These underground seas were also the origin of the mist that helped keep the temperature stable. It would burn off in the sunlight as it crested the unbroken forests that ran for thousands of kilometers across Tidelia’s surface; providing much needed humidity while not surviving long enough to form into clouds or weather systems.
Sasha turned her gaze longingly out over the horizon one last time, memorizing Tidelia’s teal-blue sky, knowing that the view before her would soon become a distant memory.
She sighed dramatically, forcing herself to turn away from the sight and return to her bedchamber, enjoying the cool breeze of mist that followed on her heals. Feeling lonely, she sent a request through her biological communication node, or BC node for short, to the local biological access point, or BAP, that was hidden in the wall, requesting her lady-in-waiting, Tiana, to join her.
Humanity had made a few improvements to their genes and genetics over the 100,000 years they'd spent spreading throughout the universe. One such improvement was a biological communication node, grown within the brain, that allowed for the transmission and deciphering of a special type of wireless signal. This provided Sasha the ability to easily connect, with her mind, to a biological access point, or BAP, hidden within the wall, compose a message to Tiana, her lady-in-waiting, all while walking across the room to her dressing area. Though there were a few side effects to its use.
The BC node, being an “add-on” organ of sorts, would cause disorientation if used while actively using other senses or trying to speak, except with decades, if not centuries, of training. This led to a type of expression, known as being “Node Locked”, or Nodeled for short, that seemed to show the same way on everyone's face; a distant, tense look.
The door chimed.
“Enter,” Sasha commanded in her kind, feminine soprano.
One never knows who may be at the door, so it is always wise to answer with dignity appropriate one's station, she recalled with a smile. The door slid open to admit her guest.
The attractive young lady that glided over the threshold into her bedchamber wore a scandalously thin, wispy, lime green dress that hung from a single transparent strap, gripping every curve on its journey to her upper thigh. Though Sasha herself was not overly fond of the design, she had to admit it looked stunning on the beautiful, 16 year old Lady Tiana.
Her wavy, almost curly, creamy blond hair, tumbled over her silky smooth bronze skin, providing a perfect canvas for the lime green dress to flow, like it was being painted anew with every step. Her chin, though modest, still jutted forth powerfully, as if it was trying to match her pouty pink lips and button nose that looked to be chiseled from the finest stone. Though her large, puppy dog eyes, that looked to be set with the finest of sapphires, and outlined by lashes that made even the most stalwart of traditionalists swoon, made her other features look quaint at best. Her figure, though in the later stages of fully filling out, had begun to display the feminine curves that told she would be a “noble beautiful” woman in body, face, and most importantly of all, mind.
Sasha, of a similar “noble beautiful”, or so she’d been told since her youth, had hair as dark as night that flowed straight to her hips. Forming a striking contrast with her fair skin, making both appear all the more vibrant, while highlighting her luscious, pouty lips, with a dark, almost rose red tint. But it also framed a jaw that was not quite sharp, though much more pronounced then Tiana’s, alongside a longer nose of a perfect shape, that felt too large for her feminine face. Though Tiana had told her, time and time again, that her slender, amethyst eyes, and their dramatic way of sweeping towards her ears, always attracted the gazes of all who entered her presence, and made her appear the picture of “noble beautiful”.
Though Sasha had always wanted to believe Tiana spoke not the truth, she’d come to accept that she, like Tiana, were striking examples of “noble beautiful” sculpted from long past genetic modification. Though Sasha had to admit one major difference between the two ladies, and the reason behind why Sasha disliked the Tidelia wispy dress design so; the fact that she stood 183 centimeters tall, mostly in the leg, while Tiana stood only 150 centimeters, spread perfectly between leg and torso. Of course, Tiana said it was all in her mind, having measurements to back up the fact that she shared a similar ratio. But whenever Sasha’s gaze caught a mirror, she looked nothing but leg.
At least they match well my bosom, she mused, turning to Tiana, hands resting on her hips.
