General Iraxys's amethyst eyes, sharp and demanding, swept over Kael and his assembled companions. The echoes of her order – "Show me if your 'paradigm shift' can survive contact with a real enemy under my command" – still resonated in the vast, sterile Praxeum. There was no room for negotiation, no time for further questions. This was the crucible, the real-world exam following the theory test of the simulation.
"You will be assigned to Strike Wing Gamma, aboard the assault carrier Retribution," Iraxys stated, her voice devoid of inflection. "Commander Valerius is its captain – a seasoned officer. He will be briefed on your… unique capabilities. You will follow his orders as you would my own. Your objective is to neutralize the detected anomaly with minimal collateral damage to Aethelgard's orbital defenses and civilian sectors. Failure," her gaze hardened, "will be… comprehensively documented." Without waiting for a response, she turned crisply and strode from the Praxeum, her crimson and black armor a stark silhouette against the glowing holographic displays. Two Imperial Guards, previously unnoticed by Kael, materialized from alcoves near the exit and fell in step behind her, their movements perfectly synchronized.
A heavy silence descended, broken only by Veyra's low chuckle. "Minimal collateral damage, she says. Spoken like a true desk-bound general. Real battles are messy, as this Valerius will soon learn if this 'anomaly' has any teeth." (Veyra: 45% Affection)
Zaria stretched, her leather-clad form sinuous and ready. "An assault carrier, you say? I wonder if their brig is more comfortable than these guest quarters. One can always hope for an upgrade." A playful smirk touched her lips, though her amber eyes were alert. (Zaria: 40% Affection)
Sylvara, however, looked positively affronted. "To be ordered about by a mortal commander aboard a primitive metal conveyance? The sheer audacity! If I am to lend my divine might to this… scuffle… it will be on my own terms, directing my energies as I see fit, not as some tin-plated captain dictates." (Sylvara: 35% Affection)
"Sylvara," Kael said, his voice firm but placating, his effective Charm of 42 working to smooth ruffled divine feathers, "think of it as an opportunity. If we handle this well, under their command structure, it shows Iraxys – and by extension, Valthor – that we can be assets, that we're not just loose cannons. It'll make your 'redemption arc' look even better if you're seen to be gracefully contributing to the stability of a major galactic power." He gave her a conspiratorial wink.
Her nostrils flared, but she conceded with a sniff. "There is a certain… crude logic in your self-preservation instincts, mortal. Very well. I shall… endeavor to coordinate my divine interventions with their inevitably flawed mortal strategies. Within reason."
Elara placed a reassuring hand on Kael's arm. "We understand, Kael. Commander Valerius… I've read of him. He's a veteran of the Outer Rim skirmishes, known for his unorthodox tactics but unwavering loyalty. Iraxys would not assign us to a fool." (Elara: 55% Affection)
Seraphina, who had been quietly observing the exchange, nodded. "Cooperation within an established command structure, even a foreign one, demonstrates discipline. The Divine Council values such order, even when faced with anomalous powers. This is a significant test, Kael Vorne. Your performance here will weigh heavily on my report." (Seraphina: 50% Affection)
Kael took a deep breath. His current quest from the system was clear: Impress Iraxys, get her affection to 25% (it was currently 20%), and secure that audience with Valthor. This real-world battle was the final, practical exam. "Alright team," he said, a new resolve hardening his gaze. "Let's go show General Iraxys what a 'paradigm shift' truly looks like when it gets its hands dirty. And try not to blow up any friendly ships in the process, Sylvara."
Their escort back through the labyrinthine palace was swift and silent. They were led not to the grand shuttle platform where they'd arrived, but to a subterranean transit hub, humming with activity. Imperial troops and officers moved with brisk efficiency, their crimson and black uniforms a stark contrast to the polished chrome and glowing conduits that lined the tunnels. They boarded a high-speed maglev transport that whisked them through miles of tunnels at breathtaking speed, finally emerging into a colossal, cavernous docking bay carved into the side of one of Aethelgard's immense mountains.
