Chapter 13: Chapter 11 – Opening Moves

Edward tugged at his collar, the rim of it had been making his neck itchy every since he put it on and he hadn’t been able to fix it. Its was something that always happened when putting on a rarely used collared shirt but he still cursed it, even when it was completely expected.

Before him, Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Bellegarde with impeccable uniform as always, the other naval attachés and Elliot and his assistant, was the Valkyrie in the tight shuttle bay, the rear of it’s angular body presenting itself over everyone.

His boots clacked against the metal of the loading ramp as he then heard the softer clanks behind him, looking over his shoulder to see a rather apprehensive Elliot and his assistant behind him. The young woman looked even more nervous than Elliot, her eyes bright eyes quivering slightly behind her glasses, soft brown hair- Stop. Calm.

“What is it, Elliot? Something wrong?”

“Well umm…” he looked around a little sheepishly, like somebody was eavesdropping, “I’ve never been on a shuttle like this before…”

Edward’s eyes furrowed, “What do you mean? How did you get here…?”

“I took a space plane up and that’s the first time I’ve been up into space so-“

“You’ve never had to deal with re-entry, have you?”

“No.”

He nodded slowly, remembering the G-forces and the sensation of his gut churning over itself, blood rushing to his head…

“Well,” He swallowed, unable to imagine the stupid thing he was about to say but letting it slip out anyway, “How about you take the seat next to me, I-I won’t mind about if you… You know…”

“Throw up?”

“Yes.”

Elliot chuckled for a moment before thinking for a moment, Edward’s heart pumping as his mind rushed between every possible answer the diplomat could give before-

“Sure and thank you.”

His heart started to wind down as Elliot took the gesture, Edward swallowing and continuing to walk up the ramp where Laurence was looking at him, eyes furrowed like they were trying to figure out what this disgraceful thing was doing, before seemingly realising and softening. He made a mental note to himself to dear god not put her in the situation where someone like her might try to blackmail him.

But finally, he and Elliot took their seats in the Valkyrie, the assistant sitting to the other side of Elliot as they settled themselves down into the padded seat. Edward’s eye drifted over as he fasted himself in, looking to see if he might need to help but no. And anyway, that was stupid to think, anyone who went up in a space plane or even some sort of theme park ride knows how to use a cross belt.

Then all was left were a few thumbs up between some of the ship’s crew and the shuttle’s pilot and the rear door started to close, shutting with a firm clunk and hiss.

A minute passed by with nothing happening as the bay decompressed but finally, he felt it, gravity disappearing away as the hanger’s artificial gravity systems were shut down in the hanger, the ship lurching forwards.

And around his arm he felt something, looking down to see Elliot’s hand grasping onto it with the admiral’s face flushing slightly, but he didn’t shake it off, instead slowly and gently shifting their hand into his and grasping tightly in turn.

“Thank you,” the meek voice said, the ship lurching and jostling as it shifted itself out of the way of the Sheffield to make it’s deceleration burn.

Edward swallowed, replying simply with “Now, just be ready for it to make a burn in five seconds, alright?”

“Alright.”

The acceleration kicked in and slowly started to press with more and more force into the sides of everyone in the passenger bay. The somewhat interesting design choice of having the seats sideways facing on a ship meant to make belly up re-entries into combat zones now rearing it’s head with the only consolation being that at least the seats were nicely padded to stop people from being bruised and lashed around.

But he just needed to focus on his thoughts and Elliot’s hand and it would all be over soon, at least until it was time for re-entry.

 

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It seemed like the Bailiff’s was practically quivering where he stood as everyone looked up into the sky in the courtyard. Duke Nathaniel, Hiegfal, the royal life guards, fire knights and various assorted nobles and members of the clergy, here beside and behind himself, as William looked up. To be honest it seemed a little rude to leave the old man that he was In-front and first in line to meet some angels who may be those of an evil god, but that was his duty and if this should all go well he will be the one’s greeting their saviours.

He looked out on the city, the streams of smoke from the bakeries, distilleries, workshops and foundries drifting up into the sky where only a few streaks of white formed the only cloud cover up there, the rest blue and bright. A perfect day.

The armour of all the knights glistened in the sun. The Royal lifeguard’s gold trimmed plate armour featured various yellow feathers and embellishments, the captain embodying it all with a golden cape and a helmet with a statue of a lion sitting on top with the holy pendent under it’s claws. The fire knights were also rather grand with their pole-axes and falchions with inbuilt hand cannons, their armour similarly well made with various carvings of flames and bronze ornaments, the symbols of their order.