“My lady, you called for me?” Tiana curtsied with a trained grace, allowing a barely perceptible smirk to spread across her perfectly sculpted lips. Unable to resist smiling back in kind, Sasha realized the game was once again afoot.
“Yes, and you must remember to arrive as soon you receive my summons, Tiana. I get ever so lonely, and having to wait an eternity for you breaks my ever so weak heart,” Sasha's exaggerated gestures of being heartbroken brought a giggle to the younger woman's lips.
“My princess! Should my behavior offend, I shall take any punishment you deem fit,” Tiana responded mockingly, facing her rear towards Sasha, allowing her to playfully swat her buttocks. Both ladies laughed gaily.
“What would I do without you, Tiana? You make this boring life just barely palatable,” exhaled Sasha as she glided back into her dressing area on the far side of her luxurious bedchamber.
“With all the stiff old traditionalists around here, it is the only thing I can do for you, Your Highness.” Another smirk rounded Tiana's face as she bowed. Sasha threw her a forced fiery glare.
“Enough with the; your highnesses and my ladies. We are alone. There is no need for formalities.” Tiana gasped, feigning shock, like Sasha had just slapped her for no reason.
“But...but, Your Majesty, I would never be so bold as to not show the proper respect that your title deserves...and with your new post as Grand Duchess of Alutia! I would be lucky to keep my head if any disrespect was perceived!” The smirk on Tiana's lips grew to a full blown smile. Sasha turned her back, “You win, Tiana, you win,” responding while flipping through a row of dresses that appeared within the closet set flush into the bedchamber’s wall.
“Do I not always, My Royal Highness?” Once again Tiana curtsied with her response. Sasha, deciding the game had run its course, started holding up dresses and gowns for Tiana to judge.
“What should I wear for the trip? I was thinking that the current style may not be appropriate for travel. I was considering something a little more...robust...” Sasha placed the dresses back in the closet, which vanished, the wall becoming solid the moment she stepped away.
“Yes, Your Highness. I thought the same thing and had a special outfit prepared for this occasion.” Tiana showed the slight distant expression that was common when using ones BC node, being “node locked”. Sasha stared at her lady-in-waiting, raising a confused eyebrow, but Tiana ignored her, wandering around the bed, then seating herself on its edge. A few minutes passed in silence before one of the castle’s many servants arrived with a sealed bundle. As the servant laid it upon the bed, Sasha couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.
The outfit that appeared within was not a dress, but noble clothing of a similar make to those commonly worn by male nobles, ornately decorated, of course, but a coat and trousers nonetheless. Sasha stared at Tiana with a raised eyebrow.
“I asked around and found that it is quite common, and even expected in some circles, for the highest ranking noble, no matter lady or sir, to adorn a noble doublet and trousers during escorted travel. You do not need to wear it when we lounge, of course, but when moving about the starship it is considered proper manners, Princess.” Tiana wiped nonexistent dust from the doublet as she explained her reasoning.
Sasha, once again, stared at her lady, 10 years her junior at 16, but with the intelligence and worldliness of someone well beyond her tender age. Suddenly, one of the words that Tiana had spoken caught her interest,
“Us?” questioned Sasha with a slight tremble. “Since when did
I decide that you would accompany me,” unable to hide her surprise and unexpected annoyance. Tiana smirked once more, but with less of her usual mirth.
“My mother is very good friends with Queen Vahna, as you know, and they both decided it would be good for me to continue being your lady-in-waiting, and allow you to assign me an earldom or mark in your duchy when I reach the appropriate age...of course,” Tiana's said matter-of-factly, which as she probably planned, caused Sasha an immense amount of irritation.
“What right do our parents have to decide who I assign posts within my duchy? Do they think me incompetent before I have even started? First, they do not give me a choice in the matter, then they start telling me how I am supposed to rule!” Sasha knew she was acting childish, but everything had been welling up inside, finally bursting forth.
Just yesterday she was a pampered third-princess living on one of the most beautiful planets in the entire NHA. But now, she was preparing for journey to be crowned Grand Duchess of a new duchy called Alutia, situated on the other side of the galaxy.
