Royal Hand Jalari leaned forward in her command seat as her Citadel, the Haven’s Gate, emerged from subspace. She gave her bridge crew a moment to recover before she started barking out orders.
“Full gravimetric sensor sweep, immediately! Helmswoman, lock on to the coordinates the High Fortress sent and start a full burn towards it! I want all local comms frequencies monitored, and a Q-comm ping to check for any Zakkili vessels in the vicinity.”
Jalari settled back into her seat, receiving a chorus of “Yes, Royal Hand”s from her bridge crew. The ship turned slowly, then the thrusters flared to life, propelling the Citadel towards the coordinates they had received.
She took a moment to consider the orders. A direct commission from the Queen Matriarch herself. A slow grin spread over her face. To think, such a piece of good fortune fell directly into her lap. Praise the Maker.
Jalari would not squander this chance. Faithful service to the Queen was sure to bring her rewards in the future. Rewards she needed. For her Citadel, for her subjects. She was not like many of the other Royal Hands — women from noble High Houses with coffers, blood ties, and centuries of favors behind them. And above even those stood the Crown Daughters who had chosen to command Star Citadels. No, Jalari had started as barely a noble at all — a minor Lady from an unremarkable little House.
She had fought, fucked, bargained, and killed her way to the top, with nothing but the blood on her hands, the heat between her legs, and a refusal to kneel for anyone but the Queen. And no one would be taking her title or her ship from her.
This newest order from the Queen was just one more step on that road. A mission about opening a line of communications with a lesser alien race and the High Fortress itself. Some race which called itself the “Ydani”. Whatever. It seemed easy enough. Simple orders. Ping a buoy, send a message to the fleet that responded.
The only thing unique about her orders were the explicit instructions to not fire unless fired upon. Personally, Jalari thought blasting a frigate or two into dust might make things go more smoothly, but the Queen got what the Queen wanted.
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“Royal Hand, we have the target within range of our optical arrays. It seems to be a communication buoy, just as expected.”
“Bring it up on the main viewport, ensign.” Jalari ordered.
A moment later the visual appeared on the main screen. An ugly, squat little thing, with no ornamentation. Not even a decent-looking paint job.
“Bring us to stand-off range of the buoy, then full stop. I want our void shields and point defense powered before we ping it,” she commanded. “I don’t want any primitives scratching our paint.”
A few marks later and they were sitting just out of weapon range of the little buoy. There was no need to risk a fleet appearing within immediate firing range.
“Ping is away, Royal Hand.” One of the officers reported.
“Now we wait.” Jalari chuckled to herself.
They didn’t have to wait long. Within half a bell, a dozen ships emerged from subspace with flashes of blue, immediately burning hard into a defensive formation against the Citadel. As if that would protect them.
“At least they aren’t so primitive that we’d be waiting for someone to burn their way this far out,” the Royal Hand muttered. She then raised her voice to give the order. “Send the message we were given from the High Fortress. Hit every conventional frequency, and point comms to each of their ships. I don’t want them missing it and getting too excited now.”
The message she had been given was highlighted across the main viewport as it was sent dozens of times to the aliens’ vessels.
Under the authorization of [Outrunner Captain] [Tor’laen], the Zakkili Monarchy seeks direct communications with the Ydani [High Command].
“That got their attention, Royal Hand.” One of her officers reported from the front of the bridge. “Now receiving a response.” The woman paused for a moment. “It’s in written Zakkili, just as the High Fortress expected.”
“Put it up on the main viewport.”
Understood. We have opened a connection to [High Command]. Awaiting your direct feed, so that [negotiations] may begin.
Jalari’s smile grew wider, hungrier. They thought they were still in a position to negotiate.
“Open a Q-comm channel to the High Fortress. I believe the Queen Matriarch has a few words for these…Ydani.”
End of Act I