Expansion of Peace, Lulz, "Peace".

[Gallente]

"I bring not peace, but a sword."

The vibro-knife impaled itself into the chieftain's head and retracted itself into its sheath in a lightning quick motion. The Gallentean Armed Forces streamed out of the Raven drop ships behind him, the whining pitch of Gauss rifles unloading in a bloody rhythm ringing in his ears.

General Aldric Perionne stood from his crouching position over the now-dead chieftan. Thankfully for Gallentean High Brass, the outer fringe worlds of Gallentean Space had already investigated but were left alone so that they might technologically evolve and the such. The stakes had changed, and the tribal societies were being driven out, killed, or recruited to kill their peers. Haven's point was the only weak point of Gallentean influence, the Terries could easily have snuck around their entire navy, and have been on their way to Caille, or any other planet without anyone being the wiser. It was all for the greater good of the state.

The smell of singed flesh hit his nostrils as he walked past the fallen congregation of hopefuls. This was but a village outlying the main "kingdom" these savages had erected. He unholstered his pistol and shot a child, sending him flying into one of their tents.

"Burn the village to the ground, and set up an outlying outpost, we will meet with their ruler tommorow, and we will be greeted as gods. Jerlinne, tell Jason and Naru that their squads stay put, I want everyone else back to the ship and ready to bring down the engineers. We will need defenses after these tribals are taken care of." He barked, a grin crossing his face as he reminisced over an almost forgotten tale of arhaic Earth. They will be greeted as gods indeed.

[Gallente]

Day 1 - 23:30 SGT

Aldric overlooked the camp with weary eyes. The compound had been set up two kilometers away from the village they razed on touchdown, its quick-crete walls and command bunker had dried and the two 30 man squads had set up a perimeter defense with regular patrol changes. They might be savages but they still had weapons, and even knives or spears could kill a deep-sleeping soldier.

"Sir, a scan of the area has shown a faint RIS signal coming from 20 kilometers northwest of here. We believe it to be a downed fighter or ship of sorts. Possible a pirate or trader, sir." Naru reported and saluted briskly, steeling her gaze as the General stared directly into her eyes.

"I want a small scouting party to be sent to either execute the pirate or help the trader. There is also a chance that these people have murdered him and have tinkered with any technology there might be. Are you completely sure it's one of our own?" He asked, picking up his command display and affixing it around his ear, tapping the earpiece and calling up the holographic display.

"I want the scouts to move up the river to the south of the forest and... Wait a minute... 20 kilometers northwest of here is the..." A loose breath escaped his lungs and caught in his throat.

"Why in the hell did you not tell me the signal was coming from the city we're supposed to be peacekeeping in tomorrow?" He barked, staring the young captain down.

"Uh... Sir.. I was about to say the-"

"What have they taught you at that damn school, Soldier?"He barked, his arms tightly coiled against his chest.

"They... I..."

"Get out there and tell your men and fellow captain they will be escorting me tomorrow with 20 of your best and 20 of his best, after we see what spectacle they will receive me with, I shall give the according order. Either we attack them with a full frontal assault, or we kill them in their sleep, it doesn't matter much to me. Now get out of here before I decide to give you a refresher course of boot camp soldier!" He ordered, pointing at the door.

"Y..Yes sir!" She saluted quickly and scampered out, darting a scared look backwards.

[Gallente]

Day 2 - 07:21 LT

The soft chirping of birds, if that's what they could be called, was interrupted by a rustle
among the trees. A tanned triumvirate of men dressed in the skins of local predators were in a half-crouch, observing the foreign men with a squinting look of wonderment.

"They have erected their walls and affixed to them peculiar-looking spears, they have built their massive temple in the midst of their walls, and all with only 10 or so men dressed in shining stone! They surely must be gods!" uttered Q'Lelleck, Head Priest of Tlialia.

"But they have murdered our people! Have their heavenly vessels delivered them here only to shed our blood?!" protested Q'Nelipan.

"The gods surely must have demanded a sacrifice. Tellacuazactl has finally come to bring us into the new age of enlightenment and you judge his demand of sacrifice?!" roared Q'Neklinon.

"Hold your tongues, for they slither only like the lowly Nients, we will bring news of His coming to Emperor Amuzetnom. We will understand the language of gods through the omen they have sent us many nights before," Q'Lelleck ordered and motioned to a Gallentean Linguistic Adapter hooked onto his belt of teeth. "Their celestial gift-bearer had shed his mortal coil when we came upon the marvelous chariot of the stars. Remember we are but men staring at the faces of gods! We must remember our place in this world so that we might be brought to the other side of Jana!"

And with that the three knelt silently with eyes closed, whispering a silent mantra before departing.

