The Dragon Imperium - Prologue

Prologue

Galactic Empire Outer Core

Alytra Star System, planet Alytra Prime

Capital city of Landing

"You know, it feels weird for everything to be so peaceful."

Airah shook herself out of her reverie, before looking at the woman opposite of the table from her. Well, 'woman'. She was a hologram, a projection of an AI's digital avatar, but still.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sorry, just reminescing. I had another surge of memories last night. Of the previous cycles, of the War."

Airah nodded in sympathy. Humanity had long ago developed the technology to become biologically immortal, and even upload human minds to computers...but the human psyche, even the digital one AIs were based off of, couldn't handle the memories and experiences of centuries or millenia of life. Everyone had a different breaking point, but past a certain volume of memories people just went insane. Thus the practice of memory cycles, where everyone wiped their memories clean every 150 years. You had to go through school again, and learn your crafts once more, but it was better than the alternative. The problem was that the process wasn't perfect. In many ways that was beneficial -you didn't have to teach to someone who had been memory wiped how to talk or write again-, but in others it was horrifying. Memories, shadows of your past cycles, just haunted you. Flashes of emotion, scenes that you relived like they were happening before your very eyes. Except that you knew nothing of the context, or even who the other people in those memories were.

And both of them had some far more horrifying memories to remember than most of the population.

"It's been six centuries Stelly." The AI smiled at Airah's use of her nickname. "Most of the people here either never saw the war, or barely remember a few flashes of it. Besides, even those that lived through it were safe in our worlds, and few served on the frontlines. We made sure of that."

Stellyra nodded.

"Fair. It's just that sometimes..." She gestured at the peaceful plazza around them, where shoppers and pedestrians mingled and weaved around each other, hurrying from one place to the next or mingling with each other. "This feels so alien."

Airah nodded. She felt that way too. Which wasn't surprising, if you spent too many cycles doing something in particular, it had a tendency to leave some kind of shadow on your psyche. And in their case, that shadow would be particularly strong, as they had spent millenia fighting back against the darkness threatening to swallow mankind and everything they loved.

"So, still studying on ancient Earth history?" Said Stellyra in a faintly mocking tone.

"Hey, screw you! It's a very important topic!"

"Screw me?" Stellyra put a hand on her chest in mock outrage. "My, how savage! Besides, I don't even have the required parts."

Airah rolled her eyes, and asked herself again which genius at Navy HQ had decided to pair her up with a smartass of an AI back in the day. She understood that no human could hope to control the Galactic Empire's greatest warships, the Devourers, without a linked AI to help them run it, and the AI could never remain sane without a human directly linked to their psyche, but still!

"Right, not like that has ever stopped you before." That caused Stellyra to suddenly looked worried. "Yes, I saw the order. You aren't nearly as good as you think you are in disguising what you're having delivered to the house you know."

"Well, I'll have you know it was a fine android, and leave it at that!"

Airah snickered, but chose not the comment. She'd rather not push the matter further, because in terms of relationships, the AI had way more ammunition than she did.

"Right. And yeah, I'm studying ancient human history. You might think everything before the hyperdrive or the first AI is irrelevant, but much of our culture, and hell, our laws, are anchored on Earth's old pre-interstellar civilizations."

Stellyra's gaze became more serious and darker, and nodded, causing Airah to wince slightly. The name of the motherworld was a word to conjure with for most people -few had seen the birthplace of humanity with their own eyes-, but for them it carried a lot of baggage.

After all, they had been born on, or in Stellyra's case created, on Earth...and according to their own journals, and some particularly unpleasant flash of memories, been there when the alien Conclave had bombed the planet into oblivion, sterilizing its entire surface through a saturation orbital bombardment. They'd commanded the relieving fleet, but they were too late.

They had made the xenos pay in blood for their atrocities, and not a single ship had escaped Sol to tell the tale. The retaliatory strikes of operation Phoenix, centuries later, would pay back Earth's glassing a thousand times over, but still.

"I agree." Stellyra smiled once more, although Airah knew her well enough, even so shortly after their mutual memory wipe, to discern that it was slightly forced. "Well hey, if you want to study dusty old generals flailing around to cross rivers, that's your problem. Have you been keeping up with current affairs at least?"