“Your majesty… Do- Do you see that streak of fire over there?” It was Heigfal, his finger pointing out at a set of three, small and blurry streaks of light far off, over the river and near the southern mountains, very gradually getting closer.

“I- I do… Bailiff!”

“Yes, your majesty!”

“Go and inform the watch now that they’ll have to be ready to quell a potential mob and will have to reassure the plebeians and citizenry that everything is alright.” His voice stayed steady, it needed to be.

“H- Yes your majesty!”

Well, this was not the best-case scenario, the duke had tried to assure everyone that they would come by carriage, but it seemed like the carriage in question would be rather different than the one imagined.

His mouth went dry, as he continued to stare at them, those flames getting closer and closer, with it increasingly looking like they were falling a bit closer than he thought. If these were indeed the servants of Ifcan he would have to be the most courteous host since when he had hosted the previous Supreme Patriarch just after his mother died. And if Chin had won and was here to subjected them all… Well he’d be the first to be killed by their bloodthirsty warriors.

Though, he was old now, and his last remaining son was far off in the eastern duchies, so he’d be safe at least. And the knights could fight the angels, surely, but… The difference between the knightly orders and the warriors of Chin could be that of the knights versus the northern and wasteland tribes… A concerning thought that surely must have been running through the duke’s and lifeguard captain’s heads.

“Duke Nathaniel, Heigfal, what would be your estimations for the time until they reach us?”

The duke seemed to shake himself out of some thoughts of his own as he looked over at the king.

“I estimate they may be here within the next half hour, with the pace that the light is approaching us.” He replied, muttering a “dammit” under his breath.

Heigfal looked over, “What’s that for?”

“Nothing of your concern” Nathaniel responded curtly.

They must have not gotten along well during the planning. Oh, how this did not bode well.

 

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The shuttle shook slightly as it cruised over the farmland and countryside bellow, light seeping in from tiny widows in the side and damn, it felt good to finally see it, blue and bright light! There was a little dampener on the situation as one his attachés had thrown up and Elliot nearly did as well, leading to a long period of time of holding his hand while he held back gags.

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The shuttle engines and the way the windows were placed did make it hard to get views out of the shuttle other than a little sliver from craning his neck around. Though it was out of the practical and rather brutish design of the Valkyrie, with it having little in the way of lifting surfaces, it had to angle it’s main engines a little to keep it from falling into the ground as a transonic block of metal and ablative plating. Well, at least it was a quick design that could be pressed into mass production.

He sighed, flicking back to the pilot’s channel to while away the time, keeping the mic off to not interrupt them. He found it slightly relaxing to listen to it, one of the lovely perks of being in the military. But, now that he thought about it, it did seem a little odd to listen in on what should just be to him be some work…

He decided, after a while to simply switch back to the regular channel, just in time for the long-awaited announcement.

“We are currently at an ETA 5 minutes to the destination, prepare yourselves for landing.”

“Oh finally…” Elliot huffed, his shoulders slumping.

“Don’t like this then?” Edward said, a slight grin cracking across his face.

“Not at all. I think I much preferred the space plane…”

“I second that!” Elliot’s aid nearly barfed out. He’d managed to learn that her name was Sophie over the trip between her vomiting.

“Got anything on your shirt?” Edward asked,

“I don’t think so…” she muttered, looking over herself in the shadowy troop bay.

“Good, we’ve gotta look a bit regal today and I think having a bit on you will somewhat harm that.”

“Right…”

There were a few moments of awkward silence that followed, the shuttle jostling slightly as it turned and it’s engines throttled.

“So…” Elliot finally said, “How does this thing, uh, land?”

Edward chuckled, “Oh, easy, it’ll probably slow it’s self-down and do a 180 turn before slowly settling us down onto it’s skids, as I thought we should probably have the loading ramp open up in front of the hosts and not have the pilots stare at them while we get out.”

“That sounds a little… Bumpy…”

“Its not as bad as it sounds.”

“Well, I guess it shouldn’t be…”

“That’s the spirit!”

More time passed, the craft decelerating and after a set of bumpy manoeuvrers, the shuttle tilting slightly from side to side, finally settling down with jolt. Time to get off.