"Inemao Raod Metnus"

Day 2 - 09:31 SGT

A soft rapping on the door of his command office/sleeping space awoke General Perionne with a loud growl. He hadn't slept as good as the night before in a while.

"What?" He growled, turning over and throwing his pillow at the door panel, hitting it and causing the door to open, showing a blushing Naru.

"Haven't you seen a man that's just woken up before? What do you want?" Aldric growled once again, obviously not happy to have been woken up.

"Uh... there's been a report of a scouting party leaving the treeline overlooking our base just seconds ago, and well... we're due to arrive at their city in an hour or so... and..." She stumbled through her words, raising her holoboard to her face to hide her embarrassment at the nude sight of her commander.

He groaned and picked himself out of his cot, picking up the fallen bedsheet from the floor and throwing it onto the cot, pausing to scratch his hip before turning fully to her.

"They were probably some kind of scouts, we'll go with the aformentioned troop size to their city and meet them peacefully for now." He explained, scratching his head while trying to wake himself up.

She nodded furiously and turned on a dime, almost running to the door, still redder than the thrust of a dropship's engines.

"Oh and Captain?"

"Yes?" She asked and turned timidly, her hand on the door panel.

"Wear our ornamental uniform. Make sure other commanding officers do so too."

"O...okay." She squeaked before exiting.

Day 2 - 10:03 SGT

A detachment of 40 fully armed troopers marched towards the gate of the capital city of the planet, headed by three brilliantly informed officers.

General Aldric Perionne flicked some dust off of the gold outline of his armor, a vibro-side at one side, and a semi-automatic Gauss pistol at the other. The brilliant navy inline and fill of his armor complementing his weapons and cocky grin. Greeted like gods indeed.

Two long lines of what were probably governmental officials or maybe even peasants lined the bridge leading in the city. Naru looked nervous while Jason imitated his commander's cocky smile.

"Stupid savages." Jason muttered, looking at each one as they passed. Each and every one kneeling in unison with the passing of their general.

"Shut up." Naru growled, smacking his bald head.

"Knock it off you two, you're no worse than two Terries." Aldric growled, spying three
men standing facing them at the end of the bridge, all dressed in various animal skins adorned with a peculiar shining stone.

They stopped in front of their welcoming troupe. Aldric scratched his head and looked over all their faces, they were old, the gray was apparent in their eyebrows. How the hell were they supposed to know what was going on?

"Uh... take us... to your... leader?" said Aldric, half-hesitantly.

The man in the centre smiled and took something from his belt and wrapped it around his ear. Aldric frowned, yes, they apparently did toy with the technology from the downed craft.

"Tellacuazactl! We are but the humble servants of you and your messengers and indeed, our emperor would like to meet you, if you so allow it and revel in your glory!"

The man bowed before Aldric and the two others followed suit, albeit more hesitantly.
Aldric grinned and put a hand on the center man's shoulder.

"What is your name?" Tellacuazactl asked.

"Q'Lelleck, my lord." The man replied, not daring to look him in the eye.

"Good, now show us to your lord... whatever his name is." He motioned towards the gate.

"It is Emperor Amuzetnom, my lord."Q'Lelleck replied gingerly.

"Right."Aldric nodded and followed him towards the gates.

"I think you shall find our city as pleasing as your celestial palaces." Q'Lelleck mused with a small smile as the gates opened, letting a shimmering blue and green hue shine over the Gallentean detachment.

[Gallente]

The Gallentean officers held their breaths in awe while almost unison cries of wonderment reverberated through the security contingent. The buildings in their large city were either made of, or adorned, with blue and green crystals that shone in the sunlight. Their largely opaque structure kept the privacy of the home intact, but its blue-green shimmer still aroused admiration among the neighborhood. Some were built out of clay or stone, and had the crystals as decoration in elaborate patterns or built as parts of their home. The more transparent and most likely, thinner, pieces were used as windows, letting light shine through.

"Well will ya look at that." Jason whistled in amazement, barely able to stop himself from
running to one of the structures.

"W..."Aldric cleared his throat, barely able to regain his composure. "What are those crystals called?" He asked in a sterner, deeper voice. He was a god after all, he shouldn't show too much apprehension or daresay wonderment in front of these savages.

"They are called Chelemmpallia m'lord." explained Q'Lelleck with a small gesture of his hand. "Shall we walk towards his Highness' palace?"

"Sir...?" said Naru, sheepishly patting Aldric on the elbow.

"What?" He barked.

"Should I dispatch a scouting party to find our technologies in the city?" She asked timidly.