"Kind of." Airah lifted her cup, and took a sip of the hot chocolate. It was good, but that was to be expected, they were in one of the best cafes of the capital city of an imperial world. "There has been some terrorist attacks, right?"

"Terrorist attacks? Terrorist attacks? They nuked fucking cities! Hundreds of them! These maniacs are busy spreading death and destruction throughout the Empire!"

Airah winced as she took another sip. As far as she knew, that was unprecedented. Yeah, there had always been dissent about the Empire, and the Empress in particular -few wanted a functionally insane AI hive mind as their ruler after all-, but with the Conclave as an existential threat, and the ever present possibility of alien incursion looming over everyone's heads, few had turned those protests into terrorism or revolutions. After all the very people they would be undermining would be those trying to protect them from complete extermination. Hadn't stopped some idiots, but, well...they hadn't survived long after overthrowing the local Imperial authorities and forcing the fleet garrisoning the system to retreat. The Conclave might have been insane, bloodthirsty and genocidal xenos, but they were efficient if nothing else. Part of the reason it had taken six fucking millenia for humanity to conquer the galaxy and finally wipe them out.

"That's bad."

"That's very bad!" Stellyra sighed. "Still, at least it plays into the Empress' hands. Isn't exactly hard to argue for their complete eradication when they're busy murdering billions for their insane crusade."

"What the hell do they want anyway?"

"A bunch of stuff. They're basically a disparate collection of everyone who's dissatisfied with the Empress. Anti-genetic engineering purists, political opponents, hell even some xeno lovers." The AI nearly spat on the ground, and Airah was seriously tempted to do so. It was mind boggling to her that some idiots thought that the Conclave were nothing but misunderstood aliens, who humanity had attacked unprovoked, and that somehow the entire early history of the war had been fabricated by the Galactic Empire to justify their war.

She'd been there. She might not remember it, but she still had her journals. Those 'peaceful, misunderstood aliens' version of first contact had been to nuke every border world, capture all the survivors, and dissect them alive to study humanity, before capturing world after world and putting the population in extermination camps to be worked to death, recycling their corpses to feed the living, and sometimes not even bothering to liquefy the flesh of the fallen before giving it to the starving workers. She had videos saved in her personal archives, some shot by the sick bastards who had been organizing those camps, and others filmed by her very own marines when they'd retaken several systems and went to rescue the surviving humans.

Even after this, there had been one last attempt at diplomacy, but the Conclave had sent the envoy's body back, disassembled into her component organs, with a very long video where they'd kept her alive while they cut her to pieces, up until they'd finally sliced her brain out. After that video was circulated throughout human space, there had been no question that the Conclave, and all xenos behind it, needed to die.

"Fucking psychos. Do they not read history books?"

"They don't believe them. These idiots reject reality just because it gives them a justification to-" The AI's hologram froze, and Sarah frowned.

"Stelly? What's going on-"

The cafe faded as she felt her mind being tugged into their virtual space.

Airah blinked in surprise. Stellyra and her were linked, meaning that while they were two separate persons, their psyches and minds were interwoven at a base level so deep no one but the most skilled of neurologists could understand it, making them effectively dependent on each other for survival, but enabling them both to be much, much greater than they would be alone. But it was something they rarely used, as that intimate connection was only truly useful in combat, and using it too deeply could kill them.

"What's going on?" She asked to Stellyra's presence. It wasn't truly an avatar, just an awareness of her.

We have a problem. Said the AI through their direct mind link. The system defence network just had an alert. A ship fired missiles at the planet. Stellyra paused, and sighed. The pattern is consistent with the terrorist attacks. The missiles are heading towards the largest population centers.

Shit. Sent back Airah as she gave up the pretense of the virtual space and submerged herself in their link, effectively becoming an AI. It was not a good idea to do it often, or for long, or she would lose her humanity and destroy herself, but she could do it from time to time in emergencies. Status?

The system defence net and its AIs are doing their best, but they're not trained soldiers and they're panicking. Stellyra paused. There's also an issue of rank. A lot of their weapons can't be used without the planetary defence commander's approval, and someone just bombed the command platform.

