Chapter 450 - So It Begins (Patreon)

Notes : Chapter 456 has been written and added to the queue !

This chapter has, without exaggeration or embellishment, my most evil cliffhanger to date. At least on what I have posted, since I have some...fairly interesting ones written for later events.

Enjoy.

Chapter 450

Red Sands Desert, Aurorean Empire

Capital City of Rebirth, Imperial Palace

Allya grimaced as she stared at the pile of paperwork.

Running an Empire was even more bureaucratically intensive than a mere Archduchy. Who knew?

She'd had to have Camille start creating a full sized staff, but even then they were barely keeping up with the increase in workload, and that was with the forming ministries, Imperial nobles and member states taking the brunt of it.

She really should ask Alexandra for help. Or, more accurately, to make some help. Not just the administrator AI she was planning to handle the Imperial core, but a personal assistant one.

She picked up one of the reports, and frowned as she reached for her mug of milk. She still believed in milk and pastries for breakfast, despite Pyn trying to convert her to the 'savory protein breakfast' part of the equation. The elf had even tied her up just to make her eat bacon and eggs at one point!

"Organized crime? You've got to be fucking kidding me."

That the various criminal bigwigs started to stir crap up with the changing economic situation wasn't surprising. But a Gorromarian Cartel launching a full scale assault on a Tarkian Syndicate front? Yikes.

Though it was a weird front. Why a tailor? Because people came and went constantly? Whatever the case, Trumley's wouldn't be a front for nobody anymore. The Cartel had torched the place before withdrawing.

Still, she should probably draw up some plans. With the Empire changing established trade routes and remaking the economies of the continent, there were bound to be more underworld instability. Even if there was enough money to go around, the cartels and syndicates and what have you always tried to grab everything, and got into the stupidest of fights. Honor, respect, territories? They were criminals, not governments. Know thyne place. First thing Trira had told her when she'd become an assassin.

If you couldn't understand to stay in the shadows and keep low, eventually a higher power would take notice. Yes, criminals had founded governments before. Many a bandit lord had become a true lord, and some of the less martially oriented sometimes ended up folded into city councils or some ministries. But by and large, if these organizations went too far...

The entire reason they existed was the law protected them. Just like it protected every citizen from just being annihilated for no reason by the state. Even in the Asarian Kingdom peasants had some protections. Not many, but some.

Go far enough, and someone would lift those protections. At that point, syndicate mobsters weren't going to stand up to military attack. Probably. Alexandra had some...disturbing facts on that from Earth.

She put the report in the 'read' pile. She'd have a talk with the Hegemon, and instruct Trira to start taking a look at the underworld. Also bring it up with Elkaryos during dinner. The merchants guild had contacts there, and they would probably be very happy to ease the transition with some Imperial sanction, allowing them to grab a piece of the pie.

Next-

Her intercom chimed, and she pressed it.

"Allya here." She said.

"Your majesty, it's Camille. I have a message from commander Anders. The Erisian Fleet has been sighted."

Saved from the paperwork.

"Excellent. I'm on my way."

She stood up, quickly checked her clothing -appearances were going to be important for this-, flipped off the pile of paperwork, then walked out of her office, two full squads of soldiers forming up around her as she moved out.

No risks would be taken. Not today.

*****

The admiral knew she was being tracked by enough ordnance to vaporize even the dreadnought she had made her flagship.

It should have been intimidating. Clearly, the other side had meant it as such.

She, however, knew who 'Crystal' the dungeon core truly was. And she knew there was no place safer for an agent of the Order than under Lesly's gaze.

"A much greater sight than Erakis, I'm sure you'll agree." Said commodore Calder, by her side, and the admiral nodded.

"It is quite magnificent." And she meant it. Lesly had taken a forgotten, half destroyed ruins, and in little more than two years, unified most of a continent and built a full sized city. Was it anything like Starcore or the old capitals? No. Not yet. But it would get there.

The orc gave her a look, and she smiled.

"Oh, just because I have seen bigger cities does not mean I cannot appreciate the achievements on display here."

"That is good to know. I do hope you have instructed your men to be on their best behavior however. No one wishes for an...accident."

"Of course."

Even if the Order hadn't told her to thread supremely softly in Lesly's vicinity, her instructions from the Eris Empire were similarly cautious. She wasn't here to stir up trouble.

Plus, given the political situation and the Empire's power, it wouldn't be poking the tiger here, but dancing with a hoola hoop made out of steaks around your waist, in front of a raptor high on combat stims.

And that was before factoring in Lesly.

"Good. I have received word the Empress will be here to receive you at the docking tower." The orc smiled. "Ah, and here comes our escort."

The admiral looked, trying not to frown as the silhouette of a Tarkian dreadnought, and what definitely looked like two squadrons of escorts from various nations came in.

There...was not a single Imperial vessel in there. Nor a dungeon one. Only from the member states.

A statement of its own. United they stood.

Well this is going to make for a fun report.

At least to Eris. She was sure the Agency would slobber all over her ever word as usual. Though the reports they sent her had gotten...almost disturbingly insightful. Either they had upped their intelligence gathering considerably, or they'd found one hell of an analyst.

To the Order...honestly she wasn't sure. She hadn't been in a Stronghold in a while, though she had the means to visit one quickly enough that her absence wouldn't be noted, but there were strange whispers.

She had faith though. Joachim had been Lesly's protégé, and she was legendary for her instincts towards people.

After all, she had been one of Lesly's protégées herself.

"Colorful." She simply said as she looked at the ships. "If your Empire expands enough, you might be able to make a rainbow with your squadrons."

Calder chuckled.

"I suppose so. Though I doubt it. We will begin standardizing liveries soon. We are all Imperial now, after all."

