Whill'aem? Hmm... the clothing signifies some sort of status, but it seems simpler and worn... could be possibly an old family, but of smaller status than most? Would explain the small size of this place and its state of somewhat disrepair.' The Anghelan woman thought as she kept a distance from the two as she stepped within this larger chamber.
"Father! I missed you so. What of Godwin and mother? Are they well?" William inquired once the two broke their hug.
"Godwin is asleep and your mother is resting as usual. Her wellbeing is deteriorating. I have spent all I could to bring aid to her, but none of the doctors have been able to aid her, some of them nearly made her ailments worse and I had to remove them before any ignorant fury, brought by the sorrow of her state, made me want them killed." Thaddeus said as he grasped his staff tightly, his boney hand shaking around the silver eagle head. His eyes peered into the air aimlessly, until they suddenly refocused on William's chest. Noticing the tear in his shirt and leather armor, the old man looked upon the silver sigil on his chest depicting their house's crest. All of a sudden, as if woken to proper awareness Thaddeus also noticed the cloaked figure standing back, much taller than any person had any right to be. "S-son? Had something happened? What is this upon your breast, a-and who is that you have brought with you?"
"There is much to explain, but have faith all will be well, for God has answered our prayers. Uncle Redrick, father, please sit." William said with a serious tone.
After guiding Ashi'in to a seat at the end of the table, where a chair dedicated for higher status guests stood, he then kneeled besides her and bowed his head in a prayer. Redrick and Thaddeus sat confused, but not for long, as William told the short story about his journey back home and the happenings on the way here.
The young knight's story of the siege he partook it was noted as a footnote in the whole story, but he told the two older men of how he came upon God's Angels and aided them in a fight with some devilish demons. Before going into more detail, he let his father know that the individual accompanying him was one of God's holy angels, who had agreed to come cure his mother.
Thaddeus hearing this, before awe and shock could settle into his old bones, had asked for the story to be paused and for them to escort the angel to Isabella's quarters, which was agreed to be done hastly.
After William beckoned Ashi'in with plenty of prayers she didn't understand, he had guided her by the point of his open palm towards his parents chambers. Once the xenobiologist began following, the four of them headed and entered the private room, to an older woman, laying asleep in a bed for two, but large enough to fit three. The mother of William laid there, face pale sickly and sweat dripping off of her wrinkled brow, looking thinner than she was before he left.
'OH- It was a sick family member! It wanted me to cure someone. Oh no, if I don't manages this, we are screwed... we will blow our cover and he might even be hostile towards me! This is going downhill qui-' As Ashi'in mind began to spiral into a panic at the situation, she turned to see the 3 men kneeled to the side of the room, all of them muttering prayers under their breaths in sync, the sound akin to a rythmic buzz.
Her golden eyes widened at the sight of them, their expression, their eyes closed yet relaxed. 'They have faith that I can do this... I am here worrying about our cover being blown and these three... all they care for is for this elderly one to be helped. Fuck... at this point I wonder if my logic as a woman of the sciences is worse off than some primitives who still worship beings they can't see?'
Ashi'in took a moment to think and she came to the conclusion she needed to be alone for this, exposing the natives to too much of her technology might not do them any favors. She headed to the chamber's door and after opening it and waiting by it with an outstretched arm, the three men got the clue quickly and with many words that sounded thankful and kind they left the room, closing the door.
Ashi'in using the few things she brought with her from the ship got to work, while William headed back downstairs with Thaddeus and Redrick and to pass the time and calm all of their nerves, he told them of everything that had happened, properly. How he came upon the angels, their fight with the demons, how he got wounded and the angels granted him a new heart and powers and then how he hunted down the demons to the last and crippled their flying dragon.