Chapter 650
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Chapter 650
Meetings were boring. Diplomatic meetings especially so, but Nicodemo understood they were important. At least this one was taking place on The Independence, out among the stars. It was more of a tour, really. Or a demonstration of power for the sake of their new allies.
Ive heard much about Ruteran technology, said Ekicts representative. Aoibhin, if Nicodemo recalled correctly. A demonstration was mentioned?
Of course, Nicodemo nodded. We are approaching a sizable asteroid for that very purpose. The metals will be harvested afterwards so this isnt just a waste of energy. Though Rutera didnt have huge problems with energy anymore. Most of their energy production and capture was self-sustaining.
When they arrived in position, Nicodemo took control of the cannons. It only took a pair of shots, one to guide the way and the second penetrating deep into the rock, tearing it apart from the inside. There were many more weapons systems available for The Independence that would not have demonstrations today.
On the bridge of The Independence, Nicodemo was about as strong as he could ever get, with one particular exception. That exception reared its ugly head at the same time as the knowledge that hed gone soft over the past couple decades.
He didnt even really notice movement. He just had a spear sticking through him. When he moved to react, his arms were held by two of the others with Aoibhin, energy restricting shackles placed around his wrists. Even so, he managed to throw them off and lurch back from the spear lodged in his guts. With one hand he reached into the breast pocket of his uniform, pulling out the handle of a rifle from its internal storage.
Without his own internal energy, he would only have one burst. He needed to have the greatest effect possible, shoot where he could cause the most damage. He leveled the gun at Aoibhin and shot the control panel behind her. He didnt know why this was happening, but he wasnt going to let these bastards get away with an easy takeover.
Surprisingly, he didnt find himself dead- though Aoibhins next two moves pierced through his shoulders, destroying the structure in his muscle and bones. Youre not supposed to be this strong, Nicodemo said as blood dribbled from his mouth. Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
We find it helps to be underestimated, Aoibhin said without any emotion.
If he knew what was coming next, Nicodemo would have taken every effort to destroy himself to stop them. In a way, he had been too humble. He was the priority target, not the vessel.
-----
Training in the Ruteran military taught Ty to be cautious but not hasty in his actions. He couldnt afford to be twitchy and injure civilians for nothing.
Then his training with Chikere had taught him to stab first and ask questions never. All of the individuals who approached him were perfectly allowed to be present on the base, and to carry their weapons. There wasnt even anything strictly wrong with one of them resting her hand on the axe at her belt.
But the instant it happened, Ty cut off her hand. He didnt even consciously register others reaching for their weapons before slashing a complete circle around him, slicing completely through one of the visitors from Ekict. He did feel the twin swords aiming to slice his head off as well as sever him at the hips.
Twin swords. That was an order of magnitude less than what hed trained against, and the wielder was also lesser than Chikere. No offense to this woman Ty was going to kill, but she was just missing something.
His body suddenly went horizontal as he fell away, oriented between the two horizontally slashing blades. They changed their trajectory to try to catch him, of course, but only the lower one had a chance. It was deflected down into the enhanced tarmac beneath them.
He fell away, directly towards his ship. He landed on the tip of a wing, one of the sharpest parts of the vessel. The ships engines started with an injection of his will, the vehicle rotating in place as circular gravity reoriented it.
The woman who was somehow an Integration cultivator of the Slithering Serpent Society despite not being from the upper realms was upon Ty in an instant. Perhaps she wasnt as simple as she seemed.
How is that relevant here? Anishka hissed.
Transferral is soul stealing. Or cultivation stealing. Or some combination of those.
Theyre going to-? Anisha stopped her reflexive shouting. Theyre going to steal my soul? she whispered.
Unclear. Likely not, as your cultivation is insufficient to be worthwhile. But it is clear that Ekict is hiding much, and they are not our friends.
Obviously, Anishka grimaced. I could understand being locked up for causing trouble even with my status, but not like this. And I didnt even do anything. I-
The sound of footsteps echoing off icy walls came down outside of the bars, then the jangling of keys. Good. You are awake. Into the cell stepped Arzu, the head of the Northern Glacier Sect. Do you know why youre here?
No, Anishka answered plainly. Why?
The slap stung her face. Shed been injured plenty of times, in a spar or even a couple times in actual combat. But there was something more viscerally painful and discomforting about this lesser pain that she could not avoid, especially as the momentary warmth lessened the numbing of her nerves.
Wrong answer. Its because you are a spy. And you are going to tell us how many others are doing the same. Is it all of your visitors? What do you know?
Im not a spy! Anishka retorted. Though she kind of had been acting like one. She wasnt going to admit that though.
Of course you are. There is no other reason you would have come to Ekict. But we want to know what you were seeking. But you shall have plenty of time to ponder your answers as the cold seeps into your bones.