The assault carrier Retribution was a beast. Even docked, its sheer scale was intimidating – a jagged spearhead of black and crimson metal, bristling with weapon emplacements, its engines glowing with a fierce, contained energy. The hangar bay they entered was a hive of activity: fighters being armed, munitions loaded, ground troops in heavy combat armor performing last-minute checks on their gear. The air smelled of ozone, hot metal, and the faint, sterile scent of recycled shipboard air.
Commander Valerius was waiting for them on the boarding ramp, flanked by two heavily armed marines. He was a man carved from granite, his face a roadmap of old scars, his eyes the color of storm clouds – hard, weary, but missing nothing. His uniform was immaculate, his bearing that of a man who had seen a thousand battles and expected to see a thousand more. He gave Kael and his companions a single, sweeping, appraising glance that lingered for a moment on Veyra's imposing frame and Sylvara's ethereal glow.
"Kael Vorne, I presume?" Valerius's voice was a gravelly baritone. "General Iraxys has… briefed me on your… unique assets." There was no warmth in his tone, only a professional, perhaps slightly skeptical, assessment. "Welcome aboard the Retribution. We launch in ten minutes. You and your specialists will be stationed on the auxiliary bridge. You will have a direct line to my command, and your tactical suggestions will be… considered. But make no mistake – I am in command of this vessel and this engagement. You will follow my orders. Is that understood?"
"Understood, Commander," Kael replied, meeting his gaze squarely. "We're here to help neutralize the anomaly. You point us, we'll do our best to shoot." He decided against mentioning his effective Charm; Valerius didn't seem the type to be swayed by smooth talk. Results were what would matter here.
The auxiliary bridge was a smaller, more compact version of a standard command deck, clearly designed for specialist teams or flag officers. Holographic displays flickered with tactical data, showing Aethelgard's orbital sphere and the approaching energy signature of the anomaly, now designated 'XF-001' – Xenomorphic Formation, Unknown Origin. It was moving fast, on a direct vector.
"All wings, report status!" Valerius's voice crackled over the ship-wide comms. Reports flooded in, a chorus of disciplined voices confirming readiness. Kael felt the deck plates beneath his feet hum as the Retribution's main engines powered up. Through the main viewport, he saw scores of other Dominion warships – sleek destroyers, heavy cruisers, and nimble fighter squadrons – forming up into attack patterns, a river of crimson and black steel against the star-dusted void. The sheer scale of the Crimson Dominion's military might was awe-inspiring.
"Anomaly XF-001 entering extreme sensor range," a calm, synthesized voice announced from the tactical station. "Composition… unknown. High energy readings, fluctuating EM fields, and… by the Void, what is that thing?" The usually unflappable tactical officer's voice betrayed a hint of shock.
On the main viewer, the anomaly resolved itself. It wasn't a ship, or even a fleet of ships. It was… a single, colossal entity, something like a crystalline space-dwelling jellyfish, easily miles across. Its translucent, multifaceted bell pulsed with an eerie internal light, ranging from sapphire blue to blood red, and from it trailed dozens of shimmering, whip-like tentacles, each crackling with raw, uncontrolled energy. It moved with a strange, hypnotic grace, yet its sheer size and the power it radiated were terrifying.
"All wings, engage at will!" Valerius commanded. "Target its primary bell structure! Fighters, screen for energy discharges from those tentacles!"
The space around Aethelgard erupted into a maelstrom of laser fire, plasma bolts, and streaking missiles as the Dominion fleet engaged. The crystalline jellyfish, XF-001, responded. Its tentacles lashed out, not with energy beams, but with waves of what looked like pure, crystallized emotion. Kael watched in horror as a squadron of Dominion fighters, caught in a shimmering wave of amethyst light, suddenly broke formation and began attacking each other in a frenzy of suicidal rage. Another wave, this one a sickly, despairing green, washed over a heavy cruiser, and its shields simply… winked out of existence, its crew presumably overwhelmed by an unbearable ennui, leaving it vulnerable to the entity's next attack.
"Psionic assault!" Elara gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "It's projecting raw emotional force! Conventional shields are useless against that!"
"Commander Valerius," Kael said urgently into his comm unit, connected directly to the main bridge. "That thing's using psionic attacks! Your ships need to recalibrate shield harmonics or find a way to counter mental interference!"
