Cover art by Fangtom

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"The Lady and the Forged"

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To live is to struggle.

The medic screamed, fearing for her own safety as she blocked incoming projectiles with the neosteel shield she cowered behind and panic-fired blindly with her hand cannon revolver. Wretched howls of combat clashed brutally with the raucous bark of gauss rifles and the desperate cries of men and women.

In this cold, dark deciduous forest, with ghostly shadows drawn by the blue moon, the noises surrounding Lexi threatened to overwhelm her and overwhelm the pacemaker managing her erratic heartbeats. But there was nowhere to crawl in a corner and hide, no time to break down and cry.

"Over there! Behind the trees!"

They see you run. We sense your weakness.

She caught glimpses of specters in the fog. Her combat suit was struck in the side by several attacks from afar which bit at the neosteel protecting her soft body. In mortal danger, she broke, survival instincts pushing her to run screaming away from the enemy, to flee into the woods.

"They're flanking us!"

"No! Come back!"

"I'm hit!"

The voices of fellow marines and medics echoed like phantoms plaguing her mind.

Cowards don't live.

The medic stopped briefly to check on the soldiers still fighting the enemy. There they continued to stand and fight, suffering the agony of wounds and death while she ran away. Her shuddering legs entombed in electronics and neosteel would not budge.

Why was she even here? She never wanted to fight, to die on a foreign planet. The visceral chaos of combat made her want to take shelter in the safety and civility of the urban city she lived her entire life.

But amidst the combat were the cries of fellow terrans, people just like her. As fear of painful death pulled her away, the cries and the suffering yanked her back, leaving her feeling frozen and trapped as she slowed to a backpedal.

She was a medic. She made a vow.

"I…" she whispered, "...I can't!" This was too crazy; way beyond her calling. She never asked to fight in this insane war. Where are the soldiers and generals to defend her? Where was humanity when the protoss and the zerg closed on them? When… When…

Courage fails. The weak die.

Yes. They die.

Her grip on the hand cannon revolver and her medic shield tightened, for she would have otherwise clasped her dizzying head. Her pacemaker quickened erratically with the tears leaking around her gasping mouth. She could only splutter useless words, to whom she did not know.

Helplessness at death's mercy. She's seen this before on Tarsonis

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Chapter 1: Tarsonis' Twilight

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-January 14, 2500-

-Planet: Tarsonis-

-Temperate Planet. Population: 2 Billion. Confederate Capital World-

"Nearly a month has passed since we lost contact from the Sara System. Dissident organizations like the Sons of Korhal continue to wreak havoc on Confederate holdings. As you know, a little over a week ago the Sons of Korhal assaulted a Confederate garrison on Antiga Prime which caused billions in property damage. Our sources suggest the tragedy was facilitated by Arcturus Mengsk using mind control drugs and a virulent toxin to enslave the Antigans and force General Edmund Duke in Norad II to join his madness. There was even speculation that Mengsk made a secret deal with the protoss to install him as ruler of Antiga Prime while they destroyed the rest of the Confederacy.

While the wave of rebellion draws closer to the core worlds, dissidents have already infiltrated our society. The Confederate Council advised all denizens still committed to to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity. In other news, the recruiting stations are expanding their criteria and anyone, especially those living in hardship, can make a living in the Confederate Armed Forces while protecting our future.

This is Danny Vermillion, signing off."

"Introducing the new Cold Fusion Frappe from Starmoose—!"

Dr. Lexi Nguyen turned off the TV she was watching from the couch in the hospital break room, a room once populated with coworkers now devoid of life save herself. The lights were sterile white like the walls.

Plus it was her only source of outside information after long hours of endless work.

"Damn rebels," she said, running her hand through sleek black bangs and sipping a cup of coffee. Already, the cogs and calculators were running in her mind as she sipped a plastic cup of cold water. "But a good opportunity for profit."

Lexi thought pensively on the state of the Koprulu sector and how it might become an unexpected key to her future. She needed to speak with Desiree. Where was she at? Nova's birthday party. A phone call would be too inconvenient; this was best discussed in person.

But to do that, Lexi needed to ditch work. She pulled out her smartphone and texted Desiree.

Im headin 2 the party. See u in an hr.

The 25 year old woman trashed her crumpled cup and strode to the front door of the Tarsonis City Hospital, leaving behind the sterile smells of her practice.

A fellow doctor noticed her hasty march to leave, and followed. "Dr. Nguyen. Where are you going?"

Lexi punched in her time-card on a digital monitor and responded, "I'm gone for the day, Cole."

"Wait! Wait! You have to stay here! We're understaffed."

"Well then we oughta stopped everyone else from becomin' Confederate medics, doin' their patriotic duty. Don'tcha think? Suckers, I say," spat Lexi.

Cole stood in front of her, pleading, "Come on. You're going to get in trouble if you do this again."

"Who'd dare replace me?" challenged Lexi.

He glared and asked, "What about the patients? Your doctor's oath?"

"You're in my way." She pushed Cole aside, swiped her security card, and strode past the glass doors.

As she approached her limo, she was met with stares from pedestrians and outdoor hospital workers. She ignored their petty gossip.

"Spare change?"

An old man she had attempted to ignore approached Lexi holding out a hat, as if expecting she'd actually fold.

"Out of my way," she said, circling around the man who still had the gall to hold his ratty hat as if she'd suddenly have a change of heart.

Only peasants and beggars beg from their betters.

---

November's Folder: 2492, Age 7

-Subject demonstrates increased awareness of emotions when in the presence of other individuals at close range, the biggest indicator of a burgeoning psionic potential. Without even engaging in conversation, Subject was able to intuit what the other person is feeling without relying on body language. In due time, Subject may begin to teep by their mid or late teen years. Guardians were advised to explain that Subject is more 'empathetic' than most people. Psi-screens are too dangerous to use for the subject in the long term. Further exploration of concealment options is required, but the question of the subject's psionic potential should be discussed.

Lexi closed her binder to stare out the armored limousine windows, observing the passing surface level metal stores and towering skyscrapers reflecting yellow sunlight. Industrial outdoor air conditioners all over the city spin their fans to counter the heat absorbed by metal and concrete. Comfortable conditions for the dispersed recruiting stations highlighted by towering Confederate flags.

Her phone dinged.

Desiree: Ain't you at work?

Lexi: Left early. Want 2 discuss business.

Desiree: "Ok. We're at the party. See you soon.

Inside the limo it was dead silent. The passenger compartment with its ever persistent new car smell was perfectly soundproof to block out the wailing sirens of patrol cars clearing the road for her convoy. Old wheeled cars and new model hovercraft alike scrambled to get clear lest they get tagged by the patrol cars for hefty fines.

She remembered something and grabbed her sleek, green, latest model phone.

Lexi: Thomas at party?

There was no immediate response. Most likely Desiree was busy socializing.

Lexi rolled back her gray sleeves to check the electronic display surgically grafted onto her forearm, just under her wrist. Two numbers in a seven-segment display, 82, signified her heartbeat managed by a pacemaker attached to her heart. Her arm monitors reassured her the pacemaker was in pristine condition.

Lexi was tapping her leather boot for a good 5 minutes until she received a notification.

Desiree: He's here.

Lexi sighed with relief.

Desiree: Did Father call you?

Lexi: No. papa's not called me yet.

He acting weird.

Desiree: I know.

Her convoy passed a barricaded perimeter surrounding Terra Tower where crowds of plebian citizens and reporters clustered to gain a meager glimpse of the Tower in-between skyscrapers. Lexi scowled at their obsession with the Old Families, their reverence for the class they supposedly envied and disdained - Didn't they have anything better to do?

Security was tight with so many Old Family folks clustered in a single building. Lexi pulled out a pair of sunglasses from a compartment.

---

Once she arrived at Terra Skyscraper the bouncers let her through the front door under a neosteel Roman-style arch. Good, they bothered to remember her this time. Papa wouldn't need to deal with them again.

As she ascended the elevator alone, Lexi suddenly remembered the need to comb her work hair and straighten out her coat. Damn, she should have changed into something nicer than a gray jacket and slacks over a green flannel. She'd also need to check on Nova-.

Crap! It's Nova's birthday. She forgot a present.

Lexi groaned. No big deal. Business can be taken care of first.

The entire birthday party would take place in the open space between Floors 85-95. Starting at Floor 86 was a whole multi-floor room, with each level having a quarter of square neosteel platform, where partygoers can mingle and play atop wood and glass. This enabled a copious view of the entire party bathed in natural sunlight through the glass exterior walls, with hanging plants, floating holograms, and flying robots decorating the atmosphere, in particular rescue robots to catch whoever was careless enough to fall off the generous glass panel railings. The first floor received guests and had most of the food attended by dutiful human servants while all the games and lounging was done on the upper levels.

Its grandness barely fazed her. She played and frolicked on the steps when she was a little girl.

"Hey, it's the other Tyran child."

"What you reckon she's doin' here?"

"Don't talk about them. They're all cursed."

Her eyes hidden behind dark lenses could freely glare at the party goers while the rest of her face remained stoic. She hid her true feelings behind a practiced public mask.

Ignoring everyone else on the bottom floor who threw curious glances her way, Lexi ascended the tasteful carpet stairs connecting each ascending platform which spiraled all the way to the top, all connected by a quadruple elevator tower for those less inclined to tire themselves scaling every stairway. While climbing the stairs, she pulled out her phone.

Lexi: Im here. Where u at?

While she waited for Desiree to respond, hopefully soon so she didn't have to check every single darn level, she was walking across one of the floors and felt someone slap a hand over her shoulder.

Lexi jumped and skittishly wheeled around to face the stranger touching her. Fright morphed into a grudging smile. "Tom."

Her younger brother, Thomas, bent down to wrap her in a hug. "Heya, Sis."

She returned the familial hug and resisted the impulse to ruffle her 17 year old brother's boyish short hair. "You don't usually hug me."

Thomas brushed his hair back in place and answered without a discernible drawl, "Maybe I'm in the mood."

Lexi huffed to herself, "Your hair lookin' nice."

"Thanks."

"You hangin' out with them Old Family kids?" inquired Lexi, trying to keep the small talk with her brother going.

"A bit. Not many of my other friends came, it's just the guys."

"For Nova?"

"Yeah. She's getting hotter now." He shrugged, raising the shoulders of his three piece suit. "I had a girlfriend, but I get it."

Lexi swallowed the scoff in her throat. Then, she raised a brow. "Hold up. You done broke up with your lady?"

Thomas hid his hands in his pockets, pursed his lips, and nodded, "Yeah. Yesterday."

Lexi took off her shades, thinking back to Thomas' unusual display of affection. She asked with as much sympathy as she could muster, "What happened?"

Thomas sighed, "The fame of dating me was gettin' to her. She couldn't handle it anymore, too much negative attention."

She felt sadness and pity overwhelm her. "There ain't no way. No. You've known her since we were kids."