-----
Anton received a message. And then another one. And another. He was flooded with a bombardment of information, and upon reviewing them he was filled with anger, confusion, worry, and a return to rage. Somewhere in there was disappointment with himself. He was the one who had found Ekict, who had introduced them as future friends of the Trifold Alliance. This betrayal was his fault.
Second only to them, of course. They were still the ones who actually performed the deeds, after all. Anton prepared to rush off to inflict some sort of apocalypse upon them but he stopped himself.
He was going to go. But the messages would have already taken several months to reach him at his extremely remote location. And the people here also needed him. People were in peril, but by the time he arrived the immediate troubles would have been resolved. It would likely take him a year to join them. Leaving a few minutes or days earlier wouldnt change that significantly.
But here, on Inistra, he could make sure he did the most good possible in the time he could spare. At the very least, he owed it to Varghese to let him know that he would be leaving. But before that, Anton flew up out of the atmosphere to get a good look at the stars. His eyes settled on the extremely faint sparkle of theirs. If hed been in the system, he would have bound and destroyed their sun in that moment. He knew he could do it, though not the consequences to himself.
Though it was a horrible thought, he couldnt put it out of his mind. But he would have time to think on it as he approached, and the situation developed. Meanwhile, he had matters to settle. And replies to write, telling people he received their messages. He would be on his way and even if many of them hadnt asked for his help, and in fact the Trifold Alliance should be able to handle things without him, he couldnt not go. They were his people.
But he also had people here he had to do right by. Sacrificing one for the other was no good. If he spent a little extra time here, all he had to do was improved his travel techniques to arrive at the other end a little bit faster. Yes, that was the best option.
And then when he got there he was going to destroy a system.
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Chapter 650
Meetings were boring. Diplomatic meetings especially so, but Nicodemo understood they were important. At least this one was taking place on The Independence, out among the stars. It was more of a tour, really. Or a demonstration of power for the sake of their new allies.
Ive heard much about Ruteran technology, said Ekicts representative. Aoibhin, if Nicodemo recalled correctly. A demonstration was mentioned?
Of course, Nicodemo nodded. We are approaching a sizable asteroid for that very purpose. The metals will be harvested afterwards so this isnt just a waste of energy. Though Rutera didnt have huge problems with energy anymore. Most of their energy production and capture was self-sustaining.
When they arrived in position, Nicodemo took control of the cannons. It only took a pair of shots, one to guide the way and the second penetrating deep into the rock, tearing it apart from the inside. There were many more weapons systems available for The Independence that would not have demonstrations today.
On the bridge of The Independence, Nicodemo was about as strong as he could ever get, with one particular exception. That exception reared its ugly head at the same time as the knowledge that hed gone soft over the past couple decades.
He didnt even really notice movement. He just had a spear sticking through him. When he moved to react, his arms were held by two of the others with Aoibhin, energy restricting shackles placed around his wrists. Even so, he managed to throw them off and lurch back from the spear lodged in his guts. With one hand he reached into the breast pocket of his uniform, pulling out the handle of a rifle from its internal storage.
Without his own internal energy, he would only have one burst. He needed to have the greatest effect possible, shoot where he could cause the most damage. He leveled the gun at Aoibhin and shot the control panel behind her. He didnt know why this was happening, but he wasnt going to let these bastards get away with an easy takeover.
Surprisingly, he didnt find himself dead- though Aoibhins next two moves pierced through his shoulders, destroying the structure in his muscle and bones. Youre not supposed to be this strong, Nicodemo said as blood dribbled from his mouth. Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
We find it helps to be underestimated, Aoibhin said without any emotion.
If he knew what was coming next, Nicodemo would have taken every effort to destroy himself to stop them. In a way, he had been too humble. He was the priority target, not the vessel.
-----
Training in the Ruteran military taught Ty to be cautious but not hasty in his actions. He couldnt afford to be twitchy and injure civilians for nothing.
Then his training with Chikere had taught him to stab first and ask questions never. All of the individuals who approached him were perfectly allowed to be present on the base, and to carry their weapons. There wasnt even anything strictly wrong with one of them resting her hand on the axe at her belt.
But the instant it happened, Ty cut off her hand. He didnt even consciously register others reaching for their weapons before slashing a complete circle around him, slicing completely through one of the visitors from Ekict. He did feel the twin swords aiming to slice his head off as well as sever him at the hips.
Twin swords. That was an order of magnitude less than what hed trained against, and the wielder was also lesser than Chikere. No offense to this woman Ty was going to kill, but she was just missing something.
His body suddenly went horizontal as he fell away, oriented between the two horizontally slashing blades. They changed their trajectory to try to catch him, of course, but only the lower one had a chance. It was deflected down into the enhanced tarmac beneath them.
He fell away, directly towards his ship. He landed on the tip of a wing, one of the sharpest parts of the vessel. The ships engines started with an injection of his will, the vehicle rotating in place as circular gravity reoriented it.