Edward quickly threw his restraints off and hopped up, straightening his uniform. “Well then, time for us to introduce ourselves and try not to provoke them into stabbing us…”

Hydraulics wired into action as bright sunlight blasted through the opening ramp, the beauty of the green and castle presenting themselves. The greyish yellow stones of the fortress clambering up into the sky and into ramparts and towers looking over them, the small inner gate in front of them leading into a cobble courtyard. It seemed like a little shame that the shuttles had wreaked the nice grassy area in front of it, but it was the only place to land…

There was also another, more important thing in front of them. And that was the platoon of heavily armed and armoured knights, seemingly of two nightly orders, all there to seemingly escort the small, but extremely well-dressed welcoming party wedged between the two formations. There were a few nobles, including one er- quite handsome, fairly young and not inbred one in rich blue clothes with various gold ornaments, another noble who seemed a lot more inbred and a lot less attractive, some sort of noble lady with a white silver veil next to them, a few other nobles, what must be some sort of captain, a set of clergymen, including a very holy looking one with a missing eye and finally the king, old and ailing but still standing tall and strong.

They all however seemed to be a little shocked as the admiral and the rest of the contingent walked out of the first shuttle, the two marines lingering behind as one moved to the cockpit to check the rear of the shuttles. But the other shuttle had not opened yet and Edward could not help but let a smile crack across his stern face, resisting various ticks but also a vague urge to run away in case this all went wrong. But there was no turning back as the second shuttle door opened and their real guards revealed themselves.

As the sounds of the hydraulics of the ramp ceased, the wine of servos and actuators followed up with the nobles and knights taking an unconscious step back as they stared with wide eyes at the black suits walking out. The seven-foot-tall suits of black composite armour and steel gleamed in the sunlight, red eyes faintly glowing as they looked straight forward, their belt fed machine guns laid against their shoulders at attention. Their helmets reminiscent of something out of fallout or Warhammer with a set of vents on the front and armoured air pipes trailing to the back of their suit with the helmet generally looking rather chunky and angular, the rest of their heavy power much the same with chunks of armour plate covering most of the suit to leave only the smallest areas only covered by rubber reinforced with Kevlar. They just looked like the sort of troops an evil empire would have, and not some overly bureaucratic liberal democracy.

Meanwhile the other delegation seemed to be frozen in fear, shock or desperately trying to wrangle themselves to calm down and stay at attention, which interestingly included the duke who placed a hand on the shoulder of the king, the head clergyman’s eye wandering over to them from the black suits.

“Do we need to stay back sir?” The head black suit asked, their voice crackling out of a speaker, making Sargent George’s unassuming voice deeper and distorted.

“I… I think it will be fine.” Yeah, they’ll be fine with the demonic looking soldiers staring them down, sure…

But still, he needed to make the first move, he was the one at the head of the other party so he had to introduce himself, but now… He’d forgotten what to do. But those who take the initiative win so he signalled everyone forwards and stood to attention before the king, saluting with his hand to his head, palm forwards as he barked, “Your Majesty! Rear Admiral Edward Fletcher at your service sir! I’m glad to meet you.”

The king stood there, stunned, the last minute being something he probably didn’t prepare for. But, as a testament to the old man’s experience he managed to shake himself out of it and his smile grew, bowing his head a surprising amount as he replied, “Your radiance, it is an honour to meet you.”

Your radiance!? Oh, yeah, the angel stuff… Well those years of DnD and other roleplay things have not gone to waste yet-

“May I ask, mighty angel, what rank that you rest upon?”

“Rear Admiral sir-“ Shit, do angels have admirals?

“An Admiral? So Ifcan has a great fleet of the void then?”

Well, when one is sinking in the tar you might as well go along with it, “Yes, many fleets, and I am the commander of one of them.”

The duke at the back then walked forward, eyeing the black suits before finally saying, “And why might Ifcan need to send over a warfleet? Your radiance?”

He stood there, momentarily stunned as Elliot quickly snapped back, “As our lord believed that our diplomats should be protected from any threat they come across! And do not doubt their methods, we are here to talk about the lord bringing you back under their wing.” His stare remained fixed on the Duke as Edward noted that he should not make him mad, “And what is your name and position?”

“Nathaniel of house Seaton, Duke of county Grenwixs.” He replied, in a calm and polite voice, who’s politeness seemed to be well trained…

“And I am William the second of the First Kingdom of Avira from the house of Jericho. I am humbled to meet you all.”

Elliot face soften though, as the king’s more genuine introduction and smile welcomed him, “Elliot Hill, Diplomat of Ifcan.”

“Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Bellegarde, sir.”

All of the kingdom’s delegation just looked over to her in various states of confusion.

A noble finally cracked, laughing with his eyes growing wet with tears, “What is a woman doing in the army then? Is she-“

He promptly shut up as Elliot, Edward and the squad of black suits resumed their harsh stare, quickly reducing the noble to a cowering mouse as they slipped behind one of their attendants.

“Well, now that the introductions are over, I hope you can bring us all inside and we can all get to know each other, with Elliot heading our negotiations, is that okay?” The Admiral ask, breaking the silence as the two groups finally got moving inside.

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