"That was before everyone found out I was not just a bastard, but a bastard of a rich man."

"Who was harassin' you two? I'll deal with them, boys."

"Can we just talk about this later?"

Lexi flushed red thinking she may have overstepped another social boundary in public. "Alright, we'll talk later. Promise me, alright? Have you seen Desiree here?"

"Big sis? Yeah, I think I know what floor she's on." He went for the stairs.

"Daggum… What about the elevator?" suggested Lexi.

"Come on, Sis. You need some exercise."

Thomas wasn't turning back. Lexi needed him to find Desiree quickly, so she sighed and started ascending the stairs after him.

"Good lord."

Her brother led on, and asked, "What did you want to talk about with Desiree?"

Lexi stopped them mid-flight on some stairs to whisper closely, "Remember my plan to restore the old pharmaceutical sector of Tyran Industries?"

Thomas' brows perked, "You're really going to do that?"

"Yes. It'll help the good folks out there and all that. Just need to work out the plan with Desiree."

Her brother smiled, "Nice. You're gonna have to figure out how to get that past Christabella."

Lexi hissed. Christabella was Mother Tyran and head of household for the Tyran family. A vain and greedy woman who entered the family through marriage to Lexi's father, Alois Tyran. While her husband idled with his task as head of security, Christabella ran their family businesses by the whip, and frequently oversaw the arms factories on Canton. Any change in the family industry M.O. had to run through her first. "That'll be tough. We'll cook up something."

Mentioning the obstacle woman Christabella also reminded Lexi another important detail. Perhaps that would brighten his spirits. "By the way, Mama called me last night."

Thomas stopped in the middle of the stairs and faced her, "She did?"

"Mhm. She's doin' fine."

She watched her brother's face turn to stone and his eyes become glassy. He said, "It's good to know she's doing alright. Still alive."

"Confederate battlecruisers are tough as nails," supplied Lexi.

"Why didn't she call me, though?"

Lexi's stomach dropped, "I don't know. She must've been busy'n whatnot."

Thomas' black bangs framed his downcast gaze. Then he turned around.

"Tom," called Lexi. "Mama's still thinkin' about ya. She doesn't have much time to make calls."

"I know," muttered Thomas.

Lexi decided it was best to drop the subject for now. Internally, she cursed herself for the blunder.

They continued until they reached Floor 93 and Thomas pointed them towards the woman Lexi was looking for.

Desiree Tyran. A tall and beautiful woman with brown wavy hair flowing underneath a white-green summer hat with a dark blue rose and green rooster feathers that swayed with every graceful nod. A vibrant teal gown hid her legs while accentuating the upper body of the belle and heiress of Tyran Industries.

Lexi always envied her half-sister's beauty.

Desiree soon noticed Lexi and Thomas' approach, and spoke to the Terras' son, Zeb. "It was a delight talkin' with ya, Zeb, and I hope we can talk about ya and your company some more. Please s'cuse me, I'd very much like to talk with my family."

Zeb nodded and wandered off, probably to stuff his face with food like a pig.

Desiree greeted Lexi and Thomas. "Hello again, Thomas. And Lexi, it's a mighty fine day to see you again, hon."

"Heya, Desiree." said Lexi, looking up at the taller woman.

"I thought you was workin'," said Desiree.

"Psh. I ain't gonna work if more than half the staff skedaddled and became military medics. What's up with that?"

"Half the hospital's gone? That's odd," added Thomas.

Desiree raised her perfectly cleaned eyebrows, "Now I've got an interesting story for that."

Lexi blinked, "Ya do?"

"There's something important you oughta know," answered Desiree. "And I will explain some of it here." She looked at the still grim-faced Thomas. "You eat'n yet, Thomas?" she asked gently.

"Yes, Big Sis," replied Thomas, not meeting her eyes.

"Good," uttered Desiree. "My mother is here. We'll have to wait for father to show up before we wish Nova a happy birthday together."

Lexi cringed at the thought she'd have to see Christabella again. So did Thomas. "Will Papa show? He been awfully shut-in."

"He'd have to pry himself off our company ledgers and come," answered Desiree. "The Terras are close to us Tyrans. Can't disrespect Constantino."

That made sense. Their father, Alois Tyran, had a close relationship with Nova's father, Constantino Terra, since the two were boys playing at arcades and laser-tag or something while the previous heads, their parents, did business. The two men supported each other, for better or worse.

Desiree proceeded to ruffle Thomas' permed black hair with her white gloved hand. Lexi wondered if Thomas would take great offense to his scalp and hair being touched at this age. Sure she did it earlier, but she was his closest blood relative.

Her brother didn't protest.

The brown-haired belle whipped out her fan and smiled, "I think it'd do us well to observe the folks here while we got the chance for what I have planned Lexi. I do suggest kindly you participate as well, Thomas. It will do us all good."

Thomas groaned, while Lexi asked, "What's there to know about the Old Families?"

"How fares our fair Confederacy of Man?" asked Desiree.

Lexi thought back to the wave of rebellions after the Guid Wars. Korhal occupied a nuclear-sized spot in her past memory, which was now being supplanted by the Sons of Korhal. "Not doin' well I suppose, but nothin' some discipline won't fix."

Desiree shook her head and leaned into Lexi's ear. "The Confederacy is dyin'."

Lexi had to question if Desiree was actually doomsaying. "How's that possible? We're the strongest in the sector."

"Our society's under major political rot. We rule everything and allow our gilded castle to fall apart around us. Only difference is, these here folks don't realize."

Desiree pulled back straight. "I've got the feelin' you two doubt me. I understand." Desiree waved her fan around her. "We're trapped in bread and circuses. Always partyin' and revelin'." She headed toward the next set of stairs. "Follow along now."

The three reached floor 94, and here Lexi and her brother recoiled. The black haired young woman and teenage boy spotted, in a circle of seated Old Family matriarchs trading womanly gossip, the brown-haired Christabella. The woman in an outrageous feathered dress crowed along with the other laughing women masked with makeup and perfume pungent even at the respectable distance Lexi was standing.

Desiree had no qualms approaching her own mother. Lexi and Thomas merely followed behind, as if they could be hidden behind their elder sister's dainty frame.

"Hello, Mother," called Desiree.

The Baroness of Canton turned in her armchair to face Desiree, and spoke with a hoarse voice. "Good to see you hon, and…" She glanced toward Lexi. "...oh bless my heart, your… siblings are here."

Lexi bowed her head with practiced respect as all eyes of the most powerful Confederate women were trained on her. She was grateful for the shades masking her eyes. "Hello, Christabella."

From the corner of her eye, Thomas did no such greeting.

Madam Duke called out, "Ain't that Alois' missing children?"

Christabella tore her glare away from Lexi and Thomas to chuckle in response, "Haha. They're the spawns of Alois' mistress, pay no mind to them." She examined her nails. "They ain't much for conversation."

Lexi's pride was once again trodden upon by Desiree's mother, but all she could do was save face and fume.

Christabella then smiled warmly at Desiree. "Dearest, your father's late… as usual," she grumbled.

"I noticed, mother," answered Desiree with no hint of discomfort or animosity, but with cultivated Old Family hospitality. "I just got word there was some trouble stirrin' over yonder in Canton. I hope that didn't trouble you not too much."

At this, Christabella laughed, causing her own wavy brown hair to jump. "Oh, ladies. Let me tell you, some factory workers in my New Wuhan factories went on strike; they was fixin' to unionize. Do these hicks not comprehend that their families starve if they drop their tools? My husband don't want no stirrin' the up workers. Imagine if he caved. HA! No, some threats to blacklist the workers and relocate their families put some sense back in them."

The matriarchs gave various degrees of laughter and praises; all were on board with Christabella's handling of her workers.

Desiree merely smiled. In that brief moment, it occurred to Lexi something changed in her half-sister. Desiree once looked poised to grow into the type of woman who'd sit alongside the strongest women in the sector… until nearly a decade ago when she started to grow up with a poker face. No longer did she seem to take sides or claim a stance as she grew up absorbing all the information she needed to inherit the Tyran family business as its only legitimate heir. With this smile, Lexi could tell Desiree had finally decided to play her cards, but for what?

"Why would the workers risk their work and gettin' beaten down by the law? That ain't makin' no sense to me." asked Desiree.

The matriarchs jeered and groaned.

"Who knows what the worker folk think stickin' themselves with stims after their shifts?"

"They're always askin' for more, never thinkin' about the greater good."

"Hush up!" An old matriarch on a hoverchair, Andrea Tygore, tapped her cane against her armrest, silencing the other matriarchs. The 150 year old Tygore matriarch managed to avoid becoming a shriveled prune with generous anti-aging treatments only the best money could buy, and so could pass herself as a woman no more than 80 years old. Lexi was frankly surprised the woman hadn't keeled over to the multiple heart attacks she suffered, and she was already counting all the possible complications Andrea might be hiding in her body and approximately when she'd suddenly die in her sleep.

Commanding tentative authority and grudging respect from the other women who could at least still flaunt their youth, Andrea spoke, "I done gave young November a piece of advice y'all ought to know, but I'll say it again: You must never treat your lessers anything more than what they are—your lessers. They oughta know their place, and what to expect if we ever catch them outta line. I'm more than half as old as the Confederacy and we've never a problem with rebels until we won the Guild Wars. Ungrateful! We expanded while the rebels whined all day long."

Andrea grit her teeth and waved her cane, "I tell ya. If it ain't for men like 'Tino-," her cane then pointed to Christabella, "-and your husband, gettin' all soft and stupid, the uppity insurgents wouldn't dare cause a ruckus." She pulled back her cane and raised a wrinkly, yet still meaty finger. "What we need… is another example like Korhal."

Lexi processed the elder's words in deep contemplation, then chimed in, "There's always rabble-rousers since the dawn of civilization. No use cryin' over folks who don't show gratitude to our station." She kept her gaze watching Desiree's expression, challenging her to react, and spoke with the air of a girl who didn't have to worry about inheriting a public image. "Death is tragic no doubt. If it weren't for the Mengsks turnin' their back of us, all those good folk in Korhal wouldn't need the beatin' they received. They should've known better."

The matriarchs were in agreement while Andrea guffawed. "Bless your heart, Christabella. Even Alois' bastard daughter is talkin' sense. She pointed at Christabella's real daughter, "You best remember that young lady. Give nothin' to your inferiors."

"Sound advice, Mother Tygore," replied Desiree. "Thank you for your mighty kind words of wisdom." She then addressed Christabella. "And thank you mother fer updatin' me on our family situation. We'd best be mingling elsewhere now."

Lexi followed Desiree downstairs while Thomas trailed behind them.

Once out of earshot from the other matriarchs who resumed their gossip, Desiree then asked, "Lexi. Tell me what ya reckon is the problem with our Confederacy."