It was planned. It wasn't really a question.

Yep. The AI stopped for a few seconds, which truly were miliseconds in the timeframe they were operating at. We do have our access codes. We could override the authorization system. But we'd be the only ones capable of using the weapons.

Airah thought about it, and sighed.

Better to have them in our hands, trained or not, than not at all. Just keep an eye on the safety protocols.

Aye aye ma'am.

They dived into the system together. Airah felt the system defence AIs bristling at their intrusion, preparing to throw security software their way...before shitting their metaphorical pants as the entire network flickered, and announced that the Imperial Navy had taken command of planetary defence.

ALERT ALERT ALERT: SUPREME ADMIRAL (RETIRED) AIRAH STARFIRE HAS TAKEN OPERATIONAL COMMAND. STAND BY FOR ORDERS.

Airah ignored the announcement and let Stellyra handle the small talk. That was her job after all, as a native AI she could operate much faster, and multitask much better than she every could. She just completely sucked at the little things like subtelty and deception.

The first thing Airah did was turn on every damned weapon in the planetary defence network's arsenal. Missiles, anti capital ship guns, everything. Most of them sucked at point defence, but it didn't mean that they'd be useless, and here every slight edge could end up saving millions. Then she drew up the general outline of her fire plan and sent it Stellyra's way, trusting her to enact it, before focusing on a handful of tachyon guns and missile launchers, taking direct control of them.

She fired a few testing shots. As expected, only a few missiles died, and mostly because the area of effect of the tachyon guns was stupidly huge. After all, they were made to shred capital ships, although they'd have done nothing more than mildly annoy a Devourer, but to be fair anything short of an antimatter bomb wouldn't phase the Galactic Empire's greatest warships much.

But that huge area of effect was to her advantage. The missiles were using a lot of acceleration to dodge them, and that meant that it took time for them to be able to cancel that movement and properly dodge again. And during that time they'd be in a predictable bubble of space.

She set off her fire mission, and watched as the first salvo caught a few missiles...and the second one immediately thereafter shredded half the volley. But whoever was on the other side was good too, and missiles began more complicated evasion patterns.

Airah noticed that the smaller battle lasers and plasma cannons had begun firing, filling the proverbial sky with a hail of projectiles, both energy and material, and enacted her second plan. She wouldn't have the time for a third, so she'd have to make it count.

Once again, she launched her fire sequence, and this time over 90% of the missiles dodged out of the way of all of the salvos, and made it on the other side. But their escape point had been predictable, as well as where they would regroup to coordinate their electronic counter measures for penetrating the last layer of defence.

Which was why she'd sent a dozen nuclear missiles on stealth mode to intercept them right there.

The sensors blanked out briefly as the equivalent of nearly a gigaton of TNT went off near the planet, before starting to resolve the battlefield once again, and Airah winced. She'd destroyed almost 80% of the remaining missiles, but that still left several hundred in play.

They hit the planetary defence network, her missile launchers and tachyon guns still recharging, and she watched helplessly as cruisers, corvettes, and even customs patrol cutters leapt into the missiles' path, trying to shoot as many of them down as possible, and even interpose themselves between the missiles and those they'd sworn to protect.

They failed.

Even with the orbital defense stations, even with the point defence satellites, even with every weapon in their arsenal unlocked and Stellyra to coordinate them all in a beautiful symphony of firepower, they failed.

Airah felt Stellyra's presence, and saw her avatar.

There was no need for words. They both cranked up their time dilation to maximum as Airah reached out and squeezed her friend's hand. At least half of the remaining dozen or so missiles were aimed at the capital. They'd never survive the bombardment. Not smack dab at the center of the city, less than a kilometer away from the planetary parliament, probably the terrorists' primary target.

Stellyra sent a file, and Airah opened it. It was an estimation of how many missiles would have gone through without their help, and casualties estimates. Airah smiled sadly. They'd saved billions of people, innocent people, from these maniacs.

She closed her eyes. One last glorious day in the Imperial Navy.

And....nothing.

She opened her eyes, and looked at Stellyra's avatar. The AI looked equally as confused as she was. Then she realized that her connection to the planetary defence network wasn't responding.