"Reasonable, I fathom we'd find it later anyway... but it's good to start early. I want you and four other scouts to comb the city, check all major temples first though, I have a feeling they're religious to the bone."replied Aldric, in a gentler, but emotionless tone.

"And where do you get that brilliant idea commander? From them calling you gods? Or referring to our ships as celestial palaces?" Jason shot, a wide grin on his face.

"Another shot like that and you'll be fed to these savages, piece by piece." growled Aldric, delivering a swift jab to the back of Jason's shoulder.

Q'Lelleck and the other two priests led them through a road to the middle of the city, the crystal-adorned houses diminished the farther in they went, but the road was now cobbled with them. What looked like lowly 'citizens' of this empire stood outside their houses, watching the entourage go by with silent looks of cautious distrust. Their thick grey-pastel, almost human skin colour had splotches of dirt on it, most likely from working in the fields outside the city or in their other various occupations.

"I am sorry you have to witness our poor, my most esteemed lord, but they are the middle circlet of our city, we will soon enter the Imperial circlet, here you will see your most esteemed temples and our Emperor's palace." piped up Q'Neklion.

Naru nodded silently and motioned to four lightly armored soldier, the only scouts brought along on this trip. The small detachment quickly put on their holographic receivers and ran swiftly but silently in the direction of a distant blue-green snake, most likely a temple of sorts.

As they neared the palace, the road and the nearby buildings were made of crystal almost entirely, whatever it was, it did seem to be precious, even in its abundance. They passed through yet another gate to a splendid green garden, outlined by the crystal and populated by various native domesticated animals, most having magnificent and pompous appearance. The Palace seemed to be circled by a wall gated in four places and guarded by silent men dressed in a large animal skin wielding what looked to be, the general's breath caught in his throat, vibro-swords. He took a mental note and regained his composure for the second time, turning and entering the palace itself.

The large entrance hall was adorned with various crystalline representations of their gods and the floor was draped with furs and rugs and pillows of different colours, shapes and sizes. He motioned for Jason and the rest of the entourage to secure the perimeter and stay ready. He scanned the room and grinned at what looked to be the Emperor's concubines frolicking on the left side of the room. For a savage, the man had taste, he had to give that to him.

Q'Lelleck motioned him to a side door. "He will see you now."

Aldric nodded and walked through the door into a strangely disorienting room. There was a large green crystal 'road' through the middle of the room leading to the middle of a blue crystal 'platform'. Light shone through the translucent blue-green ceiling onto the grass surrounding the crystal floor which was almost covered by the same furs and pillows. He chuckled to himself and moved to the middle of a room and almost surpressed a laugh when he saw the Emperor. He was a short man, almost in his 40's with a bald head and adorned with a gold and crystal-encrusted headpiece. He was sitting on a throne sculpted from the floor and adorned with gold twin snakes as armrests, two nude concubines with him, one sitting at his knees and the other currently having her tongue circle around his ear. She stopped at the sight of Aldric and kneeled behind the throne, peeping timidly over, her fawn eyes staring at him and her sun-browned legs sticking out from the side of the throne and gleaming in the sunlight. He smiled at her, the man indeed had taste.

Amuzetnom stood up, moved in front of Aldric and kneeled with arms outstreched. Aldric noticed he was also wearing a translator.

"Welcome oh creator of life and death! Welcome oh king of kings, he who rebirths the world a hundredfold over with his gaze and breath! Welcome oh master, for I am just a lowly inhabitant of your world! I am honored to be standing in the presence of the god I was prophet of!" He loudly declared, taking off his crystal crown and offering it in his outstretched hands.

Aldric took it gingerly and bowed slightly before putting it on. He quite enjoyed being treated as a god. "You have been a wise and competent ruler, and have made my kingdom flourish." He replied, putting his hand on the man's shoulder, having to look down to look in his eyes.

Amuzetnom smiled and bowed slightly. "We will hold a feast tonight and our warriors, who have been called from across your kingdom will be here to compete for the privilege of accompanying you to the Shrine of Tellacuazactl so that you may summon your divine power and bring us to a new age of Enlightenment! But for now... your throne, my King." He proclaimed loudly yet again before motioning at the throne.

Aldric grinned and sat down on the throne, removing the top part of his uniform, which had caused him to sweat almost profusely. It revealed a toned, but scarred body, the physique of 5 years of rigorous training, bad encounters with pirates, and continuous upkeep. The concubine behind him reluctantly brought her arms around him and moved them down his chest, eliciting goosebumps at her cold touch while the Old Emperor moved to his left side. God-General Perionne grinned and scratched his stubble. It's good to be King.

[Gallente]

Music and shouts of merriment turned the Royal Palace into a beacon of light, the surrounding city and outcropping jungle paling in comparison of the pure vibrant energy in that relatively small isolated spot on the planet.