"Acknowledged, Vorne," Valerius's voice came back, tight but controlled. "Easier said than done. Any of your… specialists… have experience with large-scale psychic warfare?"
Kael looked at his team. Sylvara was already glowing, her expression one of intense distaste. "Raw, unrefined emotional effluvia. Disgusting. But potent. My divine aura can create a buffer of serenity, but covering an entire fleet is beyond my current capacity, especially with my connection to the Loom so… frayed."
Seraphina nodded. "Celestial beings are resistant to such crude mental assaults, but projecting that resistance on a wide scale is difficult. Focused counter-psionics are required."
Zaria and Veyra looked frustrated, their physical prowess largely useless against an enemy that attacked the mind.
This was bad. The Dominion fleet, for all its firepower, was taking losses, ships veering off course, attacking friendlies, or simply going dead in the void as their crews succumbed to overwhelming fear, rage, or despair projected by XF-001. Iraxys's voice cut across the command channel, crisp and cold, ordering wings to re-form, to concentrate fire, but there was an edge of strain in her voice.
Kael's Intellect of 47 was working furiously. Psionics… emotions… What counters emotion? Logic? No, that's not it. Order? Control? Or perhaps… a stronger, more focused emotion? He looked at his Infamy score: 200 remaining. Dark Dominion cost 50. The Synthari lens enhanced its effect against constructs and AI, but what about a psionic entity?
"System," Kael subvocalized, "Dark Dominion. Can it be used to project a countervailing emotional state? Or to disrupt a psionic entity's focus if I target its… mind, assuming it has one?"
[Analyzing Query… Enhanced Dark Dominion (with Synthari Focusing Lens) allows for greater precision in targeting and overriding command structures, including rudimentary psionic nexuses if a focal point can be identified. Projecting a generalized emotional state is not a primary function, but a focused 'Dominion' command targeting the entity's psionic projection organ or nexus could potentially disrupt its output or create a feedback loop. High risk of severe psionic backlash to user if resistance is strong.]
A focal point… Kael stared at the main viewer, at the giant crystalline jellyfish. Its multifaceted bell pulsed with different colors, each seemingly corresponding to the emotional waves it was emitting. But there was one spot, right at the apex of its bell, that glowed with a constant, intense white light, a point from which all the other colors seemed to emanate.
"That's it!" Kael breathed. "Commander Valerius, General Iraxys, if you can hear me! That white spot on top of its bell – I think that's its primary psionic focus point! If we can hit that, hard, we might be able to disrupt its mental attacks!"
"Your theory is… noted, Vorne," Iraxys's voice came back, tight with the strain of command. "But getting a clear shot through this chaos and its energy tentacles is proving… problematic."
"My team can do it," Kael said, a surge of reckless confidence filling him. "Commander Valerius, request permission to take my specialists on a high-speed intercept run. We'll need a fast, maneuverable ship – one of your strike corvettes, maybe. We'll draw its fire, get in close, and I think Sylvara and Seraphina can deliver the payload if Elara can shield us and Zaria and Veyra can run interference against those tentacles."
A long pause. Kael could almost hear Iraxys and Valerius weighing the insane risk. Then, Valerius's voice: "Vorne, you're volunteering to be the primary target for that… thing?"
"Someone has to ring the jellyfish's bell, Commander," Kael said, trying to sound braver than he felt. "And my team specializes in impossible odds." He looked at his companions. Elara gave a determined nod. Zaria grinned fiercely. Veyra slammed her fist into her palm. Seraphina's eyes glowed with celestial light. Even Sylvara looked… almost eager.
"Permission granted, Vorne," Iraxys's voice cut in, decisive. "The strike corvette Stiletto is yours. Commander Valerius will detach it with a fighter escort. Get it done. Aethelgard is depending on it."
[Target Iraxys's Affection Meter: 23% (Acknowledging Initiative)]
Progress: User's willingness to take extreme personal risk and propose a daring, specific plan of action under fire has caught Target Iraxys's attention. Her assessment continues, now with a focus on execution.
Kael grinned. Almost there, General. He turned to his team. "Alright, ladies. Who's ready to go jellyfish hunting?"