She reintegrated her body, and looked around.

She had to stop herself from falling back onto her chair. Everyone was...frozen. Most people had been pointing at the sky, not understanding what was happening, while those that either had access to the planetary defence network or had seen the alerts had been running for cover, trying to push the rest of the crowds to accompany them and hopefully save themselves.

"What.The.Fuck?" She said as she went around the table, and waived a hand in front of the waitress on her way to another table at the cafe, who had been staring up at the sky. "They're just...frozen."

"Indeed they are, miss Starfire."

Airah whirled around, followed by Stellyra, and stared at the woman now occupying her seat.

"Please, miss Starfire, take a seat. We have much to talk about." Said the woman, politely, waving at the chairs left at the table.

Airah looked the woman over. She was wearing some kind of blue business suit, but it was faintly wrong. Not up to current Imperial fashion at all. More...archaic. She also had a briefcase by her side, and her eyes....

Her eyes could be a cybernetic mod, but Airah had a feeling it was more complicated than that. They seemed to pulsate with energy, the irises a glowing blue like there was a plasma fire behind them.

"Who the hell are you?" Asked Stellyra.

"I am a...mercenary contractor, for the lack of a better word. Please, do take a seat, what I am about to tell you will take a toll, it would be better if you did."

"I'll stay up, thanks." Said Airah as she carefully watched the woman. No visible weapon, but...if she could stop time, why would she even need to be armed? Besides, you could easily fit a pulse rifle in that briefcase. Hell, there were nukes small enough to fit in there as well!

The woman shrugged.

"Suit yourself." She leaned back into her chair. "Alright, let me start at the beginning. Airah, I can call you Airah correct?" Airah nodded, and the woman smiled. "And Stellyra, are you aware of the multiverse theory?"

Airah looked at Stellyra, before going back to the woman, and nodding.

"Yeah." Theories about other dimensions and universes had abounded long before humanity had even set foot on another world, let alone reached the stars. But in recent years there had been more and more noise from the scientific community about it. Not just some insane mad scientist on some forgotten world declaring he'd found the key to travelling between universes, before promptly blowing themselves up with their 'multiverse drive', but actual respected head of institutes and universities. Something was happening, something serious, and suddenly the idea of parallel realities wasn't so ridiculed in certain circles. "The theory that there are other realities, much like our own, correct?"

"Yes. An infinity of them to be precise." The woman grabbed Airah's cup, and took a sip, before raising an eyebrow. "I must admit, I don't usually partake in culinary experiences, but that is quite good." She set down the cup. "I am from that multiverse. And I am here to offer you a job."

Once again, Sarah looked at Stellyra, who just shrugged. They could have just done it through their interface, but old habits die hard, and it wasn't a good idea to hide everything they did in there anyway. Linked pairs had completely withdrawn into themselves before, and lost themselves in their own internal simulations, trapped for eternity in their psyches.

"A job?"

"Yes, a job. You see, many people wish to alter the course of history. Be it for nations, planets, or even vast intergalactic empires. But transport in the multiverse is complicated, and there are many very powerful entities that frown upon such endeavors. Thus they turn to me. I provide a...service. By deploying exceptional individuals at critical moments, I can cause a massive change with minimal resources and traces. Think of it like deploying someone with the tactical and strategic skills of Napoleon in the middle of world war 1 on the side of germany. That could have considerably changed the outcome wouldn't it?"

"I hardly doubt one general could have changed that war."

"You undermine the butterfly effect. Besides, I pick my...associates carefully. Had I done it, they would have probably overthrown the Kaiser and taken over the German Empire completely. With a competent, driven leader at the helm, especially one willing to take the long view and not just some insane visions of old honor, history and the course of your entire civilization would have been forever changed. No World War 2, not as you know it, thus no nazism, and no Epsilon Eridiani war."

Airah winced at the mention of Epsilon Eridiani. The Galactic Empire might have truly been born when the Conclave arrived, but the Terran Empire and the framework for its eventual evolution into the protectors of humanity had been put into place by the neo nazis' insane attack on the rest of humanity from their bastion in that star system.