Bright torches and the royal bodyguard selected from the finest warriors of the empire, lined the walls defending the circular palace, most practicing for the upcoming Rites of Power to Tellacuazactl, a more or less routine battle to the death for the favour of a god.

Aldric, only dressed in his ornamental leggings surveyed the lobby-room , lit by brilliant crystal blue and green lights. Pillows and carpets were still the main attraction, but now various concubines, servants, food, and drink-carriers occupied them and circled around the room.

"Sir, we've reached the temple." His holo-visor reported Naru's voice.

He grinned slightly and ran his hand idly across one of the Emperor's concubines. "Kill them all and either recover or destroy any technology found inside and then return to the Palace, double time.

There was a static-laden silence in his left ear. "Yes... sir." replied Naru.

She would need to be coerced more into the benefits of appearing enthusiastic. As he kept his eyes roving around the room, he saw his men taking full advantage of this tribal party, doing anything and everything to exude a hedonistic orgy, anything that is, but consume alcohol. For one, it could be poisoned by any of these savages, and two, they still needed to wipe their civilization out of existence.

A tall grey-skinned man with spikes protruding from his neck, shoulders and wrists, almost nude save a spiked loincloth made his way across the orgiastic merriment towards him. A kind of reproachful fire burning in his eyes, a kind of power reserved for those in power.

"Ah, Lipa! Come! Come my son!" The Emperor's screeching voice rang out over the din, motioning the man towards himself and the newly arrived God.

Aldric saw the man's look change to a kind of scornful approval as the Emperor rose and walked across the room to greet him. Lipa's smile did not hide his snarl too well.
Aldric himself stood and walked with a more swaggering and slower gait towards the Emperor's son, it seemed there were the few powerful men among these weak savages after all... they would be useful.

"I am honored and privileged to be standing in your presence, Lord Tellacuazactl." said the promised protogé, bowing slightly, his deep voice belying his cultivated power. Indeed, he would prove to be useful.

"Well met, Lipa, I wish to speak to him alone, Emperor." Aldric bowed his head in return and motioned the Emperor away, it was clear what was to be done with him.

"Lipa! Watch what you say in His most esteemed presence." whispered the Emperor before retreating with a long bow, and never daring to turn his back on Aldric.

Both men watched each other with a small smirk, one with curious and cautious look in his eyes, while the other holding an amused and light-hearted gaze, surveying the shining needle in the haystack.

"Let's walk, Lipa, the cool air will clear away any formalities." Aldric declared and walked out of the heated lobby, letting his feet brush carelessly through the grass, his hand unconsciously brushing against the butt of his gauss pistol.

The silent man joined him as they started walking around the perimeter of the palace building. Both holding their silence for a few minutes.

"What do you think of your countrymen, Lipa?" Aldric spoke first.

"My countrymen? They seem to be easily awed and amused, easy to keep inside their narrow and small minds and easy to jump to worship anything that will make them feel good. In a simpler answer, my lord; they are weak." Lipa answered, his deep voice accentuating his last sentence. It seemed most of the officials of this planet had picked up translators from the downed Gallentean craft.

"It's good to see there is someone worth saving then, if you so indeed wish to be saved from the destruction that will ensue on this planet. The elimination of the weak, so to speak." Aldric replied with an amused side glance.

"So you wish me to join what these fools regard as Gods? You wish me to become a tool for your use, a weak man in my own respect, a demi-god among gods?" Lipa replied, anger lining his voice. He indeed had the power, but not the finesse.

"I wish you to become a God alongside me, and become what your father failed to be. Join me Lipa, you shall have an outlet for your power." said Aldric, extending his arm , his hand facing downwards for a handshake.

"If you let me purge the fool among fools from my people personally, then I shall join you in your ventures." Lipa replied, a small grin lining his lips as he returned Aldric's handshake.

"Then it is settled. Do what you need to do, and I feel you will know when to do what is required." he said, removing the vibro-knife sheath from his leggings and handing it to Lipa.

"With pleasure." replied Lipa, unsheathing the vibro-knife half-way and sheathing it again with a grin.

[Gallente]

Naru trekked up the staircase, carrying a heavy bag containing the retrieved technology from the Temple. She bit her lip as she neared the top of the stairs and the outer courtyard of the palace. She didn't dare let her eyes water, at least not yet. The way the priests were shot without remorse by the other soldiers, the discordant cacophony of death that filled that temple was, in her opinion, more horrible than even the Amerie Last Shot.

She walked past the lush grass and the merry townspeople, some dancing among the grass, some simply passed out, leaning against the walls. She stepped up the stairs to the lobby and walked through the room, not daring to raise her eyes, lest she give her intention away. She hadn't decided yet, but she couldn't bear this farce of a peaceful expansion any longer.