Lexi furrowed her brows, "If you may be so kind as to listen, I have no idea what's wrong. Upstart rebels, we've always had that and it comes and goes with economic recessions. Good old fashioned discipline is necessary to keep the uneducated from actin' out against their greater good."

"And if I may be so kind as to disagree," responded Desiree, "I'll start with a metaphor. What do you reckon a dog does when you whip it?"

Lexi had to stop for a moment to wonder if such a simple question warranted such an obvious answer. "If you whip the dog for actin' out, it'll be conditioned to associate bad behavior with punishment. Then the dog stops repeatin' the behavior to avoid said punishment."

"Now, what happens if you keep whippin' the dog even if it ain't done no misbehavin'?"

She briefly wondered if Desiree was playing her for a fool. "If the dog believes it has no choice, it'll fight back outa self defense."

Desiree glanced back, "Do you agree, Thomas?"

Thomas nodded, "Sounds alright to me."

"Now hold up," said Lexi. "I don't think it be so simple to compare the dog metaphor with the ordinary folk."

"I concur," responded Desiree. "But do say your piece."

"The dog is obedient and loyal to their master. Not people who ain't educated like you and I. The lower classes are too dumb to see the greater picture, so that's why they think they're impoverished, but the Confederacy's gettin' richer and richer the more we expand against the Kel-morians and Umojans."

Thomas just turned away from Lexi and muttered, "Oh my god."

Lexi was starting to feel defensive, as if Desiree and Thomas were both siding together against her, "Tom, you know whatever you find online might be insurrectionist propaganda made by our enemies."

Desiree interjected, "All right. Settle down now. Lexi, I hate to say but a lot of us have been sold falsities to protect our idyllic bubble from poppin'. The Confederacy's not treatin' the poor folks well. Bless my heart, excessive taxation, corruption, loss-leading ruinin' the economy, all to build our ivory towers." She pointed her fan at Lexi, "You was planning something for our business?"

Lexi's eyes flickered between her irate brother and the seemingly obnoxious poise of Desiree's calm demeanor.

"How much credits does Tyran Industries roll in sellin' weapons?" asked Lexi, eager to finally start planning their business and ditch the uncomfortable topic.

Desiree leaned close to speak softly. "Our profits done skyrocketed since Mother worked up the arms and munitions factories on Canton. Father signed every contract he was offered by the Confederate Armed Forces. No doubt, they're fixin' up to sign more."

Lexi smiled, "Looks like them folks over yonder in Canton gonna get more jobs." Her gaze wandered off. "Though I'd reckon it would be difficult to convince Christabella to diversify our production? Pharmaceuticals, surgery tech, medic gear. We still got the old abandoned assembly lines on Canton."

Desiree sighed, "Unless there is profit to be made in revivin' Tyran Industry's old medical branch. How do we accomplish this?"

Lexi could see where Desiree was leading the conversation. She grumbled, "We talked about this before. Jack up the prices while we corner the market."

Lexi faltered with confusion seeing Desiree frown with dissatisfaction. The Tyran heiress spoke, "Yes. That was the plan. Loss-leading."

Thomas turned to glare at Lexi's equally brown eyes. "Are you not a doctor?"

"That I am. What about it? You fixin' to say something?" asked Lexi.

"Some doctor you are, Sis. You want to bleed people dry for your own profit?"

How dare-? Lexi took pride in her medical expertise, it was a trained and prestigious art. What did her teenage brother who insisted on wasting time consorting with commoners at a public school know about what it means to be a practitioner of medicine? Lexi indignantly responded, "Tom. I'm just lookin' out for our family."

"That's the same shit the other asshole families say. You're not a doctor, you're becoming a robber baron. A bandit." Thomas then stormed off. "I'm not sticking around."

"Hey! Thomas!"

Desiree clamped a soft hand over Lexi's shoulder, a reminder to maintain her poise. People were already glancing at the noise Lexi was making.

Lexi took off her shades and faced up her taller sister. "I just want what's best for our family, why'd ya suddenly care so much about ordinary folk?"

Desiree's fanning quickened as she exhaled her tension. She then snapped her fan shut, closed her eyes, and dropped her drawl, "For a long time, the Old Families dominated our nation's economics and society, and look what happened. Riots, rebellion. We got invaded and lost worlds, but everywhere there's discord. Does it not occur to you we allowed our system to rot?"

Lexi gawked in surprise, "Why're ya talkin' all unsophisticated like Thomas? What in tarnation- How did you even learn that? Hell I ain't never heard you talk like a peasant before."

"Do you remember watching that Old Earth animated movie with the magic genie, when the princess dresses like a commoner and wanders amongst them?"

"Bless my heart. Where've you been?!"

"Canton. I wore oily, sooty rags to walk with the factory workers in New Wuhan, along with gloves to hide my soft hands. I have to know more about their lives if I want to save the Confederacy, because again, there's a multitude of problems you can't even begin to comprehend."

Hearing Desiree use the extraneous language of ordinary intelligentsia with the tone of ordinary city folk was so mind-boggling. "This is weird…"

Desiree's drawl returned, "I'd reckon it'd be plenty helpful for you to speak as if you was just like them."

Lexi scoffed at the notion, "Not until I'm six feet under."

"We will be if we don't reform. Lexi. That's why I want you helpin' me bring back the medical branch. If we sell the essential goods at a lower market value, it'd be our first step to winnin' back the people."

"But how do we make a profit like that? Nevermind gettin' Christabella to agree."

"When we go home, I'll explain how exactly we'll accomplish that."

"You got some secret plan?"

"It's a dark family secret."

Lexi's expression grew tense and curious, "Is that so?"

Before Lexi could inquire further. A warm male voice called out to them, "There's my girls!"

A man with neatly combed hair and Van Dyke beard, brown just like Desiree's, and wearing a blue suit, pulled Desiree and Lexi with each arm into a joyous hug. "Lucky I done stumbled into Thomas who helped me find you both," said Alois Tyran.

Lexi couldn't help but reciprocate the warm gesture and returned the hug, etiquette be damned. "Papa!"

"Not a moment too soon, Father," responded Desiree with a wry smile. Lexi figured she was assessing the critical looks which the Tyran patriarch was oblivious to. All his attention was given to his daughters.

"Your dress is absolutely stunning, Desiree," complimented their father. "Why I'd say you're the most beautiful maiden in this here party." He leaned in close with a hand next to his mouth, "Aside from young Nova, of course."

Desiree smiled, "Thank you, Father."

Alois did not hesitate to touch the feathers on Desiree's hat, much to Desiree's displeasure. "Lexi, wouldn't you say…" He pointed to an identical rooster feather brooch pinned on his suit, "...that we are birds of a feather?" He laughed at his own joke.

"Sure thing, Papa," responded Lexi.

"Why ain't you in a dress? You want me to order the servants deliver one lickety-split?"

Lexi shook her head, not wanting to seem more dependent on the family. "It's fine."

"Alright. But, you're not matchin' feathers with us." He briefly glanced at Desiree.

Desiree was quick to predict her father's move, and back away. "Father, this is my favorite hat."

"Ah, right. Right. Oh, I know just the thing." He unpinned his rooster feather brooch and attached it instead onto Lexi's jacket. "There, now you match with your sister and the rest of the family." He tapped a gold emblem pin next to where his feather brooch was, showcasing the Tyran Family rooster. Desiree had an identical gold pin on a neck bow.

Lexi gently ran her finger over the feather of their dynasty's emblematic animal. It was a joyous, yet painful and cruel sentiment for her father wanting to include Lexi in a legacy she could never be a part of.

Mistresses were a given in loveless marriages, but it was unheard of for an Old Family husband to sire an illegitimate child, because of course the man's wallet alone could afford to buy up the entire sector's supply of contraceptives. Even more inconceivable… was an Old Family husband openly flaunting an illegitimate child as his own… as if they were part of the family.

There was a time, back when things were simpler, when Lexi could live with her mother and periodically see her father without knowing she wasn't supposed to be his daughter, despite all the love he shared in laughs and toys in the limited time he did show up. Then there was a time, when she was rocking her baby brother in his crib, when she was more aware of the confusing relationship between her parents and her, but at least it was a safe secret.

Then, Alois Tyran, the patriarch of House Tyran, made it public knowledge that Lexi was his mistress' child.

Sometimes, Lexi wanted to confront, argue, and demand again why Alois thought it would be okay for him to shout this scandalous, embarrassing secret to the world, such that it forever tainted the normal life she and Thomas could have lived. Alois always gave some excuse, usually that it's because he loved her. True as that may be, Lexi could sense there was another reason, a more logical reason. There had to be.

At least there was some benefits to being connected to such a rich family. The scandal was over a decade old, so despite the rocky early years, she could get used to her current status.

Alois at least was able to notice her stern expression. "Does something trouble you, honey?"

"We was just talkin' about stuff, Papa. Nothin' serious."

Alois gave another goofy smile and lightly patted Lexi's cheeks. "Cheer up, darling." His soft hand pushed Lexi's asymmetrical black hair behind her ear. "When a beautiful girl smiles, the stars sing."

He casually took off Lexi's shades to her annoyance. "You can't hide your beautiful brown eyes, honey. You must show their sparkle with your…" His fingers molded Lexi's mouth. "...smile! Now! We'd best find Desiree's mother and see Tino's birthday girl."

Lexi watched Desiree follow their father. She was suddenly pushed forward and nearly stumbled.

"Go, sis," grumbled Thomas.

"Watch yourself, Tom" hissed Lexi, who climbed up the stairs after the others. She felt naked without her shades.

The Tyran daughter and the two Nguyen siblings waited patiently as Christabella had to excuse herself from the other Matriarchs and wasted no time immediately hassling Alois. "Where've you been?!" hissed Christabella.

Alois sheepishly shied away from his irate wife, "I done worked on some of our ledgers," he said with a tone hoping he could placate his wife and get on with the day. "I know you was workin' on them all the time so I reckoned lendin' a hand."

Christabella poked her finger at Alois' chest with such force Lexi thought her nail would chip. "You never helped me with your inherited business until now. What're you playin' at?"

Lexi mentally scoffed. Christabella made it sound like running the family business inconvenienced her. No. She loved being in control of the factories and plantations where the Cantonians worked whilst she sunbathed.

"I- Uh-," stammered Alois. Lexi listened raptly, curious as well for Alois' uncharacteristic admission of work.

The tension was broken when Constantino Terra appeared from the next floor. "Hey Al, I thought I saw you." He smiled such that his scruffy blonde mustache rose with delight.

"Tino!" cried Alois, happy to brush Christabella aside. The two friends shook hands.

"Quit millin' around. Y'all oughta wish Nova happy birthday before you can do whatever you want."

"Of course," replied Alois, who then beckoned Christabella and his children over. "Come on y'all"

As they were climbing up the stairs, Constantino spoke to Lexi. "Hello Lexi, are you stayin' after the party?"

"Yep," answered Lexi. "I'll see Nova later."

"I thank you kindly, Dr. Nguyen," said Constantino. "There's a lot you oughta know soon."