"I see what you mean. So you...recruit such individuals, and drop them into those situations, to alter history in a direction your clients find favorable?"

The woman smiled.

"Exactly!"

"Then why us? Why not pick someone from one of those multiverse polities? They're bound to have many more exceptional people than a mere galaxy!"

The woman winced.

"The problem is that while my influence and resources are vast, they have their limits. Most nations in the multiverse have protections in place to prevent these kind of things. Arranging an interview with one of their own exceptionals would be extremely dangerous and draining in resources. Besides, what would I offer them? They already have access to much of what I could give them. But you, well..."

"We're poor primitive bastards who don't realize we're trading piles of gold for a few bottles of schnaps?"

The woman had moved to take another sip, and she almost spit it out as she laughed.

"Ahahahah! I like you! Like that, sort of." She looked at Airah. "You are much easier to acquire, and my payments would have much more attractiveness with you. That doesn't just incentivize you to accept, it also greatly enhances your motivation and will to keep your end of the deal."

"What, because you won't send a multiverse death squad after us if we don't keep our end of the bargain?" Said Stellyra.

"No. That would be too obvious, and dangerous for me. Thus my need to pick people I believe will stick to the deal, as well as be able to accomplish what I need them to do to collect my payment. Plus of course, such persons make great collaborators in the future, whether as once more associates, or clients in their own right!"

Airah blinked. The woman seemed genuine. Which was odd, given what she'd presented herself as, Airah would have expected an explosive collar and strict orders to obey or else.

Her expression must have been telling, because the woman looked at her and smiled sadly.

"I treat my associates with the utmost respect, and give them all the autonomy they need. There is no point to recruit exceptional, driven individual if you keep them on a leash. Might as well hire some goons and be done with it."

Stellyra snorted.

"Tell that to some corps."

"Indeed. But I am not a mere corporation." She looked at Airah. "So? What do you think?"

Airah frowned, and looked around her, at the frozen people surrounding them. The woman was powerful, no doubt about that. And given the implications of something watching for disturbances, had probably expanded some considerable resources to have this meeting without interference, meaning she probably had a serious payment, and wanted to actually partner up with them and not use them as disposable tools. After all goons were dime a dozen on any Imperial worlds, and there she could have just paid a street gang to drug a couple of people and toss them into a van.

"Alright." Airah took a seat, quickly followed by Stellyra. "What's the mission? And the payment?"

The woman smiled.

"The details are still being worked out. But the world you would be sent to is a Well of Creation, in a different reality."

"A what now?"

"A Well of Creation." The woman leaned back in her seat, sighing. "They are...complicated. We know that something, something so vast and powerful any attempt to understand it or its motive has failed, created the Multiverse. We call it 'Creation'. The Wells of Creation are some kind of...interest point. Some place in reality which held Creation's attention. And even that slimmer of attention created a connection. These places emit what we call the 'Essence of Creation', a kind of energy that allows for the manipulation of the universe itself. It is the single most precious commodity in the multiverse."

"Ah. So, it's a giant fortified world surrounded by legions of starships?"

The woman chuckled.

"Stars no! It's a neutral world, currently climbing its way back from an apocalypse induced dark age."

"Wait. If that Essence is so precious, why haven't empires in the multiverse moved it to take control of it?"

"Because they would be destroyed doing so. Besides the fact that other empires would rush to get there first, and it would begin a massive war, there are...entities that would disapprove, and take action."

"Entities?"

"The best translation in your language would be 'Gods'. They're not deities, not in the metaphysical sense of the term. Just unimaginably powerful individuals. They are few, but their strength means that few dare anger them."

"So they're enforcing that world's neutrality? Why?"

"Partially because invading it through the multiverse would be interference, and they do not stand for that. They are the entities that somewhat regulate what goes on in the multiverse, and precisely who my clients are seeking to work around by going through me."

"Uh uh. And that's it?"

"Well...no. This world in particular is....special. It has Originator ruins on it. A lot of Originator ruins."

Airah sighed.

"Look lady, if you don't explain multiverse terms as you bring them up, I'll have to ask about them, and I don't want to spend my time repeating your own damned words for you to elaborate."

The woman laughed.