"The Rites of Admonition! The transcendence must begin!" The voice rang through the room, sending the frenzied and orgiastic pleasuring to a stony silence.

God-General Aldric Perionne was standing at the top of the stairs she had just climbed, a sick grin on his face. What she presumed was the Emperor beside him, and another stranger man, with the same look that Aldric carried. That bastard.

"Naru, come here and witness the Rites." he called out. She frowned and went to stand beside her commander.

"Soldiers, in a line!" Aldric barked.
The Gallentean troopers formed a line at the lobby entrance facing outwards at the group of warriors now in a battle formation.

"My lord...?" chirped the Emperor nervously. His face paling with fear and nervousness, a drop hitting his nose.

"The rain shall cleanse our sins, in Tellacuazactl's name!" roared the Royal Bodyguard.

Naru looked nervously at her commander, her eyes feeling a faint moistening.

"The clouds prepare for battle in the dark and brooding silence," She whispered, an almost forgotten childhood poem streaming into her mind.

"Cleanse indeed!" chuckled Lipa, grabbing his father by the shoulder and throwing him down the steps, unsheathing his vibro-knife with his other hand.

The Emperor stumbled down the steps and whirled around, a fearful gaze fixed upon his progeny.

"My son... what... what are you doing?"

"Bruised and sullen storm clouds have the light of day obscured,"

"Succeeding you... father." growled Lipa, rushing at the Emperor, wrapping an arm around his father's shoulder and driving the vibro-knife deep into his chest.

"Looming low and ominous, in twilight premature"

"Ready men!" roared Aldric, the royal bodyguard and the other savages looking at him in confusion.

The gauss rifles whined on, the soldiers raising them to shoulder-height almost in unison.

"Thunder heads are rumbling in a distant..."

"Aim!"

"Over..."

"Fire!"

"ture..."

The harmonic rhythm of hyper-charged kinetic shells ripping through flesh, bone, and
metal rang out like a symphony of terror across the palace grounds. The loyal subjects of the now defunct Emperor ran for their lives, only to be gunned down by unblinking Gallentean Infantry, some shot only in their legs or arms before being crushed under the boot of a trooper. This and the smiling face of Aldric is something that Naru could not take.

She ran across the palace grounds, ripping off the various official insignias on her uniform and discarding them here and there, the rain stinging her face as she ran almost blindly away from the merciless horde behind her.

"That bitch." growled Aldric, watching her run out into the distance. "You two," he motioned to Jason and Lipa. "You're with me."

They both nodded and Jason tossed a Gauss Pistol to Lipa before joining Aldric in the chase.

A Raven-class descended squarely in front of the running girl, its back hatch opening and Naru jumping on, with Lipa and Aldric close behind.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?" barked a furious Aldric, his gauss pistol pointed squarely at her.

Lipa and Jason moved towards the front of the ship, and eliminated the pilot with a quiet whine of the pistol. The ship started moving upwards away from the planet, the back hatch closing with a whir.

"Well?!" He repeated.

"Do you know what these 'savages' had of ours?" She screamed, her eyes now dripping with tears. She produced a remote detonator fro m one of her side pockets.
"Well do you?!" She repeated, now in hysterics.

"What?" replied Aldric, a savage calmness in his tone.

"All at once, the clouds are parted, Light streams down in bright unbroken beams..."

"What the hell? Make sense before I skip the court-martial and execute you right here." barked Aldric, his calmness disappearing completely.


"Follow men's eyes as they look to the skies, the shifting shafts of shining weave the fabric of their..."

She pressed the detonator and closed her eyes, a single tear streaming down her face.

"Sir, you better take a look out of starboard." Jason's voice crackled through the com.

"dreams..."Naru's voice barely came in over a whisper.

Aldric rushed to the starboard view window, his eyes widening at the sight.

"A nova bomb..."he whispered.

The sight of the blue and green flames expanding from the palace in a destructive wave made God-General Perionne feel once again, human.

The crystal buildings vaporizing in an agonizing slow pace. An ultrasonic hum reverberated into the atmosphere, their ship barely in its range.

The planet's mass rumbled under the force of the explosion that followed. A blinding light shot into the viewport, making Aldric turn away lest he be incapacitated. The planet was engulfed in fire, every single square inch doomed to the desolate fate... of Amerie.

[Gallente]

She stood before a tribunal of 12 Admirals, each representing a respective planet and its respective Capital ship. The sweat running pools down her bloodstained neck and bruised head. She carefully wiped the blood from her neck and wiped it on the metal table separating her from the ornate tribunal desk. Her uniform felt strangely tight on her, it was suffocating in this room, although it easily could fit the tribunal, herself, and an audience of 200 people, her superiors included.

