Submit or die, it's the only way!

Terra | Throne Room | Two Days After Contact

I sat on my main platform at the head of the table and silently surveyed the people gathered before me. The most influential and the most loyal. The heads of all the Orders. The gathering was due to contact with the xeno race in the Hermos Segmentum. And though I knew what had happened there and what we had encountered, I needed to know the conclusions of the people I trusted. And now they were sitting at a long table, waiting for me to start the meeting. Yes, it was about time.

- So, Masters, as you all know, two days ago, a ship approached one of the mining complexes, and the Kenos infiltrated. I gave the order to seize the ship and its crew, and I did so," the nods were in response, "So now I would like to hear your reports and decide what to do next. Who would like to begin?

- Allow me, Emperor," Karos Marne, Arch-Magister of Mars, was the first to speak. With his metallic voice, he began to read the information from the communicator, "First, let me clear up the situation," he looked at me. He received an approving nod, and creating a hologram above his mechanical arm, he continued, "The Madarh-14A mining station was a new prototype with new weapons, which was installed after the incident with the capture of one of the stations by escaped prisoners. And the destruction of that station reduced production in the region by 15.65787%. So it was decided by the Collegium to improve the extraction stations by equipping them with state-of-the-art suppression weapons. The station in the Hermos segment was one of the first to undergo modification. From the reports given to us by the spirit of the station, it is safe to say that the stasis gun has shown its effectiveness in stationary versions against the enemy's manpower.

- Are there any designs for delivery to the army yet? - Master Ordo Legio* took the floor, "This device would greatly help combat with ground units.

- Unfortunately, it takes too long to activate a weapon for ground combat, and the amount of energy needed to fire it would be impossible with a heavy armour generator. Ordo Mechanicus does not recommend putting this weapon to reinforce ground infantry units. Perhaps Mars will develop the concept of super-heavy "Colossus" bots with this weapon, but no more.

- Accepted," Master Ordo Legio sat down, returning to reading the reports.

- I'll continue. After the delivery of the Xeno ship to Mars, it was disassembled and studied. The technology was based on mass theory, just as the Great Emperor had foreseen. Parts were copied from the Xeno archive found on Mars, which makes it clear that this archive is not the only one. I remind everyone here that this technological path has led to a dead end, and in the technology of this ship, we can be sure of that. With the Emperor's permission, I will make a report on the ship's specifications," he began his report after receiving my consent:

"- Shields.

At the moment, Keno's shields are inferior to ours in certain areas. We have better protection against kinetic projectiles, and energy pulses squeeze through their shields in minutes. But ours takes longer to recharge after overloading, and that's the weakness of our forces. At the moment of overload, the captain can only rely on armour.

- Armor.

Our armour is superior to the armour of this race, but, unfortunately, we will not be able to withstand the salvos of their kinetic weapons for a long time. We will try to improve it by adding new alloys, but the result will take time. At the moment, it outperforms the Xeno armour by 13.365%.

- Weapons.

According to the kinetic data obtained, possibly imperfect laser systems. Only dangerous after the shield has gone to reload.

- Engine.

They are slightly superior to us in movement. The movement speed with the "repeaters" is higher and faster than the calculation to pierce space. But they lose in the distance. The breach engine can cover about 15% more distance than the path between the "repeaters".

The basic report is over. Keno is unlikely to develop beyond these results. Will there be orders, Emperor?"

- Yes, continue the development of new weapon systems. After you give a report on the Nova project personally," Master understood me and nodded and sat down.

- Master Augustus! - the tall man in the blue uniform rose," What is the status of the Ordo Stellar?

- Emperor, at this moment, all fleets on duty near the borders are on full alert, and those at the docks and central systems are being redeployed to their locations. The deployment will be over in about two days.

- Commendable, Master, await my specific commands for action, but in the meantime, continue your service on the borders," the Master nodded and sat down.

- Master Cornelius," the stately man with greying hair stood up, "what can you tell me of the legions' readiness?

- My Emperor, all troops are quartered on planets and segments, but moving them will take little time. And I would like to address the issue of the penalty units. War is a way to redeem themselves, but should they be thrown into the first battles?