"Don't worry. I'll see to it, Father Terra," reassured Lexi.

Constantino and Alois shared quick words to catch up. Christabella was only willing to speak to Desiree. This left Lexi and Thomas in awkward silence, and it lasted as the family came to the 95th level.

---

Despite the little headache festering in her head throughout the day, 15 year old November Terra thanked a servant who refilled her light cocktail, which she sipped as she dispassionately listened to another scion, Morgan Calabas, brag about his (mediocre) padball skills (which he's probably insecure about) and talking about all the (dirty) things they can do at d'Arbanville's ball next month.

'Man. If I can win Nova at the ball. We'll find a bathroom and-'

At this, Nova spat into the cocktail she was sipping, face red from both her unladylike action and the very much unwelcome intrusive thoughts. "I'm fine," she insisted before the Calabas pig could ask if she was actually ok.

She handed her cocktail to the servant. "I'm sorry, could you please take this away? Ain't in the mood."

The servant smiled, "Sure thing, Miss Terra."

Nova could feel the warmth generating in the servant's heart (or mind? this is really confusing). They were happy to serve someone as nice as her. Nova for her part felt intense validation against the callous advice of Andrea Tygore. Lesser folk had feelings just like her; they too could experience happiness, sadness, warmth, and coldness. Reading their mind now just like she started an insane week ago all but confirmed that merely praising others had a tangible effect.

When the other servants were carelessly dismissed at best or berated for simple mistakes at worst by the partygoers, Nova felt the dark tumor welling in their mind, which in turn soured her own mood as if their feelings were her own.

Discovering she could teep was cool at first, but in this party it was hell. So. Many. Voices. It was so LOUD. She thought she could bear it for the day and keep up the act, but she was this close to ditching everyone to escape to her room, anything to get some silence in her own head.

It could start with kicking Morgan out of her party, but that would be too rude.

She then sensed her father returning with familiar faces, and strange minds.

Ah, the Tyrans. Family friends of her family, which is kinda neat. Not many Old Families like to cooperate because every family was a potential rival no matter what businesses they specialized in. Nova tried to sneak in their minds, but she had no way to control whose thoughts she received.

She stood up to greet them. At least this was the perfect excuse to get Morgan off her ass- Stop looking, damn it!

Her father's phone rang, but he quickly silenced it.

"Hello, Father Tyran," greeted Nova,

The Head of the Tyran family beamed. "November! You've grown up with the beauty of chrysanthemums in Canton's autumn!"

Nova was relieved that Alois Tyran was pretty much exactly like how he presents himself: an honest idiot according to her mother, but also an earnest fellow idealist like her father. He takes pride in Nova as if she were his own daughter, or niece. He is tempted to hug her, but knows he cannot touch her as a father could. Nova spares him the dilemma by offering a handshake, which he enthusiastically received.

The man is under immense stress and fear. He is afraid and hiding.

"Ooh, you beautiful thing," said Christabella. "Gimme some sugar."

Christabella enjoys receiving kisses from Nova, and Desiree if Nova's memory could recall. She obliged and pecked each cheek which reeked with make-up. The Baroness of Canton's praises seem genuine, but Nova could sense some petty frustration and disdain for so many people, but at least it didn't seem directed at Nova.

"Happy Birthday, Nova," said Desiree once it was her turn.

Nova masked her frown after gleaning the fact she was a tool to Desiree, a potential ally because they are family friends. But Desiree also respected, even admired and praised, the Golden Child's empathy.

She's planning something, almost with a sense of smugness. Some man's voice sang in her head.

Thomas didn't speak and stood in the back. No one pressed him to speak up. Nova didn't need telepathy to guess that he was bitter and upset. She wasn't too close to Thomas, so she probably wouldn't speak to him.

Lastly, there was her… doctor. Lexi Nguyen. The woman who frequently visits Nova to be friendly, spend time like an older sister, ask many, many questions regarding her empathy and her relationships to other people. Sometimes, she'd ask if she felt anything strange with her head or if she witnessed any phenomenal happenings.

'I wonder if she could read my mind?...'

That was Lexi's thought.

It all makes so much sense now. Lexi must have known the whole time.

"Happy Birthday, Nova."

"Thank you, Lexi."

So many questions pooled in Nova's mind, but she couldn't ask them now.

A servant politely pulled Constantino's attention, insisting it was urgent. Annoyed, Constantino left to receive the news.

---

By the early evening, the party was winding down and many party goers had already gone home, including Christabella and Alois. Thomas who had wandered off somewhere by himself in Terra Tower. This left Desiree and Lexi sitting on a coach where the Matriarchs were gossiping.

"I'm plumb tired," said Lexi. "I don't get what's so fun about partyin' for hours straight."

"It's about the talkin' and gossip," answered Desiree. Lexi could tell even her socialite sister was feeling worn out when Desiree's fan was folded to the side. "Fortunately, I met a lot of potentially useful folks for our plans." She tapped her folded fan to her temple, "I made a list."

"Ain't that swell?" said Lexi. "You gonna talk about the plan?"

"After you finish talkin' with Nova, come home. There is something I need to show you."

Desiree stood up and headed for the elevator. "I'll see you later."

Lexi stood up with a suitcase in hand and stretched. "Alright, sis. Get home safe."

She walked past the robots and servants cleaning up after the party towards a second elevator reserved for the Terras. She pressed a password into the number pad and had her hand scanned. The elevator opened for her.

Lexi stepped out the elevator into the Terras' personal highrise home. If the contrast between the Tyran and Terra high-rises were representative, the Old Families each had totally different layouts for their towering mansions.

She heard Constantino's irate voice ranting in a room. "If someone was able to infiltrate the hoverbike factory and plant the bomb… what if another one gets inside this building?"

"Don't worry, Tino," said the voice of her father.

Alois had stayed after the party to talk with Constantino. Lexi's curiosity was piqued, and she drew close for an eavesdrop.

"No one can or would dare hurt us in the city."

"It only takes one infiltrator, Al. Security here ain't as tigh-"

Her pacemaker spiked trying to calm her heart as an armed guard came from the side and closed the door shut. "This is a private meeting. Hurry along now, doc."

"Pardon me," said Lexi as she rushed for Nova's room. At least she could ask Constantino or her father about it later.

She knocked on Nova's bedroom door.

"Come in, Dr. Nguyen."

Did Nova already anticipate her arrival? Or perhaps?...

Lexi entered Nova's bedroom, which was a neat, clean, minimalistic room in gray tones for the walls and some furniture, but the floor was a rich dark wood. Nova didn't engage in many hobbies, save for a bokken sword she uses to practice Japanese sword fighting and some miniature hoverbike models.

Nova was sitting on her bed and waved, "Hey."

"Hi, Nova," greeted Lexi. She closed the door behind them, not trusting the family guards. "How've you been?"

"Tired," responded Nova. She patted the spot next to her on the bed sheets. "You can sit here."

Lexi thanked Nova and sat down. She mustered her doctor's smile, an often farcical act. "Did you have a good birthday?"

"How long did you know that I was psionic?"

Somehow Lexi was still caught off-guard. She really shouldn't. Nova was intelligent and a girl who liked to get straight to the point. The Terra scion was an honest girl. Commendable. Naive.

"We've suspected when you started talkin' and learnin' emotions, but at a level atypical of normal children. Actually, someone before me was secretly called in and conducted your initial diagnosis on your 3rd birthday." She skimmed through an accordion file, an archaic form of physical documentation and a necessary precaution against data breaches, to skim through the dates of multiple diagnosis. "3 years ago, when you were 12 years old and I was 22, I took over because I could be trusted and it allowed me to conduct my own private research."

Nova frowned. She pulled up her knees to her chest. "So what? I'm just a guinea pig to you?"

Lexi shook her head. "No. Nova. I'm happy to be your psionic physician because we've known each other for a long time. I only want what's best for you."

"You ain't sendin' me to become a ghost?"

"I don't want that for you, and neither do your parents," answered Lexi. "The Confederacy Ghost program is its own animal. Ain't it crazy, how they can go after even the Old Family children to induct more ghosts? Heck we had to do a lot to hide you from any wranglers. They're folks with a low enough psi-index to not have any powers, but high enough to be able to sense psychics like you. Your father had to limit who could enter the tower when you were inside."

"Is that why I rarely left the tower?"

Lexi winced, "Yes."

Nova facepalmed, "Good lord… all this time."

Lexi rested a hand on Nova's shoulder, "Hey, I know how it feels to have your life upturned because of some dumb detail beyond our control. We just gotta do our best with it." She faced Nova straight on. "Nova, if word ever got out you're psionic, we'll lose you forever."

Nova looked away briefly to digest the gravity of her newfound power. "I can tell you want something else out of my powers."

There was no point hiding anything from Nova. Lexi chose not to wear a psi-screen to approach Nova. "Desiree and I was hopin' that perhaps you could use your powers in the future to help us reform the Confederacy. If you escaped scrutiny and rose to a position of power with your psionics, we can make some changes around here. You're a good gal, Nova. If you reckon you wanna, you can join us."

Nova's eyes flickered over Lexi's face. "You really want to help the people?"

"Yeah," answered Lexi.

"You are… not like what I expected for a doctor."

Lexi's face became stoic to at least mask her outward confusion from the telepath, "How so?"

"You're more callous than I thought you might be. Not like what a doctor should be."

Nova had hit the ball to Lexi's court. Lexi dropped her documents on her lap and avoided Nova's scrutinizing glare to ponder this puzzling questioning of her own character, for Lexi couldn't immediately deny her own nature. No point lying to a psychic anyway. "Maybe some doctors are more empathetic than me." Lexi was now speaking not as a doctor, but as someone who once spent time with Nova when they were both years away from true adulthood. "I couldn't relate, and I don't know. I feel like I'm surrounded by fools in the Old Families and dumb terrorists in ordinary folk. Desiree has the softer heart between the two of us."

"But everyone has feelings too," said Nova. "I mean, they're human is what I'm sayin'."

"What if some people are better than others?" asked Lexi.

Nova shrugged, "I guess that's true, but I think that means we oughta look after them."

Lexi chuckled, "Then I guess we need you on our side. I think folks oughta look after themselves if they got the brains. But hey, at least we got the Golden Hearted child of the Old Families here." She pointed to her chest, "My heart's half plastic and steel."

Nova laughed lightly, which Lexi suspected was just her being polite. "I'm surprised you'd admit that so easily."

Finally, Lexi smiled genuinely. "I mean this from the bottom of my heart. Out of all the idiots and trouble-makers in this sector, at least you are among some of the people I can muster any care for. I don't wanna lie to you, even if I could get away with it."

Lexi then asked, "Are you interested in lendin' a hand?"

Nova thought about it for a few seconds, "It's a lot to take in… At the party, I was drowned in all the families' thoughts and it was drivin' me crazy. I knew they was tough folk, but I hadn't realized just how…" Nova seemed to be finding an appropriate word to brand the class she was a member of. "...heartless they were. How can you ever change that when they're pullin' the strings on everything."