Naru stiffened slightly.What had she done? What had her fellow countrymen done? Massacred a whole civilization. She had killed them, she had destroyed every single one of them, including her own soldiers, who had trusted her, whom she had a responsibility for.

She bit her lip, hard. Naru Lejaine, daughter of the legendary Taro Lejaine was to be court-martialed without honors, most likely stripped of her rank, charged with war crimes... or worse. She felt her eyes moisten at the thought of her father's reaction. Disownment, no doubt, followed by the 'I have no daughter' speech. Even worse, her father was part of the tribunal. She didn't dare to bring her eyes to bear, lest her father catch her eyes.

"Naru Nielle Lejaine, daughter of Taro Jeroux Lejaine, current Admiral of Loupinne's Capital Class Timberwolf. You are called here today in front of this tribunal and in this court of law, to make your case against the accusations that stand against you. You are charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, the carrying out of a bloody and unnecessary Last Shot, destroying an entire civilization among a regiment of Gallente's own armed forces and your own men. You are charged with treason, conspiring with the enemy, espionage, failure to subject to orders, and endangering the very security of the Gallentean State." roared Admiral Hoer-Jean Liee, Admiral of Caille's Capital ship, her voice rising in an unprecedented crescendo, her fist banging violently against the wooden desk, making a couple of strands of her straight black hair fall in front of her face.

Naru whimpered, her eyes perking up at the violent verbal assault. Her eyes quickly darted around the members of the tribunal, scanning any of the faces of the men and women in the Admiralty for any traces of sympathy, of emotion. Her eyes locked with her fathers. She cringed as his steely gaze pierced through her mind. Her head had started pounding again, the 'routine interrogation' before the tribunal had exhausted her.

A Calm man's face flashed for a brief moment in her mind, along with the sound of sizzling flesh and vats of blue and green liquid. She idly scratched her neck but winced as she touched the burned and scarred flesh under her chin.

"And as so, Naru Lejaine. What do you plead on these charges?" Hoer-Jean added, her voice dangerously calmer than before.

"No... Not guilty."

The court was in an uproar, cries of protest being shot across the room, among cries of 'traitor', 'Terran scum', and calls for execution. Naru shot a panicked gaze back, her eyes running over the crowd, all men from their ship Liberation. She chuckled grimly in her head, what a fitting name. She eyed her ex-commander and his two lackeys, Lipa and Jason with a poison-laced look. Those... those bastards.

"Quiet!" Admiral Liee roared over the crowd, reducing the frenzied cries of execution to low murmurs of treachery.

"Now, Lieutenant Colonel Lejaine, where were you approximately two days ago when, as General Perionne's log shows, the engineers had begun setting the temporary encampment?" she firmly asked, tapping a holo-board and scanning it with her eyes before locking them with Naru.

"I... I was overseeing the perimeter defense installations." Naru replied, a cautious sense of confidence creeping in her veins. They couldn't find her guilty of anything if she hadn't done anything. It was simply madness for the tribunal to call for execution on transparent grounds.

Admiral Liee nodded, her lips pursed tightly as she reviewed the logs for what seemed like an eternity.

"And 5 minutes thereafter you reported to General Perionne with news of technology found with the locals, yes?" Hoer-Jean asked firmly, her eyes not lifting from the log-pad.

"Yes.."

"And you reported that there was technology, but you did not know the exact nature of it, yes?"

"Yes... I don't see how thi-"

"Silence." spat the Admiral.

Naru recoiled slightly and bit her bottom lip, unconsciously fidgeting with a button on her uniform.

"Now, the testimony of Lieutenant Colonel Jason Artnion states that he had accompanied you on the perimeter defense watch and that you had stated, and I quote: ' They must have something of large magnitude, considering the scans, these bastards got their hands on a Nova bomb.'" read the Admiral, her firm tone laced with poison.

A deathly silence had settled over the court, the majority of the audience attendants shocked, their faces sporting different stages of confusion. All except three grinning faces, their eyes fixed dead upon the persecuted party. Aldric stroked his stubble absently, feigning surprise at this development.

"Did you not find the lives of the engineers, your general or your own men valuable?"

"I don't believe that's-"

"Did you believe our own Gallentean forces stationed there to be so misguided, so weak in your eyes that you neglected to inform your superiors of a potential threat of such a magnitude?"

"I didn't-"

Naru whimpered through her words, her eyes beginning to water as the memories of the palace massacre came flooding back into her mind.