- No. Use Legio Populus and Legio Ferro to destroy the enemy's forward forces; you can even use Legio Mechanicus with their vehicles. Send out the second wave of a penalty squad or to unimportant targets. Propagandize that with their blood, they'll atone," General nodded and sat down, "Well, that's it. Go back to your Ordos; you'll get your orders later. Marn, I'm expecting a report from you on the Nova and a report from the Ordo Biologic. Invite the Master of the Secret Guard," the mention of the order made everyone but the techno-adept twitch. The Secret Guards are worth discussing separately; they have their own reputation.

Five minutes later, a man dressed in black and wearing a hood that made his face invisible came in and bowed to me. Tribune Valerius is a Master of the Order of the Secret Guard, a very peculiar character. All the peculiarity comes from the peculiarity of the Guard. But for this, one must go back about a thousand years in history.

Once a promising but young scientist enrolled at Ordo Mechanicus, he was developing the smallest bot. He was developing them for medicine and hoped for a breakthrough, as his technology was superior to the devices of the time. But unfortunately, he made a programming blunder, namely he gave the task of removing weakened parts in the body, meaning wounds, and injected himself with a batch of nanobots, making a cut on his arm. The bots healed the wound, covering the cut themselves, but it didn't stop there. The computer thought the entire body was weakened. The terrible screams and cries were heard all night. In the morning, when they could break down the door and rush inside, the Legionnaires faced a no longer human creature. Then they captured him and took him to Mars, where they found out who the creature was. The scientist didn't die; he passed to another stage of life. His entire body was replaced with nanobots, and he could change his entire body. How his consciousness was transferred to the machines is still a mystery. Still, after the proceedings, he, who had already changed his views, created his own order. I gave him internal and external security, and believe me, there is nothing scarier for the average person than hearing the words "Secret Guard. Imagine that someone could take the form of absolutely any person or creature. His habits, his voice, his memories. And live in that disguise until the time comes to strike. They were called Shadows, for they were only the indistinguishable mark of humans. Still, they traded their essence for eternal and fanatical service to me. Their peculiarity was their most terrible secret, which only they and I knew.

Very few people will be able to pass the tests to which the wards were subjected to become Shadow. Forty-nine out of fifty die when the nanobots are implanted, and only one passes the test. But this one will become a first-class killer without fear or pity.

And now standing before me is the young scientist who created his new life a thousand years ago.

- Rise up, Tribune, you have an important assignment," the figure rose and looked at me with his blue eyes, "Where are the captured knows?

- At the moment, in Hermos, in the dungeons beneath the palace of the Prefect of Valentus, my Emperor," the otherworldly, lifeless voice answered me.

- Very well, send someone there to gather information about their realm, but keep them alive. Don't be surprised, she's not the last in her kin, and she can help bring in other Shadows. If she doesn't agree, then give it to the Mechanics; they're hungry for their bodies," then the figure nodded and bowed and asked:

- Is that all, my Emperor?

- Yes, Tribune.

-Will be done, God-Emperor," and then he silently departed.

That's it; we'll wait to see how the game goes.

Segmentum Hermos | Capital Planet Hermos | Prefect Valente's Palace

Riessa T'Lani.

My consciousness returned in leaps and bounds: I was dragged somewhere, told something, and then I came to my senses on some chair. When I opened my eyes, all I saw was a white room. There was light coming out of the walls and no windows or doors. There was only a chair to which I was tied, a table and a second chair on the other side. There was nothing else.

- Hello, is anyone there? - The only answer was silence. Well, somebody chained me to a chair. Well, we're not proud; we'll wait.

I waited for about thirty minutes, and then the door on the wall opposite opened, and a humanoid in black clothes entered the room. The cloth clothes were reminiscent of the Quarians but longer and more enclosed.

In the meantime, the humanoid came to the table and sat across from me. He had some kind of case in his hands, which he placed on the table. When he opened it and took out some kind of device, he stood up and walked over to me. He started putting the device on my head, which didn't fit me well, as it took a long time. But then he finished and sat back down while inserting the other device part into his hand. As soon as he did this, it was like I was electrocuted, and images and memories flashed before my eyes, even ones I had long forgotten. It lasted a couple of minutes and then stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Then he took the thing off me and returned to his seat, looking at me. I looked at him. We sat like that for another ten minutes. They weren't in much of a hurry.