The First Empress had said something like that, when she'd united the militaries of the various remaining Orlovian duchies into the Erisian Army. She had no doubt the orc was intentionally paraphrasing the quote.

"Yes. Yes you are."

And they would become so much more.

*****

The admiral watched as the ship began docking procedures.

Honestly, it was impressive the docking tower could even accommodate a dreadnought. Even more impressive was the fact that a second one was under construction. And that was with the city having a conventional airfield as well, to handle overflow or long term ship parking. Plus the dungeon's own airbase, which everyone knew very little about except 'it is in the mesa and probably armored to hell'.

There was a welcoming committee of course. Surprisingly, the Empress herself was at the forefront, and not some flunkey. There was also a...'heavy guard presence' didn't quite describe it. She could see most of an infantry battalion, and most of it was golems.

Her marines had bristled at the sight, but she'd had a talk with the major commanding them and got them to stand down.

She felt a flutter of apprehension. It was odd, but at the end of the day, she was still human. And the woman she was about to meet was someone exceptional, even if she was Lesly's puppet. She was a Knight-Valiant for fuck's sake!

The ship came to a halt in a loud 'clang' as the docking clamps grabbed it, and the ramps came down.

She walked down, and straight towards the Empress. She bowed, not as deeply as should have been required for a lowly admiral to a powerful monarch, but still deep enough to signify respect and not a deliberate insult.

"Hail, your Imperial grace. I thank you for receiving me."

"Greetings, admiral." Said the Empress, with a small smile. She didn't even ask about the title, nor did she need to.

If you were an Erisian officer, the only 'Imperial majesty' to you was the one ruling from Starcore. No matter the title, anyone else was 'Imperial grace', if you even acknowledged their titles to begin with.

"The pleasure is all mine." Continued the Empress. "I admit, we have been anticipating your arrival for quite some time. You appear to have run into...considerable delays along the way."

The admiral smiled. Oh two could play at this game.

"Yes, well, those delays included the United Dungeon Council falling into a rather bloody civil war. I'm sure you've noticed."

"I have. They certainly decided that their evil wasn't enough and it was time to up it a few notches with Sunrise. I compliment you on your efforts, despite the lack of effect. Sadly, as it is, we are at war with the UDC. I do hope that is not why you are here."

The admiral shook her head.

"Of course not." It would be an exercise in futility. "I merely...bring the welcome of the Empress, and her well wishes for your newly born nation."

"Truly? Last I remember, Oris wished for my severed head, not my wellbeing."

There was a strangled sound from behind the admiral from her marine detachment, which both of them ignored. The admiral, especially, tried not to notice how hostile the soldiers looked. Even the golems...

Oh there was something there. Something more than she was aware of.

"I am unsure of the Empress' personal opinions or wishes, particularly of the time you...left. Nonetheless, those are the sentiments she has asked me to convey."

"I see. Well, I suppose we will get to discuss those sentiments more in depth later. For now however, welcome to Rebirth. I suppose introductions are in order?"

"No need." The admiral bowed towards the tall, buxom elf by the Empress' side. She could understand why one of her fellow agents had fallen for her, but she really should have been smarter than trying to put her hands in the cookie jar again. "Empress consort, it's a pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine." Said the elf with a brilliant smile.

The admiral turned towards the other dignitaries...but the doors leading deeper into the tower opened.

A tall woman, with flowing white hair and piercing, pink eyes, clad in full plate armor, walked out. She was accompanied by a much less tall, but no less striking vampire.

"Oh! You made it." Said the Empress, and the dungeon core nodded.

"I have. Apologies, I was handling some important matters."

"No need to apologize." Said the admiral, while internally her mind was running in circles. Mostly 'fuck fuck fuck FUCK' on loop.

She'd hoped Lesly would find an excuse and avoid the interaction. They couldn't afford the Church even having the slightest hint of suspicion. Especially not after what had happened in Tark.

"It's good to meet you admiral." The dungeon core extended her hand, and the admiral took. "I have heard a lot about you, from some of my fellow cores down South. I regret your efforts weren't successful, but I appreciate your efforts, as did they."

That was a lot more diplomatic than what the Empress had said.

"Of course," Continued 'Crystal'. "I do have some reservations about your presence. Especially with the approaching conflict."

"I will do my best to allay them." Said the admiral, as she met Lesly's eyes at last.

A shiver went down her spine. There was cold, deep within those eyes. Bottomless, unfathomable cold.

"That is good to hear." She turned back, and slotted herself in the Empress' delegation, when by all rights she should be ahead of the 'monarch' herself.

Though the admiral didn't mind. She was feeling...Uneasy. She couldn't exactly place why. It wasn't just the fear of being near Lesly. There was something...more.

"Well then. Let us go to the palace. As great as this tower is, it is no place for a formal reception." Said the Empress. "Your men are cleared for shore leave if they so wish, though they will be kept under watch, given recent events."

The admiral nodded.

"Of course." Her instructions to her people had been...exigent, to say the least. The NCOs were going to keep everyone on a tight leash, and she'd made it clear that starting trouble was not an acceptable option. "They'll be on their best behavior."

"Let's hope so."

The Empress turned away, and began to lead her little procession of flunkeys and veritable army of guards. The admiral followed, with her own honor guard.

Why was she so uneasy? Because Lesly's eyes were cold? She always was...cold...

She always was cold. But she always recognized her. Lesly always recognized her pupils.

And in those eyes, there had been no spark of recognition. No hidden hint. Nothing.

She came to a dead halt, her marines almost running into her, as she looked at the dungeon avatar, visible in the middle of the group.

That's not Lesly.

THAT'S NOT LESLY!