Shortly before the ceremony
Githaiy sighed as she closed the door behind her and watched the rest of the team retreat to their respective rooms. Another working period was over. Another period with frustratingly little progress.
After their return from Eroas, the doctor had taken all the bodies they had gathered with her to the Royal Research Institute in Viyrminar, the planet’s capital. A team had quickly been assembled - all experts in medicine and xenobiology - along...
2024-10-21 21:36:14 +0000 UTC
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Author's note: I'm back from my unplanned hiatus! Work has unfortunately been quite rough for a while, and combined with my Saturday courses I barely had the time and energy to write. Which sucks because I love writing this stuff, but I just couldn't. I'm sorry about the silence, if something like this should happen again, I'll make sure I'll post some updates so you know what's going on. But it feels great and refreshing to finally complete another chapter, so I hope you enjoy!
<...
2024-09-11 22:55:50 +0000 UTC
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Kiyrtin closed the text and put away his datapad. He then leaned back and closed his eyes, mentally repeating everything one final time. Learning was still as boring as ever, but now that he had a goal in mind, something to achieve with this knowledge, it was actually bearable. For a while each day, at least.
He thought about calling Nadine and challenging her to another round. It should be about morning for her by now. Over the last few days, there had been a couple of times when he ha...
2024-07-01 21:52:51 +0000 UTC
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Author's note:
... I really need to get my sh*t together. Apologies and once more, thank you for your patience.
_____________________
The destroyer Gatriy had barely assumed its position in orbit when the shuttle bay was already opening. The landing vehicle, carrying Captain Jarkiy as well as a few others, separated from the craft and began moving toward the planet.
The admiral himself had given them permission and orders to forgo all normal ...
2024-06-02 21:26:49 +0000 UTC
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Author’s note: wow, that had to be my WORST writer’s block yet. Then again, I hear stories of people who can’t get over their block for months, so I guess I should be glad that hasn’t happened to me yet. Anyway, I sincerely apologize for making you wait and thank you for showing patience.
And no, the first paragraph is NOT a play on the delay, I’m literally only realizing the parallel as I’m uploading this xD
The asterisks seem to mess with text, ...
2024-05-05 00:23:38 +0000 UTC
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“Um… do you maybe have a smaller one, Sil?”
Silgvani sighed as the Human handed her back her datapad.
“I had one the last three times you asked that. But it’s not like I freely have access to anything on the planet. Well, technically I have, but expropriation isn’t exactly a route I want to take.”
“Of course, DON’T do that, please! It’s just… you know…”
The princess leaned back in her chair and nodded. This was far from the first time they had...
2024-04-10 21:38:26 +0000 UTC
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It wasn’t as if Falpine had ever not respected her Highness, but her respect had significantly grown. She knew her parents had a lot of work to do as well as other duties managing the county. She had seen them being busy and knew the same would eventually be expected of her as well. And she was learning all about it with her tutors. But she had never actually been directly involved in the process and just now realized the true scope of it all. She had been told that the princess wa...
2024-03-25 22:21:05 +0000 UTC
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As the Star Palace drew closer and closer, Falpiyne’s nervousness grew bigger and bigger. Over the course of the last few days, it had seemed more like an abstract thought, a distant idea rather than something real. But now, with their shuttle heading straight to the centerpiece of Hohmiy’s foreign politics, it was clear as day just how real this was.
She still had no idea how this had happened. When Lady Nadine had for whatever reason told them in advance about this new project Her...
2024-03-09 01:07:19 +0000 UTC
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Krndl hated giving reports.
Well, no, that was generalizing it a bit too much. Written reports were fine. Now, at least.
The first time she had to give a written report, she had no idea what to do, so she had simply copied an older one that sounded like it was roughly saying the correct thing. It had been followed by a few days of dread that someone might notice, but no one had said anything. Afterward, she had scrambled together every old report could get her hands on and then sp...
2024-02-21 22:41:27 +0000 UTC
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"So, yeah, that's the gist of it," Nadine finished her retelling of the events of last night. When she was done, Githaiy needed to process everything she had just heard. There were a million questions in her head, reaching all the way from the girl's well-being to the fallout of her actions.
"The ambassador... is she..?"
"What? No! Why would you- okay, I can see why you would think that. But no, she's alive. She's currently being detained in one of the guest rooms, I think. The Ca...