The woman who was somehow an Integration cultivator of the Slithering Serpent Society despite not being from the upper realms was upon Ty in an instant. Perhaps she wasnt as simple as she seemed.
How is that relevant here? Anishka hissed.
Transferral is soul stealing. Or cultivation stealing. Or some combination of those.
Theyre going to-? Anisha stopped her reflexive shouting. Theyre going to steal my soul? she whispered.
Unclear. Likely not, as your cultivation is insufficient to be worthwhile. But it is clear that Ekict is hiding much, and they are not our friends.
Obviously, Anishka grimaced. I could understand being locked up for causing trouble even with my status, but not like this. And I didnt even do anything. I-
The sound of footsteps echoing off icy walls came down outside of the bars, then the jangling of keys. Good. You are awake. Into the cell stepped Arzu, the head of the Northern Glacier Sect. Do you know why youre here?
No, Anishka answered plainly. Why?
The slap stung her face. Shed been injured plenty of times, in a spar or even a couple times in actual combat. But there was something more viscerally painful and discomforting about this lesser pain that she could not avoid, especially as the momentary warmth lessened the numbing of her nerves.
Wrong answer. Its because you are a spy. And you are going to tell us how many others are doing the same. Is it all of your visitors? What do you know?
Im not a spy! Anishka retorted. Though she kind of had been acting like one. She wasnt going to admit that though.
Of course you are. There is no other reason you would have come to Ekict. But we want to know what you were seeking. But you shall have plenty of time to ponder your answers as the cold seeps into your bones.
-----
Anton received a message. And then another one. And another. He was flooded with a bombardment of information, and upon reviewing them he was filled with anger, confusion, worry, and a return to rage. Somewhere in there was disappointment with himself. He was the one who had found Ekict, who had introduced them as future friends of the Trifold Alliance. This betrayal was his fault.
Second only to them, of course. They were still the ones who actually performed the deeds, after all. Anton prepared to rush off to inflict some sort of apocalypse upon them but he stopped himself.
He was going to go. But the messages would have already taken several months to reach him at his extremely remote location. And the people here also needed him. People were in peril, but by the time he arrived the immediate troubles would have been resolved. It would likely take him a year to join them. Leaving a few minutes or days earlier wouldnt change that significantly.
But here, on Inistra, he could make sure he did the most good possible in the time he could spare. At the very least, he owed it to Varghese to let him know that he would be leaving. But before that, Anton flew up out of the atmosphere to get a good look at the stars. His eyes settled on the extremely faint sparkle of theirs. If hed been in the system, he would have bound and destroyed their sun in that moment. He knew he could do it, though not the consequences to himself.
Though it was a horrible thought, he couldnt put it out of his mind. But he would have time to think on it as he approached, and the situation developed. Meanwhile, he had matters to settle. And replies to write, telling people he received their messages. He would be on his way and even if many of them hadnt asked for his help, and in fact the Trifold Alliance should be able to handle things without him, he couldnt not go. They were his people.
But he also had people here he had to do right by. Sacrificing one for the other was no good. If he spent a little extra time here, all he had to do was improved his travel techniques to arrive at the other end a little bit faster. Yes, that was the best option.
And then when he got there he was going to destroy a system.
Chapter 650Meetings were boring. Diplomatic meetings especially so, but Nicodemo understood they were important. At least this one was taking place on The Independence, out among the stars. It was more of a tour, really. Or a demonstration of power for the sake of their new allies. Ive heard much about Ruteran technology, said Ekicts representative. Aoibhin, if Nicodemo recalled correctly. A demonstration was mentioned?Of course, Nicodemo nodded. We are approaching a sizable asteroid for that very purpose. The metals will be harvested afterwards so this isnt just a waste of energy. Though Rutera didnt have huge problems with energy anymore. Most of their energy production and capture was self-sustaining.When they arrived in position, Nicodemo took control of the cannons. It only took a pair of shots, one to guide the way and the second penetrating deep into the rock, tearing it apart from the inside. There were many more weapons systems available for The Independence that would not have demonstrations today.On the bridge of The Independence, Nicodemo was about as strong as he could ever get, with one particular exception. That exception reared its ugly head at the same time as the knowledge that hed gone soft over the past couple decades. He didnt even really notice movement. He just had a spear sticking through him. When he moved to react, his arms were held by two of the others with Aoibhin, energy restricting shackles placed around his wrists. Even so, he managed to throw them off and lurch back from the spear lodged in his guts. With one hand he reached into the breast pocket of his uniform, pulling out the handle of a rifle from its internal storage. Without his own internal energy, he would only have one burst. He needed to have the greatest effect possible, shoot where he could cause the most damage. He leveled the gun at Aoibhin and shot the control panel behind her. He didnt know why this was happening, but he wasnt going to let these bastards get away with an easy takeover.Surprisingly, he didnt find himself dead- though Aoibhins next two moves pierced through his shoulders, destroying the structure in his muscle and bones. Youre not supposed to be this strong, Nicodemo said as blood dribbled from his mouth. N00vl--1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.We find it helps to be underestimated, Aoibhin said without any emotion.If he knew what was coming next, Nicodemo would have taken every effort to destroy himself to stop them. In a way, he had been too humble. He was the priority target, not the vessel.