"Fair enough! The Originators are the first great civilization of the multiverse. They were also, conversely, humans." Airah and Stellyra looked at her in incredulity. "It's true! Humanity did not originate from Earth. Well, yes, but no. It's complicated. See, a long time ago, the Originators found some way of seeding the multiverse with humanity. It isn't just having humans pop out on alien worlds either, just that, somehow, in most universes, several biospheres will start to develop towards what you would call 'terran' biology, and ultimately towards humanity. Most fail, but in every universe, usually one succeeds, and another branch of humanity appears."

"Right. And since you mentioned 'ruins', I assume they're no longer around?"

"No. They died out, or just...left, a long time ago. Everyone is a bit hazy on the specifics. The Gods probably know more, but if they do they aren't telling anybody about it."

"Right. And they're interdicting access to those ruins?"

"No, more they're preventing multiverse empires from specifically targeting them. No one knows why, but most interpret it as a threat to their own supremacy. The Originators at least found a way to tweak the multiverse to their taste, if their seeding is anything to go by. That is so far beyond the power of the most powerful god it is unimaginable."

"I see. And that job, does it pertain to those ruins?"

"Not at all." The woman sighed. "The problem of that world is that whoever realizes what they are standing on, and figures out how to harvest the Essence of Creation begins wielding immense influence. They won't be able to use it -it takes a level of infrastructure no planet, or even star system could bring to bear-, but they can trade for it. Or, in this case, give it as tribute."

"Ah. And I'm guessing your client really doesn't like who those people are sending tribute to?"

"Precisely. It is...negatively affecting the balance of power. Thus, the general outline of the job would be to ensure that world's neutrality, through any means necessary."

"Not give tribute to your clients instead?"

"Oh no! The status quo benefits them, and an abrupt change like that, especially so tilted in their favour, would be sure to alert the gods that something was amiss."

"Right. And the payment?"

The woman leaned forward.

"Immortality. And dominion over that world, obviously."

"I'm already immortal."

"Not really, no. You lose your memories every century or so. You erase yourself to a blank slate to survive. You have to regularly receive treatments to regenerate your failing cells and decaying DNA. You are not immortal, just on a very complex and sophisticated life support. One that, might I add, would eventually fail. Memory wiping is never an exact science, and even the strongest psyche will eventually succomb to the memory madness."

Airah looked at Stellyra once again, and this time the AI nodded.

"So immortality uh?"

"Yes. Although an effective stopgap measure, as I said your civilization's own way of handling 'immortality' is flawed, and doomed to fail eventually. Which is unsurprising, very few civilizations develop 'true' immortality before joining the wider multiverse. Which is what I'm offering you. A way to live forever -provided no one kills you of course-, with your memories and your self intact."

Airah fidgeted a bit, and watch Stellyra do the same. But she could feel the AI's approval through their mind link, although it was tinged with paranoia and doubt.

"Alright, I accept to at least see the full offer. I won't accept the job out of hand, but this is tempting."

The woman clapped her hands.

"Excellent! Alright, in which case I will place your minds in stasis, and we-"

"Wait, wait, our minds? Why not ou-my body?"

"Because it won't be useful where we are going. Furthermore moving your actual body might attract attention I would rather avoid."

"Right. Very well then."

"Splendid. As I was saying, your minds will be placed in stasis until the offer and briefing is finalized, at which point you will have to your heart's content to peruse them and turn it down if you so wish!"

"What happens if we do turn it down?" Asked Stellyra.

The woman shrugged.

"If you still wish to work with me, I will propose jobs to you, although I might shelve you forever if you accept nothing. If you no longer want to associate with me? I will let your soul and mind go. Which, yes, if you are wondering means you will die."

"So you'll murder us."

"I saved you from certain death. Consider it me asking for my advance back on a job."

"Right." Said Airah. "So...what do we call you?"

"Me? You can call me boss if you wish. But if you insist on a name...what was it someone called me from your dimension once? G-woman? G-merc? Whatever, you can call me 'G'."

"Alright, 'G'. We accept to at least be put in stasis until we can see the final offer."

"Splendid!" The woman clapped her hands. "Alright, in which case, one, two, three..."

Everything stopped.