It really was a daunting task to imagine. "I'd reckon we could use your telepathic powers to do something in the Confederate Council or when we make aggressive business dealings."

"Wait, wouldn't I get found out?"

Lexi smirked. "Doc's got something for you."

Fortunately, she came prepared, and pulled some fancy black earpiece from her coat pocket. "This here doohickey is a psi-screen. Super expensive tech. I had to pilfer it from the Ghost Academy when I sometimes work on ghost brains."

"Y-You work on their brains?" shuddered Nova. Then Nova seemed to have read her mind and back-pedaled, "Oh no, I see what you mean."

"I'd reckon you oughta not talk like you're readin' folk's brains. But yeah, no, I don't dissect brains, I scan them. But… I'm fixin' to start dissection' soon."

"Oh god," exclaimed Nova. "Anyway…"

"So," continued Lexi. "You wear this psi-screen, and it'll block out all the noisy alpha waves your brain's able to pick up from other brains, or stop any wranglers from sensing you amongst the crowd. All terrans with a working brain emit some alpha waves, so you'll blend in unless you're all alone. It'll help you sleep at night too."

"I was havin' some weird dreams that didn't feel like mine…"

"Bless your heart," said Lexi. She handed the psi-screen to Nova. "I got the safest one. Some models might mess with your brain if you wear it too long. Try to wear that as little as you can when you're home. Ghosts can block out the noise over time, or just deal with it, I ain't hundred-percent sure yet what they resort to. I'll brain-scan you later for damage so you oughta be fine."

Nova eyeballed the little device in her hand, then inserted it into her ear. Her eyes widened and she smiled, "Oh my god. It's finally quiet again, I haven't heard silence like this since… a good while actually."

"Wow, your powers really were bubblin' all this time."

"Yeah," said Nova. Then she frowned, "Is that it though? That can't be your entire plan."

"I don't know if that's everything yet," admitted Lexi. "Desiree's been fixin' to show me something when I get home." Lexi placed a reassuring hand on Nova's ear. "She has these big plans she be fixin' to show us and promise she'll solve everything. I know she wants you to be a part of it, but I don't know if it's even feasible. If it gets too tough, I don't want you to get pushed too far."

Nova nodded, "That's good to know."

There was still time on the clock for half an hour. That's how long their semi-formal sessions typically lasted. "Do you wanna tell me more about that wooden sword you got over yonder?"

---

Alois Tyran had a retainer procure him an ice box from his hover limo. "If you may hear me out, I'd reckon you oughta calm your nerves." He produced two dark bottles. "This here's sake or champagne from our Cantonian hydroponic plantations. Whaddya want?"

Constantino pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why don't you surprise me, Al?"

Alois glanced between the two and offered a hesitant smile. "I'm not sure which one you'd like better."

"Bless your heart, Al," grumbled the Head of the Terra family. He faced Alois, somewhat annoyed. "I'll take the sake and you take the champagne."

Alois was all too happy to comply. He poured Constantino's shot and offered it along with a comforting smile. "If you're concerned about staying afloat, you can borrow some credits from me, 0% interest. You can use it to rebuild the hoverbike factory before someone else steals your market."

Constantino's hand swiped the sake from Alois' grasp and pointed with his pinky. "Al, this is more than just the factory. You ain't the least bit concerned that the bombin' took place on Tarsonis? It's too close for comfort."

"But it happened over yonder," said Alois.

"And I done told you already. The security there was supposed to be top notch." He sipped his sake and drummed his fingers over the glass. "Someone's doin' an inside job."

"Oh, that is concerning," said Alois. "But what're you gonna do about it?"

Constantino ran his hand over his bushy mustache in thought. "You heard anything from Calabas?"

Alois raised a brow, "N-No. Did he say somethin'?"

"Wow, he really must not like you or your family. Not that I believe in superstitious nonsense. Anyway, he told me about this plan, probably so his brat can get with November."

"You don't support it?" asked Alois purely without any context, but curious.

"We was gettin' off topic," waved off Constantino. "Listen. You know about the war with the xenos, and the riots that happened all over the sector. It's not safe anymore, and we're all targets. So me and some other heads was fixin' to send our children on 'vacation' to ensure their safety with a full security escort. If terrorists attack us, our kids'll be away from any danger."

"Oh," said Alois. "That sounds like a fine idea. So I can send Lexi and Thomas."

"I can get Desiree on the yacht. Your other kids, I'm 'fraid they won't be accepted."

"What?! Come on, Tino. Can't you do somethin' for me?"

"No. Your other kids are, and I say this with the upmost respect, bastards. You had them with that battlecruiser captain, so they're your problem. I'm sorry. I'm thinkin' about them too."

"Good lord," muttered Alois, anxiously scratching his beard. He was starting to sweat and started chugging his champagne..

"That's why you and I gotta do something to finish this stupid war," said Cosntantino. "The sooner the army's free, we can use them to crush the rebels. Only when the dust has settled can we bring the kids home."

Constantino downed the last of his sake. "Look Al. I'm gonna be frank. You ain't always the sharpest tool in the shed, but I need you and your family to help me out in the Council, get them to do something other than dilly-dally until rebels or xenos come to Tarsonis." He held out his hand, "Are you with me, partner?"

Alois glanced nervously at Constantino's hand, hesitant, unsure, uncomfortable with the situation the two men were placed in. Alois did not understand why he felt unsafe in Tarsonis city, on a planet surrounded by elite Confederate fleets.

He felt this dread before.

Something clicked. A rare moment of resolve hardened in his eyes, and he grasped Constantino's hand firmly. "I am."

---

It was important for a doctor (or therapist) to build rapport with their patients to get the best quality data from questions, though Lexi decided that tonight wouldn't be the best time to focus on Nova's psionics. For now, she just wanted to catch up with the girl, and now that Nova was cognizant of her power Lexi could actively engage with her on psionics. They spent a good half hour talking about Nova's hobbies and the actual fun and cool things Nova might get away with as a telepath.

The great thing about Nova was that she always cared to talk about others as well. Many bratty old family scions only loved to talk about themselves.

"And that's how long it took for me to fan a revolver," said Lexi. "It ain't easy to keep the barrel steady with one hand while the other hand's slammin' the hammer."

"That's awesome," said Nova.

"I think you'd do well with learn how to shoot a gun," said Lexi.

"Oh please. I can't imagine myself firin' any gun in anger," said Nova.

"But just imagine," said Lexi. "Yes! I can imagine you as a certified deadshot." She mimed aiming with a rifle, "You and a rifle, just like what the Ghosts use. Maybe psychics got some special ability that makes them super accurate. You pull the trigger, and BANG, the varmint's down four thousand yards away."

"That's pretty macabre," said Nova.

"Hey, think of it like this. If you're packin' heat, maybe you can scare off those nasty suitors."

Nova giggled, "Maybe."

Lexi stood up. "Well, I'd best be off."

"Before you go," said Nova. "Thanks for… being there all this time. It's been pretty weird and lonely growing up."

The doctor smiled warmly. "Ain't a problem. You got heart, kid."

---

Lexi stepped out of the elevator back home to Tyran Tower, and to the delightful noise of her father and his wife bickering.

"Who told you to FUCKING touch our mineral shipments?!" screeched Christabella.

Alois ducked to dodge a plate that flew where his head was. He feebly smiled hoping it would disarm his furious wife. "I just… figured that the minerals could be saved in a stockpile elsewhere. Y'know, for rainy days?"

"And delay neosteel production?! You dull, simpleton! I can't go a day without you infuriating me! Stay outta my turf while I undo your idiotic mistake!"

"Wait no! You can't!"

Lexi did not stay to listen to the adults bicker, lest she somehow get dragged into Christabella's tantrum. She hung her doctor's coat so she was just wearing a green turtleneck. After leaving the living room, she navigated the tower until she found Desiree, in a teal nightgown, waiting in the Tyran family trophy room.

At the centerpiece of the room full of awards, treasures, portraits, and memorabilia was a giant watercolor painting of the family's emblem, the Black Rooster, standing triumphantly over the corpse of a lion.

"Close the door behind you sister," said Desiree. "There is so much to tell you."

"This is the part where we fix the corrupt Confederacy together?" asked Lexi.

"Yes, but to accomplish that, I must tell you that we are at war."

Lexi's eyes widened. She blinked, "Hold your horses. What do you mean we're at war? Since when?!"

Desiree turned to a computer she brought into the trophy room placed next to some family artifacts on a table. With some deft button pressing from her slender, delicate fingers, Desiree pulled up a hologram displayed multiple harrowing videos

Videos of Terran forces in deadly combat against Xenos.

"W-What are they?" cried Lexi. "Aliens?!"

Spotty footage of marines firing at something offscreen, before a skull-faced alien with muscular scythes for arms cut them down amidst screams and hellish screeching. Whoever took the footage fell as well, dropping the camera to the skyward sight of a swarm descending over skyscrapers.

In another, bluefire and explosions rocked a glassy hellscape as a gray alien with glowing eyes, armor, and glowing blades charged through withering marine fire that never failed to break up angry mobs and rebels. The Terran lines were overwhelmed by the onslaught of alien warriors, war machines, and flying vessels that sent battlecruisers plummeting to the surface.

Similar scenes followed, including cities covered in disgusting alien biomass, and footage of Chau Sara cracked and burning as golden warships blasted it with blue beams.

"Why haven't we heard of this?!" demanded Lexi.

For once, Desiree had a stern and angry look, "Because our glorious Confederate Council decided not to tell us to avoid mass panic, and guess who's pulling the strings on said Council? The Old Family heads know about this, but chose not to tell anyone. I only found out because Father has loose lips, bless his heart. We sit in our ivory towers, but as we lose territory they'd rather pretend the military has everything under control."

Desiree slapped her fan against her palm. "No, we cannot just pretend everything's fine and hope this blows over."

Lexi interjected, "Wait, so. This whole time, the Confederacy doesn't even know we're being invaded, yet the idiotic folk are distracting our military! Damn them! Damn those traitorous scum!"

"Lexi!"

Lexi froze stiff at the harsh tone adopted by the tranquil Desiree. "Y-Yes?"

"Do you know how it feels to be neglected?" asked Desiree, stone-faced.

Lexi did not immediately entertain that inquiry with a response. She avoided Desiree's gaze and mustered her words, "I could imagine."

"You can't help but act out," explained Desiree. "The common folk ain't like our families. They don't got our discipline and know-how, so it's our responsibility to act on our station and try to understand those we stand over. Lex, I don't want us to nuke any more planets. How long 'til we have to lay nuclear waste to a human world again? If we don't reform, another planet will rebel. If we overcharge them for basic goods necessary for life like we planned before, they will rebel."

"What about the war?" asked Lexi.