2024-02-12 18:40:21 +0000 UTC
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For a few moments, Kykla just stood there, unable to process what she had just witnessed. How did this bizarre weapon work to be so powerful? It looked like just a stick! It couldn't just be the force of the throw, right? Such a small body couldn't possibly hold that amount of strength!
As Nadine made a step toward her, a jolt went through Kykla's body. What should she do? Should she try and grab Qeylo's gun? No, she had never used one, and if the past moments taught her anything, it wa...
2024-02-10 19:29:25 +0000 UTC
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Leaving the hospital behind her Silgvani entered one of the two shuttles parked on the forecourt, accompanied by two of her guards, with the rest of them entering the other one. Inside, Nadine was already waiting for her.
“That was quick,” the small alien wondered.
“Was it?” Silgvani didn’t feel like it was. After they finished talking to her parents they went on their way back to the Star Palace but made a quick stop at the hospital first so the princess could visit her...
2024-02-07 22:16:26 +0000 UTC
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The cell block was quiet. No one talked or made any form of noise. Mainly because there was no one here.
Two and a half cycles. That was the amount of time that had passed since the Star Palace's completion. Two and a half cycles since Her Highness had made it the new center of Hohmiy's foreign politics. Two and a half cycles, during which these cells had never seen a single prisoner. And, why would they? Ordinary criminals would go to the city's prison. One would need to commit a crime...
2024-02-07 20:35:20 +0000 UTC
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Twenty-third day after my arrival
Dear Diary
I finally managed to calm down a bit. It's now been two days since I visited the Tystrie ambassador. They are an interesting species, completely different from the Vanaery. They look a bit like bipedal cats with fish scales instead of fur. And no cat ears, theirs are on the side and pretty big, a bit like bat ears. Also interesting how tall the ambassador was. The servants all were around the size of an ...
2024-02-05 19:35:52 +0000 UTC
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"What's that supposed to mean, "canceled"?!" Kykla shouted at the screen in front of her.
"It means that Her Highness sends her apologies," the Vanaery on the other end of the call answered calmly, "but that she will not be able to see you in the following days."
"DAYS?! Have your people lost all sense of etiquette?! First the maid you gave me disappears without a trace, and now this! I already was so considerate to grant Her Highness a day of rest to recover, an...
2024-02-03 10:37:58 +0000 UTC
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Heart rate and breathing were regular. The two broken arms were fastened in their straighteners and showed no signs of complications. With a nod that wasn't really directed at anyone, Githaiy confirmed that the princess's condition was still stable. After administering the next dose of chelating agents, she prepared the nutrient mix that would replace Her Highness's meals until she woke up.
With the princess still unconscious, the entire palace was under strict lockdown. No one under th...
2024-02-01 19:09:49 +0000 UTC
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After drawing a deep breath, Githaiy raised her hand and knocked on the door in front of her.
"Yes?" came a calm answer from inside. A way too calm answer considering the situation. Slowly, she opened. Remembering what Nadine had done to her chair, the doctor half-expected to find most of the items in the room to be destroyed. But that wasn't the case. Everything was as clean and tidy as it always was.
The small alien was sitting at her desk in front of an open package. And she wa...
2024-01-30 18:03:54 +0000 UTC
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Githaiy's office was quiet, except for the continuous swooshing of the water as it ran down the sink while the doctor was washing her tools. It was a special faucet, not connected to the normal water system. Instead, it belonged to a container filled with drinkable, purified water.
Normal tap water contained - among other things - harmful calcium. That was because purifying water not meant for drinking was simply not worth it. Although she didn't know the exact reason why, after all, sh...
2024-01-27 21:06:44 +0000 UTC
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"... that would be all from my part. Unless you have anything to add, Lady Githaiy?"
Githaiy suppressed a sigh as the two of them kept walking through the hallways.
"Lord Jarkiyna, I am by no means here to undermine your authority," she insisted to the head physician of the Calhanar Hospital. "Her Highness simply wishes that the transport of her brother happens without any trouble."
"I am more than sufficient to ensure that," the head physician retorted.
"Then feel fre...
2024-01-24 19:34:23 +0000 UTC
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The Queen’s insensitive question hung in the air for a few tiggs before receiving an answer.
“No, there is no correlation,” Nadine ultimately responded calmly, but from the corner of her eye, Silgvani could see that the small alien had balled her gloved hand into a fist that was shaking from exertion, and the princess could hardly blame her. No matter how much the young girl claimed to have a different view on things than the nobles Silgvani knew, no matter how aware Nadine was th...