- Let's begin," a native-sounding, albeit unaccustomed, speech broke into my thoughts.

- Do you know our language? - That's amazing; either they've been following us for a long time, or it's thick...

- I just found out - oops... now that's strong. There's no such technology in Citadel space;- Let's start the conversation - your name, age, rank, occupation.

- Riessa T'Lani, 113 years old, captain of a ship, any wages," he looked at me strangely as he said this, but then he turned his attention back to his paper. Because I'm just making a big speech here, and I don't know anything about you.

After that, he looked at me again strangely, and when I had already despaired of hearing anything, he said:

- There is no name, only eternal service to Him," and then he returned to the paper. What does that mean? Whose service? All right, let's try to get some money.

- I can buy my life back. I'm a well-off Asa...

- We're not interested in money. You have nothing to offer us," he almost burned a hole in me with his look of blue lenses, or whatever it is he has, "Let's continue: are you connected with the criminal gangs in 'Citadel space'?

And why the question? I could go to Omega for a few days, but what difference would it make?

- I've dealt with some, but I'm not a member. Why the question, if I may?

There was no answer.

- I found out everything you need to know; others will take care of you, wait," and he left the room on that "happy" note.

Well... productive. All I managed to notice was five fingers on my hands. So it's definitely not one of the Citadel races. Not Azari, absolutely not. So it's a new one, and a lot of money can be made on a new race. Well, if I get out.

I didn't notice the door open in my head, and three humanoids, who looked like the last one, walked through it. Two of them stood in front of the door, and one, in a suit with a silver pattern, sat across from me.

- Hello again, it's not so formal now," the stranger said.

- You could untie me, for the sake of informality, because I'm not the last biotic, so I could light the last of the fire, if necessary. But strangely, he grinned at the request.

- If you like," the locks clicked, "but you should know that doing something stupid won't make you a hero and won't harm me.

- And still, you have set me free.

- There is no danger from you to me. And we need good conditions for the conversation - well, at least it is pleasant to talk to him, not to listen to the questions of the past.

- Can I ask you one more thing, just out of curiosity? - And he laughs again.

- You're cheeky; another would have been breathing on cue at the sight of me. But for you, I'll give you my request.

- Why don't you show your face? I would like to see an interlocutor; it's more usual," he hovered at this question for a long time. He just sat there and looked at me. Then he hummed and threw off his hood.

If I hadn't known there was another race in front of me, I would have thought he was a Kwarian, to begin with. The facial features were almost identical; I had an affair with one of them; only his eyes were like those of an Azari, with a pupil, and his skin a brighter colour. But as it was, a young man was sitting before me with a heavy, lifeless look. It made me think I was a machine, not a living creature.

- And you look a lot like us! - Very much like us, indeed.

- I'm aware of that, but back to our conversation. Tell me, do you want to go on with your life? - He asked in an abruptly mechanical voice. I, swallowing viscous saliva, shyly nodded.

- Fine, then your fate depends on your decision. You have a choice: either you accept eternal service to the Golden Throne and Terra, or the fate of your crew will befall you.

What have they done to the crew?! To Dahlia and the others!

- Wh... what happened to them?

- The junior ranks went to the mechanics in the weapons labs. They're in for a very unpleasant fate; they're being tested on the latest weaponry. And if you refuse, you will share that fate with them. It won't be pleasant for you.

By this time, I was shaking, and my skin was almost white. The only thing I could squeeze out was:

-Ah... ah... what... what about the helper, Delia?

- But her fate also depends on your choice,-so she's still alive; maybe I can get her out. But I've never been this shaken before. I'll have to get drunk if I get out.

- What do I have to do?

- You'll just do what you used to, but sometimes you'll run errands for us. Information, mostly. Your assistant, Delia, will go with you. If you decide to betray, you'll be sorry because you seem to have two other sisters, one even with children.

At those words, I knew I had nowhere to go. And my entire family would die for my blunder. It may be alright.

- What guarantee do you have that you won't remove me as soon as I'm no longer needed?

- Only your oath before the Emperor. And believe me, that's a lot in your position.

- I... I agree.