"After ponderin' on recent events. The Guild Wars. Korhal. I believe it best if we changed the Confederacy's course so we can win this war. The people will not fight the aliens if they still feel oppressed by our government. No. No, sister. There is more at stake than our petty businesses. Reform is now a matter of survival. That is why you and I have to gather allies and seize control of the Council. It's time for some big changes around here."

"Yes… yes you're right," said an admonished Lexi, moved at Desiree's conviction. "But how will we undo all this corruption? It's monumental, and Nova hasn't fully developed her powers and she's just a teen. We can't use her yet to outplay the other families and the politicians."

Desiree turned away from Lexi to caress the black rooster painting. "That is where our secret comes in. The Demon Rex."

Lexi gasped, "The Demon Rex? Wait, is that real? I thought it was a rumor to slander our family."

"It ain't a rumor, sister," assured Desiree. "Our family wasn't one of the captains of the Nagglfar carrier that first brought humanity to Koprulu on this here planet, Tarsonis." She ran her hand along the portrait's black-frame which had the texture of rock unpleasant for running delicate nails along. "Our ancestor, Philip Tyran, was one of the ordinary folk."

"Seriously?" asked a shocked Lexi. "Our family came from peasants?"

"What is a peasant to a noble, but the houses we was born in?" asked Desiree. "Yes. We was peasant folk, but somehow Philip was courtin' a demon who made him rich and powerful." Desiree's soft hands felt around the black-metal frame which had carvings of roses and the fleur de lis, only visible thanks to ambient lumination as the metal seemingly sucked all life. "Philip and his descendants got boons and favors from the Demon Rex. Enemies died. Rivals cowed and defeated as their secrets were leaked out. All thanks to our family's mysterious benefactor."

Lexi's empirical mind was not able to take in this information. "How'd you know it's all true?"

"I know so, because I heard him in my dreams. When I was a little girl, I heard him sing to me."

Lexi resisted the urge to start scolding Desiree for going insane, "But you were dreamin'?"

"It was more than just a dream," said Desiree. "I know someone sang to me. It was a soft voice that told you everything would be okay, and it's stuck with me for so long it couldn't have been something from a dream."

"Pft. It sure ain't sound like a demon, or maybe it's a demon tryin' to fool you," mocked Lexi.

Desiree's hand suddenly stopped searching the black-metal portrait frame. "Ah! Found it."

Lexi heard a button press. The portrait suddenly detached from the wall and descended into the floor, revealing a hidden room.

All her life, Lexi had no idea this secret location existed in her own home. "What in tarnation is this, Desiree?!" she sputtered, quickly glancing at her pacemaker monitor.

"This is proof that the Demon Rex is more than a dream," said Desiree. "When I heard his song as a little girl, I suddenly knew about this room's existence and I found it. Come."

Lexi tentatively followed her half-sister into the room. It was dark with the side walls hung with portraits of the old Tyran heads. It wasn't unique - the main trophy room already had portraits.

Some of them had claw marks scratched over them.

"Holy shit," said Lexi. "If I may concede, maybe you're onto something."

At the end of the room was a mahogany table… or shrine? At the head was a portrait of Philip Tyran, a man sharing Desiree and Alois' hair color and who possessed the most disarming smile Lexi thought a man could ever wear.

"Look at him," said Desiree. "Our sixth great-grandfather. He ensured we had the means to stand out as the Old Families consolidated power."

Draped above Philip Tyran's portrait was some flag Lexi did not recognize anywhere - a tri-color flag that was blue to the left, white in the middle, and red to the right.

Ancient, brown, dried roses sat in yellowed, calcium-stained glass vases flanking a box. Desiree opened the clean latch and brought out an artifact from the box's soft velvet interior.

One of the rose petals snapped off from the jostling of the box.

Inside was a glossy black metal bracelet with a red gem at its center, surrounded by smaller ones.

"If I may be kind enough to ask what's this supposed to be?" asked Lexi who inquisitively examined the innocuous piece of jewelry.

"This is what my predecessors used to summon the Demon Rex," explained Desiree. "It's attached to your wrist and he will know where to find you."

"Has Papa ever used it?" asked Lexi. It was crazy to imagine goofy Alois making demonic pacts.

"Not that I know of."

"Then how do you know how to use the bracelet?" asked Lexi, a part of her still questioning if this was all some sort of elaborate, tasteless prank by Desiree. But Desiree's never one to prank…

"Somehow the dream with the voice told me how. It wasn't even verbal instructions, I just suddenly know what this doohickey does, though I've yet to try it. He must have told me…"

"Okay. This still sounds very suspicious."

"Perhaps from your point of view, yes. But to me, this feels like destiny. It feels like… I was chosen to use the Demon Rex to do great things, and if it means saving the Confederacy, so be it."

"Have you stopped to think who this Demon Rex even could be? Demons don't exist."

"Ain't you a scientist?" Desiree handed the bracelet for Lexi to examine. "What do you reckon?"

Lexi felt the mysterious jewelry in her hand. The red gem was like nothing she'd ever seen before. It was so clear, so cloudy, so infinite. "If you'd be so kind as to hear me out. I reckon your 'Demon Rex'... must be a ghost or some psionic terran."

"I believe so as well. We have some mysterious agent workin' for us all this time in secret."

"Ugh, but how can it be the same person?" asked Lexi. "It'd oughta be different people, or someone at least 200 years old, like the Tygore matriarch."

"I hope he ain't as shriveled as her," said Desiree, who was already starting to fantasize like when they used to gossip about Old Family boys. "Lord, if he's so strong, he must be a bonafide knight to my princess. Perhaps he has some sort of anti-aging ghost power?"

"I wouldn't reckon that falling within the purview of psionics," cautioned Lexi. "Hold your horses."

It suddenly dawned on Lexi - this was their card to play! "Wait! I get it now!" she said eagerly facing Desiree. "Nova's too young to use, but if we be talkin' about a ghost, this is exactly what we was looking for!"

"Now you're seein' what I'm seein'," said Desiree. "We will call on him to help us in accomplishing our great work. Somehow, in my heart, I know he will support us."

Lexi held her gaze fixed on the bracelet, the key to their power if the family legend was true. What would it be like to have such a powerful and useful servant at her whim? Someone who she could actually depend upon and wasn't idiotic and followed every command to the letter with ruthless efficiency?

"WHAT IS THIS?!"

Lexi squeaked and jumped in fright, nearly tripping over herself as she turned to see Alois standing at the entrance to the secret room.

It was a jolt of shock hearing him shout and seeing him look so furious. "Desiree. Lexi. Come out!"

The two sisters glanced nervously at each other, both wondering what about the family secret could possibly set off the laid-back and jovial Tyran head. With his never before seen outburst, they couldn't help but timidly march past the portrait which Alois closed.

"Give me the bracelet, Lexi," demanded Alois.

Lexi glanced at Desiree in one last moment of hesitation before quietly placing the bracelet in Alois' hand.

"Leave the room, Desiree. Lexi, you stay."

Lexi grimaced as Desiree spoke up. "Father, as heiress of the family I oughta get answers."

"I don't want to argue with you," shouted Alois. He pointed to the door. "Go!"

Lexi watched Desiree's face redden and her eyes turn glassy. Her older sister stomped away and, with all decorum lost, slammed the door shut.

Alois spoke, "Lexi. You have no idea how dangerous this here cursed trinket is."

"But didn't we summon the Demon Rex many times in our history?" asked Lexi.

"No no no. You ain't gettin' it, honey!" shouted Alois. "Anyone who asked her to help us died afterward. She is not our friend! She is the one who forced me to- to-... tell everyone about you and your mother."

Lexi felt weak at the knees. "Are you serio- That's why? Why?!"

"I-I don't know," sputtered Alois. "I don't know who the hell Rex is supposed to be. She hates us. My daddy… She set him up to die. I'm tellin' you, do not even think about callin' that monster here!"

Lexi was still stunned over the detail shed on one of the most painful and damning developments of her life. All the embarrassment she suffered because of her father's lust. All the frustration of never fitting into the two lives of the Old Family aristocracy and commoner. It all came from this person and their stupid bracelet?!

Alois stuffed the bracelet in his coat, "I'll be keepin' this here artifact. Please don't mention this again. I don't want you or anyone else gettin' involved with the Demon."

He patted Lexi's head as he walked out, "Go to sleep, darling."

---

-January 17th-

Lexi was seeing off Desiree boarding a puddle-jumper with other Old Family Scions. Dozens of children, teenage, and young adult heirs and heiresses boarded the ship. Two people critical to Lexi's grand plans were about to slip out of reach. Nova was already onboard, and Lexi was seeing Desiree off.

"Do you really have to go?" asked Lexi.

"This seems to be a very… mandatory vacation," said Desiree. "There's concern the families may be attacked and this is just to get us away from that risk."

Lexi remembered the call she had with her mother. With more people making the same ominous warnings, Lexi was seriously starting to doubt her belief in Tarsonis' invulnerability. "I'll stay safe here. Don't you worry."

"Regardless, this will only slightly inconvenience our plans. I need you to convince Father to summon the Demon Rex and have him whisk me away from Tyrador. This is good. If he's able to reach me, he oughta have a ship and can avoid attention picking me up on Tyrador. We need our knight in shining armor to be with us when we plan for the future of Tyran industries and dealin' with the council."

"How am I gonna convince Papa?" asked Lexi. "I ain't never seen him lose it like that."

"Father's always loved you more. You have to."

Their discussion was interrupted when Nova bolted out of the puddle-jumper and hastily ran toward the street.

Lexi glanced back worriedly. "Nova?!"

"What's wrong with her?" asked Desiree with equal concern.

Desiree pulled up her dress to avoid tripping over her heels, but Lexi was able to run further ahead with pants and boots. Unfortunately Nova ignored their calls and hopped in a hovercab she managed to stop.

They were stuck at the curb unsure of what came over Nova.

A security guard ran over and started tugging Desiree's arm, "Madam! You need to wait in the puddle-jumper with everyone else."

Desiree called out to Lexi, "I'll wait here. Go check on Nova!"

"Shit!" cursed Lexi. She ran onto the street and stopped the next car, this one wheeled. "Stop!"

She ran to the window and pulled out her wallet. "I need you to take me somewhere, STAT!"

Thankfully the urgency of the voice was enough for the couple inside the car to dumbly nod and allow Lexi to jump into the backseat.

She pointed to the man behind the wheel, and barked, "You! Drive me to Terra tower." Then she pointed at the woman in the passenger seat. "And you, take out your phone so I can pay you!"

"S-Sure, miss," croaked the woman.

Once Lexi had paid a random sum of money she felt covered the drive, she then pulled out her revolver. The woman screamed and the man briefly glanced off the road in shock. "Eyes on the road! You take me anywhere else, I'll shoot you both and get away with it legally speaking. Wouldn't want some unfortunate kidnappers to get swept under the rug, wouldn't we?"