2024-01-22 22:06:18 +0000 UTC
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Both Qeylo - who was currently once again posing as her guard - and the borrowed maid Kaiyla turned their heads in surprise as Kykla exited the conference room much sooner than expected. She ignored them, making a beeline towards the entrance hall and then her shuttle. Since she didn't know for how long she would still be able to keep her emotions in check, she didn't want to spend any more time than necessary in the palace for now.
Overcoming their initial surprise, her two servants hu...
2024-01-21 12:45:17 +0000 UTC
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The rain was drumming against the window of the workshop, and with the same rhythm, Osiyn tapped his fingers on his desk. The tabletop consisted entirely of a large screen as the whole thing essentially was a big datapad. Currently, it showed his newest design. Or, what would be his newest design had he actually started creating it. For now, it simply showed an empty slate, just as it had been doing for the past six invas he had spent staring at the thing without any progress.
...
2024-01-17 21:38:54 +0000 UTC
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Dawn had not yet come when Mhita left her bed, donned the uniform which had become like a second shell to her, and made her way toward the Star Palace. Unlike the servants working in the Sun or Sky Palace, whose uniforms were predominantly blue - the color of the king - she was donning predominantly green. As was the case for all the others working in the Star Palace. Not only was this symbolic of the fact that they directly served Her Highness, having the entire staff in the color of the pri...
2024-01-16 19:55:16 +0000 UTC
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"Thank you, that would be all. You may leave, I still have to prepare everything for tomorrow," Kykla stated and gave Kaiyla a trained smile. The borrowed maid bowed in response.
"Of course, Milady. And don't worry, I'm sure the negotiations tomorrow will still take place as planned."
Hearing that, the Tystrie matriarch looked up. What was that supposed to mean? After the arrival, an ambassador would be given one day to get settled – which was today – and afterward, the negoti...
2024-01-14 18:07:51 +0000 UTC
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Just out of curiosity. I'm planning on making this poll on reddit eventually as well, but I'm giving you an early shot so to speak ^^. Feel free to share details in the comments. Should I also make a separate poll for the side cast? Or should I include the entire cast in one poll like Manga often do it? Input is highly appreciated!
2024-01-13 08:02:25 +0000 UTC
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At least two dozen heads turned as the doors of the large shuttle opened and two rows of heavily armed guards marched out into the light of the rising sun. When their total number counted eight pairs, they stopped and formed a corridor. Silgvani personally doubted the necessity of this presentation, not least because she was here for private reasons. But she understood that this was a formality expected from her, especially since this was her first public appearance since her return. Even if ...
2024-01-12 21:07:19 +0000 UTC
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Trees were rushing by below them as Githaiy's shuttle made its way eastward. While she was waiting for them to finally reach their destination, she took a look out of the window, watching the rural towns framed by fields and some patches of mostly untouched nature fly by. She hadn't spent all her life in the big city - she used to grow up in a smaller town - but this was probably her first time going this far into the outskirts.
At this point, I have probably seen more of other plan...
2024-01-11 20:13:39 +0000 UTC
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A blood-curdling howl tore Liyzo out of his nap. As he shot up in his seat, he could hear the dull sound of something heavy falling over. Looking around in his sleep-drunken confusion, he spotted a huge splat of blood on the left-side window of the cockpit. For First-Ones-know-how-long he was just sitting there, blankly staring at the bright orange stain. He didn't understand what was going on. Was someone injured? But that was so much blood! Was this an attack? But by whom? Should he fly off...
2024-01-09 21:35:27 +0000 UTC
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The sudden outcry of a word that didn’t get translated startled Kiyrtin. "Huh? What?"
"Get off me!"
"What's wrong?"
"When is your next melt-molting?" Nadine pressed without acknowledging his confusion.
"Err, on the risk of repeating myself: what?" What kind of question was that? Why would anyone ask that out of nowhere?"
"Your next melt-molting, when is it due?!"
"How would I know?"
"How WOULDN'T you??!! It's your body!!"
"And? Do you know whe...
2024-01-08 20:50:27 +0000 UTC
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Kiyrtin was bored.
Not that it was anything new. Boredom had been accompanying him for as long as he could remember. His parents loved him, but they were always busy with governing. His sister somehow had even less time than they did and also had moved to the other side of the planet.
There also wasn’t much to say in terms of friends. He had close to no chance of ever becoming king, not that he wanted to. However, that also meant that he wasn’t interesting to the noble familie...
2024-01-07 22:19:11 +0000 UTC
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