Of course I know the noble title is very prestigious! She wanted to scream. But when her father's decision had reached her ears, she had been ill prepared and still found herself shaken, unable to fully accept the sudden change in her peaceful lifestyle.
From what information she could glean, it seemed her father was irritated at her lack of appropriate suitors. There were a few, of course, and she did enjoy a couple relationships she thought would last forever during her teenage years. Except, all of the men turned out to be pompous traditionalist asses, including the last man who courted her, who had left a scar so deep, it still hadn’t fully healed.
Most of her more recent suitors were little different, being arrogant traditionalists whose interest would wane after realizing a third-princess would not inherit the throne of galaxy 189 and had no land claims; she being, for all intents and purposes, the same as an unlanded noble. She wished they would conduct the proper research before wasting her time, instead of assuming that since the royal family was the highest sovereignty in the galaxy, she would inherit at least part of that claim. But only the crowned prince or princess had that privilege, and her elder brother, Crown Prince Kohan, currently held that honor.
But her issue, along with that of her elder sister, was unique. Normally, children of royal families were in high demand, being easily married off to other ruling nobles for strategic or trade alliances. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your viewpoint, Sasha's great-great grandfather, King Tolhan Vn'Oco, had decreed that his heirs should marry who they deem appropriate, and not be bound by the decision of the parents, which were usually swayed by politics. This was in response to his own sister being married off to a noble who thought women mere playthings, and ended up killing her in one of his more disgusting sex games. Many stories had been written about King Tolhan's grief, having dearly loved his sister, along with the fate of his brother-in-law, whose family was rumored to have met a most gruesome end.
So to avoid such a thing happening again, a Royal Proclamation was added to the Galaxy 189 Law Book, and reaffirmed by an Emperor’s Proclamation so no future galaxy 189 king or queen could overturn it. The decree stated that all sons and daughters, except the crowned prince or princess, shall be removed from the king and queen at birth, to be raised, in guardianship, by a noble family of their choice. Contact was allowed, but limited to a few times a year, while the only direct influence was as royalty to noble, not parent to child.
Still feeling her blood simmering, Sasha turned back to her lady-in-waiting and froze. Tiana's expression had frozen solid, tiny tears escaping from the edge of her fluttering eyes. Sasha’s rage melted away and regret took its place. She rushed to her friend's side.
“Oh, Tiana! I am so very sorry...forgive me. I did not mean to hurt you so. I would love for you to accompany me to my new duchy and of course you will have whatever you wish when you reach the proper age,” Sasha apologized with haste, trying to stem the tide of tears flowing from her suddenly teenage again lady-in-waiting. Tiana looked into her eyes and Sasha realized, at that moment, that Tiana was also being forced to do something against her will.
Who, in the universe, would choose to be shipped away from friends and family?
Tears came unexpected to Sasha as Tiana's became a torrent of sorrow. Tiana buried her face in Sasha's bosom. Both girls, hugging each other fiercely, let escape the frustration that had been building from the moment they heard about being forcibly shipped from their childhood home.
Quietly, the servant slipped out of the room, all the while showing an expression commonly seen when using a BC node, being “node locked”. Sasha caught a glimpse through the tears, knowing exactly who the servant would be contacting.
A minute passed as the girls continued to cry in grief when a new warmth embraced them and the gentle, almost musky, aroma of her guardian filled her being. New tears joined them and she realized her grief was nothing to that of Lady Liana, who was not only losing her daughter, Tiana, but also Sasha, who she raised as a daughter, to the hands of galactic politics.
Chapter 2
TSB Lieutenant Daniel lounged in the Terra Space Battalion observation outpost, absently observing recruitment grounds X17a, where the projected, three-dimensional image of his next unsuspecting victim floated in the air before him. He reached for the bottle of water, sitting atop the only table in the tiny square room, stretching his stiff limbs while removing his legs from the semi-spherical irradiated particle display unit, or PDU, rising half a meter from the floor before him. The device provided him a place to rest his legs, alongside its primary purpose of projecting a crystal clear, three-dimensional image in the air before him, while simultaneously projecting a workstation over his lap, allowing him to manually input or access required data.