Thankfully the odds of a random city dweller in the Confederacy owning a firearm in their car was astronomically slim. She smiled as the couple were sufficiently cowed and the man was already speeding through traffic.

If a cop stopped them, Lexi would have the officer fired.

---

The woman in the passenger screamed in typical peasant panic as the penthouse of Terra tower exploded. They had just arrived on Terra property and the driver cursed as debris fell all around their stopping car.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled Lexi. She jumped out of their car, "Alright. Y'all can scram now!" and slammed their door shut. The car slowly drove off to the side to gawk along with a crowd of onlookers at the destruction.

Lexi ran inside where servants and guards were up in arms, some climbing emergency stairs while others were crowding in the elevator working.

"It's not working! Someone sabotaged it!"

Crap! She can't climb the stairs with her weak constitution, nevermind the fact that the stairways might be blocked. She paced around trying to find a faster way up to the tower.

She looked out the window, seeing a man-sized robot hovering with rotors outside the windows cleaning them meticulously.

Then she barked commands to the servants, "Find the one who controls those robots! Stat!"

Eventually someone came out with a remote for the window-bots. To them, Lexi said, "Fly me over yonder to the top."

"A-Are you crazy? That's too risky!"

"Don't worry, I'll deal with it."

She hesitated for a moment before climbing atop one of the bots, narrowly squeezing below the spinning blades of the rotors. "Just keep it steady!"

The robot, designed to carry gallons of cleaning solutions, easily shot up with her weight on top. Lexi briefly saw the ground fly away before squealing and closing her eyes shut as the wind from the rotors and the atmosphere whipped at her hair and clothes.

She felt her own hair get caught by the rotors, but fortunately didn't get snagged. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Her heart was palpitating nonstop, and felt like it would burst by the time she passed the blasted penthouse floor and landed atop dust and debris. She shakily crawled off the drone and whipped out her pistol, holding it steady with both hands.

There were bodies everywhere, with no sign of life among the bodies of servants, strangers in body armor, and-

The stress of flying so high up and the shredded bodies of Constantino and Bella Terra dropped Lexi on her knees to vomit. She felt dizziness and a headache coming up. Breathing heavily, she checked her wrist monitor - her heart was becoming arrhythmic.

"Come on," muttered Lexi, clutching her chest. "Keep it together."

She stumbled over to Constantino. He was lifeless, there was no feasible way he survived with the bullet in his skull.

Rebels.

Terrorists.

Murderers!

Lexi grabbed a fistful of dust and threw it. The exposed penthouse allowed wind to blow the particles back to her face and she coughed angrily. "FUCK! No no no! Nova!" She ran around. "NOVA!"

Nova must have sensed something was wrong and came back here. Is she dead?!

None of the mangled, wretched bodies looked like her. She prayed she wouldn't find the girl ruined beyond recognition, or with another damn bullet in her gray mass.

Lexi saw it in the epicenter of the explosion. She stumbled forward, then crawled, to pick up the gift she gave Nova.

She gingerly cradled the broken psi-screen in her hands, struggling to control her breathing as tears welled in her eyes.

Wait. The explosion. The damage didn't have any scorch marks or any signs of heat damage.

Did… Nova do this?

She must be alive!

Lexi pulled out her phone to call the Tarsonis police and mobilize a search.

Just as she was about to make a call, she heard a distant boom.

She looked out in horror as an explosion billowed in the distance.

The Starport!

No!

---

Later in the Day

Christabella was at the starport when it was struck by Sons of Korhal terrorists, resulting in her death. Her passing along with other notable Old Family names weighed on Lexi as she sat on the couch next to Thomas in grief.

Alois paced and wailed, "Tino! TINO! H-How could this happen?"

Alois did not bother to see Christabella's corpse. No love ever existed between the two who were married by arrangement. He instead mourned his friend.

Lexi finally had the chance to weep and blew her nose with a tissue. No one found Nova. Though the search continues, it is highly possible she may be gone forever.

Desiree had left with the other scions safely in the Yacht, and were probably already on Tyrador. As far as reports could be trusted, they suffered no attacks.

Christabella…

Lexi hated Christabella, but not with so much raw hatred that she wouldn't mourn her passing. Christabella was a constant part of Lexi's life, as much bigotry and hatred as she received in turn from Alois' loveless wife. But more importantly, she was Desiree's mother.

Oh god, Desiree. How would she react to the news of her mother's violent death?

Lexi's hands tightened on her lap, and her jaw was about to pop with all the teeth-gritting she'd done up to this point.

Could Lexi have done something? Charged in to shoot down all those rebels before they killed Christabella?

No! No… It was too much for Lexi to handle. No, it was supposed to be the police that saved Christabella, or starport security. Hell, the Confederate marines took too long to arrive.

Not Lexi. She was just one woman.

The ordinary folk killed Christabella. It was their fault she now had to break this horrible news to Christabella.

Thomas spoke out, "Other families have been attacked. Some people died. My god. What's going on?"

Lexi didn't tell Thomas the details of what happened at the starport. She didn't want to explain herself.

Not that she had anything to explain. The officers died on duty.

It was their risk.

She rapped her forehead with her knuckles and banished her rampant thoughts.

Lexi scrolled through her tablet, which was filled with tabs of all the information she could gather from very recent developments. "Christabella was attacked by rebels tied to the Cantonian Trade Union. The attackers were led by…" She pulled up the mugshot of the Cantonian woman she assaulted after the firefight. "Ammy Matsudaira. Part of the union's leadership. Other families were attacked by people either directly related to or sponsored by the Sons of Korhal."

Alois tapped his shoes. "With my wife's death. I'll have to take over the business temporarily. My god. I try to be fair to the workers and this is how to repay us?! I'll punish them, yeah. Yeah! I'll show them what for."

Lexi mostly tuned out her father's angry rambling, which she wasn't even sure he would fully commit to, and went into deep thought.

"Papa, we need to bring the Demon Rex here."

Alois stopped his rambling and put on a pained smile for Lexi. "Darling, I told you before. I don't want to talk about it."

"We're in a tight spot," explained Lexi. "We need someone to help us."

"We can help ourselves!" shouted Alois. "No no no! I don't hear it! I'll pay whoever and whatever it takes before we get involved with Rex."

Alois stomped out of the living room and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

She heard Thomas cry beside her, his head turned away from her.

Thomas liked to be seen as a manly teen who didn't express his emotions freely. Lexi could remember the last time he cried, maybe when they were children…

"Tom, are you alright?" she asked cautiously.

Thomas did not answer right away and continued to hide his face. Lexi waited awkwardly, but was patient when it came to her little brother. Eventually he responded, "No. I'm not. Why can't we just be a normal family? No, we have to deal with people who want to kill us and the rest don't accept us."

Lexi's heart clenched. She hugged Thomas from behind, if at least to console herself as well. "It was never easy, I know. But know this Tom, no matter what or who we are, we still have each other. If you feel upset or stressed out, you can tell me."

Lexi hugged him for a good while before Thomas turned around and hugged her back.

---

-February 18, 2500. Tyran Tower. Early morning-

Life for Lexi continued the month after the terrorists attacked the Old Families. She had quit her hospital work to help her father manage the responsibilities of running Tyran Industries and its subsidiaries, a task neither were ever prepared to manage.

Though, there was at least a silver lining with Christabella's demise. With her no longer calling the shots, Lexi could start to dig her hands into the workings of the family business, but as a senior manager instead of the head that Desiree would inherit upon her return. Still, this allowed Lexi to start planning the revival of the Tyran Industries pharmaceutical branch.

She'd name it… hm. Caduceus Corp? Nah, Asclepius Corp sounds nice. A single snake wrapped around a staff sounds fitting to her.

She had to accept that Nova Terra was lost, with no trace of her final fate. The search for her had already given up as no trails could be found, despite Lexi's insistence that they continue.

The house was empty without Christabella's presence. She was a thorn, but still gave her an element of familiarity. Her house and the other Old Families had to totally rework their security to prevent another disaster, though fortunately no more attacks were reported.

She still kept in touch with Desiree and her mother, who thankfully was still alive and seemed to have avoided any entanglements with the protoss, zerg, or Sons of Korhal.

By now, rumors of a war and aliens had already reached Tarsonis and spread among the commoners. There was widespread anger that the people were lied to for no explainable reason, but others were ready to sign up.

Including her brother.

"Tom! No! You can't go join the marine corps," called Lexi. "You're gonna die!"

"Maybe better I die than continue to rot in a useless family that's making us lose this war in the first place," retorted Thomas. He pressed the button to call the elevator. "Perhaps I'll redeem our souls."

"Leave it to the Confederate Squadrons," pleaded Lexi.

"There's fucking Sons of Korhal people attacking the planet. I'm gonna go kick their asses."

"Please don't go," pleaded a teary eyed Lexi. She couldn't bear the thought of her closest living relative dying in a dirty war against god-damn rebels. Is this his form of suicide? "I'm sorry, whatever I did. Just stay home!"

"Sis," said Thomas, who turned to face her. "You didn't do anything wrong. This is something I feel like I need to do." He then pointed to Lexi and spoke gently, "If you do something to stop me, I'll remember that. I have to do something for myself, something right for the world, if you and our family won't."

Lexi wiped a tear from her eye, now seeing that she couldn't stop Thomas' decision. Somehow, this was Thomas' way of coping with his place in the family, in a way Lexi didn't fully understand. She walked over to hug her younger brother, who stood taller than her. "Whatever you do, you need to stay safe for me. Ok?"

This time Thomas did not hesitate to return his sister's hug. "I'll try."

Lexi took the moment to memorize the feeling of her brother's presence in her arms. The same brother she once held as a baby in her arms and who grew up with her.

She heard a distant rumbling. It was a strange noise.

She opened her eyes, pulled away from her brother, and searched for the source through the glass windows. It sounded like another terrorist bombing.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. A bomb?'

"Please no… wait what is that?"

There was a… giant wormhole in the sky, seemingly beyond the atmosphere as if it were a celestial body.

The two siblings pondered over the spatial anomaly.

"What if it's something the aliens made?"

Thomas' words left a dreadful pit in her stomach. "No. Please don't tell me that's the case."

The small shapes of the battlecruisers in the sky started moving out of formation. Then to their shock, some of the battlecruisers exploded in distant fire balls.

Against the blue expanse, dark spots formed in the sky, forming into a cloud that was threatening to cover the world.

The Zerg descended on Tarsonis that day.

---

-Present Day, September 16th, 2500-

-Planet: Canton-

-Temperate Planet. Population: 500,000,000. Dominion Industrial World-

You are but prey.

Lexi flinched as the woods were flooded with the blinding whiteness. A UED goliath towered with the thick trunks, its spotlights staring down at the faltering Dominion marines. It withdrew its autocannon barrels to slip between the trees and unleashed withering heavy caliber fire that mowed down exposed marines and punched through those hiding behind their forest cover.