"Answer her, Lieutenant Colonel." murmured Admiral Lejaine, his steely gaze showing a weariness uncanny for a seasoned veteran.

"Do you believe that any God will save you from justice, huh? You're worse than a Terran you piece of scum!" growled Admiral Koparn of the Capital ship Supernovae of Leamaux.

The court erupted in roaring cries of treason and treachery, paling the previous outburst by a hundredfold in its magnitude. The other wanted blood, and nothing else. She could feel the pure hatred emanating from around her. Is this what the Gallente Federation was reduced to?

"Let her answer." The firm roar of Admiral Lejaine silenced the court, his eyes darting around the audience with a burning look.

Naru collected herself slowly, gulping down the impulse to break out in a hysteric fit. That's exactly what would get her on the firing line even faster.

"I do not believe in such a thing, Admiral Koparn, and I was not completely sure that what the sensors reported was a Nova bomb." she confidently responded, her eyes darting quickly to her father's with a look of thanks. It was met by an understanding gaze, she had won at least her father.

"Then explain the fact that you had accessed the sensor map many times after and sent it to an unknown source." Admiral Liee continued, almost robotically.

"And in perfect 35 minute intervals no less." she added, her cold eyes locking with hers.

The crowd broke into a low murmur. The statement hit Naru like a cold jet of air, leaving her disoriented. She had never accessed the pad at all, in fact leaving it with the General. This was ludicrous, she was the wrong person to be on trial. If it could be called that, this was more related to a witch hunt.

"Of the evidence presented in this court, and the testimonies and first-hand accounts of the events preceding the Last Shot, the tribunal has no need to convene for discussion as the motives and method are thoroughly known and understood by this tribunal. Lieutenant Colonal Naru Nielle Lejaine, you are found guilty on the charges of treason, espionage, war crimes, crimes against civilization, endangerment of the state and as it is understood by the testimony of General Aldric Perionne, desertion in favor of the enemy. You are hereby sentenced to live execution by lethal injection. Court dismissed." Admiral Liee spoke loudly over the growing shouts and cries of the blood frenzy forming in the audience.

Naru was left speechless as tears started streaming down her face, the image of two guards grabbing both of her arms and dragging her out of the court room barely registered as her eyes were locked onto something entirely.

Taro Lejaine sat with shoulders hunched and a crushed look in his eyes as he watched his only daughter being dragged to the brig to await execution. This was not the Gallente he had served in for the past 20 years. This was not Gallente at all.

[Gallente]

Taro Lejaine's eyes traced a sad arc around the buildings of Caille, from the administrative sector to the entertainment sector, catching a distant glimpse of the Crystal Boulevard, the shine was unmistakable. In the past three weeks his world had thrown him from a rage knowing that his daughter was a traitor for the enemy, to the crushing realization and the cold depression that followed that she was just a scapegoat, a martyr. If anything she was just helping the murderous hacks in the military research department of the GCI test out a new toy. He spat in disgust on the tiled floor of the Admiralty Headquarters. At what? Himself? The World? He didn't care anymore. His son would undoubtedly be doing the same, although on the floor of his ship, the Fiery Gem.

In a few moments, he knew that holo-reels over the city would stop broadcasting their usual propaganda or entertainment to witness murder. He knew that in a few moments, he would have to witness his daughter be taken from him for reasons he couldn't come to terms with. Surely there were better ways to spread xenophobia. He sighed and resigned himself to wait, leaning on the railing of the main recreation area.

Suddenly the glass in front of him shifted ever-so-subtly, small transmitters on the edges shifted and the glass emitted a low hum, its surface, coated in electrofilm, now showed a large plaza, packed to the brim with chanting people, an area at the top of the plaza was cleared and in the middle stood three figures, one bearing the garb of an official, the other bearing dark skin-fitting pseudo-leather clothes, he was buff but wore glasses, which gave him an almost comical appearance. He was clutching what looked like a pistol, though modified to hold a blueish liquid and tipped with a sterile spike. Admiral Lejaine gulped as he saw the final figure, his daughter was chained to posts, and stripped half-naked before the mob, being covered by films of cloth where needed. It looked more like casual garb on Souvicou than anything. She had various bruises and cuts on her skin and she looked like she was barely conscious.

"Those bastards..."He choked a cry.

"Which ones would that be, Admiral?" inquired a baroque voice behind him, and a man laid a hand on the Admiral's shoulder.

"You know full well, Souro, the bastards behind my daughter's conviction, the other damned Admirals, foaming at the mouth for a scapegoat, those damn GCI..." the Admiral replied, moving a bit to the side to let the President join him.

"She did detonate a Nova bomb without clearance or any discernible reason beside total destruction, Taro, that's buff evidence against her there." Souro Foiritan moved beside the ancient Admiral, leaning over the bar and watching the screen's proceedings.