-----Training in the Ruteran military taught Ty to be cautious but not hasty in his actions. He couldnt afford to be twitchy and injure civilians for nothing. Then his training with Chikere had taught him to stab first and ask questions never. All of the individuals who approached him were perfectly allowed to be present on the base, and to carry their weapons. There wasnt even anything strictly wrong with one of them resting her hand on the axe at her belt.But the instant it happened, Ty cut off her hand. He didnt even consciously register others reaching for their weapons before slashing a complete circle around him, slicing completely through one of the visitors from Ekict. He did feel the twin swords aiming to slice his head off as well as sever him at the hips. Twin swords. That was an order of magnitude less than what hed trained against, and the wielder was also lesser than Chikere. No offense to this woman Ty was going to kill, but she was just missing something.His body suddenly went horizontal as he fell away, oriented between the two horizontally slashing blades. They changed their trajectory to try to catch him, of course, but only the lower one had a chance. It was deflected down into the enhanced tarmac beneath them.He fell away, directly towards his ship. He landed on the tip of a wing, one of the sharpest parts of the vessel. The ships engines started with an injection of his will, the vehicle rotating in place as circular gravity reoriented it.The woman who was somehow an Integration cultivator of the Slithering Serpent Society despite not being from the upper realms was upon Ty in an instant. Perhaps she wasnt as simple as she seemed.How is that relevant here? Anishka hissed.Transferral is soul stealing. Or cultivation stealing. Or some combination of those.Theyre going to-? Anisha stopped her reflexive shouting. Theyre going to steal my soul? she whispered.Unclear. Likely not, as your cultivation is insufficient to be worthwhile. But it is clear that Ekict is hiding much, and they are not our friends.Obviously, Anishka grimaced. I could understand being locked up for causing trouble even with my status, but not like this. And I didnt even do anything. I-The sound of footsteps echoing off icy walls came down outside of the bars, then the jangling of keys. Good. You are awake. Into the cell stepped Arzu, the head of the Northern Glacier Sect. Do you know why youre here?No, Anishka answered plainly. Why?The slap stung her face. Shed been injured plenty of times, in a spar or even a couple times in actual combat. But there was something more viscerally painful and discomforting about this lesser pain that she could not avoid, especially as the momentary warmth lessened the numbing of her nerves.Wrong answer. Its because you are a spy. And you are going to tell us how many others are doing the same. Is it all of your visitors? What do you know?Im not a spy! Anishka retorted. Though she kind of had been acting like one. She wasnt going to admit that though.Of course you are. There is no other reason you would have come to Ekict. But we want to know what you were seeking. But you shall have plenty of time to ponder your answers as the cold seeps into your bones.-----Anton received a message. And then another one. And another. He was flooded with a bombardment of information, and upon reviewing them he was filled with anger, confusion, worry, and a return to rage. Somewhere in there was disappointment with himself. He was the one who had found Ekict, who had introduced them as future friends of the Trifold Alliance. This betrayal was his fault.Second only to them, of course. They were still the ones who actually performed the deeds, after all. Anton prepared to rush off to inflict some sort of apocalypse upon them but he stopped himself. He was going to go. But the messages would have already taken several months to reach him at his extremely remote location. And the people here also needed him. People were in peril, but by the time he arrived the immediate troubles would have been resolved. It would likely take him a year to join them. Leaving a few minutes or days earlier wouldnt change that significantly.But here, on Inistra, he could make sure he did the most good possible in the time he could spare. At the very least, he owed it to Varghese to let him know that he would be leaving. But before that, Anton flew up out of the atmosphere to get a good look at the stars. His eyes settled on the extremely faint sparkle of theirs. If hed been in the system, he would have bound and destroyed their sun in that moment. He knew he could do it, though not the consequences to himself.Though it was a horrible thought, he couldnt put it out of his mind. But he would have time to think on it as he approached, and the situation developed. Meanwhile, he had matters to settle. And replies to write, telling people he received their messages. He would be on his way and even if many of them hadnt asked for his help, and in fact the Trifold Alliance should be able to handle things without him, he couldnt not go. They were his people.But he also had people here he had to do right by. Sacrificing one for the other was no good. If he spent a little extra time here, all he had to do was improved his travel techniques to arrive at the other end a little bit faster. Yes, that was the best option.And then when he got there he was going to destroy a system.