He entered a request for primary approval of recruitment trial initiation, again bypassing the use of the much faster and more efficient direct BC node link. Though he did have his reasons, enjoying the tactile feel of the projected buttons and icons, while more importantly, having the ability to review his decisions before they were captured by the TSB’s planetary matrix system, which was impossible when transmitting thoughts with his BC node to the BAP integrated into the same PDU station.
Approval flashed across his display, and couldn’t help but grin, studying closely the petty man in the image. He appeared healthier than most, aged anywhere between the early twenties and late forties, the thick layer of filth that clung to him making any accurate gage impossible. The man stood a meager 177 centimeters tall, with a weight that couldn't be much more than 77 kilograms. He seemed happy enough, whistling with a skip in his step, occasionally stumbling over the rotting railroad crossbeams, the large burlap sack he wore on his back trying to pull him down.
“Never seen a happy hobo before,” Daniel muttered, replying to the Program in charge of recruitment with his phase one recommendations.
His current assignment was simple. Test the outcasts of Earth's society for aptitude and possible usage by the Terra Space Battalion, or TSB, a unique organization within the NHA.
Earth, being not an official member of the New Universal Empirical Human Alliance, meant it did not fall under the rules governing colonized planets. But due to its unique history and purpose, it needed to be protected from outside influence. For this, Earth’s orphans were collected and raised in special TSB orphanages, like Daniel, or more recently, harvested from Earth's adult population, mostly from the numerous dredges and outcasts. These recruits, or scum as Daniel thought of them, were required to successfully pass a series of tests, or trials, which if successful, would allow them to join the ranks of Earth's protectors, becoming members of the Terra Space Battalion, or TSB.
Daniel had, at one time, asked his superiors why it had to be this way. Why did they not just recruit the best Earth society had to offer, or push further for recruits from the massive NHA population? The response was simple. If high-profile mem
bers of Earth’s society vanished, or the NHA nobility became increasingly curious about Earth, the TSB might be discovered, or more NHA nobles may try to sneak onto Earth, negatively affecting Earth’s culture and development, as had happened already on more than a few occasions.
So today, Daniel, as punishment for disrespecting a senior female officer, “though she didn’t think it disrespect before I broke off our relationship, that bloody...” he gritted his teeth, knowing there was little he could do except watch recruitment grounds x17a, and make sure none of the “filth” pass the TSB’s trials. He didn’t necessarily hate, per say, Earthlings, but he felt little attachment to those raised in her bosom. Since he had been plucked from an Earth orphanage at a very young age and raised with TSB Earth Base’s orphanage. He was the best, and he knew it, and being forced to have to pick from people he considered trash to be his compatriots...bothered him to no end.
The latest candidate approached a long abandoned train maintenance station, recruitment grounds X17a, consisting of a group of rotting buildings to the left, used at one time to store spare parts and worker housing, and a fueling silo to the right, with a rusted ladder and broken spigot. Daniel finalized the initial testing parameters that he'd found to be most effective at removing unqualified candidates, then waited patiently for the Program in charge of recruitment to approve.
The initial testing phase was simple. A robotic representation of an alien race, usually a member of the Anti-Sapien Unification, or ASU, would appear from the silo. The creature would then attack the candidate, attempting to provoke him into fleeing. If the candidate tried to escape, he was immediately disqualified and the robotic alien was allowed to hunt the runner to make sure no word about the testing location returned to Earth's native authorities. If the candidate stood his ground, or tried to fight back, the robotic alien would flee into the building across from the refueling silo. The candidate must then follow the alien into the building for the start of the second phase of the recruitment trial. Though if he does not, and tries to continue on or flee, the robotic alien will attack again, only fleeing back to the building if there is continued resistance. Eventually, the Program will allow the robotic alien to destroy said human when enough time has passed, or the Program deems the candidate a lost cause.
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