The official moved to stand beside Naru, running a hand across her back, making her jerk away from his touch. His face turned from a grin to a scowl and slapped her across the face before moving to stand in front of the crowd, his hands clasped together.

"Gallenteans! Citizens of Caille! Rejoice for today an enemy of our freedoms has been found, tried, and will be executed in front of you! This... crazed alien-lover..." There was acid in his voice. "She herself detonated a Nova bomb, whose detonation wiped the planet clean! Clean my friends! Our soldiers, those protecting our way of life were exterminated by this... this sow! We need a moment of silence for those burned by these malevolent hands before we exact just vengeance." The din of yelling stopped almost in unison as the crowd bowed their heads and prayed to their respective gods.

Admiral Lejaine could barely restrain himself. His hands gripped the rail in a vice-grip , as if it was the throat of the official. Those fething dirty bastards. How dared they?!

"It hasn't even started and you look like you can rip through that crowd Admiral." remarked Souro with a bemused glance towards the furious man.

"What if you son was there, Souro, covered in filth, his own blood and bruised over his older bruises? What if your son was the object and output of... of... pure hate for so many people? Tell me that Souro! Would you let something like this happen? Would you let a mob of idiots kill your kin?!" He yelled at the president, grasping the rail even tighter so that he wouldn't strike the man.

"My sons would be executed on the spot, the old-fashioned way. I would rather have them die than have Gallente die." the President responded coldly, though his eyes betrayed him, giving a look of remorseful apprehension for the Admiral.

"Now my friends! Now is time for justice!" roared the official with stretched hands, soaking in the yells and cheers and clapping of the mob before retreating to the columns. He grabbed Naru by the cheeks and whispered something before letting go and moving to a chair.

The bigger man grabbed Naru by the cheeks, almost mimicking the official and twisted her head to the side. He frowned slightly as he took the syringe-gun and jabbed it in the girl's neck, injecting the blue contents of it into her bloodstream, which were almost readily apparent as she gasped, wide-eyed. The holo-reel zoomed
in on her and the Admiral saw her veins slowly turn blue as the virus worked its way down her neck and into her chest and shoulders and making its way south, making her cry perpetually in pain.

"It was for the best, Taro, she destroyed any chance we had of establishing a foothold on that planet. We've had to turn the asteroid-field into a string of defense stations instead, the cost almost quadruple that of building a fort or two." the President explained, not taking his eyes off of her figure.

The Admiral growled dangerously. "To feth with your defenses, and to feth with your costs. The Terrans don't have their eyes on us, Souro, at least not officially, let them crusade their way through the System's Alliance, get their asses handed to them by the colonials or at be weakened enough so we can strike at the root without fear of being hit by the branches, but don't take an innocent person and condemn her to simply sway a mob."

"Admiral." The President's tone chilled and steeled itself.

"This isn't Gallente, Mr. President. This is worse than the fething Terries. They use 'em as slave labor and mass tactics, but at least they throw them away towards a goal like victory, they don't simply kill them willy-nilly here to prove a point. This isn't the Gallente I've grown up with, and it sure as hell isn't the Gallente that I've served for the past 40 years."

"Admiral, the Gallente you know is dead. We are at war Admiral, whether we like it or not, or have you been watching too much of our news? The fact of the matter is this mob you speak us would readily twist off our heads rather than brave gunfire, trenches, space and strange planets to twist off theirs. This mob can only be swayed in this way. Do you think any man would readily go to his death, unless he was a fool? We need to make sure we can fight them over there, Admiral, so we don't have to fight them over here. I, for one, do not want robots and mechs and what have you simply parading through Caille, or Souvicou or any of our planets and simply destroying all they like. If people weren't somehow goaded into going to war, they would never go. It's simple Admiral, simple as history has shown. You tell them they're being attacked, you tell them to be disgusted by their enemies, and then you strike, hard, fast, and precise." said Mr. Foiritan, smacking his fist against his palm for emphasis.

"Has our nation of proud people under the banners liberty decayed that much? Are those martial actions really that necessary, Souro?" asked Taro, the anger being replaced by a futile resignation.

"The mob simply is more tired of war, Admiral and they need extra incentive. We are still proud people, Taro, and our banners stand as high as they were during the Jacker's War. We are still people of liberty, Taro. More than you know..." chuckled the President, patting his old friend on the back before moving towards the door.

The virus had eaten its way through most of her body, her legs, her arms and her torso were outline with shining blue roadways leading to her head and her head. Naru Lejaine's eyes rolled back in her head as she spat out a good portion of her own, now blue-tinted blood.

"More than you know..."