A Final Offer of Assistance

The Custodian, upon finding that the NSI were utterly impossible to locate, decided to pay the Alteriian homeworld a visit. They were the last of the major civilizations which had yet to be destroyed or brought onto the Custodian already, and though she doubted from reading about the species that they would actually agree to taking shelter, it was her job to extend that offer anyways.

So as she loosely monitored all areas of the ship at once, she warped to the fifth dimension to offer them a last chance to save their people in case Shade came into being. She began to carefully word a message to them and hopefully to their High Druid. She wanted to have it fully thought out before she opened a transmission, as she wanted her words to come off as confident and yet gracious as possible; she wanted to convey the certainty that anyone on board would be totally safe in the worst case scenario, the guarantee that the Pentad would join in fighting Verax's armies alongside the Alteriians, and the message to the High Druid that Eris-Tam was currently aboard the ship and was well.

Finally, having considered all of the necessary wording and constructing what she believed to be a sufficient message, the Custodian opened the transmission.

"Greetings. I am the Custodian--one of five ships designed to protect the people of the universe, and created by the now disbanded Somnis Empire. I am currently located in an adjacent system and I wish to extend an offer of hospitality, safety, and security to all Alteriian citizens. The Plutonian people and what is left of the Somnis people as well as a few other small groups already reside here, due to a guarantee which our research has lead us to that I will be completely capable of protecting many millions of people even under the circumstances of Shade's freedom. I would prefer not to share the information regarding how this will be accomplished, should it fall into the wrong hands, but I can assure any and all that it will be perfectly effective.

"Even should this offer be turned down, the Pentad will surely assist you in any coming battles with the Neo-Myrionith Empire. We have two highly skilled and well built ships among the five of us which are intended for combat, and one which has extremely effective defensive functions. They will help to defend your people.

"I also wish for a message to be delivered to your High-Druid. Eris-Tam is currently on board, and is doing well; should he wish to see her that can be easily arranged. I believe she does not intend to leave the ship.

"Please consider my offer of protection; even should your combat-able population turn down this offer, I would recommend that those who will not be fighting reside here for the time being. However, the decision is truly yours and I would not interfere. An offer of help can only go so far without being accepted. Thank you for hearing this message; please respond when you have made a decision."

The Commanding officer's name at the Diplomatic Headquarters of Vertrus, orbiting the planet from space, was Terlamu. He was a distinguished and fiery officer, having served four terms of active duty in Flesher space, three terms of duty fighting Tagarian pirates in the upper sectors, and two diplomatic advents with the Martians and Somnis Empire.

He had once, as an Ensign, took his fighter craft and single-handedly destroyed more than 37 flesher carrier units to protect a freighter, against orders. He saved more than one hundred lives that day. On the Martian homeworld, he brokered a trade agreement that had lasted centuries with the Alteriians. He spent the next four decades training senior officers in the art of diplomacy and war.

He was indeed an acting general, taking the place of an equally distinguished and daring officer who had died in the "Iron-Wing Battle", as the Alteriians referred to it. Her name had been "Naerlana". She was the best, and now... she was gone. This hopeless war was eating away the Alteriians, who had grown lonely and weary, amid the vast swathes of space...

He, in his own right, was capable of answering for the Alteriian people, but after a brief acknowledgment of the transmission, he decided to communicate the message to The Arch-Druid himself.

"Archelaus, we have a message from the Catalyst. The ship our scouts and sensors had been reporting... they wish to grant our non-combatants asylum. They say they can withstand the God of Shadow...." he trailed off, knowing that Archelaus' mind had slowly been... wearing thin. He was still a great leader, still practiced his Rolxan with proficiency of which he had never seen but the greatest Druids perform, he still attended to his duties in this time of war...

But he used to smile. He used to have the heartiest, mirthful, deep laugh that no one could hear without beginning to chuckle as well. He used to have a sense of humor. Now he was.... empty. A vessel that had run out, a spirit so long antagonized that it lived only because it must. His eyes flashed anger, his fingers formed a fist that never seemed to relent, and his shoulders stood like iron in the twilight. Dark, un-moving, steadfast.

He knew his people were going to die. He knew that it was necessary they would. He knew that his plan was literally insane, and they hadn't finished even the most basic portions of the plan, very much less recruited the final piece.

But he was husk, and ash... a great leader, whose heart had been strangled by a life fought every moment of every day. Protecting, loving, caring, dreaming of a brighter tomorrow, when no sunlight ever reached his eyes.

His heart nearly exploded, to learn of Aurora's life. Like a fireworks display, his old passions and hopes had caught the entire Alteriian people on fire with hope, but without her he was again... empty... lost on a dark sea without a compass, without a companion.

"Sir, I think we should accept their request. I will gladly fight with you till I draw my final breath, fighting that murderer, that betrayer. There is no other future for me. But... the children... if they stay..."

Archelaus' eyes looked up to the screen, analyzing, but empty of fire as they had been for so many years.

"Is it right, to force upon them hundreds of years of history, away from the Alteriia we know? Away from our laws, teachers, and customs? From their parents, their history...? Is it right to condemn them to a lonely, broken existence in the fires and flames that will remain after this universe is consumed?

Tears sprung to Terlamu's eyes. When all but a flicker of hope remained in Archelaus, the great Hero, the Arch-Druid, the leader of his people for centuries, the only thing which remained between them and oblivion, the vanguard of hope and faith itself... it was a rueful day.

Archelaus continued: "Perhaps it is not, but I will give them that choice. Send my agreement, and my great appreciation for their selfless act, in a world so devoid of it. Tell them to take The Coalition's peoples away as well... they have no chance against..." his voice tinged with a curious emotion, disgust, but respect, all surrounded by the heavy cloak of timeless-windless-thoughtless sadness. "Verax." His eyes smoldered, like black coals, the heat of his soul still hiding within. "Also, tell them... I'll be sending another message in the future... to Aurora. Remind her that... she is still the starlight in my world of darkness."