More of those metal war machines pierced their gaze through the woods, seeking and killing every Dominion soldier wherever their lights revealed.

The battle was lost!

You run.

It was a full on rout, and all Lexi could do was try to keep pace with the other marines who could still run on two legs.

The booming of the autocannons was not far behind her. She hoped desperately that the lights did not find her.

So she ran.

Ran like when the chittering house and monstrous screams followed her on Tarsonis' streets.

Ran like when the sky was conquered by hell's spawns.

All she could ever do was run.

Through the grief. Through the pain.

You fell.

Lexi followed the routing Dominion marines until they reached a grassy field.

Their flight slowed to a soul-crushing stop.

A ground-churning column of UED siege tanks rolled towards them from across the field. A force of neosteel and vespene coming to grind her to dust.

They abruptly stopped and shifted to siege mode.

Dominion marines and a handful of medics stood no chance. They threw down their gauss rifles and shields to throw their arms up in surrender.

So too did Lexi, once more, throw her life at someone else's mercy.

---

You stopped fighting.

Lexi blinked as a headache fell over her. She could not check the wrist monitor in her left wrist entombed in her medic armor.

Her right wrist was starting to ache. At first she thought it was from firing the hand cannon too much, but the pain was sharper and more intense, stabbing through her wrist.

She hissed, but couldn't stop when forced to march in a column with other Dominion prisoners of war, escorted by a squad of UED marines with white armor and gauss rifles.

She heard a ghost speak to another marine, presumably the captain. "I smell something out there."

"What do you think it is?"

"Wer weiß?" shrugged the ghost. "It's highly unusual. I'm going to investigate." He then shimmered out of sight.

Have you forsaken power?

What power did she have?

You despair.

She was a prisoner.

You mourn.

She lost everything, with nothing to show for in her life. Once she was a noble lady of the most powerful faction in the Koprulu sector. Now she's trudging through the dead leaves and dirt. Defeated. Broken.

You cower.

"Shut up…"

Fight.

"SHUT UP!" shouted Lexi. "I'M DONE FIGHTIN'!"

The other prisoners stopped to stare at her outburst, and the guards ordered her to be silent and keep moving.

That was no longer possible. The pain burned like hot metal staked through her right wrist. She fell to her knees clawing at her gauntlet. "Get it off! Get it off!"

Prisoners cautiously backed away from her as the UED captain approached her. "What's the hold up?"

"My wrist!" exclaimed Lexi, who already managed to dig into the tight seals of the power armor gauntlet with her left glove. "Get it off!"

The captain sighed and dragged Lexi across the dirt and leaves. "Everyone else keep moving or you'll be shot." He then threw Lexi to the ground and pointed his gauss rifle at her. "Last warning. Get up and march."

Lexi ignored him. So unbearable was the stabbing heat in her wrist that she finally wrenched her right gauntlet free.

Red light illuminated the dark forest, catching everyone's attention.

"What the hell is this?" asked the captain.

Glowing red gems of a black bracelet emitted a dark red light. Lexi's right hand clenched in agony as the crystal lights pulsated like heartbeats.

Through the pain. Lexi felt a sudden onset of dread. A pressure tangible enough to make her check her surroundings.

A pounding on a door in her mind. A warning which unnerved her.

Everyone else must have felt it too. Dominion and UED alike were scanning the dark forest around them for some unknown danger. It was so hard to see in the absence of moonlight and the thick canopy above.

The UED captain then spoke, "Siegfried. This is Captain Perez. What is your status?"

A moment's pause.

"Siegfried, this is Captain Perez. Please respond. Over!"

A body was suddenly thrown into the prisoner line which scattered and panicked in fear.

Only one UED guard had the mind to order them back in line, for the rest were freaking out at the body of the ghost all torn up with bones, red meat, and innards exposed.

The air felt thicker, like a greater nightmare was hanging in the air.

Suddenly, Lexi felt the pain stop, and the red light from her bracelet darkened to a dim glimmer.

The dread remained.

"UP THERE!"

A subtle, faint boom erupted from the trees, followed immediately by an ear-splitting, wretched, horrifying howl biting at her ears.

Suffocating waves of raw terror grasped her cybernetic heart, squeezing what flesh remained.

She had no idea know if the sound was-

"ZERG!"

"PROTOSS AMBUSH!"

Gunfire erupted all around her alongside the screams of Terrans. Dark blue trunks and the canopy underside flickered white with bursts all over the forest. Lexi finally stood up to see them shooting at dark shapes in the trees.

Then she was bathed in white light.

Mechanical footsteps.

Her heart stopped. Her breath froze in her throat.

She turned around. She wanted to cry. Scream.

Emerging from the woods, with a blinding spotlight emerging from the top of a metallic spider-like body, was a protoss dragoon.

No!

NOT AGAIN!

She screamed and ran for her life.

The woods came alive with an infestation of protoss dragoons attacking the Terrans, who desperately fired point blank at their attackers. Hundreds of striders. Monstrous spiders. Her worst nightmare manifested, crawling between the trees and killing off Terrans one by one.

Surrounded completely, all she could do was hide under a large tree. She pressed herself against the stump, trying to hide herself against the roots. An impossible task with her white armor against the dirt.

She begged the universe to spare her from dying at the blue fire of a dragoon. The same dragoons that killed… killed…

She wrapped her arms over her visor, unwilling to face this kind of death head on.

It felt like an eternity before she realized the whirring of dragoons and the crackling of their blue fire cannons gave way to near silence. She dared herself to look around.

The spotlights were gone. Not a single protoss or their dragoons were to be seen.

Lexi tentatively emerged from her pitiful hiding spot to turn on her spotlights.

She gasped.

The forest floor was littered with dead terrans, UED and Dominion alike. None were killed by protoss or zerg weapons, for there wasn't even a sign there were Zerg or Protoss. There were only terrans who had clearly been shot to death by normal bullets.

Everyone had shot each other in panic.

"W-Wha-," she gulped, "-What happened?"

All that remained were three UED marines and their captain, who pointed at Lexi. "You! Bitch! You did this, didn't you!"

"Wait!" said Lexi, backing up. She was worn out, still shaking, and unarmed. "I don't know what's goin' on either."

"You did something freaky with your bracelet, I know it!" The UED captain pulled out his sidearm, cocked it, and leveled it at her.

A black creature dropped from the trees and crashed onto him.

After getting the wind knocked out of him, the UED captain was forced flat on his chest to helplessly garble in pain. His painful whimpers morphed into an agonizing howl something clamped on his back, the screech of rending metal scratched Lexi's ears.

Then the mysterious attacker stood up, facing Lexi directly with its back to the marines.

Digitigrade skeletal legs, black bones exposed, raised the black creature to a towering height that loomed over a marine in power armor. It was covered entirely in black metal, with only a crimson red waist cape draped behind the skeleton legs.

In its right arm was a dagger-axe, coal dark just like its armor.

The creatures' armored head shone alight with small, circle red eyes. It was a helmet.

The body shape. The height. The nerve cords draped over its shoulders.

Lexi cowered under the gaze of the protoss.

It looked down at the UED captain still pinned under its talons. Wrenched free from the captain's crushed back was a foot, which spread into four wicked metal talons like a hawk. The talons clamped down on the captain's visor.

The captain screamed, "No no-!"

The protoss' foot tore the captain's head from his neck.

A jaw landed at her feet with a squelch.

She fell back and screamed.

The other marines shouted and finally squeezed their trigger fingers.

Frantic barks of the gauss rifle echoed throughout the woods, unleashing a withering volley of impaler rounds breaking itself against the Protoss' red plasma shield.

That was their only momentary chance to hit the protoss before it ducked low, faced them, and glowed with energy.

In the next blink of an eye the protoss charged and blitzed the gap faster than anything humanly possible.

A bright red blade flared to life. The protoss slashed an energy scythe through the torso of the first marine, showering hot sparks and molten neosteel onto the forest floor.

The protoss kicked away a second marine with a resonating clang of metal, sending him crashing against a tree.

A downward slash with the red energy scythe chopped the third marine's gauss rifle in twain. The scythe crashed into the dirt before it turned to slice through one of the marine's legs.

The marine screamed as she fell backward and was momentarily airborne after the sweep took her leg. In the briefest moment she was mid-fall, the protoss raised its scythe and dropped a heavy chop.

Bisected down the thinner belly of the armor, the third marine wailed in pain as her spinal cord and belly were cauterized. Her lower half laid uselessly beside her.

Lexi scrambled to run away just as the protoss jumped the second marine. She leaped over corpses and ran as fast as she could from the slaughter unfolding behind her.

A dark, rich male chuckle pierced the night. "Nas rudokh! Kas'zada!"

She heard the second marine's scream as he was thrown against her retreating back, causing both to tumble painfully in a wreck of neo-steel and servos across the dirt and leaves. Lexi's visor cracked, and she thought it was miraculous how her exposed right wrist wasn't broken in the tumble.

Once their heavy momentum was slowed, Lexi and the marine untangled and scrambled to run again in separate directions.

Then another heavy object slammed her from behind. Thankfully the marine armor absorbed the impact both times or her back would have snapped. She crashed forward and felt the protoss pin his weight on her before jumping off. She rolled over to watch the protoss turn off his scythe, now a dagger-axe, and hook the fleeing marine's leg.

The marine tripped forward with his run snagged.

The protoss pounced on the marine and stabbed the black-metal spearhead straight through the lower back.

The marine howled an ear-splitting scream, which devolved into wails as the protoss twisted and turned the polearm thrusted into his back. Then with a powerful pull, he wrenched his weapon free, sending metal bits and blood flying.

Lexi made one more attempt to crawl away before the protoss bolted straight for her, leaped high, and crashed atop her armor.

She heard, and felt, the medic armor groan from the impact. She screamed with a hoarse voice, "Get away! No!"

She was forced into silence as the protoss' dagger-axe re-ignited its scythe which glowed ominously close to her visor.

"Veraku… Nas beru andakur?"

The protoss spun the scythe around and used the pointed end to wrench her visor open.

"Akai nar zol!"

Now nothing stood between her and the protoss.

"At long last," said the protoss in perfect English that reverberated with every sentence. He clamped a black claw over his face and detached the facial armor with a whirring depowering noise.

Small, circle, red bug eyes were replaced with a crimson glare on a bone-white face. He stabbed the pole end of his scythe into Lexi's shoulder plate, to which she screamed. The weapon pinned her down but was short of piercing her flesh.

He leaned close. "Now we can meet, face to face. Yes."

Lexi stared at his red eyes containing an endless pit of white light where the iris should be.

There's no way.

No way.

This can't be him.

He can't be a protoss!

"A-Are you-." She gulped and steadied her breath, pacemaker still running wild. "Are you the Demon Rex?"

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A/N: For those leaving reviews, I'll be happy to respond to your reviews in subsequent chapter updates unless you PM me to not respond in the A/N... or not even in PM if you're too busy.